Love the blog. You are truly a gifted writer. Just wanted to point out one error in your response above. You do (still) have a church calling. In fact, the Stake President (Augusta) has not been especially happy with your recent leadership. He wants to know why you seem so distant from your quorum???

Gary

JD and Big T (not Soprano) sittin’ here in da ‘Stuhl chillin with coffee in hand, checkin’ out your posts. Sounds like things are going well there and we’re glad your doing well. Tony was wondering where you get your PET-CT scans at. Perhaps the Green Zone. What round would you pick Brett Favre in next years draft? By the way, if we happen to get the pool togehter, again, do I (JD) take Moss or Grant (yeah the guy I stole from you and rode to a championship) as my keeper?
Tony wants to know if you have a favorite set of ACU’s?

Anyway keep safe and positive. We’re looking forward to your safe return.

All the best

JD and T.

Please don’t worry about me from that standpoint–I am actually just fine, and “enjoying” my little hazy cocoon here as much as one can being away from the family. I brought a few movies with me, an entire PBS series on Jefferson and one on Vietnam, and the first seasons of Heroes and 24, and I haven’t watched a single episode of any of them yet, because I’ve kept myself busy doing other things (reading, writing, hanging out with my clinic and church “families” and exercising). So don’t cry for me, Argentina.

Sometimes, I just feel the need to not be so incessantly upbeat that people begin to think I am enjoying it here more than home. I mean, just because they do all of my laundry for me and send it back folded and pressed, and just because my job here is essentially 8 to 4 (instead of 7 to 6) and just because there is free food 24 hours a day and I have time to read and write and ride my bicycle around for hours a day, with no church calling, no kids’ homework to help with, no toilets to plunge, and no dying cancer patients to worry about—just because of all of these things, it doesn’t mean I like it here.

And for gosh sake, Lisa, don’t waste postage on sending me Gatorade. (Though I appreciate the thought.)

Love you guys and I appreciate your concern. Maybe direct some of that towards my “single-mother” wife, who has it a lot rougher than me right now, in just about every way…

Only five months left. You’re doing great!!
And to take from your Dad’s line, you could come back a Schwatzenager with C.S. Lewis-like ability. WOW!! What a combo!

Keep the faith Pres. We’re all greatful for what you are doing.

I have a thought for you: if you find that you need a fast “pick-me-up, I find that eating Mentos (or anything else containing palm kernal oil, evaporated cane juice and polysorbate 80) always cheers me up. Maybe you will soon have an opportunity to test out my theory. But, if that doesn’t work, there’s always Top Ramen. ‘Bye for now. dad