waitin', watchin'

Why did I choose the Kill Bill Vol. 1 soundtrack to back up my blogging? No conscious reason--and then Charlie Feathers starts wailin' and warblin',

Waitin'
Watchin'
That woman, she's gonna show
I need this little bitty woman
How much you'll never know
Owww!

Right now Melissa is preparing for the journey home from Spain. This, thus, is a night of just waitin' and watchin'.

She's gonna show. Soon.

five more days

Melissa's most recent--and final--batch of photos is posted here.

Five more days!

you shall know them by their decorabilia

My wife has another fascinating set of photos from her Spain trip. I've posted one here, too, because it's what this blog is all about.

I judge people by the quality of their decorabilia. The fake posters and knickknacks covering the walls of Red Robin, for example, merit scorn and contempt. A garlanded pig head, on the other hand, demands respect and admiration. Spaniards may love ham in excess, but it is a deep and abiding love.

photos from my visit to Spain

To see all twenty-three photos, click the title of the post or the timestamp.

someone's had some kind of annual commemoration

The someone in question:


Two weeks and I'm jetting to Spain to see her. Two eternal weeks.

nice ass photos Spain

Although technically it's a burro.

More new Spain photos here and here.

[138th in a series]

the first batch of photos from Spain

Since my wife doesn't get free internet in Úbeda, she's put me in charge of posting photos from Snapfish to her blog.

She's already making good use of our digital camera. Click through to see all seven, including an image that can be a bit shocking to an American ignorant of Spanish Catholicism.

Semana Santa

As my wife enjoys the marvel that is Holy Week as a non-Catholic American in Spain, I thought I'd pass along an article by Chloe Breyer, who explains just how much of the present celebration owes its origin to "...a little-known, naturally inquisitive fourth–century Spanish nun named Egeria."

flying solo

In a matter of hours, the jet lands in Madrid, with my heart on board. My wife is spending ten weeks in Spain, studying language and culture and history in Ubeda. (Ella no puede Inglés durante los estudios--y por eso, estoy practicando mi Español.)

The distance isn't infinite: ten weeks of phone cards, Skype, instant messaging, email, blogging, letters, postcards, telepathy. If I complain, a denizen of the twentieth century is near enough to retort, "In my day..." They're right. It's not as bad as it could be. But it's still pretty damn bad.

Miss you already, Melissa. Come back soon.



Update: She arrived safely today, which in the context of this post means tomorrow. I am resisting the temptation to start counting the days.

post-weekend update

1. I just won an OSPI scholarship that covers half the cost of National Board certification. Thank you, legislature, for making the process much more manageable. And thank you, OSPI, for your generosity with government funds. My future students will thank you as well.

2. Speaking of students: a freshfolk, after drinking a soda, peeled off the label and announced, "Hey, I just won a snack wrap!" I started a slow clap, which built into requisite applause. Then I wrote "snack wrap slow clap" on the board, and we tried it out as a tongue twister. It works pretty well.

3. I have a senior who can do this almost perfectly.

4. That describes how I feel right now. Just when I'm finally in control of the new trimester, my wife is preparing to study in Spain for ten weeks. Such excitement, such sadness. I'm not ready to re-bachelor.