Vancouver and Iraq

I went to Vancouver last weekend to a dear friend's wedding. It was a beautiful, simple wedding. I got to hang out with her family, run Stanley Park Seawall and make a new friend. My flight got cancelled so I got to spend an extra day, but at the cost of teaching an entire day after a red-eye. Then, this weekend I finished up a class I'm taking for my certification, which was a complete relief. Then, we had a bon voyage party for my two cousins who are off to Iraq one tomorrow and one next week. Last night was fun but bittersweet. My one cousin has a three-month old girl. My computer is about to run out of battery, so this is my brilliant entry.

excitement mounts: U2's 360 Tour

I've already been privvy to copious amounts of U2 concert information. I've seen pictures on my cell and FB. But, I have to say that the set list has been the most exciting. We'll see if the Raleigh concert is different than the Barcelona, won't we? This will be my first U2 concert.

Here are some sights and sounds from opening night of the 360 Tour in Barcelona, Spain.
Setlist:
1. Breathe
2. No Line On The Horizon
3. Get On Your Boots
4. Magnificent
5. Beautiful Day
6. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
7. Angel Of Harlem / Man In The Mirror (snippet) / Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough (snippet)
8. In A Little While
9. Unknown Caller
10. The Unforgettable Fire
11. City Of Blinding Lights
12. Vertigo
13. Crazy Tonight
14. Sunday Bloody Sunday
15. Pride
16. MLK
17. Walk On
(Encore – Desmund Tutu speech plays leading into Streets)
18. Where The Streets Have No Name (With the red lights again! )
19. One – MESSED UP>> restart *
(Short break)
20. Ultraviolet
21. With or Without You
22. Moment of Surrender

I'm tired, but relaxed. I have a lot of work, but that's not overwhelming me. I've lost five pounds (very Bridget Jones of me). And, the crush I thought I'd snuffed out has reignited. C'est la vie. This time next week I'll be in Vancouver.

forecast sunny

Things got better. Don't know how. Don't know why. My job doesn't feel like a ton imposition on me. I'm slowly getting situated in the sea of students and learning that I get through one fewer activity with a class of 34 then with a class of 28. It has something to do with how many times the same question gets asked. One day, I answered the same question over twenty times. PAY ATTENTION, why dontcha. But, my lesson on Islam went fantastically today. We talked about OT ethics and human rights. One of my biggest punks told me "that was really interesting" after class, which floored me. They kept asking me, "How do you know that?" And, I'd say, "Because I'm a genius" or "I paid attention in school." Plus, we're supposed to get the new teacher Monday. I'll be down to 28 students a class and one prep! More pandemonium, but good pandemonium.

I can tell I'm feeling better because I met the Chief for dinner and, on a whim, decided to go to Charlotte and by a skirt. And I bought some other pieces as well. It felt like illicit fun. The Chief is more fun than a lot of people I know my age. I got some clothes to wear to the Vancouver wedding-- it's a 10 shindig in North Vancouver at a lodge, which is kind of an odd style thing. This marriage makes me happy.

My uncle sent me the playlist for U2 today. No "Cedars of Lebanon" but I'll probably live. Now I need to read a chapter titled "Motivation" in my learning theory. Oh, but if it could teach me how to do that. But, although the path devious keeps winding, there is a light.