Observations | Freshmen, Plimpton, Pyramids

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Originally uploaded by webby37.

MY APARTMENT - Giraffes taste… weird.

I can only imagine what readers imagined this picture’s caption to be. Well let me calm all fears: her name is Lara, and we are in love.

Yesterday, for MAA’s Sabbath afternoon activity, about 30 kids and lucky faculty headed out to the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife’s (AFEW) Giraffe Petting Zoo, located only a few minutes away from our campus. In only 30 years, AFEW has helped to increase the number of endangered Rothchild giraffes in the world from 130 to 300. At the center, you can check out a few of these big fellows, pet them, and even feed them pieces of dry cereal.

Valerie and I had been told that while normal visitors hold out the giraffes’ cereal in their hands, extra-daring guests will put small pieces in between their lips and let the gentle giants “kiss” it out of them. Valerie dared me to, and I (timidly) declined, but after seeing her and about 10 other students give it a shot, I finally decided it was something I’d have to try out.

This, my friends, is the result of that decision.

Three Observations:

1. I will always be a freshman at heart. As I wrote last Thursday, I am (one of) the new freshman class sponsor(s), and last night, I had my first chance to flex my power/leadership/position, at our annual Junk Night (a.k.a. “Class Scramble”).
   
   It was a great chance to get our kids hyped up for the year, and they seemed to respond all right. The class, traditionally ending in last place because of their lack of experience, managed to come in 2nd place to the Seniors. Not bad for the rookies!


2. “So you came all the way to Kenya, got your few shillings of stipend for the month, and then spent it on a book about football?” Yes, it’s true. As the football season begins, I’m forced to keep tabs with my Kansas City Chiefs through taped games that arrive two weeks after their played and play-by-play accounts of drives via MSN Messenger (thanks, dad!). However, that’s not enough. I still have the overwhelming desire to keep up with my favorite sport. So on my last day off, on our visit to the beautiful Yaya Center, I picked up a copy of a book I’ve been looking for in the last few months: George Plimpton’s Paper Lion.”
   
   A thirty-six-year-old rookie quarterback wannabe, George Plimpton joined the Detroit Lions for their preseason camp and stuck with the club through an exhibition game before the paying public a month later… [he] culminates his apprenticeship by calling a series of play in an exhibition game in Pontiac Stadium… netting minus 29 yards in five plays.” -- back cover.
   
   It’s turning out to be a really great read, and I’m excited for the next chance I get to sit down and read it. However, I must hurry. Also in my list of books-in-progress: The Rough Guide to Egypt, Battle Cry by Leon Uris, and Lauro Martines’ April Blood. More to come on those later...


3. Speaking of Egypt... I’m going! I’m about 94.2% sure that I’ll be hanging out in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria, and Mount Sinai over Christmas break! My traveling companion, Valerie, seems to have backed out on my trip in favor of climbing this tall African mountain, Kilaman-something. Therefore, I just might just be going alone. Oh, there’s a chance that one of the faculty families joins me, but I really doubt it – I'll be exploring the country by myself!I’m not worried, though. I feel like in Europe I proved to myself a few times that I can handle travling alone, and so I’ll be just fine. It would have been great to go with Valerie, but without her, I’ll be able to move without worrying about taking care of others. :)
   
   So, if this happens (I’ll know for sure by the end of this week), I think I’ll be leaving December 15th (the day after finals) and returning January 6th - 3 weeks! In this time, I’m hoping to spend a couple days in Cairo and Giza, home of the Pyramids. There’s close to 100 of them, just a day trip from Cairo, so that’ll be a few great days of exploring. Next, I plan on working my way down to Luxor, possibly taking a Nile cruise down to Aswan and back, and then swinging over to Mt. Sinai (via Cairo, plus a quick day trip to Alexandria). My plane ticket will only be $365 round trip, so I’m not too worried about spending a lot - I think I’ll be able to do it for no more than $750. We’ll see, though...


4. Bonus observation: This is KC’s year! To all the doubters, HOW ‘BOUT THEM JETS? Sorry, does Chad Pennington still exist? Didn’t NY use to have a great linebacker, somebody Vilma, that was a premier run-stopping LB? Can’t most Pop Warner teams score in the red zone without a blocked field goal and/or stupid fumble?
   
   While my parents and best friend were sitting in my seats in Arrowhead Stadium at noon yesterday, I was trying to shoo guys into their rooms for study hall at 8pm here. However, once I managed to bolt all the doors shut, I sprinted back to the office to try and “watch” the game on ESPN’s Java Ticker online. Of course, the net ended up freezing and had to be shut down for the night. However, thanks to the magic of text-messaging, I was able to receive updates live from Arrowhead (thanks again, dad!). 1-0, baby! Only 18 more to go before we’re declared champs!

Allright, time for a nappy-nap. Keep watching for another update!

-cw