Well, it's back to the "Green Zone" for me ... see you in four or so days ...
It's been something of a weird weekend with the snow and ice melting, but the icy fear that I really don't have all of the protocols firm in my mind viz-a-viz the new job not melted in the least. I've learned the codes and such to get through both the minor (outer) control and master (inner) control, but am completely at the mercy of the security protocols on the computers and servers in the classrooms.
And tomorrow, I meet three three-hour classes of roughly 18 students each. I think I have almost all of them "registered" on the servers with files and folders "ready to go," but know in my heart that I haven't the least idea how to teach subjects that I've taught dozens of times before. This is an entirely different environment and I'm at the mercy of a "system" that I neither created nor understand.
In some way, God answered my prayers a week ago by dumping snow and ice on the entire region on Monday through Wednesday which actually (in my case) gave me an extra evening's sleep in a motel (after my car skidded off the road) and an unexpected day off two days after that incident. One of my classes was "replaced" with a religious service (on prayer, would you believe) that was in the next room. I couldn't leave the institution until 9:00 pm since i didn't have codes and the "leaving protocol" learned yet and was trapped, so to speak, with a group of ... worshippers, shall we say, who taught me more about Jesus than I thought I knew.
But it's Sunday night again and I am facing another of those crazy schedules (will be getting home at 10:00 pm and awakening to the alarm each morning at 5:00 am), plus new 'students" to meet and teach.
I need your prayers again as I prepare to enter the "Green Zone" in another 10 hours or so. And no, I haven't had a chance to talk with my brother Richard from Connecticut this weekend.
He helps. He makes me laugh.
posted by Dr. Joe @ 7:59 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Hi Joe,
thanks for your comments on my blog. yes i shot the pictures. I didn't put lots of course but as well all where you can see clearly faces of my wife. Never know.
I am sad you got an accident and to say the truth i worry you work so hard.
I would like to answer about one of your articles below and indeed most of them. I know you are pro arab (partly or totally) so sometimes it makes me upset (just a little bit because you have an smart analysis). Saudi was asking usa and europe to attack iran during the war, saudi was asking israel to exterminate (their words) the hezbollah. saudis want shits not be anymore. They are fascists. in my country the only people who have burkas are them. the only people on earth they have so little consideration on women are them. they don't respect their own religion for getting the power .. since killing muslims should not.
killing as well except exceptional conditions.
your country is pro arab and the news are not independant inthis matter like in mine. I just hope people wake up and understand we need work together and live in peace together. sorry to say all this but i see more and more clearly what saudis have in their mind. and this week was published a book about saddam hussein and i could hear the minister speak about it on a program... saying "it was important for europe and usa to support saddam even he attacked iran since iran was starting to win and the middle east needs equilibrum between arabs and persians".
oh nothing to do about it but did you see the movie "borat"? it makes noise and especially in london ... you know even the american actresses living there need to say they feel proud be americans (see people.com) ;)
take a good care
and enjoy life the most you can
frederic
le Rouge et le Noir
I will have to wrote a comprehensive posting to explain my "pro-Arab" views. They aren't really pro-Arab; they are pro-fairness to all concerned.
I agree that most, in fact almost all Iranians, are modern and not "Faschist." Still the leadership makes weird statements...
Israel is certainly not innocent in all of this, but absolutely must survive and is scared to heck/hell.
Saudi Arabia wanted the US to stay o9ut of Iraq at the outset; so did I.
More on them later.
Your pictures were quite beautiful and I look for more ... maybe of Paris.
Cheers
Joe
joe,
sorry if i seem to be not polite or not respectful when i said that. i didn't think of you even i understand with your background you have more link with them.
sadly about the arab countries around iran, which hopefully one day changes 'cause it's a lot of energy needs to be inside.... so the arab countries: iraq was killing 1 million helped by usa and europe. now they ifnd a way to peace. the link with shiites if evident since they share the same religion. saudis hate shiites (sorry my french way of the name of shiisme). dubai is taking land for iranian soil and iran doesn't say anything. dubai is taking all its money by its rich people who put their money not considering the bank in switzerland. but it is changing about the last point. iranians are upset and it doesn't help to create this situation.
maybe i exagerate since even between them, arabs (from middle east ) are terrible: shiites in saudi arabia, egypt doesn't support palestine, saudi asking israel to exterminate hezbollah (which is not only a terrorist activity for some of them but mostly humanitarian shiite communauty).
sometimes myself i am tired of all this. my wife is sad.
so it's nice put some pictures. i will try put some of paris soon. as soon as i can.
today was a horrible day for me... i was in the court since i complained for my last job being fired. a long story with a sick boss and i had to see him today for starting the judgment. it was very hard as during the last months of work he made a hell and waited my come back from mariage to fire me.
ok sorry for the bad mood day
take a good care
how are your student doing? i mean they learn fast? pay attention?
le Rouge et le Noir
I'm sorry about what you are going through with your boss. But you stood up for your rights and that is refreshing.
I was not angry or complaining about your feelings towards Iraq )vis-a-vis the previous Iran-Iraq War), but that was a horrid affair in every way. Still, Arabs and Iranians, like Americans and Frenchmen ... have basic needs and desires and, in the large, are good people.
The Saddams and Mahmoud Ahminejad's are actually rare and only incite hatred. Al Sadr too, I think and, of course, Osama bin Laden are maniacs of a rare breed.
I think that the Shits and the Suntans will have to learn to live in peace and we will have to learn to stay out of all of their affairs. In time, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others will step in to insure that the Shits don't exterminate the Suntans, but I see three countries evolving whether we stay or leave the country quickly.
It's just a sad evolution of events and the story will go on long after you and me.
I look forward to nice pictures of Paris in the Springtime.
Cheers
Joe
PS: Please pray that I endure the hours of sleep (too few) and job. Thanks. joe
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