Summer Update :)

A lot has been happening in my life recently. That's probably not a good way to start a post; it's practically cliche. If nothing had been happening in my life, I would hope (and I'm sure you do too) that I wouldn't be writing.

My job is still going well, and I really enjoy it. I like talking to people, and having so much interaction with others is a lot of fun for me. I have been somewhat less than well for a week or so of it, (there is no way I'm going to say I'm sick again!!!!!!) which makes all the talking rough, but I still really enjoy it.

At the moment, I'm at Yale University (yes, the one in Connecticut ... and yes, I'm excited!) for a week-long seminar on "Exploring Liberty". We have intensive lectures and discussions, although the seminar has no homework assignments and is not graded, in an attempt to keep this a pure intellectual experience. To date it has been very good (over the last 2 days) and I have learned a lot about not only the details of economics, history, law and philosophy (the basic categories of the lectures) but also looking at the big picture and how they all fit into the American political landscape. Yes, I know that is a big statement, and no, I am not a sudden genius who can solve the world's problems. I haven't gotten that far [yet? :)]. However, I am very glad for this opportunity. Of course, being on the Yale campus is incredible, and walking through the buildings and thinking about the history and who has been here before me is literally breathtaking. (Envision me standing in a hallway gasping for air because I haven't been breathing while thinking ...) This morning the director was giving out prizes for students who arrived for lecture at least 5 minutes early and had their binders and name tags. I happened to qualify in that category, and in the drawing I won a book. It is called "Restoring the Lost Constitution" by Randy Barnett, and I think it will be an interesting read.

One story, then I have to go - last night we had discussion group, and as an ice breaker (well, more like so the monitoring staff person could get to know us; we'd been together as a group for several hours of discussion at this point) she had us state our names and an intellectually stimulating book we had read recently. I was thinking about it as my turn was coming and came to the conclusion that the best answer was the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I got mixed responses, from "good choice" to bewildered, polite nods (others were listing manifestos, Reagan's Memoirs, etc) but I explained that it got me thinking about systems of government, especially the angle of justice in the system, and since it made me think I would list that as intellectual above something that sounds very good on a reading list that I read and got nothing out of. I guess that's just one more example of how my brain follows strange paths ... you probably didn't want to know that, but then again - it was probably rather obvious already. One of my favorite things is taking an argument, even one that I agree with, and seeing if I can get a different angle to prove a point - whether it be the same, or an opposite point. Perhaps that could be called 'arguing for the sake of debate'. I don't know how best to classify it. Perhaps it could equally well be called "the things that partially insane people do to amuse themselves to the terror of solid citizens". That is probably more like it ...

Okay, I ramble. Sometimes I wonder what I was even doing to get a blog in the first place. But then again, this is a free system and I am not coercing you to read the entire blog, an entire post, or even so much as one sentence of the entry! Therefore, my compassion for your plight is small, unless you have a compulsion to read everything that you see when you open a webpage, and in that case I feel truly sorry for you, give you my deepest apologies and regrets, and suggest that you wisely block my blog so you don't have to go through this again. Unless you enjoy it. Hmm. That's an interesting thought. But that's my philosophical/psychological side coming out, and you really don't want me to go there. Trust me. I love my life, but that doesn't mean you love to hear about it! :) I hope it sunny where you are - I am enjoying a beautiful day here. I starting singing as I walked down the street from the dining hall this afternoon. In some ways, it is like being back in London. I saw a bus today. It wasn't a double decker, but it was a bus ...