Shobak Castle 2020

Yes, I know I've posted pictures of Shobak Castle before, but it's become annual part of our Jordan trips and the students always love it - and it was no different this time.

The view looking up the hill, giving you some sense of why it took so long to conquer (it helped that they had a secret tunnel down to a water supply and out into a nearby valley, which I've shown in previous Shobak posts).

If you're going to take over a crusader castle you need to make up upgrades, including fitting in blocks with Arabic script.

Claire Yeash scouting around the castle.

For some reason I don't remember this particular passage before, which I think is pretty epic.

Missing Life in Aiken

Dave Mills sent this picture along the other day when, during a video chat, Linda and I found ourselves reminiscing about life in Aiken Hall. I think it was to make us feel better, although I think it just made Linda more nostalgic. Still, she does look happy. Someday, maybe not soon, soon all too soon, life will return to normal.

My response was: "Man, I do have a great ass, or maybe I am a great ass."

The Challenges of Social Distancing

As we all know at this unpleasant moment in time, it's a challenge to see loved ones when we'be barely supposed to leave the house. I had not seen my son since before I took off for India, and he lives in the same town. Last week, taking a circuitous route to the Food Shelf for volunteering, I swung by the boy's place for some much needed, but appropriately socially distanced, time with Gary and his girlfriend. Plus I got to watch his cat Odin hunting small beasties in the woods.

The boy, as usual, looking handsome.

And some old dude dropped by. I think, using Holmesian logic and by making calculations based on the time of day and length of the shadow, that we practiced sensible social distancing.

Taking a break at Food Shelf on Saturday morning, soaking in the sun, and enjoying each other's company, while still practicing social distancing.

Sunset at Petra

Here's what could have been a great photograph if I actually had a great camera - and if I were actually a great photographer. As I sit and look at old photographs I can't believe that I never invested in a decent camera. I remember when I was in Abu Dhabi I went through something like four cameras, none of them particularly great, in the space of a couple months because of 1) smashy-smashy, 2) ill-timed big wave, 3) ill-placed sand while taking pictures in the desert, and 4) something else I've forgotten. Obviously, there's a reason why I didn't invest in a really nice camera.

I snapped this picture from the rooftop of a restaurant in Petra when I was visiting my friend Sally. Considering we're getting ready to blow into another Ramadan I guess the shape of the moon is fitting. However, in this case I keep coming back to the concept of sunset. I've already canceled next fall's Jordan trip, and I can't believe that my scheduled sabbatical spring semester of 2021 will actually come together for innumerable reasons. I'm certainly not getting any younger, and a pandemic rages. Will I ever make it back to Jordan? It's a painful thought that I may never see that beloved country again.

Still, if I never make it back to Jordan, or even overseas, it was a lovely run.

Lily of Arabia

And another picture that I cleared off my phone, this of my student Lily, reveling in the view. She yelled for me to come join her, which I did, before losing my balance and falling down the rock face while a total idiot. My knee still hasn't recovered.

Sure, I can barely walk, but it was a great view.

One Last Tea With Suleyman

I just stumbled across this picture the other day when I was cleaning some stuff off my phone. It's a shot I snapped on our last day in the Wadi Rum on the Thanksgiving trip. The students were grabbing one last cup of tea with our host Suleyman before heading out. You can tell that they're already sad, although not as sad as me.

And I'm especially sad now because I recently cancelled the 2020 Thanksgiving trip because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It may be safer then, but I'm not taking any chances with my students. Now, will I go? Hmmmm . . .

Ramadan 2020

I'm just posting the Ramadan times for Burlington for this coming Ramadan, which is fast approaching. Looks like I'll be setting the alarm for 3:30, at least for the beginning.