If it ain't got that swing...

Inspired by World Cup physical fitness, I just overdid it BIG TIME at the gym and write this blog post with shaky fingers. What is up, people??

With me, some new things:
*It's the end of the summer session so I'm haunted by school daze dreams at night. Last night I was taking Philip Seymour Hoffman's advanced geometry course and had forgotten to attend the last half of the semester's classes. Panic! Luckily, by the end of the dream I remembered I already had my BA, suckers, and why on earth was I taking this class anyways?!?! I hate math. I don't care if you have an Oscar.
*I have a job for next year!!! Though my contract is still pending in Richmond, I'm slated to come back to Doha for 2010-2011. Hot hot hot! I will be with the freshmen again, which is my preference! Infinite thanks to those (ie. probably everyone I know) who helped me through this process and listened to me bitch and moan ad nauseum about having an uncertain immediate future. I can never fully repay you, but I will try this summer when I come home whine-free and ready for a good time! (America: July 11th till August ?)
*A midsummer influx of visitors from afar has meant I renew my interest in Doha and Qatar, even though it is as hot as the DICKENS. Seriously, this weekend it was 118F, the temperature at which I think your innards begin to roast up like dinner meat.

I went to the Inland Sea (a giant salt water lake that separates Qatar from Saudi Arabia in the south of the country). So beautiful:
And I wore an abaya at FANAR (our Islamic cultural center):

And Richmond came to visit! En route to Indonesia, Mike Ashley and Wolfgang got shished at the souq:

In less than a week, I'm going to meet my sis and parents in Germany and we will have fun in that country and in Italy, as you might have noted from my post below regarding the Axis powers tour. That's just a joke. We are really going for wine and beer and chocolate and salami! Berlin is already promising to be out of this world and I'm certain that our two days there will only be enough to make me want to go back for much longer. In Italy, we will be borrowing the car of my dad's colleague and driving through a countryside that we are entirely unfamiliar with! National Lampoon reenactment! Playlist suggestions! I've already decided the song at the beginning of this clip is the theme of the adventure:

Hopefully, minus Nazi Christian Bale and Noah Wyle busting up our mad-good time. (Incidentally, a DVD copy of Swing Kids is the only thing I really want for my birthday...)