Springtime, in Minneapolis, For Benjamin

There's really a lot to do in Minneapolis, and it smells a lot better than Cairo. Seriously - I didn't realize how much I missed having lilacs around on a daily basis.

Running is easier and less exciting at the same time. It's nice to have trails and picturesque scenery, and geese, ducks and the occasional deer around the falls to look at, but it's not challenging when you aren't dodging cars, bowabs, cats, all while being chased by school children shouting, "1! 2! 1! 2!" Isn't that half the fun of going on a run? Plus, you get better ankle strengthening and you're also diving, dipping, and dodging! Oh well, at least I can breathe while I'm downtown.

There's also a more varied entertainment complex, even in a city 10 times smaller than Cairo. Highlights lately have been Caroline, or Change at the Guthrie; the ASID showcase home kick-off party in Edina where I got to meet Cheyrl Tiegs; the phenomenal NE pub crawl and then later the NE art-a-whirl weekend; the wine tasting with Max Reidel; the WAM Pecha Kucha; and just being able to enjoy a green and floral nature.

Oh, and Chris and I built this for the kids. I know it's impressive. 

Look how much Jonathan loves it!

And in the news:

Egypt: Hisham Talaat Moustafa was giving the death sentence for his role in the death of Lebanese Pop Star Suzanne Tamim. That's a huge blow for Prana as before I left Egypt I met with the head of HR for the Hisham Talaat Moustafa Group about having the man himself work with us once we was released from jail. Whoops. If the press was ever allowed to freely cover stories maybe we would have known how truly serious this situation was!!

wust el-balad: Interesting video on the state of small businesses on Mohammad Mahmoud Street in the wake of AUC's move to the X-burbs. And I know Saied, the guy with the Xerox store in the stairwell. He was my favorite!

From the Desert Bureau: Arab AUC students unanimously say that Israel has no right no exist. Of course they would....sheesh....

Response from the North: Invitation from the Israeli board of tourism to the AUC community. This is pretty entertaining.

Minneapolis Milling District: The Guthrie Hearts Tony Kushner and so should you. Seriously guys, go see Caroline, or Change. It's one of the best shows I've ever seen in my life. And the world premier of The Intelligent Homosexuals Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures just opened. Time to book your tickets!

The inanity of the day: 

Per week, I don't understand how the number of loads of laundry one does can be greater than number of showers one takes. And I wear at least 2 outfits a day. 

Of course I also don't understand how a person can watch at least 6 hours of HGTV everyday but barely clean up after themselves (or their boyfriend).

The Particulars of Rapture

Tell me, how is this night different from all other nights? How, tell me, is this Passover different from other Passovers? Light the lamp, open the door wide so the pilgrim can come in - gentile or jew - under the rags, perhaps the Prophet is concealed. Let him enter and sit down with us; let him listen, drink, sing, and celebrate; let him consume the bread of affliction, the paschel lamb, sweet mortar and bitter herbs. This is the night of differences: rest your elbow upon the table as the forbidden becomes prescribed; evil is translated into good.

We spend the night recounting far off tales, full of wonder, and because of all the wine, the mountains will skip like rams. Tonight they will exchange questions: the wise, the godless, the simple minded, and the child. Time will reverse its course: today flowing back into yesterday as a river enclosed at its mouth. 

Each of us has been a slave in Egypt: soaked straw and clay with sweat, then to cross the sea dry footed. You too, stranger.

This year in fear and pain; next year in virtue and justice.

- Primo Levi, The Open Door

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Wednesday, I celebrated Passover at Julia's house with mostly new friends, some religious, but all open to a feast that was more than just about eating. Not that Julia and I were attempting to be pedagogues, but we thought the evening wouldn't be complete without a little bit of education on the Jewish holiday - as clearly we are experts on the topic. However, after doing a bit of research, shopping, and putting vocab on a chalk board, we were excited to find out the 4 of the 14 steps to Seder involved drinking full glasses of wine - the Jews know how to have a dinner party!

And the Wedge Co-op was out of kosher Matzah ball mix - so we had to make the kind which specifically said, "NOT FOR PASSOVER!" which was fine, because otherwise the brushetta would have been even more out of place. Still, I have to wonder, what's the use of a non-kosher matzah? Other than the whole eating levened bread thing, we tried to stay on course: bitter herbs (well, arugula) to show the bitterness of slavery; parsley (representing Spring) dipped in saltwater (just like the tears of the slaves) which seemed to be rather a mixed metaphor; a nut and apple mixture reminiscent of the mortar on bricks used to build Egyptian monuments; a glass of wine and an open door for Elijah. We're pretty religious, can't you tell.

Sadly, I still think Hanukkah food is way better....but then who doesn't love food slathered and cooked in oil?

Next dinner party on the roster? Pentecost! The theme will be food cooked over an open flame.

Rabble Rousing & Moral Ambiguities

Get ready for the comeback.

I'm back - at least that's what I'm telling myself today. I'm not entirely concerned who reads, or more likely, doesn't read, this blog, rather it truly is an exercise in narcissism. I want to be able to read my memories, and perhaps share them with others.

I fear that often I will be grandiloquent and pedantic, but I will try to be equally superficial and glib. I will include stories about my life, both real and imaginary, include inanities I find amusing on the Internet, and try to have some small sense of social justice and community activism by adding a strain of Minnesotan+Egyptian+World news items. Here's hopin' for a broadening sense of international awareness.

In the news:

Minnesota: Oh, Michelle Bachmann, distinguished representative from the North - how do you even have functioning motor skills let alone the time and energy to create such absurd fantasies? I think it's time for another lobotomy....

Egypt: April 6th is Youth Movement Day - both "Day of Anger" and "Day of Hope." But really it will probably just be another day when nothing really happens except the Army is deployed to Midan Tahrir and some members of the proletariat are arrested, abused, held without habeas corpus - nothing to challenge the status quo or bother the international media....of course not.

Egypt: The population at AUC has never pretended to represent the average Egyptian, but we already knew that, n'est ce pas? (Remember when they wanted their own lane on the highways?)

It's already been shown that they operate outside of Egyptian laws by representing the interests of the US. See also...

Inane: And the winner is:

"Today, I was walking out of a Starbucks and saw someone walking out behind me, thinking it would be the nice thing to do I held the door open. I was holding the door for about 30 seconds before realizing I was holding the door for my own shadow. FML"