September 23, 2006
****We interrupt your regularly entertaining blog to bring you a special guest entry written by Irene, Leah's sister.****
Due to the project I have been working on at PBS, I was unable to take any vacation time until this month. As someone who has been ensconced in academia for several years, this took a little getting used to. Pittsburgh is actually the second leg of my vacation. I was visiting friends in Atlanta from the 8th through the 17th. That was a very, very nice and relaxing vacation. Essentially I was not allowed to do anything except read (I read or re-read 8 books), watch films (7 Hindi and 2 American films), eat tons of food (mainly Indian) and sleep (at least 8 hours a night). Now, that's what I think a vacation should be--getting pushed around by elderly Chinese women as David was is not my idea of a good time--though I think he would agree with me on that point. My Pittsburgh mini-vacation has been equally nice, though not really as restful. This is not because I've been required to do anything--indeed, the complete opposite. However, I feel as though I should be more active simply because Leah and David are. They've gotten up at 6 AM all but one of the mornings I've been here. And to add insult to injury (in my ever so humble opinion), they were then extremely active after waking--either going to the gym or doing their running/walking routine (which they'll tell you all about if you show the least bit of interest, or even if you don't). 6!! AM!!!! Feel free to take a moment to shake your head over the very thought--I'll wait.
The only morning they didn't rise and shine at 6 was on Friday morning and that was because we were all rudely awakened at 2 AM by the fire alarm. This, I learned, happens far more often that it should. They were chattering away about old wiring and foolish, foolish undergrads leaving stove/microwaves unattended all the while I was trying to stop from curling up on the steps of the church across the street from their apartment building and going back to sleep. David's story about the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas burning years ago and the enormous fireball that burst out the entrance which melted the cars parked across the street managed to rouse me a little. Now, I don't mean to worry you unnecessarily--the fire people came, spent what seemed about 5 seconds in the building and gave the all clear. Leah learned the next day that while the wiring is old, the detection system is relatively new and they believe a spider rested its legs for a little too long on the microchip sensor.
With the exception of that abrupt and quite rude interruption, this has been a most congenial and pleasant way to end my vacation time. I've been to the library twice, read 3 books, had the opportunity to have Caribou hot chocolate twice (the chocolate shavings on top of the whipped cream is what makes it better than others), enjoyed my first glass of Guinness and been bossed around by Junior She Who Must Be Obeyed. Now, while this last point may not seem terribly pleasant, it does bring about a certain sense of nostalgia for our childhood which is nice to experience-- occasionally. Lest you think I was completely useless, I did chauffer them both to Whole Foods where they stocked up on the heavier items (for example, they bought a carton of rice milk). I also brought a summer's worth of Entertainment Weekly magazines for them to peruse and 5 Hindi DVDs. While I have attempted to broaden their movie experiences, they nixed the idea of watching more than a few. And as I leave tomorrow, the "few" is turning into more like 1 plus some Hindi songs from one or two others. For example, we watched the first half of one last night (Dil Chata Hai), but they decreed that it should be stopped at intermission and finished this evening. Now, I agree with them that in comparison to most American films, Indian films run a little long. Dil Chata Hai, for example, has a running time of 185 minutes (just over 3 hours) Still, for all their being active at 6 AM!!!!, they really are big wimps.
****This concludes the special guest portion of Leah and David's website. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.****
