Megavator Music and other Tuesday Ticklers

Hey there, kids. Sorry to miss you this weekend. Too much happening, too little time.

So we told you a coupla weeks ago about the Christmas music at Easter, which is in its own special way a rather poignant and hopeful gaffe.

Turns out it's not a gaffe, but a soundtrack.

In succession, in that gosh-awful-synthesized-couldn't-land-a-real-gig-cuz-Yanni-beat-me-to-it-so-I-churn-out-this-depressingly-catchy-crap high elevator style, the following:

Sunday: Jingle Bells
Monday: Gangsta's Paradise (I kids you not)
Tuesday: Ave Maria

What a rich and varied range of styles. Those elevator boys are nothing if not versatile.

Oh, and here's the Jonah connection: he's been reciting lines from Weird Al's "Ahmish Paradise" lately. These are, of course, things he's picked up from "the brothers" (meaning his, and not, like, Ryan), which he likes to share with everyone else under 5 feet tall. So yesterday, when he was visiting the school we've just registered him in, he lets drop the tasteful "A local boy kicked me in the butt today/But I don't mind, well, that's okay/Cuz I'll be laughin' real hard when he's burnin' in heck." Nice. Can we put Al on the no-fly list?

Also, we need to go to Megamart way less.


Funny, too:



"Ranjeet, I am wishing for to be knowing how I can quitting you."

(or, for die-hard SNL fans: "Lowered Expectay-ay-shuns.")

Alright, so I've used that joke before, but quite frankly, it never gets old, especially when you throw in "Ranjeet." Good stuff. Here's a better one, but we have to lose the "Ranjeet" and throw in an "Ahmad."



It really is very sweet when it's these old guys: two old friends who bumped into each other. The little girl on the right is the granddaughter of the man on the left, and the other man leaned over and kissed her on the head when he saw them. Felt bad taking advantage. But not bad enough.

Funny, three:






Ay caramba.

I should say that there are many highly accomplished and intelligent faculty here, and most of our administrators are the pick of the litter. The problem (isn't it always?) is at the level of middle-management: the printing office, for instance, does what and when it will: seet down, pleez, dreenk yore tee, ahnd bee-eeng payshince.

I don't actually drink any "tee." In case you were, you know, wondering.


The Three Filippigos



Lance, Roland, and Adrian (in all his chicky pock glory)


And we finally decided on our summer plans:



Yup. Picked up the tickets today: Darfur Summer Tour, here we come! Thought we'd introduce the kids to the workings of oppressive regimes, provide a frame of reference for the word "genocide": you know, your basic cultural experience with a hint of racial cleansing and a dash of anti-westernism. Though I think our Canada t-shirts will help a little. Ay caramba.



More to come soon. Watch this space. Riley goes electric (and Jon goes Tom Jones). Pictures from the pyramids, gothic reflections, Broadway comes to Al Ain, and much, much more!


Shout-outs: Hobo: you had one weeks ago. Dja miss it? Well, anyway: "Hey!"

Point of interest: photos taken on the iPhone, so take it easy, ec, on the photo-criticism. You try to catch Liv in mid-flight on one of these babies. Dare ya.