Meme Tagged

November 30

So I usually never do these things, but the incomparable Muse tagged me recently, so here goes. The meme: seven random things about yourself. I’m supposed to tag 7 other people to pass it on, but I’m going to be lame and skip that part, because I’d have to tag one of the boys, and I think they’d tease me about it.

So here goes:

1. I have a nightingale phobia. It’s true. We don’t have them in any of the places I’ve lived in the US, so the first time I ever heard one was in Cairo. There was something viscerally frightening about hearing this strange heartbroken bird-cry in the dead of night. At first I thought they were nighthawks--predators--and that somehow cemented the fear. Now when I hear them I have nightmares, usually involving lots of scary jinn and tombs and ghosts. I really don’t understand why people think they’re romantic and wonderful. They freaky.

2. I only like eating apples when they’re so crunchy they’re practically vegetables. Soft apples make me gag.

3. I like every movie Christian Bale has ever made.

4. My eyelashes are really blond.

5. When I was very young, I had mild synesthesia. In my mind, numbers had colors and genders.

6. I own a pair of Ugg boots. What’s more, I love them.

7. I love Jane Austen novels.

Guest Blogging at NPR

November 20

Just got back from the studios of KUOW Seattle, where I did a segment for NPR’s Talk of the Nation with Neal Conan. The whole time I was there, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Kelsey Grammer was going to walk in, kick me out of my chair and say “Good day Seattle, and good mental health”. If you missed the show, you should be able to download it later today at NPR.org; while you’re there, check out my guest post at Blog of the Nation. Two people left comments on the piece pointing out that the Nile is not the only river that runs south-north, as I claimed during the show--I believe I said the Nile is one of the only rivers that runs south-north, but if I didn’t, thanks for the correction.

More soon. 

Skulking Around Queen Anne

November 16

Moving to Seattle has thus far been a bumpier experience than expected. First, our housing arrangements fell through, leaving us homeless hotel-bound vagabonds for several days while we walked (literally, walked) the length and breadth of the city looking for “For Rent” signs. Fortunately that bump had a silver lining: the place we ended up is much nicer than the place we originally intended to move. Queen Anne is a pretty neighborhood--blessedly quiet--and reminds me a little of a cleaned-up, less rowdy Allston, where I spent a lot of time during college.

The second bump was getting the news that my husband’s father passed away. Since then, we’ve both felt like we’re on the wrong continent--like we should have been there. Muslim funerals take place as soon as possible after death, so even if we got on a plane immediately after hearing the news, we would have missed the burial. Instead we’ve been on the phone more or less constantly with relatives and friends. Grief makes you reclusive. Neither of us wants to venture far, so we’ve been combing over Queen Anne, getting to know our immediate neighborhood. I’ve found used bookstores and piano bars and tiny movie theatres--a lot of the public bric-a-brac I missed in Egypt. The sun even came out today, a small mercy in a grey city.

Still, I’m pretty tired. When I get untired you may see more of the political world on this blog--originally I intended to keep the place pretty basic, but there have been things going on lately that I’d like to talk about.

Make sure to catch Talk of the Nation on NPR this Tuesday--I’ll try to make it worth your while.