Rat-Pong

So we have a rat in our apartment. At least some of the time.

We’re not certain of this, but our best guess is that he’s a refugee from our neighbors’ place. They’ve been trying to evict a rat for months.

And last night Paula and I saw him in our dining room.

We set out traps. He ate the food off of them and laughed at our antiquated technology. He must be a stainless steel rat (how’s that for a gratuitous geek reference?)

Our other neighbors have cats, and so we asked for a cat toy to set out. We were operating under the theory that rats fear cats and that the smell would drive him to safer realms. Alas–this is a bold rat who enjoys playing with cat toys.

So as a last-ditch effort, Paula and I are resorting to psy-ops.

We left a note on our neighbors’ door to woo him home.

Dear Rat,

Please come home. Our food is organic and better-tasting. Also our kid is cute and wants a pet.

With much love,

Dirk & Emily

In a very canny move, however, our neighbors demonstrated that they have careers in counterintelligence in case other things don’t pan out. The following was affixed to our door, directly facing the note that we had placed on their door.

Dearest Rat,

Ignore the sign on the other door–they just want to kill you! We looooove you!! And our kid is at a developmentally appropriate age to appreciate rodents. The other kid will try to eat you. Or your poop.

Love,

The Davises

Fortunately, Paula discovered a handwritten missive from the rodent at large which she delivered to Emily moments ago.

Dear Davis Family,

Thank you for your hospitality. You place was a great vacation spot. But now that the Robinsons are back I think I should go home. After all, winter is coming and their kid would be more useful in a blizzard, if you know what I mean.

I appreciate the thought behind your note, but I know the Robinsons quite well. After all, we share a bedroom (heck, sometimes we share a futon).

Signed,

The Rat

Yes, it actually says, “Signed, The Rat” at the end. Rats don’t get much instruction in writing letters at elementary school.

Anyway, I’ll keep you posted as developments warrant.

Science & Spirit

A few months ago Elizabeth Svoboda emailed me to ask if she could come to a Chi Alpha function and interview a few of our students for an article she was writing about spirituality on the college campus. I said sure, she showed up, the party ended, and I didn’t hear anything else. I really didn’t think that much more about it.

So I was very pleasantly surprised this morning to learn that the article, School Spirit, has been printed in Science & Spirit magazine.

Overall I was quite pleased, although I feel compelled to clear one thing up. Elizabeth accurately quotes me as saying

Glen Davis, the leader of Stanford’s Chi Alpha Christian fellowship, has seen instructors go to extreme lengths to keep discussion of religion and morals out of the classroom. “One professor taught a class on [German theologian, writer, and central figure in the Protestant Church’s struggle against Nazism] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and she didn’t mention his spiritual beliefs at all,” he says.

I’d just like to put that particular statement into context–I was praising the professor in question for changing her approach once she realized what she was doing.

At least, that’s what I think I was doing. I didn’t take notes on my own words (which would be an odd habit to have).

Q: What are you doing?
A: Recording what I say for posterity.

Anyway, I don’t recall everything that I said that night, but I’ve told that particular story on several occassions and I typically start with the fact that the professor initially skirted past Bonhoeffer’s beliefs and ultimately decided that she couldn’t keep doing that.

I just mention it on the .01% chance that professor happens
a) to read the article,
b) recognize that she is the anonymous professor in question,
c) and then comes to this website seeking an explanation for my apparently disparaging comment.

Okay, on the .0001% chance.

Explanation: I was giving you props–really!

In A Magazine!

A few months ago Elizabeth Svoboda sent me an email asking if she could come and interview a few of our students for an article she was writing on spirituality on the college campus. So she came to one of our parties and chatted with us.

I’m pleased to announce that the article is finally here: School Spirit quotes a few of us–read it and see who you recognize!

We’re Geniuses (With A Preference For Bright Colors)

Our neighbor just referred to Paula and I as geniuses.

Which is something, given that she has a Ph.D. in early American history and her hubbie has one in electrical engineering.

I suspect the compliment was more in reference to Paula’s practical wisdom than anything else, but I’m still going to be telling all my friends that my genius neighbors think we’re smart, too. 😉

Now if only I can get Pablo to come around–he’s the other Ph.D. neighbor and he’s not quite convinced that I’m sane. His wife, Sri, has a great respect for Paula, though.

The lesson learned: Paula makes me look good and I should keep her.

The other lesson reinforced: there sure are a lot of people with doctorates around here (in fact, 1/3 of adult Menlo Park residents have at least a master’s degree).

New Orleans

Quite a few people have contacted Paula and I because they know we’re from Louisiana and they’re concerned about our relatives and friends.

Thank you.

For those who might be curious but haven’t contacted us, our immediate relatives were hardly affected. Extended family members and friends all survived but some lost everything.

When I was a kid we used to joke about how stupid it was to build a port city below sea level. Every year it seemed that New Orleans would have a near miss with a hurricane and we’d start joking about how dumb we Cajuns were. We knew with all the certainty childhood produces that New Orleans would be wiped off the map one day.

Of course, when you’re a kid you don’t really think about all the suffering such a catastrophe will entail. The news out of New Orleans is staggering. The scariest thing is that it could easily have been much worse. Times like these remind us of just how frail and fragile all of humanity’s accomplishments really are.

Anyway, all this leads me to wonder what jokes kids in California make about the “Big One”. New Orleans finally got a bullet it couldn’t dodge. I wonder when California’s is coming… I hope I’m not here to see it.

Convoy of Hope is doing a fine job of helping people. If you’ve been wanting to give in some way, I know several people who work for the outfit and can assure you that they’re doing a standout job.