My car's in the shop, my internet connection at home isn't working right, but life is pretty darn good. Linda's visiting down here this week, and while I am not studying as much as usual, it is lovely to spend time with a good friend. I am better at seeing complications than at seeing solutions; Linda's just the opposite, and all sorts of things have become simple during her visit.

We called Aaron one night from Canter's Deli, and demanded to know where he was -- why was he late for dinner? He was taken aback for a moment, and then remembered she and I are in L.A. He said, well, gimme six hours, and we all laughed.

We've moved in Prophets class from Hosea to Amos, and I'm much happier. I like the poetry better, and I much prefer this spokesman for God. I can deal with the idea that God gets really angry if we don't keep our covenants. I can't handle the idea of a crazy God, which is how the deity in Hosea feels to me. I know, I know, it's a canonical book, and I'll do my best with it!