I'm like a real football fan or something!

Alas, I have broken my 2 week running record of updates. But you will get over it, it's not like most of you check this on Superbowl Sunday anyway.

Speaking of Sunday, I went on a hike. It was so nice to be outside doing something, even if it did do a little raining throughout the day. We walked west and northwest down the ridge that we sit on. The route we took was actually a route way back in the day, the Kiriat Jearim Ridge Route (we learned about it today). 8 guys went, which meant that there were several instances of ridiculous behavior and many more instances of climbing on stuff. At a high point on the ridge there were ruins of an old Roman fortress and further down the road (it's a road/trail that Israel's Nature Society has developed) there were a bunch of Roman mile markers, big pillar-like things that we climbed on. Certainly a beautiful day in the Holy Land.

After doing homework, eating, doing homework, etc. I went to bed. But only for about an hour and half. You know why? No? Well let me 'splain to you.

Unlike the decent hour at which you all viewed the Cardinals vs. Steelers Super Bowl extravaganza, with all of your chips and dip and non-kosher pizza, over here it was another story. You see, over here we live most of the day before you even get up (even you Cathy, who gets up about the same time most Farrar boys go to bed :). So that means that the Super Bowl started at 1 am. Yes, 1 am. But don't you worry, I was up at midnight, one of our friends here was sick/homesick/her family has the biggest Super Bowl shindig known to east-central California, so we had a little party for her and then watched the game.

Now I am not crazy. Maybe close, but not all the way. So I went to bed around 2, meaning I watched the first quarter, but the weirdos who watched the whole thing stayed up until about 5:30! a.m.! What a waste of sleep. Fortunately we had class at 10:30 instead of 8, but still, I choose sleep.

So there you go, I got up in the middle of the night to watch football. Who would have thought it? But there was pizza (cheese, with this Amazing salt-spice stuff, yum).

As for today... I felt good, even on 7 1/2 hours of broken sleep. Classes were, as usual, wonderful. I can't even explain how easy it is to stay focused during a 2 hour class session. I love it. Pray that it sticks.

Here's a good part of the day: after class (about 3:30) I was going to do homework or play soccer and then do homework before dinner. Instead I took a nap. The plan was for an hour. It was two :)

I feel great, plus I have discovered the unique and wonderful feeling of a sauna. Four or five of the guys and I went, I think this will become a routine behavior. Naps, food, sauna, not doing homework, ahh... what a life.

Sidenote times 2:
First thing, some of you asked about food. Stay tuned for my upcoming issue entitled "Filafels: Food In the Land And Food Eli LikeS"

Second, You probably knew before I did that Israel has resumed firing/rocketing/etc. on Gaza. I could hear planes yesterday, but didn't know what they were. I can hear planes right now and throughout the day we heard planes and a few far off "Boom!'s" But never fear, we are far away, feeling good, and fine. Hamas is good at breaking cease-fires, Israel is good at military things, and the profs here are good at taking care of us. If you want a good idea of how safe we are, check this out: Wednesday is our field study day. This time we are going to areas of Benjamin (this is the tribal allotment stuff you always skim in the book of Joshua). The ancient territory of Benjamin includes Jerusalem, Gibeah, Ramah, Geba, Mizpah, Jericho, Gezer, etc. Anyway, today much of that territory is in a little area we fondly refer to as "the West Bank." And to qualm all of your fears, we're going there. So don't worry about us. We're fine over here.

If I see any shrapnel I'll box it up and send it home as a souvenir.