Blog Number 280

Greetings and welcome to today's random thought.

I found out today that two of the people that I helped to train last January in Cordoba, Argentina are coming here to Plano, TX for a 2 week stay.  It was up in the air until almost the last minute as they had to go to Buenos Aires to interview to receive their visas yesterday.  But all the paperwork was done and they are flying out tomorrow.  I am very excited (as is the wife for some odd reason).  In my excitement I offered to pick them up from the airport.  And then I remembered something.  The flight in from Santiago, Chile, arrives at 6 AM local time....on Sunday!  So I am getting up very early in 2 days to pick up mi amigos at the airport.  Oh well, at least there will be no traffic.  I am a little concerned about them being able to check into their hotel that early of the day so I might have some refugees in my house for part of the day Sunday.  No matter, I am still excited.  While I did not spend a lot of time with these two specific people, the others in Cordoba bent over backwards to help me out while I was in their country and I intend to do the same while they are in my country.  I'll keep you posted.

I just finished a very interesting book titled, "The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary"  This could be the longest title of any book I have ever read.  A few weeks ago as the wife was heading to the library I asked her to look at the "Staff Recommends" bookshelf and pick me out something interesting and this is what she brought home.  It is a great book and I would recommend it.  It is 1 part history and 1 part great story.  I had never heard of the history of the Oxford English Dictionary.  I know that most of us take dictionaries for granted but can you imagine what it would be like to compile a dictionary in the 1800's?  No computers, only lots and lots of reading books, comparing words and meanings and arguing over pronunciation.  It took over 70 years to make this one and one of the greatest helpers of the dictionary only contributed via postal mail as he was locked up inside an insane asylum for the last 40+ years of his life.  Anyway, great book (thanks dear for picking it out, no pressure now next time to find another book this interesting).

Well the kids are in their pajamas, popcorn is being made and Little House on the Prairie is calling me from the DVD player.  Until next time...

Thanks for reading my Random Thoughts.

Jon