Where am I?

Oh yeah. Back in Washington.

I am so tired. Saturday we drove back down to Albuquerque. Sunday both Sara and I were able to fly out despite a snow storm - luckily we weren't flying through Denver (one of my collegues here was and ended up staying in NM an extra two days). Unfortunately, Sara was flying back to Boston and I to San Diego.

I was only in San Diego for a couple of hours before I hit the road with the dog in the back seat. Somewhere in the Mohave desert I was hit with the ever-present existential questions: where am I and what am I doing here?

I stopped in Kettleman City the first night. The Super 8 Motel there is much better than the Motel 6 in Coalinga. No frills, but it is clean and more or less comfortable.

The second stop was in Grants Pass, OR. Then it was back to this place.

Along the way I seem to have developed a deep cough. Not your mild hacking, but something that comes from deep within your chest. It is very dry too. I may be somewhat paranoid - this tends to happen after you have had a bout with pneumonia that lands you in the hospital for three days - but it has had me concerned. Every little ache and pain - after sitting in the car for a couple of days these are quite common - becomes a reason to take your temperature. No fever this time, and I am actually coughing less, but I am still not better. But my concern with pneumonia has more or less passed.

Teaching today was a challenge, both because I was afraid of falling into a coughing fit and because I am exhausted. Luckily we are on a topic I know very well - ethnicity.

There is much more to say, but I need my sleep. Good night.