Sylvia's Journal

It was hard to ignore all the emails that came in from Kabul where everyone was busy working – they dropped into my inbox with a soft ‘bleep.’ Still, I managed to spend Labor Day more or less labor-free.

It is also hard to ignore the increasingly loud voices that cry out about the election fraud in Afghanistan. Karzai’s legitimacy, if he is elected with a 50% vote, is already compromised and this cannot do much good.  The fraud is blatant in the eyes of us westerners, but learning more and more about Afghanistan’s past, it makes total sense. Why would anyone in his right mind let his opponent win?

I am deeply drawn into Sarah Chayes’ book ‘The Punishment of Virtue’ and have discovered that the quick impact surge of activities in which we are to play a role is not new. A similar quick surge, under another administration and with another cast of character tried the same without success some 7 years ago. Even the name was the same. It makes you wonder about institutional memory.

Still, undaunted, I keep throwing things in the large green suitcase we bought in Dubai; things that I may want to have with me, like sewing patterns (outfits that cover arms and legs), a flashlight, nasal spray, hot and cold packs for the continuing physical therapy, hiking boots….By the time the suitcases will be closed, less than 2 weeks off, I am sure I will remove much again for not being all that important after all. Packing for travel is all about choices.

In the afternoon, as if by design, Tessa and Axel decided it was time to visit the Apple Store, to look, which of course means to buy (such a clever store). We ended up dropping a huge amount of money in Apple’s lap to set up Axel for his stay in Afghanistan and Tessa for her studies. I pouted that I wanted to get a new toy too and pocketed the ‘free’ iPod touch that came with the new computer. Among all its apps it has weather and a compass, handy tools to have in flight just in case I get lost over the woods of Maine. It was one of the arguments I used to appropriate the gadget from Axel. He looked a little disappointed, but hey, he has a much bigger new toy. Tessa kept hers; she is after all paying for her new toy out of her own John Snow earnings.

Having a new electronic toy is always a huge time sink and kept me occupied through the evening. I discovered that I have not maintained my iTunes library very well; my last iPod purchase was a lifetime ago. Still, it was a nice re-introduction to the fabulous music that I have on my computer and can carry around in the palm of my hand as I make my way to Afghanistan.