Physics 101: Properties of Waves

Back when I was still having delusions of wanting to major in Physics, my good friend Loliya and I used to say that life was sinusoidal, consisting of crests of great days and troughs of rough ones.

In the spirit of the English Language, these nouns were verbed and you'd often hear us saying nonsense like this:

Loliya: Hey there, Helen. How's it going?
Helen: Great! What a lovely day! I'm cresting!
Loliya: Oh, that's nice. I'm down in the dumps, definitely troughing.
Helen: No worries, buddy, you'll be cresting before you know it! After all, life is sinusoidal!

Well, this last week hasn't been so much cresting or troughing -- it's been more... spewing. Without going into lots of detail, let's just say that my gastro-intestinal tract has been, to quote Lady Catherine de Bourgh, "most seriously displeased."  

Though Montezuma has been quite comprehensive in enacting his revenge, I must compliment him on his timing. I had to miss two days  of class, but this week was just review anyway -- easily shortened and moved to next week.

Super awesome care package. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Even better, a friend who passed through Chimoio this weekend had just brought me my mail, including three letters and two care packages from home. Not only did I receive everything I had requested -- a new journal; comfort food from home; string to make friendship bracelets with; headphones, etc -- there were extras in there that I didn't even know I wanted -- like a painting of winter that my mom made for me, and a fan for when the power goes out. The most exciting item, however, was my brand new Kindle Paperwhite. Cleverly hidden in a skirt by my mother to avoid prying Mozambican Postal Worker hands, I have never before been quite so pleased with a piece of technology. I have been reading non-stop since my self-imposed house arrest two days ago.

And so it is that I find myself cresting today. Despite the fact that its 95 degrees in my house as I sit clutching my puke bucket, despite my runny nose and runny, well, you know, and despite the fact that I am forced by the Peace Corps doctor to drink Oral Re-hydration Fluids that taste like what I'd imagine a bucket of sweat tastes like. Despite all this, it is a good day.

Boy, am I lucky that I like reading so much.