Old Joke:

What do you call an abortion in the Czech Republic?

A canceled check

Come now. It has Blue Girl shiksa appeal.

When in Prague...make bad jokes.

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The hushed tones of this song danced through the Mercedes as we made our way towards the beer hall. It’s been a long three days between leaving my daughter and the States in the rear view mirror to the abstract being accepted, the speaking engagements that I now have to carry because my colleagues saved a heart attack victim in flight and have to remain in Canada with the patient until Health Canada clears them for deployment to London. A rolling stone never gathers an AG for long…

It occurred to me as this song filled the air that my life is better than it has ever been. Despite how difficult my childhood was, my life has been pretty remarkable. And yet, it keeps getting better like a good bottle from the Russian River Valley. I probably never would have believed I'd be captivated by a Southern Jew who makes the ACLU look like a conservative organization, if I had been told this is how my life would be in 2009. (Shoot, I was in Europe around this time last year for a mere 48 hour turn around and was sick from dining on tomatoes. I thought I was going to die. Good times, June 2008!)

A man who makes me not just want to be better, but to actually be better. A man who understands the value in me visiting the concentration camps this week because we must pay testament to what should never happen again. A man who talked me into our daughter when I not only never wanted to have anyone need me more than I needed myself, but not throw it back in my face when I called while fighting back tears the other night because I missed her so much. He didn’t judge when I explained they are only small for a brief moment in time and if I do not cherish that, I will have lost everything. A man who walked in from outer space and waited patiently while I fought him like a Confederate at Gettysburg with every reason in the book. Meanwhile, he just kept grinning knowing I would eventually give into the fight and become my own AG to him.

Life is good. A brief glimpse of my trip thus far: