"Don't worry Wilson, I'll do the paddling. You just hang on."        ~  Tom Hanks (as Chuck Noland) in Castaway talking to his volleyball

So this adventure I'm on... It gets a bit lonely. During the week I'm with dozens of kids who are great, but I miss having some peeps to talk with. Especially when I am seeing and experiencing things like nothing before. It's not too bad, thanks to FaceTime chats, emails and posting on this blog. Of course all those things are enabled by my MacBook Pro. Mac also has all my teaching plans as well as a "desk top" littered with great teaching web links. Well last night Mac conked out. Wouldn't turn on and wouldn't charge up. In a panic I emailed a stateside friend who got busy tracking down Apple. In the meantime I sat in my room, woefully staring at my darkened Mac and then realized that this is my Wilson. I am hopelessly, technologically hooked. I heard back from my stalwart friend from home who had tracked down an authorized Apple service center. The only one in Phnom Penh, opened on Saturdays and only about 10 minutes away. I focused on putting off panic, set my alarm and went to sleep.

I awoke and set off for the Apple Hospital. Here's Mac in the ER. I sat outside his room, watching anxiously, as they disassembled him and then hooked him up to wires. I then saw it.  I flicker of light on the screen.  Like the first blip on the heart monitor after paddles have been used on the patient.  First blips are a good sign.  Not out of the woods yet though.  I fidgeted nervously as the tech began reassembly, not knowing what the verdict was. I kept reciting my mantra, "You can't control circumstances. You can only control your reaction to those circumstances." My mantra was drowned out by Tom Hanks' voice screamingin my head, over and over again, "WILSON!!!!". I so totally shared his angst this morning.

Well the good news is Mac has recovered. Because of the language barrier I'm not sure what the diagnosis was but since they didn't charge me anything I guess it wasn't too serious. I went out and bought Mac a surge protector and Carbonite backup. He needed a little TLC. He does have a lingering quirk, however. Every time I try to access a website I get a "possible virus alert" message. I think he has a touch of post illness hypochondria. I can relate!

I thought it would be healthy to be alone, to exercise some isolationism in order to focus on some inner growth. But I was wrong. Inner growth comes from sharing and Mac enables me to do that from half a world away.  There are times in life when everyone needs their Wilson.

...and some random pictures from today.

Lene and Joe - this couple is heading to their farmers
market.  Makes packing up for your Sticks and Stones
 stand look pretty good!