Trip to Cape Town: Day 2

I decided to upload a couple videos instead of blogging. Here is just a video update.



And here is a video taken from the Rhodes Memorial on the slopes of Devil's Peak just up from the University of Cape Town campus.



Some other things from Day 2
- Had an amazing breakfast at the guest house where I am staying. Fresh fruit, papaya juice, homemade granola, bacon and eggs, mushrooms and toast. Skipped lunch as a result
- Learned (from the Sunday paper) that Jacob Zuma, the South African president for the last year, is a polygamist and it was just announced that he has fathered his 20th child, this one out of wedlock.
- Talked politics and cultural differences with an English couple staying at the guest house
- Received my rental car, a tiny red car, check out the picture on Facebook
- Got reacquainted with driving on the left side of the road as well as driving a standard transmission
- Took some amazing pictures of the University of Cape Town campus before I realized that I forget to put the sim card back in the camera. Very disappointing!
- Practiced my talk a couple times, feeling comfortable with the delivery, although it is running a few minutes long
- Ate pizza for dinner, was remarkably good, with a slight twist (sweeter sauce and whole olives)
- Watched the India vs. South Africa 1-day cricket match. Started at noon and ended around 9:00 pm. Wow, and Diana thought that baseball games were long. India won by one point (298 - 297). And no, I did not watch the whole thing, just the end
- All in all, a good, long day. And now I am ready for bed!

Trip to Cape Town: Day 1

The first day of my trip to Cape Town was spent on the plane (shown here). Was able to get quite a bit of sleep, although it was not good sleep. The plane did have a Video on Demand system, which is like a DVR with about 50 movies on it. Very cool. I sat next to two people who had left South Africa 20+ years ago to move to the US and were on their way back to visit. I also met a guy in Johannesburg who attended the University of Cape Town and got his degree in Physics. More to come, Steve

Job Update: Interview at UCT

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on the job situation. I have been invited to the University of Cape Town in Cape Town, South Africa for a job interview with the Department of Physics. I will be flying out of Houston on Friday, Feb 19th at 1:00 pm and arriving in Cape Town on Saturday, Feb 20th at 9:10 pm. My interview starts on Monday, Feb 21st with a research presentation at 1:00 pm (5:00 am CST) and continues all day on Tuesday, Feb 22nd. I will get back to Houston on Friday, Feb 26th at 12:30 pm, which will give an extra day or two to check out housing possibilities.

We are both excited about this opportunity and I am looking forward to the interview, but we would really appreciate your prayers. Unfortunately, Diana cannot go with me on the interview, but she will be with me in spirit. Please pray for safe travel and for the interview. Also pray for Diana being home alone for a week and for the continued health of our baby. And as always, pray that we will continually seek God's will through this entire process.

Travel Itinerary
Departure: Fri Feb 19th - Sat Feb 20th
IAH to ATL (DL 5876)
-> dep: 1300 - arr: 1555 / 01:00p - 02:55p CST
ATL to JNB (DL 0200)
-> dep: 1855 - arr: 1705 / 05:55p - 09:05a CST
JNB to CPT (SA 0367)
-> dep: 1900 - arr: 2110 / 11:00a - 01:10p CST

Return: Thu Feb 25th - Fri Feb 26th
CPT to JNB (BA 0201)
-> dep: 1550 - arr: 1750 / 07:50a - 11:50a CST
JNB to ATL (DL 0201)
-> dep: 2120 - arr: 0700 / 01:20p - 06:00a CST
ATL to IAH (DL 5875)
-> dep: 1104 - arr: 1230 / 10:04a - 12:30p CST

Joshua 1 (why?)

Peterson News Update

Here is our second newsletter (pdf version), also doubling as a late Christmas letter. Please let us know if you would like to receive it via snail mail or via email. Thanks, Steve

Deuteronomy 28 (why?)

BP Ultrasound Images

Here are some pictures of BP (Baby Peterson) from our 21st week ultrasound appointment. And to answer your question, we did not find out whether BP is a boy or a girl. I know, disappointing isn't it.

Deuteronomy 22 (why?)

The Plan for Reading the Bible

My first New Year's Resolution was the read the Bible every day (and maybe finish it, something that I have tried several times before). I tried to read the Bible in 90 Days last summer and started out well, but fizzled after about 10 days. Since then I have read consistently, but not the 12 pages a day that would keep me on pace. So, my current plan is to just read a few chapters a day and see how far I can get. Today, on Jan 3rd, I am on Deuteronomy 20 (finishing 173 of the 1189 chapters). So, by my calculations, if I read 3 chapters a day, I will finish the Bible by Dec 31st. For some measure of accountability, I will include my current position at the bottom of each blog and see if I can do it.

Deuteronomy 20 (why?)

New Year's Resolutions

As 2009 ends and the new year begins, I can't help but look at what the next year will bring. 2010 promises to be an eventful year with a lot of life-changes in store for Diana and I. We are expecting our first child (due May 13th), I am looking for a job teaching in a university overseas, and we will most likely be moving to Africa. And of course, with a new year comes the resolutions. So, let me share them briefly for a chance to reminisce upon them at the end of 2010. I tried to keep it simple, here are my four New Year's Resolution.

1. Read the Bible every day (try to finish it this year)
2. Blog at least once a week
3. Photograph every day of our new child's first year
4. Run pain-free again (Achille's tendinitis)

Diana's New Year Resolution: Do Less!