All my new toys work today :0) I am now the proud owner of a working computer, digital camera, scanner, printer and copier (a fax machine too I think) I have picture programs I don't know how to use, and I am ready to take on the world with all my (okay still behind the times, but new to me) technology.

I had a technological break through like this a few years ago too, I got a bunch of new toys all at once and I got to make some really fun things. This time, unfortunately, I won't have as much time to dedicate to learning how to use my toys. This time I have to work and go to class, as opposed to being locked in my house with the curtains drawn so nobody "gets" me. This time I'm not living in a "dangerous for you" Islamic nation where (according to my employers) I couldn't go outside alone because someone might look at me, or touch me or drop a bomb on me. Ahhh . . . those were the days.

Thinking of those days made me think of Cha-cha-gee. I don't even know what that man's name was. We called him Cha-cha-gee, I was told it meant Uncle-uncle-sir. He was our house guard; we had to have a house guard 24/7 because we were vulnerable, single, American women living alone in an Islamic nation.

Cha-cha was a tall, dark older man with a beautiful oiled beard and blue eyeliner. When he smiled his whole face wrinkled up, delighted. I never understood a single word he said. Nine months, not one word. But on Fridays, I knew what he wanted. He would approch me with an odd mixture of Pushto, Urdu and sign language. He said his prayers faithfully, I watched him sometimes from the balcony. Stand, bow- face to the ground and he would do something I never had seen before. While standing he would put his fingers near his ears and wiggle them around . . . I was told later that was to keep the evil spirits away while he prayed. On Fridays he wanted to go to the mosque to pray.

Our guard was never supposed to leave the grounds while he was on duty. Those were his orders from the man (my supervisor) who hired him. He knew he wasn't supposed to ask, and my two house mates has both told him "no" when he had asked before. But he also knew he could ask me if no one else was around. I would look to be sure my house mates were gone, and I would smile and nod my head.

He would come back an hour later all smiley and wrinkly . . . delighted.

Who was I to keep him from God? Anyway I figured if any one broke in to rape and pillage me at the hour of prayer--well, if they were that determined, they could have got past a napping house guard anyway.