I wore a swim cap at the pool last weekend and it was ok

My friends here told me that all the weird shit about Turkey would eventually become "normal" and that I would stop noticing it as much. So I guess that has begun. I went to a pool last weekend (it was a heated pool which kind of gave me the sensation of swimming in water warmed by urine but I knew that wasn't true so I tried to ignore that nagging part of my brain) and people are required to wear swim caps there. It took me a good 25 minutes of wearing the thing before I remembered that it's fucking weird to have to wear a swim cap at the pool.

But on the flip side, hair is really gross. Not as gross as teeth and nails, but it's definitely up there. I myself lose an extraordinary amount of hair everyday. I am always surprised that I'm not bald. I lose a good handful, if not more, seven days a week.

It's like tumbleweed from the wild wild west blowing across my home if I don't keep up with it.

I like winter swimming. It's fun. You know what else I like? A good symphony every once in awhile. Vivaldi -- now that guy knew what was up. I checked out a symphony last weekend and it was glorious. I love listening to the different layers of rhythm and harmonies allocated throughout an orchestra. I love seeing the bows of the string instruments coordinating perfectly. I love watching all the "first chair" solos -- you know that they feel bad ass when all the other folks in their section drop out and they are the last player playing. It reminds me of my good old days in band. (Even though I never had the glory of being first chair because I was a terrible student and got by entirely on natural ability which eventually led me to dropping out of band because I never had a huge amount of God-given musical talent.)

But anyway, what I like the BEST about watching an orchestra is the conductor. Every time I have ever been to a symphony the conductor has had the same kind of hair. The floppy kind. So when they start doing their syncopated dance routine, baton flailing towards this section then that section, their hair puts on a show of it's own. It's muppet like. A little creepy and a little endearing all at once.

See what I mean? They're all the same.

Side note: During the introductions it was announced that the wife of the conductor was pregnant -- and the crowd went batshit. There was a chorus of oohs and ahhs that far surpassed the volume of appreciation that was given to the music at the end of the performance. Seriously. Turks LOVE babies. Turkey is hands down the best place in the world for a baby.

I wish I were a baby in Turkey.

Lastly, on a completely unrelated note, I walked out of my classroom the other day and found this outside of my door. I'm not exactly sure why it's there (or what the hell it's purpose is)  but the kids love it.

First the children hoist each other up in the seat. Then they drop each other. I'm pretty convinced that these actions will result in bloodshed in the near future. It seems like a reasonable natural consequence.