MAKE FUN OF YOURSELFIE

Just back from a week long intensive out west and starting to decompress. The leaves are just beginning to change and a chill is already creeping through the windows. I was met at the airport by Shewho and new kitten Cheeky in the front seat. Turned out the cat was in some sort of feline stupor that had freaked Shewho out, so it was straight from airport to the Vet's waiting room. Fuck! I'd been up since 3:30 am and now was dead tired, awaiting the verdict on a sick kitten. Welcome home.
   After some bladder squeezing and dick pulling (Cheeky's not mine), the cat perked up and in no time was doing flips and chasing it's tail. Phew! Disaster averted. After a good night's sleep, I'm ready to reflect on my week in SF. My hosts were El Prof. and La Prof., the SFAI educating power couple I know so well. I had a room to myself, with Netflicks and a steady supply of edibles for the most pleasant of golden slumbers, after a day of reading or hanging with my hosts.  After the successful lecture we chilled, ate well, smoke flowers and i eased into my unscripted week. On Tues. La Prof. invited me to do an informal appearance at her class entitled "Selfie".
   SF in general and SFAI in particular is a community of very self-aware, enlightened, POLITICALLY CORRECT individuals. It is an environment where a trans-gendered, bi-sexual, man-woman of color, in a wheel chair, can feel right at home.  As an old white man from another era, I'm a bit of a rarity. No matter. I'm always happy to explain my work. The class went well, until I was asked to  elaborate on the CLGM. I made the off-hand comment that "We make fun of everybody: Gays, Straights, Christian, Jew, believer or non-believer.....except of course, the Muslims. We leave them alone. They have no sense of humor." I could sense a chill come over the room. I immediately addressed it and back tracked a bit. Too late. The non-PC cat was out of the bag.
   La Prof. shifted and frowned. It was a stupid comment on my part. I should've known better than to generalize like that within the academic setting. If I could take it back i would. Yet, the students didn't sweat it, so we let it go. No harm, no foul. I guess I should have said something like- "The church is a sanctuary for sacrilege, or a bastion of irreverence.", but I was working off the cuff, without a net. In essence we make fun of ourselves. Once back at the shack, El prof. picked up the ball and ran with it. As the chicken burned on the grill he and I went toe to toe in an intellectual dissection of my comments to the Selfie class that became rather heated.  Awwwww......self awareness comes at a heavy price. Yet, as with most old friends we can argue without coming to blows. No guns were drawn and when the dust settled I think both sides could acknowledge the other. Domestic endurance (having a house guest) can be a bitch. Thanks to all in SF and at SFAI. My trip was eye-opening and great. I hope I came back a better man. Maybe it's time for that Arabic sign in the front yard. As-salamu-alaikum. That sounds Hawaiian.