The End is Ne---Here!

I'm done; I'm done! I turned in my final paper last night. I still have a final test to take and lot o' grading to do, but that's much easier (or at least not as critical) than the research paper...well, the final is half of my grade, so I guess that's significant.

Now I can give real attention to my new obsession...Veronica Mars. I love it a lot, and I'm only a few episodes in. It's the combination of my two favorite tv shows--Twin Peaks and Buffy. There's an intriguing, overarching mystery, plus witty dialogue that blends high and pop culture. More ruminations on the show will surely follow.

What're You?

Season Seven - You're about looking at the world as
a whole, looking at the grand design of things,
the way good balances evil. You are Buffy
philosophy, and your best episode is
"Conversations with Dead People."

Which Season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Are You?
brought to you by

Gobble, Gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving all! I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating with family. I've took today and yesterday afternoon/evening off. My brain was fried. Now I really have to be on the ball for the next few days. Two papers to go and then...

One Thing Off the List

I finish my presentation on John Maynard Keynes last night. I don't think my presentation and annotated bibliography were especially great, but they got the job done. Now I'm off to the library to read about Dryden.

I Should Be Sleeping Right Now

or at the very least doing homework. I'm supposed to give a presentation on Tuesday and produce two well-researched/situated in the body of criticism 15-20 page papers by Monday and Tuesday of next week. I only have vaguely read for any of the three topics and have not really set much down on paper. I just spent the weekend on a quilting retreat with Mom and Bridget (it was planned in June, too far back to forsee the trouble I'd be in now!). That was interesting and fun. Sometime I'll show my work, but right now no digital camera :(, though I'm hoping Christmas brings one.

But I've been dragged to post because my Google homepage had a fun quote that I wanted to share:

Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box.

If anyone knows a ton about John Dryden and translation, Virgina Woolf and Orlando (both book and Sally Potter's film), or John Maynard Keynes and the Bloomsbury group and would like to chat...

The Goblet of Fire

I had fun. I'm impressed that my mom didn't fall asleep in the middle. I liked the movie. I don't have any profound or insightful thoughts about how it functions as an adaptation yet. It seemed rushed--I'm glad I've read the book a couple of times--but what else can you do with that size novel and still keep it watchable? Ralph Fiennes is awesome, I can't wait until the next movies when he'll be on screen more. All the boys are getting so dang cute. I enjoyed the Krum-Hermoine-Ron triangle. Cho's accent is adorable.

Overall, I think I still might like the third movie better, but I'm withholding final judgment until I've had multiple viewings, which will hopefully happen over break!

HP, HP, HP

The count down is on, just eleven hours and twenty-six minutes until Goblet of Fire.

Itunes has Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint's Celebrity playlist (no such luck in linking, I think you have to have itunes on your computer). Although Daniel generally strikes me as twitchy (not of the ferret variety) and a bit of a spaz in interviews, etc, his music choice fairly well articulated (although he feels the need to give biography at every turn "they have two albums and the second is great, but I've chosen from their first..." etc.) and thoughtful. Rupert's is mostly silly, in the sense that his justification for adding a song is "I went to the conert." I was also struck by the "it was great to finally meet;" he's seventeen, how long could he possibly have been pining to meet this singer?

A couple of days ago when I went to buy tickets for GoF, I was nervous because I'd waited so long. When I asked the girl working, "Have you sold out of tickets for the midnight showing of Harry Potter?" she shook her head, yes and remained silent. Sadly, I asked "When's the next show available?" thinking I could see it Friday morning. Her reply: "12:02." Needing clarification I asked, "As in a minute after the 12:01 showing?" "Yes." Rather than belabouring the point (seriously, doesn't 'midnight show' apply to both 12:01 and 12:02?), I got two tickets and left.

Now the only question is to wear the full on Hermoine outfit, or the "Single and Ready to Get Sirius" t-shirt.

All Hail, Google!

Okay, I know they're sort of taking over the world, but with good reason. Google is awesome. For awhile I've been using their customizable search/home page, adding nifty things like my gmail, word of the day, local show times, weather, top entertainment news, fun quotes, etc. But just recently did I think to add blogs! Now I can save precious seconds from my neurotic (seriously bordering on OCD) checking routine that I go through every time I go on the internet. No more do I have to tediously click to all the sites, but at a single glance, my google homepage tells me who of you have been good posters (lots of people: Eden, Lij, Katie, Elaine, Lana, Jeff) and who has been bad (pretty much just Emily)!

So, I encourage all of you to do likewise and hop on the google train, there's plenty of room on board! Whoo-whoo!

(Incidentaly, if any of you needs a gmail invite, let me know!)

(Um, spell check doesn't recognize google. Blogger is owned by google. Will wonders never cease?)

Disappointing

I should have learned my lesson, or rather, Eden's lesson. A number of years ago when we went to see The Talented Mr. Ripley, Eden, being in love with Jude Law, was disturbed by the content found therein and decided that one should not see a movie just because of an actor.

Now, obviously, a film's cast is central to the success of a film, but the actors cannot carry it. The trailer for Derailed struck me as unremarkable, there's nothing in the story that appeals to me. Had other people been in it, I probably wouldn't have wanted to see it. But because of Clive and Vincent, I thought, certainly, it'll be enjoyable. Sadly, no. Indeed the narrative was insipid and, lamentably, my boys weren't remarkable. Clive's American accent left something to be desired. Not really what I needed for my first movie theatre experience in two months.

I Should Have Learned By Now

That when this particular teacher suggests that we may get out of class early, she does not in fact mean it, that indeed, she means we'll be getting out of class ten minutes late, which at nine o'clock at night is rather aggravating, especially when you've got a 35 minute commute ahead of you.

My goal today is to finish a draft of one of my big papers. If I could get that done, boy, oh boy would that be energizing. Unfortunately, it won't happen if I stay whiling away time in blog land.

But, I do have to say that over the past couple of weeks I've had the opportunity to watch some fun new Irish films, both excellent: The Boys and Girl From County Clare (fun music, Andrea Corr fiddling, comedic, people you'll recognize) and Rory O'Shea was Here (humorous, but typically Irish--read, not ultimately uplifting--very poignant though, excellent use of Johnny Cash's song "Hurt" and James McAvoy, one to be looking for and loving).

A Cathartic Moment

So here's my frustration(s):

1. I'm in grad school so that I can go be a teacher at a Christian college. Often, my school feels like a very dark, God-less place--an environment that I wouldn't want to put myself in because I know that I don't grow spiritually in such places. Nonetheless, I'm here so that I can ultimately be better qualified to teach at a Christian university, but the longer I'm here and I feel my relationship with God deteriorating (that's what it feels like now), the less I want to be here so that I can be in a Christian environment. If I were to leave and go to a more spiritually vibrant environment, I'm pretty sure that would intensify my desire to have my PhD so that I can go teach at a Christian college. A sticky wicket.

2. I'm getting sick and tired of being single, but thinking that I might meet a guy (it doesn't even have to be the guy, just anyone that is mildly interested in me romantically). I tried to write one of my "To Whom It May Concern" poems last night when I couldn't sleep, but I just ended up writing "God, why can't something just happen?" over and over.

Happy New Month!

Where are the days going? Do you realize that I only have four weeks left before all my papers are due? That there are only five weeks left in the semester? Egad.

I: finally started one of my papers, think I have an idea for the second, am clueless about the third. So, it goes from alright to downright scary. But, I'm no longer working at ATL or going to conferences this semester (although I do have a quilt retreat coming up before Thanksgiving), so, hopefully, I'll be able to kick it into high gear!

Because I only have time to watch ten or fifteen minutes at a time of fun movies, my queue moves along slowly. I did finally get through The Doctor and the Devils, starring Timothy Dalton, Julian Sands (yum!), Jonathan Pryce, and Stephan Rea (whoo-hoo!) based on a screenplay written by Dylan Thomas!

On a separate note, I am continually amazed by the things you can buy online. Will wonders never cease?