Wicked Cool

I'm in Boston visiting the rest of my family (and the Roomies). We drove out here--18 hours--straight--not tons of fun. The hours were whiled away however by playing my new PSP and listening to my Ipod through the car radio station (its been an electronic Christmas!). Even though I've gotten lots of new gadgets and I've been watching lots of movies, etc., I haven't been tied to my computer and cell phone like I normally am. Its been rather freeing, not being connected with anything I don't physically interact with. Sorry, however, to those of you whose voice messages I haven't gotten, blogs I haven't read, etc.

When we get back home, I'll have to return to a somewhat more normal life, write my syllabus, answer emails to students complaining about their grades-blah. That will cut into my narrative time (books: On Beauty, The Italian Secretary, a couple trashy paperbacks; movies: Sherlock Holmes: A Case of Evil (with the guy who plays Darcy in the new P&P), Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys, Meet the Fockers, Serenity (shiny, Eden, shiny!), Return of the Native (Thomas Hardy and Clive Owen), Mercy, Don't Look Now, Amnityville Horror; televison: Veronica Mars, The Tick, Home Movies)

Musically, I'm thinking about new groups, does anyone have an opinion on: The Dandy Warhols or James Blunt? How about Madonna's or the All-American Rejects' new albums?

Round Up the Wagons!

We're heading west to settle Catan! My brother's good friend for the past twenty-five years came over last night, and he, my brother, and I played Settlers of Catan for eleven hours! It was fun; I felt like it was J-term and I was back at Taylor.

Detox

So, I'm done. With everything. As my dad says, I'm a free agent. I stayed at school until ten Wednesday to finish grades, but then I didn't have to go back at all. The past few days have been great; I've been winding down from the hardest semester ever.

Thursday night we got half a foot of snow, and my normally one hour drive turned into three as I made my way to the movie theater for HPIV again and TL, TW, & TW. I think this HP movie is my second favorite but close to first. I waffle between whether I like the third or fourth book better, so its an understandably tough decision. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was amazing. I loved it; I cried for a bunch of it. For me that's one of the signs of a good movie. I haven't read the book in a long, long time and have only read half of the series, so I don't even live on the same street as intense fans. But still, I think it accurately represents Lewis's vision.

Over the past few days, I've also watched Silence of the Lambs, The Thin Man, Reign of Fire, The Reckoning, and Chinatown. Yesterday I read two trashy novels and decorated the Christmas tree. Today I watched a cool documentary on the National Geographic Channel about tattoos. I baked cookies. I did laundry. I started On Beauty by Zadie Smith (whose White Teeth I adore), which is a love letter to E. M. Forster's Howards End (which I also adore).

Yipee-Kai-Yai-Yea!

I've finished everything for the classes I'm taking. I had a final tonight that was okay; I don't think there's a danger of a C, and I got an A- on my paper, so huzzah! Even if I do get a B, I suppose I don't need to get into any more schools. This is a terminal degree if I can maintain the energy and pace of grad school for three and a half more years or so.

Tomorrow I've got grading to do; Wednesday, I'm 'giving a final' (aka sitting in the room while they turn in portfolios). I'll have to grade those, assign the final grades, and then I'll be done!

I can't wait to consume massive quantities of narratives (books and movies)! Thursday Katie and I are going to see Harry Potter IV and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Should be lots o' fun.