A List.

In an attempt to excite me to finish the semester quickly and complete all the work I need to do before the freedom of summer break (all three weeks of it), I'm posting a list of the books I hope to read during that time. Most of them are not especially academic, but these are the final books I'll be reading for fun before I start studying for my field exams (a six month+ process):

• All six Harry Potter books.
• Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Marisha Pessl
• Bibliophilia: A Novella and Stories, Michael Griffith
• Having finished Paradise Lost, it seems appropriate to read Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.
• Summer at Tiffany, Marjorie Hart
• Masquerade, sequel to Blue Bloods, Melissa de la Cruz
• and while I might not read it cover to cover, I'll be perusing Bollywood: A Guidebook to Popular Hindi Cinema.

If anybody's read any of these, how did you like them? This list is not necessarily in order of importance, and I probably won't get to them all, so I'd like help prioritizing!

Xenophobic Bravo*?

Already I like Shear Genius in it's single episode more than the whole of Top Design--apparently others agree, there wasn't a reunion episode, nor the drawing out of the finale into two episodes. Sadly, the cute, sassy, and French Paul-Jean was the first one cut, following the disturbing trend of Bravo's reality series first kicking off the foreigners. In the first season of Top Chef, the first to go was Irish, in the second season, it was British. Coincidence?

*I don't really think Bravo's xenophobic; I'm mostly sad that I don't have the foreign accents to listen to--thank goodness for BBC America!

Commenting on Student Papers

As I am spending a lot of time grading papers of late, I was highly amused by my google quote of the day

I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone has printed gibberish all over it and put your name at the top.
- An English Professor

and this McSweeney's list.

And while I would sometimes like to write things along the lines of "You have managed to coldly and persistently rape the English language for 17 pages. Congratulations" more often than not I end up with more of the "You had some nice details" variety.

Tonight I'm sleeping with the window open!!

Not That I Ever Denied It...

...but was pointed out to me twice yesterday, that I make rather nerdy jokes. I mean, clearly, I had my audience pegged because they understood them and recognized them for what they were. Are puns that require knowledge of Roanoke and Stanley Fish so crazy that fellow nerds need to highlight that I used them? I'm not sure.

But, perhaps there is something to it, as I sit here listening to "Brand New Lover" by Dead or Alive and I think it's hilarious that their album is titled Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know. Caroline Lamb anyone?

More Timberlake

Okay, two posts on JT may seem like overkill, but I promise I'm not that into him, I mean I don't have any posters up. But, I recently saw Black Snake Moan and I have to give him credit for doing a pretty good job as the screwed up, taciturn boyfriend to Christiana Ricci's nymphomaniac. The whole movie was amazing. Yes, there are some raw scenes, but I don't think they were gratuitous (as say, the sex in 300). Ultimately the film was a story of redemption, and what sinner doesn't like to see that? Yes, Samuel L. Jackson does tie Ricci up to a radiator with a chain, but he's also the first person to care enough about her to try to help her. A smart narrative that blossoms naturally rather than explaining every detail at the beginning--there were times when I had to work a little to put the story (or rather some of the characters) together, which I think is a good thing. This is the kind of film that would be awesome for discussion/teaching at a church, but some people would probably take offense. If you know that you can handle some harshness, then make the effort for this life affirming film.

Truly a Pleasure.

I'm willing to admit it. Justin Timberlake is no longer a guilty pleasure; I am not ashamed to say I enjoy him. That being said, I found an acoustic version of "Sexyback" by a local Chicagoan that is awesome:

A Quote and A Question

Something that I read in Milton's Areopagitica and liked:
“He that can apprehend and consider vice with all her baits and seeming pleasures, and yet abstain, and yet distinguish, and yet prefer that which is truly better, he is the true warfaring Christian. I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary, but slinks out of the race where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat.”

One of my students said she was talking about me with someone from the writing center where I used to work, they were able to discern that they were referring to the same person because they both described me as "jolly." Is that a complement because I'm normally upbeat or an oddly kind way of describing me as overweight?

Synergy

Boy, I love school this semester. Not every semester do I feel this way; sometimes there are classes that are requirements but just not fun; sometimes there are classes that I have to teach that I dislike. This semester has been awesome. Throughout my season in grad school, I've often struggled with the selfishness of it. Continually pouring into myself and spending an immense amount of time to develop my skills. However, it is necessary if I want to be a college professor, and there's no better time in my life to do this. I've also struggled with the research aspect of the profession, feeling as though I'm not giving anything back or doing anything useful with the time and energy spent to write yet another paper. Teaching benefits society and the individuals with whom I have contact, but research--no way...until this semester.

As I've been teaching our "Experience of Fiction" course (sometimes jokingly referred to as the "My Seven Favorite Novels" class), I've found myself spending a ridiculous amount of time researching for it. I've been drawn into the academic conversation around my texts and am seeing, for the first time in my academic life, the practicalities of how research supports teaching and how they are interdependent. Similar to the first time that I truly understood how theory functions (yes, it really is a lens that helps us understand a text), I feel as though my eyes have been opened, and I can clearly see a new level in the world of academia. And the view is spectacular, spectacular.

...The Book!

Okay, so my department has a list serve for announcements, information, argumentation, etc. Of late, an oft visited topic on the Canon vs. new forms of literature (condensed classics, blogs, graphic novels) has been making the rounds. Amongst the bickering was a link for this video (I'm not cool enough to know how to embed it) about the technology problems one encounters nowa, -er yesterdays.

Speaking of books, what have I been reading lately, you ask?
Well, while I've read the introduction to Jean Rhys 's (of Wide Sargasso Sea fame) first novel Quartet, I've not so much actually started the text, perhaps tonight, definitely by Thursday. I've been reading Milton (whose early life story feels eerily similar to my own), some of his Prolusions and the essay "Of Education." Mostly I've been doing a close reading Dracula for the class I'm teaching. What a great novel!

Today, my literary focus will include a few Renaissance essays on Friendship, but primarily will entail creating my own essay. Look for "Of Oscars" in the near future!

Anita and Me

I love finding myself in books. This weekend I finished reading Meera Syal's Anita and Me for my independent study. By the by, the movie is wonderful fun, I encourage everyone to see it, you won't regret it. But, this passage perfectly nails what I have often been troubled about, but never been able to put words to:

"My mind drifted into practical overdrive, as it did with all my daydreams. It was never enough to have a vague picture, such as 'I save Donny Osmond from near death and win a medal'. I had to know what I was wearing, whether it was a fire in a top London hotel or a runaway horse in a summer meadow, what the weather was like, who was watching and how my hair looked at the moment of rescue.

It was an annoying trait, I admit, and often I got bored with the fantasy halfway through, bogged down by stylistic detail when I should really have been concentrating on the emotion and wish-fulfilment side of things." (202)

Grr.

The Bears lost. I didn't expect them to win, but then the first quarter was so exciting--they taught me to hope.

It's very very cold. My mom's school is canceled but mine remains on. At least the class I teach isn't meeting in the morning per usual, but in the afternoon to watch The Innocents. And the students that can't come are sending me cranky emails, despite my repeated warnings that this film was hard to find, so they should borrow my copy. I refuse to let it be my fault, even though inside I feel like apologizing.

So, I give you a grumpy " 'airy co' " and the home of an extremely annoying French soldier.

Sorry...

I know I've been terrible about posting. For some reason it just seems like so much energy; I'm not sure why. Topics often go through my head for posts, plus there's still European adventures to share. I know that my audience isn't large, so there's not pressure to post. I don't know...and I'm sure reading apologies are ridiculous and boring, so...

I've been reading a lot of and thinking about British literature. I'm starting to prep for studying for my field exams, which I'll take in a year. I've already started having panic dreams. But, I've been in the British mindset, so I'm including a shot from the top of the London Eye, where we had one of the two days of sunshine my entire trip, and Brighton pier (at night and in the day) where we spent a night, dreaming of the Regency Era.

Top Chef Finale and Belgian Waffles

I am incredibly stoked. The man that I have rooted for from the beginning made to the final two. Is it the hair? Possibly. The cool name? Probably. The fact that his arrogance is hot because he actually is super talented, so it's not really hubris, but confidence? That he didn't personally attack people even when unfairly villanized? That he's clearly a geek in his field? Definitely. Marcel, I love you; if we get married, we'll be able to have amazing dinner parties for the English department, and I promise I will eat anything you make me...even if it's something gross with peas, mushrooms, olives, or green peppers.

And now, a foodie moment from Brussels.

Sunday Comics

Sunday is the best day for comics, well I don't get a paper anymore, but that's what I remember from being a kid. Brussels takes their comics seriously; they were continually refered to as the 'ninth art'. (I don't know what the first eight are, but I'm sure it's they are the more accepted classic ones.) Katie and I went to the Comic Strip Centre, which has history of comics, production of, etc. Most of the exhibits didn't have English explanations, and though we had a book from the desk that had the English translations, it was incomplete and difficult to follow at times. But, Belgium is the home to Tintin, the Smurfs, and the guy with a red mask (sadly, Katie has those pics, so you won't see him).

Beyond the obvious coolness of the Museum, it was housed in a former department store that was designed by Victor Horta, one of the first architects to encorporate the principles of Art Nouveau into buildings. It was wonder-bar, but there'll be more on him later.

So I Went to Europe...

The past few weeks have been extremely busy. Once school ended, I had a few days off before going to Boston to be with my family for Christmas. Since my brother and sister -in-law recently moved into a new house we spent most of the time moving boxes, painting walls, and doing other general home repair (well, my dad did, I just stuck to painting and carrying things). It was nice that I got to see the Family Roomie while in Boston.
On the 27th , I flew to Chicago to fly to London to get on a bus to Coventry to get on another bus to get to Birmingham to see Katie. It was an exhausting day-plus of travel, but worth it! I was abroad until Jan 14th . Katie and I spent time in London, Brussels, Brighton, and, of course, Birmingham, until Eden showed up on the 10th when we trekked up to and all around Scotland, where we saw Nessy!At the beginning of December, I received a lover-ly Olympus Stylus 750 digital campus for my birthday/Christmas. I have since taken hundreds of pictures, some more of which I will post, describing my travel adventures as the spirit leads. I assure in no way will I attempt to follow a linear narrative of events because that is too daunting a task that would surely fall by the wayside in light of my extremely busy semester that is just starting, but more on that later.

My Shame

I literally asked the Blockbuster checkout girl not to judge me by movie choice this evening: Step Up and Alex Rider. I generally am fairly free about owning up to my low brow proclivities--I vehemently argue for the inclusion of pop culture in education--but, I guess I was feeling guilty about putting A Scanner Darkly and Don't Come Knocking back on the shelf in favor of these.

I've watched Step Up, and I'll admit to enjoying it quite a bit. The exciting/interesting/disturbing? portion of the film came when I noticed that Nora's (female protagonist's) mother was wearing a shirt that I have hanging in my closet. This was the first time that I've ever had that experience hence the excitement. It made me wonder, gee, whose job is it to go to Ann Taylor Loft to shop for movies, how interesting. But, seriously, I'm 26, should I be wearing the same thing as the mother of a high schooler? That I find slightly disturbing.

Most Exciting Thing Ever?

The first day of break is always wonderful, especially when I already cleaned my room amongst the height of finals week becasue I needed a break from writing my papers! So, that leaves the not-to-be-taken-lightly task of choosing the first book to read for fun. Right now contenders are:

• Small World by David Lodge "a post-structuralist parodying academic comedy," basically it's supposed to be a smart, funny, book about academics. It was short-listed for the Booker Prize and will probably be on my field exam list.
• Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes, whom I've met! Interestingly, this was short-listed for the Booker the very same year (1984) as Lodge's and will also probably be on my field exam list.
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, a teen fantasy novel about vampires.

In the mean time, I've done a little de-tox by watching Mindhunters and Love the Hard Way. I also am extremely excited about seeing Eragon, forget that I haven't seen any of the probably Oscar contenders like The Departed, The Queen, or Babel yet. Bring on the dragons!

1.9 Miles Close to Home

Because it's such a 'breaking news story' and because it's right down the road from me, I'll draw your attention to this associated press article.

"A man who authorities said wanted to commit acts of "violent jihad" against civilians was charged Friday in a plot to set off hand grenades in garbage cans at a shopping mall, authorities said." You can read the rest of the article here.

That shopping mall is my mall. The one I go to for coffee on my way to school, the one I worked at last year, the one that is my mall. He was planning to attack on Friday the 22nd when the mall would be chock full with all the holiday shoppers in this, the second largest city in the state.

There are times that I get frustrated with the current war on terror and by no means do I claim to be up-to-date on what's going on with the politics of the day; however, this does make me realize that there is a threat, that people do want to kill lots of other people for religious reasons. Now this man was acting alone and is not affiliated with an organization, so there's no clear group enemy just a single extremist. I'm not sure what that would mean for national politics.

However, for locals, it makes me wish that this guy had been loved more. A person who is truly loved and accepted can't do these sorts of things, can he? I love my church here, and I am excited by its mission, by its message. They (We!) believe that people matter to God and they should be loved like Jesus loved. Is it naive to hope that a difference can be made through this institution? That the community can becoming more loving and accepting, so that hate won't drive people to actions like setting of grenades in a crowded mall?

Robert Altman (1925-2006)

An amazing and innovative director.




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