Another Buffy post...

Now that I am thinking of it, I ought to link to a new favorite tumblr I stumbled across: BtVS Confessions. It's sort of like PostSecret for Buffy fans. I really agree with the one below. That scene kills me every time.

Buffy, Adam, and Age

Just today I was talking with a friend at work about how I never really feel "old" or that I am getting older in any negative kind of way. He more or less agreed.

And just today, I was talking with another colleague about how a bunch of her students are Whedon fans. That got me thinking about what the Whedon-verse means for them (as people in their late teens/early 20s) versus what it meant and continues to mean for those of us who are a bit older. I wondered to myself how timeless Whedon shows are.

So there's all that kicking around in my head...

Then, just a few minutes ago, I had the Buffy episode "Goodbye, Iowa," on in the background as I got some work done. The scene where Adam (a demon/robot/man hybrid) inserts a floppy disk into his chest...man, did that feel dated. More dated then anything else I can think of on Buffy, at least in terms of emotional resonance. I mean, it is an almost ridiculous image. I think I remember people saying almost immediately after it aired that that including that part of Adam was a silly and a weird decision by the writers. I think it must be because technology--specifically computer technology--so obviously and visually shows its age.

And if Buffy is old, then maybe I am, in fact, getting a bit older.

That ain't even a USB drive!

Oh well. I'm still okay with that. And again, there are all those young fans who still want to keep talking about these shows. I can deal with that, too. 

Slate's "The Vault"

 

Image source: https://acdc.amherst.edu/view/asc:16630

Slate's "The Vault" is one of my new favorite blogs. Check out today's entry, featuring Emily Dickinson's manuscript fragments. And the subject of this one, from last week, is both fascinating and heart-breaking--it's the image of a pair of tiny handcuffs, used to transport Native American children to government boarding schools. I hope to use it this semester when I teach the writings of Zitkala Sa.

Christmas wrap up

Yesterday I went to see Erin, Eric, and Krista. We had dinner and exchanged gifts. It is amazing to see how much the baby has changed in just the few weeks since I had last seen her. She smiles, laughs, and follows you with her eyes now. Very cute!

Check out this gallery of her various expressions, all displayed with about a minute.

Christmas in New York

A bit bummed that I didn't get any pictures of Jennifer, Jeff, Ryan, or my dad, but here are a few pictures of other folks.

Kelsie.

Olivia.

Aidan.

Colin, Christian, and Olivia. Wish the kids would stop with the rabbit ears thing--and that that candle wasn't in Christian's face, but I think he looks very nice otherwise!

Colin with the sock monkey I got him.

The boys with the Lego headlamps I got them.

Colin (with lamp) and me.

My mom and Kelsie.

Me, Tara, and Christian.

Christmas 2012: Stop in Philadelphia

This holiday season was a good one for me. I started my break with a stop in Philadelphia and visited with Vogel and David. Fun times!

The first day I was there, David and I visited the Eastern State Penitentiary, something I have wanted to do for a long time. It was really interesting. The different parts of the prison really tell the story of how attitudes about human nature, crime, and rehabilitation have changed over the centuries. I was most interested in the nineteenth-century stuff, of course, but there's lots to be learned about the twentieth century. Al Capone spent time here, after all.

Standing in one of the shower rooms. As I was posing, David said something inappropriate like, "Imagine yourself surrounded by all those men."

David standing in the "center center," the place in the original structure where a guard could see down each corridor. Foucault would be impressed.

A tree growing out of the top of the old wall.

The death row cells.

Buttons for the death-row cells. These were the only cells with electric locks.

Later, we met up with Vogel and had dinner in the city. Very yummy!

Me and Vogel at dinner. 

All in all, a great way to start my holiday break!

Bonnie

Yesterday I learned that a dear friend from graduate school passed away in November. Her father sent me a letter after receiving the Christmas card I sent to her. Since I heard the news, I've been flooded with memories. Bonnie was such an awesome person: kind, compassionate, funny, smart, and just all-around good. She was also an amazing Christian, a woman who really lived a life of faithful witness and service. She made the world a better place and, if we honor her memory, she will keep on making the world a better place.

I'll miss you, my friend.

Me, Gretchen, and Bonnie, back when Bonnie and I visited Gretchen after she started her job. She was the first of our group to get a tenure-track job, so this was a big deal. We are pointing to Gretchen's name on the sign.