M3GAN

15 January 2023: Well, M3GAN was as much fun as I hoped it would be. Saw it with Cory, Hannah, and Amy today and laughed my head off. Totally understood the assignment. 

Christmas, part two...

14 January 2023: My parents are in town and came by this afternoon. We finally exchanged gifts, which was nice. (They were, as always, too generous.) They also got to meet Jo, who was quite charming. We got Chinese take-out and had a nice visit. Grateful to see them and so grateful that they are okay post-COVID. 

(Boring) (work) progress...

13 January 2023: Not as fun as yesterday's "Progress..." post, but today I did manage to push at least four separate projects a couple of steps forward. I'll take it. 

Now home for the evening. Pizza, dumb TV, and taking it easy...

Progress...

12 January 2023: Bad pictures, but! They are eating treats next to each other without any growling or hissing! 

The first few days, Veronica would growl and run away. Then she would eat a couple of treats and then walk away, leaving too many treats (probably) for the kitten. But today, no growling, no hissing, and equitable treat distribution.

First-week Wednesday...

11 January 2023: A long but mostly good day, capped off by dinner with a friend at Alma Bea. I saw three former students--all ones I am very fond of--at the restaurant (one dining, two working). Lovely reminders of how special this community is for me. And, as I got into my car to drive home, I said out loud, "On my way, Baby Jo and Veronica..." That felt good, too. 

My Favorite Shapes

10 January 2023: Thanks to a Bullseye episode I listened to on my walk this morning, I am watching Julio Torres's stand-up special, My Favorite Shapes. It is perfect for what I am looking for tonight: silly, smart/dumb, weird humor. Really feeling the need for "comfort" TV at the end of these long (winter) days.

First day...

9 January 2023: First day of the Spring 2023 semester is in the books! Went well, I think. My students were a bit quiet, but I think they will warm up soon. Bonus: made it home before the sun set. 

All settled in...

8 January 2023: 

Just sitting here and marveling at how quickly this little one has settled in and decided she's completely into me. (Took this photo about ten minutes ago, and she's still snoozing there.)

In related news, BabyCat has been very present and visible today and has been energetically playing with toys she hasn't played with in years (that Jo has been playing with). She still growls when Jo gets too close, but I think she's starting to thaw. Not sure how long that will take, but progress is progress.

Saturday play day...

7 January 2023: 

[Catch-up post]

Spent most of the day Saturday at Tim and Kevin's. Eva and Karsten were in town, so along with Amy, Hannah, and Cory, we all hung out, had lunch and dinner, played games, and just relaxed. It felt a bit indulgent when I have such a long set of to-do lists, but it was also nice to do something a bit indulgent right before the semester starts.

"Josephine"

6 January 2023: Singing this one to the new girl today...

I do tend to associate a couple of songs with a cat and sing them to him/her. Veronica's include "Big Parade" by the Lumineers and "Georgie Girl" by the Seekers (with different lyrics). 

Another contender for Jo (so far) is "Joey" by Concrete Blonde.

Day two...

 5 January 2023: Unbelievable how well this little one has settled in. 

Introducing Jo March...

4 January 2023: Very excited to welcome this little one home today. She's pretty wonderful--sweet, cuddly, and very much a kitten. So far, Veronica is mostly registering disapproval through growling, but she is down here with us, so fingers crossed. After all, her unhappiness without Wes is the main reason I moved as fast as I did. (Meeting her last week was what this post was about.)

Also mostly uploading her Petfinder images as she is very hard to photograph. Won't sit still and just wants to be petted. 

"buy a little time / and I go along /what else can I do..."

3 January 2023: Spent some time on this gloomy-weather, Big-Thoughts-inspiring day thinking about how good these two early Reba hits are. 

"What Am I Gonna Do About You?" gives us those ordinary-life details of life that country music can get so right ("went to the store / but it wasn't much fun / it doesn't take long when you're shopping for one"). And then it just smashes/dashes into the chorus, especially the second time, with (of course) her killing the vocals. This is a song about grief, after all, and grief works like that: you go through the motions, you do your best, and then it just pops up and crushes you again. 

 

And "You Lie"? It's hard to think of another song that tells this kind of story--all set in a dark bedroom where she knows he's awake and she just wants him to tell her that she loves him. The singer acknowledges that this relationship should be over, but she just can't let him go--and the lie, for now, is enough. But of course, it isn't--even in that moment, she's devastated and knows she's ridiculous. It's crushing, torturous, and real. The aching vocal here is just so beautiful and sad. 

Break fading away...

2 January 2023: Worked in the office this morning, then drove to visit with Jane, then to Arlington to watch the Rose Bowl with Erin, Eric, and the girls. Busy "last" (sort of?) full day of break, but a good one...

Manifesting Capitola Vibes...

1 January 2023: "Now, had Capitola run there is little doubt but that, in the blindness of his fury, he would have caught and beat her then and there. But Cap saw him coming, drew up her tiny form, folded her arms and looked him directly in the face. This stopped him; but, like a mettlesome old horse suddenly pulled up in full career, he stamped and reared and plunged with fury, and foamed and spluttered and stuttered before he could get words out" (Southworth 258).

I have never read E.D.E.N. Southworth's The Hidden Hand before, but I am reading now for the book and my goodness, it is fun and so silly, but in great ways. And I am going to do my best to channel Capitola when obstacles come my way in 2023. 

Work Cited

Southworth, E.D.E.N. The Hidden Hand. 1888. Oxford UP, 1997.