Decompression time...

15 February 2023: No matter how busy, long, and overwhelming a day is, getting over to watch a basketball game makes me happier and soothes me. And the women really seem to be playing better the past few games, even if they aren't racking up wins. 

Writing partner...

14 February 2023: A student came to see me to talk about her ENGL 301 Annotated Bibliography. There were long stretches of time when she just worked on her own, quietly revising based on what we had just discussed. During one stretch, I turned my attention to a paragraph I had been trying (unsuccessfully) to draft in the time before she showed up. And darn it if I didn't have a mini-breakthrough. I told her as much and said it reminded me of dissertation writing dates at Panera with my grad school friends. Maybe I need to find a way to make some version of that come back for me.

If you gotta do a Monday...

13 February 2023: If you gotta do a Monday, one like I got to do today works. Took a long walk, taught a couple of classes, got a bit of book work done, attended a fun Sigma Tau Delta event, gave Hannah a birthday present, and had Galentine's Day dinner at IHOP with Amy. Now home with my girls and watching some TV. Tired as heck, but in a pretty good way. 

I Capture the Castle

12 February 2023: “When I read a book, I put in all the imagination I can, so that it is almost like writing a book as well as reading it - or rather, it is like living it.” --Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle

So glad to have finally read this book, which I have heard so many praise over the years. And excited to talk about it with my little book club in about ten minutes. Not a bad way to spend a chilly, rainy Sunday night. 

Counter offender...

11 February 2023: Well, it took her awhile, but today Jo started jumping on the kitchen counters, which isn't great. One thing I realized the day she arrived: it has been so long since I've had a (non-semi-feral) kitten in the house that I am out of practice and keep bring surprised by what she gets into. And, as Jane suggested, maybe it's not best to have your kitten's name rhyme with "no." Ha. 

Good thing she's super-cute and loving and just a joy bomb running through this place. And seeing her play with Veronica? It fills my heart with such happiness. 

Facebook tells me this was three years ago today. It's a memory emblazoned in my mind. Miss my boy so much, but grateful for new life in the house.

Big sister's day...

10 February 2023: Today is my sister Tara's birthday and without a doubt, the nicest part of the day was talking with her on the phone when I took my walk (delayed until the afternoon because of a morning meeting). She's pretty amazing and it's just nice to remember that and say it. 

A keg of what?

 9 February 2023: 

Weddings sure have changed since 1828. (From Lydia Moland's new book, Lydia Maria Child: A Radical American Life.)

First win!

8 February 2023: It's been a long and rough road this rebuilding season for the women's basketball team, but they got their first win today in a really exciting game. So glad I got to see it!

"Child's unfinished revolution..."

7 February 2023: "Child's long career of activism continues to resonate with meaning as new groups come forward to carry on the struggle for a just world. Her legacy embodies the best of the American heritage. It reminds us that a national history tarnished by Indian genocide, black slavery, and white supremacy has also been contested by progressive Americans of all races, committed to translating the inspiring words of the Declaration of Independence into practice. Child's heroic fidelity to the vision of a multiracial, egalitarian America and her tenacity in the face of obstacles and defeats challenge her successors to emulate her example. We who inherit Child's unfinished revolution can take courage from the watchword that encapsulates her indomitable idealism: 'Men's highest aspirations are prophecies'" (Karcher 614).

I spent some time today reading for my entry on Lydia Maria Child, a complicated and complex woman who I feel great admiration for. This passage--the closing paragraph of Carolyn L. Karcher's terrific book--seems appropriate tonight, as the State of the Union approaches. I won't be watching; news coverage after will be enough, but Karcher's book makes it clear that we if we had been listening to Child (like Alcott), we'd be in a better place as a country.

Work Cited 

Karcher, Carolyn L. The First Woman in the Republic: A Cultural Biography of Lydia Maria Child, Duke UP, 1994. 

"I've been thinking about it non-stop since you said it..."

6 February 2023: The post's title comes from one of my ENGL 301 students when we were talking about Lacan and psychoanalytic literary theory (particularly the "mirror stage") in class today. It's so fun to see their minds get absorbed in this stuff. And this is a particularly fun and enaged group of students. Best part of the day!

"Here We Go Again"

5 February 2023: Late Sunday afternoon vibes, courtesy of Mark and Sarah Talk about Songs. 

Skinamarink

4 February 2023: 

[Catch-up post]

Kind of a perfect evening: ordered Thai food, laughed a lot, and watched Skinamarink (fun and creepy but also maybe 20ish minutes too long?) with Amy, Hannh, and Cory at the kids' house. 

Conferences...

3 Feburary 2023: Spent a lot of today (and yesterday) holding conferences with my ENGL 301 students to go over the first entries from their Annotated Bibliographies. (This is a big assignment in the course.) They went pretty well and I loved being able to tell them they were off to great starts (even the ones who needed the most help are--I think?--making good progress). It's also always a delight to tell them they should be proud of what they've done so far. And the parts they struggle with? It's cool to get to tell them that those are almost always the hard parts so the struggle makes sense. 

"Give Me This"

2 Feburary 2023: It's really wonderful to be stopped in your tracks by a poem early in the day. This one, by Adam Limón, did it. 

"No nose biting!"

1 February 2023: File this post's title under "things I have to say to my kitten that I never had to say to my other cats." The nose she is biting, I should point out, is mine. 

She's still such a blast, but I am feeling guilty because a lot of long days at work have kept me away from home, including nearly 14 hours the past two days. 

I need to keep this from happening too much. It sounds silly, but she's little and time flies and 14-hour days are trash anyway. And Veronica doesn't like them, either, even if she won't show it.