Inside Out 2

15 June 2024: Caught a mid-morning showing of Inside Out 2 and, not surprisingly, cried more than once. (I also laughed a lot.) It a powerful and important decision to take children and their emotions seriously. And as a formerly anxious child (and now often anxious adult), I was quite moved by the depiction of Anxiety. 

Otherwise a kind of somber afternoon, for reasons I'll leave unsaid. But the combination of the movie's gentle warmth and the day's lovely light breeze helped and are still helping.  

Two strikes, you're out?

14 June 2024: Plans to catch a minor league baseball game tonight with friends hit a couple of obstacles. First, the local team, the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars, were basically sold out. Some of us tried for the Frederick Keys, but first the game was delayed (even though it wasn't yet raining) for a good hour. Then they played 1.5 innings before another rain delay started. So, we gave up. At the same time, those hours just sitting in the stands, hanging out, laughing? Worth every penny. 

Almost done with the introduction...

13 June 2024: "(I once asked a young dissertation writer whether her suddenly grayed hair was due to ill-health or personal tragedy; she answered It was the footnotes)" (Russ 137). 

I am low-keyed obsessed with this paranthetical from Russ's classic How to Suppress Women's Writing. First, it's just so funny and rings with such authenticity. Second, it's a bit of a time-capsule: 1) footnotes in the 1980s must have been a nightmare and 2) you kind of can't imagine someone asking a woman this question in this way today. Third, my own current version of this drama might be, "It was the introduction."

But today--the very day I re(read) those words--I think I've made it through a decent draft of the darn thing. Going to print it out and give it a read-through before calling it quits on this part of the project for the day, but this feels pretty okay (???). 

Unrelated photo of someone who is not at all getting gray hair through any kind of worrying today.

Work Cited

Russ, Joanna. How to Suppress Women’s Writing. U of Texas P, 1983.

Never gets old...

12 June 2024: So delighted to receive this in the mail today. (I think it actually arrived last week, but I kept forgetting to carry the package down to my office from the mail room and open it...)

Jo on the mend...

11 June 2024: Jo was not feeling well this morning; she threw up some, seemed uncomfortable, and just crashed most of the morning on the living room chair. Because I am me, I was concerned and watched the heck out of her. 

She was still pretty tired by the afternoon, as Picture #1 shows. She came up to the office and slept on my lap while I read. When she woke up, though, like happens for us sometimes, it appears that lots of sleep is just what she needed. 

Picture #2, from around 5:00, shows a cat almost completely back to her version of "normal." I will still keep an eye on her (because I am me), but I think she's good. 

Scared the heck out of the cat...

10 June 2024: Heard some news today that made me literally scream with happiness. Can't say much, but just so darn delighted and happy. 

"The Phantom of the World's Fair"

9 June 2024: I listened to this episode of StoryCorps on my walk today and found it just riveting. The story unfolds in such complex layers--whimsy and adventure, then deep sadness, and finally, hope and strength. Amazing. 

Veronica at 9

8 June 2024: I actually took this video of BabyCat last night, before her unofficial birthday today. From the very beginning, she's been such an interesting cat to just watch--which is a good thing, considering her "look but don't touch" policy. And I think she actually often loves being watched--and spends just as much time watching me. 

Anyway, if you listen closely you can hear Brandi Carlile's "Beginning to Feel the Years" playing in the background. The lyrics seem to work for me and this nut I have been trying to crack for nine years.

"You carry me along with you

Keep my spirit strong, you do

Maybe I was meant to be

Under your lock and key

The hard times that I had

Really, don't seem all that bad

Yesterday is long ago and far away

And I'm beginning to feel the years

But I'm going to be okay

As long as you're beside me along the way

Gonna make it through the night

And into the morning light..."

Quiet Friday evening...

7 June 2024: After a rather nice day--a bit of work at the office, a long lunch with a dear friend, and the first provost search committee meeting--I am enjoying a really lovely summer evening. The front window and back door are open and there's just the perfect little breeze. The girls are either snoozing or looking outside. I am tinkering away at some not-terrible work. The Yankees are playing the Dodgers and I am getting to watch it on TV. Lovely, lovely, lovely. 

Hype music...

6 June 2024: Completed the final part of being Senate President today: giving a report at the BOG meeting. I put a lot of work and thought into my remarks and as I walked over to the meeting, I was like, "lemme ask my iPod for some hype music." This song came on and a) it made me laugh and b) it worked, baby!

 

Hiding close by...

5 June 2024: Some storms rolled through this afternoon and Jo took refuge under my desk while I was working. (That's her tucked up in the left corner.)  

I mean, I am already completely in the tank for this ball of sweet orange chaos, but her determination to stay close even when she hides is charming as heck. 

More progress...

4 June 2024: Finished up the preface and am trudging ahead on the introduction. I've decided on the "grabber" for that piece (a word I've been using instead of "hook" since I learned it Dr. Miller's intro to the history major class long ago). And I just need to keep practicing and polishing the BOG thing. 

Definitely interesting to be working on and reflecting on projects that are moving towards different versions of ending. 

(Maybe this is also somehow connected to my sleep being a bit restless over the past week or so?) 

Writing progress...

3 June 2024: Made progress today on three writing projects that have been idling in my mind for weeks: my remarks to the BOG on Thursday, the preface to the book, and the intro to the book. Each is now in a different stage, which is also kind of cool. Feeling some good momentum now! 

Meeting the new neighbors...

2 June 2024: John and Helen, my wonderful neighbors who are moving soon, invited a bunch of us over to meet Paul and Diane, the couple who has purchased their house. That gesture tells you all you need to know about John and Helen. I am surrounded by a great group of neighbors here; Paul and Diane will no doubt fit right in. 

Writing joy...

1 June 2024: My goodness, did we have a great in-personportion of our Shepherd University Writing Project Summer Institute today! I know this sounds so cheesy, but it it just the truth: these K12 teachers are so damn inspiring.