Thank you for the thoughtful comments I received when I asked about your reading/viewing experiences of To Kill a Mockingbird -- they are really helpful! I will reply to them, but for now, I can't resist directing your attention to something incredible:

Firestorm Erupts Over Virginia's Education Goals

Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!?! I thought Sue Sylvester ( Read more... )

My eighth graders are reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Right after Thanksgiving I will lead a two-week media unit that includes showing the movie version with Gregory Peck. I have too many ideas, and I want to pare them down. If you have time to help me by responding to some of these questions, I'd really appreciate it!

- As an adult, what do you wish ( Read more... )

I just met with my adviser for about 3 hours. We talked about everything ( Read more... )

I have returned from apartment hunting in Tempe; by tomorrow, I hope to have made my decision and started the paperwork.

Meanwhile, grading forever and forever!

Lest I forget a life-truth, my Despair.com calendar for December reminds me:


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Guess what wonderful thing I've had in my lap for the last two days? A beautiful cat called Little Meow Meow!

Here are two pictures:

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Six weeks remain before my move, but I'm already saying goodbye to my home, little by little.

Here are pictures of my current apartment, which is my favorite of the three LA places I've lived in:


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I have a job! I'm moving to Phoenix, Arizona! Everything will be different starting January 2008!

This is the good news that I've been sitting on for two weeks while terms were negotiated, contracts signed, writing samples submitted, backgrounds checked, etc. etc. As of this past Friday night, I am allowed to sing it to the world -- I am now ( Read more... )

I worked all day Tuesday. Yesterday. Went to sleep at 1am. This morning. 3 hours ago. Need to be up for work at 7:30 at the latest. Class and office hours all day until late afternoon. A whole chapter due on Monday that I will continue to work on tomorrow night.

So why am I on lj at 4 in the morning?

2:15. AS wakes me up bodily for the second time ( Read more... )

Because I should be writing my dissertation.

And, because I should be writing my dissertation, I shall tell you about my weekend!

Singing a big choral piece, like Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah, is probably the closest I will ever come to knowing the ecstasy of athleticism. We rehearsed for 3hrs on Saturday (plus another 1.5hrs for commute and set up), ( Read more... )

I have received some very good news. In about two weeks, when the "t"s are crossed and "i"s are dotted and I stop feeling like someone's going to tap me on the shoulder and say, "Candid Camera!," I will post about the news itself. Meanwhile, squeeeeeeeeeeee!

And Rowling outs Dumbledore! And I found this fab and funny HP fanvid!

Also, anyone who would ( Read more... )