The end of droughts
After rainless weeks, we're finally getting showers here and there--the whole town's misty with humidity, if not yet with raindrops. Let's hope my stunted tomatoes and eggplants are properly grateful. And here I am, finally posting on LJ after who knows how long.
So the rundown of news is going to have to happen in no particular order, just however my brain sees fit.
The 2-year travel drought (probably the longest since I was 6, I swear I couldn't take it anymore) ended with a fantabulous trip to Boston and Maine in June. Highlights of Boston included Beacon Hill, the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum, a Red Sox game from the bar across the street (which counts for something, I think, and the beer was better than we'd have gotten in the stands), the Aquarium, the Commons, Fanueil Hall, and general traipsing, tasting, and taking in. Maine highlights were two days on a sailboat, an unplanned rocky hike around an island in Penobscot Bay, anchoring at said island for fresh lobster (which we smashed open with rocks for want of crackers, which added to the enjoyment) followed by a night's sleep in the cove, Acadia National Park and sunset on the solstice on Cadillac Mountain, Bar Harbor, spotting finback whale in the Gulf of Maine, and generally enjoying the ocean, the East Coast, seafood, vacation, you name it.
Since then, the end of academic hiatus is fast approaching, as I finally sliced through the last of the red tape and am reentering grad school as a Wisconsin resident. The reading's started up again, if slowly, including buckets of Freud, as I'm meant to be dealing with the uncanny in literature a la Freud. In short, I'm focusing on migration, memory, and the uncanny to develop ideas for my master's exam, but I have no idea where that will lead me. I must be on the right track, at least when it comes to pursuing my own interests, because I get funny little brain thrills when my head tries to hash through a way to incorporate these things, although I haven't formulated anything definite yet.
I'm marking time this summer by Wednesdays of classical music on Capitol Square, farmer's markets, books, ESL tutoring, days left until I'm working 20 hours a week instead of 40 (current count: 5), and visits from far-away friends. And for those of you who haven't visited Madison yet, let it be known that it's definitely the cool thing to do. I believe jensmith1981, benadryllian, pseudonordic, and joyfulheart4 would all agree. It's lovely having visitors. I love this town, come see, come see! (P.S. Thanks for coming, folks. Y'all made my year).
So the rundown of news is going to have to happen in no particular order, just however my brain sees fit.
The 2-year travel drought (probably the longest since I was 6, I swear I couldn't take it anymore) ended with a fantabulous trip to Boston and Maine in June. Highlights of Boston included Beacon Hill, the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum, a Red Sox game from the bar across the street (which counts for something, I think, and the beer was better than we'd have gotten in the stands), the Aquarium, the Commons, Fanueil Hall, and general traipsing, tasting, and taking in. Maine highlights were two days on a sailboat, an unplanned rocky hike around an island in Penobscot Bay, anchoring at said island for fresh lobster (which we smashed open with rocks for want of crackers, which added to the enjoyment) followed by a night's sleep in the cove, Acadia National Park and sunset on the solstice on Cadillac Mountain, Bar Harbor, spotting finback whale in the Gulf of Maine, and generally enjoying the ocean, the East Coast, seafood, vacation, you name it.
Since then, the end of academic hiatus is fast approaching, as I finally sliced through the last of the red tape and am reentering grad school as a Wisconsin resident. The reading's started up again, if slowly, including buckets of Freud, as I'm meant to be dealing with the uncanny in literature a la Freud. In short, I'm focusing on migration, memory, and the uncanny to develop ideas for my master's exam, but I have no idea where that will lead me. I must be on the right track, at least when it comes to pursuing my own interests, because I get funny little brain thrills when my head tries to hash through a way to incorporate these things, although I haven't formulated anything definite yet.
I'm marking time this summer by Wednesdays of classical music on Capitol Square, farmer's markets, books, ESL tutoring, days left until I'm working 20 hours a week instead of 40 (current count: 5), and visits from far-away friends. And for those of you who haven't visited Madison yet, let it be known that it's definitely the cool thing to do. I believe jensmith1981, benadryllian, pseudonordic, and joyfulheart4 would all agree. It's lovely having visitors. I love this town, come see, come see! (P.S. Thanks for coming, folks. Y'all made my year).