(no subject)
This has been a relatively uneventful winter break so far, and now it's quickly coming to an end. I didn't do very much - I didn't do any schoolwork at all, which I'm sure I'll regret in a couple of days. Some things that I did do:
1. Read two books: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters and The Master by Colm Toibin, both of which I enjoyed, though it amazes me that Toibin was able to write a novel (about Henry James) in which none of the characters are even remotely likeable. And yet I still liked the book. He's good at what he does, I suppose.
2. Saw some so-so movies: The Producers, Rent, Harry Potter, Ladies in Lavender, Bride and Prejudice; a hideously awful movie: Bewitched; and some good movies: Pride and Prejudice, Millions, Mad Hot Ballroom, Crash.
3. Started watching old Gilmore Girls seasons so I can catch up.
4. Got sick repeatedly, as Spud seems intent on bringing home every possible bug from daycare.
5. Was the only Jew for miles around on Christmas, which I spent with the in-laws and a ton of other in-lawed family members. Had the "It's Hard to be a Jew on Christmas" song running on a loop in my head the whole day, then tried to explain to J how it's easy to feel disconnected or left out in a situation like that. Didn't go that well.
6. Found out that I have two of my old students in my class next semester, and definitely not the two that I would have chosen.
7. Realized that Spud MUST go to daycare on a regular basis or she becomes a nightmare. After three weeks at home during break, she's turned into a monster baby, crying and screaming all the time, demanding constant attention, and refusing to go to sleep. We're slowly losing our minds. Hopefully getting her back on a normal schedule will return her to the perfectly normal baby we're used to. Or else it's going to get ugly around here.
8. Threw out my back and spent four days in bed bored out of my mind and playing Sims 2, which is not half as interesting when I have nothing else to do.
9. Thought repeatedly about writing my syllabus and planning my class for next semester, which starts next Tuesday, but never quite getting there.
10. Found out my book is a finalist in a university press poetry competition. Winner gets their book published.
Ok, so really I've done almost nothing this break except watched a lot of tv and wasted a lot of time. All in all, not too bad. Real life will return soon enough, and next semester will be crazy. Oh yes, and my 28th birthday is on Wednesday, but I've decided to stop counting at 27, so I'll be turning 27 again this year. I refuse to turn 28 until I have a book published, as I think 27 is a good age at which to do so.
1. Read two books: Fingersmith by Sarah Waters and The Master by Colm Toibin, both of which I enjoyed, though it amazes me that Toibin was able to write a novel (about Henry James) in which none of the characters are even remotely likeable. And yet I still liked the book. He's good at what he does, I suppose.
2. Saw some so-so movies: The Producers, Rent, Harry Potter, Ladies in Lavender, Bride and Prejudice; a hideously awful movie: Bewitched; and some good movies: Pride and Prejudice, Millions, Mad Hot Ballroom, Crash.
3. Started watching old Gilmore Girls seasons so I can catch up.
4. Got sick repeatedly, as Spud seems intent on bringing home every possible bug from daycare.
5. Was the only Jew for miles around on Christmas, which I spent with the in-laws and a ton of other in-lawed family members. Had the "It's Hard to be a Jew on Christmas" song running on a loop in my head the whole day, then tried to explain to J how it's easy to feel disconnected or left out in a situation like that. Didn't go that well.
6. Found out that I have two of my old students in my class next semester, and definitely not the two that I would have chosen.
7. Realized that Spud MUST go to daycare on a regular basis or she becomes a nightmare. After three weeks at home during break, she's turned into a monster baby, crying and screaming all the time, demanding constant attention, and refusing to go to sleep. We're slowly losing our minds. Hopefully getting her back on a normal schedule will return her to the perfectly normal baby we're used to. Or else it's going to get ugly around here.
8. Threw out my back and spent four days in bed bored out of my mind and playing Sims 2, which is not half as interesting when I have nothing else to do.
9. Thought repeatedly about writing my syllabus and planning my class for next semester, which starts next Tuesday, but never quite getting there.
10. Found out my book is a finalist in a university press poetry competition. Winner gets their book published.
Ok, so really I've done almost nothing this break except watched a lot of tv and wasted a lot of time. All in all, not too bad. Real life will return soon enough, and next semester will be crazy. Oh yes, and my 28th birthday is on Wednesday, but I've decided to stop counting at 27, so I'll be turning 27 again this year. I refuse to turn 28 until I have a book published, as I think 27 is a good age at which to do so.