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November 2nd, 2009
11:50 pm - I'm not dead yet!
Wow, it's been a crazy month.
The big event: my mom got married! Congrats, Mom and Marty, you two crazy kids. :) Photos are here. We had a wonderful weekend celebrating with them at Cape Cod.
I've also been up to Norwich VT to visit my friend Sarah and go apple-picking, and down to Brooklyn with my dad and sister. It's been a gorgeous fall: lots of brilliant leaves and farmer's market produce. I ate kale for the first time (it's chewy!). I've mulled wine and cider and eaten plenty of donuts. I've been swimming under piles of homework, teaching, dancing when I get a spare minute, and getting used to the kitty's new rabbity ass. Wooo last semester of grad school.
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October 4th, 2009
12:49 pm - Django, the rabbit-ass kitty
Some things that have been going on recently:
I helped my uncle with his honey harvest! He kept bees for the first time this year, and last week I drove down to MA for the night to help with the harvest. It's a surprisingly simple process, but requires some really cool specialized equipment, and involves getting absolutely everything completely sticky. And the new honey has a lovely bright tang I've never tasted before. So much fun! I made a whole slideshow here.
My poor kitty is now tail-less. After two weeks on pain medication, he didn't seem to be feeling better, so I took him back to the vet's for another set of x-rays. Turned out he had something called a lytic bone lesion, and apparently those are incredibly painful and never heal. So, off with his tail. He came home last Tuesday looking like a cross between a rabbit and a civil war veteran, with no tail, a shaved tuckus, a big row of stitches, a bloody bandage on his paw from the IV, and of course, the Elizabethan collar. The good news is, he's now acting much more like his old self, despite the collar making him run smack into things from time to time, so I think he'll be just fine.
I'm taking a phonology class this semester that is completely kicking my ass. I spent literally seven hours on Friday trying to measure my vowels. I have concluded that my vowels are just f'ed up, which is why the charts will not come out right.
So, lots of homework, lots of teaching, and enjoying the New Hampshire fall whenever I can. I've seen my first groundhog and my first fox in the past few weeks. Yesterday my roomie and I went to the Apple Harvest Festival in downtown Dover, which turned out to be not particularly apple-y or harvest-y. Mostly it was an excuse for a little carnival and lost of craft booths, neither of which I object to. And I got to eat a cider doughnut, which is the greatest doughnut ever.
Current Mood: busy
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September 14th, 2009
09:40 pm - I'm ba-ack!
On the east coast, that is. Made it through the first two weeks of school, including teaching my new class. I really dig my new students - graduates from all over the world, including Hungary, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, and Turkey. I'm getting used to my new apartment, which is so severely crooked that the doors all bang open and paintings hang away from the walls. We've nicknamed it the Slanty Shanty.
When I got back from my trip, I discovered that my poor kitty had been moping around and acting sensitive to being touched for a few weeks. I took him to the vet, which involved much pathetic yowling, many sedatives, and some expensive x-rays to discover that he had a shattered bone in his tail, right at the base of his spine. He's confined to the house on painkillers for the next two weeks, but seems to be improving.
Fall is a pretty awesome time to live in New Hampshire - the farmer's markets are in full swing. In the past week I've made apple pie, zucchini brownies (interesting texture - kinda creamy), potato wedges, and many many summer squash wraps.
Got myself organized and posted pictures from my Alaska and California trip for your viewing pleasure.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/smile.gif) quiet
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June 8th, 2009
01:44 pm - Last night in the US!
With much help from my good friends in NH (thanks Courtney, Steve, and Beth!), I am now packed and out on the road.
Spent the weekend with my awesome aunt and uncle and sister in MA going to graduation parties in order to eat and drink a lot. My extended family = deliciously crazy (think middle-aged uncle running around in a Speedo at backyard BBQ). Played Rock Band for the first time. Sucked at drums. Got to check out my uncle's latest project: a BEEHIVE!. It is the coolest thing ever.
In Brooklyn now, getting the last few bits and pieces put together for my trip tomorrow. Dinner and cupcakes tonight with Chelsea and a college buddy. I'm feeling nervous, not least because my neck has decided to act up at a really inopportune time, but mostly very excited. Wish me luck!
I'll be switching back over to the ruskiblog for the duration, so you can keep up with my adventures there.
Current Mood: busy
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May 28th, 2009
09:24 am - My students just can't stop being cute.
Got an email from a student this morning, with this little note:
"P.S. I gotta said I love you and your class, ha! :)"
While I'm not quite sure why that's so funny, I am choosing to appreciate the sentiment.
It's been a gloriously relaxing week of sleeping in, doing yoga, reading books, watching season 2 of LOST, recycling mountains of old papers, and generally preparing for my trip. My visa should come through on time (fingers crossed), so now what's left is to buy gifts, get a haircut, ready my laptop for the trip, and study my phrase book! Oh and head down to Boston for a last night of swing before I go.
Current Mood: gettin' excited
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May 23rd, 2009
05:33 pm - Sleepy Saturday
It's a melancholy sort of afternoon in Dover. The roomies are both gone for the weekend, and most of my friends are out celebrating graduation. Even the cat is out catting around the neighborhood. I've done a prodigious amount of vacuuming.
The ceremony this morning had all the usual charms - Pomp & Circumstance, proud parents taking pictures, grandparents sporting college sweatshirts, pretty girls in bright cotton dresses and cardigans, student speeches made mostly of cliches strung together, a general air of hopefulness and celebration. I went not only to cheer on my friends but also to hear the guest speaker, Gary Hirshberg, the self-proclaimed C.E. Yo of the company that makes my absolute favorite yogurt. His speech wasn't particularly innovative but it was inspiring. He started off with doom and gloom statistics about our pathetic relationship with the planet, told some cute stories about himself and the company, and exhorted the students to look for ways to bring sustainability into their workplaces. I found myself nodding a lot as he was talking, and kind of wanting to read his book.
It's nice to have some quiet after the whirlwind last few weeks of the semester, during which I wrote two big final papers, put together two Powerpoint presentations for the first time in my life, graded all my students' papers, threw a surprise birthday party for my roommate, submitted my IRB proposal, bought my plane tickets to Russia (woo!) and sent in my visa application. Immediately after all that I bombed off down to Connecticut for a few days with the lovely Lisa, where I got to see her itty bitty Suzuki students perform (twenty kindergartners with violins = adorable mayhem). Then down to New York to do the AIDS walk in Central Park with my fabulous sister, who obliged me with a brief cupcake tour of Brooklyn and Manhattan. After all these weeks of drooling over Cupcakes Take The Cake I was so frickin' excited to taste the deliciousness for myself. Biggest thumbs up go to Cake Man Raven's red velvet cake, Joyce's cream cheese frosting, and the utter charm of the Hostess-style cupcake at Crumbs. Pics of the party, weekend, and cupcake goodness are here. Yes, I'm still using Kodakgallery while I futz around and get comfortable with Picasa.
Current Mood: productive
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May 1st, 2009
04:57 pm - Some people are kinda ridiculous.
I got an email with this subject line the other day (name changed to protect the dubiously innocent):
Rachel Henderson suggested you become a fan of Rachel Henderson...
Um, who does that?
Sopranos, apparently.
Current Mood: bemused
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April 27th, 2009
12:20 pm - It's a sad, sad day.
The truly legendary Frankie Manning passed away this morning. He was one of the original lindy hoppers, one of the brave and talented dancers who created the dance I love so much. He was one of the few dancers who kept the dance going long enough that people my age could enjoy it. And from what I know of him, he was a wonderful, funny, kind man. Double or Nothing (my dance group in California) performed at a dance in his honor once, and he was a charming and gracious audience.
Rest in peace, Frankie. After almost 95 years, you have earned it so very well. We'll miss you.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/thinking.gif) sad, but thankful
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April 26th, 2009
11:28 am - buh-bye itchy wool
Finally posted those nature/adorable kitten pictures. My aunt and uncle's kitten Boo is sick again, so keep your fingers crossed for the poor little guy. He's had a tough road.
I'm officially annoyed with Kodakgallery. First, they changed the site design so the slideshow pictures are really small. Then they announced a new policy - in order for them to keep hosting my pictures, I have to spend at least $5 a year on their products. If I don't, my slideshows will just disappear. Granted, $5 is really cheap, but I dislike the forced spending. Why not just charge for the service? And their new slideshow email tool is awful. I'm debating switching to a new photo-hosting site. Does anyone have feelings about Flickr or Photobucket? Or how I could keep my old slideshows that I worked so hard on?
In other news, New Hampshire jumped into summer with both feet yesterday - it was over 80 degrees here. I took both blankets off my bed and spent the afternoon blissfully packing away all my turtleneck sweaters and black tights and unpacking my halter tops and floaty dresses, then walked down to Dover Delight for a sherbet freeze (which, around here, is pronounced "sherbit"). Yay warm weather!
The next two weeks are going to be tough, work-wise, with all my big papers and presentations due plus two rounds of student conferences plus getting IRB approval, buying plane tickets, and applying for my Russian visa. But if I survive, oh man those first few weeks of summer will be heaven. A little lit review research, a little beach, a lot of awesome.
Current Mood: full speed ahead
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April 21st, 2009
12:07 pm - More happiness!
Very stuffy of nose all weekend and again today - stupid spring head cold. I have too much homework to be sick. Sigh.
The good news is, I got the grant and I am going to Russia this summer! Probably in June and July. I am so frickin' excited.
Had a nice Easter with the fam, including the newest member, my aunt and uncle's kitten Boo. I took...rather a lot of pictures of him. I can't help it. He's so cute. I'll get them posted soon.
Finally, I know I shouldn't care, but seriously this is making me really, really happy. Someone likes me!
Current Mood: cheered
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April 10th, 2009
10:12 am
It's been a rough couple weeks in Grad School World. After the awesomeness that was the Boston Tea Party, it was study study study and write write write and teach teach teach while it was rainy and gray and I teetered on the edge of a cold for two weeks. BUT.
Today it is beautifully sunny and sixty degrees.
I am supposed to find out about the summer grant FINALLY either today or tomorrow. I am hopeful, but I've got good options if I end up staying here for the summer too, so either way I will be fine.
My class this morning was fantastic - I gave my students an assignment to read advertisements and think about the persuasion and the target audience. They rocked it. They can think critically! Also I am grading their second major papers, the cultural analysis, and I love them. Love. At least, I love the last couple ones I am grading today, since I always get my problem children out of the way first.
I have discovered this website that I just adore: http://www.academichic.com. It's three female grad students in the Midwest who refuse to be schlumpy despite being in grad school. They are totally motivating me to wear, like, colors. And belts.
And I am off to hang out with my wonderful family this weekend, including my mom all the way from Alaska. Have I mentioned that my uncle has decided to start keeping bees? How cool is that? Hyper-local honey!
And so, I say, YAY TO LIFE!
Current Mood: cheerful
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March 18th, 2009
12:34 pm - spring break = free time
Spent the first weekend of spring break in West Haven at Swing into Spring, a truly fantastic swing weekend. It's small, personal, and attended by many awesome people. I met so many nice dancers from CT and PA, learned some fun Charleston variations, and slept on a very comfortable air mattress belonging to a woman I had never met who put me and four other dancers up at the last minute out of the goodness of her heart. Like I said, awesome people.
I also competed in the Jack and Jill (enter individually) competition Saturday night, and made the finals! Wooo! Of course, I got cut right away in the finals, but I was so thrilled I didn't even care. Plus the dancers who won were so excellent that it was no shame to lose to them. I'm psyched for the Jack and Jill at Boston Tea Party weekend after next.
Best of all, the instructors at this event stayed in the rotation during the classes and had zero attitude about it. They were so friendly and helpful and not snobby that my love of dancing has been completely restored.
Also, with all my spring break free time, I finally got around to posting some pictures from, um, Christmas break. Sigh. They are here.
Does anyone else hate the new Kodakgallery slideshow format? Why are the pictures so small? Boo.
Current Mood: relaxed
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March 9th, 2009
10:13 pm - Spring FAIL.
Got another three or four inches of snow today. BOO.
In happier news, I had a seriously awesome moment at dance last Wednesday. I was practicing leading during the beginner west coast class, and meeting all the new follows. I was making small talk with one pretty sophomore girl, and I asked her how long she'd been dancing. She told me that she had dragged her boyfriend to the Valentine's dance (at which I taught the beginner lesson), and they had liked swing so much that they had come every Wednesday since. "I just want to dance like you," she said (no, seriously!). Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww. That about made my week. :)
Current Mood: not too sad
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March 8th, 2009
05:59 pm - A springtime rant.
I have my bedroom window open for the second day in a row. The snow is melting. I went for a walk to day in a long-sleeved t-shirt. There are birds everywhere. The cat is going stir-crazy. I think spring is here. I am pretty happy about this.
Here's something I'm not so happy about: last weekend was Sweet Molasses Blues in Cambridge, two days of classes and dances. I learned a lot of useful stuff about connection and heard some great music. Unfortunately, I also got exposed to the inherent snobbery of the Boston blues scene in a pretty sad way. Basically, the elite dancers (i.e. the ones who teach the classes) aren't interested in dancing with the intermediate or beginning dancers, presumably because teaching is their job and the evening dances are for them to relax and enjoy. Fair enough. I don't correct my students' grammar in my off-hours. But I can't help but be frustrated by the ugly little high-school-esque division that creates on the dance floor, where the cool kids only want to hang out with each other and the losers get relegated to the back of the room. The shallow pettiness of it is a huge turn-off, but more importantly, it's really bad for the community as a whole.
If the new dancers don't get a chance to dance with people more advanced, they never get to see how great the dance can be. And that glimpse is what keeps people coming back - keeps them signing up for lessons, coming to dances, practicing, improving. If you want to community to grow, you have got to make the new people feel welcome. It worked for me in lindy hop - I started off terrible, but a lot of advanced leads took pity on me, and I fell in love with the dance, and here I am ten years later, teaching lessons myself and contributing to the community. I try to be very conscientious about dancing with new leads in lindy and east coast, because I want them to get the same joy from the dance that I did. It's what keeps you motivated through the learning process.
I'm not trying to be a martyr here - dancing with a rank beginner can be annoying, and I sometimes get fed up with it, but whatever suffering is involved (and I'm sure that suffering is greater the more advanced you are) it's not an altruistic act. I keep saying yes out of self-interest; I WANT the community to continue, I WANT new guys to get involved and then get better, because I LIKE swing and I want to have more opportunities to do it. The bigger the community is, the bigger and better the dances will be.
Generally, I think the other lindy hoppers agree with me - at least, I haven't noticed as sharp of divisions in the lindy scene, and I'm really looking forward to Swing into Spring next weekend in Connecticut. I just wish the blues folks would get the message. Because right now, frankly, I am discouraged and unmotivated to continue with blues. And I think that's a shame.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/sad.gif) bummed
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February 27th, 2009
11:00 am - Beyond cute.
The thing about teaching freshmen is that they are just so damn EARNEST. They just feel things really, really deeply, and are really, really sure that no one has ever felt that way in the history of the world. And they are just so whole-hearted and honest about the business of sorting out the world and what it means to them. That charming lack of irony, combined with a rather shaky grasp of rhetorical technique, produces writing that is stupendously bad and yet somehow truly delightful in its utter sincerity. They just put these realizations out there in all their glorious innocence. And I can't be anything but amused and touched because the thing is, they really, really mean it.
They aren't all so innocent, of course; I've got a student from the Congo who has seen things I can barely imagine. But an awful lot of them are. Here's a few samples:
"My girlfriend never came to tell me goodbye...she told me that she hated goodbyes and that kissing for one last time would be so painful for her knowing that our lips will always be apart and never meet again."
"What is wrong with me? I wish I knew the answer for that question, sadly, I didn't."
"Dealing with boys was not my thing...then I adjusted to the idea that guys are important in life."
Basically I want to hug them. And then make them rewrite.
Current Mood: charmed
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February 24th, 2009
09:54 pm - I think the universe is trying to tell me something.
Last night I spent a while complaining to my roommates about how much work I have (a lot, to be fair, given three classes plus a section of freshman comp plus tutoring) and how hard life is and how unfair that I am so put upon, blah blah blah.
This morning, when my alarm went off, set to NPR as usual, the first thing I heard was an Iraqi woman sobbing because her son had been killed. "He walked out of the house laughing" the translator said. "They brought back his body."
Perspective much?
Current Mood: thoughtful
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February 20th, 2009
06:24 pm - Unintentional adorability.
Because I know there are some fans of the cute student quotes out there, this one comes from an email apologizing for missing class:
"I will try my best for it wont happen again."
All together now: awwwwwwwwwwww.
My favorite from last semester that didn't make it onto the blog was the kid who was trying to show, not tell, that he wasn't nervous:
"My armpets was dry."
Heh. Armpets.
Current Mood: amused
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February 18th, 2009
04:36 pm - How to cover four weeks? Hmm, a list might do it.
Wow, it has been an embarrassingly long time since I updated. There has been mad crazy tons o' stuff going on around here. I'm once again auditing Russian in addition to my regular classes, teaching the ESL section of freshman comp, tutoring on the side, dancing a lot, and being social. Here are a few highlights that have been kicking around in the back of my head...
Under the heading Exciting Things Possible in my Future
-I spent the last week frantically putting together an application for a grant to do summer research for my master's thesis. If I get it (I hope I hope) I will being going back to Russia for eight weeks! I am attempting to remain cautiously optimistic (eee!), while diligently studying case endings.
Under the heading of My Students Are Pretty Funny
-I finally got around (read: worked up the nerve) to read my teaching evaluations from last semester. Of my 14 students, 3 wrote any comments on the back of the eval form. One complained about the room being cold. One wrote something sweet but generic about learning a lot in the class. But by far my favorite was the student who wrote, simply: "she's good!!". Heh. I will totally take that.
Under the heading New Hampshire is the Whitest State Ever
-The other day, there was a student activities fair in the student union. A group called "Sisters in Step" performed. There were probably twenty members. They were all white - not even any Latinas or Asian girls. They were wearing - wait for it - tie-dye t-shirts. I don't think anyone understood why I was laughing. Poor kids.
Under the heading My Family Rules
-My mom just got back last week from her cruise to ANTARCTICA. You know, where there are PENGUINS. There are pictures.
-My dad and stepmom came to visit a few weeks ago with my sister in tow. My stepmom kicked some serious snotty-teenage-clerk ass at the Kittery Outlets, and my dad immediately bonded with my cat. Who does not like men. Not even a little bit. But he happily snuggled down in my dad's arms and purred contently for, like, the whole weekend. My dad is Dr. Doolittle.
Under the heading Brooke Has A New Idol
Now, in addition to my well-documented fetish for Nina Planck and Michael Pollan, I am obsessed with this book, which is all about socially responsible shopping. I've heard it dismissed as just another excuse for white middle-class guilt, and I can see where that comes from. But seriously, do you have any idea how many companies Kraft owns? It's great to feel like you're arming yourself against the big corporations even a little bit, with the power of KNOWLEDGE.
Under the heading of I am Proud of Myself for Fixing Shit
-I finally finished the unfinished desk I bought myself over Thanksgiving. I stained it a nice color which I think was called Honey Maple. This was a stinky (because of the fumes), chilly (on the porch because of the fumes), and immensely enjoyable (presumably not related to fumes) process. My desk is pretty!
-The cord on one of my Venetian blinds broke yesterday. Fixing it involved taking the whole thing out of the window, using pliers to rethread the cord though the little plastic bits, and sewing the cord back together (knots get hung up on the plastic bits). I felt very handy.
Side note: kitties are not helpful when your home repair project involves moving string. Not helpful.
Current Mood: busy but happy
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January 18th, 2009
05:40 pm - business as usual
New Hampshire welcomed me back after my long absence today with what I guess is about eight inches of snow that shows no sign of stopping. Wheeee. I fought back by making beef stew.
I've been listening to NPR all day as the liberal media is celebrating the end of an era. Garrison Keillor and the Wait Wait crew are beside themselves, and there's been a huge concert all afternoon in DC. Over the top? Yes. Cheesy? Definitely. Did I cry a little anyway? Of course I did. I am just so hopeful for America right now. We finally, finally did something right.
Current Mood: joyful
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January 3rd, 2009
04:50 pm - Home. Brrr.
Being at home is always a lot busier than I anticipated. Family and friends to see, baking to do, Project Runway marathons to watch (thanks a lot, Chels). But it's been a good relaxing time for the most part, albeit very very cold. It was pleasantly snowy for the first few days I was home, then the temps dropped abruptly - it hasn't been above 5 below in several days. My dad and I headed up to the cabin on New Year's Day, and the digital temp readings heading out to the Valley had readings of 18 below to 24 below. All I know is that after running the wood stove AND the electric stove AND the thawed-out space heater for three hours, we could still see our breath inside the cabin. I think that's when we packed it in.
The upside of the snow followed by the brutal cold without any wind has been pure gorgeousness outside - all the trees are hung heavily with snow and frost, which is most magically lit by the few hours of brilliant sunlight every day. I cannot stop taking pictures of trees. There have been lots of moose wandering around the neighborhood too - I've counted seven in the past few days, including one super cute gangly yearling. Wooo Alaska.
Had some success making my own granola for the first time. It's surprisingly easy, eminently customizable, extremely tasty, and rather funny for my hippie parents and uncles, who regard the process with a sort of bemused nostalgia.
Hope everyone else is feeling similarly relaxed and refreshed at the start of the new year!
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