Catch up

Right now I am sitting on Cynthia’s bed while she sits on her computer and types as well. Guess it runs in the family. Rather interesting.

I am going to attempt to catch you all up on what has been happening over the past couple of months. I was going to do it as separate blog entries but well, as Inigo would say in The Princess Bride, “Let me ‘splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.” Lol So, that is what I am going to do.

School: I believe that I mentioned that I passed my comprehensive exams. Whew. The next phase was to write my prospectus and pass the defense for that. I figured that the defense was really just a way for all of us to make sure that we are on the same page and to agree on how I was going to proceed. The defense went well. My topic was solidly approved and advice was given on how to proceed. Now that I have a game plan, I should be able to plug along fairly well. At least, I hope so.

Work: I barely survived the semester but managed it somehow. Juggling is so not my strong suit. I teach way too much but I need what little money I can get from it. I do love teaching but. . .ugh, too many classes burn a person out. Next semester I will have one less English class so that should be better. Just don’t tell my wallet that. Lol Work at the store is gong fairly well. It is good that I am away for a few days because I was starting to feel a little fried from that too. I do like the job but the getting up super early for the morning holiday hours was starting to wear upon me. I am so not a morning person and waking up before the sun is just so ugh. Part of the problem is that I tend to pick up energy late at night and so that doesn’t help me get good sleep. Ah, well, I’ll stop bitching now.

Social: Part of the problem this semester was that on top of my normal schedule, I was actually having a social life. It’s because of my hanging out with Jonathan and Mike. To refresh your memories, Jonathan is my new high school teacher friend. We met in August when he came into the store and we started talking. I did a book fair for him and then we became friends. He’s a good guy and lots of fun to hangaround. I have dubbed him the “little brother I would have drowned.”

Mike is a regular customer at the store. I’ve “known” him for about a year. And I’ve been flirting with him for that long though he was apparently unaware of it until September (which I’m still trying to figure out because there were times when he flirted back but that was all. . .how confusing!). Anyway, back in October right before my spring break, Valerie came down (so we could go have fun in Asheville) and we planned upon going to see Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Wererabbit (wheeeeee!). Good movie, watch it. Well, Jonathan planned on going with us and Mike happened to come into the store (he always comes in on Fridays) and so I asked him to come along too. It was a good evening. Later I dragged him to see Serenity(buy the DVD!) with myself and Erin. After that, I let him pick the movie and we started hanging out more regularly. I wasn’t sure what was going on with us (obvious that I like him and he likes me but was there more?) but that all got cleared up at the beginning of this month. We are “officially” dating. It’s been fun and a great energy booster. We get along very well. Different personalities on some levels but that’s good. We have a lot in common in the areas that matter. So, we’ll see. As Mike said at one point, “It’s complicated.” But a hell of a lot of fun. So, if any of you were confused by “The Perfect Gift” entry earlier. . .now you know. And should you have questions, well, you know how to get in touch with me. Lol

I’m to go to the northern Kyle’s for New Year’s. I’m hoping that Mike will be able to come up and join us. He has to work all this week (his request for time off was denied) but we may get lucky on the timing. I’ve never been “with” someone for a New Year’s before and it would just be so special to have him here. It would so start the new year off on the right foot.

Ah. . .life is good right now.

The Perfect Gift

Omg. . .last night I got the most awesome gift. A few weeks ago I took Mike to Itsallinthename (a new store in Columbia where I told everyone to shop for presents for me) and showed him some things that I would like as a Christmas present. I specifically took him to see a limited lithograph by Nene Thomas that I wanted. Well, they didn't have the one that I saw at the online store but they did have one that is just as gorgeous. And he got it for me! Now, I did show him other things so he would have options but. . .yippee! Mike even got it framed for me and it is sooooo nice. I so absolutely love this gift. I could look at it forever. Instead of trying to describe it, here is a copy:



Isn't it gorgeous? And you know what I realized today? That I signed Mike's Christmas card as "Always, Lynn" and the name of the peace is "Always." lol Yeah, I know it's just a coincidence but it's a cool one. I am so bouncing off the walls.

Hugs and Happy Holidays to all!!

Fruits Basket Character

Ok, so Mike's favorite manga character is from Fruits Basket. So, I decided to take a little quiz and see which character I would be:

TOHRU:



If you want a description of her, go here: Tohru

Hmmmm. . .wow, this is his favorite character. Guess there is a reason beyond "momentary insanity" for us to be going out. (sigh) Now I really do need to read these books. Ah well.

My top result for the SelectSmart.com selector, What Fruit Basket Character are you?, is Tohru

Happy Birthday, Daddy

I remember the first time that I saw this picture. I laughed and laughed because I thought he was so goofy looking. Now I look back and think how handsome he was at 17. The black and white photo doesn't do the steel blue eyes justice but at least it shows that Kramer spark.

I try not to remember how he looked at the end but how he looked for most of my life. How he looked in the good times. A lot of my photos are in storage but I think this one pretty much sums up our family spirit:



Wish you and mom were here. I miss you both.



Marilyn Kramer and Charles Kramer on their wedding day June 18, 1960
(6/25/43-3/28/92) (12/4/36-1-8-98)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ok, ok, I know it's the day after Thanksgiving and all that but I wasn't home yesterday. I went to a friend's house and had a very nice time. It was a very relaxing day and a much needed break from the hectic schedule that I have been keeping. I am so sorry that I have been letting this blog slide. Nathalie wrote and said that she has been checking it but hadn't seen much new. So, I decided that I quick update was the way to go.

The semester has been even more hectic than usual, if you can imagine that. Next week is the last week of classes already. Eeeeeeek! Then I have finals to deal with. So many papers to grade, so little time. So, I probably won't be able to do the catching up justice until then. Sorry, but this little bit will have to keep you tantalized.

So, I've spent the past two months: teaching, working at the store, working on the dissertation, trying to have a little bit of a social life. . . . Can you see why I haven't had time to update? As for that last bit, I'll be evil and let you hang about it. mwahaha I promise that you will have lots to read in December and all. Hope everyone is well. Miss all of you all I don't get to see or talk to.

Slayer Quiz

The One True Slayer 79 Bites of Slayage

Damn. Not only have you died twice doing what you do, but no one understands your burden and you find yourself disturbingly attracted to vampires. You are the ultimate repository of what it takes to be the Slayer, and no one can tell you otherwise. If you don't own all seven seasons on DVD, it's cause they haven't been released in your country yet. I am in total awe of you, and maybe just the tiniest bit creeped out.

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 49% on bites

Link: The Ultimate Buffy Test written by Iguanita41 on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

My Mood for the Day

So Weary
by Gwen Dickerson
Monday, September 19, 2005

Yea ... I am so weary

I yearn for a long deep sleep
A sleep filled with ancient dreams
Of spiritual realms, of healing waters
Of sky and land and star-burst colors
The astral scenes of divinity's themes

Far away from man's self-made mess
Far away from ego and selfishness
Away from disorder and lawlessness
Away from greed and material quests

Yea ... I am so weary

Life demands we commit to its rituals
Parade in its pageantry, lend voice to its story
Being mindful of countless other lives
Whose tears and laughter color our lives
Weaving world history, affecting world destiny

Life demands that we learn from our mistakes
That we love or hate situations or things
That we adapt, change, fight or flee
Delving deep into its mystery
Becoming great beings with gilded wings

Yet, yea ... I am so weary
I yearn for a long deep sleep
But not ... just ... yet
But not ... just ... yet

Copyright © 2005 by Gwen Dickerson
All Rights Reserved.
Author's Den

Beaurocratic Bullshit

Did that get your attention? I thought it might. Now, I don't consider myself the most politically motivated person in the world unless there is an issue (or stupidity) that pisses me off. I tend to try and see both sides of an issue fairly. This is one thing that makes me a good teacher in the eyes of my students: they can have their opinions and I won't fail them because they voice something against my own beliefs. Trust me, teachers do this. I've known a few of my colleagues who have been less than objective in their grading when it came to viewpoints. It's actually something that I've been aware of since I was a freshman. My then advisor enlightened me upon the political bullshit that goes on in the academic world. And occasionally I get reminded of it.

Like now.

(sigh) It's really a small matter but coupled with some of the other things that have happened in the administrative realm this semester, it really tweaks my cookie. We have some new higher ups who have wandered into our academic bubble and who think they know what's the deal around here. They have managed to squash on everyone's toes to the point that even the most mild mannered of us is rolling eyes and spouting steam out various orifices.

But I digress.

This small matter has to do with transcipts. See, when an academic applies for a teaching position somewhere, they have to submit an offical transcript from their graduating university. Makes sense since you need to show that you actually have the proper credentials. I just heard (like 20 minutes ago) that a few years ago this wasn't the case and even the tenured profs had to provide ancient transcripts to prove their credentials. Guess they had some fakes. (rolls eyes)

Well, I have been here for ten years now. It's actually a joke that I should be pulling tenure because of it. Ha ha. I am still technically a student. But, when I came back from France two years ago, I no longer had an assistantship. So, I am no longer a "student" worker. Nor am I technically faculty because I have not been hired as such. I am listed either as instructor, lecturer, or adjunct (which is not an official term), depending upon who does the paperwork. Am I qualified? Well, duh. I've had all of the requisite courses to teach the classes I have now and then some. Said classes were all taken at this university.

So do I have to supply a transcript? Yup. Here's the kicker: they just made me pay for the damn thing. $8 is $8. . .2+ gallons of gas. Now, this wouldn't steam me quite so much if I was working at a university that was different from where I have 1) gotten a degree and 2) am getting a degree; a university where I am still a student. They can access my records with no problem. I know they can. I am under no illusions that my information cannot be seen by a vast number of people here. Sheesh. Identity security? Yeah, right. Oh, sorry, I had to show them my id. Like that couldn't be forged. I could have just as easily shown them on the computer that I can access my information because I know my password. But wait, maybe that wouldn't have proven I was me either. Idiocy. This is so going as a tax deduction.

I told the girl at the registrar's office that I thought it was bullshit. And I apologized for that and said I know it's not her fault but that I thought it was ridiculous. I couldn't believe it when she asked me if I wanted to take the damn thing over there myself instead of having them mail it over. Oh, yeah, it would probably not be a good idea since I might feel compelled to tell someone there that I think the whole thing is bullshit. She agreed even though she tried to get me to take it over anyway. Keep in mind, I actually checked that particular box on the form they made me fill out which she barely looked at. (snort) They can mail the thing over since I had to pay them for it anyway. How hard is it to drop it in campus mail when that is part of the service? And then I don't have to think about it. Sheesh

Can you tell that I am in an incredibly foul mood today? grrrrr

Late night movies

Ah, it is so much fun to decide to do something at the spur of the moment. Jonathan came by the store again. Tony needs to hire him so he'll get paid for his time at the store. lol At one point he got a craving for a giant cookie. I was helping someone when he disappeared but I figured that was where he went. He came back with a big box for us all. How sweet. And they were yummy. I don't usually like white chocolate but it's fine in The Cookie Company's white chocolate chunk and macadamia nut cookies. Yum. . .I love cookies with nuts in them.

Since Jonathan didn't have anything to do, I suggested that we go see The Skeleton Key. Figured we'd drag Marci along too but she didn't want to see a scary film. So, we settled on The Wedding Crashers and the plan to meet with Jonathan as soon as we finished closing the store. This would have been no problem normally but our calendar kiosk is open (don't ask me why when it's only September) and there was some confusion with its closing. So, we didn't get out until 10p. Movie started at 9:40. Still, not too bad but Marci thought it was at the one theatre when it was actually at the other. . .so, we got there way too late to go in. Not many choices. I pushed Four Brothers but Marci couldn't decide until she ran into a former co-worker (she used to work at the theatre) and he said it was good. So that is what we ended up seeing.

And it was good. The dialogue was snappy and there were some new things in the action/fight sequences. So, it was a pretty good choice.

Oh, and I don't want to forget to mention that Jonathan now has a new car. I forget what kind it is but you can see it on his blog. It's very cute and a very nice little ride. It actually didn't feel too small to me (though it is smaller than something I would by) and was very comfy. It's silver so I've dubbed it The Silver Bullet (and yes, I am very well aware of the connotations). Jonathan has a right to be proud of his acquisition.

Before I forget, I should mention that on Thursday I had the students analyze "The Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera. That section liked Butler's performance better than Crawford's. But one student decided to be a wit and claimed that it was all about a man on a toilet ("to sweet music's throne"). *snort* Too damn funny. And he made his argument well. Such an interesting semester thus far.

Palmetto Bugs and Jail Breaks

I have to say that there are days when my life is very interesting in class. Take tonight for example. . .my current FJ group can get pretty darn snarky. Now, not all of the speeches tonight lent themselves to funny questions but there were enough.

The first was a speech on organ donation. Now, you would think that with such a serious topic no one would come up with any wit beyond the standard urban legend scares. Wrong. Poor guy got two odd questions. #1: "Back on February 14, 1987, a girl named _________ gave me a letter that declared that I had her heart. So, does that mean that I can have a transplant with it if she dies?" (something to that effect) The student (who is in the medical field) looked puzzled until he realized how the other meant things. Yeah, he'd been given the heart on a little smurf card. Sheesh. #2 was better: "Yeah, do you now if they harvest testicles?" "I am not aware of them being able to do testicle transplants." Now there's a King horror story waiting to be written.

Then we had our first law breaking speech of the evening because it was about radar detectors. The student claims that the first ever was called a Fuzz Buster. Is that anything like a Dust Buster? Probably not. One of the MPs asked, "Ok, what is your license # and what do you drive?" lol

One of the girls talked about eating live octopus and live blow fish. You heard me right. . .LIVE. Yuck! She even had two short videos showing people eating a still moving squid. The only thing that wasn't right was that the octopi were cut up when usually they eat them whole. Supposedly a man died from swallowing a whole one that was still full of fight and blocked up his esophagus. Yeah, sure, really wanna try eating that. And blow fish have poison in them so lots of people die every year from improperly prepared dishes. Thanks but I'll pass there too. Give me a crispy critter burger.

At the beginning of one speech, a medium-sized Palmetto bug fell from the ceiling. Now, for those of you who aren't in the know, Palmetto bugs are a cockroach. This particular one seemed a little stunned and then ventured near the speaker who unknowingly flipped it on its back (the speaker was shifty from nerves) and then squished it a few times. I was close enough to hear the crunches. Well, during the next speaker's presentation, we all got to witness the true horror of these bugs: they FLY. Now this isn't the first time that I've had one fly at me but. . .yuck! It landed on my notebook (this one was tiny). I proceeded to flip the notebook and bash the thing off of the table. Didn't kill it of course cause those suckers are hardy. The student gets extra brownie points for taking the whole brief incident in stride. But hey, teaches them about unusual distractions.

The last two speeches sort of came as a set. This did not surprise me since the two military dudes are buddies. Meep 1 opened his speech with the following Attention Getter (AG): "Once inside the bank shortly after midnight, their efforts at disabling the internal security system got underway immediately. The robbers, who expected to find one or two large safes filled with cash and valuables, were surprised to see hundreds of smaller safes scattered throughout the bank. The robbers cracked the first safe's combination, and inside they found only a bowl of vanilla pudding. As recorded on the bank's audio tape system, one robber said, "At least we'll have a bit to eat." The robbers opened up a second safe, and it also contained nothing but vanilla pudding. The process continued until all the safes were opened. They found not one pound sterling, a diamond, or an ounce of gold. Instead, all the safes contained covered bowls of pudding. Disappointed, the robbers made a quiet exit, each leaving with nothing more than a queasy, uncomfortably full stomach. The newspaper headline read: Ireland's Largest Sperm Bank Robbed This Morning." He claimed it was from the Dublin Times but it's obviously a joke. Still, gotta give him credit for a really good AG. (I got my copy from http://www.snopes.com/humor/jokes/sperm.htm) In a very serious tone, he then proceeded to detail how to rob a bank. (shakes head) I shoulda known what was coming next.

So, Meep 2 decided that he would begin HIS speech with the question, "How many of you would love to spend you life in prison?" Some wit said yes. Meep 2 then launched into, "Prison Life is dangerous. Other people tell you what you can eat, when you can shower, and when you can sleep. The cells are deplorable consisting of a concrete slab and a toilet and sink. Most people spend their time pacing like caged animals. With the added dangers of shanking and sodomy there is only one acceptable solution. Break out! Breaking out of prison is in some cases the easiest way to shorten your sentence, and maybe the only way to prove your innocence. With a little careful planning and the right tools breaking out of the joint is easy. . . ." (direct quote from his outline) The funniest part was when he said that you could choose to use a pole vault or catapult but you have to be careful because you could end up landing flat on the ground or on the wall. His source? A video made by Mr. Wile E. Coyote. (rolls eyes) It was the only source he cited in the speech but he did mention a few movies on his outline. Because there was a long explanation about tunneling, some wit asked, "Should I get in contact with Morgan Freeman before I begin?" I was thinking more like the Comte de Monte Cristo but, hey, I'm a literary geek (besides, Jim Caviezel is hot in that movie).

There are days when I really love my job.

Awesome Day

Well, it was a pretty darn good day, all told. Slept like crap last night but that was only because the neighbor's dog thought 2a was a good beginning barking time. Sheesh. Class was very laid back and relaxed. I often wonder how much people get out of it but I ran into a former student later and he said the class has helped a lot. (oh, geez, as I write this, the damn dog's at it again)

Anyway, today was Angela's book signing at the store. I'd set it up so that she, Michelle, Morgan, and I met up for lunch ahead of time at my fave Columbia restaurant, Miyo's. The latter three and I got to the restaurant at the same time. I forgot how tiny Morgan is! I mean, I know she's shorter than me (most women are) but I'd forgotten by how much. I guess it's cause of her large personality. It's very bizarre to hug such a petite adult. lol Michelle isn't quite as small but I almost feel like I will break them (course, Morgan would quickly prove that theory wrong with a bear hug). It's too amusing.

Angela arrived a few minutes after us. Now there's a woman to match me in height. So when we went inside and sat down in one of the curved booths, I made the tiny ones sit on the inside. (grin)

Lunch was pretty darn good overall. Got my first martini taste (Morgan's) and I can say that I like Sour Apple Martinis. Not so much the Mimosa that Michelle had but it was ok. Just a sip of each for me. Heck, last drink I had was months ago. I feel like such a teatotaler. lol The only hitch at lunch was Angela's curry being too spicy for her. The waitress said it wasn't really but it came out hot. So, we got her something different. That was disappointing to me because I like the place so much and so rarely have a problem. (I say rarely because I've been eating there regularly for years and there's bound to be an odd glitch or two.) But overall it was fun to sit and chat and be girly.

I actually wore a flowy peasant skirt that I found last weekend at a store (with a white chemise and teal overshirt). Yes, as my co-worker, Marci, said, "the devils must be freezing." But I really like it and felt girly for once (not completely because I was wearing my New Balance so I didn't kill my feet at work but I was comfy overall).

Tony had everything set up for when we got to the store. That was great. The mall wasn't that busy but things seemed to be fairly steady. We did really well with the signing. Business was definitely better because of it. It was really fun. Jonathan, a new friend and fellow teacher, showed up and ended up hanging out with us all day. The girls kidnapped him for dinner (I had to stay at the store). So wish I coulda been there for that. Would have been fun. Told Tony I would like not to have to work for the next time Angela and the girls come.

Only thing I wish that I had done was order more copies of the one anthology that Angela AND Morgan are in. (sigh) Oh, well, there's always next time. I did get to chat with Angela about writing and all sorts of fun things. I really think that the four of us should go down to next year's ICFA conference. We would just have too much fun. And it would be a good way for the others to make contacts. Hell, with the way we all get along so well, I'm sure we would survive the trip.

Something to think about for the future.

Well, I am completely zonked. So need sleep. Will leave you with the thoughts that this was an awesome day and I am so happy to have such great girlfriends. It doesn't feel like we've only known each other for just a few months. . .it feels like a comfortable forever. Rest well, darlings. Love yas.

Whodunit

I have a good way to torture your students: have them try to figure out how a mystery ends. To be precise, have them try and figure out how a Sherlock Holmes story ends. lol I came up with this idea several years ago as a way to explain New Criticism. See, with New Criticism, nothing but the text itself matters. Your analysis should be supported by whatever clues are in the text just like Holmes figures out the crimes because of the clues around him. Even the least little word could have great meaning.

This is driving my students nuts. My TTH group took it all in stride but some of the students in the MW group were flipping out because they wanted to know NOW. lol Poor babies. The one guy is going to fight me on it, I know. He loudly proclaimed that mystery stories are to be read all at once and not separated. That the point of reading them is not to figure it out yourself but to find out who/what/when/where by reading the whole story. Gee, one reason I like reading mysteries is because I like to see if I can guess correctly what is going to happen.

Is this proof that the generations behind us have a shorter attention span? Possibly. But I only have 75 minutes to get a major point across and I try and find fun ways to do. Ok, I do have longer than 75 minutes because I spend multiple class times on the theories but I like to try and come up with various ways for the students to think about the techniques. "The Musgrave Ritual" is one of those ways.

Can't wait to see how they squirm when I introduce them to "The Phantom of the Opera" musical. hee hee

Catch Up

Ok, since I feel too blech to focus on work. . .I'll catch up on here.

First, yes, I passed the written exams. Barely. But they want me to work hard and prove to them that I am really ready to write my dissertation, etc. So, that will be my focus for the next week. My orals are on the 14th. Fortunately, I don't have to work at the store much before then. Unfortunately, either my allergies are acting up or I have a cold now from everything. My head feels all muddled today so when I met with one of my profs, I wasn't very focused though I was trying hard to be. Blech.

Anyway. . .right after classes started, I took a small break and went to see Michelle in Charlotte so we could hang and I could meet her hubby and daughter. It was a really great day. very relaxing and soooo needed after the stress of the exams. Her hubby is a real trip and her daughter is adorable. It was nice to be around such a good family vibe. Too bad it was only for one day but that's ok cause there's always next time.

School started off fairly well. I like all of my classes. Should be an interesting semester. The MW English class has some interesting students in it. Well, they all do but that one will be the extreme case for the semester. Things seem to be clicking along fairly well. It's good to have a routine again.

My office is pretty good. My two officemates and I don't have the same hours so that lets me focus on getting stuff done if I need to. So far that plan is working out all right (except for today). The only annoying thing is that there is the occasional student who seems to think that I know the whereabouts of everyone else on this corner of the hall. Uh, no. Have no freaking clue when Professor So-and-so will be back. Geez, do I LOOK like I have a people's dayplanners taped to my forehead? If they aren't in, leave them a note. Or email them. Don't bug someone who is obviously working on something. Have my headphones on listening to Vivaldi so I don't have to deal with anyone who isn't looking for me. But, for the most part, this part of the hall is quiet.

I had a 3 day weekend and almost didn't know what to do with myself. Well, I got some shopping done. Got some research done. And lots of sleep yesterday. I went and saw "Redeye" on Sunday and it is a really good movie. I completely recommend it if you're looking for a good thriller. There were moments when I was on the edge of my seat. Cillian Murphy makes a really creepy bad guy. I think it's how blue his eyes are and how "pretty" he is. When he wants to be seductive, he's yummy, but when he's pulling for ice cold. . .well, run some ice down your back and you'll get the gist. brrrr

There was so much that I wanted to write about before but now it just won't stay in my head. Oh, one thing. . .Angela's book signing at the store this weekend. Been advertising the heck out of it. I really hope it does well. That would be great. i finally got to read one of her novels (I'd only read short stuff before) and I really got into it. I even have an idea for a book myself.

(sigh) Ideas. Have a lot of those floating around. Really need to try and pull it all together and focus on stuff. That is so hard to do when my brain runs a bazillion miles a minute. And I have so much work to do in so many areas. Geez. One thing I may have to do is quit the store. I really like working there and it helps keep me grounded in reality but. . .the hours are starting to wear me out now that school has started. I asked Tony for less hours but that doesn't seem to be happening. I'll wait until after my orals to see what I will do. I really need to focus on my work. Really need to spend quantity time on stuff. It's a nice thought to say that I could save up the money from the store for next semester so I can focus on the diss but. . .don't I need to do that now? And what good will it do me if I burn myself out? Yuck, I hate being practical.

So, we'll see what happens. I have given up hope of having much of a life right now because of needing to get work done but I refuse to compromise what free time I can snag for myself. Anyway, I'll try and write little blurbs here and there of the amusing stuff that happens. Definitely more stuff to report now that the semester is underway. My students are an endless source of information and amusement. Welcome to my life as it normally is. lol

Bog

So much to write, so little time. So here's the plan. . .I'll clean my apartment on Sunday and then write a couple of blog entries. I'll either post them all at once or in pieces (so YOU don't get bogged down too with reading them). Sound like a good plan? I think so. That way we catch up the story. Have a feeling there will be lots to talk about. lol Life is full again (wait, when isn't it?).

Comprehensive Exams

Comps are a modern torture device, they really are. I feel like a circus dog who only has three legs but is still expected to jump through flaming hoops. Why do I only have three legs? Because one got caught in a hoop in January and was burnt to a cinder. So, yesterday I had to redo that hoop and I think my fur is singed. We'll see.

Anyway, I suppose I should explain the comps process for my particular area here. I am in comparative literature. All of my coursework is done. So, my current step is to pass my comprehensive exams so that I can write my dissertation. Now, the comps consist of two parts: written and oral. The written part has three sections: 1) theory (mine is mythological and psychoanalytic), 2) outside literature area (British/French/American fantasy), 3) dissertation topic (Shakespeare, Jean Racine, Pierre & Thomas Corneille). I was given 4 questions per section and 2 hours per section to answer 2 questions from my choices. Yeah, I know, not a whole heck of a lot of time, especially when you have no idea what could be asked from the copious amounts of material. You can't write great work but you can at least show you know what you're talking about. Now, I took the written in January and screwed up my outside area. Which, for anyone who knows me is kind of ironic since that is mostly what I read and have been doing so for the past umpteen years.

The problem was two-fold. On one hand, I was so worried about screwing up the other (and what I thought of as tougher) sections that I didn't worry about that one since I know the lit. And there is the other part of the problem. . .I thought that I was supposed to prove that I know the LITERATURE. That's all that is on my book list for that section (overall I have about 80 books on my comps list to know). Nope, needed to know more theory. Well, fantasy theory is relatively new in a sense. . .the father of it is Tzvetan Todorov who wrote the book in the 1950s. I said in a sense because you can obviously glean certain fantastic theoretical elements from 19th century authors on poetry and prose. But the main theory didn't really hit until Todorov. Well, he was the only real fantasy theorist on my list. The rest were more myth based (which, again, is part of fantasy theory but it only focuses on that one area and not on what makes modern fantasy what it is per se). Well, I have never had a class on fantasy literature. I belong to International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts and the Lord Ruthven Assembly (which can be found via the iafa link) and have given papers there over the past 4 years (I missed one out of the past five conferences because I was in France in 2003). But most of my papers have been comparative things that have not relied upon fantastic theory: 2001: A Space Odyssey compared to Anne Mcaffrey's Pegasus trilogy; an exploration of Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer; an exploration of Caliban in various versions of The Tempest; a comparison of Charlotte Perkins Gilman'sThe Yellow Wallpaper and Peter Straub's Ashputtle.

Anyway, I was also clueless on how to approach that section because my only advice on studying in general for the comps had been, "Make lists." Okie dokie. So, I focused my energy on the other two sections and screwed up the third. Oh, it was completely fair that they made me redo the exam. My answers on that section (especially the second question) sucked air. I was completely exhausted by the time I took that part and my brain went into complete meltdown by the time I attempted the second question. So, it was all fair.

So, yeah, yesterday was finally the retake. How did I do? I have no freaking clue (sorry for the rhyme). My nerves kicked in after I was done and I started panicking that I sucked again. Cause if that is true. . .I'm out. No more chances. Yuck. Did I do better than last time? Definitely. Will it be enough? Dunno. Hopefully so cause it would be really crappy to be ousted on my outside area. So, now I get to do the hurry up and wait plan.

In the meantime I will plug on with my work. Should they deign to let me move on to the orals, I will have to take them in a month which means I need to get cracking on how to defend myself. Just want to get to that part so I can show I know the stuff (which I do) better than what is represented in 8 pages of cram writing. (yes, I can type really fast when I need to) Classes start on Thursday and I have a day long meeting tomorrow (yippee fun). Actually, I'm glad classes are starting because now I'll have a set schedule. And maybe I'll have more stuff for this here blog.

What Kind of Novel Should I Write?

Interesting. . .and let's not forget that I am drawn to tragedies so. . .


GOTHICS! - Deep, dark, mysterious and melodramatic.
You are drawn to write tales of the shadows and
what might lurk there. Could it be Love? Or
Madness? Anne Rice and Bram Stoker are your
guides.


What Kind of Novel Should I Write?
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Academic Writing

I started teaching a 2.5 week writing course over at the university for the English Program for Internationals (EPI). I am teaching Fulbright scholars. My 17 students are from all over the world (Europe, Asia, South America) and will be attending an American university in the fall for work on either an MA or a PhD. Considering that these are graduate students, you may be wondering what I could possibly have to teach them in a writing course. A lot, actually.

See, they are all very good at writing in their home countries. They are intelligent, enthusiastic, etc. I really like them. But see, they are used to writing in their culture's style. As with a great many other things, there is no universal style of writing. Heck, there isn't even a universal style in the States. What do I mean by style? Well, in this case I mean formatting/layout of the academic/nonfiction text. Grammar/sentence structure matters as well (for that see Strunk's Elements of Style) but my main focus is how to research and document sources. It's much more rigid than the rules for creative writing where you can experiment to a certain degree. There are more style types (see Style Manuals and Citation Guides) than you would at first think but fortunately we mainly deal with APA (American Psychological Association) and MLA (Modern Language Association).

I've had experience with both over the years but my humanities focus mainly deals with MLA. Most of my students are APA. lol So, guess who gets to relearn the style. Actually, it's a good thing to know. I've talked with colleagues and we all agree that there is no way to know every style rule -- even in the one you use most. Hence the need for the sites and books.

One of my students (from Brasil) asked me if he could just write in his home style since it was simple and he knows it. His reasoning was that he would be going from this class to another in two weeks where he would have to use yet another style. I had to answer in the negative. I understood his point (having had to bounce around from style to style myself over the years) but the point of the class is to learn the style that he will use in his American classes. It sucks to have to come from a weak argument position of, "No, you need to do this style because that's the way things are." But, it's the truth. When it comes to academics there are certain rules that just can't be gotten around even if they don't seem to make sense at first. In this case, I do think the rule makes sense because if he were to publish here (which he claims he will not pursue but you never know), he would have to submit in the proper format. This gives the journal a consistent look. And that is no bad thing.

Have you guessed at the second problem of having everyone in the class using their home style? I don't know them. I would be willing to learn them but the problem comes with the styles most likely being in their home language. I am no linguistic scholar. While I have a natural talent for deciphering things, the only other language that I can read with any ease is French. I can pick out words in Spanish but not with any degree of fluency. And I don't know the Chinese alphabet (my one Japanese student said that they use the Chinese alphabet for writing) so I would be completely at a loss there.

Of course, another side to the whole argument is that if they are allowed to write in their home styles. . .what would be the point of the class? Nothing. They would learn nothing that they could use in the future.

Also, the secondary point to the class (and the bigger goal) is to help them understand the concept of plagiarism. According to my superiors, many of the EPI students don't understand the severity of such an action. They don't really comprehend it because their culture isn't set up that way. Mostly, if it's accessible, you can use it. Giving proper citation and credit is not always necessary depending upon what it is. I suspect that EPI is referring to paraphrasing more so than direct quotation. Ugh, paraphrasing is a hard thing because we get most of our information from outside of ourselves. But see, these rules are hammered into American students from very early on. This does not mean that American students don't plagiarize (snort. . .uh huh, never had that happen in my class. . .riiiiggght) but that they have no excuse for doing such a thing. Each case is different, and accidents can happen, but it is an ingrained cultural context. Getting used to using a particular citation style helps keep that concept at the front of our brain instead of the back.

So, I guess that is essentially the whole point to learning a resourcing style: to help keep ourselves honest. It isn't easy but who said it had to be? And it certainly isn't fun for 99% of us (I know a few linguists who love this stuff. . .they're just weird) (wink). Most of my students (both EPI and regular semester) will never really have to use this stuff but does that make it pointless? No. It helps hone a sense of discipline. And even if it doesn't, no knowledge is ever truly wasted. We may not be aware of how knowledge affects us or will affect us, but that is a joy of having it.

Which Literature Classic Are You?

Cool since it's one of my faves.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Lord of the Rings. You are
entertaining and imaginative, creating whole
new worlds around yourself. Well loved, you
have a whole league of imitators, none of which
is quite as profound as you are. Stories and
songs give a spark of joy in the middle of your
eternal battle with the forces of evil.


Which literature classic are you?
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Which Classic Writer Are You?

This is an interesting quiz:


Adairia AMCLI Okami.
July 25, year unknown (presumably in the early
1400s)
"It was a year in which I did not live and I
was there by no mistake. I was as high as
sound, just as everyone around me. I was there,
I was there watching the lyrics be born and
here listening to them mature at the same time.
I swayed with the rhythm of the music behind
her voice. The music played with me as if I
were a cattail and it were the wind, tossing me
in whichever direction it pleased. I felt it,
the meaning washed through me and I soaked in
every last detail. It was far more powerful
than I, and I willingly submitted. I was no
longer listening, I was belonging to it. It
took me over with little effort, and I loved
it."
You are different from your predecessors. You do
many things people have never seen or done
before, and you do them well. You will someday
be well known for your talent, if you're not
already. The best thing about you is that
you're excellent at what you do and you're
still developing your talent. Chances are,
writing isn't your only talent. Perhaps you are
also a musician, an actress, or an artist. You
are determined to be heard and you have a lot
to say. You will be, in time. Just keep doing
what you do. Never quit.


Which Classic Writer Are You? (With Pics)
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Murphy's Law for Phones

Why is it that you can go days without a phone call but the minute you get on the phone (or are about to) with someone you haven't talked to in yonks you get a billion other calls from people? lol I feel sooooo popular tonight. Got to talk with Brenda tonight (she is so silly. . .she lost my phone # and my address). She called just as I was gonna call Sam (who I finally saw online after weeks of her acting like a phantom -- did you like the analogy, Sam?). So, Bren and I ended and then I got on the phone with Sam. Just as I was getting off the phone with Sam, Beth calls. lol Now I am writing to you and having a threeway conversation with her and Shawnna (who was griping that her house was finally silent and I was talking to OTHER people). lol

Whew. No, no, not complaining. Just being highly amused and wanting to share. Thought it would be good to at least write about something today. At least I finally got to talk with you all! Yay!