Just peeking out from beneath my pile of reading. Above: The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. I'm going to have to sit on my hands to prevent myself from reading on--In Defense of Food and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle are ones I've held off on reading--and I'll have to hold off more, as I need to read that quagmire called Kristeva and re-read Middlesex for the class I'm TAing. And on. Oh, and write a draft of an eight page piece of literary journalism, due in less than two weeks. (Topics I'm considering: Alzheimer's, Barn Bluff, running an independent bookstore in a small town, etc. I just need to make a decision and immerse myself, but I'm afraid of making the wrong choice.)
A few other things:
- I was called up for jury duty again, but I called and explained that I was caring for my godson, whose parents would be both out of town (Kelly to Madison and Richard is a long haul trucker) from Sunday evening until Tuesday morning, and then on Wednesday night I am heading to Chicago for AWP.
- Ryan was going to accompany me, but he will be in Florida instead--Delray Beach, actually, the city of the Palm Beach Poetry Festival just weeks after I was there. His grandfather passed away last night, and I am thinking of him and his family as they say good-bye.
- Tomorrow morning I am taking a beginning gardening class, which I realize is a bit strange given this summer will be my sixth growing vegetables, but that whole hit-or-miss technique has brought on some strange results. It's good to learn.
- I'm feeling pretty good about this semester. The work load has dramatically increased from last semester, but I like to be challenged, and I think I have finally caught up, more or less, which means I can deal with other items gathering dust (book reviews, cleaning house, critiques on friends' poems, long walks in the woods, that sort of thing). Sometimes I feel as if I am gathering dust, rotating on the sofa or the bed, turning pages and flagging for quotes to use later in essays or lesson plans. Today it got up to forty-something outside, a miracle! And I stood in the melting snow, Pollan in hand, the dogs romping about, sliding through slush and uncovered dog patties. Ah, false spring, the presents you give.
4 comments:
So sorry to hear about Ryan's grandfather.
You do sound like you are very busy these days.
How exciting for you about AWP.
Maman
Haha, the Kristeva quagmire. Yes indeed. I kind of loved that quagmire though. I saw in your twitter-sidebar that yyou're reading Julie&Julia as well, fits in nicely with Kristeva, right? :)
And what a great idea to do a gardening class. I think I should take one too.
There's no wrong decision! You can always do the other things you've thought of or planned, later. So just enjoy what you are making now. :)
Christian is excited to spend time with you.
How did your gardening class go? Did you learn anything?
I hope Ryan and his family are doing okay during such a difficult time.
Post a Comment