Friday, September 7, 2012

So Rosemary will only charge $15 for carpool commute. Yay. That is big savings from taking the train and carpooling will certainly be easier for me. So at least for this semester, I have things nice and set. And this morning’s commute was just as easy as last weeks.

In class, we had Kristof and WuDunn discussion with the special focus on the idea of ‘agency.’ After last year, I added to their homework and to class practice the sentences “I had agency when…” “I didn’t have agency when…” and I think it really helped them to understand the concept a little bit. I did have to break down the assignment question a bit because they didn’t understand what “social movements” meant. Headdesk. But the discussion went well. I didn’t cover the reading as deeply as I wanted but we got a lot done – like citation and paper formatting too. The dynamics in both classes are very difference since one section is twice as big as the other, but so far I like both groups.

On the way back to the car, I was walking down some stairs outside and somehow tripped. Thankfully, I recovered most of my balance and mainly just scrapped my knee. Not fun but could have been a lot worse.

Since I had to take the subway to the wake in the evening, I spend an hour or so in a coffee show having tea and reading Herodotus. Not a bad way to spend an hour.

I finished Book 7 of Herodotus today. I assigned Books 7,8 and 9 – the Second Persian War – to my students in my Global class – they will have to write on them for their first paper. I never read Herodotus before and always wanted to so here was my chance. I think after I read Books 7 to 9, I will read the rest too – I find the narrative fascinating. I also got a really good translation, I think. Anyway, today, finishing up Book 7 was really exciting since it ended with the battle of Thermopylae.

I first heard the story when I was maybe 11 in the history class in Belarus. I was really interested in it because my grandfather’s name was Leonid (well, his name that he took after World War II, when he got fake documents. It was the only name I knew him with – he died before I was born). Leonid is a popular name in my family – right now I have four relatives, at least with that name. So I think because of the name connection – it made the story of Thermopylae more exciting for me. I saw 300 too, which made me roll my eyes in many places, but it sure was pretty.

And knowing the story, reading it was still very gripping – very exciting narrative, even though I knew exactly what would happen. Still, that was the best part of the book so far.

I got to the wake on time. It was in Queens and I had to take the A train and I got off a little early because I don’t know that part of the line well and their express/local rules. So I also spent ten minutes under hot underground. And right before I went inside the funeral home, I got some pizza too.

I didn’t know many people inside – this is Bear’s extended family. But I knew the widow the most and she and her husband, for whom the funeral was for, were always so friendly to me. I never know what to do or say at these things but I think the main thing is just to be there. Bear came from work, and later Bear’s brother came too. His family is Catholic and during the little prayer time with the priest, I felt my pulse start racing for no reason. (I have PVCs so my pulse is not exactly regular too so hearing racing pulse is always unsettling). My blood pressure probably jumped for a bit and cause one of those episodes. How I love them. I get these occasionally and I know not to panic and to breathe deeply but they are always disconcerting. And it takes me about 24 hours to feel normal again. I was just glad Bear was there.

Fun thing of today: Star Trek Google. I adored the little Red Shirt letter ‘e’.