Bearshorty's musings

Happy Hanukkah!

This year my parents decided to give me Hanukkah gifts (we don’t do them every year). I got a new hat and new boots to match my winter coat. I love the boots. Hat it nice but I do love my Olympic hat, even if doesn’t quite match my coat.

I watched “Dr Horrible: Act One” today while using the elliptical machine – I’m trying all kinds of things out now that we made it face the bed and computer – I managed 15 minutes. I think musicals will be a good fit since I won’t have to pay attention to dialogue (the speakers don’t carry as much and the machine is a little loud). Still, I am more motivated to get on it.

Caught up to “Burn Notice” finally. ( Burn Notice )

I have no desire whatsoever to catch up to the last four episodes of “Dexter.” I might be done with it – this season was not the best to say the least.

Late last night, Mama decided that she wanted to go to a museum today after all (instead of a party Papa and she were invited to) and her decisions tend to rule in our household and so I was happily dragged along today. I actually did want to use the free Museum Day ticket since it was an opportunity to go to a museum I was curious about but didn’t want to spend the money. I generally get lazy about actually going somewhere and while Bear and I were thinking of going, he had to work today. So I’m glad I actually went with my parents. We went to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum – which is really a retired USS naval carrier plus a tour of a real submarine. It usually costs $22 (which Papa had to pay since he did not print his free ticket).

( photo of the Intrepid )

It is a really big and fascinating ship. It was commissioned in 1943 and served in the Pacific during WWII and then up to Vietnam. It was also used to pick up astronauts a few times. It held more that 3,000 people at the same time. We started by going up on the flight deck with lots of planes painted in fun designs. The views of the city were nice up there too. My favorite part of the ship was probably the Navigation Bridge and the Captain’s and officer’s quarters on the very top of the ship. Just lots of cool gadgets. The Hanger Deck had lots of hands on exhibits educating about the working of the ship and some space capsule replicas. It was very kid friendly and I kept thinking how Lenya would have liked this (he is 9). There was a replica of a Gemini capsule where you could actually lie down inside in its seat for photographic purposes. Because I was in Kennedy Space Center and have seen “From the Earth to the Moon” and “Moonshot” I feel I had a lot of background to put their space exhibits in perspective. I liked climbing in the capsule though.

( flight desk on the Intrepid )

After we stopped by the gift shop (I got a magnet) and a café for lunch, we went on the Growler submarine. This was an actual US nuclear deterrent submarine during the Cold War and it patrolled off a Russian coast. (Since my parents were on the other side of the curtain during the Cold War and I grew up on the other side too, it is always fun to go to exhibits on the Cold War here. It is like watching US story of advancement on Japan and being from Japan, I think – which they actually included in the little movie on the ship – actually showing kamikaze pilots and their reasons from the Japanese perspective. It was very impressive.) Anyway, to get to the submarine you have to show that you can pass through a hatch. I wasn’t claustrophobic or anything. If the sub was filled with its crew of 80-90, I think I might have been. It would feel like a sardine can. I liked seeing ordinary places where people lived, like bathrooms and tiny offices and small bunks among all the highly technical equipment.

( submarine )

We decided not to wait in line to see the inside of a British Airways Concord, since a plane is a plane. By this time we were tired. I’m counting hours and hours of walking as exercise today since my feet are killing me. And after the museum we still had a long walk to the subway and a long ride home. I’m going to sleep early. And tomorrow I will torture my legs with rollerblading (since Bear is coming over).

On the way to the subway station I discovered an amazing street - 46th street between 9th and 8th Avenue is full of restaurant after restaurant. It is like all food cultures in the world decided to be on this one block. There was Thai place, Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian and I think other restaurants. There was a blues bar and a piano bar, an Irish pub and other bars. If I lived in the city, I could try out restaurants on this one street for a while. That is why I love New York – I always discover a street I haven’t been to and it amazes me.

I took some random pictures of the city too:

( pictures of Manhattan )

I downloaded the photos once I got home and then I was too tired to do much else. I did rewatch ‘Community.’ I was thinking about watching some Highlander or maybe “Prince of Persia” but I think I would just read instead.

Today was a really good day. I’m really glad we went. Ability to go for free is a great incentive.

Today is autumnal equinox. We are going into winter now. If only the weather didn’t still think it was high summer outside.

Teaching today: discussion of Kingsolver article on the genetic engineering of plants. The second class was like pulling teeth. I asked them if they had questions or were confused about anything and, of course, not. And when I ask specific question about the text it is like speaking a foreign language. And they focused on the secondary point of the article not her main thesis just because the last paper was more about the second point of religion and science. And the debate was pretty dead. The first class was livelier.

“Hawaii Five-0” The only new show I’m trying this year and mostly because James Marsters is in the first episode and Hawaii is pretty. The villain is clearly isn’t dead since he fell in the water and we didn’t see a dead body. It looks alright so far. I do like the characters. It is a bit predictable. Although, threatening the bad guy’s family to get information was a new approach and cold and effective. I’ll try it for three more episodes and then decide on whether to keep it.

My TV schedule this year:

Watching live: “House” on Mondays, “Caprica” on Tuesdays, “Bones” on Thursdays, “Dexter” and “Brothers and Sisters” on Sundays.

Watching on Hulu or online when I can: “HIMYM,” “Community,” “Modern Family,” “Who Do You Think You Are”

Watching online or OnDemand whenever they premiere in winter: “Burn Notice,” “Leverage,” “Men of Certain Age” and “Royal Pains”

with “Doctor Who” in the spring, “SYTYCD” and “True Blood” in the summer.


In the evening I went for a 40 minute walk which I turned into a walk to the store. I had to get a birthday card for a friend and I actually got an eye pencil too since I lost mine a while ago. I’ve been actually putting on some eye shadow in the morning along with lipstick on the days I’m teaching – I’ve never been a make-up girl but I guess I’m getting older and I have to learn something. It is weird. Anyway, I did crunches in the morning and the walk was my exercise today.

I’m avoiding grading again. Every year I promise I will pace myself with some grading every day and every year I avoid it until I have to do marathon sessions.

I watched “Peter’s Friends,” a 1992 movie directed by Kenneth Branagh. Hugh Laurie wearing stockings always works – he has nice legs. So do Stephen Fry and Kenneth Branagh, actually. Honestly, men should wear stockings more often. Hugh Laurie and Imelda Staunton are playing a married couple here too (Like in “Sense and Sensibility”) but with much more sadder and dramatic story. I quite liked this movie. Maybe because I graduated college nine years ago and I’m pretty much the same age as the characters and the view of life is similar. It was a fun movie and I’m glad that I discovered it by looking up all Stephen Fry work.