Bearshorty's musings

I do love having the house to myself on a Saturday where I feel I can slow down. I read some fiction and Brundage for my law class (how I love him) and I went to the library to return a book for a 40 minute walk while listening to “Cabaret.” And I cleaned the bathroom and watched two “Battlestar Galactica” episodes to be read for next week’s Mark Watches recaps. All before 2pm. I like a quiet house.

Yesterday in my writing class I was preparing my students for their midterm reading and we had some interesting questions for pre-reading in the textbook. One of the questions was about if any of them have an online identity that is different from their real one and if they feel like different people. None of them thought they had a different online identity – they all use their real names. After some prodding a few did remember using a pseudonym for online gaming. Also, while most found the idea of texting a roommate in the next room to inform them of a visitor (as happened in an example in a story) over the top, a few actually found it perfectly normal. I do like seeing the difference in the current young generation.

( Doctor Who S6E13 )

This was a low key day. I went to the local library today – it is about 20 minute walk one way – and it was a very nice walk. The trees are now all yellow and red and the colors really show its autumn. And the Halloween decorations are up. This whole tableau just says October and it is lovely.

In the library, I picked up the seventh Charlaine Harris book in her Sookie Stackhouse series: “All Together Dead”. I love “True Blood” and the show is a huge improvement on the books. I don’t really like her writing style that much and the first few books I found rather simplistic in plot. But I miss the characters between the TV seasons and I do like knowing the basic outline of what the TV show will be about. So I read about two of the books per year. I don’t know when I’ll find the time since I’m reading three books right now plus a textbook.

“Modern Family” is a ridiculously funny TV show. They are not afraid of politically incorrect jokes. Tonight’s episode was wonderful. I laughed out loud at the goat joke for maybe five minutes.

An article about lack of good sex ed in this country, and women and UTIs (my main nemesis the last few years). The article really points out that women never get the actual useful advice they would need.

Wow, this article describing in detail what exactly middle class is in America is scarily really describing my parents. I mean I knew we are middle class but still. And my parents came to America at the age of thirty six and completely started over and in a new language too. Which always reminds me that anything is possible. But, of course, both my parents have college engineering degrees and are smart, especially Papa, so it is no surprise that they can relearn and be smart at new professions too. And Mama is shrewd with money so she could save up for a house after five years in America. My parents, for all their dysfunctions, actually make a great team because they balance each other out.

Today Papa had a day off (he has to take the remaining vacation days from last year before they disappear) so they can drive me to school. This was I could actually go to the library and take care of things and stay until five without anyone having issues with it.

I went to the writing program campus first, where the director I wanted to see was on vacation. But I saw one of my folder reviewers and had a nice chat. No full time next year – too many budget cuts and many full timers are actually getting fired. Instead, the University generously is allowing PTLs to teach five courses per years instead of just four. That way they can hire a bunch of part time people, pay them less and with no benefits. Joy. So I left my part time form in the directors mailbox and will probably just do that again in the fall.

After that I took the bus to the main campus to the library where I had access to a printer, which I used generously and actually had a nice productive day. By the end of the day (with a break for pizza, as it is Passover next week and I’m filling up on bread), I also went through journals to see if I missed any articles or book and I found a great book from 2008 all about London courts, which will be very useful. And being in the library just reminded me how much I love being in the library and being scholarly. I always feel so at home there. It is a nice feeling to be reminded of who I am after sitting at home for so long.

When I got home the neighbor kids were out playing and they wanted me to play jump rope with them. I taught them a jump rope game I played as a child – you just ten times with both feet, nine times running, eight times on one foot and so on and then you do it backwards. I used to be damn good at that game and even now, with my center of gravity being different and with jumping being much harder is was still easy to impress seven year olds. Then as I had enough of jumping and wanted to go for a walk, the neighbor girl wanted to walk with me, so after we checked with her Dad we went for a walk. I was telling her some mythologies stories like about Perseus and I was mightily amused at her reactions to them. She never heard of Greek mythologies and couldn’t at first understand the concept of many gods. “But there is only one God” she told me bewilderingly, trying to correct my misconception. It took me a bit to get her to understand that people used to believe in many gods and told stories. At her age I used to already read about it. But she doesn’t read much as I don’t think her parents encourage her.