Intro to Lit. Theory

I just had my first section today . . . and it went well! I'm TA-ing for an intro to literary theory whose focus is Marxism -- taught by Chris Connery, the resident Marxist of the lit dept. I know ostensibly nothing about Marxism, except for piddley things like exchange-value and commodity fetishism -- I know the words more than what they mean. But, I can handle the more general topics, like ideology, and the big question: "what IS literature, anyway." So, I opened with this question and people started talking! I love it. I gush only because TA-ing has historically frightened me. I get all nervous and worried that I'll stumble over my words and everyone will know how stupid i am. But today was actually ok. i feel good about it.

here's an image that has nothing to do with anything:

New Week, New Plans

I've woken up early. I'm already dressed. It's time to get up to school and start reading.
I know it must seem absurd, this process of getting myself psyched about studying -- ready, set, SIT! -- but I really need it. I've reserved a carrell in the library where it's quiet and i'll be surrounded by books with information and theories. i'll also be close-ish to the gym. how convenient? work out the mind and body. i'm even worse at the latter, if you can believe it.

from the looks of this entry, i shouldn't be doing too much writing this early in the morning. i'm just proud that my eyes are open and i have a bra on already.

Why I don't write fiction

I've had a little trouble sleeping lately. I wake up around 3AM and can't fall asleep again for a couple of hours. Last night, rummaging through thoughts of the calming variety, I began to wonder if it would be possible to rewrite a plot-driven novel -- my example was Pride and Prejudice -- in a reflexive mode. So, for example, instead of Bridget Jones' Diary you might have something closer to Corrections or whatever. Something better [than BJD], to put it simply. So I started to mentally compose this novel of the modernized and thoughful Elizabeth Bennett and Darcy and realized what an awful writer I am. I write, in my mind, like I wish I were born in 1834, but with some modern lingo thrown in to "jazz it up." ("Lizzie threw him a vicious smirk then made for the buffet counter.") Thus -- I do not write fiction.

Anyway, is it possible to write a story about a girl who hates a guy and then ends up loving him without evoking Carrie, Miranda etal? Yes?

beach blanket babylon

now that we're all up-to-date, I can indulge in the right-here.
In between reading books aimlessly, worrying about the beginning of a new quarter, and writing -- very slooowly, too slow for mama pak -- thank you cards, i've been working on a baby blanket for my sister-in-law. she's due next month. now, here's what it looks like so far:


i know, i'm still a novice. but not a totally inept one . . . except for this glaring error which i made at the beginning of the project:


how, oh anonymous knitter, do i solve the problem of the dangling threads? I, as you can see, eventually discovered the art of "intarsia," but I'm sadly left with these few unattractive (totally novice, ick!) loose ends.

been a while

oh dear. i haven't been very diligent with the blog.
well, much has happened. which i may be able to relate, or fast forward through, pictorally. let's see . . .
my mom and dave and i went to la for my cousin's wedding. that was in may.


then erin visited . . . we went to the crow's nest for lunch. i remember france beat someone (germany?) in the world cup and everyone there was happy.


there was a chihuly show at the missouri botanical garden. giant christmas ornaments in lily ponds. it was very hot this day, and i went with my family on an empty stomach. two hours later, i was very grumpy.


then my friend jason got married in a very lovely setting. the evening was warm, but not unbearable. and, although there was not enough dancing, the reception was drink and smoke friendly.


then of course, this happened.


which we celebrated by a rapid trip back to california. this i think is in a cute little town outside pueblo, co. we drove through dozens of really cute, small towns. but the towns we actually spent any time in were large and kind of depressing. we really needed to have planned this whole thing better. but really, it just gives us a reason to take a "real honeymoon" sometime later.