Thursday, December 13, 2007

Menu for the Holiday Party

which will be on Saturday:

Meatballs, which is apparently a tradition in most people's eyes. So I'm givin' it to them.
Latkes, cause this party ain't christian-specific.
Bruschetta with anchovy tapenade.
Eggplant Sandwiches. Laura said she'd make those.
Fingerprint cookies.
Dips and Cheeses
Some sort of punch.

I'm kind of looking forward to the cooking part. I've never thrown a "catered" party before, so I don't really know what to expect.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

"christina is" has many things on her mind

First off: I spend way too much time on facebook. It makes me feel pathetic.

I've been thinking about Hillary Clinton in the last several hours, and how newspapers (for example, the NY Times article I just read) will publish features that claim to probe into the minds of presidential candidates. "Why won't Hillary cry?" I suppose my malformed "reading" of this would be to point to the wide spectrum of actual presidents and the variety of their emotional/professional reactions to events in life that seem to have little to do with their masculinity (read: "neutral"). And suggest that Clinton does not seem to neatly fit into either the category of "presidential" nor "feminine" and how that seems to pose a big, emotionally-affective [and epistemological] crisis for some.

Next, I think I'd like to move to "upstate" (not that far up) New York.

And finally to add that I'm working on grading papers but thinking about my skills as a cookie-baker. I'm planning a holiday party on saturday and would like to make delicious foods. I feel pretty confident about my meatball and hors d'oeuvre skills, but I am not so good at the baking thing. Too many rules.

Friday, November 02, 2007

Well, that change of theme really shut me up.

I am sitting here, listening to a Fresh Air interview that I've already heard, thinking about all the websites I could possibly visit in order to avoid having to write this paper. This stomachache-inducing paper. Which I will have to present at a conference in Alabama next week. A thought that has me paralyzed. Although it will require me to buy a "conference outfit" and since I finally got paid yesterday, the idea of new clothes is the only thing keeping me okay with the world.

In the past couple of weeks, absolutely nothing has happened. Dave is getting closer to finishing his final project. We've started watching Deadwood on DVD. I saw Darjeeling Limited, which has some people scowling. But I kind of liked it. I didn't dress up for Halloween. I've made three different kinds of soup: a weird Tuscan tomato bread soup, lentil soup, and split pea. Soup-making is a lot of fun, but requires dicing a few too many onions. Think on that.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

change of theme

there is way too much talk of babies and weddings on this blog. and relocation -- although, to be honest, that is always at the forefront of my casual musings: where shall i move to next?
but enough! let me talk about other things. starting . . . now?

Monday, October 08, 2007

St. Louis trip

We went to St. Louis a couple of weeks ago to attend my friend's wedding. It was tons o' fun, and impressively organized and decorated. Yeah for Lauren!
Here are some pictures of the bachelorette party -- a trip through Missouri wine country! which we roped Dave into chauffering. I know, "poor Dave." But get over it, he had a good time.



i got me a one year old nephew

We were in Sacramento celebrating my nephew's first birthday. Circus theme! It was very cute. But i gotta say: too many babies in one weekend! Normally i can take all the baby time people want to throw at me, and won't be at all affected. I mean i coo and say, "who's the cutest baby?" and pretend to eat their toes. Okay, I admit . . . sometimes I leave and think about how awesome my baby will be and how it will win all the awards given to the best baby. (quick digression: i had a dream last night that i won an oscar for best supporting actress and it was awesome, but no one believed me because i left my award with zach braff. jerk.) But seriously, we saw A LOT of babies, day and night, and it's not like they bothered me or anything. It was just a lot. I guess that's all I really have to say about that. Many babies were seen.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Flinch

So, all summer I have been working on various school things. I did some TA-ing, some research and catalogue work for a prof, the whole Dickens thing, and most importantly writing drafts of my dissertation prospectus. I met with the chair of my committee this week and she said that it was looking good, one more draft and I can get the approval of the rest of the committee and it'll be a go. Awesome! Unfortunately I don't have a full committee yet and this morning I get an email from the one professor I really, really wanted and she said she didn't want to do it. Why? because her help is "unnecessary" and that I am "perfectly capable" of writing this thing without her guidance. Which, of course, is not the real reason. She is about to retire and just doesn't feel like it. A fact I can accept, but one that kind of leaves me up a creek. Erg. So I decided that I was going to take all references of her works out of my dissertation! She'll get no acknowledgment from me! Just kidding. I still love her.

Monday, August 13, 2007

One Year


A year ago today, we were somewhere between St. Louis and Little Rock. Because it was the day after our wedding and we were on the road, pretending it was a honeymoon.

Yesterday we celebrated our first anniversary. We had thought about driving up the coast. And then we thought we'd spend the day in S.F. But we don't have money enough for any of that. So we spent an actually really pleasant day in Santa Cruz. We watched the drippingly romantic "Bourne Ultimatum" and then had dinner at Gabriella's.

We shared a "halibut confit" as an appetizer. Mmmm, it was so good! With huge butter beans and red onions. Dave got a mushroom risotto with truffle oil. I got skirt steak with a nutty pesto side, and roasted summer squash. And then we had a pistachio pudding for dessert.

I only realized this morning -- cause we had a bit too much wine with dinner -- that we didn't leave a very good tip. I hate this realization -- I kind of want to go down to the restaurant and leave her some more money.

Anyway, despite our economizing, we had a good time.

Monday, August 06, 2007

I've been occupied . . .

Thank goodness. I was trying to hold my tongue last month when my summer threatened to drone on into a uneventful blob of self-pity. But then things started looking up, in a subtle way, only perceptible to one in desperate need of subtle changes.
Dave's friend in Sacramento gave me a *miracle cream* for those of us with sensitive, annoyingly inscrutable skin. Seriously, I don't know what it is -- it's from some chinese herbalist in SF -- but it fucking works. I was a monster of a bridesmaid in New York this past June. And now I'm like, you know, perfect again. wink.
I've been to the beach, and should go again soon if I know what's good for me. As soon as the weather gets nice again.
We've been swimming at the university pool, which I've never done as long as I've been here. It's not exactly fun -- cause, you know, we're "working out" -- but I like it.
And I just finished a week-long, intensive Dickens conference at school. Now, i don't know shit about "Boz," and I am a sorry excuse of a Victorianist. In fact, I'm decidedly not a Victorianist (in fact, I'm not sure I want to be an anything-ist). But it was a pretty genial environment, geared for grad students -- getting us schmoozing with the profs in a more or less democratic manner. Sadly, one night I had a smidge too much to drink which led to an unpleasant next morning in seminar. See what happens when I'm deprived of social encounters -- excess, my friends! Beware.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Sunday, July 08, 2007

As summer drags on . . .

. . . at its slow pace, D and I are still thinking about what we should do and where we should go. We both admitted that the greatest obstacle in our planning is the (self-conceived) weight of our decision. It's like we have to choose whether or not we want to become grown ups by the end of the year. I know, come on! I making it seem so melodramatic and, whatever, deep or something. But seriously. It's like our choice is between buying a house, which borders on "settling down," especially since it would have to be in an affordable city -- and none of our friends live in affordable cities. So it would be Dave and I owning a home and thinking about family things. Between that and moving where my friends are, spending half my paycheck on rent and the other half on going out and all that that entails. The thing is i really want a house. Why the hell do I want a house so bad? Maybe because Santa Cruz has made renting seem like the dumbest thing in the world. Why would anyone throw their money away just to live in a town that sucks? (Sorry. I know, i have to get off my S.C. sucks kick. It's just summer, and cold, and boring right now and I can't help it. If it were February and 70 out I might sing a different tune.)
But what also pisses me off is that this is a decision that has to be made. Shouldn't it just happen? Shouldn't it be like, wups i just had a baby, now i have to find a job and house that matches? I hate all this pre-meditated nonsense.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Santa Clara Dining

After a deathly boring past two weeks, all of a sudden I'm super busy. How did this happen and can i get it all done?
Yesterday, D + I went up to Santa Clara to have Korean Food. This is our third tripto the city and our third Korean restaurant. We've been to Blue Stone, something else, and last night we went to Corner Place. Let me briefly describe the korean dining experience, if i may. Most on the Northern West Coast (which means I've only been to Silicon Valley + Geary St, SF), are not "fancy" places. The proprietors don't seem to mark decor as a priority, thus they mostly maintain a ghostly resemblance to the IHOP, or whatever, that used to exist there. (This is not true for the restaurants I've been to in Flushing, NY -- which mostly seem constructed by the owners and elaborately reminiscent of a mythical Korean landscape).
But the food is usually super good -- and "down home." Korean food is not delicate dining; its stewey, sloppy and steamy. Last night I got Yuk Ge Jang -- a spicy beef broth with veggies and noodles. Dave got Duk Man Doo Gook -- my favorite dish of broth, rice cakes, and dumplings. You also receive on your table an array of "pan chan," little dishes of goodies. If ever you want some K. food, call me up. I'm in.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Why I Want to Leave . . .

1) I don't know how to surf
2) I don't particularly want to learn
3) Expensive
4) My body, for some reason, rejects the climate here
5) Which manifests on my face
6) I look like someone punched me in the eyes and then rubbed sandpaper on them
7) Most of my friends live elsewhere
8) It's time

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Williamsburg Weekend

Marisa and Jacob are officially married, and we all had a blast watching it happen. I don't have pictures of the actual event. But I have a shitload of pre-wedding instant-memories.

I'm sneaking up on Erin here. We're at a cute little Italian joint in Williamsburg -- Aurora -- where all the waitstaff have accents which may or may not be from the mother land.


And then we went to this crazy old school restaurant for drinks. It overlooks the river, it had fancy chandeliers, a doorman, and a bartender that made some mean martinis.


The next morning we had brunch at Fada -- a new to me French bistro with cute brunches. I was enjoying my Croque Madame when Marisa had to rush off to meet her hair appointment a block away.


And then we all drove to Long Island - first to Marisa's mom's house to get all prettied up, and then to Leeds Park (is that right?) for the ceremony.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

june weekend


we spent this weekend celebrating laura's QE-completion, entertaining an out of town guest, bemoaning the boring-ness of the French Open finals, and taking pictures.




soon we will be in New York -- humid summer nights at last!

Saturday, June 09, 2007

missing out

i missed out on early morning tennis watching and brunch at Brazil because i was SO tired and needed to sleep in. I got to have the craziest dreams though.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

doing stuff amidst doing nothing

I've seen two movies: Knocked Up and Killer of Sheep. They are surprisingly similar movies. First off, they both take place in L.A. Also, they both have children in them. So, I recommend doing a double feature to get the full effect, to get wowed by how alike they are. Sometimes I get the two confused. Like, remember that time Seth Rogen was feeling dead inside, perhaps reflecting the post-apocalyptic landscape of 1970s Watts? Oh wait, damn, wrong movie.

Besides that, not much else. Spending a lot of money on really useful things, like makeup. I also got some shoes in Sacramento (Nord's rack, critika). I'm all set. No more spending, please.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Monday

We went to Sacramento this weekend to drop off the backpacks, which are too big to store conveniently in either our compact car or our compact apartment:

(this, of course, was taken about a year ago; late june, it would seem)

But also it was an excuse to kick it in the burbs, where summer seems to have officially begun. Barbeques and decks are what I want. None of this fog until noon bullshit.
But now it's Monday, and I have to go to school in a couple of hours. I woke up grumpy. And my neighbor just got his computer stolen in broad daylight.
Perhaps we will see a movie this afternoon -- Killer of Sheep. Perhaps.

Monday, May 28, 2007

scared of the dark

D + I went backpacking and camping at Henry Coe State Park -- which lies between San Jose and Gilroy just south of Santa Cruz. Sadly, we are nature wimps.
The hike to the campsite was downhill, which sounds easy. But for some reason, the decline really pissed me off. After the initial disappointment of our secluded site by the swimming hole -- which turned out to be a very pleasant spot, just not what dave romantically envisioned -- we found ourselves with loads of sunlight left and nothing to do. We tried swimming (too cold), reading (not focused enough), playing a stupid connect the dots game i used to play in church to make the sermon go by faster (really boring).
Then, at last, the sun set. But it wasn't to my relief, cause i'm scared of the dark in the woods. Thankfully Dave narrated stories he had recently read (a really depressing Flannery O'Conner story) and movies he had seen without me (Old Joy), which calmed me down and helped fall asleep.
And we woke up, and we were happy -- it was quiet and foggy and really pleasant out. Our ascent back into civilization was grueling -- my legs are still killing me -- but we ended up having a nice time. Though I don't think i want to do it again anytime soon.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

new post.

In an effort to not be "clearscreen: infrequently updated," i mean really that's so played out, I will try to be more vigiliant in my posting. The problem would be, of course, that the content of the posts will be a smidge more boring.

For example. Last night I went out for drinks (now, how many times can one say that on a blog? "the truth" of my bar frequenting would be too scandalous), with some long lost santa cruz friends who are back in town to kick it old school style. needless to say it was a delightful get-together, and I came home later than I planned and way more tired than I wanted to be.

In a few weeks, I will be going to NYC for my friends wedding. Oh dear, I'm really looking forward to it. I just bought a dress for the rehearsal dinner, a purchase that demands another one -- new shoes. I want strappy, sexy ones with not-too-tall heels; but I can't find any around here that I like, and that aren't $200+. D. suggested, with all sincerity, loafers. . . something about gwyneth paltrow in "royal tennebaums". i don't care who wore what when, i'm not going to make the move from strappy-sexy to loafers. So, i think i'm just not going to buy a new pair of shoes.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Oh man. I just got a filling replaced. That sucked.


This past Saturday was the day of the big conference: "Analytic Scene: Translations and Transferences," a graduate student conference that Rob and I co-organized. It went off really well -- great papers, wonderful keynote address by Luke Thurston of Univ. of Wales, Aberystwyth. I also presented a paper, which caused a bit of Hist Con controversy. And I learned that I'm very good at reading my paper. I'm not so good at confronting questions -- No questions please, thank you. It was a tiring weekend, but everything went off well.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Seduction

D and I have no real idea what we're going to do next. And in order to figure that out, there's a lot that needs to be done. Resumes need to be drafted and sent. And even before that, jobs need to be available and appealing. I write in the passive voice, you see, because we have yet to actually do anything.

But in one of our more curious moments we decided to look at the real estate listings in St. Louis, MO. We've done this before, in a past when we had more liberty to consider wild, fantastical options. But recently, we had brushed StL aside as inconvenient and, simply, no longer on the table.

Then, I came across a house -- a simple, imperfect, vinyl-sided house -- in the best neighborhood, the neighborhood that, if I ever were to move back to my hometown would be the ideal place to live. And the house is nothing! $104, 000. Nothing! So I asked my dad last night if he would check it out, do a drive by if ever he found himself nearby. Which of course he did early this morning and promptly emailed me his report. It sounded so nice, he talked to a couple of neighbors who were out and about at seven in the morning: a "diverse" neighborhood, but safe enough for the seven single women who lived on the block, just yards away from a "stately" park, the park in which I had to take softball lessons as a kid.

Sigh. It just might not be feasible, though. Who are we? Certainly not home-owners.

Friday, May 04, 2007

So, That's Over

I passed my oral exams. I didn't pass prettily, if I recall correctly (it comes back to me in bits and pieces, the stuttering and awkward pauses, the misspoken answers, you get the drift). I thought that I would leave the exam with a huge weight off my shoulders. In fact, yesterday at least, I was feeling more anxious and uncertain than ever (i had some drinks last night and got a wicked massage today, so I'm feeling a little better).

But what should I do now? I could do anything! I don't have to stay in school. I'm no fool.
What if I became a journalist, or an essayist? I got a lot to say about the HBO show "The Wire." A lot. Hmm. Although it does sound pretty nice to write a book length exploration of fill in the blank. My committee's first comment to me, after my 3-hour bomb of an oral exam, was that I am "an excellent writer." How diplomatic.

How about a picture?



Dave and I went to Point Reyes last weekend. We stayed in a cheap motel in San Rafael, but we had a very pleasant hike to the coast. It was a gorgeous day.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Oscar Night

Watching the Oscars is one of my favorite annual television events. Better, of course, than the SuperBowl, or most sports events (excluding the tennis opens). But since it's aired on ABC, and for some reason Santa Cruz does not get ABC, I missed it. We watched a depressing documentary, "Why We Fight," instead. Granted, rather than feeling like a tub of lard by the end of the night, I felt enlightened and terrified. But still, I wanted to see pretty people wearing pretty things.
So, first thing I do when I wake up is check the blogs and search for pictures, who was wearing what? Naomi Watts was on the worst dressed list, which seemed a bit wrong to me. But then again so was Meryll Streep, so she's in good company. I also read the fugly girls' play-by-play. After all, I'm glad I missed it this year. It sucks me in for four hours, and in the end it doesn't feel worth it.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Back from Tahoe

Dave and I went to Tahoe this weekend with some friends to celebrate Clay's 30th. We were only there a night, and I was too much of a wimp to get on the slopes. But I gambled and won some money at the slots. Levi won over $100 on the roulette table, which was the highlight of the day. And then we chilled back at the "cabin," which was really just a small condo. I got into a discussion about Stringer Bell's (from "The Wire") moral character. I couldn't shut up about it, but it was totally fun. Laura and I are thinking we need to write a paper on this show. Cause, c'mon, it deserves it.

I wish I had taken some pictures up there, but I didn't. Use your imagination.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Tuesday again?

The local radio station is having some sort of Morrissey fest. I like it.

Since having finished yet another draft yesterday, and promptly receiving positive feedback from one of the profs (phew), I have spent today idly pretending to work. And making a delish poached fish dish, with a side of chard (thanks erin).

I also talked to my friend rebecca, with whom i don't think i have spoken in a while. Anyway, I got the scoop, which I love to get. And, although I had resigned myself to the fact that perhaps I wouldn't be able to make Sue's wedding -- with exams looming and all -- I thought, what's a weekend? Shouldn't I give myself a break a month before I really deserve it?

In other news, I went to Macy's to spend a gift card we got as a wedding present. I bought three luxurious bath towels and some liquid eyeshadow from Chanel. HAHAHA. oh damn, that makes me laugh. liquid eyeshadow from chanel. i'm awful. but i love it. it's blue and shimmery. isn't that awful? i wear it everyday.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Tuesday Night

I don't think I've posted on a Tuesday night before. D is already in bed, curled up with a copy of Woman in White, an insipid Victorian novel I made him read. And he loves it.
I'm listening to Asobi Seksu, my new favorite thing, and closing the night with a cap.
We went to the movie house tonight and watched "Notes on a Scandal." It was scandalous. I had some reservations: another version of SWF, but with an old biddy? But I liked it. And if I haven't admitted this publicly before, I am in love with Cate Blanchett. It's very distracting, my love for her.
Other than that, I have to finish my topics. Still!
I (or was it my advisor) have decided to push my exams back a month. A good idea, although I would like nothing better in the world than to have this thing over with so that I can enjoy my life. I'm 31. I need to be, you know, gettin' out there! Showing the world what I'm made of! Givin' it my all! Not settling for less. Isn't that what thirty-year olds do?

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Back at It

Phew, school has started again! Why does it keeping doing that? This quarter is going to be a doozy. Already, the first week of school, I'm freaking out. I plan to take my exams at the end of the quarter. I'm not sure if it will be possible, as I'm kind of behind schedule. Good news is I finished a draft of a topic yesterday, after much hair-pulling. Bad news, the email server is down. How will I know if they like it?
Photo? Ok:

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Bobcat & I


We also went to the Monterey Aquarium


J E L L Y F I S H

Holiday Visit

My parents just left after a five-day visit to the Cruz.
We went to wilder ranch: