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.

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.

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.