Babies and Puppies...

...who can resist them? Happily for me, I have actually had something of a life in the past few days. My family had a high school graduation party for my cousin, Kara. While there, I got to meet my new cousin/niece (my cousin Amanda's new daughter), Emmalyn. I must say, she's pretty dern cute for something that poops and cries so much. My family also welcomed the newest set of chihuahua puppies (courtesy of my cousin, Matt). Again, lots of pooping and crying but oh so adorable.



Saturday night was spent at another Roma Renegade concert with my favorite accordianist and gypsy-swinger, Gabby & Co. Not really any pooping or crying going on, but still lots of fun. Marian and I are obsessive picture-takers so, here are just a few...



...the night would not have been complete without the midnight run to Wal-Mart and the trying on of the elephant-sized ugly-pants!


...and the cheap-ass breakfast at Wafflehouse at 12:30, which is what all established musicians do after a show--- eat crappy food and look cool. And, in case you can't tell from the photos, I got a hair-cut, which I desperately needed for oh, 6 months now.

Two Giant Scoops of Nuthin'

I'm blogging out of the sheer annoyance that I have nothing remotely interesting to blog about. How crummy is that? Basically, my life at this moment consists of:

1) Work from 8am to whenever I'm done (usually almost 5pm)
2) Eating-- trying to get 3 square ones a day, sometimes at the desk
3) Sleeping-- cannot seem to catch up; I'm sleepy at 7pm but then can't actually get to sleep until after 11pm and must wake up at 6:30AM
4) Driving-- my family and I have been driving back and forth from Philly almost every weekend so, my Saturdays are completely spent within an SUV
5) Planning-- got my fall classes picked out, trying to develop an interior design scheme for my new apartment (on a miniscule budget), dreaming about where I'll be next summer (I'm thinkin' Spain and Portugual)

The only wild thing that has happened lately didn't even actually happen to me-- it happened to my boss. She got a wicked case of poison ivy over Memorial Day weekend and, since then, has been highly medicated. Nothing seemed to be working so, her doctor gave her a steroid shot. She had a severely allergic reaction to this shot (while at work with me), broke out into hives, started throwing up and ran a tremendously high fever. Her husband took her to the ER where they promptly diagnosed her and gave her MORE drugs to knock her out and let her body fix itself. That said, she has been working 1/2 days for most of this week which really sucks for me because--- without a boss I have no work to do; thus, I've been working 1/2 days, which I really can't afford right now. Major bummer all around but, luckily, she's doing much better now. Hopefully, next week will be a full-time week.

SO jealous...

If anyone is interested, my buddy Joey Garcia is now in Brazil with the WVU Law School. He and his fellow law students are blogging about their experiences in Brazil (right now they are in Manaus-- the Amazon region). It's an interesting read....and it REALLY makes me want to go back....

http://lawinbrazil.blogs.wvu.edu/bios/bio_joe_garcia

Dripping with sweat...and not in a sexy way

Ugh...I'm really gross right now. When I get really nervous or stressed out I sweat like a maniac. The last few days have been rather trying. I've been dealing with my car insurance company due to a incident in a Kmart parking lot. I honestly don't know whose fault it was but I'm nervous as hell that either way is going to cost me a bunch (though the only damage was a few scratches to the respective bumpers). Lately I just start to perspire as soon as my cell phone rings. I feel like a Pavlovian dog--- minus the treat.

Some relatively good news is that I have an apartment in Nashville--finally. The trip to find a place turned into a roller-coaster of intense freak-outs and total contentment. It was weird. Originally, Felipe and I were going to fly out Monday morning and return Tuesday evening. However, we missed the flight on Monday (due to a 1/2hr. technicality--by one minute, literally). So, we had to re-schedule the same flight for Tuesday morning but couldn't get a return flight until Thursday morning. In the end, it worked out better that we had the extra day. Let me tell you, finding a suitable place to live at a REASONABLE price in Nashville is like asking for a white Christmas in Miami--ain't gonna happen. There were some ONE bedroom/STUDIO places that were going for $1,000/mo. Who can afford that?? Certainly not me, even on my newly augmented stipend. Needless to say, it was rather frustrating. Then, when the gods shone on me and I managed to find something cheaper, still clean and within walking distance, my old landlord decided to be a total butt-munch. He knew that the new place needed his recommendation to accept me and he made a point of saying on the phone to me, "Well, you know, your place still looked kinda dirty to me. Are you sure you steam-cleaned the carpets? How about in the closets? You know, I don't think your roommate gave me all the keys..." etc, etc. AGHHHH!! What a punk!!! He rents to some total losers that trash his place (one even set the place on FIRE a few years ago--no kidding) then he has the audacity to give me the third degree. He should've kissed my feet when I left and thanked me for being the responsible, clean tenant that I am. So ungrateful---especially when he knew that I was relying on his help at that moment. I suppose he said something nice, or at least ambiguous, because I got the apartment I wanted. Although the people running the place seem a bit shady and rude, it is the price and location I wanted so, I'm ok with it.

Today, I have a job interview at 2pm for an Asst. HR Manager summer position at Fuji Film. It isn't a dream job but, hey, the pay is good and it's about 10 mins. from my parent's house. So, here I am typing away and sweating profusely. I really need this job. The lease on my new apartment starts June 1st so, I'll being paying rent all summer long, even though I won't be living there; it kinda sucks but, there was no negotiating with those people. They knew that if I didn't like it, there were 10 more people right behind me willing to do anything to get the place. I just really hope that this summer can be relaxing and restorative; I could really use some time to decompress-- if not, by the time August rolls around there'll be nothing left of me but a stinky puddle on the floor.

If I never see another cardboard box again in my life...

...I'll be very happy. I'd forgotten what a major pain in the ass moving can be. And how did I end up with all this crap?? Sometimes I think being a baglady isn't such a bad idea--- just live with what you can carry on your back. None of this renting a U-Haul to tote around crap that you never use and rarely think about until you have to pick it up and carry it up/down stairs. Ugh. The worst part is that the majority of the housewares here are mine (dishes, living room furniture, cooking utensils, etc.) So, my roommate is already finishing moving out (plus her parents live 1/2hr. away) and I'm left standing in a half-full apartment with the realization that all this shit is MINE. I've learned my lesson well, though. In Nashville, I will be the poster-child for minimalist living. No longer will I give in to the thought, "Well, it could come in handy someday." If I don't need it to live until tomorrow, it goes to someone else. My Achille's heal is paper--- I have a frickin' library of books, old notebooks and loose papers that have some kind of sentimental value. I never took up smoking because I knew, if I didn't take care, my place would light up like a Christmas tree. *Sigh* Just when I thought the stress was over...pardon me while I go jump in a dumpster for more boxes....

"Master of the Universe" feels good...

I passed!!! Woo-hoo!! I have successfully defended my thesis and I am now a MASTER of the universe! Whew, what a load off. I'm so relieved. I have a few corrections and changes to make before it must be submitted electronically on Friday but, that isn't too big a deal. I only have one final exam to take, which will be cake so, I'm pretty much set. All I have left to do is graduate. Now I must begin hunting large, cardboard boxes....

On Saturday night I went out with some of my girlfriends and had dinner and drinks. It was great to catch up, see where everyone will be next year and, of course, talk about boys :) I guess, as a female, you never really outgrow that, huh?

Wrapping Up and Moving Out

In a few hours, I will have finished my very last final exam in literature...ever. Woo-hoo!! I'm so excited. I only have one more final exam next Wednesday (in Applied Spanish Linguistics for Second Language Acquisition), which shouldn't be too bad. I'm SO happy to be done. I'm sick to death of linguistics, Spanish lit. and literary criticism. I miss history...and facts... and objectivism...and reality. I guess I'm a bit too realistic to exist permanently in the literary realm. I need to get out before I start to hate to read, which would be an absolute shame.

I defend my thesis this Friday afternoon and I'm extremely nervous. Two of my committee members are totally laid-back, whatever kinda people but, my chair is really hard-line. All of the cross-exs with her will be in Spanish and she has pretty high expectations of me. My thesis is a big mixture of Latin American culture, history and political science (to accomodate the areas of interest of each of my committee members). The title is, "NGOs as Agents of Historical Change: A Comparative Study of Violence against Women in Argentina and Brazil". I know, I know, it's a mouthfull. I didn't want it to be so long and pretentious but, it just somehow morphed into that. I was really jazzed about it at first, then the newness wore off (especially when I had a hell of a time doing research in Brazil) so, by the time I got back I almost hated it. I've been struggling with this love-hate relationship I have toward my thesis; now that it's almost done, it feels like an old friend that I have to say goodbye to. I'm very excited to start my Ph.D. I feel like the world is opening up to me...finally.

I'll be traveling to Nashville in the next 2 weeks to try and find an apartment (at a reasonable distance/price). I'll be living alone for the very first time, which is the way I want it. I've dealt with way too many crazy, weird, lazy, dead-beat roommates. I'm ready for a break; I want to be alone, enjoy the peace and get to know myself a little bit. I just don't know what I'm going to do with all the crap in my current apartment....I'm certainly not hefting it to TN...any takers???

Going to HE (double hockey stick) in a Garrison-shaped basket

I was supremely irritated to read the DA (university newspaper) this morning due to the outcome of an election. You see, WVU has recently seen the retirement of President Hardesty (who served for 12 years). So, the search has been on in the last few months to find his replacement. Several extremely qualified candidates were given a crack at the interviewing process. However, strange things began to happen and people began to murmur their discontent, and continue to do so--some are doing more than murmuring. The fact of the matter is this: the BOG (Board of Governors) on campus, which functions much like the U.S. Electoral College, decided that Mr. Garrison was to be the next president by a vote of 16-1 over Mr. Nellis (who is a former Dean of the WVU College of Arts&Sciences). I'm sorry, I just gotta call a big 'ole BULL SHIT on the BOG for this one. Come on! You people couldn't have made this whole charade more obvious if you tried. The fact that Garrison has NO experience in university administration AND the fact that he used to be the HEAD of the BOG AND the fact that he's in bed with practically every major political player in the state (not to mention being Hardesty's pet project) is clearly representative of outrageous personal preference. There were actually candidates who dropped out in mid-process because even THEY could feel that this was a fixed job. Dr. Nellis has done so much for WVU in the past, not to mention the fact that he has a great reputation with students, faculty and administration alike, and he's so incredibly qualified for the job (ex- Dean, ex-University Proctor, etc.) that only an idiot would opt for someone else. Wait, let me correct myself---only a BOARD of idiots would chose another person. It's just so totally asinine I'm overwhelmed. They even went so far as to call an "emergency" faculty senate to have professors vote and give feedback on who would be the best candidate (after some publicly complained). WHERE ARE THOSE RESULTS??? Because you can bet that the faculty didn't vote overwhelmingly for Garrison; clearly, this "emergency" meeting was just a nice, politically-correct way to make everyone feel as though their opinion had been heard when, in reality, it didn't mean anything at all. Screw you, BOG; stop pretending you give a shit what anyone else thinks. Stop wasting our time and energy trying to make you listen to what we really WANT and NEED here at WVU. Obviously, nothing can or will get in the way of your agenda so, good job, you got what you set out to get from the very beginning. Congrats to you, Garrison; you're set for life while everyone who works their ass off at WVU can suffer from your incompetence, continual rises in tuition (5.5% already scheduled for this fall), and stagnate employee salaries. You can piss around and call yourself "president" while always knowing that you BOUGHT yourself the most important position on campus. Let's give them all a round of applause for their magnificent satire...(curtain falls and lights fade out).

Goin' down to Nashville...

I love Vanderbilt!! I had such a great time while I was there. The professors were so incredibly nice and the campus is gorgeous. It is a registered arboreum and there are about a million squirrels per square foot. Pitt made a sort of last-ditch effort to reel me in-- offering me more money and a fellowship (for only 4 years, what is that??)-- but, when I went to visit I was treated, not rudely but, rather coldly. So, I'm making it official--- I'm doing my Ph.D. at Vanderbilt! I'm so excited. There are lots of apartments right beside campus, the TA offices are AMAZING (recently renovated, all glass and wood, with unlimited printing!!!) and, right across the street from the History Department they have a Panera, Ben&Jerry's and Starbucks. Honestly, what more could I ask for? It is a very quiet, private campus right smack in the middle of downtown Nashville. It has the seclusion of a small university with the bustling night-life of a major city, with ethnic food and diversity out the wazoo. And money, sheesh, this place has money like I've never seen...only dreamed of...they told me, point-blank, I am expected to never be in Nashville for the summer; I will always be abroad somewhere. YEAHHH!!! I can definitely deal with that-- Brazil every summer with FULL FUNDING. It's just mind-boggling. Plus, these professors publish like crazy and let their advisees co-publish with them. Plus, any conference in the world I want to go to, I can. AND, if I want to, in my last year I have the choice to completely design a course and teach it that Spring semester--- that's huge, a major resume-builder. It was certainly a whirlwind day and they had every minute of it planned and packed with activities, I barely had dinner before I flew back, but it was awesome. If you can't tell, I'm REALLY excited. This really is the perfect place for me and I can't wait to start. All I have to do is finish up this damn thesis, defend it, pass all my finals and I'm the hell outta here!! Woo-hoo!!!

Drowning in Babies...ugh...

What a weekend...oy, I'm so tired I don't know how I'm going to coherently teach this morning. It seems like all I've been doing is driving. I took my boy down to Elkins so we could eat at one of our favorite restaurants for his birthday then, I was supposed to leave Friday night to go to my parent's but, the weather had other plans. Everyone got a dumping of snow and nothing gets my parents into a tizzy quicker than bad driving conditions. So, I left Saturday morning--early. The West Virginia roads were awful...AWFUL...shame on our road crews. It was an absolute mess. Miraculously, after crossing the stateline into Maryland, things cleared up.....interesting, huh? We even followed the snow plow until he pulled over beside the "Welcome to Maryland" sign along I-68 and forced us to pass.

Then, on Saturday we had a big St. Patrick's Day dinner at my grandmother's house-- complete with corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and green beer; ok, just kidding on the beer-- I suggested it for next year as a "new and improved" menu option. Grandma just giggled and said I was bad. What's St. Patty's without green beer?? Even though we aren't really Irish--well, maybe just a little in the way that every American is a little Irish. When your family's been here over 200 years, something's gotta give, you know?

Then, Sunday afternoon was the *bum, bum bum* double baby shower that I had been summoned home to attend. Two, yes two, of my cousins are currently pregnant; one is about 5 months along and the other is about ready to burst any day now. So, it was an afternoon of pale colors, crazy contraptions that vibration and make sounds like rain, and lots and lots of family gossip (with coffee). Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for both of them. I guess I've just never been the kind of girl to get too excited over breast pumps and maternity clothes. Someday I'll have children, and I'll be very excited, but I don't ever think I'll be "baby crazy". I think that if having kids is the only thing you ever have on your mind, you need a hobby!

T-minus 3 and counting...

Got a "No" from UTX-Austin, not a huge surprise there-- they're more Mexico-centered so, Brazilian studies probably seemed offbase. I did, however, get a "Yes" from UNM, which I'm rather pleased about; though, again, it is not the offer of my dreams. Three left to go so, it's still up in the air...sort of...

Don't go toward the light!!!!

Weeelll....got some good news from Pitt! Guess I won't be taking that leap after all....hahaha....I can't say that it's the offer of my dreams or anything but, hey, it is another option. So, now I've got what I wanted-- a choice. Kinda feels like (and I can only imagine this) two burly men fighting for my hand...I know, I know, it's totally archaic and anti-feminist but, who doesn't want to be wanted? Anyway, the count is officially down to 5 more schools....hopefully, I'll hear from the rest very soon. I'm scheduled to fly down and visit Vanderbilt during Spring Break so, it would be nice to know for sure if I should be looking at apartment possibilities or not; so that would give the remaining schools about 2 weeks to get back to me....that's not unreasonable, right?

I've also been debating about the writing contest coming up; a few people have told me I should enter but...eh, I don't know. I love to write and I'd say I'm a good writer but, since I'm a grad student, I have to compete on the M.F.A. level. Yeah, not so crazy about that. I mean, I have good ideas but I'm definitely not as polished as someone who does this all the time...and plans to do it for the rest of their lives. Granted, some people with M.F.A.s are still crappy writers but, it significantly reduces the odds. Plus, entering a contest makes me a competitive writer....a quasi-professional, which I have no intentions of being. I do it because I enjoy it, not for any gain. So, eh...not sure about that one.

My birthday is coming up...not sure what I'm gonna do for this one. Not such a big deal to turn 24, really. After 21, I just stopped paying attention. Perhaps go out to dinner with my honey, get a massage, skip all my classes, etc---the usual fair. We'll see....any ideas from the peanut gallery? What should I do for my 24th birthday?

Ok, now I'm officially devastated....

No!! Not you too?! You're breaking my heart....I'm not going to be a Wolverine?....Say it ain't so!! Two in one day....this is too harsh for words...we could've made such beautiful history together...(sniff, sniff)...

"(Not) my home in Indiana...."

You know, as I'm racking up so much experience with rejection, I've noticed a few things. Primarily, if the envelope I receive in the mail is super-thin (containing only one sheet of paper), this usually indicates a quick, crushing blow aimed directly at the stomach area (or, as I like to call it, blitzkrieg denial). Secondly, without fail, each rejection letter starts something like this, "As you know, (University Name Here) receives a large number of applicants every year. Due to limited resources, our admissions committee is required to reject highly qualified students, like yourself, that have the ability to succeed in a doctoral program, blah, blah, blah...." I get what they're doing but, seriously, does it make any sense to build someone up just to then, in the next breath, tell them "NO"? It's the equivalent of saying to some poor rebound guy, "It's not you it's me" or "You're just too good for me" or "I just need to be alone and get to know myself" or "I need some space" or just about any other lame-o excuse for not wanting the person. Why can't they just be honest and say, "We're just not that into you." (sigh) I've almost reached the halfway mark in possible grad schools and I find myself very discouraged. Granted, I know the process is rigorous and there are infinite numbers of qualified applicants but, come on, how many women apply for a Ph.D. in the first place? Especially in History? Where's my damn affirmative action when I really need it???

Ode to Sara Pritchard....

I love this woman!!! (In a platonic admiration sort of way...) She's just the best. I devoured Lately and I've begun reading Crackpots. I attended her reading the other night in the WVU Library with a slew of MFAs, professors and other beaming supporters. (She is a former WVU MFA--gotta support the team, right?) Her novel is good so far but I ADORED her collection of short stories; they're all so real, quirky and funny, not to mention surprising. She's the kind of writer I want to be. She read a new story last night, which made me kind of nervous because 9 times out of 10 when a writer makes that announcement, the piece stinks. However, it was great--- an engaging, rolling narrative that took the listener on a rambuctuous ride through her head. It took a lot of--excuse the expression-- balls to read something new and have the confidence that it was quality work. So, ALL HAIL SARA PRITCHARD!!! We are so not worthy :)

Again????

I'm starting to see a disturbing trend..."no" pouring in from all over the country...this is rapidly turning into an old fashioned ass-kicking...in case anyone is keeping score it is:

Smug-Picky-Over-Priced Graduate-Institutions-That-Wouldn't-Know-a-Good-Thing-If-It-Hit-Them-Upside-the-Head= 3

Little 'Ole Me=1

UCLA...Poo-C-L-A...

Yup, you guessed it, another "no". Grrr...a pox upon UCLA!! I really liked that one...well, 9 more left to go...I've already begun to sweat...

Random assortment...

--- I wanna give a big shout out (and thank you) to Dr. Samyn, Dr. Gail Adams and multiple MFAs for their Valentine's Day "Love" reading. Very enjoyable...I particularly enjoyed the various takes on "love" and what it represents for different people.

---My second Arabic lesson was the other day. I can now write my name (first and last), ask others their name, recognize (more or less) distinct letters within the context of words and say "yes/no/please/thank you". Just as a side-note to all linguaphiles out there: Arabic does not have a verb for "to be" or "to have"; they just skip it--- that totally blew my mind. Anyone who has studied linguistics will understand what I mean...

---I had an awesome dream the other night and thought to myself, "What a great story this would make!" and then I forgot it. Hate that...

---No news from any other schools yet...I'm starting to get anxious. The lightening acceptance/rejection from the first two schools has ruined me. I was totally non-chalant and now I'm checking all forms of mail like a maniac.

---Filled out all my paperwork for graduation...how weird. This semester is flying by...half of my thesis is done...we're rapidly approaching mid-terms...sheesh...I'll be packing before I know it!

---I'm looking for a new artist/band. I tend to be rather obsessive about music...always playing it and always searching for that new sound. If you know of a group/singer that tickles your fancy, pisses you off or just makes your toes tap, lemme know!!!!

Duke....eh, not feeling so much love from that corner...

Just got a big, fat, juicy "NO" from Duke...ah well, they only admit like 3 people a year to the program anyway...it was worth a shot...who wants to be a Blue Devil anyway? Poo on you guys...10 more to go...

Vanderbilt loves me, really loves me...

Guess who just got accepted to Vanderbilt's Ph.D. program??? (doing happy dance) Oh yeah, oh yeah...feels good!!!! With: a 5 year fellowship, no teaching obligations, tuition waiver and, may I say, a lovely stipend...more money than I've ever made in my life. How awesome is that?! The first one I hear from, I get into--sweetness. One down, 11 more to go! Yee-haw for Nashville :)

Putting a hit out on Old Man Winter

I freakin' HATE the cold! It makes me cranky. The worst is the wind...no matter how many layers I wear, the cold just goes straight through me. I think whales have the right idea--maybe I should put on a few pounds for insulation. I can't handle it much longer. I'd MUCH rather be in Brazil right now, sweating my brains out. It only makes it worse that our area has been hit by an arctic front; we've had snow nearly every day for the last week and a half. Temperatures have been in the negative digits---not including the wind chill. I'm not trying to bore everyone with my Weather Channel talk, I'm just fed up with winter. This is WV, not Minnesota...it's just not right, we didn't sign up for this. Our little buddy, Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow which, as we all know, means spring should come early this year. I can't wait...
I've been trying to keep myself busy to forget how utterly miserable it is outside. My friend Sam has been helping me learn Arabic, which I'm really excited about. I know what you're thinking---Arabic? Why? How? What about Portuguese? What can I say? I'm just a linguaphile. Plus, I think once you've learned one language it makes you more impatient for the next one, and the next one and so on. I certainly haven't abandoned Portuguese. I just figured it wouldn't hurt to start working with a language that has nothing at all to do with the other two I've learned.
Arabic was the perfect choice in that. It is in no way related to Romance languages so, it won't trip me up in terms of vocab or grammar. I'm really jazzed about it. It just such a pretty language. The calligraphy is amazing-- the writing is both literature and art. The sound is very exotic too-- but very hard to pronounce. I've already made a mix CD of music by Nancy Ajram and Najwa Karam. Pretty awesome, especially the duet with Nancy and the Gypsy Kings, "Ya Habibi Yalla" ---totally makes me dance around in the car. Sometime soon I'd like to visit the local mosque. All I'll be able to say is: "hello", "my name is", "No, I don't speak Arabic--only a few words." and "Where are you from?" but, hey, you gotta start somewhere...

Video Art

This guy Rob Dougan is just too cool... it's almost video art...big shout out to Ryan for telling me about him...I'm gonna have this song stuck in my head for days...

East Coast Girl in a West Coast World

Well, I did it. I got through this weekend and today (on 4 hours sleep thanks to a plane delay and icy highways all along I-79 South) so, I am officially back in the "real world". Las Vegas is definitely like a parallel universe. Even the trip there, flying over the Grand Canyon and deserts, was like landing on an alien planet. The conference was good, pretty much as I expected it to be. I was happy to discover that I was WAY over-prepared and had thought out my presentation a lot more than most--especially the seasoned professionals. My talk went well and people responded with lots of questions so, that made me feel like I at least piqued their attention. I didn't know anyone at the conference but people were nice and talked with me quite a bit. My touring of the city was alone, which was sad and made me miss my honey-- especially when practically everyone there was part of a couple-- but I liked it; it was like taking myself on a rather extended date. I don't understand women who can't be alone. If you can't stand to be around just yourself, how can you expect anyone else to enjoy it? I wined and dined myself, took myself on long, romantic walks and even *gasp* took myself to bed; I'm really quite shameless ;)

These are just a few of my favorite shots from The Venetian (above), Caesar's Palace (right), the Paris (bottom left) and the desert outside the Las Vegas city limits from the airplane(bottom right). There are some rather impressive sites in Vegas, though there is also a lot of tacky crap. "Sin City" is just Disney World for American adults. Americans too narrow-minded and/or classless to go to these places in the real world (i.e. Italy, France, Greece, etc.) because, God forbid, they have to actually learn to speak another language, eat unfamiliar food and accept the value in other cultures. And gambling, don't get me started. Any kind of lottery or gambling is just a way for businesses to take advantage of the poor and uneducated. These people would spend money on slot machines, card games and jackpot tickets (I worked at a convenience store for a bit, I saw it happen), then use food stamps or welfare for food. Tell me that makes sense. Wanna get rich? GET A JOB AND WORK!

On the positive side, I saw and met lots of characters. I have enough "fodder for fiction" to last me a whole collection of short stories. West Coast people are a different breed from East Coast people-- the way they talk, dress, think, etc. It's very interesting how the same country can produce such distinct representatives. I think I'd like to live on the West Coast for a bit in the future. I met the coolest women from Seattle; I could totally live there. Biodiesel cars, eco-friendly highways, Birkenstocks, coffee, rainy weather...what more could I ask for? Plus, on the West Coast my language affinities are seen as an asset, not a oddity. Here in WV, loving to speak Spanish and Portuguese and a fascination with those cultures is met with, "Where did that come from? When will you use it? What kind of job can you get with that?", whereas on the West Coast people say, "Oh, really? That's great. I have been studying it myself for __ years. It's really harder than people think. You know, you could get a job in 5 seconds where I live in California." (sigh) I guess I was just born on the wrong side of the country...or the world, maybe both. All in all, it was a valuable learning experience: I practiced a lot of Spanish, watched a few telenovelas and a Mexican soccer game, gave my first professional paper presentation, got to see a new city and traveled utterly alone for the very first time. Now that I know that I can do it, I feel secure that--no matter where I end up for my Ph.D.-- I'll be just fine.

El fin del mundo??

arg...what is up with my life lately? All my best-laid plans seem to be fallin apart. Yesterday, I get an email from another university I recently applied to saying they never received my transcripts...my transcripts?! I sent those in October. What the hell, man? Every time I involve another office with other people, things fall into chaos. So, I had to run around today like crazy printing things off and faxing them around.

This morning, I informed my classes that I wouldn't be there on Friday due to my conference in NV. The first class threw a little tantrum-- "That's not fair! Why do we have to be here when you aren't? Just cancel class." Wah, wah, wah. The second class heard the same news in the same way in the same lesson plan and their response was, "Ok, have a good time. See you Monday." Go figure. It just goes to show how different every class truly is. I guess I understand their annoyance but, hey, I have to go and my department doesn't let me cancel classes---ever. Unless I die pretty much, I have to be there or a fill-in must be. I'm just a peon. Only full professors have the right to cancel classes and throw it all to the wind. It's a shame. They could be a really fun class-- they surely have a lot of spunk. We'll see. Until then, cry me a river...life isn't fair, get used to it-- I sure have.

Close calls

So much to tell! For starters, I had a very close-call with one of my graduate applications. One of my safety schools, which shall remain nameless, contacted me not too long ago regarding a missing recommendation letter. I was rather surprised given the fact that I kept in regular contact with my recommenders and they told me everything was done. So, I go back and forth with the graduate secretary about what format, who it was, etc. I ask my recommender to send an electronic copy of the letter through email, which she does, a fax copy, which she does, and another hardcopy, which she does. However, I am repeatedly told by the university that nothing has come through and time is running out. I, of course, start to freak out because of all the time and money I've invested in all this and fate just seems to be working against me---all the sent materials are just drifting in space somewhere. Luckily, my recommender happens to know the graduate director at the university and starts to converse with him directly. Magically, the letter is found (in what form I still don't know) and my application is now complete. Guess it pays to know people...or at least know people who do. This episode has made me really nervous about the last 4 schools that have yet to confirm that all materials have been received. I know for a fact that I sent everything to everyone on time but, there are certain aspects that are out of my control. The sweating portion of the program has yet to end.

In other news, last night my honey and I attended a "Black and White" themed birthday party for a friend of ours. It was a great time until, suddenly, an ambulance shows up at the party. Everyone had noticed a rather intoxicated young man being carried around by his two friends but, since he was the only drunk one, people let it go. Apparently, his friends got scared and called an ambulance...and, as soon as the EMTs discover the kid was only 20, they called the cops. Craziness. As it turns out, NO ONE invited these guys and NO ONE knew them. They just randomly showed up at the party (brought their own vodka) and proceeded to get totally smashed in a stranger's house. What is up with people?? So, of course, the cops start asking who lives here, etc. My friends ended up getting a citation for providing alcohol to a minor that they A) don't know B) didn't invite C) didn't know he was under-aged and D) didn't really provide alcohol to since he brought his own. Needless to say, they were royally pissed and very scared because, as international students these things can have much bigger implications. I helped to translate things for them and explain that things weren't as they seemed but, the law is the law. I immediately found the two friends (also 20), hiding in a corner of the house and told them they needed to apologize to my friends, give their contact information and pay for the citation they caused. They agreed and, hopefully, they will honor their word but, people that do things like that aren't necessarily the most honorable to begin with. Phew...what a crazy week...

In the aftermath of fun

I think I woke up this morning with a hangover...not sure, never had one before. Although, it wasn't a hangover in the traditional sense--- I only had one drink last night so, it wasn't from alcohol. My belief is that it was a combination of factors. The major one being the dinner party my roomie and I threw last night.

We ended up with about 20 people in our little apartment...it was rather hot and crowded but there was plenty of food (thank God, I was really worried) and playing games distracted us all from the heat. "Apples to Apples" and "Guesstures" were the chosen games of the night, which was as much fun to watch as it was to play. It was a great mixture of friends: high school, college, grad school, mine, hers, Felipe's, etc. Since it was also a potluck, the mixture of food was really interesting: vegan pizza, Brazilian meatloaf, Spanish tortilla de patatas, cornbread, pasta salad, pineapple casserole, etc. Somehow, it all just worked.

After the party, we all decided the night was just too young so, we went out for drinks and more conversation. I had one drink--an orange mojito (pronounced "moe-hee-toe", though all my American friends insisted in calling it a "moe-gy-toe" which sounded rather naughty to me, haha). It was just a fun night, all around. People seemed to have a good time, eat enough and enjoy conversing with one another. What more can a hostess ask for? I'm just bummed that I forgot to take pictures.

So, this morning...not sure what happened with that. I just woke up feeling heavy, tired, grumpy and with a serious headache. Maybe it was the smoke from the bar last night. It does have a tendency to get to me rather easily. Maybe I was just plain tired (I slept until noon today--yipes!). It could be the stress of cleaning and planning for a party. In any case, today was practically useless in terms of getting work done. I managed to get a little reading in this evening but nada for my thesis. So glad this is a 3-day weekend; I'm gonna need it....

The Office Hour Blues

(set to typical blues riff)

Sittin' alone in my office

DA-DAHH-DA-DA

Got nothin' to do

DA-DAHH-DA-DA

My classes are finished

And my lesson plans are too

I got the blues,

Alone with a wondering mind

I got the blues,

The Office Hour Blues.

My baby he loves me

DA-DAHH-DA-DA

But he's in class

DA-DAHH-DA-DA

So I'm watching the snow fall

And sittin' on my ass

I got the blues,

Bored with no one to talk to

I got the blues,

The Office Hour Blues.

The life of a teacher

DA-DAHH-DA-DA

Is full of stress

DA-DAHH-DA-DA

But the days that ain't busy

Make me like it less

I got the blues,

Need to keep myself on the move

I got the blues,

The Office Hour Blues.

I can totally relate...

...to this picture. Anyone who calls themselves a writer knows that terrible feeling known as "writer's block" and the inevitable crap it produces in moments of scholastic desperation. I can see it from both sides now (hail Joni Mitchell!!)-- as a teacher and as a student. Just thought it might give someone else a giggle...

A fun way to waste 5 minutes...

This is cute and totally pointless, which makes it darn near irresistible to try at least once...especially if you like socks...

Folding Socks Online

How bored am I...sheesh...

Why am I still awake??

That is certainly the question of the hour...well, of the last 3 hours, actually. I am not a person that suffers from insomnia. Usually, I'm the first guy to crash in bed after 30 minutes of T.V. So, this is a first for me.

I guess I can't sleep because I'm thinking too much right now. I hate it when that happens. You'd assume that I think more than enough during regular business hours so, my brain would want a break. But, here I am. I'm thinking about the past. The funeral this last weekend will forever be ingrained in my psyche. I feel old and tired and sad. It's selfish, I guess. My Pop-pop is at peace now but I really miss him. I'm just really blue lately. I sometimes cry at the drop of a hat--- a sad song on the radio, any old man who walks by, a traffic jam, burnt toast...just about anything.

At the same time, I'm relieved. I finished my last Ph.D. application today and sent it off; I'm rather proud of myself for finishing it all up 2 months early. Now, I play the waiting game. Hopefully, there will be at least one "yes" out of a dozen. I can't stand being unsure about the future; especially when it is as fast as next year. I've been looking at a few "Plan B's"---working at an American Embassy overseas, applying for the FBI and/or CIA as a "Linguistic Specialist", substitute teaching (please God, no), getting certified as a massage therapist/yoga instructor, and an unending list of other "fillers". Truth is, all I want to do is exactly what I'm applying for now. I'll be pretty crushed if it doesn't work out so, of course, I'm worrying about it at 2am.

I gotta get up early and drive home tomorrow for Christmas break-- and because I have a dentist appointment. Unfortunately, it won't be much of a break. I'll be writing my thesis while I'm there and trying to garner some bit of the holiday spirit while attempting in vain to not think about the one person in the family who's missing. After, I'll come right back to Motown to use the library and get ridiculously drunk for New Year's Eve because I deserve to lose control for a few minutes. All in all, I'll be glad to see 2006 go-- it's time to move on.

Not so good...

...is how I'm doing lately. Thanksgiving was fine until we found out that my Pop-pop is dying. Since then, my mother has been going back and forth to Philadelphia to help my aunt take care of him. Things have been getting progressively worse. I have been expecting "the call" for about a week now, though the doctors only gave him four days. It's been really hard on all of us. He's a very special person and we all love him a lot. I am very close to him so, it's hard to know I'll never see him again. Felipe has really supported me through this last week, even though it's a sad time for him too-- they really liked each other. On top of that, we're coming rapidly into finals week. Stress levels are rather high at the moment. In so many ways, I just want this semester to end so I can re-group and recover during Christmas. It has been and will be a bitter-sweet holiday season this year. I will miss him a lot. Losing a grandparent is hard because, usually, it's your first experience with death and it is a sort of signal that your youth/childhood is ending. I don't feel ready to grow up yet. Maybe no one ever does...you just have to.

"Fat and Lazy" looks good on me

Ahhhhh.....I'm so glad to be home. I needed this mini-vacation thing. I'm more relaxed then I have been in weeks. Emergency TA meeting? Cat up a tree? House on fire? Sorry, I just don't care; and it's nice.

Plus, I sent out the final materials for the first 4 Ph.D. programs. That's all done and in fate's hands now. Though one of my recommenders hasn't turned in their stuff yet, but I'm not gonna stress-- it'll get done. So, I've turned my attention to the next three schools, which seem significantly less picky and bitchy than the first group.

In happier news, I have been sleeping until noon, watching lots of Mexican soap-operas and eating seconds of everything my mother makes. If I'm lucky I'll gain a token pound to remember the week by. All in all, I'm good. Their new dog, well puppy, is driving me nuts. She's still in the "play with me forever!!!" stage. You can't walk in the door or, God forbid, take off a shoe without the dog going into crazy mode. I know it wears off and it's pretty typical of Goldens but, not having pets has made me gradually less tolerant. Cats are still awesome but dogs are rapidly going on my shit list.

I'm excited for Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday, by far. None of the stress of Christmas with all of the same side-dishes. No drama, just good old-fashioned gluttony. As a person inclined to view the world through creative writing-colored glasses, holidays are the perfect opportunity to beef up on some story ideas. Holiday get-togethers are like little soundbites of huge fights, personal tragedies, long-standing feuds and new dramas. The whole thing never comes out but, if you know what to look for, the flags are there. I will be ready and waiting when the bell chimes for round one; kinda like Harriet the Spy, except not hidden, with my little notebook, pencil and half a smile stained by cranberry sauce.

Sometimes, I wish I smoked pot...

What a week from hell...geez. Is the semester over yet? Times like these make me almost wish I smoked pot or something. I could definitely use some chill out time.

I know, I know everyone is tired of hearing about how stressful my Ph.D. application process has been but, hey, tough bananas. I'm losing my mind with this stuff!! Can't a girl whine a little sometimes? It just feels like a never-ending ordeal. Just when I think I've got it all together and ready to go, I check the webpage and *poof* another magical requirement seems to pop up from nowhere. arg. I feel like I have NOTHING left to say. Why do I have to project what my dissertation (of at least 2 years down the road) will be?? How the hell should I know? I thought the whole idea of a doctoral education was to figure out exactly that-- what I will do with the rest of my life. It's so nerve-racking. I worry that it's all going to be a gigantic waste of time and money; every one of these places will just say, "Sorry, you're not what we're really looking for right now." Then what? I haven't even had time to imagine what Plan B would be. I literally have all my little eggs packed into the Ph.D. basket.

I guess I'll do that over Christmas break. Thanksgiving is already taken-- two term papers and more thesis research/writing. Not that I'll get any of that done-- I never do when I go home. All I want to do is let my mother cook and fuss over me, go shopping with her, watch too many movies and sleep late every day. Just be a total bum, in other words, since I never get to do that during the year.

I'm gonna have a girls' potluck with my roomie and some friends Friday night. They don't know it yet, but we're gonna have a major "Apples to Apples" match. I can't get enough of that game. Way too much fun-- and so wacky it always makes me laugh, which I need right now.

Saw "Cars" last night and ate too much. It was just what I needed. What a funny movie. I loved it so much, I would consider buying it. I sometimes just get overloaded with the "adult" world and a good kids flick is exactly what I need; a little thoughtless fantasy and humor never hurt anyone.

Wild West...Yeehaaw!

This is usually WAY too early for me to be doing anything...well, except teaching impressionable young minds. However, I'm pretty nervous about the committee meeting today.

I just don't know what to expect and I am a person that really likes to know what to expect. I have to rush back after class this morning to fix up my bibliography and pay ridiculous amounts of money to print off 4 hard copies of the sucker. I did find out that some of my profs have already submitted their recommendations; phew, one less thing to worry about.

Anyway, enough about work. Let's talk about play! Tonight my Spanish girls are throwing a Wild West party. How awesome is that? Not the most common theme, granted, but interesting nonetheless. I'm going to be an indian (how un-p.c. of me) and my boy will be a cowboy. I drove them around last night to get the groceries, which was fun. I think I learned about 5 new ways to say "shit" in Spanish. God bless hands-on education.

Saturday is hockey!!! I'm dragging two friends and my boy along to see the WVU Hockey team play...someone, I forget. In any case, it will be fun. Worse comes to worse, I huddle and absorb myself in my hot chocolate. I've never seen a hockey game before and I'm all about doing things "I've never done before". My brother thinks I'm a weirdo sometimes, but I like to think of myself as eclectic and, slightly, eccentric.

Viva Las Vegas!

I'm goin' to Vegas, baby!! Not for the usual stuff: gambling, prostitutes, crack, quickie marriages, etc. I have a conference there---how ironic is that? Academia meets the Sodom and Gomorrah of the West, perfect! I have been accepted to present a paper at the Far-West Popular Culture Conference (given by the English Dept. at the University of NV-LV). My presentation is about an aspect of techno-pop culture in Brazil that I was savvy to when I was there this summer. I'm pretty jazzed about it, actually. Even though I've never even remotely wanted to go to Las Vegas. I don't gamble so, I'll mostly just be rubber-necking the whole time. Only problem is I have to apply for all kinds of grants from WVU because my lovely department only gives $250 per person for conferences. Needless to say, that won't cover 3 days with hotel, food, registration fees and airfare. I'll have to make sure and buy a fanny pack and something gold with rhinestones so I don't stick out too much.

In other news, I have been making satisfactory progress on my thesis. I think so, at least. I have a committee meeting Friday evening so, hopefully, their opinion will jive with mine. I need to polish what I have pronto so I can send it off as my writing sample. I swear, these Ph.D. apps are going to kill me. It seems like every waking moment is consumed by them. I'll be deliriously happy when it's all said and done; and I fully intend to get completely and utterly drunk in celebration (something I never do). I'm updating my blog right now to avoid: a) my thesis b) my applications and c) my assignments due tomorrow for creative writing. I can't think creatively right now-- reality is way too strong. I guess I can't put off the unavoidable for too long. Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work I go...

Passage to India via Diwali

I had such a great time last night at the Diwali celebration! It makes me wish I had gone every year in the past. I just love Indian culture so, it was a thrill for me. The ISA (Indian Student Assoc.) did an excellent job organizing and preparing everything. They had a nice dinner with: tandoori chicken, basmatic rice, vegetable marsala, naan, and a dessert of mango mousse and rice pudding. I used to be quite a frequent customer at the Cafe of India here in Morgantown until, sadly, they closed about this time last year. I was and am heart-broken over that. I wish (HINT, HINT BUSINESS PEOPLE OUT THERE) that someone would come to fill that hole because they were the only game in town. After the dinner, the ISA had a show of traditional dances, humorous skits, and fashion from India---so fun to watch. Finally, they cleared all the chairs out of the ballroom and had a open floor for dancing. And dance they did---for hours and hours while sweating incredibly without taking a single break. I was impressed. In American culture, men pretty much don't dance but, Indian men are truly the lifeblood of the dance floor. They are damn good and know it. I did ok, for a little white girl trained in Latin dancing. Some kind people took me under their wing and taught me some moves; by the end of the night, I fit right in. Along with Latin music, Indian music has got to be the most infectious, not to mention an expression of pure, unadulterated joy; hips wiggle, hands shake, arms flail, shoulders bounce, heads swivel and feet fly. By the end of the night, I was seriously wondering how much a ticket to India was (about $1,300.00) because any culture this fun is worth looking more into. People who know me understand I've always had a mild obsession with India and last night only added fuel to the fire. I woke up this morning sore and still exhausted but stupidly happy. So, who out there wants to go with me to India?? :)

Hurray for Dove! Death to the GREs!

Saw this on Erica's friend, Billy's blog and just had to have it for mine. I love Dove! It's oh-so-true. Makes me proud to use their shampoo...



Tomorrow morning I re-take the GREs...dun, dun, dun! I took them two years ago but, I figured that it would beef-up my PhD applications to improve my score a bit. So, hopefully, that's exactly what I'll end up doing; as opposed to wasting $130. Unfortunately, I don't believe I'll get my scores back in time from the practice test I took this past Saturday. Oh well, practice is practice, I guess. Wish me luck!!!

Total horse puckey but....

...it inflates my ego so, here it is:




Give it a try...you know you want to...My Heritage.com--Celebrity Look-Alikes

"A Visit from Aunt Mabel"...

...as my grandmother told me they used to say. Sorry to some of you to be so graphic and, well, girly but, periods stink---don't they ladies? I always get a wicked headache the day before and a killer lower backache the first day. Not to mention the fact that I blow up like a float for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. The fun just never ends; every month, for seven days, my life and the lives of those around me is hellish. It's funny how every woman has a uniquely torturous combination of side-effects--- headache, backache, irritability, bloating, cramps (thank God I don't have that one), etc.

Don't get me wrong, there's a part of me happy to see it come around regularly. It's a sign that nothing's wrong and nature is smiling upon me and my future progeny. However, I have always wondered why men were not blessed with some kind of little gift every month? There's a great essay by Gloria Steinem called "If Men Could Menstruate" that I absolutely love. I read it whenever I'm feeling particularly crummy and need a laugh. I have even gone so far as to write a story about menstruation---well, not about it, per se. More like how different women deal with it differently. My creative writing teacher thought it was hilarious and announced in class, "I've never thought of it, but there just isn't enough menstruation in literature." I couldn't agree more. After all, why is it such a taboo topic? It's an experience all (well, most) women collectively deal with. There's nothing abnormal or weird about it. I say, stop hiding who you are and be proud to be a bloody woman!!!

Wilco, Caminhando and Compositions

Sweet Jesus how I hate grading compositions! I've always wanted to be able to use this phrase and now I can: It is the bane of my existence. Ahhh...there. I feel better. It's always interesting to see how my students think (or fail to) but they take for @#$^in' ever to grade. Plus, this is only the first of two drafts. I know I shouldn't complain; it's part of the job and it could surely be a lot worse but, man, how it stinks.

I'm really psyched about Wednesday when myself, my new buddy Alison, my old gal Courtney and my better half are gonna see Wilco. I had no idea how many closet Wilco fans existed on campus until I bought my ticket. Once I began mentioning what I had planned for this week, a bunch of people popped up that were die-hard fans--who knew? In any case, it will be good times. Maybe I'll be moved enough to buy a t-shirt.

I am a highly musical person. I always have a song stuck in my head, literally. I must have about 10,000 song lyrics memorized, of all genres. It's crazy. I'm always humming, singing, tapping on something, or listening to music in some form. They say that music is a brain stimulant and the amount and variety you listen to correlates to IQ. Not sure if this is exactly true, but an interesting theory nonetheless. Regardless of the results, I love music. I can play two instruments and would like to have time to learn more. The song in my head today is Brazilian. The title is "Caminhando e Cantando" by Geraldo Vandre. It's a protest song from the 60's, when Brazil was under a dictatorship. Truly an inspiring song, not to mention HIGHLY charged with Communist rhetoric. Take a listen some time if you can, or ask me and I'll plug you in and translate. It just makes you wanna join hands and stare down a tank...or something like that.

Why am I so bored??

La, la, la ....I'm so bored. My office hours stink. People rarely come to see me so I usually catch up on my grading or lesson planning. However, I'm all caught up on my grading and I'm just recycling my lesson plans from last semester so, I really have nothing to do---for the moment. I SHOULD be studying for my Latin American Nobel Prize Winners test tomorrow (will do later) or reading for my 18th/19th century Spanish lit class tonight (not gonna go). More than anything, I should be writing for my thesis. I had a meeting with one of my advisors yesterday; yeah, I was a big freakin' ball of stress. I have plenty of research done but I'm completely paralyzed to write something---anything having to do with my topic. It's bizarre. I have zero problems writing for my short story class; perhaps because I'm only taking the class for fun so, there's nothing "riding on it", so to speak. I gotta get over my perfectionist tedency and fast. I don't want to write anything because I'm afraid it won't come out coherent and intelligent. So, I'm putting it off and putting it off as the pressure steadily mounts (because I always put more pressure on myself than anyone else).

I feel yucky. I'm not sick. I don't get sick very often; during the fall and winter I jack up my Vitamin C, water and garlic intake and I usually skate right through cold and flu season. I feel bad because yesterday was my last installment of the Hepatitis A/B shot. Now I'm totally immune for the rest of my life; I can go stomp barefoot on broken glass and rusty metal at a construction site and I'll be fine (thanks to a tetnus booster as well). This stupid shot makes my arm feel like it weighs two tons and it doesn't want to move at all.

Hmmm....what else...oh, Wilco is coming to WVU! Woo-hoo! I'm gonna buy my tickets today, I think. Love those guys. I'm probably gonna go to the movies with some girlfriends tonight...either "Little Miss Sunshine" or "Man of the Year". Man, I wish the weather were nice enough to still go to the drive-in. Love that place. Time to get some lunch...gazpacho anyone?

Musical Interlude

Well, here's the link I have been promising-- actual, live footage of the Brazilian concert here at WVU last weekened. I'm so proud of myself for uploading it (it took almost 24 hours total), formatting it, and embedding the player into this blog and my MySpace page.

Also, a little update from my last post.Mr. Frank Klepadlo (sophomore polysci major)wrote a wonderful letter to the editor in response to Ms. Feltzer's article about foreign language study. The title is "Foreign Language Requirement Appropriate, Useful" and it is in the Oct. 6, 2006 archive of the DA. As a result, I no longer feel compelled to reply myself. I suppose it's for the best; my reply would seem totally biased, which it naturally is.

This past weekend was a lot of fun. Friday night, Felipe and I went to a Brazilian couple's house to have an Arabic dinner--go figure. There were a few other Brazilians there and we stayed for about 6 hours just eating, chatting and telling funny stories. On Saturday, we went to another Brazilian couple's home to have a feijoada lunch (which lasted about 5 hours). Courtney and I went to a men's soccer game Saturday evening which lasted about two hours. All in all, I think I pretty much spent the whole weekend doing nothing but eating, talking with people and generally having a good time. It was wonderful but, I'm left a little behind schedule now. So, here I am blogging and procrastinating, again...ok, I'll stop now.

I speak American, duh!

I'm so incredibly pissed! The university newspaper "The DA" printed an op-ed piece that annoys me to the point of wanting to really give a good shaking to the stupid chick who wrote it. The title is "Foreign Language Requirement Unnecessary" by Martina Fetzer. In this article, she not only says why studying a foreign language is totally unnecessary, in her opinion (fucking idiotic English major!!grrr), but also why WVU teaches it unfairly, why it's a big waste of time, how it inspires racism, how it's unfair if foreigners come here and can't speak English and then we have to learn another language, and how if people are not "enthusiastic" about taking these classes, they should not be requirements. I MUST write a rebuttal--there is just no way around it. I mean, what an imbecile! Has she never poked her head out of Stansbury Hall (where Dept. of English is located) to look at the rest of the world?? Besides, if the university administration decided that students only had to take classes they "liked" nobody would take anything challenging at all or anything even remotely outside their major. What a lovely group of narrow-minded zombies we would be graduating every year in that scenario! I'm really surprised, honestly. I'm surprised someone can say something with perfect grammar and punctuation and look like such an ignorant, racist redneck.

You just gotta dance...

...when you hear these guys play! We went to a concert Sunday afternoon for ContraCantos-- a Brazilian musical/choral group from Recife. They were just plain awesome! The show was rather long (about 2 hours and some) but definitely worth the time. It made it even more amazing and fun due to the fact that we had met and talked with these people the Friday before at the feijoada (which was incidentally for them). One woman in particular, Anastacia, I talked with for about 45 minutes on Friday and had NO idea she was so incredibly talented. That woman can SAAANNNG. Not just sing, but SAAANNNNG. She's about as tiny as me and very soft-spoken. We had a lovely conversation (I was feelin' rather proud of my Portuguese skills) and she briefly mentioned she was a singer. On Sunday, she got up on stage and did a solo for an English song called "Old Time Religion". I was teary-eyed but the end, no lie. She has an amazing voice. It just seemed to explode out of her small body--you would never expect such a deep, powerful sound to come out of that woman. As you can tell, I'm still very much in awe. It was one of the best weekends I've had in a while. (Will add link here to a video clip of the performance soon!)

Now I'm heading into the middle of the week. I'm giving an exam tomorrow which I have to grade rapid-fire to be ready for mid-term reports on the 10th. I've also been studying like crazy for the GRE's lately. It's funny how advantageous knowing other languages is when you are trying to expand your vocabulary in your native one. "FACILE", for example means "something easy" in English and means the same thing (facil) in both Spanish and Portuguese. Only problem is I usually don't trust my instinct and over-think things--especially on standardized tests. The more I study for this, the less relevant it seems to graduate study. I mean, seriously, does it really matter if I know how to calculate the area of a sphere or the definition of "unctuous" if I want to study Latin American history? I think not. Granted, having a rich vocabulary and being articulate are important for my area of study but, using extremely rare and complicated words in academic writing only makes you look pompous and rambling. My personal opinion is that each field should have it's own diagnostic test or the writing sample that applicants submit should be composed of more examples; something like that. Even if I do well on this test, my results have no real bearing on my ability as a graduate history student so, why make me put in the time and effort? Just another rhetorical question to pitch out there into the bottom-less pit of universal experiences...

Let's get ready to ruuuumbllllle!

I'm ridiculously tired...just ridiculously. It almost makes me want to giggle, which is a weird reaction for some but totally normal for me. I taught my two sections of Spanish 102 today in addition to substituting for a friend of mine. Things went well in that area, no complaints. I really enjoy teaching. There is nothing more rewarding than having a lesson go over really well. Today, for example, I had my kids bring in socks, give them Hispanic names and they used these sock-puppet-friends to learn basic introduction dialogues in Spanish. Maybe that sounds simple and/or strange, but they loved it; they were laughing the whole time and really got into it. I have a reputation for being a bit of a wacky teacher but it definitely works. If they get anything out of it, I want them to relax and enjoy themselves a little bit because that is when things stick.

Tonight, Felipe and I are going to a feijoada at a Brazilian friend's house. For those who don't know, that just means a typical Brazilian-style dinner involving rice, beans, some kind of meat, salad, etc. It will be a lot of fun, I'm sure but I'm a bit nervous. When I first got back from Brazil, my Portuguese was kickin' and my Spanish was awkward. Now, my Spanish is back to it's original shine and my Portuguese is rusty. I've come to the conclusion that I should no longer learn Romance languages. Two is enough. I'm working on Arabic now, which is TOTALLY different and doesn't confuse me. Have Spanish and Portuguese in my brain is like a bad juggling act; neither ball can be up at the same time and I have a tendency to drop one or the other at any given moment. Anyone else who has extensive knowledge of both can understand my plight, I'm sure.

I noticed something today but I'm not sure if it's just me being grumpy or what. People don't give way on the sidewalk around here and it's quite disturbing to me. I'm not a big person by any stretch of the imagination so, you'd think a 6'00'', 210 dude would give me a few inches to maneauver but...no! I am absolutely sick of constantly having to twist and contort my body (and gigantic bag with books and teaching materials) at the last possible second to avoid a head-on collision. Am I the only person on campus that sucks at playing pedestrian-style chicken?? I've been experimenting lately with different approaches to this dilemma. Sometimes I just flat-out throw a shoulder into someone (which usually hits somewhere around their elbow). However, this method hurts and people look at me like I'm some kind of bitch on a rampage. Then, I tried coming to a complete stop right in front of them so as not to collide but to immediately draw attention to the situation. This method has had moderate success. In particular, when I roll my eyes at said sidewalk-invader and then exhale with dramatic exasperation as I walk away. Perhaps this societal issue is an indicator of a general decline in common courtesy, I'm not sure. More likely, however, is the fact that most people are plugged into an iPod and/or chatting absentmindedly while walking. This causes them to feel that I should respect their obliviousness to reality and get out of the way. Sorry, my friend...you picked the wrong chica...

P.S. I can't stomach pro wrestling; it's the stupidest, most redneck thing since Pat Buchanan. Just picked the title for the allusion's sake...

Like giving crack to a baby...

Well, I'm back, as you can see. I hadn't anticipated reviving my blog but, current circumstances have sort of led me in that direction. For one thing, I am doing research on blogging/social networks/psychology for an article/conference paper I'm writing and thought having my own blog would be kinda like "field research". Also, I find myself chest-high in demanding situations lately and writing has always been a good release for me. So has talking, but the people around me are getting a bit sick of hearing about it. I still think blogging is essentially an egotistical, voyeuristic activity but, hey, everyone else is doing it and we're all a little depraved sometimes, right? My creative writing teacher this semester has said that writing in all forms and varieties is productive for writers so, I just look at this blog as "extra credit". Not to mention it is a lovely place to voice all my observations and opinions of the world (of which there are plenty).

I'm feeling rather proud of myself at this particular moment. I am completely on-track as far as Ph.D. applications go. I decided to apply to a total of 12 programs all across the country so, needless to say, I'm in for a LOT of work. Everyone told me I didn't need that many but, I like having lots of choices. My "personal statement" is written and approved of by several trust-worthy faculty members, my transcripts (all $90 worth--how shitty) are ordered, and I've been studying SEDULOUSLY (a lot) for the GRE's. Every school is profiled, check-listed and filed in my nifty little filing cabinet; the proverbial poster picture for anal-retentive, over-achievers. The online applications are almost totally filled-out and faculty recommendation letters are in the works. phew, just thinking about it makes me tired...

Currently reading: Lies at the Altar by: Dr. Robin Smith-- SOOOO many of my friends are obsessed about marriage/engagement nowadays so, taking an informed, realistic approach to potential matrimony seemed like a good idea. If I have to check out one more "rock" (which usually looks more like a pebble) and hear "how he did it" and "what the bridesmaids are going to wear" one more time, I think I might hurl. ARE WE NOT IN THE 21st CENTURY?? Why are women still obsessing about marriage? It's not like getting hit by lightening or winning the lottery-- statistics say that 95% of the population gets married at least once. Welcome to the mediocre club (please leave your brain at the door).