TGIF, people!

This gives a whole new meaning to the term 'catwalk'.
Thanks. I'll be here all week.

The Strictest of Vetting Processes

Back to Books!

Hello from Spring Break '18! It's basically a non stop party over here if I'm being honest. 

So the great thing about getting a Masters in literature is all the great books you get to read. The bad thing is that "read" is the wrong word. Even to say that you "closely read" misses the mark somehow. All of the books I've read for this degree I've more "studied" than anything else. And, as you know, there's a big difference between reading something and reading something for a grade, for a presentation, in order to respond to a series of questions (in front of your peers, in front of your favorite professors), in order to write a paper, etc. There's reading and there's reading, amiright?

These days I'm managing to read for fun again! On the reg! And, since it's spring break and I have no plans, and I'm forced into grading, and I'm avoiding finishing my thesis, well, I go through almost a book a day.

I love that I've been lucky enough to study literature in depth for four years. If we lived in a perfect world, I would consider getting yet another graduate degree in it. But, this is it for bunny mama. And that's OK, because I've missed my usual relationship with reading. I'm ready to get back to it.

Here are some great books I've read lately. Oh, and I purposefully took these pics in front of my beautiful succulents. I'm very proud that I've kept them alive inside the house for like 8 months now.

Theft by Finding by David Sedaris

OK, you know the drill. The usual caveat applies here, which is that Sedaris is not for everyone. But dangit if I can't get enough of his kooky, humorous self-deprecation. It doesn't hurt that he's one of the best writers I've ever read. This book is a select cut of his actual journal entries from 1977-2002. It will have you laughing out loud just like all of his work. If you're a journal writer, or you tend to be a reflective person, give this a try! It can be refreshing to read someone else's (real, personal) thoughts over the course of many years. This is a read you can pick up and put down whenever you want.

Housekeeping by Marilynn Robinson

Did I mention, ahem, that our Literature Society started up again? Well, it did. And we read Housekeeping in February. Put on your literature hat for this one (would that be a beret?) and slow down your pace to enjoy the prose. This is a story of two sisters who were raised by various family members after the death of their mom. It is also about the small town in which they come into their own. And it will take you back to those tenuous pubescent years, when you're just on the verge of becoming who you really are. What types of things affect that development? This is a read to be savored, not to be interrupted.

The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani

I know what you're thinking. I was thinking it, too. You're thinking that this is the fluff book I flew through like Roo with a bowl of popcorn.* Overwhelmed couple gets a nanny and - gasp! - somebody has an affair and it all falls apart. No. This is a pseudo-psychological-thriller, definitely a page turner. What happens when the perfect nanny...isn't? What happens when something is off, but you can't quite place it, and you think maybe something is wrong with you? Dun Dun DUNNNNNNNN. Read it. Grab a glass of wine, curl up, and basically devour it. The writing is too good to simply run through it, but run through it anyway. YOLO.

What have you read? What would you recommend? I'd love to get your thoughts!

P.S. One of my goals for this week is to join the local library.

* Don't feed rabbits popcorn.

TGIF - News!

I'm in knots.

Because...

I got a summer teaching gig! I'm so excited!

Boy Howdy

Just as soon as G picks out a tractor to buy, we'll head back to Denver.

We said goodbye to Gam after a (substantial, concrete) breakfast this morning. It's never easy to say 'bye but we pretty much wore her out. This weekend was full of gifts and meals and sight seeing and more meals and some chocolate to chase the meals. So, we are all ready for a bit of a (caloric) break.

I plan to bike to work all this next week and my legs are going to be like, "sorry, what?".

On many of our travels, I buy coffee mugs as a souvenir. I even have some Starbucks ones, from Singapore and Amsterdam and Chicago.

Here are the mugs for Arkansas. No thanks.

I've just about had my fill of Cracker Barrel though. This will tide me over until the next trip.

We have a quick flight (read: thesis work and a nap) and then we're on our way to pick up this one from boarding. She has apparently been throwing fits, trying to get out of her kennel. She's not used to being up for long periods of time. She's used to being able to, you know, lay around wherever she wants...Kind of like her mama. 

See you back in Colorful Colorado!

Hey Y'all

Somebody special has a birthday this weekend.

I don't want to say who or anything. But there has been cake.

When we flew in, G was - of course - glued to the window.

Me: See anything interesting?
G: Just humidity and ranch dressing.

I had a couple of mimosas in the airport yesterday.

This is, as far as I know, the last trip I'll take while having to do homework. The thesis will be a distant memory in about 5 weeks. Help me, Jesus.

But, it's pretty here. Already spring. We still have a couple of winter months left in Denver.

OK, back to partying. This is the big 8-0!

TGIF, people!

Downright Civilized

This weekend I just about didn't know what to do with myself. Life without constant homework is...pretty darn liberating. I work on my thesis for about an hour every morning (and will pick up the pace on that this week because I have a revised draft due to my chair soon), and I have regular grading that I do, but that's "it."

This weekend we went to brunch - twice! - and a movie, and took a walk, and hung out together at home.

We enjoyed the spring-like weather and made some lowkey travel plans and watched TV.

I re-potted another plant (on the far left, in the orange pot) and gave the lil beauties some TLC. I brainstormed some jobs to apply for later this month when I feel like my thesis is under control.

Basically, this weekend was a window into what life will be like post-degree. Very, very soon. It was so civilized. The pace was so manageable. I could get used to this.

I'm used to every hour of the entire day being delegated to homework or grading or writing or lesson planning, and it feels so good to be reaping what I've sown over the last 4 years. March is going to be a crazy month for me, but it's going to be the last crazy month. By the first week of April, God willing, I'll be finished with my thesis and will have defended it.

Then immabe like:

Here's a close up: