You are currently browsing the monthly archive for October, 2007.
In the spirit of Halloween, I decided to share something bizarre and something fun.
First, the bizarre. I have never seen the full-length version of Eraserhead, but here’s a clip of the final dream sequence and, yes, the man’s head falls off and they make erasers from his brains. Like I said, it’s bizarre.
And here’s a little fun. By the way, Michael Jackson turns 50 in November. And so does Madonna. As a child of the 80s, this sort of blows my mind. Enjoy!
Since I don’t have a subscription yet to Poets & Writers magazine (yet), I have relegated to reading the articles online. Today I read this articulation of exactly what it’s been like for me as a first-year adjunct college instructor. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Also, here’s everything you need to know about why the Sox in Red Sox is with an “x” not “cks”.
Lately I’ve been feeling like a zombie, and today is no exception. Adam and I stayed up to watch the end of the baseball game last night (Red Sox Nation 2007), and I’m totally exhausted. Alas, it’s the beginning of another riveting work-week, where I’ve already gotten annoyed with Debbie for putting in her two cents on something I (stupidly!) said about my class. At any rate, I’m here. Bring it on.
Oh, I’ve been totally engrossed in Total Truth and was encouraged that the church we’ve been sort of attending is talking about the same types of ideas. I’ve always been told that there’s such a disconnect between the head (the devil’s playground) and the heart (where we really know God), as if the mind cannot be used to understand God and his world, as if Christianity isn’t logical. Pshaw.
Read this: Who’s afraid of a big, gay Dumbledore? And poetry is good for the soul, but I already knew that.
Alabama is the first state to approve a biblical textbook for public schools.
The textbook is a product of the Bible Literacy Project, founded and run by Chuck Stetson, a conservative Christian New York-based equity fund executive. Assessing scripture and its subsequent influence on literature, art, philosophy and political culture, it was specifically designed to avoid the Constitution’s church-state barriers. Although the text, which has been on the market for two years, is now taught in 163 schools in 35 states, no state had previously endorsed it.
This is quite overdue considering how much of an influence the Bible has been in our culture. Good job, Alabam.
It’s rainy and cold-ish in Southern Alabama. I’ve had a tinge of a cold, just enough to keep me from being very productive. I left work today around 10:30 because the internet wasn’t working and Phillip said I could work from home, and I was asleep on the couch by 11. I woke up at 1:30 and have been playing catch-up with my Google Reader since, not doing my work. I feel lazy.
On the agenda: revise grant, work on design for brochure (and rewrite some of it), read essays for tomorrow’s class, and finalize what we’ll actually do in class tomorrow night. I’ve been counting down the weeks until Thanksgiving break and realized today that I had miscounted and we have one more week than I thought. Oops. I’m sure I can pull something out of my sleeve. Wink.
Anywho, here’s a little light reading for those under 30 (or even slightly older) from Relevant and a little snippet on faith and art from Radiant. Incidently, Walking on Water is on my TBR list.
Today has been good for my soul. I have done nothing of real consequence, no work or worrying, and it’s been great. I woke this morning and it was rainy, so I stayed in my jammies and watched Death-Proof, the new Quentin Tarantino film. It’s not his best by any stretch (my favorite is the little-publicized Jackie Brown with Kill Bill as a close second), but it served it purpose. Then, I got a haircut, donated blood, took a nap, went to Blockbuster to trade Death-Proof for Transformers, bought some ravioli for dinner (cheese ravioli with walnut sauce), and I’m planning to watch movies all evening.
Adam is gone till tomorrow afternoon and we have no plans for this weekend, except watching football, of course. I have papers to grade, laundry to do, a messy countertop to clean, the usual. But first, back to my lazy day. Adieu.
Spent a minute or two on this today:
Also decided that the prospect of reading 5 poetry books a week is daunting (and, apparently, exhausting).
Thanks to what can only be described as a miracle after the wine-spilling fiasco, I will be able to purchase a new copy of Relief for a reduced rate. Hurrah!
I picked up a copy of Poets & Writers and, of course, it’s fabulous.
I have been listening to Eat, Pray, Love on audio CD, which I can only describe as delicious. It’s read by the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, and because she experienced all of what she’s written, listening to her read her work aloud is magical. I just got through the “eat” portion where she describes her 4-month stint in Italy, gaining 23 pounds in the process. Sounds great to me.
In the meantime, it’s hotter and humider than Hades right now. Have I mentioned I don’t like the weather in the South? Oh, silly me. Let me say it now: I don’t like this weather! Where is the crisp coolness, the chill, the relief? My sweaters have been repressed for months. Someone set them free. (I guess that’s a little dramatic, huh? Oh well.)
Class tonight = “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”. I can’t wait to see what everyone makes out of it. Should be interesting…
Today I’ve been slightly distracted from my work. Surely it’s because Debbie is out sick again. At any rate, I’ve been looking up writing fellowships just to see what’s out there. The one I would absolutely love to get is the Milton Center’s Post-Graduate Fellowship, associated with Image Journal and Seattle Pacific University. Of course, there is a plethora of available fellowships all across the country that I would (should?) consider applying to.
When I rearranged by 101 things list, I added #31. Make a writing career plan, which I think I seriously need to start working on. Since seeing my poetry in print in Relief, it all seems real and tangible. In any case, I think I’ll run out to B&N this afternoon to pick up a copy of Poets & Writers to see what they’ve got listed.
On a different topic, I need to give kudos to my new favorite music group, A Fine Frenzy. I’ve been listening to One Cell in the Sea and it’s lovely.
Admittedly, this book intrigues me and I’ve already put it on hold at the library. Reading this article at slate.com piqued my curiosity even more.
Last night I made some delicious mulled wine, sure to become a favorite in our home this autumn/winter. Adam comes along chasing Penny, who I stop as she trots by, because she has my new iPod in her mouth. He grabs her by the scruff of her neck and proceeds to spill the wine all over the end table and my copy of Relief (you know, the one where I was just published). Yes, I prefer replacing a $15 magazine more than an $80 iPod, but what a hassle.
