February 2007 Archives

By 6:45 this morning, I was awake, at the computer, and eating cereal. (UGH that is so early for me). I was getting ready to head out for early morning interviews for a research group that's studying bullying. For the past 3 weeks, I've been scheduled for this early-morning slot. For the past 3 weeks, I've been sleeping in. We've had snow out here. Uhm, and I guess that means that it's OK to skip work, cancel school, and forgive those already bad drivers when they park their cars all willy-nilly in the middle of the road.

When I woke up this morning, just like I did every day November through March in elementary school, junior high, and high school: I faithfully and longingly checked for school closings. Back when I was the one trying to get out of school, it was a small miracle if we had a snow day. I thought it just as likely that our next assembly would feature Samuel L. Jackson as a motivational speaker (because, you know what school admin thinks of having the phrase m****r f****r in school assemblies). This morning, true to habit, I was expecting school to be closed about as much as I was expecting to meet Ricky Martin in my bathroom, and, true to habit, I checked those school closings with no less hope. Hope, friends, it all I had at 6:45, when it was hovering around 32* outside, and when it had rained the day before, and when the roads were clear, and the sidewalks peeking through the snow, and when it was generally acceptable weather for my peers to begin their tanning for spring break out on the quads.

And holy crap! were there school closings this morning. I was amazed that there were any. But, lo and behold, our local schools were closed for the entire day, the schools where I do my interviews had a two hour delay (which means: go back to bed, Kristen), and 83 other school districts had issued closings or delays. FOR FOG. Granted, sometimes fog is a worthy and important reason to cancel school, but this stuff never would have been acceptable back at home.

So, the moral of the story is, kids, if you want to get all those snow days, live out in a rural area, or in a place that gets snow, but doesn't have the funds to handle it. Hm. I mean, the moral of the story is get involved with a research group that you won't have to do anything for, but will look great on your resume. Hm. I mean, The Moral of the Blog Post Is: check those school closings, honey.

As an attempt at personal enrichment, at lowering my levels of stress, at taking advantage of opportunities whilst they beckon, I took a sprint (shortened) ceramics class this semester. Additionally, I'm taking a horseback riding class and a class that's titled something like "American Women Writers Before 1900," which features British Women writers and male writers as well. (...?...) Thus, I am living the life. I am quite busy, but I'm also doing a ton of things that I'm really enjoying. I'm also getting a lot of snow days here and there as little gifts of justice for enduring through this ridiculous weather. On a side note, it's warm today (see: the point at which water freezes), and was snowing, but now, lucky us, it's icing and making my sidewalks treacherous.

SO! Why on earth are we reading this silly stuff? Because I'm showing you my first pot. Ever.

And this is my second pot.

The first, oddly enough, is a coil pot and the second, more believably, is a slab pot. Also, in case you follow links as neurotically faithfully as I do, I did not do half of the steps on the slab pot page. It was more like: 1. roll out clay 2. cut clay to shape (optional) 3. smush clay to base 4. pretend superiority. Anyways, wanted to share (brag). It's been a bit of an uphill battle learning how this clay stuff works, and it's left me nothing short of ragingly frustrated on an occassion or two. Conveniently, now that I'm seeing the things that I've made, I'm feeling the inspiration to pay the $35 studio fee to continue that which has frustrated me. Go figure.

I keep having this funny delusion that I've posted recently. Ha. hahaha.

Anyways, today I bring you this:

Errie but lovely: perfect, I'm sure, for that Valentine's day gift that you've already picked out for next week...? Although I've still some leftover cynicism from Valentines Days past, I do sincerely find this image and mystery captivating. The embrace is so intimate - their faces are so close together that it looks like they've just released their final kiss - it suggests so many histories of devotion and loss, grief and love. It's a little bit intoxicating if you think about it for too long.

So we won't. Moving on.

In case you'd actually like some background (albeit accompanied with the necessary journalistic drama) on this lovely young old couple, you can read more here. I must admit, I also really love that they're Roman lovers.

On far more pressing news fronts, I finally finished Mendon's gloves. See how lovely? For these gloves, I had to add a step or two to the usual glovey pattern.

Maybe you can guess with a hint.

or two.

Or maybe, like me, you needed to take a long, hard look at Mendon's hands to figure it out.

Duh! So, uhm, that thumb needed to be reknit. For his Other Right Hand.

Of the utmost importance:
I am giving a recital. On April 1st (Sunday) at 1 pm. It will be grand. Does this date present any huge complications for anyone? (I sincerely hope it doesn't). Let me know.
Error! I do not know when I'm giving my recital. My pianist backed out on the already agreed upon time today at rehearsal. It may be at 5pm on April 1st. It may need to be rescheduled to another time entirely. I will update as soon as I know what on earth is going on.

Back to the toils.