I'm happy to say that I successfully defended my dissertation on August 9th. This morning I read an interesting post from a new assistant prof, talking about a bit of post-defense let-down. I think I get that. The last bit prior to defending was my version of a high-speed chase right to the edge of a steep cliff... the cliff being several deadlines that had to be met. Meanwhile, I was teaching summer school for the first time ever, 3 courses. Not advisable, folks.
Now it's prep for fall - what happened there? I seem to have crossed some Twilight line, where time vanishes. I'm not sure what's in the news. We had the absolute pleasure of visiting the library yesterday, where I found a few items of questionable literary value but hopefully good entertainment value. Plus, I hit a small motherlode of nearly my favorite kind of book: the autobiographical foodie account. MFK Fisher only wrote so many things, and it's certain that others (Colwin, Bourdain) are no Fisher, but there's something irresistible about these works to me.
As I'm thinking about getting an e-reader (once there is not more month left than paycheck) I keep wondering if this sort of indulgence can be experienced in that form. One book, about the history of women through cooking, is large and heavy... the text is pretty bad, stylistically, and I'd never buy it, but the images are great. I would not buy this as an e-text, and I am not at all sure I'd check it out from the library. Besides, what's all that mess about publishers restricting the number of items libraries can check out to each patron? I don't think so. Part of the joy for me has been leaving the library so overloaded that my arms ache. I used to be able to check out back issues of This Old House, and you know I flipped right to the back to see the remuddled building, taking pleasure in tsk-tsking at the tackiness of 70s siding on a Queen Anne. Books are weight relished, to me. Although. I need weight and lightness, depending - but I want to make the choice myself.
Hmm. Nice to think about something besides the you-know-what. I thought my husband was going to put a sock in it, because it's all I talked about for years. I'll get back to the topic of this blog, but right now - it's nice to be doing something else.
Now it's prep for fall - what happened there? I seem to have crossed some Twilight line, where time vanishes. I'm not sure what's in the news. We had the absolute pleasure of visiting the library yesterday, where I found a few items of questionable literary value but hopefully good entertainment value. Plus, I hit a small motherlode of nearly my favorite kind of book: the autobiographical foodie account. MFK Fisher only wrote so many things, and it's certain that others (Colwin, Bourdain) are no Fisher, but there's something irresistible about these works to me.
As I'm thinking about getting an e-reader (once there is not more month left than paycheck) I keep wondering if this sort of indulgence can be experienced in that form. One book, about the history of women through cooking, is large and heavy... the text is pretty bad, stylistically, and I'd never buy it, but the images are great. I would not buy this as an e-text, and I am not at all sure I'd check it out from the library. Besides, what's all that mess about publishers restricting the number of items libraries can check out to each patron? I don't think so. Part of the joy for me has been leaving the library so overloaded that my arms ache. I used to be able to check out back issues of This Old House, and you know I flipped right to the back to see the remuddled building, taking pleasure in tsk-tsking at the tackiness of 70s siding on a Queen Anne. Books are weight relished, to me. Although. I need weight and lightness, depending - but I want to make the choice myself.
Hmm. Nice to think about something besides the you-know-what. I thought my husband was going to put a sock in it, because it's all I talked about for years. I'll get back to the topic of this blog, but right now - it's nice to be doing something else.
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