Spring Break was the best. I got to spend some good, quality time with Emily. She spent the night with me on Wed. night and we talked a good bit and she brought me up to date on her life. I took her for breakfast the next morning and then to school and as we were approaching her junior high school, she warned me that she wasn't going to kiss me 'bye when we stopped in the parking lot. I already knew that; I was a teenager once and remember how uncool that was. She is the best kid, though.
Thursday afternoon I went to ASU to hear some presentations at the Delta Blues Symposium. I presented there twice while in grad school and it's a good symposium to hear papers on Southern lit, art, and music. My brother, Don, went with me and we were able to talk some. I also got to see my mentor and several of my English profs from undergrad and grad school. I loved it. It was really comforting to be "home" and see a roomful of people I knew. There were lots of hugs and conversations and just a good time.
Later, on Thursday night, we celebrated my mom's birthday with a huge mess of ribs and all the fat fixings that go along with them and then had cake and ice cream and we gave Mom a DVD player and some DVDs and she loved it all.
Friday, Emily and Reece were out of school so I was able to spend most of the day with them. We went to lunch and did a little shopping and then watched the 4th Harry Potter movie, all curled up on the sofa and it was wonderful. Emily and her parents left Saturday morning for a softball tournament (her team won first place!) so I didn't get to see Emily after Friday, but Reece stayed with me at Mom's for the entire weekend and we had such a good time. He cracked me up all weekend talking about cars and skateboards, but mostly cars. The boy is obsessed with them, as I've mentioned previously. He's also good at manipulating me into giving him backrubs.
It was a really nice break from school and work, and I enjoyed my mom, but didn't get to see Auntie Linda for more than an hour. I told her she would have to come up to Missouri if we wanted to get in a good visit. I did see Grandmother Bera a bit, and she's doing well. Hard to believe she's ninety-two. She looks great and is as sharp as a tack. Still reads all the time. I love her.
So. Now I'm back at work and school and have two major papers due at the end of this month, not to mention a ton of homework in my cataloging class. This morning I got up early and did laundry, then went to the library, then bought groceries and now I'm thinking about a little nap before I begin my studies.
Have to mention some reading and films before my snooze. I just finished this book and it was so hilarious I got his first book and plan to begin it tonight. Also on my nightstand is Larry Brown's posthumous book, but I'm only into the fourth chapter, I think, and I keep crying when I read it because I know it's his last work. Stupid, I know, but I am still so sad about his death. Go read about him if you don't know who he is. Then read his stuff. It's the best Southern Lit written in years. What am I saying, it's the best literature of any genre written in years. Finally, this work is in my bookbag and I plan to begin it in the next couple of days. Anyone have an opinion on it? It'll be my first reading of David Sedaris. Wish I had more time to read for fun.
Okay, I'm getting tired of posting links, so I'll stop. The last movie I watched was "Blood Diamond" and, a) I swear I'll never buy another diamond as long as I live, and, b) I love Leonardo. Before that was "Half Nelson" and Ryan Gosling is great in his role. Both movies I highly recommend. I have "Sherry Baby" up next and also the "Borat" movie. I'm not looking for Borat to be as funny as its hype, but I'm too curious not to watch it. Cousin Lisa tells me it's hilarious, and I like her sense of humor, so I'm going for it.
More on the future, much more, at a later time. Have to have some lunch, a little nap, and some studying now.
Take care and I'll be back sometime next week!
Vanessa
2 comments:
It sounds like you had a wonderful week and I'm sure you family adored having you there too!
I'm going to go get Haddon's first book now too--I need a good read to jolt me back into reading again. Work and life and small children have fried my brain to where I can barely read newspapers and magazines lately. I miss reading for fun.
As for Borat, my nephew found it online and I watched the opening scene and didn't really get it. But, I've been told that it is very obnoxiously funny...which I usually like. Fill us in on what you think too!
Oh, and I LOVED Blood Diamond. Wasn't it disturbing to watch the world those poor people live in? it made me so grateful for my peaceful life...
Hi Vanessa, I love hearing about what you are reading. I adore David Sedaris, but I have only read Naked and Me Talk Pretty Some Day. Both of those books reduced me at certain points to laughing so hard that tears rolled down my cheeks.
Believe it or not, I just saw Blood Diamonds this very day, on our flight back from Italy. It was so horrifying, but such an important movie to watch. I'm sure you have heard of Ishmael Beah's book, A Long Way Gone. I feel like I should read it, but I'm afraid to.
I'm glad your vacation was fun! I bet you can't wait for the end the of the semester.
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