Gosh, I was sick of looking at that candy. Time for a little simplicity here on "Aunt Vanessa" and better writing! I'll add links and Flickr back to the page later. One more week of school and I'll have the entire summer to write and fill this blog with all sorts of fascinating information. I just finished writing a short paper about the Information Age and that word, information, is really stuck in my head now.
I took the day off from work in order to have a three-day weekend to finish some assignments for school. (I'm taking a short break right now as you know.)
The list of Things To Do This Summer has grown and I only hope to accomplish half of what I've listed, but mainly I intend to get this apartment organized and hang some curtains in my bedroom and find a nice picture for that room and do some writing and submit something for publication and get some exercise. There. Now that it's public information I have to do all of that stuff.
Last night in class, we watched a video from YouTube. Take 4.10 minutes from your day and watch. It's really cute - and it's okay for Emily to watch, too.
Okay, back to work.
XOXO
Friday, April 27, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
What A Relief
I just finished an assignment that is due next week, one I've been working on for the past several weeks. It is 75 pages long. Did you get that? I'll repeat: it is 75 pages long. No, I didn't have to write that many pages, it's mostly book reviews, but I had to find the suckers in the first place, then contruct a legible paper, write an introduction, and a spreadsheet, and make sure the fonts were consistent, blah, blah, blah. So now I'm finished and feel like dancing a little jig, but I'm still at work. Maybe when I get home. Oh! and this weekend I get to start on another paper for my other class. (I am taking a break Sat. night and going to see "Die Fledermaus" - a girl's gotta have a little fun. And I think I'll buy myself an ice cream tonight. So much fun I can't stand it.)
I loved the David Sedaris book, Mary! I'm writing this on a MAC and can't figure out how to post links, but the book I'm talking about is "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim." Sedaris is Southern, and knows how to tell stories and he's funny and charming and I love him. I also listened to his "Live at Carnegie Hall" CD and it's a good one, too, if you're interested. I'll write more on this subject when I'm on my laptop. Hate the MAC.
Steph, I hate to admit it, but I laughed out loud during "Borat!" Several times. It's just awful. Disgusting. Completely goes too far. Way beyond anything that resembles any taste whatsoever. GO RENT IT NOW.
There. I posted. Doubtful that I'll be back until sometime next week. I know I'm losing my readers, all three or four of you, but I still don't want to give up the blog! So, please come back and read me sometime next week.
Mwah!
I loved the David Sedaris book, Mary! I'm writing this on a MAC and can't figure out how to post links, but the book I'm talking about is "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim." Sedaris is Southern, and knows how to tell stories and he's funny and charming and I love him. I also listened to his "Live at Carnegie Hall" CD and it's a good one, too, if you're interested. I'll write more on this subject when I'm on my laptop. Hate the MAC.
Steph, I hate to admit it, but I laughed out loud during "Borat!" Several times. It's just awful. Disgusting. Completely goes too far. Way beyond anything that resembles any taste whatsoever. GO RENT IT NOW.
There. I posted. Doubtful that I'll be back until sometime next week. I know I'm losing my readers, all three or four of you, but I still don't want to give up the blog! So, please come back and read me sometime next week.
Mwah!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Past, Present, and Future in a Nutshell
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
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
Friday, April 06, 2007
Just LOOK at these cutie pies!
Hi! I'm swamped with school and work, but I promise to write something sometime this weekend. In the meantime, look at Emily and Reece. How cute are they, huh?
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