29.7.07

several day's miscellany

Why is it that the movies S and I want to see are not showing at the theaters we can easily get to? That isn't fun.

What isn't fun either is not knowing the plan and having to ask your students about it. I'm not a fan of that so much, either.

What is fun? Getting gelato because you want a change of pace from the Chocolate Fudge Brownie in the freezer. And introducing S to the joys of getting soaked in a summer downpour - no, you aren't cold! And that is just amazing.

What is tiring? Getting a call at 12:30 offering you a bookshelf at a very nice price, walking (in the crazy heat and humidity) with S to get it, and carrying it half of the way home because there you just got tired and left it in your office, hopefully to be picked up later this week in a motor vehicle. My arms are sore and I have a headache; S's arms shake when he lifts things and he has collapsed on the bed. You'd think we're made of stronger stuff. ;-)

And let's have some fun reading on Harry Potter and identity politics, in The American Prospect.

26.7.07

fun times with S

I love having S here.

If only I weren't, um, working, this would feel like a honeymoon. But I'm working, which makes my days feel quite odd - the mornings are work, but the afternoon and evenings are totally not work at all and hang out and be silly with my husband. I admit, I'm enjoying the afternoons and evenings quite a bit.

S still hasn't finished Deathly Hallows so I can't talk about it at home. Puf! But we did get him his own copy earlier in the week, so I can reread mine with more attention to detail. I still like it. I just wish S would finish it, so I wouldn't have to watch what I say about it!

21.7.07

I heart HP7

OMG So I'm totally one of the people who loved the seventh book. I'll just put that out there.

That, and that I was up until about 8 AM finishing it up, and when I came to bed I whispered to S that I had finished it (by the time we got the book I didn't think I'd stay up all the way through it...) and that is was excellent and whatnot, so he started reading it about half an hour ago. Which is awesome - but I wish we had gotten 2 copies instead of 1 so I could be re-reading certain key chapters that I don't feel that I read with enough depth last night.

And the only other thing I'll say about it for now, besides GO READ THE BOOK PEOPLE is that I wasn't too bad at figuring out what was going to happen, on a macro scale. But since I didn't talk to a lot of people about that at all, that won't ruin it for anyone who might read this. So again, go read the book. Pretty please.

20.7.07

556

I am happy that S is here. Very very happy.

So awhile ago I reserved a copy of Deathly Hallows (only 1, S said at the time he didn't want his own copy) at my local bookstore, and we happened to be walking by there around 5:45 this afternoon. Turns out, they're handing out wristbands with numbers to those who pre-ordered books for the order of buying them. So the book doesn't come out until midnight, right? Well, I'm #556. And there was definitely less than half the list highlighted. So yeah. Let's see how long it takes them to get to #556. Especially taking into account that I got my wristband, oh, over 6 hours before I can actually purchase the book.

But I am ALL KINDS OF EXCITED!!!!!

UPDATE, about 2 AM: We got into the store at about 12:40, and had gotten the book and left the store by 12:50. SO COOL! It was fun. Though I suppose somewhat odd, given that they had us all out in the street... and it was policepeople directing who got into the store and whatnot... but so cool! I'm about to start reading it... let's see if I get through it or not.

UPDATE, a bit before 8 AM: And I'm done. SO GOOD. Now more people need to read it so I have someone to talk to about it. Because, just yeah. Wow. But I won't say anything yet. Promise.

19.7.07

happy fluff

S is in the country, so that's all kinds of goodness.

Tomorrow is Friday! And in less than 31 hours I can get my hands on Deathly Hallows! :-)

And, did I mention, I'm going to pick up S like now? So basically life is awesome.

18.7.07

proof again that i'm a worry wart, part gazillion

I think I've lost my favorite necklace... please, please, please appear. Because I love you, and you aren't any of the places that I thought I had left you.

I'm kind of a nervous wreck right now. Mostly, because S is en route and I'm a worry wart. Duh.

HP progresses well. And to all of the poo-poo-ers of HP out there... well, I won't say anything vulgar, but it's kinda ridiculous. Because HP is great fun. And people who don't like great fun are poo-poo-ers, in my book. Especially if you rip on it and have NEVER READ it, or have only read Sorcerer's Stone or Chamber of Secrets.

16.7.07

feliz cumple marido mio

HAPPY BIRTHDAY S!!

My hubby's a year older. awwwww....

blah blah

You have got to love all of the negative adjectives... am I really like this?

Advanced Global Personality Test Results
Extraversion |||||||||||| 50%
Stability |||||||||| 36%
Orderliness |||||||||||||| 60%
Accommodation |||||||||||| 50%
Interdependence |||||| 30%
Intellectual |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Mystical |||||| 23%
Artistic |||||||||||| 50%
Religious |||||||||||||||||||| 90%
Hedonism |||||||||||||| 56%
Materialism |||||||||||||||| 63%
Narcissism |||||||||||||||| 63%
Adventurousness |||||| 23%
Work ethic |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Self absorbed |||||||||||| 43%
Conflict seeking |||||||||| 36%
Need to dominate |||||||||||||||| 70%
Romantic |||||||||||||| 56%
Avoidant |||||||||||| 50%
Anti-authority |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Wealth |||||||||||| 43%
Dependency |||||||||||| 43%
Change averse |||||||||||||||| 63%
Cautiousness |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Individuality |||||| 30%
Sexuality |||||||||||||||| 63%
Peter pan complex |||| 16%
Physical security |||||||||||||||||||| 90%
Physical Fitness |||||||||||||||| 70%
Histrionic |||||| 30%
Paranoia |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Vanity |||||||||||||||| 63%
Hypersensitivity |||||||||||||||||| 76%
Indie |||||||||| 31%
Take Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com


Stability results were moderately low which suggests you are worrying, insecure, emotional, and anxious.

Orderliness results were moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly organized, reliable, neat, and hard working at the expense of flexibility, efficiency, spontaneity, and fun.

Extraversion results were medium which suggests you are moderately talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting.

trait snapshot:
neat freak, organized, worrying, phobic, fears the unknown, irritable, pessimistic, emotionally sensitive, fears chaos, risk averse, fragile, unadventurous, depressed, frequently second guesses self, likes to fit in, does not like to stand out, perfectionist, hard working, does not like to be alone, clingy, dependent, practical, ordinary, cautious, takes precautions, good at saving money, suspicious, heart over mind, busy, altruistic

15.7.07

it was in my right shoe!

My little sister is in Canada!

Je, je, "Canadia." I'd like to visit it, some day.

While S's response to B in Canada was, hey did you see the South Park movie (yes, yes I have), mine was, um, from That 70's Show. When the guys decide to go buy beer in Canada and Fez can't find his green card. The culmination of the episode is, after being interrogated by the Mounties repeatedly, they all end up singing "O Canada." Who from band does not know the tune? Let me tell you, that made me laugh pretty hard.

13.7.07

read this

read this.

I've written about women authors (who AUTHORS just as much as male authors are) before... and c'mon, it's Gloria Steinem!!!

next week is super awesome

Ah, the week is over.

I am yet again looking forward to enjoying the weekend. Which means, of course, curling up with good ole Harry.

Harry Potter, duh.

No sean malpensados!

I'm so happy because S's birthday is on Monday, and then he will be HERE in the STATES in our HOUSE on THURSDAY! I'll stop capitalizing entire words now. But I am pretty psyched about all that. :-)

9.7.07

good movie, bad construction

I watched The Queen yesterday. And it was quite excellent. You all should see it, if you haven't. Helen Mirren is awesome.

Also, I hate the construction near my department. They close of the stairs, but then don't do anything in the closed off area. Today they removed the post office box. That angered be a bit - since they removed a different one that wasn't even near the construction a bit ago. Where am I supposed to drop my mail, now?! Everywhere else is a 5-10 minute walk out of my way. Grrrrrrrr.

8.7.07

oh, i was such a youth chorister

There were some kids in front of me in church this morning. And by kids, I mean maybe between the ages of 8 and 11. They were adorable.

So when I was walking to church this morning I ran into someone from work. This person was saying, well yes we all need [breakfast food], and when I said I was going to church, they looked at me like I was crazy. Then I felt the need to justify the fact that I was going to church because I do, not because something makes me. It was odd. I don't owe this person an explanation. Yeah, odd.

I had a hard time paying attention during the sermon. Whoops.

I realized that I am not really as far south as some people act like we are. At Easter, at a good Southern church, the whole congregation sang Handel's Hallelujah Chorus with good diction, in four part harmony, and without singing in the rests. I contrast that with this morning, when for the recessional we sang the words to a hymn with a different tune than that written. This was noted in the program. It was a fairly well-known tune (like, people should have been able to sing it without it in front of them). Alas, it was not to be. I was definitely the only person in my quarter or so of the congregation singing, and everyone else was very confused. Puf. We need some church music education, people. I felt like I was in the choir again - trying to gently lead everyone else along.

On a different note - last night was awesome. Relatives stopped by on their way to a different vacation destination - we ordered in pizza and sat around chatting. It was great. They are awesome. In fact, it made my weekend. Woohoo!

7.7.07

Saturday might be my favorite day of the week

Saturdays are just wonderful days. I understand why 9-5 people enjoy them and look forward to them so much.

To be honest, this summer I'm really an 8:15 to anytime between 1 and 4, depending on the day. Wednesday totally felt like a Saturday to me.

S is coming! So I'm super excited about that. I'm also super excited that some relatives are driving through and I'll get to see them tonight (hence the cleaning frenzy).

I've also been going through my reading lists... though as I have been sifting through the library books that have taken over my dining table, in the hopes of reducing them to a manageable order or meaning, I've found a few that I think I can return. And a few that, bar a few chapters, I can also return. Though I keep thinking - what if I need them again? Well, um, that is what the library is for, right? Taking books out again?

I'm also slowly coming to grips with the fact that I don't need to keep all the clothes I have. I have some clothes that I don't think I've worn in the last 4 years, but I don't want to get rid of them because, well, I might want to wear them again. This is of course totally ignoring that I really don't have any intention to wear them, and I would much rather just buy new clothing, but I am restraining myself because I don't have anywhere to store new clothing. So, I think when I move in August, it will also be a, I never wear this, so it's going out to Goodwill binge. Unless it's not.

A side product of my going through the books (are on the table, table, table... sorry, I couldn't resist), I've remembered how many truly awesome books are on my PhD reading lists and how I am really looking forward to reading them. Like, dorkily so. But then I have all of the other books that I'm also reading at the same time - I've lapsed back into my keeping several books going at the same time - though I suppose it was more odd that I was only reading 1 book at a time for a few months. I just can't decide what to pick up next, so I start a few at once. However, by mid next week I need to be starting Potter mania or I won't get through all 6 before 7 comes out. (yes, perhaps I'm being ridiculous in leaving myself only about 10 days to get through them all, but really, they go quickly. I probably could start the week of. But S is getting here that week, so I'm giving myself a cushion).

Well... the seductive call of the clothes piled on my bed waiting for storage is quite effective...

4.7.07

July 4

Happy Independence Day.

My favorite Independence Day was actually one that I spent in Chile - I put US Flags all over the house, taught S the national anthem, and tried to find uniquely "American" food - which ended up being blueberry muffins (box mix!) and twice baked potatoes (which everyone thought were quite odd at first). Cheddar cheese. Yum.

However, this Independence Day is just, um, kinda depressing. Like last year, when all I did (since I'm by myself) was make a fruit pizza with strawberries and blueberries. But this year is worse, because my country has been, um, flushed down the toilet. At least, her better parts. Which is part of why I totally agree with Keith Olbermann's Special Comment - I don't watch TV in the US, but I certainly read the papers.

Bush, Cheney should resign

“I didn’t vote for him,” an American once said, “But he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”

That—on this eve of the 4th of July—is the essence of this democracy, in 17 words. And that is what President Bush threw away yesterday in commuting the sentence of Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

The man who said those 17 words—improbably enough—was the actor John Wayne. And Wayne, an ultra-conservative, said them, when he learned of the hair’s-breadth election of John F. Kennedy instead of his personal favorite, Richard Nixon in 1960.

“I didn’t vote for him but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”

The sentiment was doubtlessly expressed earlier, but there is something especially appropriate about hearing it, now, in Wayne’s voice: The crisp matter-of-fact acknowledgement that we have survived, even though for nearly two centuries now, our Commander-in-Chief has also served, simultaneously, as the head of one political party and often the scourge of all others.

We as citizens must, at some point, ignore a president’s partisanship. Not that we may prosper as a nation, not that we may achieve, not that we may lead the world—but merely that we may function.

But just as essential to the seventeen words of John Wayne, is an implicit trust—a sacred trust: That the president for whom so many did not vote, can in turn suspend his political self long enough, and for matters imperative enough, to conduct himself solely for the benefit of the entire Republic.

Our generation’s willingness to state “we didn’t vote for him, but he’s our president, and we hope he does a good job,” was tested in the crucible of history, and earlier than most.

And in circumstances more tragic and threatening. And we did that with which history tasked us.

We enveloped our President in 2001.And those who did not believe he should have been elected—indeed those who did not believe he had been elected—willingly lowered their voices and assented to the sacred oath of non-partisanship.

And George W. Bush took our assent, and re-configured it, and honed it, and shaped it to a razor-sharp point and stabbed this nation in the back with it.

Were there any remaining lingering doubt otherwise, or any remaining lingering hope, it ended yesterday when Mr. Bush commuted the prison sentence of one of his own staffers.

Did so even before the appeals process was complete; did so without as much as a courtesy consultation with the Department of Justice; did so despite what James Madison—at the Constitutional Convention—said about impeaching any president who pardoned or sheltered those who had committed crimes “advised by” that president; did so without the slightest concern that even the most detached of citizens must look at the chain of events and wonder: To what degree was Mr. Libby told: break the law however you wish—the President will keep you out of prison?

In that moment, Mr. Bush, you broke that fundamental com-pact between yourself and the majority of this nation’s citizens—the ones who did not cast votes for you. In that moment, Mr. Bush, you ceased to be the President of the United States. In that moment, Mr. Bush, you became merely the President of a rabid and irresponsible corner of the Republican Party. And this is too important a time, Sir, to have a commander-in-chief who puts party over nation.

This has been, of course, the gathering legacy of this Administration. Few of its decisions have escaped the stain of politics. The extraordinary Karl Rove has spoken of “a permanent Republican majority,” as if such a thing—or a permanent Democratic majority—is not antithetical to that upon which rests: our country, our history, our revolution, our freedoms.

Yet our Democracy has survived shrewder men than Karl Rove. And it has survived the frequent stain of politics upon the fabric of government. But this administration, with ever-increasing insistence and almost theocratic zealotry, has turned that stain into a massive oil spill.

The protection of the environment is turned over to those of one political party, who will financially benefit from the rape of the environment. The protections of the Constitution are turned over to those of one political party, who believe those protections unnecessary and extravagant and quaint.

The enforcement of the laws is turned over to those of one political party, who will swear beforehand that they will not enforce those laws. The choice between war and peace is turned over to those of one political party, who stand to gain vast wealth by ensuring that there is never peace, but only war.

And now, when just one cooked book gets corrected by an honest auditor, when just one trampling of the inherent and inviolable fairness of government is rejected by an impartial judge, when just one wild-eyed partisan is stopped by the figure of blind justice, this President decides that he, and not the law, must prevail.

I accuse you, Mr. Bush, of lying this country into war.

I accuse you of fabricating in the minds of your own people, a false implied link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11.

I accuse you of firing the generals who told you that the plans for Iraq were disastrously insufficient.

I accuse you of causing in Iraq the needless deaths of 3,586 of our brothers and sons, and sisters and daughters, and friends and neighbors.

I accuse you of subverting the Constitution, not in some misguided but sincerely-motivated struggle to combat terrorists, but to stifle dissent.

I accuse you of fomenting fear among your own people, of creating the very terror you claim to have fought.

I accuse you of exploiting that unreasoning fear, the natural fear of your own people who just want to live their lives in peace, as a political tool to slander your critics and libel your opponents.

I accuse you of handing part of this Republic over to a Vice President who is without conscience, and letting him run roughshod over it.

And I accuse you now, Mr. Bush, of giving, through that Vice President, carte blanche to Mr. Libby, to help defame Ambassador Joseph Wilson by any means necessary, to lie to Grand Juries and Special Counsel and before a court, in order to protect the mechanisms and particulars of that defamation, with your guarantee that Libby would never see prison, and, in so doing, as Ambassador Wilson himself phrased it here last night, of becoming an accessory to the obstruction of justice.

When President Nixon ordered the firing of the Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the infamous “Saturday Night Massacre” on October 20th, 1973, Cox initially responded tersely, and ominously.

“Whether ours shall be a government of laws and not of men, is now for Congress, and ultimately, the American people.”

President Nixon did not understand how he had crystallized the issue of Watergate for the American people.

It had been about the obscure meaning behind an attempt to break in to a rival party’s headquarters; and the labyrinthine effort to cover-up that break-in and the related crimes.

And in one night, Nixon transformed it.

Watergate—instantaneously—became a simpler issue: a President overruling the inexorable march of the law of insisting—in a way that resonated viscerally with millions who had not previously understood - that he was the law.

Not the Constitution. Not the Congress. Not the Courts. Just him.

Just - Mr. Bush - as you did, yesterday.

The twists and turns of Plame-Gate, of your precise and intricate lies that sent us into this bottomless pit of Iraq; your lies upon the lies to discredit Joe Wilson; your lies upon the lies upon the lies to throw the sand at the “referee” of Prosecutor Fitzgerald’s analogy. These are complex and often painful to follow, and too much, perhaps, for the average citizen.

But when other citizens render a verdict against your man, Mr. Bush—and then you spit in the faces of those jurors and that judge and the judges who were yet to hear the appeal—the average citizen understands that, Sir.

It’s the fixed ballgame and the rigged casino and the pre-arranged lottery all rolled into one—and it stinks. And they know it.

Nixon’s mistake, the last and most fatal of them, the firing of Archibald Cox, was enough to cost him the presidency. And in the end, even Richard Nixon could say he could not put this nation through an impeachment.

It was far too late for it to matter then, but as the decades unfold, that single final gesture of non-partisanship, of acknowledged responsibility not to self, not to party, not to “base,” but to country, echoes loudly into history. Even Richard Nixon knew it was time to resign

Would that you could say that, Mr. Bush. And that you could say it for Mr. Cheney. You both crossed the Rubicon yesterday. Which one of you chose the route, no longer matters. Which is the ventriloquist, and which the dummy, is irrelevant.

But that you have twisted the machinery of government into nothing more than a tawdry machine of politics, is the only fact that remains relevant.

It is nearly July 4th, Mr. Bush, the commemoration of the moment we Americans decided that rather than live under a King who made up the laws, or erased them, or ignored them—or commuted the sentences of those rightly convicted under them—we would force our independence, and regain our sacred freedoms.

We of this time—and our leaders in Congress, of both parties—must now live up to those standards which echo through our history: Pressure, negotiate, impeach—get you, Mr. Bush, and Mr. Cheney, two men who are now perilous to our Democracy, away from its helm.

For you, Mr. Bush, and for Mr. Cheney, there is a lesser task. You need merely achieve a very low threshold indeed. Display just that iota of patriotism which Richard Nixon showed, on August 9th, 1974.

Resign.

And give us someone—anyone—about whom all of us might yet be able to quote John Wayne, and say, “I didn’t vote for him, but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”

2.7.07

This is so wrong

Rate Schedule

Oh, new immigration fee rates. Because it wasn't expensive enough as it was. They go into effect July 30. Just an example - a Relative petition fee will go from $190 to $355. That is an 87% increase. Puf.

gorgeous

Today is a marvelously beautiful day! It's July and I have my windows open with a fan bringing fresh air into the apartment. It's quite delightful.

And something else quite delightful? That Emma Watson (who plays Hermione in the HP movies) is a feminist. Huzzah :-)

1.7.07

musings on government and july

Hey, at least the press is calling the Bush Administration on their, um, crap. From the New York Times:

Last week, in a bit of especially mendacious spin, Tony Fratto, the White House deputy press secretary, responded to the subpoenas on the illegal wiretapping by saying, “It’s unfortunate that Congressional Democrats continue to choose the route of confrontation.”

Actually, Mr. Bush chose that route long ago by defining consultation as a chance for lawmakers to hear about decisions he had already made, bipartisanship as a chance for Democrats to join Republicans in rubber-stamping those choices and Congressional oversight as self-serving and possibly seditious. At this point, confrontation is far preferable to the path the Republican majority in Congress chose for so many years — capitulation.


So true, so true. Now if only the Democratic Congress would actually, like, take action.

And since it is July 1 - today in church they carried in the flag and everything, and the recessional was "My country 'tis of thee." I realized, we only ever sang the first verse at school. It doesn't really get religious until verse four. But I was thinking, how odd it must feel for a non-American citizen to go to church this weekend, only to be surrounded by people singing national songs. In Chile near September 18th they didn't sing patriotic songs in church. That said, I did like singing it because it just felt right. But that doesn't mean that it would feel right for everyone. Thoughts?

My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim's pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!

My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love.
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture fills
Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song.
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

Our father's God to, Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King!


Some blog posts on the topic here and here.