School's out for SUMMER!

I finished my summer school classes! (One diversity term paper and ESL curriculum DONE.) To celebrate, today Ari and I went to see The Man Who Fell to Earth (the Bowie sci-fi film is playing at the local arthouse theater), and then I ordered a brownie sundae (vegan, of course), and THEN I bought some 4-inch platform shoes at DSW for $30. So I can be a giant.

Perhaps my "summer school is finito" celebration was a bit excessive.

I have a feeling this is a common summer school conundrum.

Aagghh. Writing a paper on a Saturday night does not work if your neighbors decide to throw a patio party and blast reggaeton/rap/banda etc. music until after 1:30am (it's still going). And it's too hot to close a window.

Blerg.

Don't Judge

So today, I asked my students to write about a "turning point" in their lives, and to imagine how their lives could have/would have/might have been different if that turning point had not happened (we're practicing conditional right now).

When I've done this topic in the past, I've noticed that it tends to bring up topics from the students' past that can be painful or depressing (how they had to leave their family behind when they came illegally to the U.S., for example). However, I wasn't really worried about students writing those types of stories today, as I naively assumed that because most of my students are quite rich, they generally must lead privileged, happy lives.

Wrong! One of my Japanese students today wrote a story about how she got kidnapped when she was 5 years old. And how she was held for ransom for three days, until her kidnappers gave her up (and were apparently arrested by the police). What am I supposed to say to that?

I guess it just makes me thankful, in a way, that I have as much time as I do (12 weeks, if the students stay for the whole session) to try to get to know these individuals and where they come from. It's a good wake up call now and then to realize that there is no way I will ever have them figured out (as much as I subconsciously assume so), and that is, ultimately, a good thing, I think. It's a reason I love teaching.

Talkin' Bout My Generation

The cafe at Teachers College always hosts a local music group/singer on Wednesday evenings. Tonight (right now, as I'm posting this) they have a folk pair playing covers on acoustic guitar and harmonica-piano (What is that instrument actually called?).

And they just played "No One Else" by Weezer. YES! So great. I don't think I've ever heard anyone play that live (not even Weezer the one time I saw them). These kids are definitely from my generation.

Czech Yo'self

You know NYC has a lot of summer movie series when it's even offering a series of free Czech movies.

I mean, call me ethnocentric, but how many famous Czech movies are there really?

Sans meubles, mais ici!

I am officially a resident of Brooklyn! Or "the BK," as all the cool kids call it.
Ari and I moved in on Thursday night (a last minute rush decision, as it turned out I'd have to move by myself if I waited until Friday). We loaded up a hired minivan in Harlem at 10:30pm and got everything moved into our 4th-floor walk-up by 1am. Hooray!

We also have essentially no furniture. Thankfully our kitchen has a bar, so we basically just ate our meals standing around that. Until yesterday, that is, when we made a trip out to Ikea and bought some bars stools. ($20 each! What a steal!)

Now our next pressing order of business is getting a microwave. I complained to my coworkers today about our lack of a microwave, and they made fun of me for not being willing to heat everything up on the stove or in the oven. But I do not retract my opinion. The radiation from microwaves may be dangerous, but it's so much faster and easier to use, gosh darn it!

Anyway, this turning into a rambling, pointless post. My main point is: I have moved into my new place. I will post some pics as soon as it looks somewhat decent.

And if you want to send me a microwave as a housewarming gift, I will graciously accept it.

The number of Raggedy Ann and Andy items at the local thrift store is really quite disturbing. (I didn't get a photo, but we found plastic 3D cutouts you could hang on the wall, original paintings, and various items of dishware.)

I just watched Beyonce's performance for the Billboard Music Awards. Pretty awesome show--although did anyone else notice the similarities to the White Stripes' music video for Seven Nation Army? Triangles. Red, white and black color scheme. Elephant skulls!

What can I say? The White Stripes were iconic in a lot of ways. So iconic that perhaps echoes of their style have carried over to Beyonce.

Since it appears the world has not ended yet...let's go shopping!!

I bought my first leopard print item of clothing today. What a milestone! AND...it was Crocs brand. Yes, I bought leopard-print Crocs shoes.

Before you gasp in horror and vow never to speak to me again, please check out the link for the shoes. They are actually cuter than the picture, and the best part is, the "Crocs" branding isn't anywhere noticeable on the shoe!

So yes. That was my the-world's-not-actually-ending-so-I'll-spend-money purchase. Good times.

Thoughts at 12:20am After Spending the Last Hour Scrambling to Sign Up For Summer School Courses

I almost wish the world would end so that I wouldn't have to take summer school.

Meek's Cutoff

Also, I saw this movie over the weekend:



Has anyone else seen it? I would like to know what others think (other than the reviewers on the film podcasts I listen to).

Some catching up

Well, now that the cat is mostly out of the bag, I will allow it to completely escape: I am moving to Brooklyn!

OK, maybe that news wasn't as exciting as I built it up to be. No weddings, no babies. BUT I will be moving into an apartment with Ari in Prospect/Crown Heights on June 4, and I am really excited to have (virtually) my own apartment! That means I will be able to eat ANYTHING I WANT in the kitchen!

OK, I was actually able to eat everything when I lived at home in Monrovia, too. But then, you kind of take that kind of thing for granted at your parents' house.

Also, I have successfully completed my first year of grad school! Only one more year to go! To celebrate, I went to the best thrift store in all 5 boroughs (most thrift stores in the city are picked over and overpriced) and went on a shopping spree: $35 spent on 7 articles of clothing (2 skirts, a sweater, a shirt, 2 scarves, a dress). So satisfying.

And finally, a bit of annoying news: I think my iPod is dying a slow death. It keeps freezing in the middle of my podcasts. I looked up the problem online, and it looks like either the battery or the hard drive is failing. Both of which cannot really be replaced for a reasonable sum of money, so it looks like I may just have to get a new iPod when I get frustrated enough with this one. But we've been through so much together! Actually, not really. I've only had this one for about 4 years. I think iPods should last longer than that.

Also, I really don't have the money to buy a new one at the moment. The next big holiday is Christmas, so perhaps I'll just end up buying a nano or something to tide me over until I bite the BIG bullet and get an iPhone. (SOMEDAY! SOMEDAY I will have money again.)

OK, that was a rambling post. But I'm in high spirits because I have no classes until Thursday (when summer school starts). Hoooooraayyy for free time!

Mmm

Couscous, Trader Joe's hot sauce, and peas (from the freezer). This is the dinner I am eating right now. I need to go grocery shopping.


In other news, I am DONE with my final exams, as of 7pm this evening! Unfortunately, summer school begins on May 19. But until then...DONE.

Happy Mama Day

Unfortunately I do not have any cute pictures of my mom holding me as a baby; all of those remain in photo albums in the family room back in Monrovia.

So this picture, taken with my holga camera about 3 years ago, will have to suffice:



I LOVE YOU MOM!
Wish I were with you today.

No Artificial Colors or Flavors, Guaranteed!

I may be 26 years old, but I am not above guilt-tripping my mom about not sending me candy for Easter.

And look what mine guilt-inducing effort hath brought:

Loose jelly beans!

I'm rich!! With three varieties of jelly beans. The post-Easter pickins are slim when you're vegan. But these sweets will do quite nicely. Thank you Mom!

Typing Icelandic names into your reference list is a real b***h.

If only it were a real language--it'd be so much easier.

An example:

Rögnvaldsson, E. (1990). Íslensk orðhlutafræði: Kennslukver handa nemendum á háskólastigi.[Icelandic morphology: textbook for university students] (4^th ed). Reykjavík: Málvísindastofnun.


Disclaimer: I know it probably looks really cool that I'm citing Icelandic stuff in my term papers...but unfortunately I know a total of zero Icelandic words. This reference was simply cited within another reference I used about grammar rules.

What a mighty good man

So yesterday was kind of a crappy day for me. Last full week of classes, and one of my professors (who meant well, I know) decided to add an extra class to cover extra material. Consequently I had 6 straight hours of syntax yesterday (not my favorite topic), with additional last-minute homework assigned, due in two days.

I then got home to find out that I would have to cancel my plans to go to a wedding, because I have an all-day mandatory orientation for summer school on Saturday.

Ari was lucky enough to speak to me during this discovery, and despite my excessively negative attitude, offered to come over tonight and cook me dinner.

Which he did. He brought all the ingredients over to my apartment, cooked it all by himself while I worked on a term paper, and then served it to me. Mashed potatoes with caramelized onions (a favorite dish of mine that he makes), veggie chorizo, and salad. With dessert afterwards and everything. I didn't take a picture, but I should have.

I tell ya. What a man.

I got school pride!

My second-ever purchase* of a collegiate hoodie: Woo! (Even though it's backwards, since I took with my webcam.) Go TEACHERS COLLEGE!

*My first purchase was my undergraduate: UC DAVIS! GO AGS!!

Another reason why warm weather is great.

Today I went out for my once-weekly jog (hopefully it will pick up after this semester finishes), and I heard what sounded like live jazz music across the street.

As I jogged past, I saw a guy sitting on the curb playing the trumpet. He was seated next to his minivan, which had the door open and was blasting jazz music. The guy was playing along to the music.

I assume he was just practicing in a way that wouldn't annoy the next door neighbors. And I'm glad he did! It added a nice kick to my day.

I hailed my first cab tonight! As in, took a taxi all by myself.

After waiting 45 minutes for the M4 bus in 37-degree rainy weather (at 11:30pm), I decided it was high time I be a true New Yorker and take a cab home.

What a milestone.