I also made a Jack-O-Lantern. See:
I feel a bit sick from all the sugar I've consumed over the last few days. Yeesh.
All in all, though, it was a Happy Halloween. :)
I hope yours was too.
Love,
Elizabeth
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Creme Pies:
I made the Pumpkin Creme Pies that I wrote about when I was sick. They are amazing. I forgot to take pictures so I'll just have to make them again. ;p
I also made a Jack-O-Lantern. See:
I feel a bit sick from all the sugar I've consumed over the last few days. Yeesh.
All in all, though, it was a Happy Halloween. :)
I hope yours was too.
Love,
Elizabeth
I also made a Jack-O-Lantern. See:
I feel a bit sick from all the sugar I've consumed over the last few days. Yeesh.
All in all, though, it was a Happy Halloween. :)
I hope yours was too.
Love,
Elizabeth
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sad and True:
Also, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11646976 on Oxford's protest of tuition raises in the UK. I wish I had the time to share how interesting this debate has been for a US student to witness. All I will say is while I admire these protests, I wish they would've chosen a better time as their concentric march around the Rad Cam was horribly disrupting for those of us who have to work.
Enjoy the sad and depressing video above. :)
Love,
Elizabeth
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
It's Still Relevant:
Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
by Dr. Seuss
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.
Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.
I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.
You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.
You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.
And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.
No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.
I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.
And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.
But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.
You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)
Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!
Love,
Elizabeth
P.S. If I've posted the whole text before I don't apologize. It's still awesome no matter how many times you read it. :) You are most welcome.
by Dr. Seuss
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.
Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.
I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.
You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.
You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.
And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.
No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.
I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.
And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.
But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.
You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)
Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!
Love,
Elizabeth
P.S. If I've posted the whole text before I don't apologize. It's still awesome no matter how many times you read it. :) You are most welcome.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Balancing Act:
I'm a busy gal. If I never respond to your emails or you can't get a hold of me on the phone, this is why. Here's a list of the things I have to do throughout any given week of term.
1. Thesis: Research, Writing, Editing, etc. It takes up a lot of time.
2. Deaning: College meetings, Dean's hours, shutting down bops, etc. EMAIL. There is SO MUCH EMAIL. It takes up less time than my thesis these days, but that's because I now stay out of my room and hide in the library.
3. Seminars: I go to some (Medieval History Seminar, Medieval English Research Seminar...) and I co-convene one, the best one...Medieval Church and Culture (MCC for short). It's on Tuesday nights at 5:15. We talk about the medieval church and culture. :)
4. Chapel: I'm a bible clerk in the College chapel. Did I never tell you this? I've been doing it for a year. On Sundays and Thursdays I help make sure the services run smoothly and once a week I read the College Prayer at dinner. I light candles, read the lessons, ring the bell, hand out hymnals, and sometimes I'm the thurifer (that's right, incense baby!). I don't give this up because it's good for my soul. I love Sundays and Thursdays.
5. Tutoring: I attend (almost) weekly teaching training seminars and sit in on weekly British III tutorials (1330-1550). I read the students' essays and do the background reading so I don't look entirely stupid and in training I read pedagogy on university teaching. Just so you know deep learning is what we want people, not surface learning. Oh and I get to write a teaching portfolio at the end of this term, woo! (Sarcastic woo, but it is important and I'll be glad to accomplish it.)
6. Latin: I try and practice my Latin several days a week, but now I'm actually translating some for money. I do not know why I agreed to do this. I am crazy. (I do not have time for French and German, which I still need to improve on and learn respectively.)
I also try and see my friends, go to the gym, cook dinners for myself, and watch the occasional tv show (ok I lie, I watch it more than I should!). Basically, it's the beginning of week 3 of 8 and I'm already tired. BUT, and this is crucial, I'm managing. I really am. I'm no longer striving for perfection, I'm just striving for balance. I wrote the first part of my first chapter of my thesis last week and now I'm working on the beginning of another chapter. And you know what? I don't care how good it is, I'm just super, super excited to get it all out of my brain and onto paper. It feels so wonderful to accomplish something. I'll make it good later. For now, it's just so amazing to feel happily busy and productive. I like this feeling. :) And now, back to it. I've got a lot to do.
Love and balance to all,
Elizabeth
1. Thesis: Research, Writing, Editing, etc. It takes up a lot of time.
2. Deaning: College meetings, Dean's hours, shutting down bops, etc. EMAIL. There is SO MUCH EMAIL. It takes up less time than my thesis these days, but that's because I now stay out of my room and hide in the library.
3. Seminars: I go to some (Medieval History Seminar, Medieval English Research Seminar...) and I co-convene one, the best one...Medieval Church and Culture (MCC for short). It's on Tuesday nights at 5:15. We talk about the medieval church and culture. :)
4. Chapel: I'm a bible clerk in the College chapel. Did I never tell you this? I've been doing it for a year. On Sundays and Thursdays I help make sure the services run smoothly and once a week I read the College Prayer at dinner. I light candles, read the lessons, ring the bell, hand out hymnals, and sometimes I'm the thurifer (that's right, incense baby!). I don't give this up because it's good for my soul. I love Sundays and Thursdays.
5. Tutoring: I attend (almost) weekly teaching training seminars and sit in on weekly British III tutorials (1330-1550). I read the students' essays and do the background reading so I don't look entirely stupid and in training I read pedagogy on university teaching. Just so you know deep learning is what we want people, not surface learning. Oh and I get to write a teaching portfolio at the end of this term, woo! (Sarcastic woo, but it is important and I'll be glad to accomplish it.)
6. Latin: I try and practice my Latin several days a week, but now I'm actually translating some for money. I do not know why I agreed to do this. I am crazy. (I do not have time for French and German, which I still need to improve on and learn respectively.)
I also try and see my friends, go to the gym, cook dinners for myself, and watch the occasional tv show (ok I lie, I watch it more than I should!). Basically, it's the beginning of week 3 of 8 and I'm already tired. BUT, and this is crucial, I'm managing. I really am. I'm no longer striving for perfection, I'm just striving for balance. I wrote the first part of my first chapter of my thesis last week and now I'm working on the beginning of another chapter. And you know what? I don't care how good it is, I'm just super, super excited to get it all out of my brain and onto paper. It feels so wonderful to accomplish something. I'll make it good later. For now, it's just so amazing to feel happily busy and productive. I like this feeling. :) And now, back to it. I've got a lot to do.
Love and balance to all,
Elizabeth
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Laborare est orare:
Some learned phrases that sum-up my life right now (and appropriately come from the Bible and the Middle Ages)...
Proverbs 23: 12 -
'Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.'
Alijt Bake, 1451 -
'Whatever I learned I wrote down so I would not forget it, and thus in speaking and pondering and learning and writing and erasing and again rewriting I spent all my time.'
'They could not put me at peace, because I was already seeking a higher and fathomless good which they neither knew nor tasted.'
Love, peace, and prayer to all,
Elizabeth
Proverbs 23: 12 -
'Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.'
Alijt Bake, 1451 -
'Whatever I learned I wrote down so I would not forget it, and thus in speaking and pondering and learning and writing and erasing and again rewriting I spent all my time.'
'They could not put me at peace, because I was already seeking a higher and fathomless good which they neither knew nor tasted.'
Love, peace, and prayer to all,
Elizabeth
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Smeals:
My best friend is awesome. She can make me laugh no matter how hard I'm crying. She lives life with passion, fun, and honesty. She loves her family and her friends. She's the coolest. Also, she loves her job. In fact, she loves her job so much that she never does it badly. She gets up at 4:30 in the morning and goes to work to make sure that people have a good start to the day through her friendly smile, her good service, and a yummy breakfast. She's awesome. The people of Louisville have recognized this, and Emelia has been nominated for a Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) award this year! Voting ends October 29th. If you'd like to vote for my Smeals, please visit http://www.louisvillevolunteer.com/dev/default.cfm?eventID=35 and vote. All you have to do is click on 'Voting', then on 'Restaurants' and then enter your email address next to Emelia's name. When you press enter, you've voted. Emelia is some people's first introduction to the type of people we have in Louisville. She's a fantastic representative of our great city and I'm so proud to call her my best friend.
Love to all,
Elizabeth
Love to all,
Elizabeth
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Hot Toddy:
I'm still sick. The doctor won't give me meds, saying they're probably bad for me. Not sure if I trust him. As a result, I'm taking the holistic approach and drinking hot toddies (sp??). One of my students brought me one yesterday (bless) and gave me the recipe. Apparently all British mums make this when their kids are sick. I have to say, it did help for the afternoon. Not a cure all, but hey, nice to feel good for a few hours.
Hot Toddy:
Juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp Whiskey (or Bourbon, or Rum)
Rest of Mug full of Hot/Boiling water
Sugar or Honey to taste.
Have one. It's warming. :)
Love to all,
Elizabeth (cough cough cough)
Hot Toddy:
Juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp Whiskey (or Bourbon, or Rum)
Rest of Mug full of Hot/Boiling water
Sugar or Honey to taste.
Have one. It's warming. :)
Love to all,
Elizabeth (cough cough cough)
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Random Thoughts This Gal Has While Ill:
ILL in all caps in the above font looks like a Roman numeral III.
I want to make these:
Don't they look delicious? Mmm...Pumpkin Creme Pies. Can someone mail me canned pumpkin?
My nephew is 5. He's been 5 for a while. I was looking at his birthday pictures again today and it hit me that HE. IS. 5. Good grief. Oh, and he's handsome too. See:
My thesis uses a niche topic (parenthood) to explain a larger phenomenon of intercommunication between the laity and the Church in late-medieval England. This is pretty cool.
I wish there were more hours in the day.
I am far too much of a social person. I HATE lying in bed all day alone.
Being sick when I was little was ok because I got to stay home with Mom or Dad all day. I don't get to do this now. This sucks. Mom and Dad, I know that parentally it would've been irresponsible to leave me home alone when sick when I was little, but I kinda wish you had. Then I would've been conditioned to being alone. Now I just miss you guys. Of course, I always miss you guys.
Oxford students are far more literal and combative than others. Cleverness is often annoying.
56-0. I didn't mention that earlier. I love my Cards. I hate Memphis. 56-0 for homecoming is awesome.
I have lots of awesome friends in Oxford. It's the best part of this place. Somebody told me before I left home that it would be hard to make friends here. That this place is stuffy and full of itself. That is true. But the bit about the friends isn't. I couldn't imagine going through the struggle of a PhD or being away from home (and the people there) without them. Here's a few group photos of some of my wonderful friends:
Kunal, James, Jenna, Gerhard, Phil, Emma, Sam, Me, Senthuran
Jen, Melissa, Hannah, Me, Oksan, Krista
Anna, Tomoe, Aoife, Me, Yuki
It's because of them and for those I love most at home (y'all know who you are) that I persevere and refuse to give up. Thank you all for the love and support. When I'm ill these last thoughts are the most frequent and most healing of all.
Love and thanks to all,
Elizabeth
I want to make these:
Don't they look delicious? Mmm...Pumpkin Creme Pies. Can someone mail me canned pumpkin?
My nephew is 5. He's been 5 for a while. I was looking at his birthday pictures again today and it hit me that HE. IS. 5. Good grief. Oh, and he's handsome too. See:
My thesis uses a niche topic (parenthood) to explain a larger phenomenon of intercommunication between the laity and the Church in late-medieval England. This is pretty cool.
I wish there were more hours in the day.
I am far too much of a social person. I HATE lying in bed all day alone.
Being sick when I was little was ok because I got to stay home with Mom or Dad all day. I don't get to do this now. This sucks. Mom and Dad, I know that parentally it would've been irresponsible to leave me home alone when sick when I was little, but I kinda wish you had. Then I would've been conditioned to being alone. Now I just miss you guys. Of course, I always miss you guys.
Oxford students are far more literal and combative than others. Cleverness is often annoying.
56-0. I didn't mention that earlier. I love my Cards. I hate Memphis. 56-0 for homecoming is awesome.
I have lots of awesome friends in Oxford. It's the best part of this place. Somebody told me before I left home that it would be hard to make friends here. That this place is stuffy and full of itself. That is true. But the bit about the friends isn't. I couldn't imagine going through the struggle of a PhD or being away from home (and the people there) without them. Here's a few group photos of some of my wonderful friends:
Kunal, James, Jenna, Gerhard, Phil, Emma, Sam, Me, Senthuran
Jen, Melissa, Hannah, Me, Oksan, Krista
Anna, Tomoe, Aoife, Me, Yuki
It's because of them and for those I love most at home (y'all know who you are) that I persevere and refuse to give up. Thank you all for the love and support. When I'm ill these last thoughts are the most frequent and most healing of all.
Love and thanks to all,
Elizabeth
Monday, October 11, 2010
Freshers' Flu = Gold Star Thief:
Crap. I got the Freshers' Flu. I was doing so well. Managing work and social things. Writing like a...(what's the end to that sentence? I mean really? Because I'm not an author in a strict sense and no one wants me to write the word writer because I've just said 'Writing'. I'm gonna go with...) essayist. Or efficient grad student. Hmm...yes, I like that better. Anyhoo. Today? Well today I've slept for all but six hours because I have no energy. It's gone. And I can't see. My eyes are swollen with some sort of allergic annoyance that makes them drip, but I'm not crying. I think my students thought I was crying. I feel a lot like Garfield. Sleep, wake up, eat, sleep, sleep, wake up, eat, sleep, wake up, eat, and sleep. That's my day. I REALLY hope that in doing this today I'm better by tomorrow. There is absolutely no room for this at all, let alone more than one day of it. I have a big piece of work due Friday (and the next Friday, and the next, and so on), which I want to and will complete on time. And quite frankly, I want a gold star. It really sucks not getting one today.
Off to eat now and then sleep.
Love to all,
Elizabeth
Off to eat now and then sleep.
Love to all,
Elizabeth
Thursday, October 07, 2010
This Is Why My Schedule Includes Internet Time:
The Internet is a dangerous thing. It must be controlled.
Love to all,
Elizabeth
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Gold Star:
Just to let you know that I've had an awesomely productive day so far today. I've even managed to maintain the separation from Dean-stuff and Thesis-stuff. I got up at 6:45 and went straight to the gym. Got in a good workout, came home, cleaned up, ate and got to the library by 9:30. I worked straight on til lunch and ended up writing 1700 words! They aren't perfect words. Not all are usable. They could be better organized. But they are out of my brain and onto the page. I'm struggling a bit now simply because I'm tired, but I am determined to keep going. I have not felt this proud of myself in a very long time. I'm at 2245 words for the day. :) Only 97,755 to go. Woo!
Love to all,
Elizabeth
Love to all,
Elizabeth
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
I Can Has Organization:
I'm in the process of hyper-organizing my life (and DPhil) so that I cannot fail. Essentially, I'm dictating what I do each day by planning a week or two in advance. My days are divided into hour-long increments in which activities such as "Shower", "Gym" and "Lunch" are fitted in. I have a GIANT white board with my thesis plan on one side and tasks still do to on another. I have a room, in which only thesis-related things happen. There is no Internet in there. Also, there is no heat (but that's not technically relevant). I've reduced my Dean's hours, put up message boards, and asked my friends and colleagues here to tell me if I start doing too much work for the job (as is my natural state, apparently). Why am I doing all of this really? Well, I want to finish this PhD. I want to argue something interesting and intelligent; something uniquely my own. And then I want to defend it, make the corrections, and come home. I am tired of school. I am tired. Also, I want to teach school. I do not want to be in school. I think it is good that I know this. I'm realistic about who I am. I'm finally starting to see what I want. And what I want is to enjoy this city and this University as a student who is not so overburdened with job stress and responsibility that she cannot work on her thesis. So I've made lists. And charts. And I have gold stars. Yes, actual gold stars. And guess what? I'm kind of excited about it all. I'm totally going to write a kick ass thesis (pardon my language...it's needed for the effect). So yeah. That's me. Just being horribly honest. It's my new thing. Oh, and organization. But I've got to go because my time is up here. It's email admin time now. :)
Love to all,
Elizabeth
Love to all,
Elizabeth
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