Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Its back

My wonderful, beautiful, restful, lazy days of summer have come to a screeching halt. Today as I took a breather at my desk (which suddenly I can no longer see) I realized that at some point between Monday and today I must have been shot out of a cannon and now I am clinging to the academic year roller coaster with a white knuckle grip. Today began with a grim meeting about staffing of middle east center language classes. Grim because the center was unsuccessful in its grant renewal bid and despite posturing and claims that a "reversal" at the federal level might still happen, there is no money. This is only indirectly our problem, but still having to participate in the triage is painful to watch especially when the lead "triager" is spectacularly inept.
Did then have the incredibly cool product demo with the palatometer people and we are going to buy the stuff and I am soooo excited.
Then more meetings and writing a sudden slew of recommendation letters for students and so on and so forth.
This evening spent a good hour reading aloud to Catherine from Robertson Davies' Fifth Business. The girl is not a lit chick. when I have the time and the requisite calmness I enjoy reading aloud from her assigned books. RB is such a masterful writer that I think even Catherine was captivated by some of his turns of phrase.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

research

Tomorrow a colleague and I will meet with reps from a company that makes equipment to measure (via 96 electrodes) tongue placement so we can start a project on Russian palatalized consonants. Yes, I know you are all riveted. I am excited too. It feels good to put energy into something other than: who is teaching the third section of first year Arabic?

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Another summer weekend

Went to the wedding of a band mate of Craig's last night. Won't go into too much detail. Suffice it to say that the bar served only bourbon and beer and late in the evening the bride accused someone of stealing some of her pain medication... Everything got off to a late start because the zipper broke on the bride's dress and the groom forgot his shirt and tie and had to drive home to get them. The band had a little trouble getting anyone other than the groom's father (suffering from advanced Alzheimers) to dance. Most people were outside smoking.

Us in the wedding center garden:



After that, Sam and I drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon to meet up with Catherine and her friend (of the limo birthday party) at their cabin. We arrived around 10:30 in time to join them on the deck to watch the stars and roast marshmallows. A delicious night's sleep and a late morning hike and it was back home.
View of the deck in the morning: