new term, more fun

Perhaps some beginning of term vignettes to paint a portrait of life in the chair's office.

1) New meaning for TMI: checking in on faculty member off last term for prostate cancer treatment and I receive this email.

dear jane:

thank you for the e-mail asking me about my situation.

i hope that i will be fine. i still have problems such as feelings of urgency, frequent urination and occasional bladder spasm (you do not want to hear all about these). despite the side effects, i am positive that i will be able to perform the duties.

2) Continued interaction with student who believes there are FBI spies in her Arabic class.

3) Asked colleague who needs to go out of town for family meeting to make plan for elderly mother if there is anything I can do to help. Response: "place pillow over my sister's face."

So, all in all, things are off to a rousing start.

MLA

Back from four days in Seattle at the MLA convention. It was a wonderful trip. Seattle was fabulous - and like Portland, food just beyond delicious. What is wrong with food in SLC? Here is a picture of me delivering the award for outstanding service to John Grandin. Nice, bland conference room surroundings and I have my eyes closed, but proof that I acted in my 'presidential' capacity.

Seattle was gorgeous. I managed a walk before leaving and here are a few pictures:

Walking downtown.

On the waterfront.

Flying home the pilot took us this close to Mt. Ranier.

Dream + questions

I dreamt that there was a decapitated mouse running around our house. Apparently I was responsible for its headless state, and I felt terribly sad and remorseful but as none of us could bear to look at it decided we had to put it outside. Obviously this was to consign it to a certain death. I let him go and watched as he found a stuffed animal some child had left out and snuggled up to it.

So, my dear readers: who is the mouse? who is the stuffed animal? Am I beyond redemption?

Viewing

I shall follow the good example of family members who have resolved to blog more in 2012.

Went to see Melancholia on New Year's Eve afternoon with Ellen. Stunning visually and thematically haunting. I 'enjoyed' particularly the portrayal of depression which rings painfully true for anyone who has experienced it.

Yesterday afternoon Craig talked me into The Muppets. Mildly embarrassing to be sat there when a colleague shows up, but she has children with her.... I only have Craig....

Our evenings of late have been cozying up to Netflix for MI-5.

pictures from xmas

The walkers.Visiting Temple Square to see the lights.
Craig and his Dad warming up at Temple Square.
Self-portrait on Temple Square.

The xmas fun begins

I thought it good hostess behavior to enquire about guests' food proclivities. Here is my email exchange with Oliver. Holy shit!

> Hi Oliver,
> just checking in to see what i need to know about you and
> Sophie and food. must and mustn't haves?
> Jane

His reply:

Sophie's vegetarian, except for fish and shellfish. I try to eat only humanely raised animals, if I can help it.
I like lactose-free milk in my coffee, if I'm going to have milk at all, and I don't eat pork or shellfish. There's lots of vegetables I'm avoiding or trying to partake of minimally,which I do according to too complicated a scheme to describe. A non-tomato-sauce, non-onion, non-cabbage option would be swell, but don't sweat it--it's no biggie. Thanks for asking and coping. Looking forward to seeing you!
- O



>

promised pics

Dinner at our place after seeing the live broadcast of the National Theatre production of The Collaborators.Catherine and Keziah after 'decorating' K's car... imagine loud Christmas music accompaniment.

The tree described in the earlier post.