It’s been so busy lately — good busy, but still, busy . . . Besides a full slate teaching-wise (my 3rd-year Elegy course especially has me reading furiously to stay well ahead of my students), I’ve been trying to nurture a bit of life beyond work and family. Last week I went to the Gallery Opening for a collaborative project I’ve been involved in and I also finally managed lunch with an old friend who lives one small town up the highway. This week, I went to the launch of a neighbour’s book on Monday evening and then last night I met a colleague/friend for dinner before we headed to a Big Band jazz concert of compositions written by another colleague in the music department. All cool stuff, but still. . . Feels busy.
This weekend, I have to finish reading a manuscript I agreed to review for a university press, so I can write the review next weekend (Why I agreed to a mid-term deadline, I’m not quite sure). Do some prep for my Elegy class. No prep for my 1st-years since they’ll be writing an in-class essay both days. Some thinking and writing about the above-mentioned collaborative project. Possibly draft a proposal for a conference in Albuquerque this October.
Yet oddly, I feel quite keen to do this juggling, to find time to fit in the various projects. I’m not sure why this is suddenly so after months of feeling overwhelmed, but it is. I feel as though I’m hitting my stride in this work environment, and although I’m certainly reserving my right to complain, to feel overwhelmed again in the near or distant future, I want to recognize that I’ve achieved some sort of balance between teaching and scholarship, research and committee work, between fun and work and family and me.
So funny — this is not where I was going when I started this post . . . I was going to say that I’ve been busy, not much time to post so instead I’d list movies I’d seen lately and was happy to recommend and then leave you with this teeny “movie” and wish you a Happy Weekend. If you don’t mind, I’ll let my gradual self-revelation/admission of temporary balance stand. And I’ll throw in the movie titles anyway: Julie and Julia; Elegy (with Penelope Cruz and Ben Kingsley — quite beautiful and sad, splendid acting); The Soloist (Robert Downey, so watchable!); Up in the Air (umm, George Clooney, the ultra-watchable!); Sherlock Holmes (fun, fun, fun! and Robert Downey again, plus steampunk, you gotta love it!). And damn, I wish I could remember the one we rented last weekend — does anyone else have trouble with that? Watch a movie on the weekend, by Wednesday you can barely recall it?
Anyway, I think this little movie is rather memorable, if just for the silly Nana voice you’ll hear prattling throughout. If I were cleverer, I suppose I could have edited it out and added a soundtrack of my own, as Puttermeister did here with this very sad (un)- knitting video. But I seem to be willing to expose my own foolishness to your laughter this week, so consider it another gift for you — Happy Weekend!
She's adorable. And in all honesty, you have a beautiful voice.
You have a very pleasant voice. I imagine listening to you reading or reciting poetry, and it's quite beautiful.
look at you with your fancy words! see you this weekend? 😉 Bronwen
Beautiful voice, fancy words, what can I say?! Thank you all!
Ooooohhhh. What a joy to see her move so naturally,I just want t pick her up and squeeze (gently). You sound great, nothing to worry about.
Oooh…. An elegy class! I'm so envious, mainly of your students, because I'd like to take as much as teach such a class. One of my favorite poems to teach is Baudelaire's "Une Charogne"/"The Carcass"/"The Corpse", which is a surprisingly lovely poem about the body after the spirit has gone, and the poet's role in sustaining memory.
I'm glad my unmaking video coincided so neatly with your current zeitgeist! So interesting how these things happen. Your own video is lovely–and she is, indeed, quite cuddle-able!
It's true, you do have a beautiful voice.
I think your busy life sounds exhilarating.
I would love to sit in on one of your classes. Since that's unlikely I hope some day to listen to your beautiful voice over a glass of something in Paris.
N'est-ce pas?
Duchesse: She does look squeezable, doesn't she?!
PM: Oh, I'd love to be able to talk about the course with you! I'm really lucky that it didn't get cut as I've ended up with only 5 students. That will make the marking a piece of cake, obviously, but it can make for some very draining classes as so much depends on my energy level. I'm teaching Swinburne's Ave Atque Vale today, so I'm going to see if I can find the Baudelaire poem — it would be a perfect complement.
Tish: Absolutely!