December 7

I wish I could have lunch with Sandy again.

1964

Dress rehearsal went smoothly - except for N and S. They (Caesar and Brutus, respectively) didn’t have their lines. S got me all mixed up and he gives me most of my clues [sic].

I thought we had Girl Scouts tonight , but when I arrived, no one was there but a cadette troop. It was a good bunch, though. I helped them make Christmas ornaments and we sang Christmas songs and had a lot of fun. It might snow tonight - I hope so. I love it!!

Comment 2022

Another normal day in my teenaged life. I was trying to (1) record the high points of each day and (2) fill up the page. That’s nineteen lines in five vertical inches. I can practically feel in my writing hand the urgency of finding something to say in the last two lines. “So it might snow tonight, etc.” I have been reading ahead in the diary and I can see that is about to change. Looming ahead: my first big crush on someone close to my own age. That’s when this task of transcribing got stickier.

1977

With three more class days to go this semester, I am becoming very studious. My replacement got her reviews from her students in History of Textiles, and they weren’t very good. My feelings are mixed. I am sorry she didn’t do well, but there is also a certain feeling of satisfaction that I am a better teacher, even without her fancy credentials. She admitted that her attitude toward the job and the students was not great, so maybe there’s hope for next semester.

Mustn’t say too much, but be a good listener. I can’t let it endanger our friendship.

Comment 2024 - Ha ha.

Later-

Short lab this morning, so I went to the library and watched more “Civilization”. Then I read a couple of magazines, went to class, chewed the fat with J and F, came home, grocery shopped, watched Bette Midler on TV. It inspired me to play her first record. What a very, very intelligent, clever, interesting, person.

It’s a nice, slow evening. But then, with plummeting temperatures outside and a warm dog at my feet inside…life is very, very good.

1997

So we talked and looked things over, and we concluded that things are a little out of hand, but not much. I promised to be better about keeping track, and Jim will show me how the bills are set up. This is good.

Comment 2024

The year I took over the finances. Not much to add, except it was a good decision.

2005

The “cooking day” plan worked. We had chili, salad and cornbread on Monday and Quorn Parmesan last night, with broccoli and chocolate pudding.

The semester is winding down, thank heaven, and I have been able to carve out time to BE. How I needed that. I do feel a twinge of guilt over using my extra time this morning to read the paper, check my email, and do tiny bits of trivia, instead of working on the great book project. But only a tiny twinge. I am not good at rolling out of bed at 6 and starting my work day at 7 but U do it because I must, if I need a ride too campus or wheels for the day. But when my workday begins at 7, I am done in by 3. My most productive hours are 7-10:30, and it’s all downhill after that.

We had a wonderful class yesterday, with a presentation by Eden, JT and myself about our research. One of the things that struck me was the power of metaphor and other verbal shorthand in creating a class culture.

In talking about how students might “pretend” to be learning if they knew what we were after, I used the metaphor “dancing dog”. My intent was to provide a strong visual of the kind of behavior I meant by “performative”. (What a pretentious word!) Dancing dogs have been popping up in student writing and conversation ever since.

I’m not sure how I feel about that! Glad that they got the point, but worried that be using a humorous image I was denigrating students who are sincerely trying to give the teacher what they want. After all, what is wrong with that? (Not a rhetorical question.)

2017

Today is Thursday

I have a dental appointment and lunch with Sandy, with some writing in between. Yesterday we met with our financial advisor and then had lunch at Montgomery Mall and walked around, marveling at all the changes. Then I attended an Emeritus event that was essentially a social gathering organized around a nice junior faculty member giving a mildly interesting paper. Meeting my fellow emeriti was interesting. Not too many other “young” retirees. The most interesting thing was hearing about what people are doing in retirement. One is doing volunteer work and writing poetry. Another is still cranking out research from his lab.

Which leads me to ponder what I will do, at least for now. I’ll admit to being unmoored since my travel ended in September.

Comment 2023

I wish I could have lunch with Sandy again.

2020

Comment 2023

It wasn’t a cold. It was COVID.

2024

Thursday, I distributed all the hats and knitted things that didn’t sell at the craft fair around to Riderwood’s mitten trees, leaving the storage bin empty. Yesterday, I finished the first of next year’s inventory. Today, an old friend sent me this lovely video. A warm winter blessing for spinners, weavers, knitters and crocheters - - and all the wearers, too!