Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Syllabus for August

To encourage myself to finish these tasks, I shall post them to 'the world'. (also, as a personal reference with hope of crossing them out as I go)

Review Arabic:
-Vocab! Everything from 'ministry of economics' to 'fish'
-Practice sentence structure
-Adjectives and related grammar -_-
-Brush up on verbs and tenses
-Remember (memorize) how to make nouns plural. No, really- its complicated as fuck.

Read Madame Bovary (en francais)
-Include brief review of passe simple (dumb)
- If its too unbearable, just listen to mom's audio book for basic plot overview (in english)
-Mental preparation for fourteen weeks of Novack

Remember what numbers are!
-i. e. read some of Stat textbook, understand wtf is going on

Less urgent- non-coursework related tasks- in order of 'importance'

Read Before European Hegemony
-Get ideas for honors project
-Ideas for next summer fellows
-Develop crush on Ibn Battuta
-read related articles
-prepare argument to convince Doughty to be my honors advisor

Apply for Study Abroad
-including CIEE scholarships
-Collect books on how to not die in Morocco

Re-re-re-read drivers manual, visit DMV, pass written test before Aug 20, pass drivers test after Aug 20.......icky

Research Grad school/schools
-cry a little in confusion
-panic
-realize poverty
-other details unknown

Brainstorm ideas for STAND
-calendar for the semester
-ideas to capture and retain freshmen
-make contacts, find speakers
-One Night Stand, can it be done?

Clean (uproot) room
-purge books, clothes, shoes
-Dig out both closets
-recover from ensuing asthma attack

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

we'll see how long i can make this last

Comrades- Whovians!
From now on we are going to put a snooty, pretentious spin on our Doctor Who love and refer the last 5 seasons with their proper numerical distinction, namely, Season 27, season 28, season 29, season 30 and season 31. Seasons 1-5 now refer to the eras of William Hartnell and
Patrick Troughton (1963-1968). These episodes were designated as such for 42 years- and I think we're all capable of using 'the big-kid numbers' instead of confusing season one with actual season one.
-maybe I will be the only one who is counter-cultural enough to try this out. I suggest you join me.


And for the visual learners:
Season Twenty-Seven:

Season Twenty-Eight:

Season Twenty-Nine:

Season Thirty:

Season Thirty-One:


The Times they are a changin' so get with it!!!
(and i will get back to my summer fellows paper......................)



Tuesday, July 13, 2010


oh my outline
you are so fine
we’d drink wine
in Palestine
If you were mine
-and human
you’re intricate
and so fit
packed with detailed bits
you’d buy me an orchestra pit
-if you were human
bullet points in excess
indentations caress
subheadings press
-and pleasure my organizational skills
Drag and drop
Highlight and crop
Bold letters pop
5 pages, don’t stop
-you bend to my wordy academic will
lines flow so easily
where would I be
without your clarity?
some place like Germany
-Berlin, late April 1945. Getting my ass handed to me in a concrete bunker by Katukov's Tank Army
-that would suck
but you prevent my despise
as you italicize
contextualize
all facts, no lies
i look into your eyes
-and I see myself
when will it end?
it may never, my friend
i’ve got 12 more books to comprehend
and more notes to unbend
you may extend
-into the endless white unknown of Microsoft word
-i plunge back into your textual arms

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Martha Jones: keeps your sorry asses afloat


hmmm- Amanda got me thinking (many weeks ago- but hey, I got around to it when I could). And I have been re-evaluating and exploring my stance on Martha Jones (summer fellows project anyone??). Ms. Blythe mentioned having a greater affection for Martha recently. I don’t know if we have the same reason, but by the power of suggestion, I have found some new affection for Ms. Jones.
Martha’s introductory stereotype is the hardworking student. She is more prone to stay in the background as opposed to being overly peppy or exquisitely pretty and her personality is not big and sassy. Martha is never front and center, unlike the Doctors other companions. Whether this is due to her personality or her life style, I don’t know. But now that I'm thinking about it more, I'm feeling more relatable affection for her. Her issues and hesitations are easier for me to understand than those of the cute shop-girl, the sassy temp or the kiss-a-gram. Is she as entertaining to watch? No, not always. But i think I understand her more than Rose, Donna or Amy and her find her motives and choices more reasonable because of that. I think we dismiss her because she is a more realistic character- and that’s why she should deserve more credit and praise than any of the other girls. Her crush on the Doctor is understandable- but she is reasonable enough to grow up and get over it without tearing a hole in the universe. Her choice to go back to her family is also wise, and pragmatic- whereas the other companions rarely address that issue.
However, she’s not normal enough to go back to a regular life after she leaves the doctor- that would be unbelievable. But she immediately applies her hardworking, achieving mentality and intergalactic experience to a real, practical job (Unit and even Torchwood for a little while). We know Rose did her share of hard work after she left the doctor, but that was mostly to find a way back into his exciting life. Martha, on the other hand, assumes her role as part of the team and becomes a realistically valuable member of Unit. She is a smaller player contributing to a larger picture, and while that’s not as interesting as blasting yourself between two dimensions and rebooting the dead Tardis- Martha’s life is more understandable and possibly more commendable. So give her some credit- she works harder than you!


Wednesday, June 9, 2010

gah- stop over thinking and procrastinating and just post something. it doesn't have to be the New York fucking Times. I'm not even busy. I've got the thing on Martha Jones practically written out in word...... I think I'll just give y'all some CamelIndulgence and call it a day.
Close ups are the best


Absolute perfection- and Bold!

CamelPhotos.com- this is what the internet was made for. The "historical camels" section made me squeal- spent 40 minutes


Crazy, Sexy, Beautiful


More historical camels- condensed and LOVING it!


The Bactrian close up. Known to make grown men weep


Strutting her stuff on the street- and by 'stuff' i mean firewood


So much for introspective posting. Meeehh I'm a lazy waste of life.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

NZ Book Council - Going West

This is the coolest thing StumbleUpon has showed me in a long time.
-a) New Zealand is awesome
-b) I really want to crack and read some some novels
-c) I really want to destroy some novels for artsy release
-d) I want the New Zealand Book Council to make a Decemberists music video from the pages of 'The Tempest'...yeeaahh

Saturday, May 22, 2010

A series of moments when Amy Pond is spunky and in control

-That sums up most of my favorite moments from Amy Choice


Shes the best. I hope thats vanilla custard


But this ones not bad either:
Srs Bsnz sweater


Amy faking labor to get some attention from her boys- shes in control


I love all these new little corners of the Tardis- show us more, you sexy thing


And the best moment-> ponchos by Amy, shes got this!