Christmas Swag

A few of the highlights...


And a present from Oklahoma....

Yes, the sign reads "Ham Sandwiches."

It was one of six (3 going South and 3 going North) advertising the sandwiches.

Winter in KS

Just returned from Rootin, Tootin, Hootin. We were welcomed home CL and a good 6-10 inches of snow (depending on where you stepped).

Here are some photos documenting our first BIG snow and our first snow shovel.

We didn't have a ruler for precise measurement, but like any good grad student I improvised!

My life... or lack there of in pictures

My boss at the old man project told me that getting a PhD was a very isolating experience... I had no idea just what she meant until these last few weeks.

I have been beyond busy... I've worried myself sick a couple of times and am averaging about 4-5 hours of sleep per night.

But there has been time for a couple of photos and a lot of pushing from LHF to get them posted to the blogosphere.

Anthropology Halloween Party:

Frida was accompanied by the tallest, skinniest, whitest Diego ever.

Someone actually asked what my costume was... "Are you a gypsy?"

It made me sad that they were a fellow Anthropology student and also that they thought I could ever be too busy to correct a unibrow like that.

Why my calves are now too big for even wide-calf boots:

I catch the bus at the top of the hill in the distance. It is one of three hills that I get to tackle. It is about a mile walk into campus. Unfortunately my proximity to the Coke machine and lack of free time has prevent my waist from reaping the rewards!

Also, the hill is much bigger in real life!

No really it is!

Doesn't the campus look beautiful without leaves!

The only nice thing about cold, rainy, fall days:

The second of our fires for the season and a nice place to curl up and read and lesson plan. The photo was quickly followed by a trip for a latte!

Also for those still holding out any hope that there might be more pictures of the house... Here is what the floor of the living room looks like!

Mini Tour

So for all waiting here are the first of the pictures from the house.

This is the office... one of my favorite rooms in the house! I spend A LOT of time here!

Desk, next to the door... books & coffee & and a painting from the Dominican Republic (1999).

Reading corner, behind desk... bass (TM), books, books, and treats from some of my favorite people.
Reading Bed...across from door, pictures from a museum exhibit and a completed cross-stitched dog that will become a pillow one day. Don't worry, if you come for a visit there is a real bed with pillows you can sleep on.

Go Foucault yourself

This is perhaps the best present ever. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

That's right my very own Michel Foucault finger puppet! It is excellent shrine material.

Baby it's cold outside

You'll notice that the HIGH is 45 on Saturday and the low is BELOW FREEZING!!!!

Behind the 8 ball

Way behind the 8 ball...
Working on creating a syllabus on contemporary American Indians, might be an Anthro GTA position in it for me (if not, then it will be for a class assignment).

Also trying to finish all my grading and lesson planning.

On the verge of a breakdown...

This pretty much sums it up...

"The Newbies: ABD or the ink is still wet on their Ph.D. Trying to get their foot in the door. How can someone so young look so tired and hopeless?"

You can say you know someone....

...that has swine flu! Well that is what it seems to be... I have all the symptoms except fever. But evidently some cases don't produce fevers. Thank the lard (get it swine...) I had it over the weekend. I don't think that I'll have to miss any classes.

100%

I am happy to report that I got a 100 on my first exam as a PhD student... a map test of Mexico... so it is kinda cheating, but I'm taking it where I can get it!

Another test tomorrow (so naturally I'm creating a blog post) on the historical timeline of US/Mexican relations... again kinda cheating since I JUST taught this class (thanks to TH and AE).

TM's parents were here this weekend so I am kinda behind. Also to do:

• Read for Teaching Anthropology
• Create list of teaching tips for Teaching Anthropology
• Participate in Blackboard discussion for Teaching Spanish
• Create first reflective blog entry for Teaching Spanish
• Read for Teaching Spanish
• Take reading Quiz for Teacing Spanish
• Create a lesson plan for when I ACTUALLY teach Spanish

Might be time for a red ball:

Good Luck...

...to all my friends starting their first day of the semester tomorrow!

I miss you guys (or yous guys- since I'm back in the Midwest)!

Mas Gripe

Friday's update 248 students with H1N1.

La Gripe Porcina

53 confirmed cases of "the flu" on campus
47 confirmed cases in the Basic Language Program, in which I teach...

Though it is hard to tell what the real numbers are since students with flu like symptoms are told to not go anywhere, especially the health center. I'm guessing that there are probably more than 53 on campus.

Administration has told us to be "creative" with our attendance policies. Our creativity is that you only get Swine Flu once.

So here's hoping that TM's OCD has rubbed off on me over the past couple of years.

Como se dice?

Teaching in Spanish everyday is almost too much, even if they are all very nice students.

Also, I have started speaking Spanish to practically everyone (whether it is appropriate or not)... TM is getting ready to kill me!

Rachel Ray Eat Your Heart Out

Between reading and creating lesson plans for this week I made this summer vegetable gratin. Delicious, though slightly labor intensive. But you can read between while the veggies drain... and by read I mean have your book open while you watch BBC America.

Ready to Vomit

Mostly, because I am starting classes Thursday and I am beginning to work myself into a tizzy!

But also from some of the statements of my fellow TAs... "my favorite fact [about herself] was that I performed in a traveling production of [some play that escapes me] in Jerusalem"
Now I know that most of this is just nerves and the fact that almost all of them are FRESH out of their undergrad program, but still.

Also, this morning one of the boys (yes he is a boy) said, "This is gonna look so good on your vita." It was so innocent and endearing.

Tomorrow is mastering the bus and buying a couple books that are cheap enough to merit buying in the bookstore.

Who do you call?

Evidently when I notice a student's drawing of me where I "appear not to be living" I am to contact Public Safety.
That's right I just completed taking the university's GTA online tutorial... actually pretty helpful to inform oneself of all the policies without having to read all those manuals. Thanks to my HR background I did excellently in the sexual harassment section!

In other news Mama went back to land of humidity, but she and Dad will return soon- during football season I think!

You Were Right Mom..

Though it pains me to admit it, I must recant my hatred of Tuesday Morning stores. You were right they are filled with deals, particularly the one here.

These are the closest pattern I could find to the fancy new sheets (Sf*rra) for the guest room. The embroidery is a light green and so sweet. Evidently this brand of sheets is about $500 a set, but I walked away with them for a mere $75. So guests, prepare yourself for luxury when you visit.

The deals were so good that Mom picked up a set of sheets to mail back to the land of humidity. I also got a set (of slightly less fancy) sheets for the Cal King and a huge taupe table cloth to cover our ultra modern I-key-uh table. The styling isn't quite the same as our new diggs.

Mom and I decided it was all meant to be...who carries an oblong taupe table cloth?

On the academic front:
This is my last day of freedom. Tomorrow is new GTA orientation and a new grad student information session. There are 3 days of GTA orientation. The Spanish department seems to be pretty hardcore. But it is a good thing for my vita and my wallet. The Spanish department has 100% placement of their PhDs in tenure track positions!

Also I am contemplating taking the tour of my library next week. I might meet a nice librarian or a nerdy freshman...

We Made It!

After 26 straight hours of driving we made to the Midwest!

We've actually been here for a week now, but it has taken this long to get the Internet and cable... It was a two day install that involved me and TM going to H*me D*pot to buy bolt cutters at 9pm. The competition had our cable box locked and since we weren't going with them they were "far too busy" to come out and take care of it. So we are now the proud owners of bolt cutters!
While there, we observed a group of sorority girls trying to get the guy in the orange apron to help them build a beer bong. "Could I just like pay you to build me one." As the man explained it is a funnel and some tubing; if you can't handle putting those two together you might reconsider drinking that much beer... those brain cells are precious.

Mom brought unused furniture from the land of humidity and has been helping to get us situated. We're to the point of hanging pictures and moving around things that we probably should have just thrown away instead of moving. Pictures to follow soon I promise.

Collectively, we have made the trip to Targ*t (right next to the hardware store) at least 10 times. Unless you go at 8am; it is overrun with returning students buying cases of Easy Mac.
We had to go and get...

• hangers
• bolts for the dining room table (yep we threw them away in CA, evidently)
• shelf liner
• goo gone
• a Fivebucks
• more hangers
• a broom
• Macaroni and Cheese... the good stuff is just 52 cents a box!?!