Category Archives: Uncategorized

“It wasn’t just that his folks were vegetarians, they also discriminated among vegetables, excluding from their diet everything red, for example, the color of anger. Most bread, having been made by killing yeasts, was taboo.” – Thomas Pynchon, Vineland Okay, … Continue reading →

After a long spell of single-digit weather and impressive snowfall, it suddenly turned 45 degrees today – and sunny!  Everyone on campus agreed that it felt positively balmy.  But it seems we should keep the boots on: that snow is … Continue reading →

I’m taking a class that’s all about E. M. Forster (British 20th-century fiction writer).  Forster is particularly good at mocking British tourists who tour the Continent for “education,” “culture,” “to see the art,” “adventure,” “in hopes of romance with a … Continue reading →

I think my camera is older than I am, i.e., it’s emphatically not digital-age. That, combined with the fact that I no longer take large numbers of photos, ensures a pretty significant lag between taking photos and there being any … Continue reading →

Sydney and I took the morning easy. After my recent bouts of up-early-and-grading-frantically, it felt great to try a different pace. Then we drove out to see the iced-over waterfall near where we live. The entire valley was filled with … Continue reading →

Amidst the frenzy of grading papers, various delays due to snow (Sydney and I are both a bit sore — so much for thinking ourselves young and fit!), we did get to our classical concert last night. It was really … Continue reading →

So Erin and I just spent a couple of hours shovelling snow from our driveway and we were almost ready to leave … except the snowplow just came by, widening the road, i.e., dumping a truckload of snow on our … Continue reading →

It’s difficult not to feel like a kid in snow like this. One step away from our door and I was knee-deep in snow. Halfway down our steps I had to push my way through a waist-high drift. It’s really … Continue reading →

Or at least with certain kinds of praise. The New York Magazine has a really interesting cover article on the dangers associated with praising kids. You really should read the article for yourself, but here’s the main point: 1) Kids … Continue reading →

Although I like teaching, I can’t say that I’m disappointed at having to stay home, do my reading, make casserole, and watch the snow fall. Erin