Zhaf and the Cellar

Friday, July 15, 2005

The River's Flow 

The heat has been killing me lately making it rather difficult to fall asleep at night. Part of the problem is that I really enjoy the cool weather. If the world's thermostat was permanent set at 58 degrees Fahrenheit that would be just fine with me. Of course, there are some who would scoff at the idea of it being hot around here, but then they would also not believe the amount of water I have been drinking lately.


The River

I continue to make progress with work, but I am getting more "down in the mouth" about the prospects of getting it all done properly. Currently, I am studying the concept of cultural formation during the nineteenth century. Add to this a re-reading of Dickens and a book about Victorian Soundscapes. Like other grad. students who post online, I found that it helps to leave the laptop at home when I do my reading. A legal pad of paper seems like a good place to take notes. I've also found, in regards to my comprehension process, that it helps to read chapters or essays first, then re-read them with note taking in mind. I am still grappling with how to form these thoughts into a cogent essay, but slogging through the reading is helping relieve some of the stress of figuring out what to say. The kind help and emotional support from friends and family has been the greatest help to me, especially during the last few weeks. I'm not sure they'll know how grateful I really am. Also of great help has been a short dip in a cool river during a brief break. And if the weather continues like it has been, I might just repeat it.

:: z. 8:01 PM [+] Permalink ::

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Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Napping 

Okay--so it has been way too long since I have last posted, but that has been because of a personal slump that I feel I am now just coming out of. And as far as the slump goes, everyone who knows me has seen it manifested as long naps during the day. The dreams asscoiated with these naps have been interesting. A few of them concerned my future (or hopes) as a professor. The one from yesterday included rafting down a river to escape alien oppression in a matrix style reality. I escaped with Gordon from Seasame Street with a freeze beam. (Thank you pop culture for shaping my subconscious.) Also, my allergies have acted up during the last week, so things have been just a hair's breadth away from miserable.

But a week of so-called rest and a visit with friends have helped me get back on my feet enough to get some work done. I think it was some chinese food and a desert cafe that really hit the spot. (Well, really it was the friends there that made the difference.) Once I finally get things sorted out on the personal level and get the ball rolling on my school-work, I think I am going to devote some more time to the artistic things in life. Sketching, maybe even experimenting with watercolor, is something that I would like to in the future. I'll try to post more in the future, but only after I have something to report about the work I have completed. (On that note, I have been to my office, checked my office mail, and renewed several of my library books about colonialism and the victorian era. That should indicate the direction of my studies for the next few days.)

:: z. 11:30 PM [+] Permalink ::

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