Wednesday Morning in the Lobby

Well, I should be reading Power/Knowledge, or Truth & Power, or Truth & Knowledge or something like that from the ancient Foucault reader I’ve lugged all this way, but my tooth hurts and as I am still a student I’m gonna go ahead and embrace the excuse to avoid my homework.  I had my permanent crown put in this morning and it hurt so much that I not only cried, but I also screamed and prayed and begged Matt to talk to me about random crap to distract me for the 15 minutes it took the painkillers to kick in.  Why do dentists say “it’ll be a little sensitive” or “it’ll only hurt a little” when they really mean that you’ll be in anguish for days?  Why do they lie, it doesn’t make them anymore likable.  Or maybe it doesn’t hurt this much for most people and I’m just a giant baby about my teeth.  That is entirely possible.  But at least now I’m supposedly all fixed up.  Thank goodness!

What other news…  Valentines Day was really neat, it was probably even more expensive than going out to eat somewhere fancy but we had a lot of fun cooking and I kind of loved watching the green beans inbob around in the terrifying FryDaddy that we borrowed.  I also love being able to say that I’ve made Cinnamon-Chocolate and Strawberry Napoleans.  Yeah, that’s right.  I feel so domestically awesome.  However our kitchen looks like the victim of a home invasion or minor natural disaster still, even though we’ve been working on it.  Guess that kills the domestic awesomeness prize, huh?

I’m apply for a job as a data technician at an oil & gas pipeline company and have actually spoken to a real live person about my application.  I consider this an excellent sign and I’m crossing fingers, toes, legs, arms and eyes in hopes of getting the job.  It sounds like a great opportunity to work for a really great company.  So, if you pray, pray for me getting it, if you dont mind.  And, if you dont pray, wish me luck and cross your fingers (I wont ask you to cross the rest) for me.  I really want a job, and especially this one.  I know they say your shouldn’t take it personally if you can’t find a decent job in this economic climate, but I’m tired of not working.

And, now classes.  I was super stoked about my classes this term.  And, still am about one of them.  I’m really enjoying my critical theory class and the professor.  It’s like philosophy classes – but not always about the metaphysical.  But, as for the other two…  I tried to speak out in class 4 times yesterday and every single time someone spoke over me and I was ignored.  The first class, where it happened 3 times I figure it’s mostly my fault, I’m quiet and the rhet/comp students leading the class really only notice other loud rhet/comp students.  But in the second class I was actually half way into a question directed at the teach who was listening to me ask it (with eye-contact) when some guy in the class decides he has to interject his comment at that moment.  SERIOUSLY?  I know I’m not the loudest person, but I do speak at human decibels, so what does it say that I can be so completely disregarded 4 times in one day of classes???  I miss when raising your hand was an option that got you at least a word or two in edge wise (I’ve never written that expression before, I have no idea if I did it right) against pretentious MFA poet type boys who really think that the need to tell the teacher about their interest in the use of compassion in their own work! ! !  That’s not even relevant, you jerk!  And, just so you know, all those exclamation points are standing in for a whole lot of raging bitterness I’m restraining as this is on the open internet and I can’t bring myself to say all this the way I’d like to.

Alright, tirade finis.  I have class in 17 minutes and should wrap this up on a positive note.  I took my car through a car wash yesterday and think that has to be the most exciting automotive related chore ever.  It’s practically an adventure.  A loud and slightly intimidating one when those giant things come at your car, but it was a great deal of fun for $3.  I also get to go talk about my term paper tomorrow with a professor whose already told me it was good (so no worrying) after class and then only have to read one article for my mean rhet/comp class tomorrow.  I’m very excited, I think I’ll devote my spare time to watching my netflix and unloading the dishwasher.  hehe.

until next time,

yours,

alaina

Belated Booklist

Okay Mariko – This one is just for you.  🙂

For Form & Technique – Essay

THE SNOW LEOPARD
MATTHIESSEN

EARLY SPRING:WAKING TO WARMING WORLD
SIEDL

INTO THE WILD
KRAKAUER

HEAVEN’S COAST
DOTY

NEWJACK:GUARDING SING SING
CONOVER
(This was really interesting, but got kind of tiresome after page 200)
LYING:METAPHORICAL MEMOIR
SLATER
(This sounds awesome, she tackles the deceits of people who write ‘memoirs)
TRUCK:LOVE STORY
PERRY
(He meditates on love while fixing an old truck – I’m excited)

For New Somatic Criticism

POWER/KNOWLEDGE:SEL.INTERVIEWS..1972-77
FOUCAULT
(Foucault is like the only man of interest in grad school, I swear)

ETHICS
BADIOU

NIETZSCHE+PHILOSOPHY
DELEUZE

HOW TO READ NEITZSCHE
PEARSON
(I’m sort of reading idiots guides in graduate school)
HOW TO READ LACAN
ZIZEK

For Emotion, Culture & Rhetoric

COMPASSION: CULTURE+POLITICS OF EMOTION
BERLANT
POLITICS OF AESTHETICS
RANCIERE

AMERICAN COOL

STEARNS

(This sounds neat, but so far the class readings have sucked, so I’m kind of not looking forward to it anymore)

SPACE,TIME+PERVERSION
GROSZ
FRUITS OF SORROW
SPELMAN

FEELING POWER
BOLER
(Boring and majorly about Woman Power)
CULTURAL POLITICS OF EMOTIONS
AHMED

(Seriously DRY but an interesting theory)

Tax Season

Aah February…

New Classes having actual homework due, Valentine’s Day, Tax Season, FAFSA time, School Fees, and more snow.

Well, my taxes, FAFSA, and fees are done.  Valentine’s is planned and homework is being actively avoided, so go me!

Matt and I are doing up a fancy dinner at home for Valentine’s.  I’m very excited about the fancy meal, but not so much about the challenge of cooking a real meal.  We’re doing battered green beans with remoulade sauce from a southern cookbook, steak au poivre (which i’m pretty sure just means with peppercorns), and for dessert we’re doing some form of napolean filled with mousse.  Aren’t you proud of you Amy?

Then sunday I get to write papers and read about my professor travelling around the world to volcanos.  Yay!

that’s it for now,

yours,

alaina