If you had invoked me before you began this journey,

Well, let's start with 50 Books, shall we? In no particular order:

1) Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper - I then lent it to my dad whose first comment was "I want to buy a cleaver now." I, already being in possession of a cleaver, bought two of her cookbooks, both for
specific regions. Land of Plenty, which is Sichuanese, and Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, which is Hunan. There's a bunch of really good stuff in them, and I'm really looking forward to cooking out of it.

2) The Fortune Cookie Chronicles - short, easy, read on take-out Chinese in the US. I'm fairly convinced it's related to an article in the Times a few years ago about the origins of fortune cookies, but damned if I totally know.

3) The Umbrella Academy, Volume 1 - Surprisingly good. I nabbed in on the cheap for the iPhone (Dark Horse is putting out a bunch of trades in such a format) and got sucked in. The James Jean cover art may or may not have been partially responsible.

4) Percy Jackson and the Olympians - The Lightning Thief - I... don't know. I'll probably read the rest, but I don't think it was absolutely wonderful. The characters and the characteristics of their immortal parents were well-done, and the idea was good, but I felt it was... a bit lacking somehow.

The next books sitting on the to-read list are mostly partially-read. Likely, they'll get tossed aside in favor of a history of the Custer Battlefield since 1876 (work reading, title is Striken Field) and You Are Not A Gadget, which I think, based on some skimming, I will both love and hate. Expected reaction shouldn't be as violent as the one to Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which is one of the few books where I've wanted to kill the writer.




Other than that, I went out to fighter practice tonight. I'm not a newbie, I am uber!noob! But, on the bright side, I practiced some simple things with Bryan and am feeling a bit better with stuff overall. With luck, enough friends will be willing to put up with me poking at them for a bit of time once a week, and all shall be good. Did discover I need to retape my tip though - red on black... not so good for my sight. Definitely need to get in better shape, but this is a good reason.

Also working on cleaning the house, which is a slow process. Translation - getting the library and spare bedroom to actually *be* such things. It's working out though, which is a nice thing. It's also rather overdue. (If you can consider it a few months to be overdue.) In the end, jut happy to be getting the house together and everything settled. After Crown - and btw, we'll be there Saturday and a bit of Sunday - we're going to get the yard in order.

Tomorrow, between work and CSA pickup, my plans involve, quite simply, homework. I feel like I'm running a little behind, but really I know I'm ok. Need to finish something for last week, but I should be alright, I think, as it's kind of not too much.

About the only downside to all of this is that one of my eyes seems to be a bit sore/painful. I actually think it may be a stye, but that doesn't make things any less annoying. Combined with the fact that I spent all morning being very sniffly, it's not been a good day in Willa!health.

It's always a nice surprise to find out one did better on a paper than expected. A B, albeit a low one, on that damned Photo paper was good. Nearly makes up for the fact that today and Tuesday in the class will be spent listening to Grad Students who don't know how to keep track of time.

Doing test-runs of A&S food this weekend. This should be good. I'm more concerned over the laser sauce than the tracta, but mainly because I"ve never used asafoetida. Ever. As an aside, Cato has directions on how to force-feed poultry. Interesting... Dom should be doing a sausage run, minus casings (which are ordered - for various and sundry reasons and research, went with ordering them online). Of course, now that I think about it, finding time for tests may be less than optimal. Hrmmm...

At any rate, next week have (two) lesson plans due for my ARE class, then that's done. Not many details are available for my Photo or Islamic Art/Architecture finals, and I've got the full list of questions for my Judaic studies class - he'll end up selecting three or four, and we pick two. Final grades seem to be shaping up as a mix of As and Bs. I figure I may as well at least give the illusion of continuing to care. *grin* This is, nonetheless, a nice weight off my shoulders.


And, for amusement - Do I Have Pig Flu?

I do love Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea. They may not make the OMG!Best mochas in town, but I feel loved when the owner comes by and gives me extra for free. ("Here - I've got some more. Want it?")

And the food's pretty good as well.


Took yesterday off to finish up some schoolwork. Apart from the horrid writer's block, got a decent dent in stuff. One of the classes I had something due today in got cancelled, so it's now due Thursday. So I'll try and get half of it cleaned up tonight, and the other half tomorrow. Better medieval Jewish history than Mamluk architecture.

Dinner at Benihana was fun - we did the teppanyaki show/thingy. I've been to hibatchi before, but it was a place in Newport, and never to Benihana proper. Dad put forth a few places he wouldn't mind, and as domnall and I hadn't done Benihana, and it was close to dad, that was the verdict. As usual, had a good time with my dad. The tuna steak, by the way, really tasty. I didn't mooch any of dad's scallops, though domnall did and liked them. I had chicken, further proving I'm hopeless, or something. *grin* The boys talked iPhone apps, we all talked movies, jury duty, work, and so on, and I discussed my plans for graduation gift to myself.

Still arguing with Financial Aid. (no, really, that "graduate student" bit on my FAFSA is serious...) it's no longer quite as serious, what with the job situation and all, but if I can get some money to cover a bit of rent or books? I'd be happy.

raventhourne - I'm trying for the digital copy of that book today, though I put in an ILL request for a hard copy.

elinor_dear - when are you on campus/have a break? I really should pick up that movie from you and I'm usually free Tuesday/Thursday from 12:15 to 2.


Finally - I know several people on my friends list either have tattoos or know people who do. Where do you all suggest as good places in Tucson to get a tattoo? I've heard good stuff about Fast Lane (and seen nice work, as well), and ysabet recommended Enchanted Dragon, but there are so many, and as soon as I've got the stuff in hand, I'd like to start looking.

I just happen to be fond of Alia...


At the least, stuff is going well. School starts tomorrow, though I don't have any classes until Thursday. I'm taking four classes, and I anticipate that they should be at least marginally interesting. I do need to make sure that I get my graduation stuff in order soon, the less I worry about it, the better.


Have cut out new stuff for domnall, it should be done by polling. With luck, I may be able to finish an underdress as well for myself. I anticipate good events the next two weekends, at any rate. Even if I'll likely be wearing the same stuff... *grin*

Bed sounds like a lovely concept right now. I think I'll be off.

So, I head to the review for my final on Thursday and the TAs tell us they're curving the grades. So from an *8 to a *7, that's the grade. 88-100=A, 78-87=B, 68-77=C, and so on.

My grade?

*9.42. Yeppers, that means I won't be taking the final.

Which means, plain and simple, that I am finished.


elinor_dear we're still on for dinner tomorrow. There shall be less chaos, and still good food.


now, if only i could have known this on monday - a meltdown would have been averted.

I am exceedingly glad we went to today's event, even if we had to leave early - final tomorrow morning. *sigh* Now, if only Hasaki would post my mid-term grade so I can get my timesheet in... Need to know if I'm going to take the final.

However, I got the fox pelts cut up for hats. (Thanks to raventhourne's instructions - even if I did blank and think she meant a straight razor instead of electric shaver. *headdesk* I'd be clueless and they'd end up totally mangled otherwise. Instead, we shall have hats for Estrella!)

domnall's got his 40k army (as of now) base-coated, and is happily painting them. They look quite nice - not as good as dverning's, but he's just starting. *grin*

I don't think tomorrow's final will end up being all that miserable, answer 64 out of 70 questions multiple choice, and I've got a passable grasp of contemporary Chinese history/civilization. (What? I have had peculiar reading choices over the years.)


Honestly, I'm feeling cheerier than I have for several days. The semester's almost over, and nearly all our Christmas shopping is finished. Unfortunately, my father is exceedingly hard to shop for sometimes, and this was one of them - until I found Paul Theroux's new book Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, which is about taking the same trip he took in The Great Railway Bazaar 30 years ago.

Deciding factor? *skims* "Hrmmm... I think I may need to borrow this!"

For some reason - this week has dragged like a... screw it, I can't think of a good analogy.

At least after Tuesday, the immediate academic work was finished. But that doesn't mean that everything hasn't still been damned slow. The last two days it's felt like I'm dead on my feet. At least next brings little, and I'm only looking to sit one final. (If it's optional, and the only way to raise my grade by a letter is score something physically impossible: I'll save my sanity.)

I tend to happily forget about the Abbey's (my high school) Annual Fund until my class rep pesters me. I'll have to get back to her as it was someone I got along with and she seemed at least interested in what's going on.

Mmmm - domnall's cooking dinner.

GRE is finally over, thank the gods.

The nice thing about taking it as a computer-based test was that I got my grades immediately. And the result was satisfying - not abysmal, but respectable. I am quite pleased.

Mind you, the cost of this was that we did not go to Coronation. While I am rather sad about this fact, at the same time, the call of getting stuff together for grad school was a wee bit more important.


As an aside - looking like it may be just domnall and I again this year at Southern. The other parties have all had things come up recently, in some cases very, very not good, and so there's a good chance they'll be unable to make it... *shrug* So be it.

Another Friday, another week (almost over). At least I was fairly productive, doing some stuff I needed to do including starting the senior-check process. I think the advisor thinks I'm nuts for doing it this early. I'm also constantly reminded I need to do at least some GRE studying soon...

Life, in that non-academic sense, has been plodding on. Stuff's just been going along. Have a decent fabric stash I really need to attack, but just can't bring myself to for some reason.

*shrug*

Hhmmm, Choke is playing this weekend.

So, classes appear to be at least interesting. I think my sculpture class will be interesting and useful, to say the least. And my capstone class (Issues in Art History) very interesting.


I've been biking to school and then to work, which is great. Well, apart from yesterday, where I got half-soaked on the way to work, and then thoroughly between the bus stop and home. That was not pleasant. Combine that with the fact that domnall was feeling crummy (and had been all day), and we didn't hit Knight Light.

I swear, I think there's some global conspiracy going on now. Mind you, I am well aware that at least part of it is my own doing.


Sewing new garb is needed soon, I think...