Hot Dry Summer

In honor of July, I bring you a photographic essay documenting the behavior of cats on a 92-degree day:




The series concludes with Constant M.* telling me to knock it off with the picture-taking and rub her belly already.

Actually, it's cooler today, but we should be back up into the 90s this weekend. And just in time for the heat, I've finished my shawl:


Like the patrician tilt of my chin?

I'm also working on the paper-making, as this picture demonstrates:


Letting the sheets dry against glass gives them a smoother finish for writing, or so I have read. (I haven't actually written on them yet.)

In other news, I suppose I ought to go to the gym. At what point in my life does that requirement go away?


*A sudden, irrational fear that the eminent C.M.--whose work I respect--would find this page and be bothered by my pun has prompted me to abbreviate the cat's moniker.

Revise, Revisen, Revose

Classes resume on Monday. I have had a productive break (despite a cold, and despite two days in Interesting New Northern City). I have, for example:

• Done lots of laundry.
• Finished a 656-page Russian novel (which meant reading about 500 pages of it in the last six days).
• Made notes on all but the last section of said novel.
• Had my car's oil changed and the car itself washed. Why, in God's name, did I not go to our local drive-through car wash earlier? Seriously. $5, plus $1.50 for the vacuum (our vacuum's not working so well), and my car no longer fills me with embarrassment and/or dismay. Interesting New Northern City notwithstanding, the car wash is the exciting discovery of Spring Break 2010.
• Read three vitae and taken notes on all of the stuff that I've read for my revise-and-resubmit.
• Read and commented on an Honors thesis.
  
• Finished knitting THIS:
  Isn't it ever so cute? It's for my brother's forthcoming baby. My obliging model is Banjo the Bear. I am totally making another one for my own kid if I ever have one; maybe by then I'll be better at buttonholes.

But one thing I have not done, and that is work on my R&R. I have, as I mentioned, read for the R&R, and even taken notes on the things that need adding. But there's something horrible about starting back in on a piece of writing. Once I'm in it, I'm in it, and things will go for better or for worse, and I'll feel good about myself for working on it etc. But right now, I can see no payoff for taking the plunge. Gah gah gah gah gah.

Perhaps I shall spend a few more minutes cruising the interwebs, then print off the notes that I'll need, and just...read the damn thing again. (It doesn't help that previous revision attempts on this article have resulted in horror. Yes, horror. I have been reading a Russian novel; it is impossible that I not awaken in horror every so often right now.)

Oh, and I am also going to eliminate the Productive Procrastination possibilities. I am not allowed to do any of the following until I have at least read through the article and given it some thought: 1) take notes on the last section of Russian Novel; 2) read fucking Jekyll and Hyde for the 800th time; 3) type up last year's notes on J&H; or 4) open the email containing the other Honors thesis. There. That ought to do it.

Not Working

Since my interview is over, and I've relapsed into my policy of slack, I decided to take the day off.

(Never mind that I worked for approximately 25 minutes yesterday. See, the problem is, I'm trying to prepare my dissertation defense [8 days until it's over!], and I just don't really know what to do. I have made up a Handout, and prepared an Elaborate Outline, but basically I could run through my argument in my sleep. And I fear that, frankly, it's just going to be boring. I know that that shouldn't be a worry [and it obviously isn't much of one, since I'm taking no steps whatsoever to prevent it], but I've given versions of this spiel SO MANY TIMES that I can HARDLY BEAR to go over it anymore.)

So, today, I went to a museum and saw a neat exhibit of fiber arts (e.g. unwearable knit and crocheted things). One artist had knit dozens of biologically correct snake skins (out of yarn); they were beautiful and surprisingly lifelike. Then I got a falafel and went to the park, where I saw daffodils, crocuses, ducks, swans, a heron (or a crane? I don't know), a guy playing a flute, and a turtle.

A Google image search reveals that what I probably saw was a heron. It looked like this:


In a little while, I'll go to yoga. And then I'll likely be exhausted and lounge around for a bit.

I used to be so industrious.... I do not, however, feel particularly bad about this prolonged slump. I mean, who cares, really.

Half-Assed Post

I love this. I like crafts and I like public art, so knit graffiti is a very pleasing idea. Unfortunately, the site doesn't seem to be working very well, and you can't see the gallery pictures, but it's worth checking out regardless.

Okay: It's cold, and I keep falling asleep for some reason. So that's it for today.