Through Pen and Lens

It’s St. Valentine’s Day, and what am I doing at zero-dark-thirty this morning instead of waking my beloved from his slumber with a passionate something-or-other? Reviewing my students’ responses to their online discussion threads. It’s not that I’m behind on grading. Well, I am behind on grading, but that’s not the reason. I am five hours away by truck from him. He has work. I have class today: Science, Technology and Postmodernism – the only history of ideas course I thought I could get through this semester. So, I wake depressed. Valentine’s Day alone with coursework plus grading – how bloody romantic. But, there is a bright spot. I remembered well in advance this year and sent him a bouquet of tulips in a red heart vase – to his school. I’d be depressed, but at least he would be blushing all day. I started to put grading off until after class today, but I’m glad I didn’t. One of the discussions threads my students were responding to was over Andreas Capellanus’ The Art of C...

I have been a horrible blogger. Yes! It’s true. You don’t have to fain surprise with me. I can handle the truth. (A nod to my man Jack.) No excuses. Even with all the papers and projects, all the class prep and grading, all the trips up and down I-45, I could have found the time to check-in now and again. I’ve been taking the lazy way out and posting on Facebook, and not even a lot of that. (That was for you, Laurie.) So, what’s been up? My blood pressure, probably. But it’s starting to return to normal. You do realize I haven’t actually checked it. I just feel less stressed today, so naturally one can fill in the blank. Decided to put on the Ritz. I have a couple things to share: First, I am starting a campaign to save the United States Postal Service. In my youth (That was only a couple months ago, right?), I was an avid letter writer and sender of humor cards. Back when I had free time (Who knows what that is, anymore?), I would peruse the card shops and shops that ju...

I was on my way to my friend Laurie’s home where, among other things (preparing Halloween decorations), we were to stage documentary photographs, when I saw Bryan hitching south on SH 146. A woman alone, I drove past him, but as I studied him in my rearview mirror, I wondered if photos of a hitchhiker would be better than anything staged. I made the two u-turns and went back to inquire if he would oblige. Bryan and I talked about five minutes, as I explained the project from the safety of my truck, and he told me a small bit of his journey. His talkative cat, Princess RD (Road Dog), who I did not see until Bryan walked to the truck, decided she would enjoy the cool air inside with me. Bryan and I agreed on the photograph as document. Unlike diCorcia’s “carefully contrived photographic tableaux” (Lowry), I attempted to remove signage from the frame to reduce the possibility of a commentary I was not trying to make. Winogrand “aggressively rejects any responsibility for his images...

Tell me, was I too harsh with my ENGL 1301 online class today? "The Profile essays have been graded. You will find your grade in one of the comment bubbles in your paper. Please review all the comments in your paper, as I will look for these issues in your other assignments. Overall, there has been improvement in your writing. (Yea!) But there are some problems that continue to appear: First: (And yes, I am going to fuss here. You have been warned.) I should not have to remind you to use proper MLA format. Following this simple requirement is not difficult. You have explanations and examples in your textbook and online. You can also email me - that's one of the reasons why I'm here. So, FROM THIS POINT ON, IF YOU HAVE NOT PROPERLY FORMATTED YOUR PAPER, IT WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU, UNGRADED. If you can't bother to follow this simple instruction, why should I bother to grade your paper? If I review it after the due date (I generally wait until everyone has s...

I blame Dan. My wonderful husband was so worried about me worrying about him that he had the kids neglect to inform me that he was in the hospital. He finally told me yesterday afternoon, much too late for me to be driving to Crosby from Dallas when I have to be back for class Monday morning. But I knew that the longer I brooded about not being there, the more likely it would be that I would drive home anyway. He joked about the liquid diet that they’re going to start him on, so I added that I would start my own liquid diet: wine, beer, whatever the hell was in the apartment as long as it was in a liquid state to make sure that I didn’t get behind the wheel of Big Bertha. She’s a good girl, but unforgiving. He says he’s fine. But that’s what he always says. He told me to wait to come home just in case I have to come home later. The fewer classes missed and all that. So, I put up the readings I had to do for the week, put in Sense and Sensibility , again, and preceded to put dow...

I don’t know if it’s good or sad that I am dreaming of French translation exams. Taking them, passing one section but not the other. Retaking a section and as I hold it up to read it, almost instantly knowing how to translate it into anglais , a mystical light shining around the edges of the page but oddly enough, not through. Or how about the next bit of the dream: Looking through a live-action French catalogue named Talbot. Not the women’s clothing catalogue that is already out, but an antiques catalogue named after the seven-hundred plus year old vampire on True Blood . Why Talbot? He loves his antiques and talking about them. And I’m watching the DVDs of the show with French subtitles turned on. Actually, everything I watch for the next few days has to have français subtitles, or I can’t watch. That’s my rule. I get breaks from my studying (and reading for my actual courses), but I continue to study by reading the subtitles – two birds with one stone. I know there is no way I’m...

I am so very far behind. I have all kinds of things to get done including but not limited to creating a Comp I syllabus; creating a website for my art; posting photos of: Wesley's graduation, Daddy's birthday, my haircut (yeah, I got scalped, and I'm loving it); work on my numerous photo projects; save the Jim West Mansion; work on other art and writing... Classes begin Wednesday, and I haven't learned French yet (gonna take the test anyway). I'll think about it all tomorrow. I'm going to bed. Quote for the day: One of the greatest labor saving inventions of today is tomorrow. Vincent T. Foss