Sunday Activity: Chasing Cattle

This Sunday, Andrew and I were driving out of our driveway and we spotted a loose cow on our grass. Apparently, one of our three cows escaped. I cannot tell which one it was because their physical characteristics and names are interchangeable: Shadrac, Meshac & Abendago.

So I tiptoed into the field in my heels and dress and lifted my arms in imitation of cowboys I have observed in western movies. I might add that this actually does work; it's not just a Hollywood invention that appears impressive. Andrew became the other caroler as we coerced this frantic beast back to the proper side of the fence. How this devil got out, I’m not quite sure. But it felt brilliant to be late to church because of something so thrilling.

It also fulfilled an Anne of Green Gables moment...the one where Anne and Diana are in their dresses, attempting to chase Dolly out of Rachel Linn’s prize winning cabbages.

So there is hope for fulfilling another Anne of Green Gables moment: meeting Gilbert Blythe on the bridge at sunset and kissing him.

English 292: Sex

Despite the fact that I’m technically a senior, I still have to fulfill a basic course for my English major. Luckily, this semester I found room for this introductory class. However, it’s thrown me for a loop enrolling in a course with younger English majors; it’s a little different then the higher division classes I’ve become accustomed to. To illustrate this, here is a dialogue from this week’s discussion.

Preface: We are discussing the poem “The Eolian Harp,” written by Samuel Coleridge, to his finance. We read the following passage out loud:

“How by the desultory breeze caressed,
Like some coy maid half yielding to her lover,
It pours such sweet upbraiding, as must needs
Tempt to repeat the wrong! And now, its strings
Boldlier swept, the long sequacious notes
Over delicious surges sink and rise”

Professor: Now what is this talking about?

Silence

Girl: Love

My Inner Thoughts: Hmmm…not quite. But perhaps you have a warped overly sensual definition of love.

Boy: Making love.

My Inner Thoughts: Hmmm…closer. But you are still missing the mark - I don’t think this euphemism can properly be used for such graphic, forceful word choice. Try again.

Silence

I’m becoming impatient now.

Me: SEX!

It’s about pure, unadulterated sex!

These people better get used to talking about sex, because the English major is a secret coven of students who discuss race, sex, and violence on a regular basis. So my young English majors, practice saying sex at home so that when the opportunity arises, which will be soon, you can say without hesitation and conviction: sex.

Summer Reading Awards

Produced The Most Tears

The Crossing

In all honesty the novel that produced the most tears was Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince because tears were shed premortem and postmortem for Dumbledore. Overall, I estimate that I cried steady tears for about 60 pages.

However, the most profound and unexpected tears came during the final pages of The Crossing.

Laugh Out Loud Funny

Catch-22

Someone once expressed their distaste for this particular novel and I accepted this judgement without question. Shame on this person! I would have continued to miss out on this wonderful novel if it had not been for my co-workers at the Writing Center who convinced me to read it. I laughed out loud several times during this novel, but the laughter also comes with an ironic depth as you must come to grips with the the ridiculousness of a war dictated by an out of touch bureaucracy.

Memorable Sentence

As I Lay Dying

"My mother is a fish"

Memorable Word

East of Eden

Timshel תמשל

The Most Pleasurable "Guilty Pleasure"

Here Be Dragons

On my way home from the bookstore my friend inspected this newly purchased book and asked me if I was a fan of Dungeons and Dragons. You may laugh all you want, but I adore historical fiction novels that center around Britain.

Overall Favorites

My Name is Asher Lev and To The Lighthouse.

These novels don't have much in common. My Name is Asher Lev is a künstlerroman focusing on a young Orthodox Jewish boy and To The Lighthouse is just brilliant. It's a novel that I'm excited to grow old with. An odd thing to say, but it's the way I feel.