It's supposed to snow somewhere between 6 and 24 inches in the next few days (the higher totals will only happen if the storm starts to spin in place--unlikely but possible) but there's already a light snow falling.

Since we had nothing on the ground at all this will be pretty.

Today's accomplishments:

1) Sent the passport application!
2) The dump! I like that I live in a town where you take your trash to the dump.*
3) A new dump sticker from town as the old one expires today.
4) New dog licenses.
5) Things and stuff related to the holidays.
6) Picked up the mail.

Now I'm headed to the gym and then later! Later! I'll eat food! It's crazy here. Plus, I might head into town and drink tea or drink beer. I like beer. Not for midnight, that's much too late.

Also, I'll do some work.


*It's actually a transfer station, not a dump.

As a reasonably fast runner, if you're getting ready to start running there's only one reason that you let someone run past you if you're headed that direction: to catch and pass them for your own amusement.

Let me offer some warning to you folks out on Lake Michigan if you see a guy wearing a florescent yellow jacket and a funny green hat:

1) He may be 15 years older than you but he's still pretty quick.

2) He really, really dislikes being passed while running.

As a result, you're unlikely to catch him unless you're damn fast.


In other news: this won't be a useful warning for another 360 days or so.

It's winter break and I'm working much less dependably than normal. I'm vaguely okay with it for the week around Christmas but will have to ramp things back up upon my return home.

But, it's kind of nice to use this time to do other kinds of work than I usually do. I know that the coming semester is going to be teaching-intensive. I've got 2 small classes (15 each) that are both going to be time-intensive. I'm teaching History of Math again which is a great class (and it's mostly designed) but there's LOTS of writing, both me and the students. We write back and forth a lot. I'm going to need a designated 'grading day' each week to make it work.

And! I'm teaching Algebra for the first time evah (on my own, I assisted that one time at band camp) and do study it professionally and all. Still, I know that it's going to be a big deal given what I'm thinking of doing. The management piece will be most difficult. I think I'm going to have homework due every other week... The previous regime had only 4 problem sets, 3 hour exams, and a final exam as the graded work. While the explicit didactical contract was that students would be doing far more work, the contract did not specify how they would get feedback on it and that seemed the problem.

Prior to that class beginning I'm going to tape a few small lectures and post them on the nets (although they don't seem to upload to Bb so well so I need another plan), figure out how to assign reading from the textbook, and do a LOT of algebra problems.


So far over break I've:

1. dealt with grad student issues and concerns
   
2. Read a book (the Fundamental Constructs of Mathematics Education)
   
3. Done a bit of interaction with my advisee headed to Argentina
   
4. Written a personal "please let me into your program" essay (then I re-wrote it better)
   
5. Dealt with some other grad student stuff
   
6. Looked at a grant proposal that's due 2/13 (but will be sent off for comments on 1/10)
   
7. Thunk!
   

Not to mention all the personal stuff... The Adams Family is a spectacle of a broadway show, but I'm glad that we didn't pay for it on Broadway. There's been good food, good family (even if it makes me very tired), and stuff. We're headed home in a couple days. I'm excited and stuff.

we're in chicago - it's been a reasonable temperature, and we're ensconced on the empty third floor until the renters move in on 12/29 - it's nice to have the big space all to ourselves, although it'd be even better with some furniture and a mattress with more support than a cushion of air. i think we'll leave on the 29th to make the trek to the ithaca area, and then tim will drop me in albany from there.

highlights have been seeing the nephews, working out at the fancy gym and lots of food and presents (highlights include ugg boots, new bathrobe, a bunch of dvds and cds including Glee vol 2, and tons of chocolate).

xmas brunch: two types of baked french toast, dutch baby pancakes, cream scones, fresh fruit and cheese plates, hash browns, corned beef hash, bacon, sausage, and frittata.

xmas dinner: prime rib, catalan style swiss chard, green beans, rice, three cheese sourdough bread, glazed carrots, cake with fresh fruit and meringue.

and then last night, the parents sent us to mercat a la planxa, jose garces' tapas place downtown. we had eight tapas: flash fried peppers with salbitxada; three cheese plate (pau w/chocolate hazelnut puree, ombra with orange-guindilla marmalade, and cana de cabra with strawberries and balsamic reduction - i drank all the balsamic it was so good); escalivada with roasted peppers, cipollinis, eggplant and tomato confit; patatas bravas; roasted brussels sprouts with bacon, feta, and garbanzos; wild mushroom saute with potatoes and onions; duck breast with seckel pears and a duck confit & foie gras crepe.

the food last night was excellent - it was well-timed as far as when the courses were brought out, and the flavors were unique and excellent. the duck with the duck crepe was by far my favorite - it was ridiculously rich, small enough that i wasn't overwhelmed by it, but big enough to feel like i'd gotten a good serving.

we went to see Addams Family after that - it's in preview in Chicago. Hard to go wrong with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in the title roles, but the show was kinda dumb - the story wasn't that interesting, and there were no stand-out songs. Maybe people who like the tv/movie a lot will appreciate the show more. The hardest part was Nathan Lane's accent -- it felt like it wavered from Spanish to Italian to Jewish. Meh. Also, Terrence Mann is one of my favorite broadway actors, and his main song was about his tryst with a giant squid - kind of a waste of his talent. But, it was fun, the voices were great, and it's always nice to get to the theater.

Here!

Now to do things and stuff.

I think I'm going to go see the world in a few minutes. It will be exciting.

I might get a veggie burger. Perhaps have a cup of tea and read a book.

Which is saying a lot.

They stop by and tell me stories that start in the middle of the story, laugh like crazy, and then leave.

This is more socially odd than usual.

most productive weekend ever! thank goodness, since i'm pretty much out of time. custom roving order sent, almost all the gifts accounted for, scrabble played, beef stew made, knitting in a place that 16 hours in a car means i'll have it done in time to block on xmas eve and gift on xmas.

does anyone else do the snoopy dance every time Linus and Lucy comes on in a store? it gets a little embarrassing but i can't not do it.

our neighbors have graciously agreed to keep our key again this year while we're gone, even though last year our heater turned off and caused them (and us) much drama.

i might have to buy myself a subscription to pandora radio this year - i use it so much, i feel like i should support it.

i downloaded peggle and bejeweled for my iPod to entertain me between flashcards and knitting and sleeping on the car ride.

any audiobook or knitting project recommendations? for knitting i have 225 yds of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted that's been dying for a project for years. i'm thinking cowl and mittens, but other ideas will be welcome.

Things are about done here in terms of work that I need to accomplish to make the semester complete.

I've filled out the form for incomplete graduate work, graded everything I have and submitted all grades that I could.

One of my students emailed me two blank files instead of a final exam. I trust this one, I don't think she's trying to screw me over... I didn't open them until today, so I'm giving her some time to send me files that are more useful.

I need to start some things, deal with some things, and make plans for my return.