Hodge Podge

Well, we're a couple weeks into school now and starting to get into the groove; 5 am is starting to be a little easier to see each morning. My classes are deep into poetry now and I can smell propaganda on the horizon (it smells like freshly baked bread, but is really just a ball of dough in the oven). The grading program is finally ready to be used and I've entered all my assignments so far and inputted 3 of my 4 class grades.

As I'm writing this, and I started to write this over the weekend but had so much grading to do put it off, I realize that this is kind of boring. What is really on my mind is the gay marriage issue that will be voted on in Maine this November. Let me see if I can squeeze some more day to day stuff out before I begin to rant.

I am reading The Italian, by Ann Radcliff; again. [The title links to an ebook, author to info] I had to read this book for class during my undergrad and {gulp} didn't finish it. It isn't a easy book to read and I think that without the unofficial concentration in 18C literature I would not have decided to re-read it and be getting it this time. It reeks of the Gothic sublime. Supernatural innuendos, long soliloquies about the beauty and majesty of the scenery and how it moves the characters towards their own sublimity through association. It does have all the elements of a great tale though, unrequited (so far) love; creepy, evil monks; a kidnapping; a chase and pursuit of the kidnapped and subsequent daring rescue from a self obsessed, power hungry/abusing abbess; and comedic scenes - I'm surprised some Hollywood director hasn't made a crappy movie of it [they may have and if you know please comment and tell me about it]. I'm on pg 215, not quite halfway, and finding myself enjoying it. This is much different than the first time I read it and it proved to be a potent sleep aid, much like I'd imagine a shot of elephant tranquilizers would be.

I'm really digging the new Weezer song, "I want you to". If you click on the title of this post it will take you to the Weezer.com site and you can listen for free - tell me if you like it. It plays on a loop - I think I've heard it 12 times now and I'm not sick of it yet!!