The Comeback

I'm back in Cambridge living and working and schooling. After a week of complete lack of productivity, I'm now shopping classes like they're on sale. I went to three classes today, and they were all fantastic. Only one of them will I probably take, though. It's History and Literature of the Modern American South, and I felt all special today because of my road trip there after freshman year, understanding how things like kudzu define the south. Yes, we discussed kudzu for a few minutes. I must say that I haven't missed self-important, argumentative brats. While we were discussing it I said that despite the fact that it now grows like a weed, it can be pretty cool. The girl next to me was responded under her breath "it's awful" to which I said that in certain areas it can be quite beautiful, i.e. under railroad trellises on your favorite album cover, but whatever, she can die.

This was the same person who at the beginning of class, as we were answering the prof's preliminary question of what the Confederate flag meant in the North vs. the South, said, "I think it's a little more complicated than that." Um, yeah. You're not in middle school or the executive branch of the federal government where everything is in black and white. The point of the question was to lay some groundwork for discussion and accepted generalizations are the best way to do that. Ok, I'm ranting, but this girl's shortsightedness really got to me. I think she was from the South and had this attitude that no non-Southerner could possibly understand it, like we were all judging her. Um, let me just say that we probably wouldn't be taking the class if we were so judgmental, and second of all, don't assume all Harvard students are New York-centric Manhattanites.

So that's out of the way. What else happened of note. Probably the most exciting part was going to Allston to see my BU friends. Seeing as how close it is on the 66 bus, I'll probably be over there all the time.

Haven't seen Beulah yet, sadly.

Fretting about my thesis, but I'll probably get over it. I'm narrowing into Philip Roth, but right now I'm starting a lot of books and not finishing. I took a break from Augie March for a few days and now am reading White Noise just to get that under my belt before classes begin.

My thesis is due March 1, which is probably less than a month into 2nd semester which is terrifying, especially since so many of my friends are ditching their theses, a luxury which I don't have...not that I'd want to.

The Supreme Court thing looks pretty much sealed. I really enjoyed discussing it with AirPizz who had an internship there, so basically, she knows all the justices, which is amazing, and she really cares and knows so much about it that it's always a fun topic of conversation. I don't know where I stand on whether the Senate Dems should oppose the nomination. I suppose there's no harm in voting "no" to send a message, but at the same time, it may strike a wrong note politically considering that at least on the outside Roberts is pretty likeable. My favorite part of the hearings?---Pat Leahy saying, "We're rolling the dice with you, Judge." All I could think of was a bunch of shady alleyway figures shouting "clickety CLACK." Ok, I've told that joke to just about everyone, but it still puts a smile on my face.

Over and out.