Picture of the day: Moo! At a Virginia dairy farm, May 2003. What I told my students before the photo was taken: "does anyone have any ketchup for this tasty bovine?" 

Another day, another chapter

Tomorrow a.m. I will hand in the 4th chapter. The only thing left is the conclusion, I am estimating about 10 pages at most for that. It feels good to be close, and yet, so far. I got back all of the other chapters from my chair today and I do have quite the revising to do. And my conclusion for this chapter is so weak, but I just want to get it out the door.

I understand that this makes for unbelievably boring reading. Trust me. It makes an even more boring life.

And I am oh so tempted to take with me to Perrysburg a book on the Ukraine. But since I still have other books I need to read for revisions...no.

Summer feels to be finally here, which would be wonderful if I had a life. But alas...no.

Memorial Day Thoughts

Yesterday, for a brief moment, I felt that my thesis goal was obtainable. So obtainable that I didn't need to stress out about anything anymore.

That was yesterday, and only for a brief moment, although, it is Memorial Day, and I thought that mowing the lawn would be a better way of remembering those men and women who served our country rather than writing about non-military national service. Well that and watching A&E's Cold Case Files which I am obviously addicted to.

But I did think about those who have given their time and their lives in various wars that we have fought. A few weeks ago I was talking to someone about how war can no longer be romanticized as it once was for our grandparents and great grandparents who fought in World War I and World War II. Viet Nam destroyed any notion of war being noble, great, or heroic. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that those who served in Viet Nam are not those things, it is just the consciousness that Americans awoke to as a result of our involvement--that something had gone so horribly wrong. The beautiful poetry of young boy soldiers from WWI has been replaced by Apocalypse Now. There is no innocence to war any longer. No one will stop to play soccer with the enemy on Christmas Day, forgetting that we are at war. But perhaps that is also because we are no longer fighting other Westerners. The "enemies" are now those not like us. Although, I guess facists and communists are not like "us" either? Sometimes I do wonder though.

Picture of the day: Bowling Green, NYC, summer 2003(?). This is one of my favorite pictures of myself, mostly for the irony of the matter, as Bowling Green, OH is nothing like this...notice NYC's finest in back... 

The Original Sex in the City

Well, I should be writing the fourth chapter of my thesis. And I have been. In short spurts. So inbetween spurts what have I been doing?

Watching a lot of Lifetime TV during the mornings before I get over to the lap top and look blankly at it and decide that the kitties want someone to play with them.

However, while I was watching one of my favorite programs--Golden Girls, I noticed a similarity to another show I love watching....

4 women, usually found talking about men, sex, and life around a table, with cheesecake and drinks.... There is a trampy one, a smart one, an smart ass one, and a naive one. Hmmm.

Well, it was bound to happen. I mean, here I am trying to get 1 project done, and of course what happens? I get momentarily more interested in another one.

Here is how I see it:
You subsitute NY for Miami, cheesecake for cosmos, and the women? As follows:

Rose is obviously Charlotte, we will all agree on that one. While Charlotte is not clueless, she's also not over 60. She has the same sweet naive charm and girl-next-door qualities.

Blanche is Samantha. They both talk nonstop about male conquests, are both vain, and have a fear of aging. They both believe a woman should be sexually liberated, and that there is power in the art of seduction. They also become the butt of jokes by the other women.

Now here is the tricky part...

Sophia is Miranda. They both have that caustic wit and a sense of bitterness about them.

That leaves-
Dorothy as Carrie. Don't believe me? Carrie is the narrator in SITC, she sets the scenes the action, the brains behind the operation so to speak, and also the character that we (the audience) is most supposed to identify with. I don't know about you, but when thinking about which Golden Girl I'd most like to be, I would certainly prefer to be Dorothy. She's the smart and sensible one. While she does not set the stage, she gets the best lines and is the one that all the other women count on. If you want to start cracking jokes about how Bea Arthur looks like a man, I ask you to close your eyes and picture Sarah J. in 40 years. As a friend of mine pointed out, she's not really beautiful, and so in a sense we, the average viewer, is supposed to identify more with her because of this. She is likeable.

At any rate, that is what I have been thinking about lately, instead of putting together all my interview material! This is a rough cut, but perhaps, somewhere in the Ukraine, this will be expanded upon and worked out...

Picture of the Day: Today I ended up wearing my University of York t-shirt to the gym and remembered some lovely walks in Yorkshire. This is a photo from one of those walks, from the fall of 1999. 

NPR Links

This morning NPR covered a story about Bolton that included remarks made by Senator Voinovich. You can read the story here, complete with pros and cons for Bolton: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4648850 (I have not yet learned how to rename the link--if anyone could tell me how, that would rock) and you can hear a part of Voinovich's emotional testimony here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4667334.

Senator Voinovich

I was excited to see on the news today that my Senator gave an emotional speech on the Senate floor today asking Republicans to stop being so stupid about Bush's appointment of Bolton. While those might not have been exact words, he told them that now is a time when we should be looking for friends in the world, not telling them to "f*** off" and I agree. Earlier this month I sent a 'thank you' to my Senator when he refused to give him a 'yay' or 'nay' in the committee. I dig it when they act with their heads instead of by their party affliation, be they Republicans or Democrats. It's cool and shows that they have integrity. If only I could say that about other members of Congress.

Anyway, praise to thee, Voinovich.

When/if I get an accompanying link, I will post it in the comments section.

Also, chapter 3 will be sent off to the chair tomorrow. Only chapter 4 and the conclusion left before revision hell.

Picture of the Day: the Hermitage from across the Neva River. As you can see, I am still missing that beautiful city--I was there last year at this time. *Sigh* 

Perrysburg

Some people have been asking about what it's like where I am housesitting. Well, it's a lot like Bowling Green, except more residential and not as many bars, and more strip malls.

The most noticable difference is when I am commuting back and forth from my apartment, it's not unusual to look over to my right or left on the road and have a BMW next to my little Honda. It's nice seeing European cars again. Being so close to Detroit and having car factories in Toledo, it's rare to see a non-American product on these highways. So, you can infer from the Beemers that yes, Perrysburg is an affluent area, although, coming from living in another affluent area, Newton, Massachusetts, it would be very hard to tell that Perrysburg is that well-to-do. But the lawns are big, the houses are nice, and the cars are foreign.

I have yet to really adventure very far in town though, simply because I have been too busy stressing out about my project, but maybe tomorrow I'll find the time to go to the farmers market that is held downtown every Thursday and pick up some fresh veggies and fruits. There are some restaurants that I'd also like to check out, but I'm a little awkward about eating alone--I'll go to movies by myself, museums, trips, etc, but eating alone in a restaurant in a town that you are not just passing through makes me feel a bit... well, like a loser. But hey, if the shoe fits, right? Hopefully I'll suck it up and try out the Hungarian restaurant in town sometime this weekend. I'd also love to take in a flick at some point too, but perhaps I shouldn't go too crazy! One day terribly soon all my troubles will be over and I'll have to go about looking for a part time job to pay the bills.

Picture of the Day: I have been missing St. Petersburg like no other recently. Unfortunately, I have no photos of my own to show, but this is of Catherine the Great's palace out in the burbs of St. Petersburg. It houses the famous 'Amber Room' which the Nazi's ran off with. Damn Nazis.  

Some thoughts....

Today I move onto Chapter 4, as I sent off Chapter 3 to be looked at before submitting to the Chair. Chapter 4 will be about the AmeriCorps members, how they view the program politically, etc. So, this morning, on my drive down to BG I was thinking about the folks that I interviewed for the chapter, and more specifically, about those that I am friends with, and how neat and special they are.

Then I started thinking about other relationships, and how adversity really does tend to bring people together more than shared positive experiences, and how strange that really is.

I have a feeling that I'm not the only one who thinks this way, either, because I believe that a lot of friendships are originally based in a common goal revolving around an issue or problem that needs to be solved. With the VISTAs, for example, the adversity could be the type of work that we were doing and the amount of money that we made. It wasn't a horrible experience, but it was one that only my other Corpsmembers or other AmeriCorps members could understand, you meet someone who served and you already feel that you have a sense of who they are, like they are already an acquaintance.

With other friends, it could have been a common enemy or uncomfortable situation that we overcame together, or even having the belief that social inequality exists in the world and that our government and social systems in place are not doing enough to eradicate it, or just trying to write a damn thesis.

I think that the best example of this would be members who served in a war together or experienced something horrible, like the Holocaust. Only those who shared that experience with you would ever completely be able to understand, and there is something very valuable in relationships like that.

*Sigh* I have procrastinated enough. It's time to get moving!

Tom Cruise in: Kategate

Am I the only one in America who finds this newsome twosome troubling?

I admit that I am intrigued, watching shows like Access Hollywood, Extra, and so on just to get the latest on them. When I found out that Tom was going to be on Oprah, I set aside an hour today just to watch the show (I will save my Oprah comments for another day).

Why am I intrigued, you ask?

I am not entirely sure myself. First off, Miss Holmes is a Toledo native, so folks around these parts tend to take an extra notice to stories about hometown heroes. (For those of you who scoff at Ohio, I have to tell you, *everyone* famous comes from Ohio. It's crazy--8 presidents, 2 astronauts, countless authors, actors, musicians, and so on.) I have loved "Dawson's Creek" for years, and anyone who is a fan of the show automatically loves Joey Potter.

The problem is that Tom Cruise is no Pacey Witter. And as a matter of fact, I hate Tom Cruise. That crazy Scientology-loving freak who has not been in a good movie since Top Gun and really, Val Kilmer made that film for me (okay, so I haven't seen Magnolia).

Anyway, I watched the Oprah episode as she 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over his recent romance. But ladies, do you not find it creepy that he called her up and asked to meet her just to mac on her? That is creepy. Also, is it not convenient that they are both starring in some major blockbusters this summer? Cruise's co-star, tween Dakota Fanning must have not responded to Cruise's advances, so he had to find someone else looking for publicity this summer. Honestly, Dakota Fanning is closer in age to Katie Holmes than Tom. Creepy.

While there are other certain May-December romances that don't bug me out so much: Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas (she seems older than her age) and Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher (she seems younger than her age), Katie just appears uncomfortable around Cruise, which makes me want to call the authorities and ask them to start up the Amber Alert system, because I think that she's being held against her will. Look at their demeanor when in public sometimes. He's constantly pushing her around, clutching onto her as if she'll run away or motion for help if her limbs are not forcibly kept to her sides or on his face. When he kisses her, she does not appear to kiss back, grossed out by dentures, perhaps.

Yes, this whole ordeal is none of my business, but I just find it all gross and I will boycott War of the Worlds as a result. Okay, so I wasn't going to see that damn film anyway, you got me. And yes, I'll probably continue to buy Us Weekly if it has them on the cover, but I tell you, if a marriage comes out of this, we must act to save Katie! Our battlecry? "Tell that fancy-pant Sinatra to get his hands off of Mia!" Gross.

Caffeine Overload

Today I have had the hardest time fully waking up. I realized that it is probably due to the fact that I am super stressed out about writing and drinking way too much tea and Coca Cola. As a result today I feel like I am crashing.

I promised myself also that I would not return to the apartment until I had a complete draft of my third chapter done. Well, it's not complete, but I just could not hold it off anymore as I had a few things that I needed internet access to check out anyway and needed to search for some Operation TIPS slip that I was given on the way to I-95 from the Beltway a year or so ago. No such luck. Scrap that idea.

Ah well. I still have my goal of having chapters 3 and 4 done by Friday. It might be possible. Might. At the very least, chapter 3 should be done mid-week. I just always think that it will be a lot easier than it is, however, Chapter 4 will not involve so much synthesizing of materials as the previous ones have, mostly just recounts from members. Oh, to be done. I will be exastic. Until then....ugh. Wish me luck.

Picture of the day: Jack! 

Mission Accomplished

After being thwarted by the office secretary being out at lunch, I finally was able to turn in my second chapter, be it later than I would have liked (1:30pm). It did give me time to get my validation sticker for my BG ID and to pick up the loan check. I was disappointed with the amount of cash the feds were doling out to me this semester, and went to Financial Aid to see if there was any way of getting more. Nope. So it looks like my fancy plans of trips cross country or quick European adventures are over. Instead, after this is over, I should think about trying to find temporary work. *Ho-hum*

But there is no rest for the weary. Which is difficult for today, because it's a rainy wet day and makes me sleepy. Also, it hasn't really warmed up at all yet for the summer, which is disappointing overall. So, I should motivate myself for going to the gym for a half hour, before coming back to the apartment, cleaning up, and heading back up to play with the kitties and work on Chapter 3.

But how about a nap first!

There's Always Tomorrow

Today there was one goal and one goal only: finish a draft of Chapter 2 so that I could hand it in to my chair tomorrow morning.

This goal will not be accomplished today, which is unfortunate and cause for public humilation.

I have come about five pages short of said goal (I was going to fix up footnotes and bibliography tomorrow morning), but as I am currently sitting in apartment (hence being able to post on web blog) I still need to get back to the house and kitties. The house and kitty owner called today to check in and I was sad that I was not sitting in the house, looking at the kitties. They do some crazy and funny antics and they keep me amused.

Perhaps I would have been able to accomplish my goal for today had I not: 1) chatted on the phone earlier today with a colleague, although he gave me great advice for thesis, 2) written several lengthy e-mails in the afternoon, 3) watched Extra and the finale of America's Next Top Model.

Oh well. What can I say? Even when I try to light a candle under my arse, it just doesn't seem to work. However, in my own defense, this chapter was 32 pages, which I have currently cut down to 28. That's progress alright.

Now, it's time to hit the highway and curl up with the kitties.

Cadiz, Ohio

A while back I suggested that I would stop hatin' on Ohio and try to educate you (and myself) about this glorious and underestimated state. In December, on my way back to Pennsylvania, I decided to take a different route than I had in the past. Instead of doing the boring Ohio Turnpike (80/90) to Interstate 76 around Youngstown and then the Pennsylvania Turnpike (which is simply evil), I decided that I would travel southeast thru Ohio, thru Wheeling, WVa., and then finally meet up in PA and take the evil turnpike home.

What I found out is that I have been robbed living up here in Northwest Ohio. Cleveland totally rocks, I hear that Columbus is lots of fun, and the Central east part of the state has Amish buggies and HILLS. HILLS, people. The closer to West Virginia one gets, the hills turn into MOUNTAINS, as that part of Ohio belongs to Applachia, afterall. Oh, it was beautiful, and my thoughts about how much I hated this land changed to awe. Why I had not travelled down to that part of the state before, I wondered? But then I remembered that some time ago, reading Foucault and other French philosophers was more important at the time.

Upon reaching a small town named Cadiz, I saw signs from the highway that read "Clark Gable Museum." I could not believe my luck. Gone with The Wind is my favorite movie of all time, I absolutely had to stop. While I found upon arrival that I had missed visiting hours (Fiddle Dee Dee) I swore that I'd return, because afterall, tomorrow is another day.... However, I've still not been able to check it out, but soon I will be. July I plan to take in all sorts of neat cultural Ohio gems and share them with all of you! It will be preparation for Ukraine, I suppose, except without any fears of nuclear power plant meltdowns.

Picture of the Day: Cadiz, Ohio's favorite son. 

Uh-oh

I am finally realizing how little time I have to do my thesis and revisions. The thesis portion of time was fine, even though I am a chapter behind. It was when my chair e-mailed me all the revisions she wants me to make on my introduction and first chapter that I realized that I would not be able to sleep for a month and I sobbed uncontrollably, as honestly, I just want to graduate.

So, today, and everyday, I will turn over (yet again) a new leaf. The second chapter (which is still a mess) will be turned in later this week, and the third chapter will be done in less than a weeks time. This is humanly possible. But it means no going to the gym every day like I had planned, and staying away from my apartment which has the internet.

Today I have done fairly well, and I'm off to the library in a few to print out the chapters, and a speech, get another book, and then heading back up to the house.

Yesterday I did find some time for fun--I am for a month responsible for taking care of the yard as well as the cats and house. As such, I thought that it was time to do mow the lawn. It's a big lawn, so I could only do part, and I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to figure the riding mower out, but I did okay and besides leaving little mohawks in patches on the lawn, it wasn't so bad. Fifth gear is FUN and I believe that sometime before the gig is up I should host some sort of riding lawnmower NASCAR-like race. Until then, I shall practice when I am not working.

Endings and Beginnings

Sometimes I can be a sentimental fool. Graduations are occasions. On Sunday I went to see the students that I worked so closely with when I was a VISTA graduate. Anyone who has known me or heard me talk about 'my kids' knows how I feel about those particular ladies. I am so pleased to have gone and applaud each one as she made her way across the stage. They each have meant so much to me, and I'm so proud of them. I know that they are going to make things happen for themselves, and I just can't wait to hear how they each change the world!

In Boston!

Yay! I have arrived for a quick weekend trip. On the plane I was able to finish editing up my chapter, which I am now revising for my 'editor' to look over. Unfortunately when I arrived in Boston, my bag did not. I was fortunate enough though to start up a conversation with the fellow at the US Airways baggage services area about all sorts of things: my luggage, college, the Air Force, Vietnam, politics, Purple Hearts, VISTA, drinking, the sixties, the Peace Corps, and so on. It was educational and made me forget how hungry and upset I was.

He said that the bag would probably be on the next flight to Boston from Philadelphia (my layover city) and that flight would be in a few minutes. So, the s.o. and I went upstairs where he enjoyed a Dunkin' Donuts coffee and I got a muffin to tide me over for the T ride back, and sure enough, my bag was there!

So here I am in Cambridge for the weekend, with the s.o. off in the kitchen cooking me dinner and me at the lap top editing away. Fun times, no doubt. I am really looking forward to tomorrow though, when I get to see so many students that I worked so closely with graduate. I can't wait!

Lucky Duckies!

Today I changed up the routine and was successful, until I went home. I decided to forgo the gym in the morning, work on my chapter, finish what needed to be done, come home, go to the gym, print out chapter, pack for Boston, take back books to the house, etc. I'm running behind now, because I had to pack and looking at all these piles of books is not exciting. I've got to renew some of them too, which likewise is not a fun task. Blah.

But while I was sitting out on the deck writing, I took a break to go and look in the creek and I saw 2 sets of ducks having a tete a tete. One was another typical duck couple, like my friend Charles and Camilla, but as this is about 10 miles away, I think that it is safe to assume that it is not the same couple. They seem to hang out at the creek pretty often, but I have not yet given them a name. I am open to suggestions.

The more interesting couple though were some other kind of duck, the like I've never seen before. They were both smaller than the other duck couple, with both having a bit of a plume to the back of their heads and the mallard had some red on him as well. The female, other than her size and mohawk, looked much like the other drake. However, upon spotting me, the couples abruptly stopped their tea, and went in opposite directions. I later went back to inspect and saw instead a groundhog and still the other duck couple. I hope to see them again though and take their photo so they can be identified.

Oh boy. I have got to pack.

Egads

Well, another day has passed and uh...yeah...Not a lot got done. I still have to write about the 1999 hearing and then print out this mother of a chapter so I can piece it together, throw out some trash, and try to answer questions like "does this historicize the moment?" or "does this help with the overall main theme" or "does this adequately tell the story that I want it to?"

I probably will still go and print it out before I head back up to the house for the evening. I have also come to the conclusion that no work will get done in this apartment. I am still not the kind of person that you will see studying or writing away at the library, because libraries make me sleep for some reason, but at the professor's house there is no internet, which means that I can not so easily procrastinate as I oh so desperately do. I am already 1 chapter behind schedule, and I need to get this one in working order before I head out to Boston so I can have my 'editor' look it over before coming home. This should also be the hardest one as it combines so much stuff that it's hard to make heads or tails of it in the first place. The next two should be fairly easy, with the fourth being the easiest. It will comprise of interview material from the AmeriCorps members and allow for the greatest amount of creativity so to speak. So, technically, after this one is handed off, I am halfway there!

Dinner awaits and then back to the house and the kitties.

Progress, slow but steady...

Well, so I write an awful lot about my thesis, but what is actually going on? I'm sure that you ask yourself that frequently, as I ask myself that very same question. For the past two days I have been fairly diligent (for me) in attempting to put together a rough draft of my second chapter, which is about Bill Clinton and the AmeriCorps program. The more I write, the more I delve into the Democratic Leadership Council, and less about the program and the partisan politics involved during the Clinton administration, but this moderate movement of the liberal party is interesting to me. Tomorrow (or later this evening) I will concentrate on writing about two Congressional hearings about the Corporation for National Service & AmeriCorps.

I went to the library this afternoon to pick up Bill Clintons My Life, as that book was in demand earlier this semester, but with all the kiddies gone, I figure it's safe to lug that huge book back to my pad for the summer. While I was at the library, I ran into no less than three colleagues, which only goes to show how hard working my department is! Go us! On the way out, when I was checking out all my Bill Clinton books, the dude asked me about AmeriCorps (because like Rummy and Ashcroft, he's got access to the books I've checked out) and I tell him that I was in the program, I'm doing my thesis about it, blah blah blah. He says that he's interested in doing the new program here in Wood County and has me talk to another library worker who is doing an internship this summer setting the program up.

It's cool to see that other people are interested in doing the program, as I always try to talk highly about it in public. The only issues I have with the program are more political anyway, not anything that would have me tell someone not to do it. It certainly changed my life, and I'm glad that the program still exists, even if it has taken on a 1984-sort of mentality. I wish that the program allowed for more of a political voice, for if your goal is to engage citizens and educate them on what being a 'good citizen' is all about, for goodness sake, let them register people to vote, participate in politics, partisan or not. Especially considering how many young people are involved, it would be fantastic to create a young generation of civicly minded individuals who know how to utilize their political voices instead of just picking up trash or reading to kids.

I'm also really happy that this whole business kept me engaged today for as long as it did. I typically have a hard time writing or reading for thesis stuff for anytime more than an hour at a time. While that still happened, my breaks were shorter, and I was able to get back into it, really excited about the work I'm doing, even if I don't see it taking great shape currently--rough drafts are usually like that with me.

Today was also a beautiful day--one of my favorite kind of days out here in the Midwest. One day I will write more about what I mean and generate a list of all the things that I will miss about Ohio. I feel that it is only fair considering how much I bash this place. Until then, it is dinner time and then a hasty packing process must take place before heading out to housesit for a month.

Bono's birthday

Today is Bono's birthday. If you don't know who Bono is, then why are you reading my blog? But, just in case, Bono is the lead singer of the Irish band U2. And seriously, who does not love U2? If you don't, there must be something wrong with you. Even if you do not like their music (which I guess some of you may not) you have to agree with their politics. Bono and the band have been social justice activists for the span of their career, working for such causes like Live Aid, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and Jubilee 2000. Bono now spends a bulk of his time when he's not rocking out trying to alleviate world hunger, poverty, and works towards AIDS education and prevention. It's also important to note that Bono is one of the few celebrities that uses their fame in such a positive way and does so tirelessly. He's met with world leaders (Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela, President Clinton and Bush, among many others), spoken in front of Congress, he's played a hand in Irish politics and attempting to create a peace in Northern Ireland, and has often times been associated as having messianic qualities, not only for his political convictions, but also for his spiritual ones as well, as Bono is a devout Christian, which seems to not alienate his secular fans. If you are interested and want to check out some of Bono's causes, you can go to http://www.one.org or http://www.data.org and join him in his effort to stamp out poverty.

Surprise Gift!

Today I got an e-mail from the Prof that I'll be housesitting for. She said that there was something cool in my mailbox, so I made an unscheduled trip to the department to see that the Armenian student had left me a little gift and a note. The thank you note was really nice and she said that I was the 'best TA' she ever had! Some of my colleagues have likewise gotten some nice thank you's at the end of the semester, so it was nice to see that I also had made some sort of contribution as well, although instead this was more of a personal connection than anything else, which is fine by me.

Normally, I wouldn't bring this sort of thing up, but my mom reads this, so I'd like her to know that foreigners think that I rock and that this student is pretty confident that Ukrainians will like me too. Isn't that sweet?

Making Strides!

Yesterday Eric and I drove all the way to Cleveland, Ohio so that we could participate in the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. The walk itself was five miles in a really nice area of Cleveland. The park was called Edgewater and we had some nice views of the skyscrapers of Cleveland and were right on Lake Erie. Over 2,000 people participated in the walk and almost $100,000 was raised for the event to help with breast cancer research, education, and prevention.

Thank you to those who contributed to our walk!

Afterwards, Eric and I decided to hang out at the park for a bit, since the day was so nice and the weather was beautiful. Things are almost out in full bloom in Cleveland. We had some snacks and then drove all the way home. This weekend has been a busy one socially, so it's been tough to get work done. Eric and I headed up to a graduation party in Detroit for a colleague of mine. We had a good time, even though the party was crashed by some dude who was asked to leave and did so, but only after crying "but you guys are so cool. I'm not cool like you guys." He was drunk, needless to say, with a gash on his head. Ah, Detroit. But it was a good time!

The photo below is from I-75. It's not too far from Bowling Green, and I pass it basically anytime I need to go anywhere. For as closeted off from the rest of America as BG is, there are some interesting surprises, this Center being one of them.

I hope to have pictures to show from the Walk we did, but they will come later.

The Islamic Center of Greater Toledo 

Visiting Hours.

If all goes according to plans, I will be picking up the s.o. in about 6 hours from the airport. While I am excited about the visit, I am rather sad at the state of untidiness my apartment has taken for about the past month. I should have done laundry about 2 weeks ago, there are mounds of dishes in the sink, piles upon piles of articles and bills stewn all over the floor in the living room, no room to eat on either the coffee table or the kitchen table as they both have tons of stuff all over them. My bedroom looks like I'm in the process of moving in or out boxes and bags all over the room (also that is my amazon.com marketplace store). Oh, I'm horrified at living in such filth, but honestly, what am I to do?

I have likewise not been making process, although I did get part of a chapter 1 draft back, finished that, and then went out to lunch to discuss house/cat sitting details, as I will be leaving BG for a month to live up the road in a real house with two real cats and a creek. I'm excited. I also get to use a riding mower. That should be fun.

Today, on top of my small gestures of cleaning (I'll do the bathroom), I should also go to the post office or court house to get my no-fee passport and send away for my VISA. Exciting times.

Me and Reality TV

This morning, when I was thinking about my day, I was horrified to realize that Monday thru Thursday, my evenings are strictly devoted to reality TV. Monday night is my huge guilty pleasure, the MTV Road Rules/Real World Challenge. Tuesday night is spent watching The Amazing Race, which I do not have to feel so guilty about, seeing as how it does involve travel and is entertaining in a wholesome sort of way. Wednesday is time for America's Next Top Model, which always gets better the fewer girls there are. I was too emotionally invested last season and became upset when evil drag queen Tyra sent several girls home that I really liked. Although, truthfully, earlier this year Wednesday was completely the highlight of my television viewing week. Bravo's Project Runway basically ruled my life as I became more and more obsessed with the show. All the drama. Over the top Austin, that evil ruinous woman Wendy, and the complete star, fellow Pennsylvanian Jay. It was crazy. I would give recaps to my mom and s.o., as neither watched the show themselves, but because it was now my obsession, I had to share it with everyone I spoke to on a regular basis. It was a great show but I doubt that they could make the second season as good. Thursday is of course The Donald's night, but that will soon too be over, and then I'll have that night back until the next reality TV show sucks me in.

I just wish that I wasn't such a sucker for those shows, but as much as I try to deny it, I just can't. You simply can not beat the human drama.

No more pencils, no more books....

Ah yes! To be done! Alas, I am not, but a major committment ended today as the students turned in their final exams and got their papers back. So now, it should be all thesis all the time. I had been working really steadily, making good progress (about 5 pages a day) but that was awhile ago. Now I have to figure out how to motivate myself again and get back into the groove, as I am quickly falling behind.

I am a goal oriented person, so I will set up some new goals that will begin in effect tomorrow (I know, wouldn't Ben Franklin be rolling over in his grave). They are: to write at least 8 pages a day, completing Chapter 2 while the s.o. is in town. Next week, complete a draft of Chapter 3 before heading out to Lasell's graduation.

These goals actually do not seem all that realistic to me, but I will try. I set about 3 goals during the New Year and they are all accomplished for the most part. Of course, I did cheat and make the first goal to go to the Mummer's Parade in Philadelphia, which uh, is on New Year's Day. But whatever. I'm not keeping score, are you?

All in all, their should only be 4 Chapters (at least that is what is proposed in my introduction) and each chapter should be approx. 20 pages in length, so perhaps this feat is not impossible.

In the meantime, no learning Ukrainian or reading about its history until the thesis is done. That more than anything else will motivate me to finish it and hand each chapter off to my chair. I suppose learning what your own weaknesses are help in situations like this, by postponing things that you actually enjoy to work on things that need to get done. Isn't it awful that we must deprive ourselves joy in order to get stuff done?

In the meantime I also do have to submit an updated resume and an aspiration statement to the country desk, put on some sort of disclaimer on this blog (I read in the volunteer handbook yesterday that there needs to be something like that), and have my mother find my birth certificate so I can get my new passport (this is exciting, the Peace Corps issues special passports) without having to surrender my old one until Staging takes place in late September. While I suppose I probably will not be leaving the country until I go to the Ukraine, the dream is still there for last minute European getaways and I don't want to give that dream up just yet....

Kids Today

Oy Vey! So, because of my own tardiness, I have to read tons of student papers today and tomorrow, and have read about 3 or 4 today before getting to one that just strikes me as....well, too well written, if you know what I mean. As advised by several people, I log onto the internet and delve into tons of web sites that offer essays and lots of other web sites that have similar explanations to just about every paper I have read. There is only one of me and tons of these web sites out there, so what do I do? Technically as I can not prove anything but find it very hard to believe that this paper was written solely by the author, what can I do? The student does not even include a works cited page.

Basically, I just do not get college students today. The only thing that I hounded and hounded to them was to use outside sources, and barely a third did. Only one student has properly used citations. Some only after quotes. Most use none. And this is the problem. When is it plagiarism instead of just all this "sloppy citation" business I keep hearing about? Perhaps my background in history is why I find all of this shady business inexcusable. It's best to cite everything and cite often. I'd often find resources that backed up each other, simply so that you could switch back in forth in your paper as a way of bulking the evidence you had found. I still love researching and finding tons of stuff that corroborates with someone else, because obviously it's more frustrating and problematic when they don't.

Also, I do not remember a single professor during my undergraduate days taking time out to talk about plagiarism either. Yes, that was many many years ago, when you would have to do some real honest to goodness work to cheat in the first place, copying from a book or other source, having to dig through some sorority or fraternity pile of papers.... But is it something more than just the increase in technology? I've found that the students of today feel more entitled than my generation did. I did not expect an A simply for sitting in class each week. I worked for B's. With more people having access to a college education, in some sense it seems evident that there are people here who should not be, do not want to be, and will not put in the effort that is involved.

Bah!