I just completed reading the novel Life of Pi by Yan Martel. Only a few words come to my mind at the moment. Fantastic, in every sense of the word. Strange. Wonderful.
If it wasn't for the stack of grading setting on my desk, I would turn back to the front cover and start again.
I have been working it seems around the clock. Not much free time lately. The full-time teaching, plus the moonlighting teaching gig, likely on one too many committees, and then of course the dissertation writing.
I've moved most of my books to my campus office in hopes of being able to focus more on my writing. I spent all day Sunday writing. It's been going slow. Like chipping away at a glacier with a toothpick. I need to just keep going. It WILL get done, but sadly not by May. There's not enough time to get the revisions through committee and back again. So, it looks like this summer will also be dominated by the dissertation. Uhg.
Anyway, it was brought to my attention that I needed to take some time away from my work. So, today I took the day off. I went into L.A. to visit a few art exhibitions I had wanted to see. Then I went down Melrose Avenue and wandered through some interesting bookstores and shops. I went to this little French bakery, had a cafe au lait (yes, I'm back on the juice), and did some non-academic reading (this is a true rarity). It was a pleasant and peaceful day. I think I definitely needed to re-energize.
Oh, and I had a star sighting. Hugh Laurie from the television show House was sitting a few tables over at the little French place. We both left at the same time and were standing out on the sidewalk. I called Catherine while he was standing there to tell her (she loves that show). Nobody bothered him. People were clearly recognizing him, but they left him alone. It was kind of nice seeing he could still have a somewhat normal life.
