genuinely [expletive]y day
it started well. i didn't feel like going to the gym, but i went. and i used the other type of bike so i didn't hurt my lower back (good advice krystal!). Then i had breakfast and i've had better but not damage done. Very disciplined, as i can be occasionally, i started on the next chapter of my text book as soon as i was showered and dressed. Had a nap, as i tend to in the mornings now. I'm officially an old lady. But i love naps too much to deny it or give them up. Woke up at half10 and read some more Roediger. About midday decided to make lunch in my room. So i defrosted some wheat rolls and got out my avocado (oh, faithful friend), cheese, turkey, sunflower seeds. All ready to go, or so i thought, until, in a dramatic attempt to de-stone my avocado, i stabbed myself in the hand. it was pretty deep and bled a bit but 3 hours later looks like a paper cut so i think i'll live. finger and forearm aches randomly so my nerves are probably doing flip flops or something. anyway, i was kind enough to clean the swiss army knife rather than throw it out the window in frustration. used a few choice words to vent my anger, lost my apetite and read for another 1/4 hr before my meeting with my professor.
meeting was about going to American Studies Association conference in D.C. It's gonna cost be a bit but it's a once in a lifetime thing so i figure i gotta go. And i'll get to visit D.C. while i'm at it. Oh the photos will be on here, don't you worry. It's very soon. Two weeks tomorrow it starts! But with a little to-do list I was already to leave his office and get to work organising flights, ASA membership, rides, etc when he asks me casually, 'did you hear about ken?' and i'm like, 'the film guy?'
Turns out, my beloved film professor back in NZ died on friday. I barely know him. I mean I talked to him a bit more than most lecturers, sometimes, but I'm totally knocked for six by this news. I'm not really sure why. I keep thinking silly things like, he's gonna be so gutted to miss all the films that come out before christmas, and that i won't get to take his course next year - which i was really looking forward to.
This is the little eulogy on the American Studies home page at UC:
Ken Harris
We were all saddened to learn on Friday of the death of our good friend and colleague Ken Harris.
Harris, Ken. On October 14, 2005, in Christchurch. A highly popular lecturer on film history and theory and a deeply respected colleague, scholar and curriculum developer. Your work here, and the standards you set, will be hard to beat.Your friends, students and colleagues in the School of Culture, Literature and Society at the University of Canterbury will always remember your creative input into developing the 21st Century university.
According to the email my UW professor read me, he found out he had pancreatic cancer 10 days ago and kept taking his classes until the last day of term - which was friday. And he got to be with his partner and loved ones when he died. So that's kinda cool, under the circumstances. I guess the funeral was today or earlier this week.
Anyway, I managed, by some miracle, to finish Roediger thisafternoon, despite my heightened distraction - and considering my usual level of distraction this is remarkable. Needed a change of scenery before i get on with my midterm paper (due 1 week today. HELP!) so i came down to check the mail. And, God is Good, i get a card from Ray and Dot. But not only that, it's got notes from like a dozen ppl, including some of my closest friends in the world! Talk about a boost. Just what i needed. If any of the note-writers read this, THANK YOU! You saved my rotten day.
Hand aching. Should go work on paper as note writing usually involves my right hand only. Meanwhile, i have mini-stigmata on my left. That's what it looks like, i'm afraid to say. That's probably highly insesitive, i know very little about stigmata but that's what it looks like. I'll put a photo up. Better do it soon tho - it's amazing how fast the body heals.
Two other wonderful things about today -
- My hair is pretty. God bless good hair days.
- And it's smoothie night so i can go and have a healthy (and yummy!) supper after my evening class. Yay for me. And for highlights of low days.
Off to study and endeavour not to think about Ken.
meeting was about going to American Studies Association conference in D.C. It's gonna cost be a bit but it's a once in a lifetime thing so i figure i gotta go. And i'll get to visit D.C. while i'm at it. Oh the photos will be on here, don't you worry. It's very soon. Two weeks tomorrow it starts! But with a little to-do list I was already to leave his office and get to work organising flights, ASA membership, rides, etc when he asks me casually, 'did you hear about ken?' and i'm like, 'the film guy?'
Turns out, my beloved film professor back in NZ died on friday. I barely know him. I mean I talked to him a bit more than most lecturers, sometimes, but I'm totally knocked for six by this news. I'm not really sure why. I keep thinking silly things like, he's gonna be so gutted to miss all the films that come out before christmas, and that i won't get to take his course next year - which i was really looking forward to.
This is the little eulogy on the American Studies home page at UC:
Ken Harris
We were all saddened to learn on Friday of the death of our good friend and colleague Ken Harris.
Harris, Ken. On October 14, 2005, in Christchurch. A highly popular lecturer on film history and theory and a deeply respected colleague, scholar and curriculum developer. Your work here, and the standards you set, will be hard to beat.Your friends, students and colleagues in the School of Culture, Literature and Society at the University of Canterbury will always remember your creative input into developing the 21st Century university.
According to the email my UW professor read me, he found out he had pancreatic cancer 10 days ago and kept taking his classes until the last day of term - which was friday. And he got to be with his partner and loved ones when he died. So that's kinda cool, under the circumstances. I guess the funeral was today or earlier this week.
Anyway, I managed, by some miracle, to finish Roediger thisafternoon, despite my heightened distraction - and considering my usual level of distraction this is remarkable. Needed a change of scenery before i get on with my midterm paper (due 1 week today. HELP!) so i came down to check the mail. And, God is Good, i get a card from Ray and Dot. But not only that, it's got notes from like a dozen ppl, including some of my closest friends in the world! Talk about a boost. Just what i needed. If any of the note-writers read this, THANK YOU! You saved my rotten day.
Hand aching. Should go work on paper as note writing usually involves my right hand only. Meanwhile, i have mini-stigmata on my left. That's what it looks like, i'm afraid to say. That's probably highly insesitive, i know very little about stigmata but that's what it looks like. I'll put a photo up. Better do it soon tho - it's amazing how fast the body heals.
Two other wonderful things about today -
- My hair is pretty. God bless good hair days.
- And it's smoothie night so i can go and have a healthy (and yummy!) supper after my evening class. Yay for me. And for highlights of low days.
Off to study and endeavour not to think about Ken.
posted by Amy at 4:08 pm
1 Comments:
Sorry to hear about your professor back home. It always seems we know people better when we hear of their death. People we wouldn't ordinarily ever think of even once in a week and suddenly we remember those encounters of the past. I have just experienced this lately myself. We just keep the memory and realize two things: that our spirit carries on and our time in these human bodies is limited. Each to fulfill her own purpose in this place then move on. But in the mean time if we can be good to others, we can make the world better. Hope today was a better day for you.
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