This morning, I lolled in bed for a few hours, finishing a book. I promised myself that, before I started my comps reading, I would allow myself to read a couple of fun and familiar books. I did the same thing just before this past semester started. In both cases, I read L. M. Montgomery books. Last time, I read Anne's House of Dreams and Rilla of Ingleside. This time, I read A Tangled Web and Jane of Lantern Hill. As a result of the kind of reading I did last semester, I started Jane last night and finished it this morning. Two sittings. The problem is that now I'm tempted to read The Blue Castle, which I will contend is Montgomery's best book, because last night I realised that Jane of Lantern Hill (in many ways) is a kids' version of Blue Castle.
My brain has had a nice vacation, visiting beloved and familiar books. (I predict that Ky will take offense to that last statement. But she wrote her thesis about Montgomery books. And, thanks to Ky's thesis, I see disability everywhere when I read these books.)
I've also had a nice vacation of focusing only on my home and domestic projects, for a time. I've gotten a good amount of work done, and our home is much more organised than it was before. I've completed a bunch of projects that I've been intending to do since we moved here. I can't even begin to describe how good that feels.
But, although I may still read Blue Castle, and I have more household projects and will continue to keep this house clean, I have to start being a student again. I started that process today: I sent out a bunch of e-mails to set appointments with various profs, to discuss my comps lists. (Hm. Speaking of which, I just thought of another such e-mail to send.) I've started checking out book reviews.
I've also started working towards putting last semester behind me. I still feel some of the after-effects. I'm still dealing with the physical strain (by visiting a chiropractor) and the anxiety (by taking care of myself). But I got all my grades back, and I did surprisingly well. I need to check my mailbox at the University for my marked essays, because I suspect I did especially well on that marathon paper. My grade in that course was much higher than expected.
14 comments:
FOUR spring courses? Are you insane? One at a time was enough for me, because UofR spring courses can be so intense.
I think I agree with you about Jane of Lantern Hill and Blue Castle. Jane gains self-confidence and her sense of 'self' with her move to Lantern Hill (Precipitated by the letter from her father, which she cannot control). Valancy gains the same in Mistawis after she gets the letter from the doctor (And she cannot control what is supposedly happening with her heart problem).
One difference I can think of off the top of my head, is that Jane has to have permission to go as she's a child, and Valancy just goes, despite the fight from her relatives. Both gain 'redemption' at the end, although Jane's is tempered by the implied rejection of her grandmother's control, while Valancy is going to go on a long honeymoon, even if her relatives all ove her for 'marrying money'.
How cool is that? Thank you for your observation!
My 9 year old daughter is on the 3rd book or 4th book in the Anne of Green Gables series. She's loving them. She's almost finished watching the second movie as well. I haven't read them all myself... but do have that goal sometime in the future. *grin*
What is your Phd in? (and Master's for that matter?)
-n
I suggest that you keep one or two books for reading -- either as motivation when you finish, or as a much needed break in the middle.
I had kept the latest Harry Potter on the floor in my living room as a motivator for finishing my exams-- I would read it when I was done. I found, however, that somewhere in the last third of preparations, I just REALLY needed a book and HP was exactly it. I alternated chapters between "school" books and HP for the day-- I've never been so productive (ok... maybe I was when I was writing for the MA Thesis).
Can't really believe this is the first time I've been here...we read and comment on all the same blogs. And then I get here and you are talking about LM Montgomery books, which I love. And one that I don't remember reading (A Tangled Web). Good luck with the comps reading!
Welcome, turtlebella and nikkirae! (And nikkirae: I'm a historian.)
And monkeypants: the more I think about these two books (especially as I work my way through The Blue Castle), the more I recognise common elements. Of course, LMM was constantly re-using elements and characters. But I was thinking about how they both end with the disreputable shack dream-home becoming a summer cottage, as they get some smart little home in the big city for the primary home, and the male (pseudonymous author) lead becomes more respectable. It helps that Jane Victoria and Valancy Jane (both of whom wish to be known by their first names) start off leading drab existences, where they love nearly no one, but have a secret imaginary life, with which they go on "sprees" at night.
Nothing like reading these two back-to-back.
Oooh, how fun, turtlebella's come over here too. :)
Many congratulations on your grades, that's fantastic news! I'm glad you are enjoying your fun reading, you completely deserve some relaxation time. Enjoy! :)
Oh yes, you mentioned in my comments that you might like to join the internet support group thingy that a few of us grad students are involved with. I'd of course have to ask the others about it, but if you are interested, why not send me an email (roomwithaviewblog@hotmail.co.uk) and I'll get in touch with them.
Enjoy your relaxing time--you absolutely deserve it. You should lounge and read fun books for an entire week! Heck, take a month. You earned it. I'll sign off on it :)
Thanks, Limon. When I meet with one of my professors this afternoon, I'll tell her that I'm taking the rest of the month off from comps work. Prof. de Campo said I could.
You know, it always makes me sad that those places just become summer homes, and that the men become clean-shaven and respectable. It was their anticonformity that made them so awesome in the first place, and it just bites that they have to lose most of it in the end.
Oh heck, I am really just upset that Barney had to shave. I love stubbley beards.
But Barney started shaving as soon as he and Valancey got married! But he did get a haircut and start wearing nice clothes, at the end.
Well, that's a part of the slow and sad conformity in the book--Valancy works to normalize Barney (through the shaving, etc.) and Barney normalizes Valancy (because she is no longer unmarried or ill). They're both the most fun when they're completely deviant--for example, when they escape from that party and just chill in the woods.
Valancy? Deviance? Are we talking about your thesis, Ky?
Maybe a little.
But still about beards.
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