1/8 Cherokee and a lot of freckles.
The sound of dripping water, melting snow, collapsing ice.
It did not soften soon enough for us–stuck in the sludge at the corner of Riverside and Rivermont.
Two views of the one River, streaming James out to Richmond, formerly the ferry of Thomas,
Namesake of our city.
Fortunately, Lynchburgers are kind.
Two strangers and our neighbor helped to push us out.
I’m not leaving the house again for at least two more days.
…that it snowed?
Like, a lot. Over fourteen inches. Man, the last time I saw so much snow in Virginia was when I was nine.
Fortunately in Lynchburg, we seem to get at least one good snowy storm a year. Last year was seven inches. But, really, I don’t know when we’ll be able get out. Until then, it is time for Star Wars (particularly Empire), Lord of the Rings, and Indiana Jones. Epic-movie time.
By the way, I am LUO’s newest English faculty member. Pretty awesome, huh? I can’t wait to teach again.
Does that mean I am a professor or just an instructor? I don’t know, but it is better than being just a GSA. I’m still GSAing in the ed department, though–and happily doing so. Free tuition? Yes, please!
The other day, there were at least 100 vultures in trees and soaring around our neighborhood.
Chris surprised me yesterday morning with tickets to see The Nutcracker in Roanoke. I have always loved that ballet as a kid and looked forward to renting the movie each year and receiving a nutcracker as a present. We had a fancy dinner downtown and then walked over to the civic center for the ballet. Very exciting.
After spending years critiquing and analyzing literature, it is difficult not to apply it to most every area of entertainment. Movies do not go unpicked apart, and sometimes I’d like to turn the literary critic off in my mind, but I do think that it is good to constantly be analyzing. On the way home, Chris and I discussed all of the subtleties of the ballet that we noticed.
When I was younger, there was this oneee version of The Nutcracker that I loved and would rent every Christmas. Then the video store changed hands and I could never figure out which one it was. I was so disappointed and for years searched for that film without any luck. Well, after doing some online searching tonight, I finally found it. And watched it on Hulu. And was incredibly disturbed.
I could go on about how they adjusted the ballet far too much: playing songs out of order, not even having the Spanish dance be done with Spanish dancers, not having a Sugar Plum Fairy at all, and the Sugar Plum world being a kingdom ruled by the godfather–and the dancers all dancing in response to the crack of a whip opposed to out of, I don’t know, a magical existance?
What bothered me more than anything is how horribly creepy the godfather is as he seems to try to seduce Clara–thus, pissing off the Caviler–because this odd undertone of a tension in the ballet is something that I’d like to ignore. And I don’t think it is supposed to be that way. This movie, though, completely emphasized and highlight it.
Well, I know this is all not even worth writing, really. I didn’t finish watching it because I hadn’t sat down with intentions of watching the same ballet all over again. It is an old, silly movie, but it is interesting what you notice when you’re older.
We finally decorated our tree last Sunday
And I tortured the pets by pretending to hang them in the tree like ornaments.
Chris: You kind of looked like an iguana.
Kt: Add that to your list of things not to say to a girl.
Kt: What! There’s Monday night football now too?! All day Sunday and then all day Saturday for college football and Monday night too?
Chris: There’s always been Monday night football.
Kt: I didn’t know that….
Chris: I used to be allowed to stay up past bedtime to watch Monday night football when I was a kid. Hank Williams even sings about getting rowdy on Monday night.
Kt: Well, I didn’t know what they were getting rowdy about.
Chris: I guess the song did come before Monday night football.