I freaking love y'all

For coming to so many conference events, and presenting, and moderating, and propping us up in general. "A rising tide lifts all boats." - Becky D'Orsogna, August 2005.

The universe is trying to tell you something

What? You don't have the info anymore? God doesn't accept excuses.

come to the conference, all

maybe if you click it, it will get bigger

Exploring the unexplored

Dear cohorts 1 and 2: Come over tomorrow evening; penetrate the nether regions of this, my new backyard; write about the natives you meet; convert them or oppress them, I won't judge. Bring beverage and folding chairs. Email me if you don't know the address.

total undergraduate moment

this is somewhat in conversation with the previously posted poem.

i was just minutes ago walking across the main courtyard-courtcrete area in front of the tower when and where i witnessed an undergraduate moment. in a space between the bushes, at the edge of one of the grassy patches, a young couple was lying on the ground. the boy had his head resting on a football; the girl had hers on his shoulder, but was lying sideways as she still had her backpack on. they appeared to be fascinated by something in the sky, pointing and chatting, but when i looked up i could see nothing for the floodlights all around. perhaps they were admiring the tower and talking with pride about how great it is to be longhorns... unclear.

Building a case, one grumpy old white man at a time

Remember this? Here's more:

Samuel King, school superintendent of Portland, OR, about written examinations (quoted in the 1870s):

"System, order, dispatch, and promptness have characterized the examinations and exerted a helpful influence over the pupils by stimulating them to be thoroughly prepared to meet their appointments and engagements. Next to a New England climate, these examinations necessitate industry, foster promptness, and encourage pupils to do the right thing at the right time."

See? That is why I am so industrious, prompt, and apt. New England climate.

"I don't think I'll sell."

Please, please, please. Do yourselves a favor. Check out these Youtubes of the Kids in the Hall Gavin skits.

A question of immunity

Can a concept as timeless and perfect as Talk Like A Pirate Day jump the shark? It's on Yahoo's front page right now.

Oh yeah, today is Talk Like A Pirate Day.

The American undergrad immortalized in verse

Student

The green shell of his backpack makes him lean
into wave after wave of responsibility,
and he swings his stiff arms and cupped hands,

paddling ahead. He has extended his neck
to its full length, and his chin, hard as a beak,
breaks the cold surf. He's got his baseball cap on

backward as up he crawls, out of the froth
of a hangover and onto the sand of the future,
and lumbers, heavy with hope, into the library.

-Ted Kooser

Is this poem: Utopian? Deluded? Stupid? Discuss.

RIP Ann Richards

They just did an obit on NPR and interviewed Molly Ivins, who told a story that went somewhat like this (but is way better with accents, so you gotta go to the link):
Richards was in Scholz's, and she was chatting with an African-American state employee (I think this was in the 1970s). A good-old-boy judge came up to the two, and when the employee stuck out his hand to shake, and said "I'm John Miles," the judge kind of touched it with one finger and said "How's it going, boy." Then he turned to Richards and said "And who is this lovely little lady?" And Richards said "I am Mrs. Miles." (Only in the Ivins accent it was more like "Ah'm Mrs. Mahles," said like sugar wouldn't melt in her mouth.) I love it.

Speak for yourself, Wooderson

"A very good team is coming to our house and wants to steal something that we own . . . a national championship . . . when the University of Texas Longhorns play for the love of his brother lining up next to him, for the pride of giving his personal best every down, for the honor of every grandparent that could AND could not be at the game, the final whistle will blow and we will be victorious . . . the wannabe thieves will be sent home hurting, humbled, and with a respect for our character."
--Matthew McConaughey, before Saturday's Buckeyes-Longhorns game. We all know what happened.

Austinist's pre-ACL party

Could be mobbed, could be awesome, could be both. Y'all should come.

cooking like a peasant

here's an interesting bit from the nytimes on changing perceptions of simple/local/normal/traditional in cooking (particularly in new england,
in this case).

The Wire

Big Cable is holding the new season of "The Wire" hostage from me, demanding that I pay them or they won't release the prisoner. Said prisoner was just described by Virginia Heffernan of the NYT this morning as "incandescent," "the best season yet," and other infuriatingly positive adjectives. Is anybody else - anybody who has cable - as into this show as I am, and does this person want to host me every Sunday night to watch it? I make a mean...food.

Mickey v. Clinton

So by now, I'm sure y'all have heard about the new ABC miniseries that points the blame at Clinton for 9/11. From what I hear the miniseries actually reenacts Osama being cornered by the CIA, the CIA officer calling the Clinton White House, followed by the Clinton administration doing a big fat zero. Additionally, while Albright and Clinton have requested advanced copies (which were denied), rightwing bloggers were given early copies and a promise that despite some edits the overall anti-Clinton message would still make the final cut. DailyKos is blowing up with the info.

Here's the question, can I still take my baby brother(2) and sister(4) to Disneyworld without feeling really terrible about myself?

NYT peeks into our world

I didn't want to post because I wanted to savor the fact that, for once, the top post wasn't authored by me (seriously, I'm not a megalomaniac), but I read this in the Times today. I think it's really interesting to see how the MSM is covering the debates we go over all the time (with relentless frequency, and to the point of boredom). Of special interest to the new cohort will be the discussion of the concept of exceptionalism, which I believe you must be talking about this week in your Meikle class.

Jonesey's Two Cents: Movies

So I just watched "Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus" and was quite mesmerized. The film centers on a quasi-quest, quasi-documentary narrative that sees folk singer Jim White traverse the highways and byways of Southern Louisiana and Florida. It's beautifully shot, has a great soundtrack and comes highly recommended.

I'd say more, but I'd ruin it for you. To the top of your Netflix queues, folks!

Laboring Day

Just heard a story on All Things Considered about the republishing of all of the Wobblies' tunes in an updated Big Red Songbook, this fall. You can hear some of the music too. Hallelujah, we're all bums.