Coming up for air

With the time change come other changes.  My last semester at LSU was rough – fortunately my friends and family in Iowa and Austria gave me a soft place to land.  I thought my month off in snowy climes was just what I needed to wipe the slate clean.  Little did I know how demanding two full-time jobs would be.  I arrived back in the States on January 10 and started at H&R Block on January 11.  I did not have a day off for two weeks, during which I also started teaching at  BRCC (two classes turned into three). I’ve been on the go, go, go ever since!

My to-do list has increased exponentially.  I have three midterms to write and administer this week.  There are two conferences I must prepare papers for (beginning of April and end of May).  And I should find a job to pay the rent after the end of tax season/the semester.  In order to accomplish everything, I have given up Facebook for Lent and am resolved to start living like a responsible adult.

The alligators are circling… leave words of encouragement in the comments!

Jingle Jingle Jingle!

The annual Glöcklerlauf ("Bell Run") takes place in Stainach, Austria on January 5.  It is a romantic, age-old tradition, meant to scare off the spirits of winter.  Dozens dressed in white wearing oversized jingle bells on their belts and festive candle-lit luminarias on their heads participate.  They run through the town square *jingle* *jingle* *jingle* while the audience drinks mulled wine and "oohs" and "ahhs" over the stunning beauty of the luminarias.  The performance is enhanced by a brass band, whip crackers, Christmas carolers and this year, a poem by local author Paula Grogger.  I've gone every year for the past four years (and tell the astonished natives that I travel to from the U.S. to Austria especially for this event!)

Footprints in the snow

Three King's Day

Epiphany (aka Three King's Day) is the official end of the Christmas season.  In Austria, people take down their Christmas trees on January 6.  Children dressed as the three wise men sing the last Christmas carols (these are known as Sternsänger, "star singers") and mark houses with the blessing C+M+B and the year.  There is some argument over what CMB means:  either Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar or "Christus mansionem benedicat" (May Christ bless this house).

Some Americans may be uncomfortable by the representation of Balthasar in black-face.  This is done not to mock African people as it was in minstrel shows in the U.S., but to recreate as faithfully as possible the different ethnicities of the wise men who came from all corners of the earth.

Many thanks to the mother who gave her permission to post this video!

These are a few of my favorite things!

The Baton Rouge Arts Market
Printmaker Layla Messkoub
Strands Cafe on Laurel
Meeting with former students for coffee

This scene from Twin Peaks:


And what's REALLY great is when all these things come together! For the first Saturday since September, I was able to go to the Baton Rouge Arts Market, where I bought myself the above print by Layla Messkoub for inspiration in my new pseudo-journalism career, after which I met a former student for coffee at Strands.  Life is good!

To do list, 12/4

Not too shabby! Posted 14:18, 12/7

Posted at 8:07 am, 12/04.  

Let's see how much I can cross off this weekend!

Fine print:  Tasks are listed in no particular order. Does not include giving or grading exams or final projects.  Offer good through December 10th, 2010.  No deposit, no return.  Void where prohibited.

An Advent gift for you!

Click on the image above and download it full size to your computer.  Enjoy!