Something Shiny! » MeMeMeMeMe

My 2011

emily — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:51:26 +0000

What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Wow, so much! I defended my dissertation. I graduated with my PhD. I (we) saw the cherry blossoms in DC. I (we) rented a beach house for a week. I got pregnant! I (we) had a baby. The list goes on!
Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for 2012?

January of last year was too difficult (having just lost Edgar) to make resolutions, I’m sorry to say. But we did make good on certain goals (finish the dissertation, get pregnant), so I guess that counts? As for making more in 2012… I’d love to say “get an academic job,” but I think that’s too much of a long shot to be realistic. How about “sell the house” and “move back to Kansas.”
Did anyone close to you give birth?

Who’s got two thumbs and is sitting next to a baby? This gal! Also, my BFF Sally.
Did anyone close to you die?

No, thankfully, but a number of dear friends suffered tragic losses in 2011 and I hope that 2012 is a happier year for all of them.
What countries did you visit?

Having spent a good deal of cash and vacation time in 2010 visiting England, we remained stateside in 2011. BUT, we visited DC for the cherry blossoms and that was breathtaking.
What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

A home closer to family and friends.
What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

February 28th, when I defended my dissertation. Early May (though not technically a date, I know), when I found out I was pregnant. And December 25th, when Henry was born.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I’m sensing a theme here: Becoming Dr. Casey. Natural childbirth. Learning patience.
What was your biggest failure?

I’ve really struggled to balance the teaching part of my work with the research and writing part of my work. It’s like I can only successfully pull off one or the other, but not both.
Did you suffer illness or injury?

Not really, thank goodness. I returned from our summer midwest trip with a nasty flu that lasted several weeks, but I was able to not-so-silently suffer through it in bed (the benefits of being unemployed, holla!).
What was the best thing you bought?

This isn’t really a thing, but: our homebirth midwives. These three ladies visited our house every couple weeks during my pregnancy, did all of their tests from the comfort of our own home, and made my pregnancy and Henry’s arrival completely blissful. I couldn’t have asked for a better situation.
Whose behavior merited celebration?

John, a thousand times over. In the early part of the year, he did a yeoman’s job reading, editing, and commenting on my dissertation. When I told him I was pregnant, he learned everything he could about natural childbirth and homebirths. And throughout my pregnancy, he did everything in his power to make me more comfortable.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

I’m going to say it: the Republicans. Yes, there’s plenty of blame to go around and I certainly don’t exclude the Democrats from that, but wow, yeah, the Republicans.
Where did most of your money go?

Other than the obvious (mortgage, bills, and other similarly un-exciting things), our various trips (DC, beach, midwest). Totally worth it.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I got really, really exited about defending and then graduating. It was the culmination of eight long years, after all! And then I got really, really excited about the prospect of having a child. I’d fought the idea for so long, but when it became a reality after I saw those two lines on the pregnancy test, I got really jazzed about it.
What song will always remind you of 2011?

“Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” from Mary Poppins. Also: “Get Ready for This.” They play it at the start of college basketball games (at least at K-State), and I had it on repeat on my iPod while I was waiting for my dissertation defense to start, then again while waiting for my committee to decide my fate.
Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier and, yes, chubbier, but also richer in so many ways.
What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I’d taken more photos. It helps me to slow down a bit and appreciate what’s going on around me.
What do you wish you’d done less of?

I spent (spend) too much time worrying about what other people think, instead of just not giving a damn.
How did you spend Christmas?

For the first time since we’ve been in Florida, we spent Christmas here, at our house. We had an enormous tree, a pile of presents, and lots of good cheer. Oh, and then my water broke. So I spent the rest of Christmas Eve and part of Christmas Day in labor.
Did you fall in love in 2011?

Oh my goodness, yes.
What was your favorite TV program?

Not really a program per se, but we sure had a great time watching the Stanley Cup tournament.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No, but the next person who asks me about my milk supply is going to get a punch up the bracket.
What was the best book you read?

The Wordy Shipmates, by Sarah Vowell.
What was your greatest musical discovery?

Rebecca Zapen.
What did you want and get?

My PhD and a healthy baby.
What did you want and not get?

A job for myself, which I’ve said every year for the last several. *sigh*
What was your favorite film of the year?

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Hah! Just kidding. In truth, I don’t really like movies. In fact, I didn’t set foot in a movie theater in 2011. I did see HPDH2 on dvd and thought it was miserable. So, there’s that.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 34 on my birthday. I opened presents in the morning, talked to family and friends, and turned in my grades for the fall semester. I’d intended to bake a pie, but at that point in my pregnancy, pie was the furthest thing from my mind.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

As I’ve said before: Being closer, geographically, to family and friends.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Maternity clothes! I finally cobbled together a decent wardrobe of maternity clothes that did not make me look like a) a desperate hooker or b) my grandmother’s curtains. Win!
What kept you sane?

Hard to say. After a lifetime of being a real type-A personality, pregnancy actually mellowed me quite a bit. I have no idea why. But finding that kind of internal peace helped a lot. Oh, and yoga. Lots of yoga.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Fancy, huh? Hmm. I’ve never figured out how to answer this one. Kate Middleton?
What political issue stirred you the most?

Contraception, probably. The idea that people are thinking it’s a good idea to ban contraception and take us back to pre-1965 makes me feel very stabby.
Who did you miss?

I missed Edgar, on an almost daily basis. He lived his life on his own terms, which made him a difficult companion at times, but I loved him like mad.
Who was the best new person you met?

Henry. Can you blame me?
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

You’ll never know whether it’s the right decision or not. The only strategy is to jump in with both feet and hope for the best.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

“Once in a while, now and then/You’ll meet a guy or a girl/That makes you smile/You’ll never know, who knows when/You’ll meet the her or the him/That makes you smile.” Smile, by Rebecca Zapen

Pimp my crib

emily — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:34:04 +0000

Sunday morning I was in the middle of yoga. Deep inside, inner peace, all that jazz. And, somewhere behind me, I heard our ~~fat~~ ~~orange~~ ~~jerk of a~~ cat, Amos, go padding into my office. I didn’t think much of it because, well, deep inside and inner peace and all that. But once I was done and feeling very refreshed and one with the world [insert foreshadowing here], I wandered into my office to see where he had settled. I should explain that Amos has a knack for finding the one place where he absolutely should not sleep, even if it means walking straight past ten other places where it’s perfectly fine for him to settle down. My eyes wandered around the room: no, he’s not on the dog’s bed; no, he’s not on the cushy chair; he’s… wait… NO! He was IN THE CRIB. In the baby’s crib, that I covered (well, fairly ineffectively, it turns out) with a giant yoga ball so as to keep cats out. Folks, the time it took me to go from “zen-like inner peace” to “YOUMOTHERF*CKERGETOUTTATHERE!” would make your head spin. Rodney Yee would be horrified.

Deep and gorgeous thirst

emily — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:09:20 +0000

I’d like to apologize to anyone facing a water or orange juice or lemonade shortage these days. It seems that I can’t get enough liquids to quench my deep and gorgeous thirst (The Philadelphia Story, anyone?). I drink and drink and drink and still wind up barking at the animals to get out of my way so that I can refill my water glass again. I have to confess, this was a side effect of pregnancy that I had NO idea existed! And yet, here we are. Can someone get me a glass of water?

Minecraft remix

emily — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 04:10:24 +0000

John has been playing Minecraft lately in the evenings, while I’ve been nose-deep in my Kindle (doesn’t quite have the same ring as “in a book,” but we’ll get there). And somehow those two things have been intermingling in my brain overnight and culminating in the damn strangest dreams. While I was reading The Wordy Shipmates, I dreamt that John Winthrop had to build the Arbella using blocks that he had carved out of the landscape (remarkably cubical blocks, they were). And then, when I moved on to The Killer Angels, I dreamt that the Army of the Potomac was facing off with the Army of Northern Virginia in some kind of mining extravaganza using, again, extraordinarily cubical blocks. Maybe something to do with trench warfare? Hard to say. In any case, it’s making for some unusual dreams. I wonder what I’ll come up with tonight, when I delve further into The Whites of Their Eyes?

And your little dog, too

emily — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:25:26 +0000

When I was growing up, our neighbor had an elderly aunt who would visit him every so often and she looked JUST. LIKE. Miss Gulch (aka The Wicked Witch of the West, sans green makeup). And I was terrified of her. This poor woman, who probably never hurt so much as a fly in her life, made me tremble with fear any time I saw her. To this day, I can’t watch The Wizard of Oz without thinking of her and having goosebumps appear on my arms as a result.

She’s got the look

emily — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:15:23 +0000

By far the hardest thing I’ve found about being pregnant is finding things to wear that make me look and feel good. It doesn’t seem like it would be that tall of an order, really. And yet, for some reason, maternity designers seem determined to make pregnant ladies look like they’re wearing curtains… or worse. Behold, a smattering of my (least) favorites:

As if it’s not hard enough to suddenly find yourself walking around with a basketball strapped to your front, now you’ve got to look like somebody’s drapery from the 1960s? Why, maternity designers, why? Luckily for me, the seasons down here are different from, well, everywhere else, so we’ve still got really warm weather and I’m still able to wear the summery pieces I bought early on. With fall on the way, though… well, that’s a whole other story.

Ch-ch-ch changes

emily — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:29:00 +0000

I’m pleased to report that I’m gainfully employed for the fall and spring semesters, proving that it isn’t (necessarily) a death knell to get a PhD in history. (Of course, October’s judgment day hasn’t come yet, so we’ll see.) On alternate days, I’m teaching the first half of the US history survey at a local college, then the second half at UF. Very 18th century, 20th century, 18th century, 20th century. It’s like Doctor Who, but without the monsters. Then in the spring I’m teaching my first-ever women’s studies class. S’funny, I have a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies, but I’ve never actually taken the intro class. (Then again, I have a PhD in American history yet never took the US History survey classes that I’ve taught lo these many years.) I’m really enjoying being in the classroom again, teaching my own classes. While it’s always interesting to teach for someone else, it’s a really rewarding experience to do the whole thing yourself. So that’s what’s going on here, and what’s been keeping me busy these last few months. Oh and, I almost forgot, I’m pregnant. (Talk about burying the lede, huh?) I’m 21 weeks along, showing a little bit (a bit more, depending on the outfit), and I’m due in January. John and I vacillate between being excited and terrified. I suppose that’s parenthood, though. There are SO many stories I wanted to share on this space over the last few months (like how my three-day bout with morning sickness turned out to be caused by prenatal vitamins! who knew?), and now I’m glad to be able to start sharing them. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go pee for the millionth time today.

Derailed

emily — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:22:53 +0000

Last week, after two solid weeks of traveling, I had so many stories I wanted to tell you. (Like how my grandmother told a blow job joke! How we wound up in Wahoo, Nebraska! Other stuff, too!) But then, a day or so after we got home, I got struck down with a cold. This is no ordinary cold, though. This is the Sauron of colds, the Voldemort of illnesses. This thing has plans to take over the world and plunge us into darkness forever, folks. It has had me in its grips for a solid week now and I see no sign that it intends to wave the white flag anytime soon. So instead of regaling you with awesome stories and witty banter, I’m reduced to laying in bed, moaning about my lot in life. Go on without me! Save yourselves!

It could be curtains or dishes or a double boiler

emily — Fri, 27 May 2011 21:23:53 +0000

Confession: I get completely jazzed about the mail. Now, yes, it’s true that the USPS and I have had our differences. Most recently (read: currently), they’ve failed to resume delivery service to us following a ~~disastrous~~ ~~regrettable~~ not awesome trip to the beach. But still. Still! I’m terribly excited for the day that mail does start coming to our house again, whenever that day may be, because it’s full of the unknown! Who knows what the mail might bring! John, who does not share my adoration for the mail, has repeatedly pointed out that the mail for which I tremble each and every day usually consists of a) bills and b) junk mail. And, in truth, Mr. Naysayer is right. But mail service after it’s been held for a week is even better! Maybe I’ll get a letter! Maybe a package! Maybe a reimbursement check! It’s. Just. So. Exciting!

And so we commence

emily — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:30:03 +0000

Graduation was two weeks ago today and, oh my goodness, what a day it was. I don’t think I stopped smiling the entire time. (Which is saying something, considering that the ceremony clocked in at around 4 hours. Four! Hours! Somebody bring me my smelling salts.) At UF, they apparently do graduation a little differently each time (for some reason). For my MA graduation, I distinctly remember a small ceremony of just Liberal Arts and Sciences grads, with just the right amount of academic tradition thrown in. Speeches, yes, but also enough time to adequately recognize each graduate. It took place in a lovely building on campus, with padded seats for the audience. If memory serves, it clocked in around two hours. This time, the ceremony was held for all advanced degrees across the entire university and, thus, took place in the basketball arena. It was decidedly less cozy and, despite the overall length, didn’t really give each graduate their time in the sun. Towards the end, I really felt like the MA students were being rushed across the stage as fast as humanly possible. Nonetheless! Nothing could dampen my spirits on that day. As my advisor and I walked into the arena, to the familiar strains of Pomp and Circumstance, I looked around in vain for John and my parents. It was she who found them, though, and as she pointed them out to me, they waved furiously at me and I back at them. I may have even given a double thumbs up. I’m a big one for tradition and honestly loved my graduation. With my advisor next to me and my family in the stands, I felt like it was the perfect way to end my graduate career at UF. Go Gators!