Saturday, October 1, 2011

Just A Regular Riverside Saturday


This morning I decided to walk to the farmers' market and buy some nectarines. I mostly wanted a reason to listen to the new Rihanna song on repeat, but this worked for that. Anyway, I got the nectarines and also these nice flowers for myself (I'm still dating myself, btw). But the best part was that I was pleasantly surprised to run into a taiko performance in the middle of the street, paired with some kind of street fair with booths featuring craft projects attached to different countries, and then the topper: as I walked through the pedestrian fountain walk area, there was a middle school aged kid set up on the side with a boombox and a sax, playing the James Bond theme song. Not well. But proudly.

Prof Magma No More

I am not Professor Magma anymore. I teach intro to fiction for undergrads: real things to real people. It has been 1 week. So far so good, but it's probably because my students are very agreeable. It also consumes me so that I'm fairly anxious most of the time, usually feel behind on things and am trying to think of improvements and activities when I should perhaps be sleeping.

On the other hand, there are some undeniable positives. It does mean that I have a cubicle for the first time since I was an intern at YBCA in 2004, which is probably a good development for my life. It also means I get to decorate it! I'll have to put up a photo soon. I was gifted a very lovely Katy Perry poster that is even faux-signed, super exciting, that I'm debating whether or not will totally obliterate whatever sense of seriousness I have fooled my students into thinking I have. And the other night, when I stepped out of said office to teach, I encountered a beautiful smoggy sunset: