All of 17 degrees

And we're off to school.









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It's Like That

   
Some good Michigan-weather memes today, and snow days predicted for the rest of the week.

Lots of snacking, cocoa, TV shows, and cuddling. (Very little writing, to-do listing, and accountability.)


         

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Chicago, Redux

Had some paperwork to submit in Chicago, so here I am again for the third time in three weeks.  All by myself this time.

And I talked to SO MANY strangers this time. The first time, I was with the fam for Hamilton and barely spoke to anyone else; the second time was for the MLA, so lots of friends, colleagues, etc., and didn't get a chance to speak to street strangers. But my, my, my... I sure am a chatty Patty when I'm by myself.



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Working Hard (for no money)

#NeilLazarus #DIscussion Group #SALA

#SALA@MLA

Nerd Words

I love being at every panel I can squeeze in, so a lot of my photos today look like this:



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Back in Chicago

For the #MLA, this time without the kids...

A lovely reunion with Ra and then with Ro; made me feel like a grad student at Oxford all over again.

Later, I was explaining the difference between Ra and other advisors I've had to someone at a gathering and termed it being the recipient of "both brilliance and a kind of affection" and happened to look up to catch Ra's eye. Whereupon, she smiled and said, "you can use the l-word, you know."  All the happy feelings.

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Small Merry

The child-pleasing disparity between tree height and assembled presents is unintentional. But I had a lot of fun putting together themed gift bags--a patronus bag (puppies for Nu, sloths for At); a re-construction (ha!) kit (W.E.B. DuBois, Chernow's Grant, a bio of Robert Smalls); a happiness and wellness set (Lin Manuel's Good Morning Good Night, a treat-yourself journal, and some feel-good plaques); stocking stuffers were Imagination Library donations, Salus Center donations, and refugee school donations.

In other news, this wasn't the best Christmas ever (despite Nu's ardent protestations)--like we've not even been able to take a family picture for the holiday card yet.

But we did our best: we ate well; we hung out and cuddled; we went to L&T's party in our PJs, one set of grandparents arrive tomorrow, and we can try again next year.

Onward!

Train Travel Be Like

And we're back!

H A M I L T O N!

Someone was Prom King and picked prom night over Hamilton tickets we'd had for the past six months the last time we went... but he came this time... he loved it.









Same old balcony seats.  In fact, we looked up the old tickets and somehow, we'd ended up with the very SAME tickets as last time.

And apparently, the show makes me very emotional. First I stomped off when it was mentioned that I was walking slowly and then I left the fancy restaurant before we ordered because all they could offer me was rutabagas. So much drama for one evening!


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A Plan

I'm traveling--or so
I have been telling
everyone--so now
travel--will unravel

Perhaps periphrastic--
or no--logic underlies
my disguised, feigned
un-annotation of terrain

I prep through these fears--
it helps a little that millions
of years of orbital earth will
still spin in place for me

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The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away

# L.A. Broad Museum

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LA Land

Because we spent the first day of our impromptu vacation happily brunching, day drinking, napping, etc. Today, we went out and caught some culture--ID-ing architects, then Sushi @ Shiki, and a stroll down Rodeo Drive.
I was starstruck by the Etro store, and a bit intimidated to go in, but Big A walked me in and I drooled and swooned over lots of stuff to my heart's content. Then there was a surreal moment when a woman asked the attendant who was helping her "what size was i before?" and I couldn't think of any place I would be able to ask a question like that.
Not even T. J. Maxx.

#Gehry #DisneyConcertHall

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Suddenly L.A.

This was supposed to be a family trip, but we were worried about air quality in L.A. because of the forest fires, and so we left all the kids at home.

And now Big A and I are at this hipster hotel by ourselves.

Whatever will we do?



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Sunrise, Sunset

I began the day with an airplane window sunrise as we left Atlanta...





and  completed it at Punk Taco for Nu's Boss day dinner.









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NWSA-ing

It's a dark and rainy day...

 

But here I am in Atlanta for my fifth NWSA.








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Forest Bathing

Nu joined the walkers today and loved all six miles.

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Beach, But

After Remarkable Creatures, I really wanted to find fossils, so we decided to day-trip to Petoskey. It turned out that Scout and Huck weren't allowed on the beach, so we picnicked in the woods and took turns going to the beach. 

I called the warden who gave me directions to a "dog-friendly beach" in Harbor Springs... but that turned out to be mostly marina, huge houses, and Betsy DeVos lookalikes. So we turned around and came home. Actually, the kids were  ready to do that once the picnic had been had :D. 

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Rosé-Colored Glasses

Some G/F time with LD, ML, and LW at Lake Lansing.

(Lots of secrets, babies, and baby talk.)

And now Mamma Mia #1 with my Nu and my Mama

(prepping for #2 at the cinema tomorrow).

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