brrrr

so the pope has to be a sort of PR person, right? like he cant just say whatever he feels like, he needs to tread carefully etc. of course, he has the Holy Spirit on his side in a slightly more tangible way then your average being, but still ...

if you're a tenured professor, you can pretty much say whatever you want. you dont need to be quite as judicious, unless you are extremely aware of the impact you have on your students, and this is something i think macintyre appreciates. i honestly dont think he ever says anything that he doesnt throughly believe to be true

so if it came to a philosophical difference between mac and JPII, and you just had to accept one or the other ... who would you go with?
not a matter of faith, but intense philosophy.

just a question.


ps

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAC!!!!!

phew

when you dont write for ages, the thought of starting up again can be daunting

i was going to do a thanksgiving post, but obviously didnt
it was really nice
i woke up earlyish, went to the DH with allison and christene
food was good, kids were cute, it was all very nice
then i spent about 4 hours on the phone, grandma, home, marmar, patch, jacquelyn, etc.
my favourite part was being curled up on my bed
lights off, heavy snow falling outside, heater on
cup of tea and an episode of supernatural

ahh .... it was nice

hung out with my friend mike gerardi for a little bit, watching the SC/ASU game, talking about football in general

i really like football. like, really like it.
glad we went out the way we did. stanford was a messy game, but hilarious
and anything that makes zibby smile ... well, odds are ill be happy too

[ps tavita pritchard? anyone? why dont WE get samoan quarterbacks?]


last night was nice too, diana came over from chicago, she and i stayed up late cutting out snowflakes ...
badin is psycho decorated, the phrase "looks like christmas threw up in here" might have been used, oddball decorations, bedraggled tinsel, broken lights held up with blue painting tape ... its pretty classic


well, i should go to class ... its why im here after all
speaking of, there's this guy in a couple of my classes, who never reads and skips all the time
and i get that if its a required class that you really really dont want to be in (poli sci for ex), why waste time going if you can learn it on your own and sped more time studying for the classes you want
but when you're a senior, everything you're taking is because you allegedly want to be there ... why do you skip? why do you NEVER read?
conversation at breakfast (circ 9am):
(im sitting by myself, with the NYtimes, very happy, quiet, enjoying my eggs)
guy *throws down tray* "hey!"
me " ... hi"
"mind if i join you?!"
" ... whatever ... im not a morning person fyi"
"oh ... neither am i ... this is the earliest ive been up since before fall break!"
"why"
"oh i had class"
" ... makeup time?"
"oh no, its at 8"
"every week"
"yup, its my favourite too. i love it so much."
" .... but you havent been since fall break?"
"yeah, i just cant get up"
" ... yet this is your favourite class"
"yeah, its really sad, i wish i could go more"
"you just dont bother to get up. seriously."
"yeah .... "
"wow" *go back to paper*
"oh, you probably think im a terrible person ... you must study all the time"
"not really, no. i do the reading and go to class though"
*looks all sad* "i know i know. ive wasted my college time. im a waste"

i didnt bother consoling him.
dont interrupt my breakfast.

old ladies and freshman football players

so i was just in the restroom in the library, fixing my hair when this ancient vietnamese woman came in and started making conversation about what a beautiful day it was. very cheerful.
then i left and she was behind me so i held the door open for her (she barely came up to my chest, tiny tiny), and she looks up with this wide smile and says "have a nice life!"
it was really nice.

then i looked into a classroom on my way back to work, and saw my new football boyfriend ... what a great day.