I highly recommend digging in to medieval Arthurian literature if you would like to expand your understanding of stories and cultures.  There is rich, rich territory there.  Much of it has to be appreciated as part of a foriegn culture but it is most fascinating to trace bits of our understanding of chivalry and honor through the original texts.  To clear up misunderstandings that will undoubtedly prevent your full understanding of these stories I recommend reading Lewis’ Medieval and Renaissance Literature and Regine Pernoud’s Those Terrible Middle Ages.

As far as the fragments of books I’ve been reading, I’m just not used to not being able to finish a book in a day or two.  It is difficult for me to stick with a book for weeks at a time.  And with the schedule I’m keeping, I can’t read ‘fun’ books for more than a few minutes every couple of days.  So I keep getting distracted and jumping around to new titles that look interesting (which is pretty much everthing).  Some of that reading will be helpful for my Thesis – once I get started on it.  I am also acquiring books at an unusually high rate lately.  They tend to be my persoanl reward system and so I buy books when I’m feeling worn down and I’ve been feeling that a lot lately.  I also have wonderful friends who often bring me books as hostess gifts, or just because they thought of me when they saw them.  And I discovered that I can get free copies of books from publishers if I’m considering using them in a class I’m teaching!  That’s right people, being a teacher is a cushy, cushy life.  So the new books are stacking up around me and I can’t keep up! Poor, poor Mandi…

Boys: They are growing and changing daily.   We even got a video camera to start documenting some of this amazing-ness.  Alex is managing complex thoughts and sentences and articulating himself in orginal and funny ways.  Luc is more adorable every day and is proving to be quite the little snuggle bug.  He is so much like me, it is ridiculous…and wonderful.  They are busy playing outside right now, digging lots of holes in the yard.  Here is a video of some typical evening fun.

Husband: Jared is crazy busy at work building many cool projects – like this one – and keeping his sales going.  After a long and often slow year, the steady sales are very nice.  He is working long hours but not too long.  I’m so proud of the work he’s doing.

School: I am maintaining decent grades and am happy to see the half-way point of the semester flying by.  Some of my projects have been dull and/or draining, but most of my work is very satisfying.  I appreciate the faculty at BSU and also very much enjoy my fellow TAs.

Home: I still cook pretty regularly but I’m not baking much lately.  We budgeted a little extra money for groceries while I’m in school though so the extra expense of buying treats etc seems justified.  I don’t mop the floor very often though and there are some corners that are starting to look pretty neglected.  I wish the TAship paid enough that I could afford a housekeeper…

Helping with the new stairs.

We store them in the cupboard.

I have annoyed him with my kisses.

Playing on the tennis courts.

It is frustrating to love doing every single thing I’m doing but be constantly pressed for time.  I really want to do well in all my classes.  I really want to enjoy every minute with my boys.  I really want to spend time with my husband. And I really miss my friends – who are currently getting the short end of the stick.  Life is never perfect though, and Jared and I are adjusting.  With a few strategically placed breaks (and bottles of wine) I’ll make it through the next year and a half, mostly sane.  And after that: a new juggling match…

*I don’t listen to them first-hand much.

If you are even remotely capable of enjoying science fiction I highly recommend Gene Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun.  I posted about the tetralogy this summer here and I just finished the follow-up volume Wolfe’s publisher insisted on: The Urth of the New Sun.  It was wonderful although I firmly believe the tetralogy was complete as it stood.

I am not typically a reader of Sci-Fi but this series came recommended by my friend Brent, who is almost never wrong.  I loved its atmosphere and its language, and I love how subtle and wise it is.  Just read it already!

Slightly precarious, but adorable!