Today was a lot like most of my days since I moved to Minneapolis. No work, nothing scheduled. Slept in even though Stella had other ideas, leisurely breakfast, putzed around, then went to Lake Calhoun for some end of summer rays.
Being without a job and without many friends here makes for an enormous amount of free time. Even though I have things to do, it's hard to get motivated. It's almost like, the more I have going on, the more productive I can be. With an open schedule I just keep thinking, "Oh I have plenty of time later for that".
So setting small goals has been really important! Having a written to-do list has been about 50% successful. Maybe I should make a to-do list with dates.
Having little rituals has helped me keep my sanity though. One of my new favorites is making sun tea every afternoon in my window sill! I just have a mason jar without a lid, so it's a little jenky but the tea is delish. And it just looks pretty. Somehow Stella doesn't knock it over either!
My journey with Ulysses continues! I've read through chapter four and am ready (Cliff Notes read!) for chapter five. It's slow going... reading the Cliff Notes takes as long as each chapter. But I'm alllll the way to page 70! I found that as soon as the story switched from watching Stephen Dedalus to Leo Bloom it got massively easier. I guess Bloom is a more whole and consistent character, so reading his stream of consciousness is easier. There are just so many little things I am in the dark about! References to famous Irishmen are the worst, then maybe quotes in latin. Google has been very helpful with those.
Loved this line: "And no more turn aside and brood".
Originally found in a Yeat's poem, Stephen repeats it to himself frequently.
He should take his own advice.
Being without a job and without many friends here makes for an enormous amount of free time. Even though I have things to do, it's hard to get motivated. It's almost like, the more I have going on, the more productive I can be. With an open schedule I just keep thinking, "Oh I have plenty of time later for that".
So setting small goals has been really important! Having a written to-do list has been about 50% successful. Maybe I should make a to-do list with dates.
Having little rituals has helped me keep my sanity though. One of my new favorites is making sun tea every afternoon in my window sill! I just have a mason jar without a lid, so it's a little jenky but the tea is delish. And it just looks pretty. Somehow Stella doesn't knock it over either!
My journey with Ulysses continues! I've read through chapter four and am ready (Cliff Notes read!) for chapter five. It's slow going... reading the Cliff Notes takes as long as each chapter. But I'm alllll the way to page 70! I found that as soon as the story switched from watching Stephen Dedalus to Leo Bloom it got massively easier. I guess Bloom is a more whole and consistent character, so reading his stream of consciousness is easier. There are just so many little things I am in the dark about! References to famous Irishmen are the worst, then maybe quotes in latin. Google has been very helpful with those.
Loved this line: "And no more turn aside and brood".
Originally found in a Yeat's poem, Stephen repeats it to himself frequently.
He should take his own advice.
My mom asked me the other day if I make sun-tea...maybe I should do that soon.
ReplyDeleteDo it!! With the big mason jars I just use three tea bags and let them seep about 3 hours.
ReplyDelete