THIS WEEK’S STAND-OUT MOMENTS
Things are chugging along this week, and I enjoy the way I can ask questions verbally to my Deaf Culture professor about the Deaf community and history and what it’s like to be an interpreter. Then, keeping what she said in mind, I do my best to understand where my Deaf ASL instructor is coming from, both as a person and pedagogically.
I’ve started reading a collection of short-shorts (stories typically one longer paragraph), speeches, and poems by a Deaf man named George M. Teegarden (b. 1852 – d.1936). He was not well known at all, so there is little about him, but we need to choose a d/Deaf person to present in Deaf Culture class. I figured reading some of Teegarden’s work would give me a good idea of his personality. Here is an example of the opening lines of his short-short “A Kind Dog”:
A man and his wife, living in Pennsylvania, had a quarrel. While they were quarreling, their baby, four months old, was thrown out of the kitchen window. The parents did not care for the child, and kept on quarreling.
Perhaps I shall share Edward Gorey Gashlycrumb Tinies images as a supplement to my presentation?
Saturday was Notre Dame home football game, and I’m not sure if you can imagine the circus that is. However, I received word that the ND Medieval Department would be celebrating their 75th anniversary with a tailgate and inviting a falconer, who would bring birds. Oh, boy! Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar books are full of characters who bond with falcons and communicate with them mentally. Lackey and her spouse have a falcon rehabilitation center. We paid to park for the football game (we weren’t going), got onto the campus after trudging the distance and avoiding the drunken fans, and we ready for some bird action.
Now, my body has this amazing talent for getting upset when I want to see something. In Chicago, while Irvine Welsh rocked the room, I was in the bathroom, for example. Same thing with today. I saw one tiny falcon, but Nick got to see the big cool Gyrfalcon. His assessment was: “Very big bird, and very skittish. She was only out for a few minutes, but she ate a little chicken peeper and crapped all over the lawn. What a power move.” And I. was in. the bathroom. *sigh* We trudged back the long distance in the blazing sun and went home.
THIS WEEK’S BLOG POSTS
You’ll Grow Out of It, a memoir by Jessi Klein, is the type of book several of you would enjoy. Based on your comments, I wonder if I stressed too much that Klein had lots of jokes about what it means to “be a woman” that felt dated to me. Also, I hadn’t considered how comedy memoirs mostly sound better in audio. Perhaps someone will give it a go? I had a text copy. But, in general, she’s funny.
Kiss Me, Nate! by Judy Bagshaw is a fun, silly romance that has a serious undercurrent about abortion and toxic masculinity. Starring the meaty gym teacher and the tall, fat English instructor, it’s a quick read from Pearlsong Press, which I’ve written about many times and why I support them.
NEXT WEEK’S BLOG POSTS
October is rapidly approaching, so when author Aimee Parkinson asked if she could send me an ARC of her latest book, Sister Séance, I said yes. Her dark, atmospheric novel will be released on Halloween. Review Tuesday.
Another romance? Why not? I always enjoy a coming-together story that covers various subcultures. In You Have Been Disconnected, Rida Allen takes a fat heroine who programs like a wizard, an athletic, wanna-be project manager, and mixes them up in the world of cybersex and PTSD. Don’t let that cover fool you. Review Thursday.
BOOKS ADDED TO THE TBR PILE
Owned Books on TBR at Beginning of Year: 242
Owned Books on TBR Today: 210 <<this number is not changing ahhhhh! School and studying has slowed my reading tremendously, but I’m still listening to audiobooks on my long commute.
Thanks to Karissa for recommending Miriam Toews. My library does not have the audio copy of the book she recommended, so I got another popular novel by Toews.
Grab the Lapels 
Oh noooo … you missed the big fancy falcon. What a shame. Did Nick take a photo?
I’ve never heard of Teergarden of course, but love that excerpt. And loved your reference to Gorey, whom I haven’t thought of for years but I remember seeing his work around – on postcards etc! – in the 70s. I do enjoy that sort of black humour.
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As a matter of fact, I took a couple of pictures of questionable quality and composition.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRrfceTla2gRVSXucSWzefsQwSj1g0mE9opyg6bZS9UdQGuwv5yqhTQHgsQgRpBRbmw-8_P9iOuxvzt/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=600000
The close observer will notice some kind of fruit on the upward-pointing finger of the statue in the background. That’s First Down Moses sporting what I can only imagine is the traditional Game Day Gourd. I am told the students often toss a pumpkin up there around Halloween as well.
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Oh thanks Nick. They’re great to see. Game Day Gourd makes me laugh.
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When we walked past this giant statue, we realized the gourd was leaking and rotten. Ew!
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Ha! So there is a bit of darkness in you! When things are dark and then I laugh? Yeah, that’s the sweet spot for me when I’m watching a horror movie.
Sue, I miss the big fancy EVERYTHING. I don’t know how I conspire against myself. With Irvine Welsh, I’m pretty sure I had food poisoning. This past Saturday we walked a few miles to get there, so the phrase “constitutional” comes to mind.
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Oh yes, on the outside, Pollyanna, but inside, bwahahahaha!
I’m really sorry I can’t answer that one – it’s clearly one of life’s little mysteries. There’s time yet, though, you know, so don’t give up. I look forward to reading a BIG FANCY SOMETHING triumph one day. It will probably be worth waiting for!
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Yesterday my husband was telling me all about state standards for becoming a falconer and what birds can be trained at what level, so I’m pretty sure you’d get along with him, too.
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The falconer guy we talked said he’d been doing it like 35 years and you have to start with a certain bird and a license, etc. I believe in our area, he said you’re supposed to start with a red-tail hawk because they’re all over the place. He even had four different types of licenses, so I know it’s involved.
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Nope, you can’t get a red-tailed hawk until you’re a journeyman. Apprentices have to start with something else. (That was the specific one E mentioned so I have this one tidbit of knowledge. 😆)
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Probably an e-bird, the virtual practice bird! LOL.
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Haha I know you can have one real bird as an apprentice. I just don’t remember which ones he listed off.
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Having been raised in Knoxville (Go Vols, ha ha) I can certainly understand the circus atmosphere of big time college football games. Even if you don’t go to them (and don’t care) you need to know when the home games are so you can plan your travel around town, or avoid going anywhere entirely. I’m sorry you missed most of the falcon action!
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Yes! Entire sections of South Bend are pretty much off limits. Former friends of ours lived next to the campus, and they had a hard time going home because the police wouldn’t let them through to their own house.
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Oh, my George M. Teegarden’s opening line definitely captures my attention. Crazy coincidence (well, sort of) I actually had a friend at the Norte Dame game. Her son is there and I guess they were visiting. Have a great week!
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Tell your friend that if he/she can, hitch a ride on one of the bicycle rockin’ carriages. Those are so fun. I’m hoping this week goes well. I’m pretty sure I failed my first quiz yesterday. 😬
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What a shame you missed the bird encounter. If the problem is IBS I think that can be triggered by stress and excitement?
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Ooh, I’ve never read Women Talking but I’d like to. That one seems more historically based.
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I had forgotten about Women Talking but did remember reading several reviews about it as I read the synopsis. It came back to me.
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Ooh I love Toews but her latest one has themes I can’t cope with at the moment. Such a good and believable writer. That’s a shame about the bird, I don’t do that, but I do have to go to the restroom four million times on the way to every flight, such that my husband just silently points when we go past one now …
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Heh, what can I say? We walked so long that I basically did a constitutional, as old folks call it in the U.S. With the Irvine Welsh instance, that was some bad yogurt I ate from a Subway. You may be thinking, “But Subway doesn’t have yogurt…” EXACTLY. Now.
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The Sister Seance cover looks seriously creepy, I’m looking forward to your review of that.
Too bad about the bird/football day. My body can sometimes so the same. Also, when I know I have some big event coming up, I’m always a bit anxious or worried that I won’t be able to go, and then I start to feel sick, or like a cold is coming on, etc. My body probably just reacts to stress with sickness, so it’s a bit of an unfortunate loop, and covid anxiety clearly isn’t helping either LOL
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We got to talk to the falconer afterward, and I mentioned how we didn’t even come to campus like the tens of thousands of other people, we came just to see him because Mercedes Lackey and her husband are falconers, too, and I’m a big nerd, lol.
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Nick’s quote about the bird is the absolute best. LMAO.
Your stomach is a complete and total dick.
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100% agreed. It is both nervous and sensitive to food.
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