Tuesday, December 16, 2008 · 7:15 pm
- I’m in the midst of finals grading right now. I had my last class yesterday, give my last exam tomorrow, and have countless papers to read. I’ve calculated final grades for 11 of my 70 students. 59 to go!
- I created a page on the blog for my TBR list (up at the top of the site), which includes both unread books I own and books I wish I owned. Both lists are rather lengthy.
- The most recent addition to the list is Wilkie Collins’s Armadale, which many people have recommended highly, and which looks like a very long, wonderfully entertaining read — perfect for winter.
- I’m about to finish Joan Didion’s collection of essays The White Album, which I have enjoyed very much (more on that soon), and am in the middle of Jenny Diski’s Skating to Antarctica. I’m very excited about reading her new novel Apology for the Woman Writing, which is about a woman living during Montaigne’s time who becomes obsessed with his writing. I love Diski and love Montaigne, so surely I’ll love this book, right?
- I’m taking a break from my triathlon training because I’m injured again. Sigh. I’ve had hamstring/hip pain for a while, and was hoping it would go away, but it has refused to. So I’m seeing a doctor about it and am hoping it will heal up quickly. At least the weather outside is awful and isn’t tempting me to head outdoors.
- Once I’m riding again, though, it will be extra fun because I have a new bike! I was at the bike shop today to get it fit properly, and it looks nice. It’s white — which isn’t my first choice of color, but we got a great deal on it and part of the deal was taking whatever color they offered. Actually a white bike would be fine, if it somehow cleaned itself. As it is, I’ll have to be better about keeping it clean so road grit won’t accumulate and look awful, and I do need to be better about keeping my bike clean, so it’s just as well. It’s a Cannondale and has the name on the side in red, and it has a black saddle, black wheels, and black handlebar tape. Nice color scheme, right?
Filed under Books, Cycling, Life
Of Books and Bicycles 
I like your TBR tab! It is dangerous though and I can’t look too closely or I will want to add some of them to my own list! Apology for the Woman Writing sounds fantastic. If it’s good I will have to read it myself. And how exciting to have a new bike! I wondered at your tweet on the bike fitting. Good luck with the grading!
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Congrats on your new bike. At least black and white (with a splash of red) is a nice classic color scheme! I look forward to checking out your TBR tab–I love tabs and wish Typepad had them. I hope you get your papers done soon–hopefully you won’t have to deal with any of that over your break? And yay for Armadale–it is long, but so good!
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Your TBR tab is a great idea. I might just do one too. Diski is one of my favourites – Apology for the Woman Writing is my wish list. I hope your hamstring/hip pain clears up soon and you can get out on your new bike. We had a white car once that only looked good when it had just been cleaned!
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That TBR list is fabulous – wow. And very dangerous. I’m so sorry to hear that you are injured. Is it awful of me to think, oh good, Dorothy can have a lovely rest now and not head out into the freezing cold? I know there is a difference of opinion on this between sporty and non-sporty folk! And I do like the sound of the Jenni Diski – you remind me that she is someone I’d like to read.
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Ackkk, I will have to get the Diski book, that sounds so interesting…now I’m off to look at your TBR list.
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Sorry to hear about your injury – hope the doctor visit goes well and it heals quickly!
By the way, I love the TBR tab!
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OUCH! Sorry to hear about your injury! You’re training’s been going so well, so enjoy the time off as much as you can (esp. during the holidays!)
And a NEW BIKE??!! We wants pics and details and stuff! ;^)
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Sorry to hear about the injury but a shortish break from the icy cold will do you good. And give you a chance to tackle that marathon of a TBR list. No wonder you’ve put a hold on adding to it. Good luck with all the grading.
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Sorry to hear you’re injured. Hope you’re better soon. The new bike sounds fab!
I am afraid to put together a TBR list in print. It would be soooo long even if I only listed the books I own.
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Any Wilkie Collins book is a necessity. Armadale is definitely a winter book as you can lose yourself so completely. Think I have read Moonstone about 4 times over many years and relish it each time.
Hey, be kind to your body! There is no gain in pain but get well soon.
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Stefanie — I’ve come to love Jenny Diski so much, I’ll have to read her latest novel, and when I do, I’ll certainly let you know how it goes! The grading is going along okay, but not nearly fast enough.
Danielle — I should be finished with grades by Monday or maybe even earlier if I’m lucky. I’m leaving on Tuesday, so they have to be finished before then! It’s odd that Typepad doesn’t have tabs — I mean, why not?
BooksPlease — I’d love to see your TBR tab! And isn’t Diski wonderful? I just finished the book and really loved it. I haven’t read her fiction yet, and am looking forward to it.
Litlove — well, I am enjoying the break, in spite of some qualms about letting days go by without exercise … I need a break now and then. I’ve enjoyed being very lazy!
Verbivore — I imagine anyone who’s enjoyed Montaigne might be interested in the Diski book. Certainly since I’m about to read some Montaigne, my interest is piqued.
Thanks Iliana! So far not a whole lot of progress with the injury, but these things do take time …
Suitcase — maybe I’ll take some pictures one of these days (before I take the bike out on the road and get it dirty!). It really is fabulous looking.
Pete — that’s right; my mind is exploding with the thought of so many good books to read! I need to time to work through some of it.
Zoesmom — oh, but a long list from you would make me feel better about my own list! And it would be very fun to look through …
Bob — I’ve read The Moonstone at least twice now and it’s one of my favorites — what a great story! And yeah, I’m trying really hard to take it easy and let myself recover. Thanks for the good wishes.
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Yeah, tabs would make things much more flixible. You’d think they would have given that option in their upgrade.
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Glad to hear you’ve got your new bike, but sorry to hear you’re having injury problems again. Here’s to quick healing! (I’m afraid to even peek at your TBR list, because it might be infectious. However, I have a feeling I will get over this fear soon enough :-)!).
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Rest up! The snow means that your bike will continue to stay white. White bikes are a vain bunch, and yours very well might talk to the other bikes about what a bad owner you are if you take it out in public with a dirty bottom tube.
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Emily — thanks, I’m doing my best to get over this hamstring problem — lots of exercises, ice, etc. Yeah, the TBR list might be infectious — I’d love it if you checked it out, but I understand your reluctance.
Fendergal — oh, believe me, I wouldn’t have gotten a white bike if I had a choice, but man do I need to be better about cleaning, so embarrassment at the dirty bottom tube will make me behave better, I think.
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