August 26th, 2014 → 8:05 am
“O brave new world,
That has such people in ‘t!” – The Tempest
The new term begins at the university this week. And we have record enrollment this year. Here’s to a new semester and great new students!
August 24th, 2014 → 6:17 am
“He has strangled
His language in his tears.” – Henry VIII
All kids cry. What differs, appears to be adults’ reaction to them. When my son cries I want to know what happened, what is wrong, what he is feeling and why. My husband wants him to just stop. I no longer try to figure out which one of us parents better – we simply parent differently oftentimes – but it is interesting how people can respond to such commonalities so very disparately.
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
August 21st, 2014 → 7:37 am
“A maid
That paragons description and wild fame;
One that excels the quirks of blazoning [fastballs].” – Othello
A 13 year old girl on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The first female to throw a shutout in a Little League World Series game. Only the 18th female to play in the Little League World Series in its 68 year history. I love it! You go girl.
August 19th, 2014 → 6:00 am
Gonzalo: “Comes to the entertainer–“
Sebastian: “A dollar.”
Gonzalo: “Dolour comes to him, indeed: you have spoken truer than you purposed.” – The Tempest
Shakespeare loved to play on the double meaning of words/sounds – here it’s with “dollar” and “dolour.” A radio announcer (I’m afraid I can’t recall which one) used this quote yesterday in relation to the Family Dollar bidding war. You get a dollar, but really it leads to dolor. Ain’t this true of so many mergers? Ain’t this true of so much in life!
Filed under: Blog & Economics/Money
August 14th, 2014 → 5:29 am
“I have of late, but
wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth,
forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed,
it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame,
the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory.” – Hamlet
I’ve found the outpouring of grief over Robin Williams‘ suicide to be surprisingly high among my friends. He was a great comedian, no doubt, but I think it must also have something to do with my age group. Anyone in their late thirties/early forties grew up with Robin Williams; I remember watching Mork and Mindy when I came home from school in the afternoons, and of course I saw most of his major movies. It’s hard to imagine comedy without him. Rest in peace, Robin Williams, you have our sympathy, and our love.
Filed under: Blog & Literature/Theatre/Art
August 11th, 2014 → 6:18 am
“Farewell, thou art too dear for my possessing,
And like enough thou knowest thy estimate.” – Sonnet 87
My boys leave today for a trip to visit the in-laws. I’m going to be rather lonely without them…
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
August 8th, 2014 → 8:02 am
“My salad days,
When I was green in judgement.” – Antony and Cleopatra
An escaped baby squeezed through the White House fences and breached security last night. Secret Service had to hunt him down. The police issued a statement that they want to question the child, but that they’ll have to wait until he learns how to talk. 🙂
August 6th, 2014 → 5:51 am
“My thoughts are whirled like a potter’s wheel.” – Henry VI, Part I
The above quote is one of my favorites (I made sure to use it in my novel, Shakespeare’s Sister). And today, for me, it seems particularly apt I’m in the middle of an exciting research project and can’t stop thinking about comments I’ve received on it, the semester begins again soon and I have to start preparing for classes, my son is transitioning to a new classroom and his new teacher is on my mind as well. No wonder I keep waking up even earlier than usual in the mornings!
Filed under: Blog & Self/My Life
August 1st, 2014 → 7:55 am
“The summer’s flower is to the summer sweet.” – Sonnet 94
Let the dog days of summer begin! (Note: I’ve always thought that the phrase “dog days of summer” sounded like something Shakespeare would have coined – but, alas, he did not.) I can’t believe it’s August already. Where has the time gone?!?