Grumblings

I really want to make some template changes to my blog, things like adding movies and book reviews and links to other blogs and all, but I haven't a scrap on html knowledge. So, I sit here and glare at my page and wish it looked differently.

I know there are many of you out there that will happily offer to walk me through the steps of reformatting, but, thanks to my time in SF, I am hideously behind in my current coursework. Tomorrow will be a marathon and I still may not get everything done. So taking some time off to play with my blog is out of the question right now.

I need a spell to make time stand still.

Stranger in a strange land

We had a lazy day today. Good Friday is an official holiday here in Canadia and since both Grant and I have yet to fully recover from the three hour time change from San Francisco to here, we slept in and then watched various movies and CSI:Miami episodes all day.

One of the movies we watched was Hero. I liked it very much, which is no real surprise. Grant didn't as much, possibly because he simply does not do well with subtitles. The subtitles in Hero do seem to fly by quickly and I could understand his frustration.

I, on the other hand, had no such problem. First off, I can read like lightening. My students will often hand me a piece of work; I will quickly read it over and start to comment on it. The first few times this happened, they would interrupt to say " Did you really read that??" in an incredulous tone. The answer is that I did and I would prove it to them by my comments. So reading subtitles in a foreign film is no trouble at all.

I find that after I have seen a film with subtitles, I frequently recall the lines being spoken in English. I hear the actor's voice, intonation and expression, but my brain converts it to the words I have read. I don't know if this is common for most people, but it has always been that way for me.

Anyway, while in the Bay Area, my father pulled out a copy of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for us to watch one evening. We had been talking about it, and I had revealed that I had never seen it. Anyone who knows anything about me knows I have a passion for musicals, both theatre and film. But somehow I had never seen The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, a 60's film entirely sung-through in French.

So Dad popped it in the VCR and I turned to Grant.

"It's a musical and it's in French. If you don't want to watch, it's entirely okay."

He elected to stay and the movie began. Approximately ten minutes went by and Grant abruptly rose and left the room. On one of the act breaks, (yes, it has acts and everything) I went upstairs to check on him.

" Sorry, sweety" I said. " Too much for you?"

He looked at me.

"After the first few minutes, I was sure you were playing a joke on me. Then I looked around at your faces and I realized that you all were totally into it." He shook his head in disbelief. I laughed.

Poor Grant. He really has married a foreigner.

5 reasons why I haven't updated my blog

1. I am still jet-lagged, tired as hell and unable to get to sleep at a reasonable hour (Stupid PST)

2. My stupid tendonitis is still plaguing me (Cortizone, anyone?)

3. I had to watch The Amazing Race (Damn that Rob and Amber...)

4. My husband just walked in the door (Yay!)

And finally...

5. I have nothing of any interest to say. (Well, except that Dad is doing great and Mom is just, well, Mom.)


More later, I promise.

Just a quick update for those of you wondering about my whereabouts. The last week has been utter madness. I am leaving this Saturday for San Francisco, one week before our official March break at school. That means I have to have all of my report cards done a week early. I have been marking like mad, working hours after the kids go home and trying to have a tiny bit of a life at the same time.

The lovely and attractive Jenn visited from B.C. via NYC last week. She is as terrific as I suspected she would be. Now if I can only get her, Annika and Cindy all in the same room at the same time. Smart women are soooo hot!!

I had a group of WDers for a party at chez moi on Saturday. They were lovely (for creepy Internet people- hee). I believe that it was the first official Toronto area WD party, or as we called it: TOWD. We ate and drank and talked all night. The food was excellent and the company even better. Those of you who don't frequent the Buffyguide are missing out on a great thing!

Anyway, this week I have to finish and proof reports, try to do some of my course work online, plan a week of lessons, pack and not lose my mind. Wish me luck and a few extra minutes of time.