The View From Kalamazoo

The irregular regular update:

• Still making no headway on paper.
• Want to set fire to my cubicle.
• Ceramics classes back in session – this term I’m doing what amounts to an independent study – with a female instructor this time. I’m learning how to center the clay with a different technique (up to now I’ve been using what tall male instructors with large hands and upper-body strength taught) and while it’s an odd adjustment (I am, effectively, shifting my weight and handedness, if that description makes sense), and will take a lot of getting used to, I think it’ll be helpful. Centering more than 2 lbs of clay has been really hard for me the way I had been centering before. I’m focusing on size (height, particularly), not how many different types of projects I can get through in one term. Should be good, although I have a sore wrist this morning – new muscles to strengthen.
• Yes, I know I owe photos of bowls and mugs and crap. I’m being nagged, never fear.
• I haven’t read much of many Doods, kept up with much of anything news-wise to speak of. Break was a black hole of getting less painting done than I wanted and dealing with unspeakably vile (seriously. a story so disgusting that you really, really don’t want to know.) Mother Soprano antics.
• Congress has eaten my brain. But you knew that.
• Fun with OEDILF. C’mon – all the cool kids are doin’ it!
• I have been reminded that I have been a very inattentive blogger lately. I will try harder to have more to say than just sharing links..I’ve just had little time (and believe me, self-censoring is nothing to chide me for, it’s for your benefit, after all!)

But, til then, there are always gems and tidbits:

In connection with a BBC TV series on words, Balderdash and Piffle (six-part series looking at words and the stories behind them), Oxford University Press is giving online access to the OED throughout the series, free of charge: Until 13 February, you can look up any words beginning with this week’s letter, or with previous letters of the week; and, for 48 hours after each programme, you can look up any word, beginning with any letter, in the whole of the OED. (From, roughly, 10 pm GMT on Mondays – 10 pm GMT on Wednesdays, or for those uninterested in doing math in their heads, 5:00PM Monday – 5:00PM Wednesday for those on Eastern Standard)

Ancient ship salvage: CHINESE scientists are about to embark on a complex operation to salvage a merchant ship which sank more than 800 years ago while plying the so-called Marine Silk Road.

Mole family uncovers Roman villa : A group of busy moles has been credited with helping archaeologists find a Roman villa in Gloucestershire.