Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Yesterday I was scheduled to present the contents of my research paper for the seminar, but I have been moved to tomorrow, since the other presentations have run over time. I dressed in a button-down black shirt, slacks, and dress shoes, with neatly polished make up... all for naught, so it would seem, until Megan reminded me about lunch scheduled with the Classics Department's guest lecturer.
I skipped German to dine with Sharada, Megan, Adrian (another Classics undergraduate student) and the speaker guy, Mr. Kelly (a PhD candidate from Stanford). Mr. Kelly drove Dr. Lavigne's pretty blue Acura to a Vietnamese restaurant Sharada knew of. I think my fortune cookie told me to smile, or something. Pssh.
Afterward I cleaned my room and waited for the people in the residence hall office to put out the mail. When they finally finished I skipped to the office and thrust the package slip in the student assistant's face. He brought forth the long-awaited box of April goodies- two bottles of Norwegian hand lotion and the soundtrack to Amadeus. I opened my new toy and listened to the first part as I awaited the commencement of Mr. Kelly's lecture.
When we were seated I mentioned my new gift to Sharada, who became quite animated and begged me to let her copy the CD set. I agreed to this with some bemusement. The lecture itself (comparing allusions in Tibullus' poems to words from Vergil's Georgics) was blessedly easy to follow. Mr. Kelly presented his paper more humbly than professors typically do, and made clear that he wanted input and inquiry from people so that he might improve or add to his dissertation. I didn't ask anything, although Dr. Larmour (the Classics graduate director) did mention something about the irony of neither author having been a farmer, yet glorifying the rustic lifestyle, which had occurred to my mind as well. I enjoyed the discussion; it was less formal than previous lectures I have attended.
Afterward Adrian and I went out for Mexican (Tex Mex) food, though I wasn't hungry and therefore took only a chocolate cake and soda pop to go. Then it was off to casa Lavigne for a couple of hours for an end-of-the-year fete. I love his house, for it is very "bacheloresque": plain white walls with select black-framed photographs, in the kitchen miniblinds but no curtains, an iPod connected to the living room sound system, a pink-yellow-blue striped shower curtain with coordinating rug and bath towels... absolutely adorable. Apparently, two neighborhood cats think Dr. Lavigne is adorable, too, and they hang out in his backyard waiting for food and attention.
I forgot to write the thank-you letter for the German scholarship I received; I should send it this afternoon. I also need to visit the financial aid office either today or Friday to find something out about whether I am yet considered an independent student. If I receive no financial aid, I might have to consider not attending classes next semester, or definitely dropping below full-time student status.
When Sharada returns my Mozart CDs, everything will be peachy keen.
[Lauree Frances Keith concluded this diatribe at 8:28 AM]