Masked Children

These kids were re-enacting something in the town square one day last week. I always walk through the square on my way home and usually something is going on. That day there were a lot of kids in various kinds of costumes.
I had my hands full of heavy sacks of groceries so I only stopped long enough to get these 2 pictures. I kinda wish I'd gone back for more photos. There were kids dressed in what looked like pirate costumes, too. But I think they might have been Benito Juarez.
The people here sure know how to make good use of their public spaces. They never do anything this cool at home and here it's commonplace.
I wish Tuxtepec would spiff up their big band and play concerts in the bandstand :) Maybe that's asking a little too much though.

Mercedes in Regalia

Not one of my students, but a student whom I got to know while working here. Her name is Mercedes and she is a little strange. Quirky, really. I like her a lot.
She had this picture as her FaceBook profile pic for a little bit. She is in traditional dress here, for a dance that the school sponsored. I'll try to post pictures from the performance sometime.
Mercedes has a friend named Melina and both of them decided that they loved me and always stopped by my office and talked to me and followed me around. The worst moment came when they asked me if they could call my "mommy." I was HORRIFIED!!!
They were sweet but, really, I need my space.
And I'm not anybody's mommy.
I didn't want to hurt their feelings, though, so I was kinda stuck for awhile. Finally after basically ignoring them a lot when they would come by, they maybe got the message and stopped trying to hang out in my office. I felt like a heel, but dude. I need my space.
That's why I live half a world away from my husband.
:)

my favorite student named Heidi

OK, I shouldn't say I have a favorite student, but I do. Her name is Heidi and she rocks! She studies quantum chemistry. She is totally cute and awesome. I do have other favorite students, I guess,, now that I think about it. And I have many many lug-nut idiot students that I hate. But I don't have pictures of them.
Here is Heidi in traditional dress, for a Chemistry Fair the school did. She had to usher some local school kids around the exhibits. And she, and everybody else, got out of class for it.
That's something I could complain about - the fact that nobody bothers to tell the English Department about ANY events so we don't know that our classes won't be happenening until we are the only ones that show up. I say I COULD complain about that, but anytime I get to spend a day without teaching, is a good time for me!

Arty-Farty Amsterdam Pictures

Some pictures from around Amsterdam that just look kind of cool. Kind of, I said. Note the multiple layers of meaning in the first one - the reflection of the buildings in the window is particularly effective. Bwaaaaa-Hahahahaha!

Grandfather Mountain

I can't believe I haven't posted these pictures yet!!!! I must be really busy with school this semester, huh? Here are Scooter, Al, and EJ, the first time I met any of them. And these Scottish Heritage celebraters are what make these festivals fun. I'll post some pictures of ME and Miss Naincy next. This was in July and it was freaking COLD at night up on the mountain. And it was cold during the daytime. And it was dreary and rainy- lot's of 'atmosphere'. We plan to make it an annual event!

Jedi Jane 2009

I was a Twy'lek Jedi, once again. And let me bitch for a minute about that costume. I love it, but every time I wear it I swear I'll never wear it again and then I forget because it looks so cool and do it again. I don't like it because of the ear thing. Those are little girl panty-hose, died green, and stuffed with cotton. So I have the waist band around my head and over my ears and it's tight and after some time, it really hurts my ears. Not to mention the hearing impairment it causes- and you all know my hearing is not that great at the best of times :)
Plus, I can't afford (or I just refuse to spend the money on) a light saber that makes noise, so I have to make the light saber noises myself. AND it is not illuminated. So it's kinda lame that way.
But, having said that, it is a kick-ass costume. I'm just not sure that I'll wear it again.

EGSA Halloween PArty 2009

The EGyptology Graduate Student Association annual Halloween costume party was well attended and a good time was had by all. Especially me. Because I got drunker than anybody else :) But these are just pictures of everybody else. The first years are all so CUTE! Dr. C was a spider web and Dr. Brand was a Roman. Dr. Onstine was a pharaoh and Mariam didn't show up because she had to move or something. There were a lot of Greeks and Romans, a couple of pirates, a princess, a cowgirl, Laura Croft, Miss Piggy, and a dapper Sweeney Todd. Dr. Onstine graciously let us trash her house for the party. I had a designated driver. It was all good :)

Pick at the parades

I would never quite have believed it, but my Daddy is the one you need on your team when it comes down to grabbing beads. He ducked under the barricades and ran out into the parades to collect beads off the street even. The outside daylight pictures here are from the Mullet Point parade. It's not as posh as the other parades. The floats look home-made, there are plenty of bad redneck rock bands playing in the backs of flatbed trucks and a Harley flotilla brings up the rear. But they do throw the beads!

Mardi Gras 2009

I skipped German and went south for some Mardi Gras parades the weekend before Fat Tuesday. Mommy and Daddy (and Rick- I won't even get into that) went to the parades with me and we caught more beads than we could carry and a bunch of Moon Pies too. Here's our total haul from 3 parades piled on Mommy's dining room table in all its glory.

Jedi Jenny

FINALLY! Somebody has invented a Force Trainer for aspiring Jedi. It should be available at a toy store near you in Fall 2009 for about $100. Of course I need one and if you love me, you could get me one. I think it's called the "Jedi Force Trainer."

Doctor Luis - Part III

Outside the arena, here is Luis and his brother Ruben. And Luis with Rodrigo. And Luis and Rodrigo with Ginger and Rodrigo's wife Ani (the two doctors and their wives, heh heh).

More Graduation Night

Here I am with my sister and my niece. To be fair, Emma's not really all that short, Ginger and I are simply wearing 4 inch platform heels.

More Halloween 2007

At work. Some of us always dress up for Halloween. We are the champions, my friend.

Halloween 2007

Jedi Knight Jenny. I sense a disturbance in the force.