Happy 2008!

The Knitting Lesson, Jean Francois Millet, ca. 1860


I know you're still waiting to hear about the Topkapi Palace--that is, if my blog is still on your procrastination/websurfing rotation. You want to know about the treasures collected by the Ottoman Empire (your breath should be baited, if it is not), and here I start out my very first blog post of 2008 with an Impressionist painting of a knitting lesson.

Ooh-la.

My apologies for neglecting you, bloggees.

I begin this post with Millet's touching painting because it addresses my break and my upcoming semester. Since I last wrote, I survived an excruciating end to the semester. I caught a bad cold at the end of my time in Turkey, and only intermittently had my voice during the last week of classes. And I'll spare you an account of the first couple of weeks of December. Let's just say that my neglect of you was well warranted.

I then stopped off in NYC, before spending a few weeks in Kentucky. In Kentucky, I spent time with my family--pictures will follow in subsequent blog posts! I also read and knit a great deal. I'm almost done with a shawl that I started last March, but ignored from April until December. It will be very beautiful. I plan to finish it before I'm 30. And yes, of course, I'll show you a picture.

I also made a lot of wrist warmers.

After a lovely visit in Mt. Sterling, I returned to NYC, and then spent a few days in DC with my college friend, Siiri, and her partner, Jeremy. I saw the Peterson's for a fun dinner at a Thai restaurant. I failed to take any pictures while I was there--but hopefully, Heather will send me the ones that she took at dinner. Siiri is finishing up graduate school applications, but was gracious enough to spend her breaks hanging out with me. I saw lots and lots of good art while there (and also in NYC), and it is always delightful to catch up with Siiri and Jeremy.

Now, I'm back in Ithaca, after a whole month away! Classes start next week, and I'm still trying to decide what to take. I'm TA-ing for Impressionism in Society, and I'm pretty excited about it.

Ithaca is very much the same. After arriving at the bus station at around 7:30pm last night, I dragged my luggage across the street to the health food co-op to pick up dinner and a few other essentials. While waiting for a cab, I was entertained to learn that standing outside of the co-op with luggage is an effective way to attract the chivalrous attentions of hippie men. I took the cab.