Friday, July 10, 2009

Random bullets of coming back from Cali

You'll be gratified to hear that my trip to SoCal was entirely worth my week-long absence from this blog. At least, for me.

Some highlights:

  • I got to see my grandmother, who's very weak, but not in any pain. It was lovely to see how much she's meant to so many people: she's 88 and has hordes of friends and family members trooping in to visit her week after week.
  • Cosimo met my folks. Nothing disastrous happened, at least to my knowledge.
  • I saw my brother, albeit all too briefly, as he was down from SF for a couple of weddings (neither of them his).
  • Attending July 4th fireworks in La Jolla, followed by drinks and a late dinner at a bar overlooking the ocean.
  • Seeing this awesome production of Coriolanus. I'm now officially a Darko Tresnjak groupie.
  • Spending a long day L.A. with Cosimo's brother and his brother's girlfriend, who live on Sunset. We drove around the hills, spent hours on the beach in Santa Monica and Venice, and stopped in at a club where Cosimo's brother--a comedy writer and occasional performer--got some open-mike time.
  • I'm a wee bit tan.
  • I wouldn't mind living in California. But right now I'm damn glad to be teaching in my own state system, and not California's.

8 comments:

Sisyphus said...

Sounds fun!

But right now I'm damn glad to be teaching in my own state system, and not California's

yeaaaaaah don't rub it in.

medieval woman said...

I'm so glad you guys had fun! Will I be seeing you at the end of the month?

What Now? said...

My old stomping grounds! There are many things to like about SoCal, and I used to be sad that I'd had to leave (although, by no coincidence, I haven't been homesick for it since
I moved to Adventure City; apparently homesickness and unhappiness correlate!), but, with you, I'm really glad I'm not there dealing with budget issues.

Susan said...

Like Sisyphus, don't rub it in. Better the devil you know, right?

And can I say, I love the play Coriolanus, and that sounds like an awesome production.

Flavia said...

MW: you just might! C. will certainly be there, and I probably will--just a matter of how much driving I can/wish to do for the rest of the summer.

WN: I thought of you, and Dr. V., and Bardiac when we drove past the campus.

And Susan: yes, exactly. And though my own system isn't in great shape for the long-term, our salaries haven't yet been affected--indeed, I'm pretty sure both our cost-of-living and merit raises remain in effect. It's interesting how varied and uneven the effects of the recession are, and how little the usual markers of academic prestige have to do with it.

medieval woman said...

Joy! Oh, I hope so! I have an ensemble I think you would approve of - it would be great to see you and definitely C.

Dr. Virago said...

Ah, you thought of me!

But did you have a fish taco for me? :)

And no kidding about the varied effects of the recession and lack of connection to academic prestige. I suspect your institution and ours are in similar shape. Having just read the article in Vanity Fair about Harvard's endowment mess, and knowing what my UC friends are dealing with, I have vowed never to think the grass is greener somewhere else.

Flavia said...

Dr. V: yes! In fact, I had fish tacos in La Jolla on the 4th, and a coupla days later in L.A. And mmmm: I'd eat another one RIGHT NOW, were I not back in my (essentially) landlocked city.