NPR article about women in Iraq

I thought  this article from today about the increase in the Shiite Muslim practice of Muta'a (temporary marriages/ legitimized affairs) since the time of the U.S. invasion would be interesting in light of our reading of Sisters in War.

Sisters in War book party

I just wanted to remind everybody about the book club, this Saturday, October 16, 6:00 PM at Sue's house. I'm going to pick up some Arab food at the Arab market in my neighborhood...hopefully Shannon will come help me pick out some good stuff! See you then.

Cindy

Sisters in War

I believe that our last get-together we agreed to read Sisters in War per Mom's recommendation. Have we discussed the date of our next meeting? We are getting into holiday season and time will start to get tight. The last two Saturday's in October I am busy, so would October 16 work, or should we schedule one for November? Let's pick a date, I'm missing everyone!

Update - Little Dorrit

Page 583. I've read a whole 50 pages in 20 days. Anyone else reading?

LIttle Dorrit Progress

I'm on page 535. How's everyone else doing?

AHS flashback

Tuesday evening after my class at RCC I was walking down a hall that passed an English Department bulletin board. One name caught my eye : Linda Stonebreaker. I looked up her schedule and found she had office hours shortly after my morning class was over. So today I decided to stop by and see if it was our very own Mrs. Stonebreaker. Glory be, yes it was. I peaked in the door and saw one student working with her, so I waited a few minutes till he left. I walked in and asked "Mrs. Stonebreaker who used to be at Arlington?" just to make sure. A smile lit up her face! She recognized me (by my face that has never changed!) though of course no details like a name, as is expected. We had an enjoyable chat.
She had started at Arlington in 1975, when it was only a year old, and figured she would stay there forever. But around 1999 a friend and previous co-worker told her she was needed at RCC as a Reading teacher, since she is also certificated in that as well. She took a year's leave of absence from Arlington to try things out. At the end of the year a full time position opened and she filled it. She plans on retiring next year.
I briefly updated her on my life and she offered best wishes. She made a comment about a reunion she recently attended for teachers from AHS in which she noticed that people don't ever really change. I'm inclined to agree. Talking to her today was so much like talking to her 18 years ago.
I am glad that I had the opportunity to thank her for all her service and all she taught me.

Great Expectations

Well, I finally got around to reading "Great Expectations" and it was marvelous. I certainly did not appreciate this fully the first time I read it. I now know why it is such a popular work. Though I am not very good at putting my feelings to words, I must say that I love this book. The book is divided into three parts and I found I remembered the first two parts very well. There were few surprises (besides how much I was enjoying it). But when I got to the third part, that all changed. There was hardly anything that I remembered. I somehow knew that Joe was going to marry Betsy about the time that Pip finally realized her worth, but that was it. I couldn't remember anything else. This is rather unusual for me. Once I read something, a good part of it stays with me. I suspect that I did not finish that reading assignment. I wonder how well I did on the test and or written portions of whatever came after reading the book.

I must say that I was disappointed with Dickens' handling of the resolution of Pip's infatuation with Estella. There is a prologue that describes how he had planned on Pip never getting Estella and I felt that was the way he should have followed. Pip learned the true value of people and having a humbled improved Estella for him to find and win seemed to be a regression. He didn't learn to move on from the pain of love disappointed, he kept whining until he got what he wanted. But apparently one of Dickens' peers also whined until the author changed the ending into a nice neat little romantic fairy tale ending. He really should have stuck with his first instincts.

For some reason I always enjoy a well worded insult. My favorite Shakespeare quote is actually "A pox on you and your dog". To curse not only the one you despise, but also his loyal dog is truly a deep offense. So it should be no surprise that the following is my favorite line from "Great Expectations". The insult itself makes it quite clear who is being insulted.

"For I cannot adequately express what pain it gave me to think that Estella would show any favor to a contemptible, clumsy, sulky booby so very far below the average."