Random things which are said...

Elizabeth B. early one morning: "Yes, I like that there's lots of........um...repetitivity....in it."
Me: "Repetition?"
Elizabeth: "Umm...yeah."

At the gift shop after seeing the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, Scott and I are looking at jewelry made out of replicas of Qumran coins and contemplating their significance, and he says: "I don't think I would buy those...I mean, I wouldn't want to be wearing Roman emperors on my ears."

Alex on my driving: "You drive really good, Jessica...better than your mom. She drives kind of slow, but there's nothing like hearing the roar of a minivan engine..."

A Nice Stock of Beowulf Quotes

I've been very un-diligent in writing down my quotes so most of these are paraphrases that my mind has messed up, and for that I am terribly sorry to...okay, I'm going to not call my English teacher "The Professor Avery" because, according to her, she's not yet a professor. So she's Mrs. Avery from now on, 'kay? Good, you got it. Here's some of what I've learned in class these past few weeks:

"I always think it's fitting to watch a movie on the day before a break from school. So we're going to turn off the lights now and watch this movie about Grendel...now, no hanky, and no panky."

"Thanes are the 'free retainers' or basically the soldiers in the Anglo-Saxon time. Now, they aren't to be confused with Danes, which in the case of Beowulf is what they were. So...that would make them Dane-Thanes!"

"Now, your papers should be only five pages long, no more. Now, if you have Diarrhea of the Computer and keep writing more and more, you need to come see me."

"Okay, now, your papers are due on three dates. September 25th is what we'll call the Overachiever's date, and you'll get three extra points. October 2nd will be the Procrastinator's date, and you get no extra points, and no points taken off. Finally, October 7th you will get 15 points taken off and so that is the Fear of Success People's date." (class giggles) "Oh, now, let's not make fun of the Fear of Success People. They can't help it."

An analogy using the class as a whole: "We are all kin...we're all thanes of each other........I'm Beowulf."

Mrs. Avery: "Beowulf was a great guy, and always did the right thing. When someone drops a $20 bill on their way to the parking lot and you see it, you have to think like a hero. Think like Beowulf."
Some Guy in the Class: "What Would Beowulf Do?"
Mrs. Avery: "Exactly......WWBD!"

So there you have it.

Lyrical Simplicity

As many of you may or may not know, I’ve kind of been into Ben Folds lately. The thing is, I like his lyrics, but not for the reason I usually do. You know, I like profound lyrics that seem like poetic genius and like a deep thinker wrote them…songs like, “On the Turning Away” by Pink Floyd. I’m not a big fan of the actual music of Pink Floyd. Sure, I will not argue with anyone…it is innovative and different, not your typical 5-man band sort of thing, necessarily. But it’s the “Pinkfloydian” lyrics I really like.

“On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change…”

That’s just part of it, but it’s so beautiful to me. However, lately I’ve been into Ben Folds. He’s so simple in his lyrics, I have to say. Everything is straightforward; nothing is really very poetical or profound. Yet I’ve found myself falling in love with a line here, and a line there. They just stick in my head, and then I’ll be sweeping the floor or hanging up towels, and all of a sudden it will just strike me that “such and such” is a really nice lyric, and very insightful!

“I went because you said you’d be there…” This is from his song “Bruised.” That’s such an “in love” human behavior typicality, isn’t it?

Two lines from “The Luckiest”…they are so cliché, but I like them anyways: “And where was I before the day/when I first saw your lovely face?” – “And in a wide sea of eyes/I see one pair I recognize.”

“The songs you wrote/got me through a lot/just want to tell you that/but it’s too late.” *sigh* Awww…how sweet! *tear* This is from his song, “Late.”

He had a lot of other, more clever lyrics. But I just hear those and muse to myself that they are clever, and get on with life. Instead, it’s the simple ones that stick. I may do another edition of Ben Folds lyrics, but this is enough for you all to meditate on for now… ;)

A New Semester...

So I have this very fun and interesting British Literature teacher. As you all may know from my Super Honeycutt story, I have a habit of writing down everything my teachers say...as long as it will never appear on a test...heh, heh. So...I shall dub her The Professor Avery and quote her thus...

Demonstrating Old English language:
"Ick wenten to the store yesterday and the kuh-nightes loveth..."

Creating new words to circulate around the world and become part of everyday English speech:
"You can take any word...just make it up! Like....like...'dirkabiddle'! You can say, 'my dirkabiddle isn't working today' to anyone around campus...pretty soon they'll start picking it up and using it in their own sentences like they know what it means...'my dirkabiddle's in the shop today' or, 'where in the world is my dirkabiddle?'"

Right before a lecture:
"This part you're going to have to take notes on...that means utensils in your hands, moving on the paper. You'll remember; I'll forget for you."

Such is The Professor Avery...it is doubtless you will see more quotes from her...