Walking out of the theater this morning, one of my friends remarked, "I never thought I'd be saying this, but that movie needed more robot and monster fights."

It's weird to be halfway through a semester already. Six week classes are the way to go. Now if I can only keep that in mind when I'm sitting in the same classroom for hours at a time . . .

Both of my classes are delightful. I feel as though I'm learning valuable things in both of them (a Marquette first). I have the same professor for both and his strong focus on pedagogy and the development of field knowledge is serving to strengthen me as a scholar and teacher.

The heat is terrible. Someday I will no longer be a grad student. Perhaps when that day comes I will have air conditioning. For now, survival involves copious amounts of water, fans, and cold baths.

Studying for the MA exam continues. I'm reading Middlemarch, which is one of those books that I've known for years that I should read, but could never muster up the necessary enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is still lacking, but the reading is finally taking place.

This post feels as though it's not very entertaining. My apologies. For those of you who are wondering, my car has bitten the dust. It's not worth pouring more money into something so old and decrepit (an argument not to be extended beyond inanimate objects) so it will soon vanish from my parking spot. The plan, dictated by financial necessities, is to not replace it right away. My Milwaukee freedom will be curtailed, but perhaps that will only benefit my studies.