Weightlifting, clapping and juggling

My male readers have probably had the experience in physical education class or sports teams at some point of being asked to do press-ups (push-ups, for you Yanks) whereby you push yourself up, and then have to clap your hands together in mid-air before your hands touch the ground again, preparatory to doing another press-up. That's kind of what my life is like right now.

I have a five-page paper precis, the paperwork for my MA thesis, a 3-day conference and an 800-word position paper due on the 1st, at the same time as getting all of my regular coursework out of the way. You have to put in a hell of a lot of effort even to get to the point where you can clap - and then you have to do it all over again. As if that weren't enough, I've also had my mum here staying with me this week, which means that I've had to spend a certain amount of time with her as well. All I could really spare was Sunday morning; we went to the Guggenheim museum, which I hadn't yet managed. It wasn't as impressive as the Met or the Natural History Museum; I suppose I was rather spoiled seeing those first of all. The architecture inside is very cool, though, with the spiral structure inside leading you gradually up and up until you're at the top, kind of without realising it.

Mind you, on a positive note that's also a good metaphor for Columbia...I may feel like I'm going round in circles half the time, but when I actually stop and look I realise that I'm learning a hell of a lot of useful stuff.

Kate wants some of my time too, which is not unreasonable, since she is my girlfriend. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not the 1 train...two-thirds of my classes are cancelled next week, and with the Election Day holiday following on from the weekend coming I'll have a week or so of much lighter work, probably taking a couple of days off. Then, of course, it's Thanksgiving a week or so after. Just gotta hold on this weekend without losing my sanity.