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muscadineSo...2 posts a month is not cool. Especially non-substantive posts. So, here's the start to a hopefully more active phase.
It was unseasonably warm in Tucson most of October. 90's in the day. However, it has finally started to cool off the last couple of weeks or so, we're having 70's in the day and 40's at night. We actually have had to turn the heat on. It's funny, though, because when you wear a light jacket to school the Tucsonians observe you're wearing your "winter clothes." Heh.
Allen is turning the big 3-0 next Wednesday, the 12th. I've been ragging him about it for weeks. Before anyone jumps to his defense, it is only fair since everyone accuses me of robbing the cradle. We're going to go to dinner to celebrate this week. Since several of our friends have a birthday in November, we're going to have one big party (or something) for everyone later in the month. Another special treat is that a friend of his is coming from Portland down to Phoenix next week, so we're going to go up and visit with him next weekend. It will also be our first visit to Phoenix, so should be fun & exciting.
We're hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house for our "orphan" friends who aren't going home for the holidays. Looks like it's going to be about 8 of us, which is a lot considering our little apt. Should be fun!
My aunt has generously offered Allen and I two tickets to come to Memphis over the holiday break. We're flying in on Dec 28th and returning to Tucson on Jan 4th. Should be fun. Let us know if you want to meet up while we're there. Looks like we're going to use our "Christmas money" to buy a digital camera, which should be especially handy given the upcoming trip.
School is going well. I'm a little behind (apparently this is a more-or-less permanent state for grad students), but no class on Tuesday this week gives an opportunity for catching up. Looks like A's for all my classes this semester, assuming I don't screw up any final papers or tests. Next semester is going to be Statistics, Research Methods, and a seminar course on Gender which is designed to help prepare both for a prelim and a potential Master's paper. Sweet! The professor I'm TAing has been great too. Mostly I've been doing class-related work, but some research stuff too, and it looks like I'll be doing more over the last part of the semester. We'll see how that goes.
Tucson has a domestic partner registration that is going into effect in December, and we're going to register. There aren't many actual, tangible benefits, but the symbolic recognition is a start. We also went to the Tucson Pride fest with some friends back in October, but beyond that, we've not really gotten involved with any GLBT-related groups or activities here, on campus or off.
We did decide to join Rincon Congregational Church (UCC). Their mission statement:
We are a modern Christian people of faith, forgiveness and fellowship that is more interested in love and grace than judgment. We have experienced God using our mistakes, brokeness and imperfections to help us become people of hope, patience and joy. We are passionately committed to the spiritual disciplines of humor, listening, compassion and hospitality and true democracy in our structures. We understand that God isn't finished with us yet so we seek wisdom from the Bible, science, everyday life and our own stories. We are young and old, women and men, rich and poor, gay and straight, Black and White, Hispanic and Asian - together - each with a place at Christ's open table.
Like many mainstream-to-liberal churches, this church is in a bit of transition as the older generation literally dies off. But it does seem to have a very promising future. The people are all very friendly, the pastor is great, and it felt the most like home of the places we visited. We've already made some good friends through our connections there. Another church, St. Francis in the Foothills, looks like a place we may make some connections with over our time here as well, but it just wasn't as good a fit in terms of a spiritual home.
I guess that's all the news that's fit to print, or at least I'm fit to print for now. :)
It was unseasonably warm in Tucson most of October. 90's in the day. However, it has finally started to cool off the last couple of weeks or so, we're having 70's in the day and 40's at night. We actually have had to turn the heat on. It's funny, though, because when you wear a light jacket to school the Tucsonians observe you're wearing your "winter clothes." Heh.
Allen is turning the big 3-0 next Wednesday, the 12th. I've been ragging him about it for weeks. Before anyone jumps to his defense, it is only fair since everyone accuses me of robbing the cradle. We're going to go to dinner to celebrate this week. Since several of our friends have a birthday in November, we're going to have one big party (or something) for everyone later in the month. Another special treat is that a friend of his is coming from Portland down to Phoenix next week, so we're going to go up and visit with him next weekend. It will also be our first visit to Phoenix, so should be fun & exciting.
We're hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house for our "orphan" friends who aren't going home for the holidays. Looks like it's going to be about 8 of us, which is a lot considering our little apt. Should be fun!
My aunt has generously offered Allen and I two tickets to come to Memphis over the holiday break. We're flying in on Dec 28th and returning to Tucson on Jan 4th. Should be fun. Let us know if you want to meet up while we're there. Looks like we're going to use our "Christmas money" to buy a digital camera, which should be especially handy given the upcoming trip.
School is going well. I'm a little behind (apparently this is a more-or-less permanent state for grad students), but no class on Tuesday this week gives an opportunity for catching up. Looks like A's for all my classes this semester, assuming I don't screw up any final papers or tests. Next semester is going to be Statistics, Research Methods, and a seminar course on Gender which is designed to help prepare both for a prelim and a potential Master's paper. Sweet! The professor I'm TAing has been great too. Mostly I've been doing class-related work, but some research stuff too, and it looks like I'll be doing more over the last part of the semester. We'll see how that goes.
Tucson has a domestic partner registration that is going into effect in December, and we're going to register. There aren't many actual, tangible benefits, but the symbolic recognition is a start. We also went to the Tucson Pride fest with some friends back in October, but beyond that, we've not really gotten involved with any GLBT-related groups or activities here, on campus or off.
We did decide to join Rincon Congregational Church (UCC). Their mission statement:
We are a modern Christian people of faith, forgiveness and fellowship that is more interested in love and grace than judgment. We have experienced God using our mistakes, brokeness and imperfections to help us become people of hope, patience and joy. We are passionately committed to the spiritual disciplines of humor, listening, compassion and hospitality and true democracy in our structures. We understand that God isn't finished with us yet so we seek wisdom from the Bible, science, everyday life and our own stories. We are young and old, women and men, rich and poor, gay and straight, Black and White, Hispanic and Asian - together - each with a place at Christ's open table.
Like many mainstream-to-liberal churches, this church is in a bit of transition as the older generation literally dies off. But it does seem to have a very promising future. The people are all very friendly, the pastor is great, and it felt the most like home of the places we visited. We've already made some good friends through our connections there. Another church, St. Francis in the Foothills, looks like a place we may make some connections with over our time here as well, but it just wasn't as good a fit in terms of a spiritual home.
I guess that's all the news that's fit to print, or at least I'm fit to print for now. :)
