[2008 Olympics] teh gay

I was sightseeing in a non-English-speaking country (and staying in hostels, rather than say hotels which would have had tvs in the bedrooms), so I was even less up on Olympics stuff than I would have been otherwise (I don't expect I would have watched much of the Games, but I would have at least read the metro on the way to work and seen the tvs in the gym).

After I got back I read two articles -- Scotsman.com (from a commenter on one of mjules' entries) and TimesOnline.uk (from my dad) -- about sex and the Olympics . . . because I may not care much about sports, but sex is always a way to grab my attention :)

From page 2 of the latter:

Alyson Annan and Carole Thate: Two great international hockey players Alyson Annan (Australia) and Carole Thate (Netherlands) met in Sydney (2000). Their friendship led to a civil partnership in 2005 and they have recently had a son via donated sperm.

I later read NBC censors gay Olympic history (Video update) (4 UPDATES) by seanflynn. ( This got long. )

I also really liked this story about a guy Getting It about how crushing heteronormativity is.

***

Oh, and Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi got married. My mom said she read something where Ellen talked about how she was saying "I do" all the time -- e.g., "Do you want pasta?" "I do." V. cute. [Edit: My mom points me here. Thanks, Mom!]

[back to school] course selection

I was reminded today that the Harvard Extension School catalog is up (it's one the emails I got while I was away, and when catching up on Friday I shunted it aside).

I can has Intro Econ!

ECON E-10a Principles of Economics - Fall term (10062)
Siddiq M. Abdullah, PhD, Professor of Management, Pine Manor College.
Tuesdays beginning Sept. 16, 7:35-9:35 pm, Harvard Hall, Room 201. ( course description )

I was considering taking HIST E-1915 Africa and Africans: The Making of a Continent in the Modern World (12991)
Caroline Elkins, PhD, Hugo K. Foster Associate Professor of African Studies, Harvard University.
Online only, beginning Sept.15. ( course description )

but I think I'm gonna be lame and just read the texts on the syllabi (admittedly that means no coursepacket for me) and actually enroll in RELI E-1505 Religion, Education, and Democracy (13202)
Diane L. Moore, PhD, Professor of the Practice in Religious Studies and Education, Harvard Divinity School.
Fall term: Wednesdays beginning Sept. 17, 7:35-9:35 pm, Sever Hall, Room 203. ( course description )

ANTS has their courses up as well, and though there are very few distance learning courses to choose from, I'm stoked about the prospect of taking

THEO 637F
[EL] Process Theology
William Russell Pregeant
( course description )

Except . . . seeking out their forms, registration was apparently Aug. 4-15. Le sigh.

[Monday] I seem to have used up all my substance in today's earlier entries.

( gym )

This week, the pasta station has been rotated out for papusas.  Sigh.  The students come back next week (Registration/Orientation Tues-Thurs, class on Friday), so I'm hopeful that the Grille will reopen then as well.  (I had egg rolls from the International buffet -- China -- for lunch today.)

For dinner I made myself Annie's mac&cheese (shells, white cheddar) and a Quorn chik'n patty (in the toaster oven -- phear my classiness).

***

Saturday afternoon I was on facebook and saw that Ava was having a birthday "jamboree" at Zuzu that night.  I phoned her to get details (like time) and left a voicemail (what time? happy belated bday, so stoked to see you).  I called again at 8:30pm and 9:30pm, no answer.  I left her a facebook comment on Sunday saying I'd left her a voicemail to get details but she hadn't called me back so I was sorry I hadn't gotten to party with her and we should definitely hang out sometime.  She called me back this afternoon, apologetic (her ringer was set to some setting that meant she didn't hear it, and she ended up not getting out there until like 11 'cause of various shit), she felt really bad seeing my missed calls and stuff, and she couldn't talk for very long 'cause her phone battery was low, but I'm such a good friend and her schedule's really in flux but we should definitely make plans to have dinner sometime.

I flaked on ever claiming my free birthday dessert at Finale (even though Heather totally said she'd go with me! -- July was a busy month, shuddup), but one of the emails I got while I was away was:

We're having an end of summer celebration and you're invited. Chef Nicole Coady has created a refreshing new dessert we call the Coconut Caipirihna. It is a lime genoise cake with drunken pineapple and rich coconut crème ($8.95).

Because we value your loyalty, we have put a complimentary Coconut Caipirihna on your Sweet Rewards Card. You may redeem the dessert at any Finale location when you buy any other Plated Dessert (http://www.finaledesserts.com/menus-viewmenus.php) in the dining room on or before September 21st, 2008, the official last day of summer.

Actually, it occurs to me that co-worker!Katie's birthday is September 13 and I could offer to take her out to Finale (you have to buy a plated dessert to get the freebie, and I could just buy her a dessert as a birthday gift).

***

As usual, once you're aware of something, you notice it.  Our last full day in Venice, we went out to the island of Murano.  One of the Brenda Rickman Vantrease novels I read in Rome mentioned Murano glass, and then T Time in this morning's metro:

'Murano Glass' Exhibit
Through Sept. 12
Tomorrow-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Galleria Florentia
79 Newbury St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Copley
Free, [phone number redacted]
www.galleriaflorentia.com
More than 50 pieces of stunning Murano delights are on hand at this Newbury Street gallery which specializes in Italian pieces, both classical and modern. The centuries-old Murano process forges kaleidoscopic technicolor into its glass wonders. The Florentia has an array of pieces that break down into vases, planets, musical instruments décor, sea animals and Impressionist-inspired and more abstract works.