Images Win Out Again

[debka_notion]

Humorous Episode from yesterday morning:
I was just finishing davening and putting my tfillin away when my sister woke up and came down stairs (about 9 am). So I still had my tallit on, but I was standing there winding leather straps back around their leather boxes, and trying not to get the fringes and knots of my tallit stuck in the straps (why are the two magnetically drawn together like that?). So, she saw me and proceeds to ask "Where are you going?" My answer was pretty straight forward "I'm putting these away, and then going to work". Her response "Like That??" Somehow the tallit didn't register as something I was putting away, I guess. Maybe she perceived it as fancy clothes, rather than ritualwear.
(I find the word ritualwear particularly pleasing, somehow. DOn't know why).

Second, probably duller anecdote:
At work, I was talking with the ladies in the admin office as I pulled and boxed old files for them. We were talking about the kosher kitchen and the problems with making sure people have paid for SHabbat and holiday meals, and one of them turns to me at some point near this conversation and wants to know if I'm orthodox, and presumes that I only wear skirts, because that's all I've worn to work... Once again, skirt and hem length wins over neckline height for perceptions. I said no, I do wear slacks, but- there it was again. I just really prefer wearing skirts a. in the summer, and b. to work. The combination means that they won't see me in pants all that much, so... (I think at this rate, the only times I'll be wearing slacks are Thursday nights and Sunday... Weird.)

(And since when did they become slacks rather than pants in my vocabulary??)

Comments

Kimmelman advice request from Brandeis '08er

[michshlz.livejournal.com]

Maya,
I'm Michelle, looking forward to coming to Brandeis in August. Anyway, I don't know if you remembered me, but I was Vera Wexler's prospie back in April, well, one of them anyway. I saw your post in the Brandeis group and looked at your journal and saw a reference to the BORG auction, so I 'm pretty sure you are the same one I was introduced to. What caught my eye was your response to a question about one fo the USEMs I am considering. I'm stuck betwen Kimmelman' Understanding Evil one and Abusch's Wandering Hero in Ancient Lit, which focuses on Epic of Gilgamesh. I love classes that really make you think, but I really aprreciate it when a professor is interesting and excited about their subject. So, anything you can add about the difficulty/interest of Kimmelmen's classes? What do you mean by difficulty on tests? Did you feel it was ultimately worth it? Why did you like him so much? Have you taken any of Abusch's or do you know anyone who has? I'll stop with the question pounding now. Please reply to this post or IM me at michshlz@mac.com (yes, that whole thing is a screenname). Thanks so much, and I'll probably be at BORG in the fall (that auction/meeting with people with the coolest personality helped show how totally me Brandeis was! I'm done rambling now. Talk to you soon!

Re: Kimmelman advice request from Brandeis '08er

[debka-notion.livejournal.com]

Michelle- great to hear from you. I remember you, if vaguely, and look forward to seeing you at BORG in the fall. OK, as for your questions... Kimmelman is very interested in his material, and he comes across as quite excited about it, in his own way. He talks quickly and animatedly. But be careful if you disagree with him, or in general if you're going to raise your hand- you should have your point carefully thought out in advance, otherwise he'll jump down your throat a bit. It's a bit intimidating at first, but the man is fascinating himself, and very funny- he provided quite a number of choice quotes for my collection. But his tests are killers. He generally provides a list of essay questions to prepare, and the matching exercise in advance (this was for when he was teaching the Intro class for NEJS, aka Judaic Studies), and then the test consists of some number of those questions- but the questions themselves are generally not easy, and he grades very strictly. You miss one point that he wanted, and you drop several points. It is possible to do well in his classes, but you have to be willing to work and to study. Yes, I thought taking his class was worth it. Why did I like him so much? I'm significantly more interested in learning things from a teacher who knows and cares about his/her field than I am about easy classes. And Kimmelman's funny too, which was just the icing on the cake for me.

(Paragraph break, because the other was getting too long) I haven't taken a class with Abusch, myself. From the couple of people I know who have, he seems to be the sort of teacher you either adore or despise. Again, I gather he's the type that expects quite a bit of honest work out of his students. chinchillama took a class with him and was very happy with it, I believe. I can try and get her to write about what she thought.

That said, I'll add you to my buddy list, and maybe we'll get a chance to talk some before the school year starts.