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September 28, 2006
My Shopping Mall
The forest that ate the ruins.
I happened to catch the Methadone Bus earlier this week, which meant that the commute from Red Hook to Borough Hall was filled with loud conversations that severely lacked sound modulation and several individuals sprawled across two and three seats, near comatose. What I love about this kind of bus ride is that I never fail to overhear bits of fascinating discussion. This week I learned a new catch phrase that is bound to become my mantra for this semester. In referencing how solid her memory was of which of her friends were still alive and not in jail, the woman behind me proclaimed, "Son, I've got it all inside my shopping mall."
Though the context differs, that is kind of how I have been feeling these days. My brain has been feeling a tad jam packed with information. While in my ideal world this data would be neatly folded and organized by color, it is in actuality strewn across the showroom like Marshall's at the end of a long weekend. Recalling anything requires me to rummage through a pile of crap just to find the one t-shirt that fits.
My days now require a level of regiment and organization that I am unused to and I am still trying to figure out the correct schedule for my knowledge absorption. This morning I created an agenda for Thursday reading. It goes as follows:
6:00 a.m. - Quick skim of the New York Times
8:00 a.m. - Early 20th century St. Louis – civic improvement
9:00 a.m. - Work reading
12:00 p.m. - Early 20th century public health, development of model tenements in NYC
1:00 p.m. - Work reading
5:00 p.m. - A little Washington Irving and Elihu Root
9:00 p.m. - Koolhaas; Delirious New York
11:00 p.m. - Camilo Jose Vergara; American Ruins (If you have not read Vergara, do it. He is one of my heroes. This is my fun reading except after about 20 minutes I usually fall asleep.)
It is all great reading but, unfortunately, there are times that I cannot recall what I have read. Any tips for how to mentally organize everything?
Posted by callalillie at September 28, 2006 9:01 AM | Graduate School
, Inquiry
I so feel you right now. Tuesday night in class, I learned that in addition to all the reading I already have assigned, there are about 10 more books I need to have, and read. I was so tired last night that I was nodding off during Project Runway. And that is NOT my style.
Posted by: lesterhead at September 28, 2006 10:19 AM
That could be because PR sucked last night. Final four?? Give me a break. Dump Ulee or Michael and let the architect and the asshole fight it out.
Posted by: corie at September 28, 2006 10:21 AM
I can always tell if I've actually read something because there are notes scribbled all over it. I don't retain it otherwise.
Posted by: breana at September 28, 2006 11:26 AM
I think I need a copy of your syllabus.
Posted by: yp at September 28, 2006 12:57 PM
strewn across the showroom like Marshall's at the end of a long weekend
Simile of the Week.
Posted by: Bill at September 28, 2006 2:09 PM
Dump Michael? No way! He's gonna win the whole thing!
Posted by: Dave at September 28, 2006 3:05 PM
I am so busy and have so many people in my life right now that I sometimes have to stop and think what is the name of this or that person I am talking to and it can take a couple of minutes to come up with it. Sad, I know. Anyway, I'm just saying I "feel your pain."
I retain fiction much better than non-fiction books. I think it is because they play like movies in my head, but often times non-fiction just doesn't have the imagery to stick in my mind.
Posted by: gina at September 28, 2006 3:42 PM
