someone stop me from buying more damn ice cream

after a brief break from music (since the only time i have anything on is when i'm in my car, & then it's npr), i've returned to my clapton/elton john playlist. i always come back.

received a dissertation via e-mail today from a professor at wright state. it was recommended to me because it's on religion in palestine during the mandate period, which is basically what my thesis is about but thus far i've had a very difficult time finding more than a passing reference or, at best, a portion of a chapter, devoted to anything directly relevant. hopefully this dissertation is the jackpot -- if not exactly about what i want to do, at least useful for its supporting arguments & its bibliography. fingers crossed. the 400-some-page document & i are going to spend some quality time together this weekend, so we'll see what that yields.

speaking of that thesis... the research question i'm planning everything around right now involves a comparative historical investigation/analysis of palestine & lebanon under the mandate system (a british mandate in palestine, french in lebanon). i'm looking at religious institutions invented &/or co-opted by the mandatory governments & the impact of these colonial strategies on religio-political identities in the short & long term. the idea for comparing the two was suggested by my history professor/one of the members of my thesis committee, because initially i was trying to choose between the two ideas & he thought i could actually combine them quite nicely. so far i'm really enthusiastic about the project, despite the lack of success in finding many relevant resources.  hopefully being really interested now will help ease some of the inevitable burn-out that comes later.

still thinking a lot about my academic/professional future. lots of stars have accidentally aligned, & i feel like i could really have the help i need to do what i want as long as i don't screw it up. so, here's to not screwing it up. you'll drink to that, right?

received an e-mail recently about an arabic program at the american university in beirut -- this summer, june 29 through august 13. i've had my eyes set on some time at AUB for a while now, & the possibility of getting my foot in the door there over the summer further piqued my interest. i figure i might as well put in an application (due at the end of next month) -- what can it hurt? & i sure am itching to travel, especially i'm acutely aware of the fact, in this cold & snowy weather, that i've barely had my foot on american soil for the last three years at this time. no exciting travel plans for january 2010 though, just oxford. my, how the depauw winter term spoils a person. not that i'm complaining. i'd do it all over again, times ten. thinking about honeymoon plans has dissipated the travel pangs a bit, though. we just have to decide where we're headed in june. so many spectacular options.

this weekend i plan to shamelessly lounge in my pajamas, surrounded by stacks of books & articles for thesis research. maybe a little wine as a reward, but mostly reading & pajamas. i have some new books i've barely been able to keep my hands off of, & a hefty stack of 22 new library books to befriend. hopefully it'll be a very productive, cozy weekend with my reading materials & my trusty steed, errr, puppy, ruby.