Last three weeks the twilight zone of the semester

Noon came Monday and I was sitting in my room, surfing the internet. Monday at noon also happens to be the time for my Western Civilization lecture.

As much as it is sometimes tempting to skip this class on Monday mornings, I didn’t skip. My reason for not attending is much simpler, and much more sad.

I simply forgot.

I wasn’t watching some awesome YouTube video, or pouring over that day’s Wikileaks documents (which you all should, by the way) that caused me to forget. I wasn’t doing anything amazing at all. The fact that I had this class simply escaped my mind.

It’s a bit odd that this would happen on the second to last week of class. I’ve been going to this class for at least three months now. I’ve never forgotten before.

So what happened? Break happened.

Thanksgiving break was a wonderful, glorious time. Reconnecting with old friends, seeing family, spending leisurely afternoons at the local coffeeshop and sleeping in served as a great recharge. I came out of break with more energy than when I started – a true success.

But there’s also a darkside to breaks like these, a downside not realized until you try to return to your daily rhythm. Thanksgiving break gives you just enough time – five days – to start to get comfortable in your old digs. It’s just enough time to settle into an old routine filled with old friends and familiar locales reminiscent of summer.

Normally, that’s great. I am fond of my summers and generally enjoy spending time back home (despite the neverending lack of “things to do”). But when a break gives you just enough time to reacclimate and then rips you out of your warm bed and back into bitter-cold Lawrence mornings, only pain can result.

Not to get all psycho-analytical, but I think subconsciously I’m still on break. My mind deep down doesn’t really want to be here. It’s all I really want to think about, too. I actually paused from writing a paper that’s due tomorrow to write this column (yeah, weird study break, I know, but that’s my point).

These last three weeks are the twilight zone of the semester. Your mind’s wandering away but your body’s still here. The trick is to either reconcile the two or figure out a way to get your stuff done while disconnected.

That’s the trick I’m still pondering. If you have it figured out, let me know.

 

Thanksgiving reading

Need some reading material? Waiting for dinner?

Here’s a few Thanksgiving-themed links from around the web:

Adam Sandler’s Thanksgiving Day Song – Hulu

People who own turkeys as pets – The New Yorker

Struggling to be grateful – Robert Wright at The New York Times

Turducken Desert – The Wall Street Journal

Rick-rolling the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – YouTube

The sweet potato has its moment – The New York Times

 

 

Thanksgiving Day

As the clock strikes midnight it’s now Thanksgiving Day

Thousands of bodies huddled together

In insulated fortresses that shield the weather

Others in alleys, caves, beds of paper and hay

 

The sun rises on a blue sky and chilly morn’

Alarms break peaceful slumbers

Responsibilities of the day murmured

While frost and freeze welcome the forlorn

 

At midday ovens roar and refrigerators hum

Homes buzz, preparations made

The bird is slayed, the table laid

The poor outside stay dutifully mum

 

As evening comes, time for the feast to begin

Appetites sated and tummies stuffed

For pie and candy the children huff

On the scraps the lowly mend

 

The sun sets once more far in the west

Families of all kinds take their leave

driving, flying, however they please

Another day ending for the least earthly blest

 

Without a word in their beds the masses lay

To sleep until another day

But the poor man looks heavenward to say

“Thank you, Lord, for this Thanksgiving Day.”