Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006 - 7:32 a.m.

I'm back. I was out of town helping J's mom with a bridal tea for our friend who is getting married. The shower was over-the-top, as are all events thrown by J's mom. In a good, though exhausting, way. Three courses: savory, scones, and dessert. The savory course had three kinds of finger sandwiches, tomato toast thingies (my idea!), ham rolls, stuffed apricots. Two kinds of scones, with four kinds of homemade jam (that last bit was another contribution of mine) and Devonshire cream. The sweet course got even crazier. There were flowers everywhere. And the annoying thing is that several people didn't show, half left before the end of the tea, and no one but hosts and family stayed to watch the bride open her gifts! So I think it's a good thing that we went all-out-- she knows the hosts love her, anyway, even if the guests were half-assed.

Also many tales to tell of jewelry peddling, but I don't have the time right now.

Went to visit my advisor about my project. My dissertation-y project. He thought it sounded interesting. I kinda want somebody to make some decisions for me, but he's not like that. He just says, "you should think about X, Y, and Z if you're going to do that." Thanks. I know. I have been. That's why I asked you. Oh, well. I'm a grown-up, yes, but if there are hidden reasons to prefer or disprefer some course of action, tell me please. Don't assume I know about them and have already thought it through.

Anyway, what gives me pause is that if I'm going to collect data during the summer intensive institutes (the only time some of these languages have enough students to even think about running a study on, we're talking 8 learners instead of the normal semester's 2 or 3), I'm not sure I can get funding for next summer at this point (not to mention all the legwork if I want to diversify my languages), which puts it at the next summer...for data collection. Then I write. Another 21/2- 3 years before I'm done? Good god. This is getting embarrassing.

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