Good things that happened today:
Went to a really great lecture (optional lecture, not for class). I had to get up before I wanted to, to make sure I got on campus in time, but it was worth it. Eric Foner is a history professor at Columbia, very smart, extremely articulate, and unapologetically liberal. He gave a wonderful talk on American freedom post-9/11: what it means, how the Bush administration has used it as a rhetorical weapon, and how we should evaluate the current meaning of freedom in light of its historical incarnations. I’m all for open discourse and debate, but sometimes it’s just good to be in a room full of politically like-minded people. Some of the ideas Foner outlined in his lecture are contained in a 2003 article in the NYT, available here.
Had lunch with members of my cohort following the lecture.
Got home and discovered a lovely email in my inbox from someone I don’t see very often. Affectionate enough to make me blush.
Found out, after being on hold for 10 minutes and battling the registrar’s clerk over the spelling of my last name, that I am indeed registered to vote in LA County.
Am going to have free dim sum with the history graduate students’ association tomorrow!
Am going to a Halloween party at a classmate’s apartment tomorrow!
[This post was imported on 4/10/14 from my old blog at satsumabug.livejournal.com.]
satsumabug.com | Lisa Hsia 