Reading, Writing, and Recovering

It continues to be unseasonably cold. In fact, the weathermen have called for a low of two degrees this evening, which is almost too cold to bear. I can't take the thought of three more months of winter. Heck, I can't accept the fact that winter hasn't officially begun. My wife and I stayed indoors yesterday and decorated the house for the holidays! Christmas is only a week away, and I still need to begin shopping. By my count, I'm right on pace with my performance for the past three years!

It seems that my first cold of the season has taken hold just in time for the holidays. Today's the first day in a long time that I haven't gotten outside for a run. Instead, I spent the day on the couch reading The Age of the Academies, a collection of essays edited by Ted Sizer. It's an interesting book, and presents unique perspectives on education in antebellum America. I've also been reading Atlantic Crossings by Daniel Rogers, which explores the relationship between progressive politics in Europe and the United States. My fascination with progressive education continues to deepen. During the Winter Quarter I'll be doing an independent study on the subject. I'm also going to be doing some work on the history of reader response theory, which I'm also looking forward to.

That said, I need to drink my tea and ease my sore throat. I refuse to let this cold get the best of me!