stuff that's in my head but not on my blog

1. Michele Lamont's Money, Morals and Manners. Excellent comparative study of French and American white upper middle class men and the values they identify when they create boundaries and distinctions between themselves and others--moral, socioeconomic, and cultural. I really hate the French. This hatred is incredibly prejudicial and based on an n = 3 non-random sample of French people I personally hated in grad school, but the book does confirm other Francophobic beefs. Maybe this is how they feel about Americans. I like the French language, history, literature, philosophy, food and the countryseems quite beautiful and full of redeeming qualities. But man, the people and the culture and their values ar insufferable. I am really loving cultural sociology, though. I will blog on this book later.

2. The economic bailout. I am reading so obsessively that it is interfering with my reading for everything else. It actually affects TD and his industry, and we've been talking about it non stop. I am trying to avoid gut reactions and trying to understand this more from the economic standpoint, and all to no avail. So far, I'm just acronyming it up with WTF this and FUBAR that and OMG blah blah. There shuld be a roundup of stuff I'm reading about this soon.

3. A new research design for my dissertation. Hmmm. Well, today I'm going to have Methods and then a colloquium at the business school that presents new research (and so you can always look at the methodology), so I'll keep thinking about it.

4. What to make for dinner on Thursday. It's kind of hot right now and I'm less fond of using the oven. But I like using the oven. You can read while the butterflied chicken is roasting. On the other hand, lamb chops are right quick. On the third hand, spaghetti carbonara sounds incredibly fattening and delicious. Or I cold make a ragu type sauce a la Northern Italy. Quick, someone vote.

5. What to do this weekend. Well, it's all planned that I'm taking TD to a scenic getaway for his birthday, and by "taking" I meanthat I made the reservation and printed out guides but he's driving because I don't hve a car. But I am thinking that its best not to plan everything, because the point is to relax and let the birthday boy choose what he wants to do, whether it be hiking, hang gliding, or hanging out in our way cute cottage with the little iron wood stove and mini kitchen.