Otherwise known as ...

1.YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car):
Cuddles Batavus

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe):
Peanut Butter Crocs

3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal):
Orange Fish

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born):
Ann Wauseon

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first three letters of your last name, first two of your first name):
Wys-Ja

6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink):
Green Latte

7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers):
Jesse Chester

8. STRIPPER NAME (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy):
Lilac Reeses

9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your fifth grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter):
Kraus Kensington

10. SPY NAME (your favorite season/holiday, flower):
Winter Daisy

11. CARTOON NAME (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now):
Blueberry Shorts

12. HIPPIE NAME (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree):
English Muffin Maple

Props to Julie

Judas, Corrected

As promised yesterday ...

excerpt from The Death of Judas by Paul Claudel
translated from the French by polderpalooza herself, corrections by her French instructor in red

It was something of absolute seriousness, a deep interest. I wanted to be sure; I wanted to know where He was going. At his side, when He called me, I was really compelled to suppose that He clearly knew what He was doing. In order to follow without hesitation, I sacrificed my family, my friends, my wealth, my position. I have always had a kind of scientific or psychological curiosity, call it what you want, and at the same time a taste for adventure and for speculation…. I took the bait. Moreover, I am not the only one to let myself be taken. I dare say that among the Twelve, it was I who was by far the most well-educated and the most distinguished. I was a credit to the group. Needless to say, there was Simon Peter – one would not have had the heart to dismiss him or to deny him first place. One had only to look at his lovely eyes like those of an affectionate dog, and this grimace like that of a child who will cry when addressed with the reproaches, which came for him quite often when it was his turn. As for myself, I was always correct. I did my duty, one could not have asked more of me. Otherwise, it was a mess. All the same, my judgment, my manners, my knowledge of the world and the Scriptures, and my know-how with the customers were appreciated. I was one of the first to achieve the rank of Apostle, one of those around whose neck a cord was placed, what you now call a stole.

Grade: 49/50. I guess my quirkiness wasn't too over the top after all!

This morning I took the official Graduate Division of Religion French competency exam. I feel like it went well, but only time will tell. However, I do know for sure that I am done with French for the summer! Yahoo!

Lots Happening

1. Welcome to the world, little baby Joshua! Today you are one day old! I can't wait to meet you.

2. I ate Sushi in this restaurant a couple of nights ago to celebrate my friend Leslie's birthday. Wouldn't ya know it: I love Sushi! Who knew anything could be so fun to eat? Each bite is a self-contained precarious little party on two sticks. It's like cookies, but healthy (and with sticks). I had some with asparagus and some with softshell crab (that was an adventure, with the edible legs all breaded and sticking out the ends) and some with everything but the kitchen sink. No kitchen sink, and no fish eggs either. I wasn't brave enough to try the fish eggs.

3. I have an almost empty living room at the moment. Just a couch, a futon, a lamp, a TV stand and a TV. The futon is being moved out tomorrow. I plan to spend the weekend stretched out on the floor. Maybe I'll do some cartwheels. This empty-living-room-syndrome is the result of the ever adventurous and annually inevitable housemate transition period. N moved out (miss you dear!), taking furniture with her. J and J have only just begun to move in. And M is away for the summer (miss you too!). So, right now, it's just me, the aforementioned items, and some newly steamed wall-to-wall carpet. I'll have to find someone to poke (facebook friends?): there is static electricity to be mustered!

4. For my French take-home final, I translated a really entertaining, fictionalized passage about Judas. Yes, the Judas, the guy who gave 30 pieces of anything glittery a bad name. I'll post it below, and tomorrow, when I get the corrected version back, I shall let you know how I did. Okay then, one psychological profile of Judas Iscariot, comin' right up! Personally, I think this translation is kinda quirky. Hopefully not quirky enough to disturb the one grading it.

excerpt from The Death of Judas by Paul Claudel
translated from the French by polderpalooza herself

It was something of absolute seriousness, a deep interest. I wanted to have a clean heart; I wanted to know where He was going. At his side, when He called me, I was really compelled to suppose that He clearly knew what He was doing. In order to follow without hesitation, I sacrificed my family, my friends, my wealth, my position. I have always had a kind of scientific or psychological curiosity, call it what you want, and at the same time a taste for adventure and for speculation…. I took the bait. Moreover, I am not the only one to let myself be taken. I dare say that among the Twelve, it was I who was by far the most well-educated and the most distinguished. I was a credit to the group. Needless to say, there was Simon Peter – one would not have had the heart to dismiss him or to deny him first place. One had only to look at his lovely eyes like those of an affectionate dog, and this grimace like that of a child who will cry when addressed with the reproaches that came for him quite often when it was his turn. As for myself, I was always correct. I did my duty, there was no more wondering about that. Otherwise, it was a mess. All the same, my judgment, my manners, my knowledge of the world and the Scriptures, and my know-how with the customers were appreciated. I was one of the first to achieve the rank of Apostle, one of those around whose neck a cord was placed, what you now call a stole.

---

Inauguration of the Summer of Blogging

Here I go with my summer of blogging! Sorry for the delay.

I would like to begin by sharing quotes from someone who makes me laugh. Last week, he opened his show by declaring: "This is the dawning of the age of Colbertius (kohl-bear-ius)." Tonight the following got my goat: "Guests of the Colbert Report are housed in the luxurious Crashing With Friends." All this from the Peabody-award-winning satirist who invented the word "truthiness," which (rumor has it) appeared in a New York Times crossword puzzle last week. I love the guy!

So far, my summer has been very French. I am taking an intensive French language course: French for Reading Comprehension. Today I translated 375 words by Paul Riceour, which felt like a milestone. Class ends Thursday; I am taking the Religion Department competency exam on Friday. If I pass, I will have fulfilled both departmental modern language requirements. You see, I consumed a German grammar on the boat last summer:


Thus thorougly grammatified, and assisted by my knowledge of Dutch, I was able to wend my way through the German reading exam last summer.

In some ways, it is odd to learn to read a language without necessarily learning to speak it. Throw some Ricouer at me, and I and my 5-pound dictionary will have a little party. Throw my self toward France and ask me to order a baguette, and I will be overcome with fear and trembling. Hopefully someday I will have the opportunity to gain some confidence in baguette ordering et. al. That said, if anyone needs to buy some cheese in the Netherlands, I'm your woman!

EDITED TO ADD:
Colbert ended his Report tonight with the words: "I hope you've enjoyed watching me for the past half an hour. Now it's my turn to watch you." (followed by intense wordless stare)