caniculares dies (dog day diary)

I've had 7 weeks of uninterrupted free time. I finished summer school in late June and unceremoniously quit my job a little more than a month ago. It's been an adjustment for me...I now have free time to read, to shop, to clean, to go to the gym and to be in a vegetative state if I wanted to. Although I shouldn't be, I am a little bored. I guess I am so used to a schedule (work, school, homework, etc.) that when I am left to my own devices...I shrug and ask "now what?" I suppose that's what retirees feel like when they go from being somebody who "had a life", to someone who have time to live.

I did travel this summer, we went to NYC and to SA. We also had my girlfriend's nieces (16 and 14) visiting. They were quite entertaining. They were disappointed that the National Mall did not have a Abercrombie and Fitch. I try to make things for my girlfriend a little easier at home since I have a little more free time. Now that I have joined the masses of the unemployed, the responsibility to bring home the bacon falls to my girlfriend, who is so gracious as we enter this phase of out life together. There should be a medal for spouses/partners of graduate students. She puts up with alot. I am a very, very lucky to have her in my life.

I devoured the last installment of the Harry Potter book. I have to say that Deathly Hallows wasn't her best book. Although the ending was what I expected, the epilogue seemed to be written in haste. One of my criticisms of the series is how this world that Rowling created is a sexist as the reader's world. It was frustrating that the females (esp. Hermione) were always playing second fiddle to the males.

The hottest days are here and the end of summer is near. I still have some items of my agenda to complete that I've been putting off, like cleaning my desk and others I am looking forward to like our trip to San Francisco and Las Vegas. I can't wait.