I live!

While lying awake far too late last night (too much sugar from eating brownies? constant coughing from that cold I can't shake?), I decided I felt like writing again. My old blog, which I lost interest in over the last few years, didn't seem like the right place to start up again, so here I am! Why?

1. Part of me feels a little stressed or guilty every time I write something that isn't my dissertation. But actually, any writing, however unrelated to my work, helps keep my brain in writing mode and makes the words come more easily when I do get around to the diss.
2. I'm living in a place where I know almost no one and have few opportunities to make friends, so I'm feeling disconnected. I want to be better at reaching out and staying in touch with friends and family in a venue other than Facebook, which already knows too much about me and where I'm not comfortable addressing personal or controversial topics. (Yes, I realize I'm complaining about Facebook's creepiness on a Google-owned platform, but I'm choosing my battles. That's a post for another time.)
3. I don't keep a journal, so it would be nice to have some record of what I'm up to and thinking about.
4. For Peter's sake, I should have somewhere to talk through and share my thoughts. Because I spend most of my time alone, I talk his ear off when he's around. True story: Almost every night he'll finish his dinner before I'm even halfway done because I talk so much.

When I was a freshman in college, I named the first incarnation of my blog "Inane Ramblings of an Incurable Cynic" (although the title later cycled through cynical Vonnegut and Beckett references).  I expect Blog 2.0 will be less cynical, possibly still inane. I imagine I'll write a lot about the things I think a lot about: books, food, feminism, travel, politics. But we'll see. Come along if you'd like!

P.S. I hate thinking of blog titles and addresses, so as often happens, I've resorted to literary references for both. Bonus points if you recognize them without googling.