All of a sudden my life has turned really busy, because the prof decided that he wants my last Anthropology paper before he leaves – on July 19. Not quite sure whether he realized that that’s only three weeks away. In any case, I’m now weathering the heat and humidity locked up in my room, typing up notes. Yes, it’s about as fascinating as it sounds…

In other news, I’ve moved chocolate dream to my new host, DreamHost. It’s a slow process, as I really don’t have the time for stuff like that. But everything seems to be working so far, so that’s good.

And with that I have to face the outside and go to therapy. Wish me luck! 🙂

Except that it’s not quite as lovely anymore. Temperatures have been well over 30°C for several days now, with nights not really cooling off. I mean, I like sunshine and warmth – but this heat just totally immobilizes you. Even sitting makes you sweat, not to speak of leaving the house and cycling into town. We always close all windows and shutters around 8.30 in the morning, to keep the (relative) cool in – and then we settle down with lots of water and the occasional cold foot bath.

Feels paradox to be cooped up inside instead of going to the open-air pool or sitting at the Rhine, but there’s too much that I have to do. The deadline for my last anthropology paper has been pushed forward to July 19, because that’s when the prof leaves town. Not quite sure that I can make it – 25 pages in English, and I only got the books I need to use this afternoon – but I’ll try. Wish me luck – and a cool brain… 🙂

It’s been absolutely lovely the past few days. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to really enjoy it, because I had a two-day workshop for my class ‘The African Occult’, for which two anthropology big-shots, Jean and John Comaroff, came expecially from Chicago. Was very interesting, but also very, very tiring.

Now it’s over, and with it my last presentation, possibly the very last one before the ‘big one’ for my MA thesis in about a year’s time. I also figured out the topic for my last anthropology paper – and discovered that the prof would like me to turn it in in a month at the latest. And here I thought the pressure would drop at least for a little while… Joy!

But hey, the semester is almost over and, all in all, I’m right on schedule. If I don’t slack off too much (or get distracted *g*), I should be able to write my two final papers before leaving for Japan on September 10, giving me a free head to start preparing for my thesis next year when I get back in October. So I guess I won’t be really seeing the sun all that much this summer… Uni just has to be my priority right now. /end pep talk 🙂

A friend of my mother’s just called and told her about something incredible that happened to her son, which makes me wonder whether I really live in such a civilized country…

Apparently, his apartment was basically invaded by four policemen, without a warrant and under false pretenses (‘a neighbour heard a child cry’). In reality they were looking for dope – which, admittedly, they found (he’s a dry alcoholic but still smokes and even grows a little bit for his personal use) – but the whole thing must have happened in such an insulting and rude way (for example they made fun of him when he wanted to call his mother) that it puts to mind a police state, not uber-civilized Switzerland… Also, they took his cell phones and all the money he had, as well as the dope stuff. Tomorrow he has to go to the station – I wonder how that will go. He’s trying to reach a lawyer (not really possible on a Sunday) and has already written a letter to the Minister of Justice in Basel.

I’m not condoning his drug use – although possessing weed is semi-legal in Basel, as long as it’s small quantities, he deserves all the legal ramifications. But he definitely didn’t deserve being treated by the police in a way that I can’t imagine is legal in any way. In my mind – if someone’s a law officer, they have to obey the law, no matter with what kind of people they have to put up with on a regular basis. That’s how our system, our society works – people have rights and there are rules that have to be followed by everyone. Human Rights aren’t just a phrase, are they?

I mean, someone else that my mom knows was stopped by police riding his bike at night – and slammed against a wall so hard that eventually they had to bring him into the emergency room. But not before dragging him to the station and hassling him there.

It really makes me question in what kind of country I live where stuff like this is allowed to happen… And that on the very day when I was so excited that the new partnership law was accepted by the people!

Didn’t mean to just disappear like this after coming home from FedCon (which was loads of fun, btw). But just two days after I got back, a dear friend from America arrived and things have been crazy ever since, although in a very good way.

It’s awesome being able to put faces to a person you’ve known online for so long, and we’re having a wonderful time together! I’m trying to show her as much of Switzerland as I can without bancrupting either one of us… Luckily my neighbours are on vacation and have lent us their car this week, so we have the chance to save the train fare at least a couple of times. Very exciting for me, seeing that I haven’t driven at all since Scotland last summer!

Also, yesterday we took the train to Bern (because it was raining strongly in the morning, so our planned trip to see the Alps had to be postponed) and I showed Bronwyn the Swiss capital. It’s really pretty – the old town is very picturesque and rightfully a Unesco World Heritage Site. We also took a (free!) tour of the parliament building, something I hadn’t done before. That was a lot of fun – especially since the guide (probably thinking that it was all tourists who didn’t know anything anyway) used a… more legendary approach to Swiss history.

I’ve got to say, I almost laughed out loud several times – and when he tried to sell William Tell as a historical figure to the group, I had to step in. You should have seen the look the guide gave me when I said (quite politely) that he might want to mention the fact that the popular folk legend of our national hero was written by the German poet Friedrich Schiller… So if they start forbidding Swiss people access to the English tours, you know why! *g*

When we got home (earlier than we’d thought, because we hadn’t gotten tickets for my friend Cindy’s play of ‘The Duchess of Malfi’, which was a pity), I asked my parents about the German tour they’d done last year. Apparently they hold it more with the truth there, which I find reassuring. 🙂

In other news: I’m afraid I missed a birthday! Dear Patty – I hope you had a lovely day and will forgive me the (very, very) late birthday wishes… *hugs*

The heavens just opened – the water is coming down horizontally. Looks as if I’ll have to take the bus to therapy later…

Other than that I’m taking it easy. Tomorrow I’m leaving for a week with Märrie, who I haven’t seen in months and am looking very much forward to spending time with. We’ll also be con staff at FedCon, fulfilling my teenage dream of meeting Mr. Spock. It’s going to be so much fun! 🙂

Oh dear, right now, with a clap of thunder, the TV went out – luckily I have quite a number of TV shows saved on my laptop, so I think I’ll go watch some more Firefly now…

Wow, in the past two days we’ve once again performed time travel from rainy winter to hot summer – this year seems to be full of extremes… But it’s just wonderful to see the sun again, although I have to work this weekend. Spent part of the morning lying outside watching downloaded TV shows on my laptop. Tomorrow I’ll work the morning, so we can celebrate my dad’s birthday (which isn’t until Wednesday, really, but no one is around then) on the balcony. I didn’t really realize how much I missed summer until today…

And this week’s Unconscious Mutterings:

1. Detachment:: emotional
2. Regard:: to you
3. Community:: service
4. Strike three:: you’re out!
5. Congregation:: church
6. Generous:: mean
7. Pretention:: arrogance
8. Pregnant:: pause
9. Drinking:: game
10. Brilliance:: sparkling

It’s strange how meeting a friend after some time and spending a lovely evening with him can make you sadder than not seeing him at all…

It just brought home to me that several people who I felt really close to have grown away from me, with different lives and different friends. Sure, they still care about me, but more in a “oh, let’s catch up one of these days” kind of way. And I so very much miss them. But when I do see them (normally on my initiative), everything feels fine, so I don’t mention it (or only very circumspectly), in order not to ruin our time together.

And I’m not sure at all that this blog is the right place to ponder all of this, as it all sounds very pathetic. Plus, public. But I thought about emailing my friends about it and decided not to (because it’s my problem not theirs), yet I did have to put it ‘out there’ somewhere, where it could be found if looked for.

But enough of this already – I don’t feel like wallowing in self-pity. Instead I recommend that everyone who loves movies with a strong female lead, a great 1930s setting and lots of laughter to go see Being Julia! Annette Bening is just awesome in it – a fantastic role for her. Just a really, really satisfying movie experience for me. And that’s what I’m focusing on. 🙂

I’ve got a cold (along with pretty much my whole family) – just in time for the one week this semester that I’ll be really busy, with two presentations and a protocol to be done… Wanted to work on the presentation for Monday this morning, but my head’s all stuffy and not cooperating. Will try to at least read the text I have to present before my gynecologist appointment…