100 Books in 2010!

I made it! I finished a book this morning and read a young adult novel today but I actually did read 100 books this year! Go me! Below is my list of all the books I read. Even cooler--everything from #56 has been read since school began in the last week of August.

1) Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

2) Revolutionary Mothers by Carol Berkin

3) The Undaunted by Gerald Lund

4) Silas Marner by George Eliot

5) An Absent Presence: Japanese Americans in Post-war American Culture, 1945-1960 by Caroline Chung Simpson

6) Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis

7) Japanese American Ethnicity: The Persistence of Community by Fugita and O'Brien

8) They Call Me Moses Masaoka: An American Saga by Mike Masaoka and Bill Hosokawa

9) Japanese Americans in Chicago by Alice Murata

10) Uprooted Americans: The Japanese Americans and the War Relocation Authority during World War II by Dillon S. Myer

11) Culture Shock! Indian by Gitanjali Kolanad

12) Guilt By Association: Essays on Japanese Settlement, Internment, and Relocation in the Rocky Mountain West by edited by Mike Mackey

13) Freakonomics by Steven D. Leavitt and Stephen J. Dubner

14) Among Cultures: The Challenge of Communication by Bradford 'J' Hall

15) Japanese American Resettlement Through the Lens: Hikaru Carl Iwasaki and the WRA's Photographic Section, 1943-1945 by Lane Ryo Hirabayashi.

16) Becoming Mexican American: Ethnicity, Culture, and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900-1945 by George J. Sanchez

17) Dracula by Bram Stoker

18) Imprisoned Apart: The World War II Correspondence of an Issei Couple by Louis Fiset

19) Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

20) Macroeconomics by David C. Colander

21) Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

22) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

23) Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

24) The Parish and the Hill by Mary Doyle Curran

25) The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

26) American Religions and the Rise of Mormonism by Milton V. Backman

27) Tara Road by Maeve Binchy

28) Great River of the West: Essays on the Columbia River edited by William L. Lang & Robert C. Carriker

29) Roman Fever and Other Stories by Edith Wharton

30) An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage

31) The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

32) The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer

33) The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

34) Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

35) Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

36) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney

37) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney

38) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney

39) The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

40) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

41) Away by Amy Bloom

42) The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

43) The Lost Art of Walking by Geoff Nicholson

44) Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips

45) Hostiles?: The Lakota Ghost Dance and Buffalo Bill's Wild West by Sam A. Maddra

46) Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

47) Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

48) Asian American Mormons: Bridging Cultures by Jessie L. Embry

49) Twenty Thousand Roads: Women, Movement, and the West by Virginia Scharff

50) The White Knight: The Tale of Wilhelm Weiss by Michael Hatch

51) African American Women Confront the West, 1600-2000 edited by Quintard Taylor and Shirley Ann Wilson Moore

52) Being Different: Stories of Utah's Minorities edited by Stanford J. Layton

53) Spanish for Missionaries by the MTC

54) Esperanza Renace por Pam Munoz Ryan

55) Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken Past of the American West by Patricia Nelson Limerick

56) Articles on Denmark Vesey in William and Mary Quarterly, October 2001 and January 2002

57) Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

58) Voices of the Heart: Asian American Women on Immigration, Work, and Family edited by Huping Ling

59) Americans First: Chinese Americans and the Second World War by K. Scott Wong

60) Tumult and Silence at Second Creek: An Inquiry into a Civil War Slave Conspiracy by Winthrop D. Jordan

61) American Tropics: Articulating Filipino America by Allan Punzalan Isaac

62) The Federal Art Project and the Creation of Middlebrow Culture by Victoria Grieve

63) Becoming Asian American: Second-Generation Chinese and Korean American Identities by Nazli Kibria

64) Four Portrait s and One Subject: Bernard DeVoto

65) Xicotencatl by Anonymous

66) Chinese Immigrants, African Americans, and Racial Anxiety in the United States, 1848-82 by Najia Aarim-Heriot

67) A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America by Ronald Takaki

68) Paper Families: Identity, Immigration Administration, and Chinese Exclusion by Estelle Lau

69) American Karma: Race, Culture, and Identity in the Indian Diaspora by Sunil Bhatia

70) A Mouthful of Rivets: Women at Work in World War II by Nancy Baker Wise and Christy Wise

71) Women in Defense Work During World War II: An Analysis of the Labor Problem and Womens' Rights by Chester W. Gregory

72) With his Pistol in His Hand: A Border Ballad and Its Hero by Americo Paredes

73) War and Society: The United States, 1941-1945 by Richard Polenberg

74) Allies, Enemies, and Aliens: Migration and U.S.-Chinese Relations, 1940-1965, PhD dissertation by Meredith Leigh Oyen

75) Guarding the Golden Door: American Immigration Policy and Immigrants since 1882 by Roger Daniels

76) The African American Community of Ogden, Utah, 1910-1950, MA thesis by Eric Stene

77)Women Have Always Worked: A Historical Overview by Alice Kessler-Harris

78) World War II and the West: Reshaping the Economy by Gerald D. Nash

79) Utah's Rosies: Women in the Utah War Industries during World War II, master's thesis by Antonette Chambers

80) The Death of Raymond Yellow Thunder by Stew Magnuson

81) Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

82) Secret History, or The Horrors of St. Domingo by Leonara Sansay

83) 300 pages of scholarly articles

84) The Western Historical Quarterly, vol. XLI no. 4 (Winter 2010)

85) Concentration Camps USA: Japanese Americans and World War II by Roger Daniels

86) "Comparative Scholastic Achievements of Japanese American Students and Caucasian Students of the University of Utah for the Academic Year 1942-1943, Master's thesis, 1944 by Carma H. Croft

87) "Acculturation of Japanese Population in Davis County, Utah," PhD thesis by Mamoru Iga

88) Coming to America: A History of Immigration and Ethnicity in American Life by Roger Daniels

89) Keywords for American Cultural Studies edited by Bruce Burgett and Glenn Hendler

90) MLA the Easy Way! by Houghton and Houghton

91) Vorsprung by Lovik, Guy, and Chavez

92) They Say, I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Kathy Birkenstein

93) A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas by Charles Dickens

94) The Children of Chinatown: Growing Up Chinese American in San Francisco, 1850-1920 by Wendy Rouse Jorae

95) "Exile Within: The Schooling of Japanese Americans, 1942-1945" PhD Dissertation by Thomas James

96) Or Give Me Death: A Novel of Patrick Henry's Family by Ann Rinaldi

97) American Exodus: The Dust Bowl Migration and Okie Culture in California by James M. Gregory

98) Desert Exile: The Uprooting of a Japanese American Family by Yoshiko Uchida

99) Asians in the West by Edwin Palmer Hoyt

100) Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Christmas Repairmen

Merry Christmas Eve one and all! One of my favorite things about winter at the in-laws is sitting in the hot tub while the snow falls gently on the grass.

Unfortunately, something is broken in the hot tub.

Fortunately, the men had father and sons bonding time repairing, cleaning, and re-sealing the hot tub.

Here, Wesley, the Dad, and Andrew are working hard.

Andrew is so happy! He knows how happy I will be when the hot tub is done, therefore he, too, is happy.

Nice face Wes. He is concentrating hard.

My father-in-law's best feature.

YAY FOR THE HOT TUB!!!

Fall 2010 in Review

As you probably know, the semester that just ended was my first semester of graduate school. I think that I will give a review for posterity about my thoughts of my classes from this semester.

German 1010 - Ich mag Duetsch sprechen. It was a fun class. I took German because I was mad at Espanol (for an MA, you have to test into a 3000-level language class. After 2 years of all A's in Spanish, I was placed in 1020. No good.) German was so much more fun than Spanish, especially because I could practice it at home mit mein Mann (with my husband). However, I realized that starting over with a new language was not the best idea, so I'm going to study Spanish very hard and try the test again. The best thing about my German class (as opposed to my Spanish classes) was that I felt like I actually could say some things, and if I were dropped in the middle of Germany, I would be able to get help, order food, ask for directions, and describe my hobbies.

American Immigration History - Good, interesting class. As a grad student, I had to do a historiographical project about my thesis. My project is not what I plan to do my thesis on, but it has helped me formulate my thought process about racism and government policies.

The Writings of John - I enjoyed taking this class with Andrew. I really liked when we learned about the Book of Revelations. At the end of the class, I could see why Joseph Smith said that if you understand the Gospel, this is the simplest book to understand. I should read through it again and write my own notes while it is fresh in my mind.

Aerobics - I loved this class! I loved that we did different things each day. We did kick boxing, pilates, circuit training, step aerobics, interval training with weights and cardio, and Zumba. It was especially fun because I took it with my cousin Greg and my dear heart Andrew. Greg was funny cuz he made fun of the moves we did. Andrew was funny cuz he is so uncoordinated.

American Studies Theory and Methods - This was an ok class. I decided that I am really glad I did not go into the American Studies program. As silly as it seems to get an advanced degree in History, I think that AS is even more ridiculous. But, I did have practice doing a presentation in front of my peers. I presented on War Relocation Authority photographs of resettled Japanese American women. I'm glad I have it ready because I am going to a conference in March.

History Theory and Methods - This was a very good class. My professor, Dr. Nicholls was very funny, especially when he said, "HOLY HELL!" We also did a transcription assignment of a document that I really enjoyed. I transcribed a letter by Bernard DeVoto. Later, we wrote very rough thesis proposals. The best thing about Methods was how excited I was to be a historian after each seminar meeting.

And that was my semester! I was so busy, but I enjoyed it. I hope that next semester goes well. I need to figure out my thesis committee. I feel very undecided about it in many respects.

"Ginger Bread" Houses made out of Graham Crappers

We made graham crapper (cracker) "ginger bread" houses with some of our neighbors. They all have cute kids, which made it twice as fun.

Tim, Audrey (who was really excited), little Emma, and Heather D. preparing for the fest.

Caleb who loves food. If he didn't have something to eat, he would scream until I gave him something.


Emma, what cute hair you have!


Heather D. and Audrey decorating their homes.

I made a Christmas yurt.


Santa's all like, "Oh my, what's going on in the Christmas yurt?" Sketchy, I know. It isn't my fault that they made Santa have that sort of facial expression.

Audrey kept putting candy on her house and "yard". She was never satisfied.

Andrew's house wins the best looking award.

And here is the whole group. From left to right: Audrey, Heather H., Tim, Heather D., Caleb, Emma, me, Andrew. For the cuteness!

We had a lot of fun. Those little kids are so cute. If they keep this up we almost might be convinced to have a kid. But probably not cuz then we have to change their diapers.

Andrew wants everyone to know that the frosting needed more powdered sugar.

Christmas Cheer

Oh ya. I make this freaking cute festive holiday Christmas wreath like three weeks ago.

I'm so domestic and crafty, aren't I?

Some of my favorite things about Christmas are:

• Spreading Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear.
• Looking at all the lights.
• My mom's delicious and amazing fudge.
• Snowshoeing.
• Unwrapping presents with my teeth.
• My Nativity scenes.
• Getting Christmas cards and seeing everyone's beautiful faces.

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

The Most Desirable Parking Spot

The most desirable parking spot in the whole lot is the one right in front of our apartment. I think people would kill for this spot.

Last year, Andrew and I called this parking spot the Rock Star Spot cuz rock stars and presidents get the best parking spots everywhere--or their limo driver just drops them off.

However, we have realized that many rock stars are not very desirable, due to decades of drugs, alcohol, women with sketchy sexual pasts (giving them sketchy sexual pasts), and screaming too much into their microphone.

Take for example--Aerosmith.

They are probably my favorite rock band ever. NOT DESIRABLE AT ALL. They are ugly.Not desirable. Therefore, why call the most desirable parking spot in the whole lot a Rock Star Spot? It makes no sense.

That is why Andrew and I have concluded that the most desirable spot in the lot should be called...

The Male Model Spot.

Desirable and really really really ridiculously good looking. It makes more sense.

Take for example, Derek Zoolander. His innovative modeling style have made him an icon for male models around the world.


And that Hansel--he's so hot right now!

Therefore, from this point forward, the most desirable parking spot in the lot shall be known hereafter as the Male Model Spot.

Which makes me ask, (said in a Zoolander voice) "Why is there a mini van in the Male Model Spot?" (insert Tigre face).

Anger

Some things really make me angry. I feel like a lot of things have come up that make me angry.

Things that make me angry include...

• People who take things out of historical context.
• People who can't drive in the snow.
• People who can't drive when there is no snow.
• Jerks.
• Running into sharp corners--books, chest-of-drawers, doors, tables...
• Stale bagels.
• Bigots.
• The Tea-Party (perhaps that's the same thing as the above bullet-point--and they also take things out of historical context, so they have two anger strikes against them).
• Tropes in American Studies.
• People who throw theories into every conversation so they sound smart even though they are full of crap.
• Cavities.
• People who are stupid.
• People who can't spell.
• People who can't make their subjects and verbs agree in their first language.
• People who are unable to differentiate between plural and possessive nouns.

Pretty much those are the things that have lately been making me angry.

If you do them, I'm sorry you make me angry.

Monday

Today is Monday. Last week was Thanksgiving! School on Tuesday was canceled early because of a blizzard that did happen in Logan. We got about six inches in 2-3 hours. Then on Sunday it snowed more--about eight more inches. So there is a lot of snow. I like it. It is pretty. Unfortunately today the sky was clear, which means it will be freezing tonight. Ya, my thermometer says it is 0 degrees right now. There will be snuggling tonight!

We also drove through some fog this evening. Maybe tomorrow there will be stunning ice crystals on the trees. In the meantime (aka, while the ice crystals are forming) ENJOY these lovely pictures Andrew took last year (meaning this year, but last winter season) on a freezing February morning. It was seriously one of the most beautiful mornings of my life.

Entering the cemetery...

Pine needles--obviously.

The chain link fence was pretty, too.

There's already some cool ice forming on the cinderblock lattice outside. I'll take a picture and enthrall you another day.

Turkey Art

Thanksgiving means it's time for the History Department Turkey Coloring Contest. I participated and created grad student turkey.


I didn't win, but I don't really care. I enjoyed coloring this picture and I think it is freaking amazing.

I'm Gourmet!

Well, at least some of the food I've been cooking lately has been gourmet.

I really like cooking (and eating), and I'm glad that Andrew likes to do those things, too. We've been trying some adventurous new recipes lately, and most of them have gone well.

This is a Schwartzwalderkirschetorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake) that I made for Andrew's birthday. It was my first time making this German cake, and I think it turned out pretty well for having almost no clue the whole time I was making it.

So, here's a funny story associated with this cake. It is Andrew's favorite cake that his mom makes, so for his birthday I was going to surprise him. I need the recipe, so I sent a text asking his mom to email it to me. Then, I got a text from Andrew saying that he didn't have it. I was confused until I realized that I accidentally texted him instead of texting his mom! Oops. Andrew thought it was so funny, and I guess it is. Andrew appreciates that I can't keep secrets and he can't stand having secrets. We are a good pair.


This isn't gourmet, but I thought my onions were awesome. It's a Picasso cheeseburger!


I mad this Persimmon Roll with the persimmons from our Bountiful Basket. Neither of us had eaten a persimmon before, so we had to find a delicious recipe to use them before they turned mushy and weird. It was so good!


And this is my new cooking pride and joy. It is Italian sausage, wild rice, sage, and marjoram on the bottom, and acorn squash and brussel sprouts with lemon butter and nutmeg on top. The squash and sprouts were also from our Bountiful Basket. Oh man you guys, this was seriously sex for tastebuds. So delicious!

Thanks to our Bountiful Basket, Andrew and I have tried new recipes, which is what we like to do anyway, so this works out perfectly.

The Aggie Shuttle

It has come to my attention that I have some funny opinions about the Aggie Shuttle.

• It is slower than walking to campus. This belief probably comes from the fact that I always see it drive away but never arrive, so I just walk through the cemetery.
• Ironically, the ride length from campus to home isn't worth it--you can't get any good reading in on the Shuttle.
• It makes me sick. This opinion comes from actual experience aboard the Logan bus system on my way to Wal-Mart while sitting next to smokers and having heat blasted on me.
• You'll freeze to death before it comes to the stop. Logan winters. The End.
• Sideways seating. I rode to Salt Lake and back on an Aggie Shuttle for a field trip. It was terrible.
• I enjoy wasting my student fees. (not--if only I could say, "I never ride the shuttle, can I get more free prints?")
• You only get fat on the Aggie Shuttle. So true. Walks are healthy and if I walk for about a half hour each day (to and from school) I will prevent obesity.
• I've already been sitting all day, so why should I sit to get home? You'd think this too if you've broken your tailbone before. I would only want to ride the Aggie Shuttle if it was packed full and I got to stand up and hold the bar. Unfortunately, I'm armpit height to most people.

And that is my assessment of the Aggie Shuttle. You can ride it if you want. I won't judge you.

Cold Fingers and Toes - A New Season

Perhaps that would be a good title for a TV show. But it is the reality of my life. I love Logan, and this isn't a complaining post about the weather.

Sunday was heavenly in the weather realm. It was about 65 and lovely. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to sit in a chapel for Church. When I was little, I really liked to convince my Sunday School teachers that we needed to have class outside. I should have tried that on the Bishop.

Yesterday it snowed and today it was cold. It was a healthy 35 degrees when I walked home today. Frigid, but beautiful. Because of the snow, the air was really clear this morning and this evening--and the Wellsvilles were stunning with the snow brightening the crevices and peaks under the clouds in the west while the sun set.

Despite the winter beauty outside, my apartment it cold. Andrew and I are lame and it is our own fault. Thanks to my job, we could afford to turn up the heat. But we don't--we're saving up for our house. And, it's harder to fall asleep while studying when you are frozen. Unless you get so cold that you get hypothermia and sleep and then die. But that won't happen in our cool 60 degree apartment cuz we have each other and a snuggly plethora of quilts to snuggle with/under. I think that the worst thing about this place are the cinderblock walls. Whoever thought that would be great insulation is sorely misled. Don't touch it or you will turn into an ice block.

So here I sit, blogging and pondering on the dilemmas and complications of history, while typing with my Batman gloves on my hands, my knitted jacket on my arms, and a heated rice bag on my feet (which in turn are already inside thick wool socks).

Logan Winter, bring it on.

I've lived through you for four years, and I can do it for two more.

Poll Results

I know you all have been waiting in eager anticipation for the poll results.

7 out of 11 people polled supported the name "Navajo Tacos".
0 out of 11 people supported "Indian Tacos".
1 out of 11 people polled agreed with the name "Native American Tacos".
3 out of 11 people called the food "Indian Killer Tacos".

From this, we can conclude that most readers of this blog call frybread and taco toppings "Navajo Tacos.

So go make some! And then eat them! And tell me how they are.

Eating Food with Historians

Fry Bread + Taco Stuff = What???

I call them Navajo Tacos. Simek calls them Indian Tacos.

Who is right?

4 out of 5 men in the grad student office call them Navajo Tacos. The one who doesn't call them Navajo Tacos is from Taiwan and has never even heard of them.

Dr. David Rich Lewis, noted Native American scholar, calls them Navajo Tacos.

Dr. Colleen O'Neill, another noted Native American scholar, also calls them Navajo Tacos.

Carolyn, our Office Manager, also calls them Navajo Tacos.

Simek says that's cuz we are in and from Utah. In North Dakota, there are no Navajos, so you can't call them Navajo Tacos.

The Native American Student Union at Utah State is selling Indian (Native American) Tacos, which is why this debate is ensuing.

Navajo Frybread is a colonial food. It is pretty much made out of white flour and lard, which is pretty much all they got from the government. Some argue that the prevalence of diabetes among Navajos can be traced to this colonial diet. (Information from personal conversation with Dr. O'Neill, 28 October 2010).

For Frybread recipes, go to: http://www.manataka.org/page180.html

Be sure you pick the Navajo ones cuz they're the only authentic kind.

Also, please vote in my poll.

The New Baby!

Woot for the baby!

Michaelene had her baby on Friday morning. Good job Mikey.

What a cute family. Now it includes T-Roy, Michaelene, and Kaylee. Fun times with the baby.


We went to the hospital to visit the baby--on her literal birthday! She was very little. That is good cuz she had to come out of a not-very-big hole. Andrew refused to hold Kaylee.

Look how good I am at holding babies and Andrew is at entertaining babies. We seriously need nieces and nephews.