Autumn, Food, and Protest

Hello from Davis, California!

I am currently in my office hours, missing out on a huge protest outside. It's crazy what has been going on. On Friday, I walked by pepper sprayed students being helped by firefighters with their burns. It's nothing like what happened at Berkeley, but it is still out of control. Here are a couple of great articles if you need to get caught up on the situation...

From NPR
Militarization of Campus Police (written by a UCD faculty member)
And one that puts all of this in perspective

These events have created lots of opportunities for conversations. Thinking about what we can do as a community and what I can do as a teaching assistant. I know the economic pressure is affecting my students. It's been thought-provoking.

And, on a completely different note, autumn is in full blast here...

I love seeing the trees turn their wild colors, especially when they are coupled with palm trees. Perfection.

I've been eating a lot of delicious food lately too. I can't help but share...

NOM. I am hungry for lunch. Additionally, this weekend, Sean, his brother, Scott, and I went to Chico to have a Jiffy burger. A peanut butter burger. Twas quite delicious.

The quarter is coming to an end. I have oodles of papers to grade and a presentation to put together about my thesis. Eep! It will get done. Mostly I am just pumped to go home on Wednesday for Thanksgiving and my birthday! Get to hang out with the family, enjoy the cool Rocky air, and Sean is traveling too! I couldn't be happier. Ah, life is GOOD.

It will be interesting to see what happens this week at UCD. Times have to change.