Love/Hate

What I love:

Having a Professor extend the paper due date almost a week.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you....

What I hate:

People that don't understand what "no ad hominem attack" means when giving an oral critique.

Bite me, I was so freaking sweet and up-beat on yours.

What I love:

The random profesor standing behind me at Starbucks that brought my cup of hot tea for me when I realized my wallet was at home and all I hate was 70 cents.

The tea was only 1.10 but it was such a nice thing to do.

What I hate:

People who say things like "I'm so freaked out by all these Asian guys on campus. One of them could kill us!" Especially when its said by a blond still wearing pajamas.

What I Hate:

My check engine light.

What I love:

My cats being cuddly when mama comes home drenched, nurses a cold, and tired.

So exhausted

I planned on actually medieval content for this entry, but my brain seems to be stuck on Act of Union 1840. In fact, there are a great many things and dates in my head that only pertain from 1609 until about 1929. My empire exam tomorrow might shed some light on these events.

And in my infinite insanity stupidly..my infinite something I will be taking part in my schools all day reading of the Odyssey. My part doesn't come until almost 9:30 at night but it'll be fun and there are t-shirts. Ah, yes, the siren song that has done in many a undergrad, 't-shirts'.

Couple these facts with a paper on Twelfth Night (and after watching the Nunn version, I do not blame Olivia one bit) due Thursday, and my brain is slowly shutting down. I'm going to jump start myself with sugar and tea before returning to trying to keep dates straight in my head.

In closing this site scares me and this site is hysterical (which I original typed as heretical.)

Life in motion while standing still

I haven't accomplished much in the last few days, but I did manage one thing. Filling out my FAFSAs. While I'm not eligible for anything for 2006-2007, I will be eligible for 2007-2008. This takes a major load of my mind, and I rather hope I'm eligible for this niffy full tuition aid my U is offering.

Rearranging the bedroom? Didn't happen and unless my mum comes over to help, won't until my girl-friend comes back from spring break. I swear its like they knew and made sure we had spring break different weeks, but what can you do?

On the work side of things I haven't had to deal with either my director or the office manager all week. It's been heavenly. I also found out something that explains why my director pretty much called me a liar and did nothing about the situation. The office manager is friends with on of the other owners. I'm just glad to be leaving with the way they've been treating everyone lately. When the owners are quiting their jobs and driving new cars while cutting hours, claiming they can't afford it? Ha!

I will miss the kids, because when else in my life as someone walked up to me and said: "Ms. Geek, I'm a god", then walked away?

Spring Break? Really?

I'm officially on Spring Break. Not that I have time off from work, which for once I don't mind that we don't close like other Montessori schools because I can use every hour I can get between now and the end of the month.

Since I don't have classes I will be able to get some stuff done around my condo. Like gutting my closet (or at least cleaning it), and rearranging my bedroom. I'll also be able to, hopeful, get a good amount of my research done.

Sadly, I might just spend most of it by the pool enjoying the nice weather.

Word Count Update and News

1,222 / 1,500 (81.5%)

Almost there. This is one of those afternoons that I wish I could take my laptop with me to work and work on school work. Ah well.

In much more exciting news I was accepted to study aboard in Ireland for three weeks this summer! Go me!

Close Reading

Looks at her paper. Wrinkles nose at grade.

Decides there is a bad thing to knowing most of the words already.

Thinks about paper due tomorrow.

Writes on a scene from film instead.

Is still traumatized by part of film.

Still think Anthony Hopkins rocks.

Still going to have nightmares about the rape scene and sticks for hands.

Open letter my fellow students:

No, I do not think the Professor is being a 'bitch' making us do this 'high school bullshit' as you put it. If doing a close reading is so 'high school' then it should be easy for you.

How did you manage to make it to Senior level English classes without ever writing a Response paper? Really, I'd love to know.

I don't really care if you think we should be able to write on one of the films. If you haven't noticed this isn't a film class, but an English class so the fact that we're focusing on the text shouldn't surprise you.

No I will not tell you how to write your paper. It's only spelled out step by step in the handout. It is all of two pages double spaced at the most, you won't die.

No love,
History Geek

Why Are You In This Class Again?

There is a girl in my Shakespeare class who I just might have to murder before the end of the semester.

It's bad enough she seems to think one film class makes her an authority, but she's rude. Very rude.

She whispers with her friends while the Prof is talking, talks OVER the Prof to the point of not letting her talk, and not to mention being dismissive of anything anyone else says. This young lady also thinks that this course will be a 'essay A'.

Also I'd like to smack her over the head with this:

Throne of Blood =/= German Silent Films
Kurosawa =/= Not liked in Japan, because OMG Western ideas
Scotland PA =/= Clueless
Bio/Poly Sci major =/= English/History major

And yes of COURSE you're expect to have somewhat decent grammar in a response paper for a senior level class.

I am pleased that the Professor went over how to quote lines from a play with us. It nice to have it easily accessible in my notes then digging through MLA.

On a different note: Happy Birthday Virgina Woolf, hope wherever you are you and Katherine Mansfield are having a few drinks.

Grades and Holiday Plans

Semester GPA: 3.8, Four 4.0 and one 3.0.
Cumulative: 3.429 (Damn you 2.0 in Texas Government.

I was hoping to pull out a 4.0 for the semester but I think the finial killed me in History of British Lit, my brain went blank on some of the quotations and terms. Still its a good GPA and it proved not only to me but to some that I could handle five upper level classes, thank you ever much. I shouldn't have to fight quite so hard for some things next fall.

I can relax for a bit. I've had a blast with arts and crafts with the kids this week. We've made Christmas Ornaments and hand print wreaths. Normally crafts are hard since I was only with them three times a week but working all week made a big difference. I keep saying I'm going to stop working with the kids but I must admit its fun to be Ms. Geek a few times a week. I don't want to do it full-time for the rest of my life, but for right now its nice that I don't dread my job.

So here I am sitting in front of a nice fire watching the Grinch (old school of course), writing out Christmas cards and taping candy canes to to the envelopes for the kids, and drinking some Irish creme. I still have some presents to wrap but my shopping is finish. Even found two nice dresses for myself.

Speaking of presents I've already received some from my mum since we part of Christmas early so my brother could join us. I'm torn between my red scarf with pockets or the new digital camera when it comes to declaring the favorite so far.

Next week is a three day week, then on Sunday I'm off to Florida with my best girl-friend.

Almost Christmas

Where has the year gone? No, really I still have Christmas shopping to do!

As you might have gleaned from my last post I survived finials, though I'm not sure I ever want to write that much by hand ever again. The only final grade I know is my Chaucer finials since I was up in my Professor office with some classmates working out the syllabus for our Senior level Conference class with him (which I'm doing instead of the Graduate glass). There's only about three of us in the class so I'm thankful I know the other people. I also traded my sat class for Shakespeare. Because lets face it Geek's ass isn't getting out of bed before eight on Saturdays.

And can I do a little dance since I don't have any classes before 9:30?

Wait I was talking about grades wasn't I? They should be online before Friday, and I'm chomping at the bit. I really don't envy my friend in the pysch department, who has people telling her that she needs a 4.0 in all her pysch classes to get into the master's program. I don't think I could stand the pressure, or be able to resist asking what type of grades Freud and Jung has in school.

Randomly BBC's new Robin Hood series looks good. As in Robin looks very very yummy.

Graduate Level Class Update

Thank you to everyone that commented with advise and kind words. I was approved to take the class as a Conference course, so it'll show up as a 4000 level on my transcript.

I've decided (thought it should have been plain to me earlier) that the girl who gave me the hardest time about the 5000 level class, and was the originator of the "No one will give you a rec letter' is a petty bitter person. I really should have known better than to talk to her since she is also the one that had a fit that I was in upper level History classes without taking the History Research Class.

You'd also think I'd know better than to ask my father advise about anything at time point in my life.

So, long story short (too late), my class line up for spring looks something like this:
Topics in Classic Myth (with the Prof who is trying to convince me to take Greek next semester instead of Latin)
Intro to History Research with Prof I like(Hey don't look at me like that, I've been waiting for a session that wasn't American History focused)
British Empire (with my fav Prof in the History Department)
Medieval History (This is a Saturday class. Only for you Medieval History would I give up sleeping in.)
Chaucer Conference Course

If the stars align correctly I should be done Thursday mid-day then be on a plane to K-zoo.