So I have a massive quandary on my hands. Is the original or the modified better?
In some cases, I have to say the original. I mean, come on. Wouldn't the ORIGINAL Book of Kells be better than some copy? Of course. Why? Because of the history embedded with the book, that all of those ntricate diagrams were HAND DRAWN. And because it's the only original left.
But then I've discovered Mamma Mia and ABBA over the last few days and I have the soundtrack and the Greatest Hits album. Some songs on the soundtrack are much better than the ABBA version, I think, namely Lay Your Love on Me and Does Your Mother Know. However, Pierce Brosnan is such a terrible singer and something is so damp about Mamma Mia's Money Money Money, that the original of S.O.S. and Money Money Money, I think are better.
In the end, do I side with ABBA as the generally better of the two, or do I have to side with the modern and modified Mamma Mia?
Besides that, my sister was telling me about her Mass experience last night, how different aspects of modern society are tearing apart families. The big two were abortions and homosexuality. To a great extent, I agree with the first. Abortion is completely irrational as one of those "personal choice" things. Of course the option has to be available for health purposes. No woman should be forced to die because a pregnancy has impacted her Fallopian tubes or anything like that. I don't see a logical argument for other purposes though--ethically, socially, or biologically.
However, I totally and completely disagree with the notion that homosexuality is destructive. It is if you limit your definition of "family" to married mother and father with two.5 children. Are single parent families any less of a family? I don't see how two people who willingly and openly love each other and are willing to demonstrate it under the auspices of the state or of a church are destructive to the image of family.
Here's open honesty time. There was a good period of about a year and a half where I was very vocally against homosexuality. I went so far as to say that they should be banned from breeding. As what happens normally when people are so vociferously against something, deep down, I thought that I was gay, and I was fighting something that I really did not want to be. Of course people in their teens always have these things of uncertainty, but I thought that it was one of those rare and occasional things. Like once a month you look at someone twice sort of a thing. For me, I went through periods of weeks at a time where I was noticing men, not women, twice.
There were a couple of times I did a little bit of mental exploration, imagining what it would be like to date (and of course, since I was like 16, other things) a man. I'm pretty sure I had a man-crush too, and not in the "I have a total man crush on Brett Favre because he's an amazing football player" kind of thing. That's typical male (My typical male man-crush is Usain Bolt. Holy hell, I have never seen one person so DOMINANT in a sport. Phelps had so many close calls probably decided as much by his suit as his skill.) It was more the "I cannot stop havng things pop into my head about this person".
Ok, back to point. Anyways, because I had moments of maturity, I thought about what it would be like to find someone that I would want to marry and have a family with. I of course didn't think that I couldn't get married to a man, even though 30 states had laws against it at that point. I didn't hit me until I was much older and the whole fall-out of Massachusetts reversing same-sex marriage bans happened. I remembered watching the news and seeing a map of the US showing laws. Vermont allowed civil unions, I think Connecticut passed civil unions, but Massachusetts was all alone in allowing it. So many other states were in RED showing bans on same-sex marriage.
It hit me that there are probably at least 100,000 couples who are in loving and committed relationships looking to that little green state for hope. I remembered what I thought about, and I realized that had I actually been gay, then I would have never had the opportunity to marry the person I loved.
That was sort of a wake-up call for me, to see that this way of life is not destructive at all, but nurturing and reinforcing the kind of family values that conservative groups claim to support: ones based on love and self-sacrifice.
It was one of the pivotal factors in my severance from the Catholic Church. Here was a religious body stating that they were promoting Jesus' message on earth (a message, which, despite my doubts about the existence of any deities, I fully support), when they were quieting the most important message of all. I couldn't tolerate the hypocricy of it. (My other social issues regard Church hierarchy and banning female clergy. I've developed some theological problems with it too.)
Homosexuality though was the initial break. When I was still Catholic, I stopped taking communion because I could not agree that hypocricy. Even though I placate my parents by acting Catholic, I will not placate them with last rites if some illness should befall me. I would rather shipwreck my soul in the name of what is right than to allow such injustices to continue.
What comforts me is that I finally have come to peace with all of that part of my life. Sure, for a while (probably longer than most), I thought I was gay. It turns out, I'm not. (I'm pretty sure I'm not straight either...I really cannot picture the whole marriage and love thing for me. I don't really have sexual leanings towards anyone at this point in my life...so, then I'm like a bacterium). What is better is that I'm willing to take such a stand that I know is right legally and morally.
So guess what? Homosexuality does not destroy families, nor does the expression of homosexual love. So there.
Besides that, quests in reading, langauges, work, fnding jobs, applying to grad schools, and sewing continue....
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Back to old habits?
Ugh, this month I was doing so good with my updating, and now, I am not. That sucks.
So, I ate the whole being screwed over by my job thing. I figured that 1143 is better than nada, and I can use it for Ireland. I spent about E450 in cash when I was in Germany for that one week, and I put about E350 on my credit card, so between the intesne amount of work that I've worked over the last two weeks plus the amount I intend to work over the next two weeks, I should be financially covered. I still have over $4000 in bonds, just in case.
I found a receptionist job at an Alzheimer's facility to apply for, but given that the vast majority of receptionists are women, I seriously doubt that the fact that I'm a male is going to play in my favor. So I'll keep looking, with not much hope. I definitely am going to have to get into a graduate school program someplace, or else I'll be pulling minimum wage. What really sucks is that about half of the jobs I am finding are sales positions, and I am so terrible at sales, I couldn't do it.
I did find positions open at my local commissary for like $8.76 an hour, which would be a $.50 cut basically.
I think that it would behoove me to take a medical transcriptionist course. It would cost me like $240, I think.
No matter what, my options look heavily strained.
My Colorado State Application is almost done. I'm going to search frantically for professors tomorrow who can send recommendations for me (stupid to wait for the last minute, I know). I have one person who can attest to my lab work, and then I would need one more person...hmm.
I have made two New Year's Resolutions that I find critical to saving money:
NO BUYING ANY MORE SEWING OR BOOKS UNTIL I FINISH ALL THE ONES I HAVE! The only acceptable exceptions are when I go to Ireland.
MUST SAVE AT LEAST $5000 BY THE END OF THE YEAR. That's $400 a month, and I can do it. I have to do it.
So, I ate the whole being screwed over by my job thing. I figured that 1143 is better than nada, and I can use it for Ireland. I spent about E450 in cash when I was in Germany for that one week, and I put about E350 on my credit card, so between the intesne amount of work that I've worked over the last two weeks plus the amount I intend to work over the next two weeks, I should be financially covered. I still have over $4000 in bonds, just in case.
I found a receptionist job at an Alzheimer's facility to apply for, but given that the vast majority of receptionists are women, I seriously doubt that the fact that I'm a male is going to play in my favor. So I'll keep looking, with not much hope. I definitely am going to have to get into a graduate school program someplace, or else I'll be pulling minimum wage. What really sucks is that about half of the jobs I am finding are sales positions, and I am so terrible at sales, I couldn't do it.
I did find positions open at my local commissary for like $8.76 an hour, which would be a $.50 cut basically.
I think that it would behoove me to take a medical transcriptionist course. It would cost me like $240, I think.
No matter what, my options look heavily strained.
My Colorado State Application is almost done. I'm going to search frantically for professors tomorrow who can send recommendations for me (stupid to wait for the last minute, I know). I have one person who can attest to my lab work, and then I would need one more person...hmm.
I have made two New Year's Resolutions that I find critical to saving money:
NO BUYING ANY MORE SEWING OR BOOKS UNTIL I FINISH ALL THE ONES I HAVE! The only acceptable exceptions are when I go to Ireland.
MUST SAVE AT LEAST $5000 BY THE END OF THE YEAR. That's $400 a month, and I can do it. I have to do it.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
I'm beaten
They won. I can't fight them anymore. All I can do is everything I can to get done as soon as possible so that I can tender my resignation.
By tomorrow, I will be done experimenting with my 18th cell line, and I should have another two analyzed. I'll have one updated in my labnotebook.
I hate this season, I hate what they've done to me, and I hate that I can't do anything about it.
By tomorrow, I will be done experimenting with my 18th cell line, and I should have another two analyzed. I'll have one updated in my labnotebook.
I hate this season, I hate what they've done to me, and I hate that I can't do anything about it.
Monday, December 22, 2008
The bizarre, the upsetting, the rude
Bizarre: Utah (WHAT?) is the fastest growing state. I know Mormons have babies, but I didn't know people were really flocking to Utah.
The Upsetting: Know how I was promised $2000 for the course I taught? I definitely am going to get about half of that amount. Fucking A. I mean, seriously. If you were promised something and then you got half of it after you were done, you would be pissed too, right?
My progress towards leaving the lab is not so great. I only have like 296 more samples to run, and I'll have 96 of those on Wednesday, but the whole lab notebook and the whole analyze data thing isn't so hot. Fuck. Just as I was getting the mojo together to leave, it looks like it will definitely take me until I leave for Ireland to quit.
The rude: man, those people at UCCS offices are rude. Dude, I graduated. I'm not giving money to this schoool at this rate. I'll keep it for myself.
The Upsetting: Know how I was promised $2000 for the course I taught? I definitely am going to get about half of that amount. Fucking A. I mean, seriously. If you were promised something and then you got half of it after you were done, you would be pissed too, right?
My progress towards leaving the lab is not so great. I only have like 296 more samples to run, and I'll have 96 of those on Wednesday, but the whole lab notebook and the whole analyze data thing isn't so hot. Fuck. Just as I was getting the mojo together to leave, it looks like it will definitely take me until I leave for Ireland to quit.
The rude: man, those people at UCCS offices are rude. Dude, I graduated. I'm not giving money to this schoool at this rate. I'll keep it for myself.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Grad Schools, Part I
Ok, so I was terribly stupid in NOT starting grad school apps earlier than I did....which was Thursday night at 11:30 PM.
Basically, I'm starting to think I'm not going to get in anywhere.
I did get GRE scores sent to MIP program at CSU and the Classics program at CU-Boulder, so that's cool. I'm sending off all of my transcript requests for both schools tomorrow, then all of my requests for Iowa, Catholic, and Boston College on Tuesday (speaking of which, I need to get GRE scores out there too....). So that should take care of the official stuff. Tomorrow night after work, I'm going to submit all of my applications for those universities.
That would leave securing applications and writing personal statements. I get a good idea of what I would say for medieval, classics, and Irish studies programs, so that's good. I think I need to look for one more science oriented program, in case I do not get in at CSU.
Basically, I'm starting to think I'm not going to get in anywhere.
I did get GRE scores sent to MIP program at CSU and the Classics program at CU-Boulder, so that's cool. I'm sending off all of my transcript requests for both schools tomorrow, then all of my requests for Iowa, Catholic, and Boston College on Tuesday (speaking of which, I need to get GRE scores out there too....). So that should take care of the official stuff. Tomorrow night after work, I'm going to submit all of my applications for those universities.
That would leave securing applications and writing personal statements. I get a good idea of what I would say for medieval, classics, and Irish studies programs, so that's good. I think I need to look for one more science oriented program, in case I do not get in at CSU.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Enraged
I am totally and completely furious right now. As in, my hair is on FIRE angry. As in, I must repress the urge to break dishes angry.
So I come into the lab to work and set up some cells, whatever. I get here, and there's a manilla envelope waiting for me. I think it's work that Dr. Wolkow (check my other blog for details on him. Try around May 2007.) needs me to do for him, because Ray has doormat written all over him. It's not. It's my pay information for the methods course. Dated, conveniently, August 24. WHY AM I GETTING THESE THINGS FOUR MONTHS LATE????
On top of that, the document they want me to sign says that I'm going to get $1144 for my work. HELL NO. I was promised $2000, and I am not taking an over 800 dollar cut without some kind of explanation as to why they want me to sign these documents after the semester is over, why I'm getting a deduction, and why I did not get this information until after the semester is over.
Anyways, it has provided me the motivation I need to finish working in this lab. I'm going to finish cell line #18 on Wednesday, and by Christmas, I should be seriously caught up on writing in my lab notebook on at least 5 more cell lines. Because of how I set my system up, I really don't have to write a hell of a lot for each experiment that I did.
To calm myself down, I'm going to do one of those year in review things:
What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Had crazy rampant and random sex? Hmm...not quite.
I did however consume actual alcohol for the first time
I also voted for the first time
Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made four big ones. The first one totally blew up, however, I keep trying. The second one looks promising (straight A's), the third one was a go (graduating), and the fourth one was supposed to happen (saving $3000), but didn't because of how extensively I've been fucked over by this lab.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yep, my friend Stacie gave birth to a beautiful baby boy a week ago today
Did anyone close to you die?
Not really. My grandfather died, but due to his dementia, I kind of saw the grandpa I knew as dead already. I frankly was more bothered by Brandon dying (it's like four years now, and it still bothers me really badly) than I was by him dying.
What countries did you visit?
Germany, England, and Austria
What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Appropriate pay?
What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 21. Personal reasons.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Hello? WRITING TWO THESES!!!!
What was your biggest failure?
March 21.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes, I had this massive flu at the beginning of the year, a cold over summer, and then these weird day sicknesses on graduation and my 21st. No serious injury.
What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm......I dunno. Plane ticket to Ireland?
Whose behavior merited celebration?
Stacie definitely, having worked so hard, and gotten screwed over by her asshole of an ex.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mine. My lab's.
Where did most of your money go?
Alcohol, Coffee, Germany
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting all of these 'great' things, job offers, 'raises' 'pay' etc.
What song will always remind you of 2008?
Angels, by Within Temptation
Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder
ii. thinner or fatter? About 15 pounds thinner
iii. richer or poorer? MUCH POORER
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Work on my languages, applying to grad schools BEFORE deadlines....
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Letting people walk all over me like a door mat.
How will you be spending Christmas?
At home, working on lab stuff so I can get the hell out of here sooner.
Who did you spend the most time on the phone with in 2008?
I dunno, I hate telephones.
Did you fall in love in 2008?
No, actually, I became really entrenched in the whole "I hate people" thing.
How many one-night stands?
Oh, probably three or four hundred.
What was your favorite TV program?
I watched basically no TV this year, except football.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes. The EVIL EMPEROR.
What was the best book you read?
Dood, I really did not get to read much pleasure reading, so probably one of my Irish history books.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Within Temptation
What did you want and get?
A job
What did you want and not get?
PAY FOR MY JOB
What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw, literally, no movies this year.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 21, but was ragingly ill that day. I went to class from 10:50-1:30, I worked from 7:00 AM-10:50 AM and 1:40-6:00 PM, and then I went home and went to sleep until about 10:45, got water, and went back to bed.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I seriously cannot emphasize this enough. GETTING PAID
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Who loves long sleeves? RAY!
What kept you sane?
Lots of swearing
What celebrity/figure did you fancy the most?
I hate celebtiries. Go to hell famous people!
What political issue stirred you the most?
The primary season. I knew the dems were going to win, so general election was all meh.
Who did you miss?
Pshah. I have to say Maricor, because she's the only person who reads this.
Who was the best new person you met?
I really didn't meet anyone new. Hmm.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
There's a reason why people need to keep their pants ON. Well, I've always known that, but this year showed me that if there's one thing this society needs, it's less reproductive energy.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Sparkling angel, I believe, you were my savior in my time of need. Blinded by faith, I couldn't see, all the whispers, the warnings so clear.
So I come into the lab to work and set up some cells, whatever. I get here, and there's a manilla envelope waiting for me. I think it's work that Dr. Wolkow (check my other blog for details on him. Try around May 2007.) needs me to do for him, because Ray has doormat written all over him. It's not. It's my pay information for the methods course. Dated, conveniently, August 24. WHY AM I GETTING THESE THINGS FOUR MONTHS LATE????
On top of that, the document they want me to sign says that I'm going to get $1144 for my work. HELL NO. I was promised $2000, and I am not taking an over 800 dollar cut without some kind of explanation as to why they want me to sign these documents after the semester is over, why I'm getting a deduction, and why I did not get this information until after the semester is over.
Anyways, it has provided me the motivation I need to finish working in this lab. I'm going to finish cell line #18 on Wednesday, and by Christmas, I should be seriously caught up on writing in my lab notebook on at least 5 more cell lines. Because of how I set my system up, I really don't have to write a hell of a lot for each experiment that I did.
To calm myself down, I'm going to do one of those year in review things:
What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Had crazy rampant and random sex? Hmm...not quite.
I did however consume actual alcohol for the first time
I also voted for the first time
Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made four big ones. The first one totally blew up, however, I keep trying. The second one looks promising (straight A's), the third one was a go (graduating), and the fourth one was supposed to happen (saving $3000), but didn't because of how extensively I've been fucked over by this lab.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yep, my friend Stacie gave birth to a beautiful baby boy a week ago today
Did anyone close to you die?
Not really. My grandfather died, but due to his dementia, I kind of saw the grandpa I knew as dead already. I frankly was more bothered by Brandon dying (it's like four years now, and it still bothers me really badly) than I was by him dying.
What countries did you visit?
Germany, England, and Austria
What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Appropriate pay?
What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 21. Personal reasons.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Hello? WRITING TWO THESES!!!!
What was your biggest failure?
March 21.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes, I had this massive flu at the beginning of the year, a cold over summer, and then these weird day sicknesses on graduation and my 21st. No serious injury.
What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm......I dunno. Plane ticket to Ireland?
Whose behavior merited celebration?
Stacie definitely, having worked so hard, and gotten screwed over by her asshole of an ex.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mine. My lab's.
Where did most of your money go?
Alcohol, Coffee, Germany
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting all of these 'great' things, job offers, 'raises' 'pay' etc.
What song will always remind you of 2008?
Angels, by Within Temptation
Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Sadder
ii. thinner or fatter? About 15 pounds thinner
iii. richer or poorer? MUCH POORER
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Work on my languages, applying to grad schools BEFORE deadlines....
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Letting people walk all over me like a door mat.
How will you be spending Christmas?
At home, working on lab stuff so I can get the hell out of here sooner.
Who did you spend the most time on the phone with in 2008?
I dunno, I hate telephones.
Did you fall in love in 2008?
No, actually, I became really entrenched in the whole "I hate people" thing.
How many one-night stands?
Oh, probably three or four hundred.
What was your favorite TV program?
I watched basically no TV this year, except football.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Yes. The EVIL EMPEROR.
What was the best book you read?
Dood, I really did not get to read much pleasure reading, so probably one of my Irish history books.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Within Temptation
What did you want and get?
A job
What did you want and not get?
PAY FOR MY JOB
What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw, literally, no movies this year.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 21, but was ragingly ill that day. I went to class from 10:50-1:30, I worked from 7:00 AM-10:50 AM and 1:40-6:00 PM, and then I went home and went to sleep until about 10:45, got water, and went back to bed.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I seriously cannot emphasize this enough. GETTING PAID
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Who loves long sleeves? RAY!
What kept you sane?
Lots of swearing
What celebrity/figure did you fancy the most?
I hate celebtiries. Go to hell famous people!
What political issue stirred you the most?
The primary season. I knew the dems were going to win, so general election was all meh.
Who did you miss?
Pshah. I have to say Maricor, because she's the only person who reads this.
Who was the best new person you met?
I really didn't meet anyone new. Hmm.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
There's a reason why people need to keep their pants ON. Well, I've always known that, but this year showed me that if there's one thing this society needs, it's less reproductive energy.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Sparkling angel, I believe, you were my savior in my time of need. Blinded by faith, I couldn't see, all the whispers, the warnings so clear.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wirklich? Ray hat seinen BS und BA?
JA!
So I graduated today. Unfortunately, I was sick. Boo.
Interesting tidbit. I went through all of the names for people who graduated this semester in my college. Grand total of like 11 or 12 summa cum laudes. I was the ONLY BS Biology summa, the ONLY BA Philosophy summa, and one of three historians. Apparently, the history people are really smart, because we had the most summas. But yeah, two of us accounted for five of the twelve summas graduating.
The nice thing is, graduation took like 2 hours.
So yea, now I'm Raymond Schultz, B.S., B.A., and total BADASS.
PLUS, I started on graduate school applications. My apps to Colorado State are already almost done. Fortunately, they do NOT require an original GRE score (they let me copy my grade report). I just need to hunt down my recommenders and write a statement.
Next on the docket will be CU-Boulder, followed promptly by Iowa, Connecticut (?), Boston College, and someplace else?
I started Irish this week, and I think I've gotten the verb "ta" down. I have broad and slender pronunciations down for maybe three consonants (not good...).
I also am reattempting my fascination with Latin---Bis das, si cito das.
Not that it's terribly hard.
I need to work on more French, German, and Greek too. I don't know how people like the pope do it, speaking like 14 languages or whatever. Everytime I try to focus on one of them, I lose focus on my other 5. I probably should brush up on Spanish too...
So I graduated today. Unfortunately, I was sick. Boo.
Interesting tidbit. I went through all of the names for people who graduated this semester in my college. Grand total of like 11 or 12 summa cum laudes. I was the ONLY BS Biology summa, the ONLY BA Philosophy summa, and one of three historians. Apparently, the history people are really smart, because we had the most summas. But yeah, two of us accounted for five of the twelve summas graduating.
The nice thing is, graduation took like 2 hours.
So yea, now I'm Raymond Schultz, B.S., B.A., and total BADASS.
PLUS, I started on graduate school applications. My apps to Colorado State are already almost done. Fortunately, they do NOT require an original GRE score (they let me copy my grade report). I just need to hunt down my recommenders and write a statement.
Next on the docket will be CU-Boulder, followed promptly by Iowa, Connecticut (?), Boston College, and someplace else?
I started Irish this week, and I think I've gotten the verb "ta" down. I have broad and slender pronunciations down for maybe three consonants (not good...).
I also am reattempting my fascination with Latin---Bis das, si cito das.
Not that it's terribly hard.
I need to work on more French, German, and Greek too. I don't know how people like the pope do it, speaking like 14 languages or whatever. Everytime I try to focus on one of them, I lose focus on my other 5. I probably should brush up on Spanish too...
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Irritated
Despite the fact that I am FINALLY done with school, I still find myself incredibly resentful over my experiences this last semester. In part, because of how stifling it really was. I mean, I only took 16 hours this semester (my least EVER), and I was by far more stressed over the last four months than I ever have been with school. History of Medicine, while an incredibly insightful class, was pure overkill. My thesis was beautiful, except for a couple of parts where I couldn't find any poetry to fill in my primary source gaps.
I have definitely found my care for the science world sucked out after this semester. I mean, really. If you took on all of these jobs with as many promises as were made to me, and then you get absolutely none of them, would you want to stay in the field? I've been told so many times not to gneralize my experience at this university to science as a whole, but I have found science to be suffocating here. In part, because the department does not have enough people to teach. But the other part is that they are satisfied with passing off substandard students with the same degree that I frankly busted my ass for.
Basically, over the last two semesters, I've been fucked over by NOT getting:
A degree that conveys any sense of respect
Over $3000 in pay
Trips to conferences that were promised to me
Publications, also promised to me (at least in biology, my chemistry professor needs it and has worked so much with me...for her I am quite thankful).
Why have I put so much work into all of this? To be screwed over so easily....
On the other hand, I feel like I've gotten a certain sense of recognition for my work in history and philosophy, and those departments actually appreciated my contributions to course work that were even scientifically oriented. With my langauge background, I'm quite satisfied in this land.
Seriously though, compare my transcript records in the fields. In biology, I've taken over 35 hours, chemistry 25, Spanish 15, French 11, German 4, Greek 4, Latin 4, History 18, Philosophy 30.
I feel like I've worked this hard for NOTHING. There has been no reward whatsoever for my dedication and my tiring efforts. What happened to the whole "if you try as hard as hell and do your best, you get rewarded?" I don't know. I've found that instead of recognition, I've gotten scorn.
It's kind of weird, because my out an email inviting everyone to a lunch that the lab (aka, me) pays for. I think I mentioned this...but actually, I would PREFER to go to my graduation over going to this lunch. I never thought I would ever say that I want to go to a graduation over anything...
Today was a slight measure of progress. I expanded my cell lines so that I have multiple flasks of cells. I'm going to let them grow a couple of days before I expand some more. I think I'm going to spend some time tomrrow getting caught up on my lab notebook and some of my data analysis so that way I can just LEAVE whenever I go to Ireland. I do NOT want to be attached to that lab come January 22. I think I can be caught up by then, but one never knows about these things.
Sigh, if that's the case, then I have 35 days left, more or less.
TIME TO START GRAD SCHOOL APPS!
I have definitely found my care for the science world sucked out after this semester. I mean, really. If you took on all of these jobs with as many promises as were made to me, and then you get absolutely none of them, would you want to stay in the field? I've been told so many times not to gneralize my experience at this university to science as a whole, but I have found science to be suffocating here. In part, because the department does not have enough people to teach. But the other part is that they are satisfied with passing off substandard students with the same degree that I frankly busted my ass for.
Basically, over the last two semesters, I've been fucked over by NOT getting:
A degree that conveys any sense of respect
Over $3000 in pay
Trips to conferences that were promised to me
Publications, also promised to me (at least in biology, my chemistry professor needs it and has worked so much with me...for her I am quite thankful).
Why have I put so much work into all of this? To be screwed over so easily....
On the other hand, I feel like I've gotten a certain sense of recognition for my work in history and philosophy, and those departments actually appreciated my contributions to course work that were even scientifically oriented. With my langauge background, I'm quite satisfied in this land.
Seriously though, compare my transcript records in the fields. In biology, I've taken over 35 hours, chemistry 25, Spanish 15, French 11, German 4, Greek 4, Latin 4, History 18, Philosophy 30.
I feel like I've worked this hard for NOTHING. There has been no reward whatsoever for my dedication and my tiring efforts. What happened to the whole "if you try as hard as hell and do your best, you get rewarded?" I don't know. I've found that instead of recognition, I've gotten scorn.
It's kind of weird, because my out an email inviting everyone to a lunch that the lab (aka, me) pays for. I think I mentioned this...but actually, I would PREFER to go to my graduation over going to this lunch. I never thought I would ever say that I want to go to a graduation over anything...
Today was a slight measure of progress. I expanded my cell lines so that I have multiple flasks of cells. I'm going to let them grow a couple of days before I expand some more. I think I'm going to spend some time tomrrow getting caught up on my lab notebook and some of my data analysis so that way I can just LEAVE whenever I go to Ireland. I do NOT want to be attached to that lab come January 22. I think I can be caught up by then, but one never knows about these things.
Sigh, if that's the case, then I have 35 days left, more or less.
TIME TO START GRAD SCHOOL APPS!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Ich bin fertig!
Well...almost. I have an almost draft of my final exam done, just one conclusive paragraph to write. My final exam's length? 17 pages. So, on my three tests this semester, I wrote 11, 13, and 17 pages, single spaced, which kind of equals 41 single *2= 82. Then on top of that, I have 9 pages on an Arrowsmith essay (91) and 11 on Avicenna (102), plus like 12 for in-class work (114). I have NEVER written so much for one class and gotten so little recognition for it ever.
How irritating. How frustrating. How argh.
Well, tonight I still have to edit the damn thing, and I'm not so sure about it still. I'm pretty sure having written that much, I'll guarantee myself at least an A- (I only need like a 76% on the final to get an A, and I think I got at least that much...). Worst case scenario, I get a B+ (66% on the final, I have no idea how I would get that low with this much writing!). Realistically speaking, I'll probably get an A- in the course, which would be my first.
Right now, it's pretty clear that I got A's in German and Greek, so my semester cannot possibly drop below 2.0, since those two classes comprised half of my total course load. My best guess is that with 2 A-'s (history of medicine and piano), my GPA becomes a 3.925 for semester (not terrible, but could always be better), and then my overall one for all of college becomes a 3.993. Whatever.
So, I'm going to need at least an hour break from this paper before I can start reading it. It looks like tonight's going to be a late one.......
How irritating. How frustrating. How argh.
Well, tonight I still have to edit the damn thing, and I'm not so sure about it still. I'm pretty sure having written that much, I'll guarantee myself at least an A- (I only need like a 76% on the final to get an A, and I think I got at least that much...). Worst case scenario, I get a B+ (66% on the final, I have no idea how I would get that low with this much writing!). Realistically speaking, I'll probably get an A- in the course, which would be my first.
Right now, it's pretty clear that I got A's in German and Greek, so my semester cannot possibly drop below 2.0, since those two classes comprised half of my total course load. My best guess is that with 2 A-'s (history of medicine and piano), my GPA becomes a 3.925 for semester (not terrible, but could always be better), and then my overall one for all of college becomes a 3.993. Whatever.
So, I'm going to need at least an hour break from this paper before I can start reading it. It looks like tonight's going to be a late one.......
Sunday, December 14, 2008
I HATE COMPUTERS
So, I am almost up to three pages (single spaced, of course), on my long essay for my history of medicine final. This puts me at....14 pages single so far? I can tell that by the time I'm done with this, it's going to easily be 20 pages long.
Why I hate computers is that first, I wrote this nice long paragraph on Samuel Thompson and his metaphor of the digestive system as a stove, and then I went to change a song on my laptop. The music control button is right next to ALT and then the button to change the song is right above F4. We see where this is going. So I go to change the song and then I sneeze and shut off my word document. Basically, that sucked. I lost about half a page that I'm going to re-write before going to bed....maybe?
The other reason I hate computers: DISTRACTIONS! I mean, on the one hand, you have the internet, which is the spawn of Satan because it is a constant distraction among youtube, blogs, news sources, and whatever I want. My laptop fortunately has no internet access, I mean, I totally obliterated any chance of hooking it up to the internet short of stuffing the jack with clay. Unfortunately, it has games on it, like your solitare variety (must delete those...), and then I have a couple of medieval war and star trek games that I need to deinstall on there. Basically, I need to turn it into my document writer and that's it.
On top of all of these issues, I still have all of my job issues. I figured out that between the whole not getting paid to teach and the not getting paid the level I'm supposed to be paid, I was gyped out of about $2850 this semester, and I don't have the balls to bitch. In my panicked post earlier, my boss wrote to me about getting paid...it was this weird mess of things that just make me angry to think about. Anyways, someone else had to tell her that I'm not being paid, and when she brought it up in the email, I totally ignored that part.
I got this cryptic part where they wanted me to set up an appointment to turn everything in, but it turned out to be a miscommunication somewhere (I'm telling you, it's not from me....) and now I've got til Jan 21 to finish as much of my work as I can. After I get back from Ireland, they're promising me 10 hours a week...while the members of the evil empire still get 40. If I can get a job lined up for the day I get back from Ireland, then I'll tell them that I'll stay till Jan 21 and then I'm gone. That's essentially more than fair, right? After getting screwed out of that much money, my heart really is not into making that lab a better place. If they want me to organize things or to do non-science work, I'm ok with that, but science fucked me like a sick monkey, and I really don't want to do anything that might make the lab look better.
So tomorrow, I'm going to go to the lab, thaw my three cell lines, and set up as much crap as I can to be done with the lab by then. For example, I'm going to label all of my flow tubes for the next couple of weeks, make loads of media, etc. That'll probably be all I do tomorrow because of this goddamn final, but then come Tuesday-Thursday, I'll be pounding the cells as much as I can, proliferating them, and experimenting on them from Sunday to Thursday. Then, between Dec 26 and Jan 21, it's massive analysis time, rampant lab-notebook catch-up time, and then turn everything in time. Again, my hope is that come Feb 13, I have a job lined up that will pay me more than $90 a week.
So my guess right now is that I'm screwed.
On really cool news, I jsut found sheet music to Nightwish for piano, which is totally exciting. Even though it looks hard, I'm going to have to try it out...
Why I hate computers is that first, I wrote this nice long paragraph on Samuel Thompson and his metaphor of the digestive system as a stove, and then I went to change a song on my laptop. The music control button is right next to ALT and then the button to change the song is right above F4. We see where this is going. So I go to change the song and then I sneeze and shut off my word document. Basically, that sucked. I lost about half a page that I'm going to re-write before going to bed....maybe?
The other reason I hate computers: DISTRACTIONS! I mean, on the one hand, you have the internet, which is the spawn of Satan because it is a constant distraction among youtube, blogs, news sources, and whatever I want. My laptop fortunately has no internet access, I mean, I totally obliterated any chance of hooking it up to the internet short of stuffing the jack with clay. Unfortunately, it has games on it, like your solitare variety (must delete those...), and then I have a couple of medieval war and star trek games that I need to deinstall on there. Basically, I need to turn it into my document writer and that's it.
On top of all of these issues, I still have all of my job issues. I figured out that between the whole not getting paid to teach and the not getting paid the level I'm supposed to be paid, I was gyped out of about $2850 this semester, and I don't have the balls to bitch. In my panicked post earlier, my boss wrote to me about getting paid...it was this weird mess of things that just make me angry to think about. Anyways, someone else had to tell her that I'm not being paid, and when she brought it up in the email, I totally ignored that part.
I got this cryptic part where they wanted me to set up an appointment to turn everything in, but it turned out to be a miscommunication somewhere (I'm telling you, it's not from me....) and now I've got til Jan 21 to finish as much of my work as I can. After I get back from Ireland, they're promising me 10 hours a week...while the members of the evil empire still get 40. If I can get a job lined up for the day I get back from Ireland, then I'll tell them that I'll stay till Jan 21 and then I'm gone. That's essentially more than fair, right? After getting screwed out of that much money, my heart really is not into making that lab a better place. If they want me to organize things or to do non-science work, I'm ok with that, but science fucked me like a sick monkey, and I really don't want to do anything that might make the lab look better.
So tomorrow, I'm going to go to the lab, thaw my three cell lines, and set up as much crap as I can to be done with the lab by then. For example, I'm going to label all of my flow tubes for the next couple of weeks, make loads of media, etc. That'll probably be all I do tomorrow because of this goddamn final, but then come Tuesday-Thursday, I'll be pounding the cells as much as I can, proliferating them, and experimenting on them from Sunday to Thursday. Then, between Dec 26 and Jan 21, it's massive analysis time, rampant lab-notebook catch-up time, and then turn everything in time. Again, my hope is that come Feb 13, I have a job lined up that will pay me more than $90 a week.
So my guess right now is that I'm screwed.
On really cool news, I jsut found sheet music to Nightwish for piano, which is totally exciting. Even though it looks hard, I'm going to have to try it out...
Desperately trying...
Ugh. I've had the whole last two days to work on my history of medicine final, and right now, all I can show for it is a little more than a page single spaced. Shit. However, I promise to you all, my ever so faithful readers, that I will have at least 3 pages done tonight, including everything on the whole "body as a permeable sac" thing.
I despise this whole final exam thing the week of graduation. I also really despise how my sister is at home happily baking cookies while I'm stewing over what the hell I'm supposed to write.
On the good news front, I've guaranteed myself my job in the lab next semester, but only for 10 hours a week (apparently, they don't have the funds...? Maybe that's why I've never been paid?). That does mean that I need another job, probably one on campus. I don't think my parents will be thrilled with me living in their house making 90 something dollars a week....
I forgot to include...I think...that I'm really excited to clean up my room and get rid of crap that I don't need anymore, which means another round of things to donate to Goodwill. This will ultimately include a nice number of overly religious items I bought in my whole "I want to be a priest" phase. Unfortunately, I did not catch a case of iconoclasty with that....
So, basically I have like 36 hours to finish this final? 16 of which I'll definitely be asleep...so 20. I'll be working for probably 10, so basically I have 10 hours to do my final. Maybe I should work on it more?
I despise this whole final exam thing the week of graduation. I also really despise how my sister is at home happily baking cookies while I'm stewing over what the hell I'm supposed to write.
On the good news front, I've guaranteed myself my job in the lab next semester, but only for 10 hours a week (apparently, they don't have the funds...? Maybe that's why I've never been paid?). That does mean that I need another job, probably one on campus. I don't think my parents will be thrilled with me living in their house making 90 something dollars a week....
I forgot to include...I think...that I'm really excited to clean up my room and get rid of crap that I don't need anymore, which means another round of things to donate to Goodwill. This will ultimately include a nice number of overly religious items I bought in my whole "I want to be a priest" phase. Unfortunately, I did not catch a case of iconoclasty with that....
So, basically I have like 36 hours to finish this final? 16 of which I'll definitely be asleep...so 20. I'll be working for probably 10, so basically I have 10 hours to do my final. Maybe I should work on it more?
Saturday, December 13, 2008
SO CLOSE!!!
I have no finished all except one of my classes....and, of course, it's history of medicine that is still hanging around my neck. I finished the two paragraph papers and the two short essay responses (still have to edit them...). Now, all that's left for me to do is the massively long paper on metaphors. I do have some self-plagiarizing that I am going to be doing here, but not enough to significantly decrease my load.
My guess? Long essay will probably be between 8 and 10 pages single spaced. It's worth 15% of my grade, so that sucks. Basically though, I figure I'll probably get a good 48/50 on the first half of the test, so I only need to get like an 80% on the second half and my A holds. A 50% holds me to at least an A-, and while I don't really want an A- after how much I've put into this course, I don't want to kill myself doing this last essay.
I am so tired.
However, in 5 days, I'm done. Graduated, woot, whatever.
So going back to my job, which will probably be gone. I decided that I'm going to go into the lab to finish my work when my boss isn't around, so that way I can get a hell of a lot done, a hell of a lot of pay, and avoid the whole "you're fired" business. The day they do fire me is the day I demand my $2,000 instantaneously. I have 3 cell lines, a ton of analysis, and almost all of my lab notes to re-write. Whatever.
These are the top ten things I'm looking forward to after Friday:
1. Starting Gaelic
2. Going to Ireland
3. Watching Pride and Prejudice
4. Finding a decent paying job
5. Quitting my not-decent paying job
6. Applying to grad schools
7. Getting into grad schools
8. Saving a ton of money
9. Getting published
10. Doing my independent work in French, German, Gaelic, Greek, and Latin
I'll post again as soon as I FINISH my History of Medicine FINAL.
My guess? Long essay will probably be between 8 and 10 pages single spaced. It's worth 15% of my grade, so that sucks. Basically though, I figure I'll probably get a good 48/50 on the first half of the test, so I only need to get like an 80% on the second half and my A holds. A 50% holds me to at least an A-, and while I don't really want an A- after how much I've put into this course, I don't want to kill myself doing this last essay.
I am so tired.
However, in 5 days, I'm done. Graduated, woot, whatever.
So going back to my job, which will probably be gone. I decided that I'm going to go into the lab to finish my work when my boss isn't around, so that way I can get a hell of a lot done, a hell of a lot of pay, and avoid the whole "you're fired" business. The day they do fire me is the day I demand my $2,000 instantaneously. I have 3 cell lines, a ton of analysis, and almost all of my lab notes to re-write. Whatever.
These are the top ten things I'm looking forward to after Friday:
1. Starting Gaelic
2. Going to Ireland
3. Watching Pride and Prejudice
4. Finding a decent paying job
5. Quitting my not-decent paying job
6. Applying to grad schools
7. Getting into grad schools
8. Saving a ton of money
9. Getting published
10. Doing my independent work in French, German, Gaelic, Greek, and Latin
I'll post again as soon as I FINISH my History of Medicine FINAL.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Schisse
Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit...............
Apparently, my ranting and raving about not getting paid has made its way to my boss.......
I'm so fucked. Must hide for the next week in the language lab, work in this lab on weekends, nights, anytime boss will not be around until my ass gets fired.
SHIT!!!!!!!!
Apparently, my ranting and raving about not getting paid has made its way to my boss.......
I'm so fucked. Must hide for the next week in the language lab, work in this lab on weekends, nights, anytime boss will not be around until my ass gets fired.
SHIT!!!!!!!!
Monday, December 8, 2008
8 down, 8 to go....
So I am now done with 8 credits, and I have 8 to go...
What sucketh the most is that I have so MUCH GDF History of Medicine to go. Seriously, people. This is like too much at finals time. I wish the prof would tell me that I don't have to answer one of the questions on the final or something for doing the paper. Or better yet, maybe I can convince her to let me take 10% out of my final grade rather than my portfolio grade. If so, I would not have to work near as much. But, whatever.
So the rest of the week looks like this:
Tonight: Finish Avicenna paper, make up some stuff for presentation tomorrow
Tuesday: Listen to science papers I don't care about, give said presentation, sit through German, work on long essay for history of medicine final
Wednesday: Work, FINISH history of medicine final
Thursday: Listen to more science papers that I don't care about, sit through History of Medicine final review that I won't need (i.e., editing time), sit through ONE LAST GERMAN CLASS, edit HoM final, study for German final, study for piano final
Friday: take German final, take piano final.
Schize, folks, that's just so that I can be done with this semester this week instead of next.
Ok, enough bitching, time to start editing yet another paper....
What sucketh the most is that I have so MUCH GDF History of Medicine to go. Seriously, people. This is like too much at finals time. I wish the prof would tell me that I don't have to answer one of the questions on the final or something for doing the paper. Or better yet, maybe I can convince her to let me take 10% out of my final grade rather than my portfolio grade. If so, I would not have to work near as much. But, whatever.
So the rest of the week looks like this:
Tonight: Finish Avicenna paper, make up some stuff for presentation tomorrow
Tuesday: Listen to science papers I don't care about, give said presentation, sit through German, work on long essay for history of medicine final
Wednesday: Work, FINISH history of medicine final
Thursday: Listen to more science papers that I don't care about, sit through History of Medicine final review that I won't need (i.e., editing time), sit through ONE LAST GERMAN CLASS, edit HoM final, study for German final, study for piano final
Friday: take German final, take piano final.
Schize, folks, that's just so that I can be done with this semester this week instead of next.
Ok, enough bitching, time to start editing yet another paper....
DONE, PEOPLE
I did it. Last night, I mustered every ounce of motivation that I had left in my body, and I finished my thesis. It's done people. Well, knowing me, I'm going to take one more glance at the formatting, to make sure I got it all right, but other than that, I'm done. I went through my customary three drafts of thesis work, and it looks gorgeous. Of course, I went way over the limits that were placed on it. The original length was supposed to be 25-30 pages...and Ray wrote...67. Hmm.
So, on my three largest papers in my three and a half years in college, I wrote a grand total of:
101+74+67 pages. That's just the big three. I think I've written at least 40 pages in History of Medicine this semester, and I still have the take home final to do. Not to mention that I still have to actually finish my paper for that course by tomorrow morning (two edits coming...) and actually have some kind of presentation in mind. Damn.
But, Tuesday represents transition point of this finals period. Today and tomorrow morning's focus has to be on my Avicenna paper and my Greek final, unfortunately, in that order. Once those two things are done, the rest of the week gets devoted to the History of Medicine final exam, which was just posted online like 8 hours ago (does my professor sleep?), my German final, and my piano final. I really would like these things to be done before Saturday, because I WANT TO BE DONE.
That's really the only thing motivating me right now-the fact that I am SO close to being done, and that all I need to do is just push a little harder, and I'll be done. Right now, I care a lot less about grades than I do about just surviving.
As is customary, I must indulge you all with the bare minimums that I need to get A's in my classes, because I'm a grade obsessed whore.
Greek=34%
History of Medicine=89.3% (WHAT? I've worked my ass off all semester in this class and this is all I can slack?)
German=81%
Piano=85%
Doods, that sucks.
What sucks more is that I think I'm coming down with some kind of nasty infection. I mean, seriously, body. I've managed to fight off everything that came around for the last 14 weeks, and now, all of a sudden, my body says "too bad, Ray, you're screwed this week. Immune system is going on vacation early." Whatever.
I really want some fruit right now....
So, on my three largest papers in my three and a half years in college, I wrote a grand total of:
101+74+67 pages. That's just the big three. I think I've written at least 40 pages in History of Medicine this semester, and I still have the take home final to do. Not to mention that I still have to actually finish my paper for that course by tomorrow morning (two edits coming...) and actually have some kind of presentation in mind. Damn.
But, Tuesday represents transition point of this finals period. Today and tomorrow morning's focus has to be on my Avicenna paper and my Greek final, unfortunately, in that order. Once those two things are done, the rest of the week gets devoted to the History of Medicine final exam, which was just posted online like 8 hours ago (does my professor sleep?), my German final, and my piano final. I really would like these things to be done before Saturday, because I WANT TO BE DONE.
That's really the only thing motivating me right now-the fact that I am SO close to being done, and that all I need to do is just push a little harder, and I'll be done. Right now, I care a lot less about grades than I do about just surviving.
As is customary, I must indulge you all with the bare minimums that I need to get A's in my classes, because I'm a grade obsessed whore.
Greek=34%
History of Medicine=89.3% (WHAT? I've worked my ass off all semester in this class and this is all I can slack?)
German=81%
Piano=85%
Doods, that sucks.
What sucks more is that I think I'm coming down with some kind of nasty infection. I mean, seriously, body. I've managed to fight off everything that came around for the last 14 weeks, and now, all of a sudden, my body says "too bad, Ray, you're screwed this week. Immune system is going on vacation early." Whatever.
I really want some fruit right now....
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Motivation gone!
Crap. I have absolutely no motivation to work today. AND I'M SO CLOSE TO DONE!!!
ARGH!
Senioritis sucks. I have only 5 more days to go, I need to get riled up, not slowing down. Ugh. I hate this.
Whatever, I'll at least comment that I have made some progress today--I finished off studying for Greek, I've got times down (dative for on X day, or within x Days; accusative for duration), I've got my tis words and my pas words down.
I also have practiced Sonatina an inordinate number of times today, along with Carol of the Bells, Deck the Halls, and America. The thing is that we have to count out loud, and while I can play This Land better than America, I quit counting on the first piece, because I play faster than I can count.
I NEED TO WORK ON MY THESIS MORE. But, I can't. I'm so unmotivated.... Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.
ARGH!
Senioritis sucks. I have only 5 more days to go, I need to get riled up, not slowing down. Ugh. I hate this.
Whatever, I'll at least comment that I have made some progress today--I finished off studying for Greek, I've got times down (dative for on X day, or within x Days; accusative for duration), I've got my tis words and my pas words down.
I also have practiced Sonatina an inordinate number of times today, along with Carol of the Bells, Deck the Halls, and America. The thing is that we have to count out loud, and while I can play This Land better than America, I quit counting on the first piece, because I play faster than I can count.
I NEED TO WORK ON MY THESIS MORE. But, I can't. I'm so unmotivated.... Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Accomplished tasks!
So, I now have my SECOND draft of my thesis done. w00t. All I have to do is one more draft (YES!), make my citations pretty, make my PAPER pretty, and then I AM DONE WITH MY THESIS.
If I can do all of this tomorrow, I will be incredibly happy. I'm gonna try...
I've done some reviewing of my Greek. I definitely need to review what the tinas (either interrogative pronoun or indefinite article) mean, how the auton (third possessive, reflexive, couple other uses) and the pantas (alls, everys) are used. But these are little things...
I practiced my piano some tonight also (will do some more after finishing this post). It looks like I'm gonna go with This Land is Your Land, Deck the Halls, and Sonatina for my three performance pieces. I also have to practice Spring and Carol of the Bells over the week, as well as my C scales, major/minor/diminished/augmented chords. Gonna be tough...
Tomorrow=FINISH THESIS, study Greek, get all caught up on German homework, practice piano, edit Avicenna.
Holy cow, folks, the end is coming!
If I can do all of this tomorrow, I will be incredibly happy. I'm gonna try...
I've done some reviewing of my Greek. I definitely need to review what the tinas (either interrogative pronoun or indefinite article) mean, how the auton (third possessive, reflexive, couple other uses) and the pantas (alls, everys) are used. But these are little things...
I practiced my piano some tonight also (will do some more after finishing this post). It looks like I'm gonna go with This Land is Your Land, Deck the Halls, and Sonatina for my three performance pieces. I also have to practice Spring and Carol of the Bells over the week, as well as my C scales, major/minor/diminished/augmented chords. Gonna be tough...
Tomorrow=FINISH THESIS, study Greek, get all caught up on German homework, practice piano, edit Avicenna.
Holy cow, folks, the end is coming!
GAH!
Omg. This week sucks!
My list of things to do has grown. Friday now=German and Piano finals.
So, I did get some accomplishments done by finishing my first edit on pages 18-30 of my first draft of my thesis, which should get me to 20-32 of my second draft. Over 50% of the way through draft two, which I guess is good. It's better than I had anticipated, considering I was planning on doing pages 20-40 today, so I'll go as far as I can.
Aside from the devil that is thesis, I still have my Greek final on Monday. Although I really only need like a 10% on the damn thing, I really would like to do well on it. Then, at some point, I have to edit my Avicenna paper for HoM. I frankly don't know why I did it. On the writing portfolio section of the class, thanks to my one drop, I now easily have an A on that, and this paper gets taken out of the writing portfolio grade. Stupid me.
Those are the devils of the first half of my week. By Tuesday, I'm down to 8 hours that I have to care about at all.
German=ick too. I have a stupid interview to do that's like 20 questions long and then this massively huge test that I can't drop unfortuantely. Basically though I have like a 98% in the class, and that includes several homework assignments that she thinks I didn't do. Whatever. I'm pretty sure it's one of those do it and get an A things.
Piano is going to be kind of hard I think. We get to pick the pieces that we play for her, and I really have "This Land is Your Land" nailed down, so I'll definitely be playing that one. Then I have a choice between "Deck the Halls" and the "Hallelujah Chorus", both of which I've got down pretty well. Finally is one out of like 5 pieces, only two of which I've actually played, thanks to missing part of the course in Munich.
In all, it looks like I haven't made too huge of a mistake going to Germany, but this week is going to be REALLY stressful. The week after is breezy piece of cake stuff, which is just doing my HoM final.
Money situation looks quite grim, I must say. I currently have like $200 in savings, $40 in checking, and $400 in debt. Something doesn't add up here.
Fortunately, I have over $4000 in bonds, about one third of which will be used in Ireland.
I was looking on US NEWS report, and U of IA has an amazing history program too. You have to pick two specialties, and I think I would go with early medieval European and African. By the way, I am now like 75-25 in going for history. I'm thinking that my science master's will be in forensic science, so if I have to, I can get a job in CSI crap, but I can also really use that to analyze bog bodies and such too. I dunno. It's too much.
Whatver. I MUST do homework now.
My list of things to do has grown. Friday now=German and Piano finals.
So, I did get some accomplishments done by finishing my first edit on pages 18-30 of my first draft of my thesis, which should get me to 20-32 of my second draft. Over 50% of the way through draft two, which I guess is good. It's better than I had anticipated, considering I was planning on doing pages 20-40 today, so I'll go as far as I can.
Aside from the devil that is thesis, I still have my Greek final on Monday. Although I really only need like a 10% on the damn thing, I really would like to do well on it. Then, at some point, I have to edit my Avicenna paper for HoM. I frankly don't know why I did it. On the writing portfolio section of the class, thanks to my one drop, I now easily have an A on that, and this paper gets taken out of the writing portfolio grade. Stupid me.
Those are the devils of the first half of my week. By Tuesday, I'm down to 8 hours that I have to care about at all.
German=ick too. I have a stupid interview to do that's like 20 questions long and then this massively huge test that I can't drop unfortuantely. Basically though I have like a 98% in the class, and that includes several homework assignments that she thinks I didn't do. Whatever. I'm pretty sure it's one of those do it and get an A things.
Piano is going to be kind of hard I think. We get to pick the pieces that we play for her, and I really have "This Land is Your Land" nailed down, so I'll definitely be playing that one. Then I have a choice between "Deck the Halls" and the "Hallelujah Chorus", both of which I've got down pretty well. Finally is one out of like 5 pieces, only two of which I've actually played, thanks to missing part of the course in Munich.
In all, it looks like I haven't made too huge of a mistake going to Germany, but this week is going to be REALLY stressful. The week after is breezy piece of cake stuff, which is just doing my HoM final.
Money situation looks quite grim, I must say. I currently have like $200 in savings, $40 in checking, and $400 in debt. Something doesn't add up here.
Fortunately, I have over $4000 in bonds, about one third of which will be used in Ireland.
I was looking on US NEWS report, and U of IA has an amazing history program too. You have to pick two specialties, and I think I would go with early medieval European and African. By the way, I am now like 75-25 in going for history. I'm thinking that my science master's will be in forensic science, so if I have to, I can get a job in CSI crap, but I can also really use that to analyze bog bodies and such too. I dunno. It's too much.
Whatver. I MUST do homework now.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Holy crap, I graduate in TWO WEEKS
It's so hard to believe that my undergraduate experience is almost over, that now, suddenly, I'm going to be done with college. I mean, seriosuly folks, this is it.
However, unfortunately, I still have to finish everything. There's no relaxation over the next two weeks, but rather, headlong, full force pushing through with the work I have left.
This is the progress that I've made this week:
1. I have a draft of my paper due in HoM on Monday.
2. I finished a draft of my thesis, and have totally edited the first 20 pages of it. Only 40 to go....
3. I finally got down my C major scales (like, I can play them without looking at the fingering guide).
4. I'm starting to get a handle on Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.
That's all the progress I made this week, unfortunately. Here's what the next week looks like:
Monday: Greek final
Tuesday: Avicenna paper due, Presentation to be given
THESIS DUE
Wednesday: Break---
Thursday: Work on HoM final (take home...YES!)
Friday: finish up as much of piano class as possible (final?) and German final
Obviously, then, this weekend's agenda is really simple. Finish thesis. Finish THESIS. TOTALLY.
Actually, I'm not totally sure that I can do it this weekend. I'm going to read my first 20 pages one more time, and then transfer them over to a final save copy with my title page and stuff today. My guess is I'll probably just take it 20 pages a day, so I edit pages 21-40 tomorrow and then 41-60 on Sunday.
Good things for this week:
1. I only need a 10% on my Greek final to get an A.
2. I'm going to be done with 5 out of 6 classes.
3. I'm basically going to secure Summa Cum Laude
4. There's like no distraction available--football is not really much to watch (I hate the SEC, so I don't care who wins between bama and florida)
Bad things:
1. The intense volume of work ahead of me
2. I can't really work at either of my jobs, so I'm going to make no money in this pay period.
3. I still have no clue what the hell I'm doing with my life.....
However, unfortunately, I still have to finish everything. There's no relaxation over the next two weeks, but rather, headlong, full force pushing through with the work I have left.
This is the progress that I've made this week:
1. I have a draft of my paper due in HoM on Monday.
2. I finished a draft of my thesis, and have totally edited the first 20 pages of it. Only 40 to go....
3. I finally got down my C major scales (like, I can play them without looking at the fingering guide).
4. I'm starting to get a handle on Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.
That's all the progress I made this week, unfortunately. Here's what the next week looks like:
Monday: Greek final
Tuesday: Avicenna paper due, Presentation to be given
THESIS DUE
Wednesday: Break---
Thursday: Work on HoM final (take home...YES!)
Friday: finish up as much of piano class as possible (final?) and German final
Obviously, then, this weekend's agenda is really simple. Finish thesis. Finish THESIS. TOTALLY.
Actually, I'm not totally sure that I can do it this weekend. I'm going to read my first 20 pages one more time, and then transfer them over to a final save copy with my title page and stuff today. My guess is I'll probably just take it 20 pages a day, so I edit pages 21-40 tomorrow and then 41-60 on Sunday.
Good things for this week:
1. I only need a 10% on my Greek final to get an A.
2. I'm going to be done with 5 out of 6 classes.
3. I'm basically going to secure Summa Cum Laude
4. There's like no distraction available--football is not really much to watch (I hate the SEC, so I don't care who wins between bama and florida)
Bad things:
1. The intense volume of work ahead of me
2. I can't really work at either of my jobs, so I'm going to make no money in this pay period.
3. I still have no clue what the hell I'm doing with my life.....
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Initiate massively high stress
Holy. Shit. People.
It's becoming rapidly clear that I'm pretty much done next week. Not the week after, next week.
My Greek final is on Monday.
My Thesis (nowhere near done, by the way) is due Tuesday
My Avicenna work is due Tuesday.
My German final is next week.
On top of that, I have the nagging problems of piano to worry about too.
Fuck, why did I go on vacation????
I'm starting to literally pull my hair out. Ok....time to finish Avicenna.
It's becoming rapidly clear that I'm pretty much done next week. Not the week after, next week.
My Greek final is on Monday.
My Thesis (nowhere near done, by the way) is due Tuesday
My Avicenna work is due Tuesday.
My German final is next week.
On top of that, I have the nagging problems of piano to worry about too.
Fuck, why did I go on vacation????
I'm starting to literally pull my hair out. Ok....time to finish Avicenna.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Germany/Austria-Part Two
So I think I left off on my variety of international incidents on Monday. So I return to my history of Germany from Tuesday:
Tuesday was mostly a stay near the Munich area day. I went to Dachau early in the morning. I made the stupid mistake of thinking that my Tageskarte only worked on the S-Bahn in the area, so I figured that in order to make it to the KZ, I would have to pay yet again for a bus. Given my experience with boats, I really did not want to repeat again. So I decided to look on the map at the bahnhof and walk to the KZ. Unfortuantely, I really did not study the map, and so I got lost in Dachau. The other unfortuante thing was that I ate NO breakfast whatsoever. I did manage to down my last Clif bar (note to self, take like 30 to Ireland) while I was lost in Dachau. I also did not realize the distance that the KZ is from the Bahnhof. So I ended up walking like 6-7 miles that morning on like 200 calories from Tuesday and about the same from Monday (easily spent in the two hours of walking around Munich at night...). Suffice it to say when I reached the KZ, I was terribly tired, but I figured, "how many thousands of people had to go through worse over years in Dachau?" How many people died horrible deaths there? And me, I wanted to bitch about having not much food and walking what was not really that many miles.
So Dachau was cold. Really cold. It had that eerie nature about it, especially the area cordoned off by the creek. Most of the original barracks are gone--only two remain out of more than 40. But to see lines of foundations, each of those holding how many people who met their end at Dachau was frightening. To see the barbed wire, the towers, and the surrounding trench. To be that close to society, that all those people thought you were a legitimate prisoner, that you deserved to be separated from society. And what were you? A Jew? A political opponent? An emigrant? A Soviet? A gypsy? Gay?
The trench was frightening. There was a little sign that said that anyone caught in the trench was immediately shot. In 1944-5, so many people jumped into the ditch deliberately so that they could die easier deaths. Some Germans would push people in so that they could shoot them.
Crossing the creek, one comes upon the two crematoria. The first one was around from about 1938-1942, and had two ovens. The other one though is more frightening, with the sterilization chamber for the clothing, the gas chambers for the prisoners, the four chambers to burn bodies 2-4 at a time, and the stark emptiness of it all. Outside, there are two graves that hold thousands of bodies burned, and an old earthen wall stands where Germans would shoot, execution style, political prisoners, from Soviet soliders, to British female special ops soldiers.
The worst part of all though was the exhibit of the scientific experiments that the Germans did. There was this series of pictures of a Jewish prisoner who was brought in to test what happened to a person when air got into the brain. In the series of pictures, there is this face of innocence, unaware of the fate coming to him. Despite his position, his eyes were somehow full of life, that even though fate had deigned his death soon to come, he was alive.
The next picture shows him in incredible pain, as the injected air bubbles work his way into the brain. His eyes and jaw are clenched shut.
The last shows him, tranquil, dead. His jaw is loose, the pain gone, his life over.
This was the most that I saw Dachau destroy. Sure, there are crematoria, barracks, and monuments to the dead, but this series showed explicitly what the Germans did. How fundamentally evil these people were.
Perhaps what was even more disturbing was the nonchalence of the German high school students there. Many of them were cracking jokes, and acting like this was something they've seen so many times. I desperately wanted to yell and them, and make it clear that this was something that their grandparents and great-grandparents were complicit in. How they disgraced the 12 million people dead because of Nazi hate.
The US has a similar dark past in slavery, but I don't have the personal connection to it that many whites do have. Most of my ancestors came to the US after 1865, and those that were here before then lived in free states only (Illinois, New York). I get why African Americans feel disenfranchised, ironically after Dachau.
After Dachau, I went back into Munich central, heading into the English Gardens, the largest city park in Bavaria after a quick lunch. Surprisingly, I made total sense when I ordered my lunch, which included the amazingness that is Gluhwein. Anyone who has never had this amazing beverage must remedy the situation as quickly as possible.
English Gardens was gorgeous, and I have pictures on facebook to attest to this nicety.
Wednesday was a spontaneous decision to go to Salzburg. I tried the pay-yourself-for-ticket machine for a ticket to Salzburg, but I guess I boarded the wrong class of train, so I ended up having to pay more money on the train to ride to Salzburg. Whatev.
Anyways, I get to Salzburg, and it's definitely the tale of three cities. On the first hand is Neue Salzburg, which is hideous, dirty, and clearly a place not designed for tourists. Alte Salzburg is split between the posh, shopping tourist district, which disgusted me, and the historical section of town with the gorgeous old churches, the fortress, and old buildings. Obviosuly, I vested most of my time in the old section of town, and for the first time in Europe, I DID NOT GET LOST. This was a rare accomplishment. It took forever to climb up to the fortress, but inside, it felt like I was back in 1400, waiting for Turks to come pouring in from the East, or of the Teutons of the North. Apparently, thousands of people in the town could hide in the fortress for months on end.
Head back from Salzburg that afternoon, and buy my first collection of pretzels, of which I eat like 5 in less than 24 hours.
On getting back to Munich HBF (Hauptbahnhof), I got my dinner of tomato-mozarella sandwich, more pretzels, and Guinness. Suffice it to say, it was a much needed meal. I actually ate breakfast that morning in the hotel for a lovely price of 12 euro. OUCH. All I had was coffee, tea, and like three Brotchen. Ok, so I had a little cereal, fruit, and jogurt too...
But my dinner was so much better.
Thursday was not as exciting for me, because my cousin was supposed to come back into town like at 12 noon. I slept in until about...9 ish. I went back to English Gartens to get a good pic of Munich in the morning and then went to Marienplatz/Viktualienmarkt. Neither of which I found terribly impressive, but because they were settling up for the Kristmaskindlmarkt, the plaza was mostly filled. I did go into a few churches and such, ate lunch (more pretzels), and bought some of the touristy stuff for my fam. I had far more Gluhwein also, which ultimately made me incredibly tired. My cousin was supposed to call at noon, and she didn't. After waiting until 1, I decided to ride all through Munich on the S-bahn for an hour, and when she still hadn't called, I went to my hotel room, as the Gluhwein was REALLY knocking me out. While waiting for her to call, I had the interesting experience of watching Spongebob Squarepants, Pokemon, and Yugi-oh in German. Interestingly, I understood about 75% of Spongebob, and 30% of the other two.
My cousin finally called at like 2:30 and we arranged to meet at my hotel room at like 430 because I needed to know if I owed the hotel anything before I left in the morning.
We then went out to dinner and dessert, parting ways at about 10 at night.
Unforutantely, I decided to be an idiot at this point. I had forgotten my alarm clock in COS, so I bought this cheap ass Chinese one in Munich, which was so cheap that it frequently stopped. Hmm...
I had a cab coming for me at 4 AM, so I decided not to sleep. STUPID. Whatever. So I was entertained by late night German/CNN International, which was this sad mix of Mumbai terrorism and an excessive amount of German breasts. Because I've been in a hospital and around breast feeding women so much, I don't get the perverse thrill at titty that many other men get (they're just portals of milk, people, nothing else), but I was amused by the total fakeness of their attempts at alluring men. It was clearly cheap porn, and I found it more funny than anything.
So I stay up till 4 AM, leave my hotel, and get to the airport far too early for my own good.
Friday:
Munich-London: Again, I set off security alarms in Munich, but avoid the much unneeded frisking. British Airways this time provides breakfast (bacon and tomato sandwich, ick, but it was food, so I ate it), and tea. Heathrow was not as painful this time, and I avoided being extensively frisked. However, I did have the annoying problem of being asked a million questions about what I bought in Germany. Whatever. I then found this book (Dear Fatty, by Dawn French, the most hillarious woman ever) in Heathrow that I've been waiting for forever. So I spent a few hours reading, avoiding the desire to collapse into a coma.
London-Houston: I think I actually slept, although I missed lunch service yet again. Of the 10 hours flying, I don't remember at least 5. The other five were spent trying in vain to focus on something--TV, music, movie, book, whatever. As we flew over Arkansas, they came by for another food service, and promptly (stupidly) refused all food and beverage. So I get into Houston, and have to go through customs (total waste of time), but the problem is that going through customs means that you have to go through security again. And YET AGAIN, Ray sets off the alarm. Fortunately, they just waved the wand, and it was my jeans that set it off. I then pay ridiculous amounts for McDonalds and a bagel to try and hold me over for an hour.
Again, Houston demonstrated why I hate Americans....or maybe at least Texans. I dunno, there's something genuinely fake about Americans. Definitely a shallowness that I can't stand, but also a totally different culture that annoys me. The second I get out of customs, I'm greeted by Evangelicals wanting the save the soul that I don't even think I have. We had an interesting short discussion that got no where:
--Would you like some litterature about JC and how he saves?
-No, thank you.
--Why not?
-I don't believe in souls, so I don't really need saving.
--But you'll go to hell
-I can't go to hell because I have no soul, when I die, I stop existing
--Yes you do, and you'll go to hell
Whatever. Those minutes made me wish I was still in Europe.
So I barely stave off sleep long enough to make it on the plane, which is the exact mimic of the hobbit plane that I got on from COS to Houston. More Americans on it--and I was stuck near two southerners who complained about how the seats were small. And they were like 300 pounds each....
So that was my amazing trip to Europe.
Now I have to look forward to the next 19 (NINETEEN???????) days until I graduate. NINETEEN.
This is my list of things left to do over the next 19 days:
Greek Final
German Final
Piano pieces
Finish Thesis
Do Avicenna Paper/Presentation
History of Medicine Final.
It looks like this semester I have no in class finals the week of finals. My first five things are going to be done the week after this one, and then my final is take home.
Shit, folks, it's coming down to the wire....
Tuesday was mostly a stay near the Munich area day. I went to Dachau early in the morning. I made the stupid mistake of thinking that my Tageskarte only worked on the S-Bahn in the area, so I figured that in order to make it to the KZ, I would have to pay yet again for a bus. Given my experience with boats, I really did not want to repeat again. So I decided to look on the map at the bahnhof and walk to the KZ. Unfortuantely, I really did not study the map, and so I got lost in Dachau. The other unfortuante thing was that I ate NO breakfast whatsoever. I did manage to down my last Clif bar (note to self, take like 30 to Ireland) while I was lost in Dachau. I also did not realize the distance that the KZ is from the Bahnhof. So I ended up walking like 6-7 miles that morning on like 200 calories from Tuesday and about the same from Monday (easily spent in the two hours of walking around Munich at night...). Suffice it to say when I reached the KZ, I was terribly tired, but I figured, "how many thousands of people had to go through worse over years in Dachau?" How many people died horrible deaths there? And me, I wanted to bitch about having not much food and walking what was not really that many miles.
So Dachau was cold. Really cold. It had that eerie nature about it, especially the area cordoned off by the creek. Most of the original barracks are gone--only two remain out of more than 40. But to see lines of foundations, each of those holding how many people who met their end at Dachau was frightening. To see the barbed wire, the towers, and the surrounding trench. To be that close to society, that all those people thought you were a legitimate prisoner, that you deserved to be separated from society. And what were you? A Jew? A political opponent? An emigrant? A Soviet? A gypsy? Gay?
The trench was frightening. There was a little sign that said that anyone caught in the trench was immediately shot. In 1944-5, so many people jumped into the ditch deliberately so that they could die easier deaths. Some Germans would push people in so that they could shoot them.
Crossing the creek, one comes upon the two crematoria. The first one was around from about 1938-1942, and had two ovens. The other one though is more frightening, with the sterilization chamber for the clothing, the gas chambers for the prisoners, the four chambers to burn bodies 2-4 at a time, and the stark emptiness of it all. Outside, there are two graves that hold thousands of bodies burned, and an old earthen wall stands where Germans would shoot, execution style, political prisoners, from Soviet soliders, to British female special ops soldiers.
The worst part of all though was the exhibit of the scientific experiments that the Germans did. There was this series of pictures of a Jewish prisoner who was brought in to test what happened to a person when air got into the brain. In the series of pictures, there is this face of innocence, unaware of the fate coming to him. Despite his position, his eyes were somehow full of life, that even though fate had deigned his death soon to come, he was alive.
The next picture shows him in incredible pain, as the injected air bubbles work his way into the brain. His eyes and jaw are clenched shut.
The last shows him, tranquil, dead. His jaw is loose, the pain gone, his life over.
This was the most that I saw Dachau destroy. Sure, there are crematoria, barracks, and monuments to the dead, but this series showed explicitly what the Germans did. How fundamentally evil these people were.
Perhaps what was even more disturbing was the nonchalence of the German high school students there. Many of them were cracking jokes, and acting like this was something they've seen so many times. I desperately wanted to yell and them, and make it clear that this was something that their grandparents and great-grandparents were complicit in. How they disgraced the 12 million people dead because of Nazi hate.
The US has a similar dark past in slavery, but I don't have the personal connection to it that many whites do have. Most of my ancestors came to the US after 1865, and those that were here before then lived in free states only (Illinois, New York). I get why African Americans feel disenfranchised, ironically after Dachau.
After Dachau, I went back into Munich central, heading into the English Gardens, the largest city park in Bavaria after a quick lunch. Surprisingly, I made total sense when I ordered my lunch, which included the amazingness that is Gluhwein. Anyone who has never had this amazing beverage must remedy the situation as quickly as possible.
English Gardens was gorgeous, and I have pictures on facebook to attest to this nicety.
Wednesday was a spontaneous decision to go to Salzburg. I tried the pay-yourself-for-ticket machine for a ticket to Salzburg, but I guess I boarded the wrong class of train, so I ended up having to pay more money on the train to ride to Salzburg. Whatev.
Anyways, I get to Salzburg, and it's definitely the tale of three cities. On the first hand is Neue Salzburg, which is hideous, dirty, and clearly a place not designed for tourists. Alte Salzburg is split between the posh, shopping tourist district, which disgusted me, and the historical section of town with the gorgeous old churches, the fortress, and old buildings. Obviosuly, I vested most of my time in the old section of town, and for the first time in Europe, I DID NOT GET LOST. This was a rare accomplishment. It took forever to climb up to the fortress, but inside, it felt like I was back in 1400, waiting for Turks to come pouring in from the East, or of the Teutons of the North. Apparently, thousands of people in the town could hide in the fortress for months on end.
Head back from Salzburg that afternoon, and buy my first collection of pretzels, of which I eat like 5 in less than 24 hours.
On getting back to Munich HBF (Hauptbahnhof), I got my dinner of tomato-mozarella sandwich, more pretzels, and Guinness. Suffice it to say, it was a much needed meal. I actually ate breakfast that morning in the hotel for a lovely price of 12 euro. OUCH. All I had was coffee, tea, and like three Brotchen. Ok, so I had a little cereal, fruit, and jogurt too...
But my dinner was so much better.
Thursday was not as exciting for me, because my cousin was supposed to come back into town like at 12 noon. I slept in until about...9 ish. I went back to English Gartens to get a good pic of Munich in the morning and then went to Marienplatz/Viktualienmarkt. Neither of which I found terribly impressive, but because they were settling up for the Kristmaskindlmarkt, the plaza was mostly filled. I did go into a few churches and such, ate lunch (more pretzels), and bought some of the touristy stuff for my fam. I had far more Gluhwein also, which ultimately made me incredibly tired. My cousin was supposed to call at noon, and she didn't. After waiting until 1, I decided to ride all through Munich on the S-bahn for an hour, and when she still hadn't called, I went to my hotel room, as the Gluhwein was REALLY knocking me out. While waiting for her to call, I had the interesting experience of watching Spongebob Squarepants, Pokemon, and Yugi-oh in German. Interestingly, I understood about 75% of Spongebob, and 30% of the other two.
My cousin finally called at like 2:30 and we arranged to meet at my hotel room at like 430 because I needed to know if I owed the hotel anything before I left in the morning.
We then went out to dinner and dessert, parting ways at about 10 at night.
Unforutantely, I decided to be an idiot at this point. I had forgotten my alarm clock in COS, so I bought this cheap ass Chinese one in Munich, which was so cheap that it frequently stopped. Hmm...
I had a cab coming for me at 4 AM, so I decided not to sleep. STUPID. Whatever. So I was entertained by late night German/CNN International, which was this sad mix of Mumbai terrorism and an excessive amount of German breasts. Because I've been in a hospital and around breast feeding women so much, I don't get the perverse thrill at titty that many other men get (they're just portals of milk, people, nothing else), but I was amused by the total fakeness of their attempts at alluring men. It was clearly cheap porn, and I found it more funny than anything.
So I stay up till 4 AM, leave my hotel, and get to the airport far too early for my own good.
Friday:
Munich-London: Again, I set off security alarms in Munich, but avoid the much unneeded frisking. British Airways this time provides breakfast (bacon and tomato sandwich, ick, but it was food, so I ate it), and tea. Heathrow was not as painful this time, and I avoided being extensively frisked. However, I did have the annoying problem of being asked a million questions about what I bought in Germany. Whatever. I then found this book (Dear Fatty, by Dawn French, the most hillarious woman ever) in Heathrow that I've been waiting for forever. So I spent a few hours reading, avoiding the desire to collapse into a coma.
London-Houston: I think I actually slept, although I missed lunch service yet again. Of the 10 hours flying, I don't remember at least 5. The other five were spent trying in vain to focus on something--TV, music, movie, book, whatever. As we flew over Arkansas, they came by for another food service, and promptly (stupidly) refused all food and beverage. So I get into Houston, and have to go through customs (total waste of time), but the problem is that going through customs means that you have to go through security again. And YET AGAIN, Ray sets off the alarm. Fortunately, they just waved the wand, and it was my jeans that set it off. I then pay ridiculous amounts for McDonalds and a bagel to try and hold me over for an hour.
Again, Houston demonstrated why I hate Americans....or maybe at least Texans. I dunno, there's something genuinely fake about Americans. Definitely a shallowness that I can't stand, but also a totally different culture that annoys me. The second I get out of customs, I'm greeted by Evangelicals wanting the save the soul that I don't even think I have. We had an interesting short discussion that got no where:
--Would you like some litterature about JC and how he saves?
-No, thank you.
--Why not?
-I don't believe in souls, so I don't really need saving.
--But you'll go to hell
-I can't go to hell because I have no soul, when I die, I stop existing
--Yes you do, and you'll go to hell
Whatever. Those minutes made me wish I was still in Europe.
So I barely stave off sleep long enough to make it on the plane, which is the exact mimic of the hobbit plane that I got on from COS to Houston. More Americans on it--and I was stuck near two southerners who complained about how the seats were small. And they were like 300 pounds each....
So that was my amazing trip to Europe.
Now I have to look forward to the next 19 (NINETEEN???????) days until I graduate. NINETEEN.
This is my list of things left to do over the next 19 days:
Greek Final
German Final
Piano pieces
Finish Thesis
Do Avicenna Paper/Presentation
History of Medicine Final.
It looks like this semester I have no in class finals the week of finals. My first five things are going to be done the week after this one, and then my final is take home.
Shit, folks, it's coming down to the wire....
Saturday, November 29, 2008
LIFE!!!
So, I did live on my fantastical journey to Deutschland and Osterreich. Below chronicles everything I did and looks ahead for the next 20 days:
Friday, Nov 21:
Flew from COS to Houston in a tremendously small plane. A hobbit plane, because it was designed for short people with small feet. I am the opposite. Fortunately, it only lasted two hours....
Flew from Houston to London. Again, the problems with the feet. Basically, I was wearing boots, size 13, in a space designed for size 9 feet. Due to my utter terror at causing anyone else any kind of discomfort, I refused to lean my chair back, thus leaving me in the impossible condition of not sleeping on an 8 hour flight upon which 6 time zones were crossed. I also was stuck next to the make out couple from hell, which was quite annoying. In one of my feeble attempts to sleep, I apparently missed dinner. I had my eyes shut, head aside, and I heard the trays coming by, but I was too tired to try and actually awake from my demi-comatotic state. So make out man pokes me, to which I make no response, and then the flight lady says "Don't worry about it, we'll feed him if he wakes up". Dear flight attendant: I am NOT an animal at the zoo that you feed, and I did plan on waking up.
Whatever. I was incredibly distracted the whole flight, unable to do any homework whatsoever, but also inattentive to the plane's attempts at amusing me: movies, games, music, all were pointless. Basically I spent 8 hours in a stupor.
Saturday, Nov 22.:
I finally pull myself out of a stupor at about 4 AM. I checked the flight map (which the plane also apparently provides on screen) and we were about 200 miles from Ireland. My mind finally was gaining some focus, but not a whole lot. I COULD have worked, either on German or thesis, but again, turning on a light might have disturbed some cosmic element. I was damn thirsty, and fortuantely, I had bought water in Houston that kept me afloat. So I listened to my iPod, and unfortuantely returned to my stupor until we flew over Ireland, at which point I got INCREDIBLY excited. Unfortunately, it was pitch black, and cloudy. So I spent the hour we were over Ireland looking for lights to no avail.
We at 5 AM promptly received "breakfast snacks"--this croissant-like thing and five pieces of fresh fruit, and my ever beloved coffee. I know this sounds strange, but that breakfast snack was treasure to me. I knew I wasn't getting food in London (the whole pounds thing) and I heard British Airways provides no food for continental flights, so I absorbed every ounce of what I ate. This is coming from someone who normally has 3 meals a day. I can't imagine what it's like for people who might get that many a week...
Anyways, London. TERRIBLE airport. Never ever ever ever ever ever land into Heathrow. For anything. I got frisked thoroughly for setting off an alarm. When I say thoroughtly, I mean every square inch of my body, bits and all. When they waved me over for frisking, I actually went to the woman first thinking that frisking by a woman wouldn't be all that bad (hey, I don't indulge in horniness, but I know I would rather be frisked by a woman than a man). No luck. Creepy guy instead.
Heathrow also has this annoying habit of not announcing your gate until ten minutes before boarding starts. So I get to my gate and it's delayed (joy). I now know why Heathrow is the most delayed airport in Europe, by the way. While waiting, I am absolutely exhausted, nearly falling asleep several times in my chair.
So ya ya, flight to Munich. British Airways provides everything, but I get an exit aisle, and am harrangued by the staff, insisting that everything not on my body goes into overhead, even the coat I had as a blanket. I spend the rest of the flight trying to ignore bitchy make out, breat rubbing with head, Brits next to me. When the flight attendants came for food and snacks, I turned everything down, again harking to my obscene personal thing with not inconveniencing anyone unless desperate. I tried my French with one of them (who had a French flag), and I ended up speaking so softly that she didn't understand, so I had to ultiamtely say she was the first person I ever met who was not in school who spoke French, betraying my inherent Americanness, and desperately I spent the rest of the flight looking at the badges of the attendants, assuringmyself that none of them spoke Spanish, giving me one source of consolation of not being totally ignorant.
Landed in Germany at like 3 PM, took all of 5 minutes to go through passport control (no customs). Desperately hoping for practice with my German, I insisted on using it with them. When asked "What is your purpose in coming to Germany" I said "Ferien" which was responded with "how long?" "eine Woche" "Very good, thank you and welcome to Germany". I was highly discourgaged.
The rest of tha afternoon was spent desperately trying to stay awake and being a gracious visitor. My cousin met me at the airport and took me to my hotel, where the keeper spoke atrocious English, only terrible enough to match my German. When I got to the room, it was incredibly small, but perfect sized for me. Seeing the bed, I desperately wanted to sleep, but my cousin promised an eventful night at Munich's most famous restaurant. So we went to the Augustiner (est. ca. 1400, I think). Hard to imagine I went to a restaurant that historically is older to Europeans than the continent on which I live.
Anyways, ordered in German, and was totally understood, thank god. We shared a table with these two Americans who spoke absolutely no German, and although my cousin asked for menus for them and such, I was glad to know I could have done the same had she not been there.
Dinner was pretty good. German beer lacks something that Irish beers have, so I was not terribly impressed. I have a tendency to like very strongly tasting things, and Irish beers are the best there. The food, while good, was bland, meaty and fatty, which is again different than what I am used to. It was only 20 euros for both of us, so that was good.
We then marched to this subway cafe had had ridiculously overpriced coffee and cake (like 3 euro for one of those tiny cups!). I had the traditional obstkuchen that we have here for birthdays and I found ours far superior. Theirs had this gelatinous top that left much to be desired, and I wished I ordered what my cousin got.
We walked through a few shops of clearly overpriced tourist items, and then went back to my hotel room. I slipped into a coma.
Sun. Nov 22:
I got up at about 6 AM and found that it had snowed most of the night. I decided to show myself some of Munich before I was supposed to meet Mary at 10. So I shower and get cleaned up, and go out, teaching myself the S-Bahn (absolutely AMAZING invention. We absolutely must get S-Bahns in the US). I then went to Theresawiese, a park dedicated to this Bavarian queen. It was a nice park, and had a statue of the Bavaria, some old Germanic goddess of war. I got a few shots, but I was more alarmed by the German people than anything. Here in the US, it's considered rude not to say "good morning" or "hello" to someone when they walk by. There, I mustered up my courage to talk to the first person I came across, and as I was about to say "Guten Morgen," her eyes averted. The next ten people did the same thing.
This is something I found in all of Bavaria and Salzburg. People just don't say hi at all. I don't do it with people I do know, but I will say it when I'm just going for a walk. But there, no one talks to each other. At all. It makes me wonder how they survive....
I did manage to say it to a couple of people whose eyes averted towards me, and especially the older people lit up when I said it. I think it's a WWII thing. The Germanic peoples know they were responsible and they lost, and no one ever told them the obvious. Before Hitler, Germans were probably more open people, but now, they are in a position of second rate power, torn between the ideological war of US and Russia.
Speaking of which, there are almost NO German flags that fly. Shipmen all flew their Bavarian and German flags proudly, but very few buildings have either flag. Same in Austria...
Anyways, I did my walks, and went with my cousin, slightly late (nearly causing an international incident). We first went to BMW Welt and The Olympic park there, both of which were nice, obviously tourist, but still quite nice. We did the tour in German, and I understood about 10-15% of what she said. Absolutely amazin architecture on BMW Welt, except for the utterly stupid thing where they have these deep recesses in the roof where water collects. We headed up to the Residenz, which was the Palace of Ludwig I, and was an incredibly overpriced venture to see a terribly small national theatre, but also an incredibly interesting national art museum. I wish I had pics, but alas, the lighting was TERRIBLE, and no flash photos were allowed.
We followed that up with dinner at the Hofbrauhaus, which is young than the Augustiner, but more of a tourist place. I actually found it loud and and annoying, and my German was nicht so gut there. Afterwards it was cake and coffee again, where I slaughtered German, trying to go with making accompanyment with what my cousin said, yet I failed. The Apple cake was amazing (despite the seeds?), and the coffee, again, overpriced.
Having finished all of that, we parted ways for several days, she with the Luftwaffe to Sardinia, me to survive Germany alone.
Mon, Nov 23:
Train ride to Prien a Chimsee. This was probably my most confident German speaking day of the tour. I forgot which train stop my DB left from, and I successfully asked "Welche ist die Gleis fur Prien" and understood perfectly the response. I again attempted cordiality with the ticket collector, but again, spoke too softly, and had to repeat my requests of "Wie geht es Ihnen" several times. All in all, not bad. The train ride itself was gorgeous, and anyone who hasn't seen Southern Germany yet must make it a priority. The Alps are just STUNNING in contrast to the rolling flatlands of central Bavaria.
Getting into Prien, I successfully not only asked for directions in German, but understood everything I was told. (Geh zum bahnhof zuruck und wander etwa 5 kilos zum See--something like that) The docks were gorgeous, the lake was moreso with the dramatic drop over the Alps, and with the old Augustinian convents on the two islands. Major downside: massive group of 20 rude and loud Chinese people on the boat, irritating my serenity by non-stop photography, throwing food (like whole apples) at the birds, and preparing themselves to see some old palace that a crazy 19th C. king built for himself. Getting to Herrenchimsee, I asked for the German tour in not so good German, if only to separate myself from tourists. Unfortunately, my German was so bad that I could not understand what the tour guide was telling me to do after I fed my ticket into the machine. She started yelling at me in English, and I had to tell her that I didn't speak English either, but rather Spanish, and that my German was far better than my English. She was unimpressed, and treated me like an American anyways. So I went on this German tour and understood again, about 15-20% of what she said. Back in the palace coffee shop (I'm sure Ludwig did not have a coffee shop in Schlossherreninsel, but that's another thing). I nearly created another international incident. The waiter asked me if I thought everything was ok in German (I though he asked if I wanted something else, the way he was gesturing with his hands), and when I said no, he started speaking to me in English, aware of my total ignorance of German.
Here, I was starting to get discouraged, but I went to the monastery. Frustrated with German, I asked for an English written guide to accompany me, even though I understood most of what the signs said. Oddly, despite the fact that this monastery was the base of the conversion of Hungary and Poland to Catholicism, very few people visited it, yet odder still was the scarcity of middle age artifacts. My guess is that most of them lay with the brothers, of which, I saw none because they stayed in seclusion.
Anyways, this monastery housed Ludwig I and II for some time, and they left their mark. Most interestingly though was that it was the sight of the signing of the modern German constitution. History was in those halls, and less than ten percent of all people who came to the island went there. Sad.
The sort of security lady was amazing, and she and I had amazing conversations in Deutschglish. She knew quite a bit of English, and could fill in when I could not understand, but she was very complimentary of my German.
We then sailed to Fraueninsel, which was very private. No people were out, and the nuns, like the brothers, stuck to seclusion. I bought a few things, butchered more German (coming across as rude, I think), but then sailed on. Again, I caused a near-international incident. Apparently, one was supposed to pay for tickets on the boat, but the ticket stand, when I first boarded, was closed. I took a second boat to the other isle, so then I was back on the original, and as we reach shore, all these people pull out tickets. Oh shit.
I didn't get off the boat, butchering more German to assure myself that it returned to my original port of call, which it did. On the way back, I tried to buy a ticket, but they asked where my original was. I somehow had to say that I dropped it on the first island (total lie), which took like 15 minutes with my shitty German book. The boat man was very nice at my terrible German and told me I didn't have to pay for another. Well, since I never paid for one, I left money on the counter when I got off the boat.
It then was time to return to Munich, and I had to find my second hotel---loads of fun. I got lost, and wandered through the city for almost two hours. The whole incident started when I got off the S-bahn and got to the outside. I checked my map for directions, and as I was checking street names, this guy started coming up to me with evil in his eyes. Desperate to no look the tourist, I just picked up my bags and went in the first direction that came to mind, and unfortunately, it was the wrong one. I had heard not to stop walking in the city at night for risk of being pocketed or assailed in some way, so I just kept walking, looking for the street name I needed. Turns out I walked almost a mile to the north when I needed to go south, and about the same amount East when I needed to go west. So that was loads of fun. 7 PM, made it to hotel, INSTANTLY went to sleep.
My diet for the day was half a bag of carrots and a chocolate bar. By night, my confidence in German was gone and I didn't want to ask for any food from a restaurant.
I'm getting tired, so I'm going to finish the rest of my trip tomorrow methinks.
Friday, Nov 21:
Flew from COS to Houston in a tremendously small plane. A hobbit plane, because it was designed for short people with small feet. I am the opposite. Fortunately, it only lasted two hours....
Flew from Houston to London. Again, the problems with the feet. Basically, I was wearing boots, size 13, in a space designed for size 9 feet. Due to my utter terror at causing anyone else any kind of discomfort, I refused to lean my chair back, thus leaving me in the impossible condition of not sleeping on an 8 hour flight upon which 6 time zones were crossed. I also was stuck next to the make out couple from hell, which was quite annoying. In one of my feeble attempts to sleep, I apparently missed dinner. I had my eyes shut, head aside, and I heard the trays coming by, but I was too tired to try and actually awake from my demi-comatotic state. So make out man pokes me, to which I make no response, and then the flight lady says "Don't worry about it, we'll feed him if he wakes up". Dear flight attendant: I am NOT an animal at the zoo that you feed, and I did plan on waking up.
Whatever. I was incredibly distracted the whole flight, unable to do any homework whatsoever, but also inattentive to the plane's attempts at amusing me: movies, games, music, all were pointless. Basically I spent 8 hours in a stupor.
Saturday, Nov 22.:
I finally pull myself out of a stupor at about 4 AM. I checked the flight map (which the plane also apparently provides on screen) and we were about 200 miles from Ireland. My mind finally was gaining some focus, but not a whole lot. I COULD have worked, either on German or thesis, but again, turning on a light might have disturbed some cosmic element. I was damn thirsty, and fortuantely, I had bought water in Houston that kept me afloat. So I listened to my iPod, and unfortuantely returned to my stupor until we flew over Ireland, at which point I got INCREDIBLY excited. Unfortunately, it was pitch black, and cloudy. So I spent the hour we were over Ireland looking for lights to no avail.
We at 5 AM promptly received "breakfast snacks"--this croissant-like thing and five pieces of fresh fruit, and my ever beloved coffee. I know this sounds strange, but that breakfast snack was treasure to me. I knew I wasn't getting food in London (the whole pounds thing) and I heard British Airways provides no food for continental flights, so I absorbed every ounce of what I ate. This is coming from someone who normally has 3 meals a day. I can't imagine what it's like for people who might get that many a week...
Anyways, London. TERRIBLE airport. Never ever ever ever ever ever land into Heathrow. For anything. I got frisked thoroughly for setting off an alarm. When I say thoroughtly, I mean every square inch of my body, bits and all. When they waved me over for frisking, I actually went to the woman first thinking that frisking by a woman wouldn't be all that bad (hey, I don't indulge in horniness, but I know I would rather be frisked by a woman than a man). No luck. Creepy guy instead.
Heathrow also has this annoying habit of not announcing your gate until ten minutes before boarding starts. So I get to my gate and it's delayed (joy). I now know why Heathrow is the most delayed airport in Europe, by the way. While waiting, I am absolutely exhausted, nearly falling asleep several times in my chair.
So ya ya, flight to Munich. British Airways provides everything, but I get an exit aisle, and am harrangued by the staff, insisting that everything not on my body goes into overhead, even the coat I had as a blanket. I spend the rest of the flight trying to ignore bitchy make out, breat rubbing with head, Brits next to me. When the flight attendants came for food and snacks, I turned everything down, again harking to my obscene personal thing with not inconveniencing anyone unless desperate. I tried my French with one of them (who had a French flag), and I ended up speaking so softly that she didn't understand, so I had to ultiamtely say she was the first person I ever met who was not in school who spoke French, betraying my inherent Americanness, and desperately I spent the rest of the flight looking at the badges of the attendants, assuringmyself that none of them spoke Spanish, giving me one source of consolation of not being totally ignorant.
Landed in Germany at like 3 PM, took all of 5 minutes to go through passport control (no customs). Desperately hoping for practice with my German, I insisted on using it with them. When asked "What is your purpose in coming to Germany" I said "Ferien" which was responded with "how long?" "eine Woche" "Very good, thank you and welcome to Germany". I was highly discourgaged.
The rest of tha afternoon was spent desperately trying to stay awake and being a gracious visitor. My cousin met me at the airport and took me to my hotel, where the keeper spoke atrocious English, only terrible enough to match my German. When I got to the room, it was incredibly small, but perfect sized for me. Seeing the bed, I desperately wanted to sleep, but my cousin promised an eventful night at Munich's most famous restaurant. So we went to the Augustiner (est. ca. 1400, I think). Hard to imagine I went to a restaurant that historically is older to Europeans than the continent on which I live.
Anyways, ordered in German, and was totally understood, thank god. We shared a table with these two Americans who spoke absolutely no German, and although my cousin asked for menus for them and such, I was glad to know I could have done the same had she not been there.
Dinner was pretty good. German beer lacks something that Irish beers have, so I was not terribly impressed. I have a tendency to like very strongly tasting things, and Irish beers are the best there. The food, while good, was bland, meaty and fatty, which is again different than what I am used to. It was only 20 euros for both of us, so that was good.
We then marched to this subway cafe had had ridiculously overpriced coffee and cake (like 3 euro for one of those tiny cups!). I had the traditional obstkuchen that we have here for birthdays and I found ours far superior. Theirs had this gelatinous top that left much to be desired, and I wished I ordered what my cousin got.
We walked through a few shops of clearly overpriced tourist items, and then went back to my hotel room. I slipped into a coma.
Sun. Nov 22:
I got up at about 6 AM and found that it had snowed most of the night. I decided to show myself some of Munich before I was supposed to meet Mary at 10. So I shower and get cleaned up, and go out, teaching myself the S-Bahn (absolutely AMAZING invention. We absolutely must get S-Bahns in the US). I then went to Theresawiese, a park dedicated to this Bavarian queen. It was a nice park, and had a statue of the Bavaria, some old Germanic goddess of war. I got a few shots, but I was more alarmed by the German people than anything. Here in the US, it's considered rude not to say "good morning" or "hello" to someone when they walk by. There, I mustered up my courage to talk to the first person I came across, and as I was about to say "Guten Morgen," her eyes averted. The next ten people did the same thing.
This is something I found in all of Bavaria and Salzburg. People just don't say hi at all. I don't do it with people I do know, but I will say it when I'm just going for a walk. But there, no one talks to each other. At all. It makes me wonder how they survive....
I did manage to say it to a couple of people whose eyes averted towards me, and especially the older people lit up when I said it. I think it's a WWII thing. The Germanic peoples know they were responsible and they lost, and no one ever told them the obvious. Before Hitler, Germans were probably more open people, but now, they are in a position of second rate power, torn between the ideological war of US and Russia.
Speaking of which, there are almost NO German flags that fly. Shipmen all flew their Bavarian and German flags proudly, but very few buildings have either flag. Same in Austria...
Anyways, I did my walks, and went with my cousin, slightly late (nearly causing an international incident). We first went to BMW Welt and The Olympic park there, both of which were nice, obviously tourist, but still quite nice. We did the tour in German, and I understood about 10-15% of what she said. Absolutely amazin architecture on BMW Welt, except for the utterly stupid thing where they have these deep recesses in the roof where water collects. We headed up to the Residenz, which was the Palace of Ludwig I, and was an incredibly overpriced venture to see a terribly small national theatre, but also an incredibly interesting national art museum. I wish I had pics, but alas, the lighting was TERRIBLE, and no flash photos were allowed.
We followed that up with dinner at the Hofbrauhaus, which is young than the Augustiner, but more of a tourist place. I actually found it loud and and annoying, and my German was nicht so gut there. Afterwards it was cake and coffee again, where I slaughtered German, trying to go with making accompanyment with what my cousin said, yet I failed. The Apple cake was amazing (despite the seeds?), and the coffee, again, overpriced.
Having finished all of that, we parted ways for several days, she with the Luftwaffe to Sardinia, me to survive Germany alone.
Mon, Nov 23:
Train ride to Prien a Chimsee. This was probably my most confident German speaking day of the tour. I forgot which train stop my DB left from, and I successfully asked "Welche ist die Gleis fur Prien" and understood perfectly the response. I again attempted cordiality with the ticket collector, but again, spoke too softly, and had to repeat my requests of "Wie geht es Ihnen" several times. All in all, not bad. The train ride itself was gorgeous, and anyone who hasn't seen Southern Germany yet must make it a priority. The Alps are just STUNNING in contrast to the rolling flatlands of central Bavaria.
Getting into Prien, I successfully not only asked for directions in German, but understood everything I was told. (Geh zum bahnhof zuruck und wander etwa 5 kilos zum See--something like that) The docks were gorgeous, the lake was moreso with the dramatic drop over the Alps, and with the old Augustinian convents on the two islands. Major downside: massive group of 20 rude and loud Chinese people on the boat, irritating my serenity by non-stop photography, throwing food (like whole apples) at the birds, and preparing themselves to see some old palace that a crazy 19th C. king built for himself. Getting to Herrenchimsee, I asked for the German tour in not so good German, if only to separate myself from tourists. Unfortunately, my German was so bad that I could not understand what the tour guide was telling me to do after I fed my ticket into the machine. She started yelling at me in English, and I had to tell her that I didn't speak English either, but rather Spanish, and that my German was far better than my English. She was unimpressed, and treated me like an American anyways. So I went on this German tour and understood again, about 15-20% of what she said. Back in the palace coffee shop (I'm sure Ludwig did not have a coffee shop in Schlossherreninsel, but that's another thing). I nearly created another international incident. The waiter asked me if I thought everything was ok in German (I though he asked if I wanted something else, the way he was gesturing with his hands), and when I said no, he started speaking to me in English, aware of my total ignorance of German.
Here, I was starting to get discouraged, but I went to the monastery. Frustrated with German, I asked for an English written guide to accompany me, even though I understood most of what the signs said. Oddly, despite the fact that this monastery was the base of the conversion of Hungary and Poland to Catholicism, very few people visited it, yet odder still was the scarcity of middle age artifacts. My guess is that most of them lay with the brothers, of which, I saw none because they stayed in seclusion.
Anyways, this monastery housed Ludwig I and II for some time, and they left their mark. Most interestingly though was that it was the sight of the signing of the modern German constitution. History was in those halls, and less than ten percent of all people who came to the island went there. Sad.
The sort of security lady was amazing, and she and I had amazing conversations in Deutschglish. She knew quite a bit of English, and could fill in when I could not understand, but she was very complimentary of my German.
We then sailed to Fraueninsel, which was very private. No people were out, and the nuns, like the brothers, stuck to seclusion. I bought a few things, butchered more German (coming across as rude, I think), but then sailed on. Again, I caused a near-international incident. Apparently, one was supposed to pay for tickets on the boat, but the ticket stand, when I first boarded, was closed. I took a second boat to the other isle, so then I was back on the original, and as we reach shore, all these people pull out tickets. Oh shit.
I didn't get off the boat, butchering more German to assure myself that it returned to my original port of call, which it did. On the way back, I tried to buy a ticket, but they asked where my original was. I somehow had to say that I dropped it on the first island (total lie), which took like 15 minutes with my shitty German book. The boat man was very nice at my terrible German and told me I didn't have to pay for another. Well, since I never paid for one, I left money on the counter when I got off the boat.
It then was time to return to Munich, and I had to find my second hotel---loads of fun. I got lost, and wandered through the city for almost two hours. The whole incident started when I got off the S-bahn and got to the outside. I checked my map for directions, and as I was checking street names, this guy started coming up to me with evil in his eyes. Desperate to no look the tourist, I just picked up my bags and went in the first direction that came to mind, and unfortunately, it was the wrong one. I had heard not to stop walking in the city at night for risk of being pocketed or assailed in some way, so I just kept walking, looking for the street name I needed. Turns out I walked almost a mile to the north when I needed to go south, and about the same amount East when I needed to go west. So that was loads of fun. 7 PM, made it to hotel, INSTANTLY went to sleep.
My diet for the day was half a bag of carrots and a chocolate bar. By night, my confidence in German was gone and I didn't want to ask for any food from a restaurant.
I'm getting tired, so I'm going to finish the rest of my trip tomorrow methinks.
Monday, November 17, 2008
MUST PUSH ON..................
Ugh, I have senioritis so badly right now. I just want to splooge into a puddle of ooze until Friday, which I cannot afford to do. Pretty soon I have to go to work again on my thesis (something I have not done since last Thursday.....). Then I also have to finish all the rest of my homework for the week (Deutschtest morgen, HOM readings, etc.). That will put me at just thesis to do between now and Wednesday. Come to think of it, it may be easier not to deal with my thesis right now.
In good news:
1) I have finished my Greek children's book. I realized just now that I didn't exactly do it right, but I'm ok with taking a hit. I've got about 40 extra credit points that I haven't used (and will now).
2) I exchanged my money--got 750 euros for 1000 dollars. Not too bad, but not wonderful either. Next, I must start packing......
3) I GOT MY GAELIC BOOKS TODAY. Totally exciting. You have no idea, actually, how much I want to just get started on them (not yet Ray, too many things to do). Listening to liveireland.com doesn't help.
4) This week marks the end of my work as setter-up of lab resources for the course I co-teach on and don't get paid for.
5) Um, doods, I'm leaving for Germany in LESS THAN FOUR DAYS.
In bad news:
1) THESIS
2) Trying to finish this Thomas Jefferson award
3) I'm apparantly listening to the Irish version of NSYNC right now (OMG, it is....)
4) I have senioritis
5) I am now tragically poor.
In good news:
1) I have finished my Greek children's book. I realized just now that I didn't exactly do it right, but I'm ok with taking a hit. I've got about 40 extra credit points that I haven't used (and will now).
2) I exchanged my money--got 750 euros for 1000 dollars. Not too bad, but not wonderful either. Next, I must start packing......
3) I GOT MY GAELIC BOOKS TODAY. Totally exciting. You have no idea, actually, how much I want to just get started on them (not yet Ray, too many things to do). Listening to liveireland.com doesn't help.
4) This week marks the end of my work as setter-up of lab resources for the course I co-teach on and don't get paid for.
5) Um, doods, I'm leaving for Germany in LESS THAN FOUR DAYS.
In bad news:
1) THESIS
2) Trying to finish this Thomas Jefferson award
3) I'm apparantly listening to the Irish version of NSYNC right now (OMG, it is....)
4) I have senioritis
5) I am now tragically poor.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
No school in..........33 days
Amazing joke:
So an Orangeman falls in love with a Catholic woman and realizes that he's a Catholic too. The problem is that he doesn't know about being a Catholic. So he goes to the priest and says "father, I know you have to bapitze me and all, but how do I still know that I'm a Catholic?" and the priest says "whenever you aren't sure, just keep telling yourself 'I'm a Catholic, I'm a Catholic, I'm a Catholic'".
The Orangeman and the Catholic get married. One day, the priest walks into Maire's house and smells something he shouldn't smell on a Friday in Lent. He goes into the kitchen and sees the Orangeman over a huge slab of steak. And the priest asks him "what are you doing eating meat on Friday in Lent?" and the Orangeman says "I'm eating trout, I'm eating trout, I'm eating trout."
Good classic Irish humor. hear it meself on Midwestern Irish radio tonight.
I'm been infected. With senioritis. Shit. I thought I was doing so good avoiding the whole plague, but then I realized I don't care anymore about anything but surviving the rest of the semester. Schitze...
Well, I am almost done with my Greek kids' book. I have like 6 more illustrations to do (maybe I'll do them tonight?) and then I'll be done with ALL the take home work in Greek for the semester.
This week=
1) German test Tuesday
2) FINISH THESIS DRAFT
3) Try to finish HOM resources
4) HOM Readings
5) lab junk
6) Thomas Jefferson award application
7) submit PC app.
8) Finish greek book
9) get ready to go to Deutschland.
So an Orangeman falls in love with a Catholic woman and realizes that he's a Catholic too. The problem is that he doesn't know about being a Catholic. So he goes to the priest and says "father, I know you have to bapitze me and all, but how do I still know that I'm a Catholic?" and the priest says "whenever you aren't sure, just keep telling yourself 'I'm a Catholic, I'm a Catholic, I'm a Catholic'".
The Orangeman and the Catholic get married. One day, the priest walks into Maire's house and smells something he shouldn't smell on a Friday in Lent. He goes into the kitchen and sees the Orangeman over a huge slab of steak. And the priest asks him "what are you doing eating meat on Friday in Lent?" and the Orangeman says "I'm eating trout, I'm eating trout, I'm eating trout."
Good classic Irish humor. hear it meself on Midwestern Irish radio tonight.
I'm been infected. With senioritis. Shit. I thought I was doing so good avoiding the whole plague, but then I realized I don't care anymore about anything but surviving the rest of the semester. Schitze...
Well, I am almost done with my Greek kids' book. I have like 6 more illustrations to do (maybe I'll do them tonight?) and then I'll be done with ALL the take home work in Greek for the semester.
This week=
1) German test Tuesday
2) FINISH THESIS DRAFT
3) Try to finish HOM resources
4) HOM Readings
5) lab junk
6) Thomas Jefferson award application
7) submit PC app.
8) Finish greek book
9) get ready to go to Deutschland.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Five Weeks Left, Gente
So for over 20% of the rest of the semester, I'm going to be on another continent. In one way, that's incredibly exciting, right? I'm not going to be here in the middle of a school semester, going and having fun in Munich (and we're thinking Switzerland too...). I'm freaking out right now about it, because of all the deadlines I have left in the semester. This is everything left, due dates and all:
Greek:
Kid's book (right now worth 10% of grade): Wednesday
Final: Early-ish December
German:
Exam 3
Exam 4
Homework for CH 4
3 more vocab tests
Final Exam
Piano:
Who knows how many more pieces? Maybe ten?
Final
Thesis:
THESIS. Speaking of which, I historically got up to 1688 last night. I need to explain the history of the Jacobite/Williamite conflict, and then I have all the event stuff done. Then it's integrating the rest of my primary sources into my thesis. Due December 9
HoM:
Essay 2 (now due December 11--WOOT!)
FINAL
Ugh. It's too much. I'm going to get all of my Greek done over the next couple of days, and then I'm going to try to have a full draft of my thesis done before I leave for Germany.
I'm kind of tired right now...at work, need to do school work. Will write more laters.
Greek:
Kid's book (right now worth 10% of grade): Wednesday
Final: Early-ish December
German:
Exam 3
Exam 4
Homework for CH 4
3 more vocab tests
Final Exam
Piano:
Who knows how many more pieces? Maybe ten?
Final
Thesis:
THESIS. Speaking of which, I historically got up to 1688 last night. I need to explain the history of the Jacobite/Williamite conflict, and then I have all the event stuff done. Then it's integrating the rest of my primary sources into my thesis. Due December 9
HoM:
Essay 2 (now due December 11--WOOT!)
FINAL
Ugh. It's too much. I'm going to get all of my Greek done over the next couple of days, and then I'm going to try to have a full draft of my thesis done before I leave for Germany.
I'm kind of tired right now...at work, need to do school work. Will write more laters.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Three days and counting...can I make it?
So I have to try to get a rough draft done by Friday...shit. Over the last three days, I've written 27 pages, gotten some pretty good stuff between 1641 and 1649, and some okay stuff for between 1649 and 1660. I have almost all of my English primary source material to add, and I'm realizing that I probably should have more Irish primary sources...especially between 1649 and 1688...
Basically, tomorrow=writing on Ireland 1660-1691 historically speaking and trying to analyze some of the events that happened, why it's 1691 when we really see a unified Irish people and not 1660. I'll try to drag in some more Irish poetry too. My best guess is that I'll have between 10-20 more pages tomorrow...hoffentlich.
The unfortunate thing is that I have a Greek quiz tomorrow too, as well as a MASSIVE amount of staining and running flow on some cells. I've kind of neglected my work for the last couple of weeks, and I think it's high time to get back on the experimentation boat and finish as much as I can in the next 8 weeks before I leave for Ireland (angelic choirs sing). Seriously people, I'm going to IRELAND. Jan 21. Mark it.
Anyways, I have two cell lines that I'm finishing with my notorious four chemos today and tomorrow, leaving me with just TWO cell lines on my four chemos. Then I'll have 80/140 tests done. Sounds like not that much, huh? I have five lines thawed right now, and I'm going to go ahead and do all of those five with my next two drugs, assuming that I can find one of them that was supposedly ordered, but may not have been. I dunno, I've looked all over the lab, and I can't find the goddamn drug. Whatever. I need to be done with these experiments ASAP though. My goal is to be done with 120 tx out of 140 by the time Jan 21 comes around, but my guess is that I'll be closer to 100.
A lot of that will be dependent on how far thesis gets done in the next two weeks. Next week is REALLY going to suck, because I have my HoM paper on Avicenna due (still haven't started it....) and my little kid's book in Greek. Plus, there's a notorious German exam on Tuesday. Basically, if I have any free time Thursday, I'm going to write my sentences and try to come up with some ideas for a kid's book...somehow?
If I can get two of these huge projects out of the way by Saturday, I'll be immensely relieved. If I can get it all done by next Tuesday (doubtful...) then I may explode with happiness.
I ordered two Irish Gaelic books online. The one that I have now assumes that you have some idea about pronunciation, of which I have very little, and also assumes a LOT of vocab knowledge. I know inis=island, go=to, aran=bread, agus=and, atharda=fatherland, and Eireannach=Irishman. I'm starting to get how to conjugate the verb "to be" also, but given my vocabulary knowledge thus far, I would be better off learning "to go". Then I could say something like "Go I (Verb comes first in Irish) go athardha agus inis (of) Eireannach agus aran. Something like that?
I'm so excited about Ireland--if you couldn't tell--that I'm kind of forgetting about Germany, which is in NINE days. Shit.
Thankfully, the dollar gained 1.5 cents on the Euro today. I know these changes seem small, but if I exchange $300 to Euro yesterday, I would have gotten 238 Euro. Tomorrow, it would be 240 Euro.
ugh, right now I hate work and wish I could focus on school. If I could, I would put off all of my classes except Greek, just finish Greek by the end of the week, and then be down to just 12 hours.
Basically, tomorrow=writing on Ireland 1660-1691 historically speaking and trying to analyze some of the events that happened, why it's 1691 when we really see a unified Irish people and not 1660. I'll try to drag in some more Irish poetry too. My best guess is that I'll have between 10-20 more pages tomorrow...hoffentlich.
The unfortunate thing is that I have a Greek quiz tomorrow too, as well as a MASSIVE amount of staining and running flow on some cells. I've kind of neglected my work for the last couple of weeks, and I think it's high time to get back on the experimentation boat and finish as much as I can in the next 8 weeks before I leave for Ireland (angelic choirs sing). Seriously people, I'm going to IRELAND. Jan 21. Mark it.
Anyways, I have two cell lines that I'm finishing with my notorious four chemos today and tomorrow, leaving me with just TWO cell lines on my four chemos. Then I'll have 80/140 tests done. Sounds like not that much, huh? I have five lines thawed right now, and I'm going to go ahead and do all of those five with my next two drugs, assuming that I can find one of them that was supposedly ordered, but may not have been. I dunno, I've looked all over the lab, and I can't find the goddamn drug. Whatever. I need to be done with these experiments ASAP though. My goal is to be done with 120 tx out of 140 by the time Jan 21 comes around, but my guess is that I'll be closer to 100.
A lot of that will be dependent on how far thesis gets done in the next two weeks. Next week is REALLY going to suck, because I have my HoM paper on Avicenna due (still haven't started it....) and my little kid's book in Greek. Plus, there's a notorious German exam on Tuesday. Basically, if I have any free time Thursday, I'm going to write my sentences and try to come up with some ideas for a kid's book...somehow?
If I can get two of these huge projects out of the way by Saturday, I'll be immensely relieved. If I can get it all done by next Tuesday (doubtful...) then I may explode with happiness.
I ordered two Irish Gaelic books online. The one that I have now assumes that you have some idea about pronunciation, of which I have very little, and also assumes a LOT of vocab knowledge. I know inis=island, go=to, aran=bread, agus=and, atharda=fatherland, and Eireannach=Irishman. I'm starting to get how to conjugate the verb "to be" also, but given my vocabulary knowledge thus far, I would be better off learning "to go". Then I could say something like "Go I (Verb comes first in Irish) go athardha agus inis (of) Eireannach agus aran. Something like that?
I'm so excited about Ireland--if you couldn't tell--that I'm kind of forgetting about Germany, which is in NINE days. Shit.
Thankfully, the dollar gained 1.5 cents on the Euro today. I know these changes seem small, but if I exchange $300 to Euro yesterday, I would have gotten 238 Euro. Tomorrow, it would be 240 Euro.
ugh, right now I hate work and wish I could focus on school. If I could, I would put off all of my classes except Greek, just finish Greek by the end of the week, and then be down to just 12 hours.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Headlong into the Night
So basically, these last two weeks before my mini-vacation are going to be the two bitch weeks from hell. This week, I have yet another quiz in Greek, which shouldn't be too terrible, but you never know, then worst of all, I have a complete draft of my thesis due this FRIDAY. So far, I have ab out 10 1/2 pages done, but as I have previously mentioned, I am only through about 1636 ish. Basically, my goal for tomorrow is to finish up the lieutenancy of Thomas Wentworth and include a bit more on Irish poetry before 1641. Then, once I have that done, I'm going to go ahead and put in my background of historical events from 1641-1660. If I have that done before about 12:30, then I'm going to go ahead and work on fundamental changes in English policy in Ireland based on their swelling of paranoia. Then finally, if I get that done, it's onto the Irish view in the same time period. This is the bulk of the thesis---my guess right now is that this is going to be between thirty and forty pages...probably closer to 30. Once that's done, I have the rest of the week to go from 1660 to 1691, which isn't a hell of a lot, and then my conclusion. The final time period is basically a solidification of the lines drawn by 1660, in part because there's absolutely no political power between 1666 and 1688 in Ireland (i.e. Parliament never is called).
I do have to say that this thesis has definitely invigorated my interest in learning Irish. Reading the translated poetry and seeing it right next to the actual Gaelic makes me desperately want to know the language of my ancestors.
So that should be fun. Today I finished up 7-beta in my Greek book, leaving me only two sections (8-alpha and 8-beta) for the rest of the semester, which is about 19 pages in the book, then I have my children's book for that class due next Wednesday. I think that I'm going to spend the time that I have off in the LTC this week working on finishing those things off, thus reducing my load of hours to be concerned about to 12.
Next week I also have my fun fun fun fun fun history of medicine essay #2 due. Speaking of which, I did manage to get a 98% on my first essay for that class, bringing my overall average to about a 95% on about 50% of the course work. I guess that makes cool beans.
I also have a ton of German to do in the next week and a half. Monday right after my LTC tenure is going to be working on getting my Arbeitsheft done for Kaptiel 3 and my lab hour and a half. This next Tuesday is yet another test in that course....
Basically, I have a ton of stress over the next two weeks, and very little time in which to cope with this stress. On top of this, I should mention, is the nagging problem of work. I have 16 cell lines done with 4 chemos, and I would really like to finish all 20 before I leave for Germany next Friday, but right now, I can only guarantee that I'll be done with 18 lines. Suffice it to say, that once I finish all this school stuff, work should be a lot easier to do, especially since I will soon be done with all the distracting stuff. It looks certainly feasible that by the time I leave COS, I'll be done with the damn project.
Well, I'm tired, and going to bed.
I do have to say that this thesis has definitely invigorated my interest in learning Irish. Reading the translated poetry and seeing it right next to the actual Gaelic makes me desperately want to know the language of my ancestors.
So that should be fun. Today I finished up 7-beta in my Greek book, leaving me only two sections (8-alpha and 8-beta) for the rest of the semester, which is about 19 pages in the book, then I have my children's book for that class due next Wednesday. I think that I'm going to spend the time that I have off in the LTC this week working on finishing those things off, thus reducing my load of hours to be concerned about to 12.
Next week I also have my fun fun fun fun fun history of medicine essay #2 due. Speaking of which, I did manage to get a 98% on my first essay for that class, bringing my overall average to about a 95% on about 50% of the course work. I guess that makes cool beans.
I also have a ton of German to do in the next week and a half. Monday right after my LTC tenure is going to be working on getting my Arbeitsheft done for Kaptiel 3 and my lab hour and a half. This next Tuesday is yet another test in that course....
Basically, I have a ton of stress over the next two weeks, and very little time in which to cope with this stress. On top of this, I should mention, is the nagging problem of work. I have 16 cell lines done with 4 chemos, and I would really like to finish all 20 before I leave for Germany next Friday, but right now, I can only guarantee that I'll be done with 18 lines. Suffice it to say, that once I finish all this school stuff, work should be a lot easier to do, especially since I will soon be done with all the distracting stuff. It looks certainly feasible that by the time I leave COS, I'll be done with the damn project.
Well, I'm tired, and going to bed.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Master of Chaotica
Ugh, my life is such chaos right now. There are quite a few reasons for this, but essentially, I have absolutely no clue what the hell I want to do with my life. Given my recent lab frustrations, I've been wondering if science is really what I want to do with the rest of my life. On the one hand, I really like science in and of itself, but I HATE my experience working in a lab. Then, I've been having all kinds of success with history recently, and I absolutely love history.
My current idea right now is that I'm just going to do Peace Corps without the affiliated master's degree, because it's something that I really want to do.
Then, I think I'll get master's in both history and a science, at which point I should know which path I want to follow. Whichever one I choose, I'll get the Ph.D. in.
Making life decisions is so frustrating.
Speaking of frustrating, I did want to wonder why people are still talking about the elections. My God, we just ended two years of non-stop campaigning, and people STILL want to talk about the voting? I mean, this morning, I heard on the radio someone putting forth ideas for who should run against Obama in 2012. Seriously? Have the last two years so changed things that we now have to campaign non stop?
If you're that interested in politics, keep your eyes on 2010 for the following 3 reasons:
1. Single party rule almost NEVER lasts more than two years. Americans hate the idea of unrestricted government historically, especially since the end of Roosevelt's administration. Divided government works, because it's inherently self-opposed.
2. While the Republicans have more Senate seats to defend in 2010, their seats are generally more secure. In fact, looking ahead, the only contentious seats will probably be Illinois (special reelections do NOT list candidates by party), Colorado (assuming the Republicans can put forward a non-psycho for a change), and Florida.
3. The 2010 census is again going to rip all kinds of house and electoral seats out of the northeast again, and transfer them to western and southern states. Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona are in line to pick up at least one seat each, while New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts can all lose seats. The reapportionment of congressional seats will in the long term hurt Democrats as electoral votes shift away from reliable democratic states to more conservative states.
By the way, it is neither the end of the world nor is it the dawning of a new era of history. This election is nowhere near as significant as ones like 1800, 1844, and 1860. If you want that kind of talk, read some history books. At best, this election will have a moral victory, in knowing that we aren't all a bunch of racist bastards (implicates Europeans, by the way, who by and large are far more racist than we are...). No matter who won, there is not going to be any monumental change in the next four years.
My current idea right now is that I'm just going to do Peace Corps without the affiliated master's degree, because it's something that I really want to do.
Then, I think I'll get master's in both history and a science, at which point I should know which path I want to follow. Whichever one I choose, I'll get the Ph.D. in.
Making life decisions is so frustrating.
Speaking of frustrating, I did want to wonder why people are still talking about the elections. My God, we just ended two years of non-stop campaigning, and people STILL want to talk about the voting? I mean, this morning, I heard on the radio someone putting forth ideas for who should run against Obama in 2012. Seriously? Have the last two years so changed things that we now have to campaign non stop?
If you're that interested in politics, keep your eyes on 2010 for the following 3 reasons:
1. Single party rule almost NEVER lasts more than two years. Americans hate the idea of unrestricted government historically, especially since the end of Roosevelt's administration. Divided government works, because it's inherently self-opposed.
2. While the Republicans have more Senate seats to defend in 2010, their seats are generally more secure. In fact, looking ahead, the only contentious seats will probably be Illinois (special reelections do NOT list candidates by party), Colorado (assuming the Republicans can put forward a non-psycho for a change), and Florida.
3. The 2010 census is again going to rip all kinds of house and electoral seats out of the northeast again, and transfer them to western and southern states. Utah, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona are in line to pick up at least one seat each, while New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts can all lose seats. The reapportionment of congressional seats will in the long term hurt Democrats as electoral votes shift away from reliable democratic states to more conservative states.
By the way, it is neither the end of the world nor is it the dawning of a new era of history. This election is nowhere near as significant as ones like 1800, 1844, and 1860. If you want that kind of talk, read some history books. At best, this election will have a moral victory, in knowing that we aren't all a bunch of racist bastards (implicates Europeans, by the way, who by and large are far more racist than we are...). No matter who won, there is not going to be any monumental change in the next four years.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Desperate, Tortured, and Bewildered
Shit. So I just finished the first season of The Tudors, and despite several grossly inaccurate historical events (Cardinal Wolsey did NOT commit suicide), the series is totally amazing for its entertainment value.
Prudish people would hate it because there's so much sex in the first season that it's hilarious, especially since the women get stripped down to nothing and the men normally take nothing off (I'm still trying to figure out how that's possible). But yeah, the rampant sex is hilarious. Especially when in the next scene Henry gets proclaimed a defender of the faith. I'm also a huge fan of knowing the history, especially with Anne Boleyn almost there on the getting married part, I know that Thomas More is finally going to get his head whacked. I actually hate him historically and fictitiously. He has this smug arrogance and absurd level of piety that is actually incredibly bizarre at this time. While I get why humanists were so revered, I also understand why they were universally loathed.
The unfortunate thing is that season two doesn't come out until December 30!!!! Damn. I have to wait that long for rampant sex, tons of gore, and the occassional historical fact thrown in???
Besides that, I am now only three sections away from finishing all of the material I'm supposed to learn in Greek this semester.
I also have about half of my history of medicine test done. I have my thesis set for my long essay and I know what sources I'm going to use.
That's tomorrow. Also to be done is that gdf outline....
But, alas.
Prudish people would hate it because there's so much sex in the first season that it's hilarious, especially since the women get stripped down to nothing and the men normally take nothing off (I'm still trying to figure out how that's possible). But yeah, the rampant sex is hilarious. Especially when in the next scene Henry gets proclaimed a defender of the faith. I'm also a huge fan of knowing the history, especially with Anne Boleyn almost there on the getting married part, I know that Thomas More is finally going to get his head whacked. I actually hate him historically and fictitiously. He has this smug arrogance and absurd level of piety that is actually incredibly bizarre at this time. While I get why humanists were so revered, I also understand why they were universally loathed.
The unfortunate thing is that season two doesn't come out until December 30!!!! Damn. I have to wait that long for rampant sex, tons of gore, and the occassional historical fact thrown in???
Besides that, I am now only three sections away from finishing all of the material I'm supposed to learn in Greek this semester.
I also have about half of my history of medicine test done. I have my thesis set for my long essay and I know what sources I'm going to use.
That's tomorrow. Also to be done is that gdf outline....
But, alas.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Issues, Torment, and Stress
Between now and Wednesday, my life is hell, for a variety of reasons.
Again, the whole only parent who isn't a parent at home thing is stressful. While it's really fulfilling to help my sister with her school stuff, to have carved a pumpkin with her tonight (my first time ever doing it...goddamn stringy things), and hoffentlich to be able to go to Woodland Park with her this weekend (Donut Mill excursion and a short scenic drive), it's really stressful. I'm spending hours doing math homework with her when I have a stack of thesis books waiting on me. Between her, my job, my school, and the whole family stress thing going on with my grandfather dying after a LONG bout with dimensia (actually, the stress isn't him actually dying, we're all kind of relieved, honestly, it's what we're going to do with my grandmother and her Alzheimers...what kind of support is she going to have? etc.), I'm burnt out. And I have 50 days between now and when school gets out.
One slightly less stressing thing: I've paid off my plane ticket to Munich.
That's definitely one thing I've learned. My grandfather died yesterday with $500,000 to his name. Fortunately, it's enough to support my grandmother for up to eleven years, but I seriously doubt she'll live much more than five--she might even die pretty quickly, he was her life. I can't imagine all the experiences that they missed together with that much money. They could have seen the world ten times over, but they didn't. They stayed in the same home for 40 years, only traveling to see family, to go to Hawaii three times (which was forced on them), aand maybe one trip to Tennessee. Granted, being in WWII, they both got to go to the South Pacific and France, but they never really did much. After his heart surgery in 2000, they slowly stopped living. I would really say that by 2004, they stopped LIVING. Sure, they existed in the routine of sameness, but they stopped doing the things they used to do, like volunteering at hospitals and church, going to senior meetings, etc.
That's what killed him. She's going to die of Alzheimers and loneliness, but they missed so much opportunity at life.
I'm not going to let that happen to me. I know I'm spending all kinds of money I don't have on going to Munich in November and Ireland in January to February. I know I'm wasting all kinds of time on scientific research by going into the Peace Corps and getting masters degree(s?) in international studies (and maybe history?). Chances are pretty good that I'll take another trip I can't afford in May or June. But goddammit, I want to say I lived. I've left Colorado twice in the last five years, never for enjoyment.
In the meanwhile though, I have to suffer through the monotony.
Good things that have happened:
1. I DID finish that history of medicine and my 10 pages of thesis
2. I got a 103% on a German test for which I didn't even study
3. I am ALMOST done with my thesis research
4. I've gotten This Land is Your Land down on piano with broken chords, albeit slowly playing it, and I'm almost there on Silent Night and the Forty Finger Ensemble.
5. I picked my courses for this semester:
GER 102: German II
FR 212: French IV
P AD 5285: Health Policy
PHIL 950: Independent Study, philosophy
P AD 5001: Intro to Public Admin.
6. Did I mention I ALMOST have my Munich plane trip paid off?
7. Did I mention that I leave for Munich in three weeks?????
BAD THINGS:
1. Oh, my history of medicine never ceases, with another take home exam due on Tuesday, my outline and biblio for my second paper due on Tuesday, and a ton of reading.
2. Thesis.....I only have 10 pages done, I'm only up to about 1630 in my work, and I need to get to about 1690.
3. Languages: I really am not devoting the time I should be to these
4. Housework: Holy Shit. I have some cleaning to do this weekend.
5. I am so damn tired. I may go to bed soon, if the pot of coffee I just drank doesn't fuck me up.
Again, the whole only parent who isn't a parent at home thing is stressful. While it's really fulfilling to help my sister with her school stuff, to have carved a pumpkin with her tonight (my first time ever doing it...goddamn stringy things), and hoffentlich to be able to go to Woodland Park with her this weekend (Donut Mill excursion and a short scenic drive), it's really stressful. I'm spending hours doing math homework with her when I have a stack of thesis books waiting on me. Between her, my job, my school, and the whole family stress thing going on with my grandfather dying after a LONG bout with dimensia (actually, the stress isn't him actually dying, we're all kind of relieved, honestly, it's what we're going to do with my grandmother and her Alzheimers...what kind of support is she going to have? etc.), I'm burnt out. And I have 50 days between now and when school gets out.
One slightly less stressing thing: I've paid off my plane ticket to Munich.
That's definitely one thing I've learned. My grandfather died yesterday with $500,000 to his name. Fortunately, it's enough to support my grandmother for up to eleven years, but I seriously doubt she'll live much more than five--she might even die pretty quickly, he was her life. I can't imagine all the experiences that they missed together with that much money. They could have seen the world ten times over, but they didn't. They stayed in the same home for 40 years, only traveling to see family, to go to Hawaii three times (which was forced on them), aand maybe one trip to Tennessee. Granted, being in WWII, they both got to go to the South Pacific and France, but they never really did much. After his heart surgery in 2000, they slowly stopped living. I would really say that by 2004, they stopped LIVING. Sure, they existed in the routine of sameness, but they stopped doing the things they used to do, like volunteering at hospitals and church, going to senior meetings, etc.
That's what killed him. She's going to die of Alzheimers and loneliness, but they missed so much opportunity at life.
I'm not going to let that happen to me. I know I'm spending all kinds of money I don't have on going to Munich in November and Ireland in January to February. I know I'm wasting all kinds of time on scientific research by going into the Peace Corps and getting masters degree(s?) in international studies (and maybe history?). Chances are pretty good that I'll take another trip I can't afford in May or June. But goddammit, I want to say I lived. I've left Colorado twice in the last five years, never for enjoyment.
In the meanwhile though, I have to suffer through the monotony.
Good things that have happened:
1. I DID finish that history of medicine and my 10 pages of thesis
2. I got a 103% on a German test for which I didn't even study
3. I am ALMOST done with my thesis research
4. I've gotten This Land is Your Land down on piano with broken chords, albeit slowly playing it, and I'm almost there on Silent Night and the Forty Finger Ensemble.
5. I picked my courses for this semester:
GER 102: German II
FR 212: French IV
P AD 5285: Health Policy
PHIL 950: Independent Study, philosophy
P AD 5001: Intro to Public Admin.
6. Did I mention I ALMOST have my Munich plane trip paid off?
7. Did I mention that I leave for Munich in three weeks?????
BAD THINGS:
1. Oh, my history of medicine never ceases, with another take home exam due on Tuesday, my outline and biblio for my second paper due on Tuesday, and a ton of reading.
2. Thesis.....I only have 10 pages done, I'm only up to about 1630 in my work, and I need to get to about 1690.
3. Languages: I really am not devoting the time I should be to these
4. Housework: Holy Shit. I have some cleaning to do this weekend.
5. I am so damn tired. I may go to bed soon, if the pot of coffee I just drank doesn't fuck me up.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
In how many ways can a fire burn??
This week has been all about stress management and barely making deadlines meet. This is, in part, not entirely my fault, for reasons that I don't really care to discuss in this forum and, part, it is entirely my fault. In the end, both are based in biology and are completely unwanted situations right now.
So Tuesday, I barely manage to turn in my history essay on Arrowsmith (terrible book, ne le lirez pas) in any kind of cognizable condition. Today, I get my 10 pages of my thesis (I only needed 6, so I am a little ahead of the game) turned in at 4:30, and it's due by 6:30. by the way, I do have a rant on this. So, I make reference to James I of England and Ireland in my paper. However, I mention it like this:
With the accession of the Scottish king, James I(1), to the English and Irish crowns, one monarch ruled over the three kingdoms of the British Isles.
(1) In this paper, I refer to Stuart monarchs by their English and Irish titles, as opposed to their Scottish titles (e.g. James VI) or their Anglo-Scottish titles (James VI/I).
For those of you who read this, do you understand what I mean? My thesis partner sent me an email twenty minutes later slamming me, saying that this was totally incomprehensible and that I basically don't know history. I don't know if it's just that he's an idiot, or if what I'm saying makes no sense. I am definitely leaning to towards the former option, probably because my professor and I had to spend three weeks convincing him that the English Civil Wars were not fought between Catholics and Protestants....
Whatever.
Anyways, next week is loads of more fun, with absolute loads of History of Medicine to do, such as an outline/bibliography for my second paper (due November 20) and a take home exam due on Tuesday, both of which are worth 10% of my grade. That class definitely makes me want to drink absinthe, however, my grades have remarkedly improved, and I now have a slightly more solid A in the course. If I get solid B's on the test and the essay, still have an A- in the course.
I also have a German and a Greek quiz, and no doubt a million piano pieces to learn.
Finally, I'm playing 'stay at home, part time working, single parent' this week. Not at all fun.
So Tuesday, I barely manage to turn in my history essay on Arrowsmith (terrible book, ne le lirez pas) in any kind of cognizable condition. Today, I get my 10 pages of my thesis (I only needed 6, so I am a little ahead of the game) turned in at 4:30, and it's due by 6:30. by the way, I do have a rant on this. So, I make reference to James I of England and Ireland in my paper. However, I mention it like this:
With the accession of the Scottish king, James I(1), to the English and Irish crowns, one monarch ruled over the three kingdoms of the British Isles.
(1) In this paper, I refer to Stuart monarchs by their English and Irish titles, as opposed to their Scottish titles (e.g. James VI) or their Anglo-Scottish titles (James VI/I).
For those of you who read this, do you understand what I mean? My thesis partner sent me an email twenty minutes later slamming me, saying that this was totally incomprehensible and that I basically don't know history. I don't know if it's just that he's an idiot, or if what I'm saying makes no sense. I am definitely leaning to towards the former option, probably because my professor and I had to spend three weeks convincing him that the English Civil Wars were not fought between Catholics and Protestants....
Whatever.
Anyways, next week is loads of more fun, with absolute loads of History of Medicine to do, such as an outline/bibliography for my second paper (due November 20) and a take home exam due on Tuesday, both of which are worth 10% of my grade. That class definitely makes me want to drink absinthe, however, my grades have remarkedly improved, and I now have a slightly more solid A in the course. If I get solid B's on the test and the essay, still have an A- in the course.
I also have a German and a Greek quiz, and no doubt a million piano pieces to learn.
Finally, I'm playing 'stay at home, part time working, single parent' this week. Not at all fun.
Friday, October 24, 2008
In the beginning stages of collapse
Ok, I'll admit it. I think I succeeded. I've finally gotten to the point where my life stress has overwhelmed my ability to counter it. My body and my mind are just giving up right now, and I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to hit rock bottom and bounce back in time to finish the semester in style. Actually, I don't know how I'm supposed to be able to finish all my apps to grad school and Peace Corps at this rate. I have like two essays to write for each, and I just cannot bring myself to finish them.
This weekend, I have to write 5-6 pages for my thesis. Not terrible, considering I probably have 2 already (or whatever). I turned in an outline today on the thing, and it wasn't great, but whatever.
I also have to write a prospectus for my paper on Avicenna for History of Medicine (my current 'let's kill Ray' course) by Sunday. Then I have my fun fun fun Arrowsmith essay due on Tuesday, on which I KNOW I will not do well. On top of that, there's a German test that same day.
The good news thus far is:
1) I got over 100% on my midterm in music.
2) I got over 100% on my midterm in Greek.
3) My biochem professor wants me to apply for the CU system-wide Thomas Jefferson award. From what I understand, it's the most prestigious award available to a student in the CU system.
Guess what my current history of medicine grade is? It's on the BARELY an A level right now, which leaves me at all A's.
I'm going to bed. My head hurts.
This weekend, I have to write 5-6 pages for my thesis. Not terrible, considering I probably have 2 already (or whatever). I turned in an outline today on the thing, and it wasn't great, but whatever.
I also have to write a prospectus for my paper on Avicenna for History of Medicine (my current 'let's kill Ray' course) by Sunday. Then I have my fun fun fun Arrowsmith essay due on Tuesday, on which I KNOW I will not do well. On top of that, there's a German test that same day.
The good news thus far is:
1) I got over 100% on my midterm in music.
2) I got over 100% on my midterm in Greek.
3) My biochem professor wants me to apply for the CU system-wide Thomas Jefferson award. From what I understand, it's the most prestigious award available to a student in the CU system.
Guess what my current history of medicine grade is? It's on the BARELY an A level right now, which leaves me at all A's.
I'm going to bed. My head hurts.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Only you can prevent forest fires
by not procrastinating. Sigh....unfortunately, procrastination right now is my best bet. I must say with some delight that by this time at the end of the week, I'll be done with at least 15 cell lines on 4 chemos and that by the end of next week, I should be done with 19 or 20 cell lines with 4 chemos. That would leave 20 cells lines and 3 chemos left, one of which currently doesn't exist in lab stock, so that's weird.
I have so much school work to do, it's not even funny. As soon as I put out one fire, another one crops up. I finished my annotated biblio last week, and then I got hammered this weekend with Greek, German, and Hist. of Med. I've got an outline for my thesis due Friday, and an essay due on Tuesday in hist of med on that goddamn book. It's going to be worth like 10% of my grade, but every little bit counts....
Frankly, I'm ok with getting an A- in that class (he says lyingly). I just want the next 60 days to go by so fast (it's two months left as of yesterday), it's not even funny. Well, maybe the next 30 days. I do want to have fun in Munich in November.
Speaking of which, I'M POOR.
I have so much school work to do, it's not even funny. As soon as I put out one fire, another one crops up. I finished my annotated biblio last week, and then I got hammered this weekend with Greek, German, and Hist. of Med. I've got an outline for my thesis due Friday, and an essay due on Tuesday in hist of med on that goddamn book. It's going to be worth like 10% of my grade, but every little bit counts....
Frankly, I'm ok with getting an A- in that class (he says lyingly). I just want the next 60 days to go by so fast (it's two months left as of yesterday), it's not even funny. Well, maybe the next 30 days. I do want to have fun in Munich in November.
Speaking of which, I'M POOR.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Week of Hell, the Second
Omg. This has been the WORST week possible, not only of this semester, but of the entire year. Well, the week I had the flu was probably a little worse, but this one has just been awful. Things that have really sucked this week include:
1. My annotated bibliography. I worked at least 40 hours this week on it, going to bed at 2 AM every night this week to get it done.
2. The ridiculous amount of lab work that I have to do. Basically, I'm on this huge pusch to finish all of my research on my first four chemos before Thanksgiving. As of tomorrow, I'll be at 70% of my metabolic studies and 60% of my cell surface studies. This next week is going to suck even more, as I have 180 samples on Monday to run, probably 144 on Tuesday, 120 more on Wednesday, 120 more on Friday, and again, 120 more on Saturday. That will put me at 85% completion on both studies.
3. The total lack of payment for my work. I had been promised a pay-raise at the beginning of the summer of over 2 dollars an hour. I got 34 cents (university mandated funding, not altruistic at all). It looks increasingly likely that I will be paid nothing for the lab that I'm helping to teach. I love how promises of pay turn into volunteer positions.
4. History of medicine is looming.
5. I put myself into a ridiculous amount of debt...because on top of my trip to Ireland in Januray, and my family trip to Death Valley in December, I decided to go visit my cousin in Munich over Thanksgiving. I paid off about $400 of my $900 that I now owe on my credit card for this plane ticket. My rationalization? I need to have these huge debts that I pay off so that I can get student loans....right.
Course schedules came out at UCCS today. My current leanings include:
P AD 5001: Intro to Public Administration
P AD 5615: Health Policy
P AD 5004: Research and Analytic Methods (UWY requires one of these courses)
BIOL 541: Virology
GER 102: German II (PPCC?)
GRK 102: Greek II
I desperately want to take Medieval England too....maybe the professor will let me sit in on the class for free?
Ugh. Too much.
1. My annotated bibliography. I worked at least 40 hours this week on it, going to bed at 2 AM every night this week to get it done.
2. The ridiculous amount of lab work that I have to do. Basically, I'm on this huge pusch to finish all of my research on my first four chemos before Thanksgiving. As of tomorrow, I'll be at 70% of my metabolic studies and 60% of my cell surface studies. This next week is going to suck even more, as I have 180 samples on Monday to run, probably 144 on Tuesday, 120 more on Wednesday, 120 more on Friday, and again, 120 more on Saturday. That will put me at 85% completion on both studies.
3. The total lack of payment for my work. I had been promised a pay-raise at the beginning of the summer of over 2 dollars an hour. I got 34 cents (university mandated funding, not altruistic at all). It looks increasingly likely that I will be paid nothing for the lab that I'm helping to teach. I love how promises of pay turn into volunteer positions.
4. History of medicine is looming.
5. I put myself into a ridiculous amount of debt...because on top of my trip to Ireland in Januray, and my family trip to Death Valley in December, I decided to go visit my cousin in Munich over Thanksgiving. I paid off about $400 of my $900 that I now owe on my credit card for this plane ticket. My rationalization? I need to have these huge debts that I pay off so that I can get student loans....right.
Course schedules came out at UCCS today. My current leanings include:
P AD 5001: Intro to Public Administration
P AD 5615: Health Policy
P AD 5004: Research and Analytic Methods (UWY requires one of these courses)
BIOL 541: Virology
GER 102: German II (PPCC?)
GRK 102: Greek II
I desperately want to take Medieval England too....maybe the professor will let me sit in on the class for free?
Ugh. Too much.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Week of Hell: Part One
This coming week is going to probably be my worst so far this semester, despite the history test of earlier in the semester. Why? Well, first off, my annotated bibliography is due this Friday in my thesis class and I don't have the kind of research done that I should have done, thanks to all of my other classes, especially history of medicine. I basically have 6 more books to read and about 40 articles between now and then and then I have to write something about how all of those are supposed to contribute to my paper.
On top of that, I have a lot of work security issues going on, that I probably shouldn't talk about online because I don't know if people from there read this somehow. Basically, I've come to the conclusion that it's best to get as many hours in as possible as soon as possible because I sense an axe in my future. To that end, I now have 96 out of 280 total tests done in the lab, and I have another 32 in progress as of this time tomorrow. I've learned that when it comes to things happening in the lab, I'm one of those people who only should know something on an absolutely necessary basis. The lab in which I work is also always subject to item theft--not as in some outside person taking things, but other people in the lab take stuff from where I work down the hall. I've taken to hiding resources in my part of the lab so that other people can't find them, and then if I'm there and they ask, I'll just say I don't know and that someone else took whatever it is that they are looking for.
Finally, my biochemistry is killing me...I'm supposed to have a draft of my article done by tomorrow and I think that'll take a good few hours tomorrow at the least. Fortunately, we have the method and intro sections done, I just need to finish up the discussion and implications and future directions of research.
The fortunate thing is that all of these things are not make or break. Keep in mind that 80% of my history grade is determined by my final product, and I'm not as obsessed with getting all A's as I once was.
Tomorrow is basically going to be a sequester day with me going into the lab, finishing up some work for Sunday thru Tuesday, then pounding out research for my thesis like crazy and finishing that biochem draft.
On top of that, I have a lot of work security issues going on, that I probably shouldn't talk about online because I don't know if people from there read this somehow. Basically, I've come to the conclusion that it's best to get as many hours in as possible as soon as possible because I sense an axe in my future. To that end, I now have 96 out of 280 total tests done in the lab, and I have another 32 in progress as of this time tomorrow. I've learned that when it comes to things happening in the lab, I'm one of those people who only should know something on an absolutely necessary basis. The lab in which I work is also always subject to item theft--not as in some outside person taking things, but other people in the lab take stuff from where I work down the hall. I've taken to hiding resources in my part of the lab so that other people can't find them, and then if I'm there and they ask, I'll just say I don't know and that someone else took whatever it is that they are looking for.
Finally, my biochemistry is killing me...I'm supposed to have a draft of my article done by tomorrow and I think that'll take a good few hours tomorrow at the least. Fortunately, we have the method and intro sections done, I just need to finish up the discussion and implications and future directions of research.
The fortunate thing is that all of these things are not make or break. Keep in mind that 80% of my history grade is determined by my final product, and I'm not as obsessed with getting all A's as I once was.
Tomorrow is basically going to be a sequester day with me going into the lab, finishing up some work for Sunday thru Tuesday, then pounding out research for my thesis like crazy and finishing that biochem draft.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Late posts=short posts
It's 11 PM, and I want to post something, but I am le tired. Sort of...I had tea and chocolate not too long ago, so I'm kind of in this delerium.
Good notes/Bad notes/notes:
I decided to actually vote on US House and Senate. I went American Constitution. How will the major parties not realize that people like me are sick of them if I don't cast my votes for third party candidates? I'll talk more about this on my other blog when I also preview this Saturday's big matches in football. I also did decide to abstain on Amendment 48 because there is no "sort of" vote.
I got a 94% on that bugger of a history test. I dunno how I am supposed to feel about it. μεν I probably got the highest score in the class, and it is an A, δε I still think that for all the work I did and for how little time she gave us to do it, I should have gotten higher. The really disturbing thing in that class is how content people are with their grades. From my basic surveys, I'm the closest person to an A (I'm sitting at high A- [like a 92 I think]) right now. The vast majority of people are ok with getting C's and B's. I dunno. When was it ok for us to go and say that C is good enough? I mean, people in other countries commit suicide over C's. (I almost did over a B+ on a quarter grade--long story). In the US, a C gets Joe Six Pack (well, in college it's more like 12, isn't it?) the EXACT SAME DEGREE that I get, after having worked all of these years to get nothing but the best.
All of this is why Greek is so comforting to me right now. It's like this safe haven where the pressure's off of me to perform, because langauges are natural to me.
I'll tell you, it's not possible, I think to do 4 jobs and 16 credit hours. I'm more stressed this semester than I have been any other semester of my life. I wish I would have taken Ottoman Empire or something like that....
I've come to the decision that I hate religion. All of them, perhaps because of my incredible skepticism of any kind of authority figure, as well as the constant pressure to have financial contributions to things you frankly don't care about, and the insistence that someone else knows what is better for a soul that quite frankly probably doesn't exist than you, the supposed proprietor of said soul, do. And by the way, I don't believe in all of that 'spirituality' and 'mysticism' stuff. As my Greek friends would say: "Ειναι εστι πoνειν".
I hate politics for said reasons. I find myself increasingly frustrated with one-issue voters, because everything ties back to this one thing that hinges on the fate of America or whatever. If the only reason to vote is to 1) put an African-American/woman in office, 2) to stop the war in Iraq, 3) to stop homosexual marriages/abortions/whatever social issue, 4) to get some financial benefit, then it's a wasted vote. Vote on the goddamn amendments that apply to your issue and don't vote for the rest.
Ok, my rant against college students is over.
Good notes/Bad notes/notes:
I decided to actually vote on US House and Senate. I went American Constitution. How will the major parties not realize that people like me are sick of them if I don't cast my votes for third party candidates? I'll talk more about this on my other blog when I also preview this Saturday's big matches in football. I also did decide to abstain on Amendment 48 because there is no "sort of" vote.
I got a 94% on that bugger of a history test. I dunno how I am supposed to feel about it. μεν I probably got the highest score in the class, and it is an A, δε I still think that for all the work I did and for how little time she gave us to do it, I should have gotten higher. The really disturbing thing in that class is how content people are with their grades. From my basic surveys, I'm the closest person to an A (I'm sitting at high A- [like a 92 I think]) right now. The vast majority of people are ok with getting C's and B's. I dunno. When was it ok for us to go and say that C is good enough? I mean, people in other countries commit suicide over C's. (I almost did over a B+ on a quarter grade--long story). In the US, a C gets Joe Six Pack (well, in college it's more like 12, isn't it?) the EXACT SAME DEGREE that I get, after having worked all of these years to get nothing but the best.
All of this is why Greek is so comforting to me right now. It's like this safe haven where the pressure's off of me to perform, because langauges are natural to me.
I'll tell you, it's not possible, I think to do 4 jobs and 16 credit hours. I'm more stressed this semester than I have been any other semester of my life. I wish I would have taken Ottoman Empire or something like that....
I've come to the decision that I hate religion. All of them, perhaps because of my incredible skepticism of any kind of authority figure, as well as the constant pressure to have financial contributions to things you frankly don't care about, and the insistence that someone else knows what is better for a soul that quite frankly probably doesn't exist than you, the supposed proprietor of said soul, do. And by the way, I don't believe in all of that 'spirituality' and 'mysticism' stuff. As my Greek friends would say: "Ειναι εστι πoνειν".
I hate politics for said reasons. I find myself increasingly frustrated with one-issue voters, because everything ties back to this one thing that hinges on the fate of America or whatever. If the only reason to vote is to 1) put an African-American/woman in office, 2) to stop the war in Iraq, 3) to stop homosexual marriages/abortions/whatever social issue, 4) to get some financial benefit, then it's a wasted vote. Vote on the goddamn amendments that apply to your issue and don't vote for the rest.
Ok, my rant against college students is over.
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