Now that I am really, really, nearing the end of my time at UT I am already turning my eye towards WHAT ELSE I CAN LEARN NOW. I did the smart thing and went for something I thought would be moderately useful, and it will be. But NOW what will I do? Well, just as I suggested that Casey learn about Automotive Technology once he's done getting his degree I have a list of things I want to learn. Tied for being the first thing I want to go after is an associates degree in ACC's Interpreter Preparation Program or Education. The rest are listed in alphabetical order:

Anthropology - I loved physical anthropology when I took it in college. I like this kind of scientific history.

Art - You all know it - I love making things. This would force me to do so, and I would enjoy every minute of it - unless there was foam core.

Creative Writing - I need work here. The personal narrative and I get along quite well, it is fiction and academic writing that usually stump me. What I was to work on that!

Culinary Arts - I love food. I would like to be able to do more with it.

Dance - My big sister got to be the ballerina. I want a piece of the graceful, rhythmic action.

Geology - I LOVE ROCKS. I had fantasies involving plate tectonics when I took this course my freshman year. I learned more last semester with Oceanography. Hooray Rocks!

Health & Kinesiology - Well, if I am going to go for dance I may as well try for coach or aerobics instructor too. Plus, I find fitness, health, and nutrition really fascinating. Blame it on being a vegetarian athlete (only a tiny, tiny, bit- but I do like to research how a rider's fitness affects elements of equine sports).

History - My brother studied History. I have never been very good at it, and I have never understood why. It is something I would like to know and be good at. I mean, especially if I am going to know, and be good at, everything else!

Jewelery - see "Art."

Music - I miss singing and sight reading. I'd like to be able to add piano to my list, and I'd like to improve my understanding of sheet music. I always just followed the notes instead of reading them.

Personal Fitness Trainer - see "Health & Kinesiology." Plus, I may be able to improve my ability to give riding lessons. And, if I've made it this far down on my list I'll be a very active person, and this will only make sense.

Photography: People - portrait focus - Who do you know with a blog who doesn't also like to take pictures? Yeah.

Radio - Television - Film - Because I couldn't get into the college of communications at UT. I think that my Scandinavian film class makes me a good candidate.

Sociology - I liked Sociology a lot in college. In some of my education courses we very lightly touched on various sociological viewpoints.. Much like History it is something that I want to understand and be good at.

Art Metals - see "Art." Plus, what girl doesn't want to learn to weld?

I think that these will keep me occupied for the rest of my life, but won't I be smart? The nice part is that some of the classes I had at UT will apply, and many of them require the same courses, so I will be able to get to the good stuff quickly. Who knows, maybe with that sort of advantage, it would only take me 20 years.

And the silly part is that I really want to try and do it. I guess I'll go and see an advisor in the fall about resuming the interpreting program. I need to retake at least one sign language course to regain my fluency and memory. Otherwise, I have already fulfilled many of the requirements. Woo-Hoo!

I think that I have failed to mention that despite how tedious it is, I genuinely like The Canterbury Tales.

Just "Submit"

I have been at the University Co-op's website for over an hour, ordering graduation announcements and Bachelor regalia.

I finished putting in all of the information 45 minutes ago. I have checked it six or seven times, how incredibly stupid would I look if I had a typo or misspelling on my announcements? I called my father twice to make sure I should put certain tidbits in like my middle name, and "Do I have to have it say, 'Saturday, May 19, 2007' or should it just say, 'May 19, 2007?'"

I never thought that I would see THIS part as such a big deal. I am excited and nervous AND SO FREAKED-OUT!

I feel the semester creepin' in

MWF - 9-10am Individual Learning Styles
TTh - 9:30-11am Chaucer
(Enough time to finish all of my homework?)
3:30-5pm Contemporary Short Fiction

This is it. I am entering my final semester at UT. Holyfuckingshit!
I haven't quite wrapped my mind around it yet, I probably won't until I have to get a job. I know it is going to fly by. With only 3 classes it shouldn't be too hard to bust ass and do well.

Yikes!

So this is what last week felt like:

It's better now.

A Break in the Clouds -

Well, sort of.

Things sure did get worse before they got any better. Specifically, the wreck I had Sunday after work. I HAD been on my way to school to study. What do you do after a wreck on a Sunday afternoon? Get really drunk.

Next time I really need a reminder that my "awake meds" totally negate my Irish blood, and I cannot drink as much as I think I can.

Summary of wreck:
While I was heading South on Guadalupe a woman going the other direction decided to turn left while at an unprotected light. Our two vehicles became intimate.

From the right lane I check to make sure that my vehicle is still drivable, and tell her I am going to pull into the next parking lot.

After finding my purse in the mess on the floor-boards I walk back to the intersection to realize she is gone.

I call in the hit and run. So does she - down the street. Enter witness: She tells me that I did in fact have the right of way and offers her help. She had an adorable dog in her truck.

Cop brings lady back and her "statement" is so full of bull shit that I decide it's best if I avoid interaction. I am liable to use my fists.

Her husband later comes up to me and says, "I heard her side of the story, but I want to know what happened." Always a sign of a good relationship.

In the end I called my witness and she came back, with the cute dog. Woman got two tickets - driving without her licence, and failure to yield to traffic.

Poor Deuce, she looks like Grubb now.

Hooray for insurance BS now.

The good part? I got an 80 on that quiz. Hey, it's something.

to make a bad day worse -

I really tried to be positive today despite my early early-morning panic.

At the end of the day it just isn't working for me.

I was 10 minutes late to class, but that is only five minutes later than the professor, so I wasn't too shook up about it. I was giving a presentation in class, but I had mailed my outline to the kid putting it in power point, so I was set.
Only, it didn't work out that way. Less than a fifth of what I needed made it into the power point. So, I get to look like the idiot? Partially my fault - I should have printed out my outline. I guess I was just being optimistic.

Big paper due in 2nd class - not finished. No worries, I went to the lab to work on it.

Still not finished when it came time for the quiz in the 3rd class . No time to do a once-over on the notes again ... What year WAS the UNCED Earth Summit on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro?

1992. That's what I wanted to put. I only had to answer 10 of the 12 questions, so I skipped it. Now I wish I hadn't.

They watched a movie, I snuck out. It's great that the lecture hall bathroom also has a door that leads outside. GREAT!

Back to the Library.. let's see it's 11:30, I'll just hang out here in the computer lab until... 4:45. Crap, time for work.

So this bitch in a Taurus parked where no space exists behind me and blocked me in. Trust me, I tried to get out quite a few times before I was successful. I bumped the Lexus next to me in the process. I should have just plowed her Taurus. It was her fault and a the car was a P.O.S. Problem is, I like my back bumper too much. I called UTPD instead, hopefully the Taurus will get the boot! In the end, a guy helped guide me out after I pulled up 'close like a lover' to the SUV parked next to me. I had an inch and a half to get past her.

Guess who was almost out of gas?
One try.

Ooh, ooh - here is a good one - Guess who was late for work?
Right-O.

Guess who has a tire that has ridiculously low air?
That's a tricky one, huh?

This isn't even all of it!
Can you imagine what my day would have been like if I hadn't been positive as long as possible? I mean, I deserve credit for making it until almost 5pm.

Fuck today.

At midnight it was 67 degrees.

Right now it is 34 degrees. (The windchill is 25!!)

HOW IS THIS RIGHT?

All I want to do is go home and go to bed. Sam stayed home, why shouldn't i? I don't think that will happen until Dec. 15th, when I am finished with finals.

PIcture me

attempting to drag myself across the floor on my elbows - immbobilzed my physical and emotional exhaustion.


That's about how I feel, but I have some muscle pain too.

How I miss that semester I took off of school!!

My last final is on the 15th - I cannot wait.

I am so sad and disturbed by this.

I am predicting my death, which will occur later this evening : homework related asphyxiation. I'll suffocate in a 6 foot deep leaf-litter of notes.

And I almost made it through NaBloPoMo! Hopefully I'll post from the afterlife tomorrow - that is, if I make it to Heaven. I know that all (my) hell is, is a bar with WiFi, accessible computers, lots of beer/booze, cigarettes and ashtrays, but no matches or lighters, and a page that never finishes loading.

Or the piece of popcorn kernel that is stuck between my teeth RIGHT NOW.

That said, check out this piece of ridiculous bull shit I was directed to by Finnegan's Wake-Up Call.

DENVER, Colorado (AP) -- A homeowners' association in southwestern Colorado
has threatened to fine a resident $25 a day until she removes a Christmas wreath
with a peace sign that some say is an anti-Iraq war protest or a symbol of
Satan.

Post Under Construction. Step One Complete. Next: Links and Commentary

Movies I have watched for Nordic Light, my Scandinavian film class, and how I feel about them:

Smultronstället - Wild Strawberries (USA) 1957
directed and written by Ingmar Bergman

Festen - The Celebration (USA) 1998
writing credits go to Thomas Vinterberg for idea and screen play

Idioterne - The Idiots (USA) 1998
writing credits go to Lars von Trier

Dogville - 2003
directed and written by Lars von Trier

Italiensk for Begyndere - Italian for Beginners (USA) 2000
written by Lone Scherfig

Brødre - Brothers (USA) 2004
directed bySusanne Bier/ written by Susanne Bier (story) and Anders Thomas Jensen

Fucking Åmål - Show Me Love (USA) 1998
directed and written by Lukas Moodysson

Afgrunden - The Abyss (USA) 1910
directed and written by Urban Gad

Körkarlen - The Phantom Chariot (USA) 1921
directed by Victor Sjöström/ written by Victor Sjöström and Selma Lagerlöf

He -- Who Gets Slapped - (1924)
directed byVictor Sjöström/written by Leonid Andreyev (play) and Victor Sjöström (adaptation)

Erotikon - 1920
directed by Mauritz Stiller/writen by Ferenc Herczeg (play) and Gustaf Molander

Vredens dag - Day of Wrath (USA) 1943
directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer (uncredited)/written by (all uncredited) Carl Theodor Dreyer, Poul Knudsen, Paul La Cour, Hans Wiers-Jenssens/ hymns - Mogens Skot-Hansen /play - Anne Pedersdotter

And for next week:
Ordet - The Word (USA) 1955
directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer/ written (uncredited) by Carl Theodor Dreyer, play - Kaj Munk

I only need to do three things:

Read Fight for the Forest

Write a reaction paper for 'Adolescence.'

Finish Cristmas give and get lists.

I have seven hours left to do it!

s.i.c.k.

That's me. I've got some sort of crud that is attacking me from the chest up. Which means coughing, sneezing, snot and headaches. I had been fighting it off for about a week, but it finally took over. Mr. A brought me soup and OJ last night and watched a film for class,Erotikon, which is a silent film from the 20s, with me. He is such a great boyfriend.

Speaking of his fabulousness, the template he's making for me is gorgeous. He's not happy with it yet, but the title bar is bitchen. I have an idea for another, so I might have him make two so that I can switch out at will. I tried to get him to take a snapshot of it on his computer and send it to me, but he wasn't happy with it, so he didn't.

Speaking of snapshots, here one from my day:

(at copy center on campus, picking up a class packet)
Guy in front of me: I need Hunter's packet for GOV312L.
Me: Ooh! Grab two, I need one as well.
Guy, turns to me: Reading last minute before Thursday's
quiz?
Me: Yep. You too, then?
Guy: Yeah, I didn't even read any of the stuff for the last one. I did
okay, but I thought I'd study.
Me: Well, don't worry. The next book is short with large print and
pictures.
Guy: Really? (looks at it) Man, that is short. Maybe I can just borrow
it instead of buying it before the next quiz.
Me: I'll try and finish it tonight at work. If so I'll let you borrow
it Thursday.
Guy: No rush -
Me: You're a procrastinator like me, right? What's your name? I'll get
in touch with you over Black board.
Guy: Nick. I was that guy who kept talking about the environmental
stuff.
Me: Yeah! I was the girl who talked about biodegradable soap! Well,
I'm right there with ya.

We were the only two people in class talking about the lack of Environmental movement in class.

Because I Am So Cool

Last night I went to Gingerman with my friend Paul. I've only been there once before, on his birthday, so I knew it would be okay with him, and they have an awesome selection, so it was the place to be.

I don't go out too often. Especially some place so downtown on a Friday. Downtown is stupid busy, with drunk pedestrians, careless pedi-cabs, indifferent cabbies, sometimes horses with carts and cops everywhere.

I took 4th street last night, which I have never done after dark. Right out in front of the bar was a cop, lights blazing. I was stopped at the light and trying to figure out 1) what was going on at the bar, 2) where I was supposed to go around him. Apparently I was in a turn lane? I had no idea, I was too busy worrying about the effect the cop up there was going to have on my life. So I went straight in a turn lane. Guess what effect that cop had on my life... yeah. He motioned me over right away. I had not seen the "clearly displayed sign," honestly. I was genuinely confused as to why I'd been pulled over. Which he noted. But where is my insurance. In that mess on my floor-boards?

Cop: "You do have insurance?"
The Q: "Oh, yeah. It's in here somewhere... on the floor maybe? As you can tell, Officer, I keep a very clean vehicle."
Cop: (chuckles) "On the floor? 'Cause that's a good place for it."
The Q: "If I give up, and save both of us time, I can have a citation cleared with proof of insurance, right?"
Cop: "Yeah just (blah, blah, blah...)"
The Q: "That's fine. We'll be here all night otherwise."

Way to start-out my night. The best part? My eyes were INCREDIBLY blood-shot. I'd slept with my contacts in the night before, and they rip up my eyes like no-one's business. He over-looked that. I suppose because my eyes still reacted to him shining his flashlight in my face.

Otherwise, I had fun. I wound up hanging out with a bunch of people that Paul knows. They'll be the people that haunt me when I pass them on the street and can't seem to figure out WHERE I know them from.

I once had a thing with Paul. It was brief and there was an understanding. Last night we agreed that we might be the only example of something working out so well. After all, we were out enjoying each other's company, there was no awkwardness, or resentment.

After talking about what'd passed between us, I had a dream with him in it. I don't have any clue what happened in it. For all I know it was a version of the previous night's dream that my brakes only work well enough to slow down, not stop. Just with Paul, instead of Lauren. He had been making fun of me because there was a hill in my dream. "Hills in a parking lot? What kind of parking lot was this?" It was a parking lot in a dream, Paul. I also just drove in circles the whole time, waiting for my car to stop, yet was able to get out of the driver's seat and into the passenger's seat. No one said it would make any sense.

Good News: I got a letter from the University informing me that they had decided to accept my request (with this place it's request, request, request) for re-evaluation on an Educational Psychology course. I wanted it to count towards my minor, and now it does. Hooray! Now I don't have to take that a-hole's class.

Moving Towards "I Hate Everything"

In the end the Assistant Dean e-mailed both of us and informed me that I will not be able to try and get into the class until a couple of days before classes start. Because trying to organize my final semester isn't difficult enough? The 'just-in-case' class I registered for is MWF from 2-3. If I don't get the one I want I'll only be able to work at the diner one day a week. I'll have to quit my job. Then who will wait on midgets who crave chicken fried steak and butter beans?

No woman related post last night because I was switching to Beta and it takes FOREVER. I died and was re-incarnated in the amount of time it took to switch.
Eh, tonight there will be one.

So This Is How It Ends...

Hi Corey,
I'm copying the Assistant Dean, so that we can be clear on this. I have been bombarded with similar requests from students who are not education majors. I was told to not allow such students into ALD 320 because the Dean's office reserves spaces for education majors. Non-education majors are placed on the waiting list until January.

If I am in error, I will give Corey permission to add the course.

Professor

He doesn't even bother to look at the message he's replying to, or the address he's sending the e-mail to, to get my name right.

I believe him that the Education office is telling students one thing, and professors another. But where is this damn wait list?

Plus, I'd already contacted the assistant dean. Ha!

Here's how UT works: All of the upper-division Education courses are restricted to excluded non-majors. This means that each semester I have to run around campus to get someone to do me a favor and add me to the course/s I need. I registered on time this semester, which is strange, because I usually forget, and so I am doing the run around now.
This time when I went into Education Advising the receptionist told me I'd have to have written permission from the professor to enroll. I've NEVER had to do that in the four years I've attended UT, and here's why:

Professor,
My name is The Q. I am an English major, with a minor in Education. I am hoping to graduate in May, but I am lacking credit hours in my minor. I have taken a few ALD and Educational Psychology courses, including the Adolescent Development class I am currently enrolled in. I am very interested in your class; could you please give me approval so that I might register for it?
Thank You

The Q

And so he replied:

Hi Q,
There will be more openings in January so hang in there on the waiting list.

Professor

I don't know why he thinks that his class is full - it's not. Maybe I didn't explain myself well enough? All formality disappears. Here we go again:

Sorry to keep bugging you, but the problem isn't a waitlist- it is that I am not an Education major, and your course is restricted. I was told by advising that I must have your permission before they will let me enroll in your course. Though I've never had to go about it this way, I really need these courses, so I am doing what the girl in advising told me to do. So if you could just say it's cool I'd really appreciate it. She told me I could just bring in the hard copy of an e-mail.

Thanks again,

The Q

And so he says:

The course is restricted to non Education majors because they leave spaces open for Ed majors. You can contact the Dean's office in SZB 216 471-3223 if you have questions.

Professor

YES, I KNOW THIS, AND IT IS WHY I NEED YOUR APPROVAL TO GET IN. I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLEAR FROM MY LAST E-MAIL. I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN TO THE DEANS OFFICE- IN PERSON - RECENTLY, AND THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT YOU. MAYBE THE RECEPTIONIST WAS DAFT, BUT I AM DOING WHAT I WAS TOLD BECAUSE I NEED THIS FUCKING CLASS TO GRADUATE IN MAY!

Now, there is a chance that I will not need one of the two Education courses I am registering for - if my appeal for qualifying another course goes through. If so, I will drop this class - that is, if I can ever get in.
Instead of what I want to say I will write:

Professor,
Thank you for the referral to such a valuable resource. However, it is at the Dean's office request that I contact you, and obtain your permission before they will add me to your class. Based on the Dean's Office request, I am requesting your approval for permission to join your class.

The Q