What the heck takes me so long to write in this blog? This is embarrassing! Let's dive right in:
Last semester (WINTER 2011) was the usual sweetness and light with the same anxiety and stress as ever. And, as we all know and have come to expect me to say, the classes were killer and wicked hard!!!
1-Geographic approach. 1st geog class for freshmen (taken as a senior). >yawn<
2-German. Let's just say that the teacher said Oktoberfest was "no big deal in Germany, it is just made a big deal here by Americans"... Suffice it to say, the teacher (a student in German literature, mind you) was a newby.
3-Middle East Geography. Prof: pro-Palestine; "LDS Sunday school lessons are remiss because they don't teach that...." wow.
4-Advance Statistics for Geographers. Complex calculus, text with typos and errors. Prof: got befuddled himself trying to explain this mess. I often daydreamed of hucking the textbook with all my might as far as I could huck it!
5-Capstone part 2 (Intelligence briefing). I missed part 1 so started behind the curve. Rose to the top of the class. Read 25 books! Prof: retired Lt. Col., Air Force, HUMINT officer.
There were some good moments though, I have to admit. My teachers all liked me and made efforts to connect with me both in and out of class. That was kinda nice, you know, to be visible.
Another good thing was being selected for several scholarships over the course of the semester. Honestly, I never would have thought it possible to actually make money by going to school full time.
An organization called LDS Philanthropies contacted me to ask my permission to use my school career story and scholarships in a new publication. They took 20 or more photos of me to include in the write-up and sent me prints of the selection of my choice.
Finally, I got the title of Freak of Nature, but in a very good way from my Intelligence professor. He said that I am one of the few people who "get it" and that is so uncommon that I am a freak of nature because of it. He let slip that I'd be getting one of the few A's he gives for his class!
Of course, waiting for grades to post is always tense because I have no confidence in my overall performance on exams, quizzes, etc. To be sure, I give it my all, such that my all is anymore, and I have to be satisfied with my work because other obligations in my life require their pounds of flesh as well. I am generally convinced that I will get C's (or sometimes worse) in my courses. I fall for that every single semester!!!!!
The truth is in the posted final grades. As always, I am stunned by the outcome....High marks and no clue how that came about. Well, that's not true. I do have a clue. And I pray to Him often!!
The term (SPRING 2011) has begun already. Three classes back to back.
1-History of modern Korea. Prof: Nazi, expects correct pronunciation of Korean terms {뭐든간에}, must memorize dates, places, historical significance of those terms; quiz weekly; 5 papers. JOY.
2-Persuasive writing. Prof: Pregnant and due, distracted, 7 papers, 25 short papers. HUH?
3-Quantitative reasoning. Prof: PhD candidate in geometric mathematics; never taught before; complicates simple concepts; quizzes daily, paper weekly; homework would kill the population of a small village in China and all their chickens.
As far as work goes, I earn my living off of the crumbling of relationships of others. Isn't that ironic? Working for a divorce attorney is like that.
CC and AJ drive like pros now.
Go get groceries. *poof*
The car needs gas. *poof*
CC/AJ needs a ride to X. *poof*
It is all the bonus that I dreamed of and more!
And to think that they are now driving the very same car that they themselves rode in - strapped into carseats - long ago. I'm lovin' it!
Well, gotta go. Been nice catchin' up with ya.
It is official!
Today I finished reading Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick. Personal accounts of life in North Korea. Wow. So much suffering at the hands of a selfish evil dictator. Professor says most Americans don't even know much about Korea and frankly don't care. True that. I had no idea of the extent of the conditions. Sent me back to USSR / USA Cold War days and what I learned about then.
On top of all that, he presented a pair of Toblerone he had picked up just for the occasion. I was so blown away. What an effort! SCORE!!! Let's not be neglectful of CC here....she made sure I was looked after and she had gone to the trouble of getting me some scrumptious vanilla hand soap all tied up in a ribbon. Very sweet and just the scent that I like too.
