The End is Here

I have been nowhere near blogging since Friday because of finals week and making preparations for my final paper presentation, which is today. However, yesterday I had an enjoyable experience of returning my books for this semester...all 27 of them.

I will return to finish what I started: the 40 Class Breakdown.

Last of the Lit. Surveys

English 2435 - Literature in English III - An English Lit. class with Professor Torry is where it's at. I enjoy watching other students reactions to his method of teaching. You see, when Torry wants an answer he'll just keep asking you until he gets one. He doesn't care so much if the answer is correct, he just wants you to engage him in his classroom. Many students choose not to, thus, they don't take anymore classes with him. Well, I speak up, whether I am right or wrong, I always have a good time in a class that Torry is teaching. He is not only knowledgeable, but freaking hilarious. The guy has these random, unrehearsed impersonations of politicians, or characters we come across in the readings that are priceless. I wish he were coming to London, so I could have one more semester of class from him. He also gives a good lecture on that crackpipe, Lacan.

English Lit. II : Sacrfices

Unfortunately, blogs will most likely be rare the next week.

English 2430 - Literature in English II - Inevitably, college doesn't allow enough time for things you want to do, and things you have to do. Sacrifices must be made. One sacrifice I made along the way was to not read Hawthorne's The House of the Seven Gables. This is the first thing that popped into my head when I thought about this course. I don't think there are any funny stories hidden in this class memory. Sorry about that. However, I did first learn about the London semester in this course and that proved to be my most valuable lesson. It's sad that nothing in the readings struck me in a way that I can be energized about right this moment. I apologize for this classes inability to truly move me to create a tasty morsel of bloggerdom for you.

The count is on: one more paper, one more revision of a paper, two more finals, and one more presentation.

Another English Course

First a quick interlude...

...I would like you to know that I rode my bike to class today when it was -17 F with the wind chill. For all of my international fans, that is -27 C. Now back to our regular programming...

English 2425 - Literature in English I - This was the first of three English literature surveys that are required for English majors. All of the surveys have been entertaining classes, but I didn't like all the literature we read. The most boring story was Beowulf. The most boring play was The Tempest. Finally, the most boring poem was anything by John Donne. There was this day in class in which we were asked to act out a scene from The Tempest. When it was my group's turn to get up on the stage I was excited. I thought I was going to be all right in my role, but after watching a few more people play the same character I realized that I had not done a good job at all. This exercise wasn't graded at all, it was simply for fun, but I know I am a better actor than my performance showed and every time I think of the class I want to do it over again for that one measly scene from The Tempest.

One English Class - Starring Herb and Lenny

New blog template. What do you think?

English 2050 - Creative Writing: Fiction - I could write a blog on this class and the material I wrote during it. I took this class last year, my fourth year at UW, and it was my first venture into creative writing. All the students were required to keep a journal and respond to short stories we read in class, or to our own writing quandaries. I wrote about whatever was in my mind when I sat down to write. Many of the journal entries have made it onto this blog. I spent a lot of time writing about my roommates and gave them surnames. This was my first experience living with people outside of my family so, naturally, I had a lot on my mind regarding the living situation. I will end this blog with an entry from the journal I have been writing about. This entry has never made it onto the blog. And for those of you that knew who my roommates were last year you will just have to guess who is who. If you have heard me talk about last year at all I think you might be able to pin these fellas down. My professor read every one of these entries.

11 October 2004

Herb and I were getting ready for school this morning. (That makes us sound like we are twelve again.) I was standing out in the hallway brushing my teeth when I heard a familiar rattle coming from Lenny's room. I stepped closer to the door, aware that my shadow from underneath the door might give away my presence on the other side...I didn't care. Again, the rattle sound, but this time it was rhythmic. A high chirp with a metal ping at the end came from the other side of the door with an occasional yelp from Lenny's girl. I wasn't really that shocked, because I know Lenny very well, but this was new to me--sex in the morning, at 8:40, when Lenny's girl has class in twenty minutes?

I turned up the hallway and strode out into the kitchen and gave Herb a muffled, "they are doing it," while trying not to spit toothpaste everywhere.

Herb walked down the hallway to the second door on the left. The rhythm seeped through the door and Herb just shook his head.

We finished prepping for our bicycle ride to campus. While walking toward the door I sent an expecting glance to Herb. I knew we weren't making it out the door in silence. My glance let Herb know he was up first.

"By Fuckers!" Herb yelled.

I gave a slight giggle and thought to myself about what Herb yelled, it was literally true, he didn't mean it as an insult and neither would I. It was just too darn accurate. It was my turn now and I thought of saying have a good day at first, but I needed a sexual twist with a little bit of dirty.

"Have a good hump."