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And it begins!
2002-10-21 21:48:17
Mid-term week is here!
Today I went to German, did generic German class things, and had a few brief moments of bliss when we had to describe photos that were handed out to us, (the grammar theme for the week is adjectives) and suddenly I look at the picture my group has been handed and notice that it looks extremely familiar.
It was of the Mirabelle Gardens in Salzburg. One of the fountains was on the right and in the distance of the picture you could see the fortress. I melted into a blob and probably did my best in-class work as a result.
Came home, checked on some stuff for my current theatre trade, re-encoded an entire show, learned a little about how Vegas Video works for this sort of thing, and got to studying.
I've now skimmed through our textbook readings up until now, flipped through Orwell, and decided to wing it if we have to do an essay about the causes of WW2. I know a decent amount about that from 225, although knowing the British perspective would probably help. I also thought of four potential essay topics and made short outlines for them (the exam will have us writing 2-3 essays out of a number of possibilities). Since we only have 75 min. to do 3 essays I'm figuring 20-25 min. each, meaning 3-5 blue book pages each plus some time to plan and note and all that good stuff.
On top of all that I'll get up 15 min. early and head to class to talk with other folks before the class actually starts, just to make sure that my thinking is on the right track.
I'm really not thinking about any class I don't have a midterm in this week, and even then only on the class with the next exam. I haven't even done my 224 reading, and that's usually a death wish for the weekly quiz, but there's no section today, and the TA said the quiz would be fairly simple re: the reading for the next week because there's so much of it in comparison to normal (160 pages over 2 weeks, our usual is around 50-60 per week, which is light for Sumida...)
Something is subconsciously going off in my head. I went to load some MP3s before I started writing and was kind of thinking about Hedwig but loaded up tick, tick...BOOM! for some reason. Maybe it's a warning to myself.
Anyhow, after Tomorrow's midterm there's still 224 lecture and ROTC. I need to dig up some notes so I can pitch another proposal for my briefing and talking paper. Must think hard, must do something cool and yet not requiring a lot of research that I don't have time to do. I still need to take GREs and apply to Grad schools. Fuck. Argh. Still need to find a writing sample too. For now, though, one thing at a time. Once I do this week's PO visit on Friday I can start going thorugh things for grad school. Anyone who's proofed one of my papers for me, now would be a good time to make suggestions on what to send. It needs to be around 10 pages and historical in nature.
Tomorrow after classes end is studying for Sumida (a daunting task in itself) and grocery shopping...and finishing these VCDs up. I'm burning disc 1 of 2 for myself right now as a test, it's got chapter stops and everything, so I want to test and see how it comes out. I'll be going to bed around when disc 2 finishes encoding so it'll have to wait until tomorrow to be XML'ed and all that.
Had a Milka Sahne Creme bar today. I don't care if they're only 5% chocolate, these things are divine. I have to find a world market near me so that I can see if there's a chance in hell of getting them here.
Also had some more Edy's Pumpkin Ice Cream. If you can get this at your local grocery (Edy's and Dreyer's are the same for those of you in Chicagoland), DO SO. It's got a great flavor, very mellow, sweet, and comforting. It really does taste like pumpkin...or more like the pumpkin bars my mother used to make. I think I have the recipe for those around here somewhere...
Dinner tonight was potato chunks panfried in olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, and this really kickass hot sauce. It's spicy enough that Chris wasn't able to comment for a few moments after taking a taste of some. A little ketchup (which I need to buy more of) on top and these were almost perfect. Good thing I've got another potato left for tomorrow.
I also got more cocoa in the mail from my mother...and my 25-30 Dr. Who Novelizations. Apparently she didn't find my stack of New Adventures, but I guess I'll have to find those myself when I get home next time...if I get home the next time.
My scroll came in today too. It's now perpendicular to the computer desk in an awesome spot, but it reveals the nakedness of wall next to my Weiß Kreuz scroll. Gonna have to get a poster or small scroll there...or shred my September Newtype for art pages. Both are equally appealing possibilities. I need to do the wall perpendicular to the Galactic scroll as well. At least the ceiling is well covered.
Hopefully I'll be able to start editing again when I've finished exams for the week. I somehow see myself coming home on Friday, capping a bunch of clips, procrastinating grad school apps, and just editing all weekend and coming out of it with a lot of rough cut. That'd be nice anyways. It's also unlikely. I gotta start cracking down on all of this...such a slacker.
"Peter Pan and Tinkerbell,
Which way to Never-Never-Land?
Emerald City's gone to Hell
Since the wizard blew off his command!"
--tick, Tick...BOOM! - Argh 2002-10-20 21:31:24 I want to rant and post and talk, but the words just don't want to come =(
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I remember a time...
2002-10-20 12:45:03
I remember when language used to be fun. When there was homework to do but it didn't take forever to do and actually felt useful rather than frustrating. I remember then the instructor seemed to give a damn that 90% of her class was complaining about the workload. I hate this, I really do. This is all just so frustrating.
I have three exams this week. British History on Tuesday, Military History on Thursday, and German on Friday. Brit History I'm fairly unsure of - haven't paid too much attention in class and skimmed the book mostly, but if I study well today and tomorrow I should be OK. Military History's not even a challenge. If I study up briefly on Tuesday and Wednesday I'll be able to kick ass on the midterm (which doesn't even count) without a problem. And German...I'm fucked in German. Doesn't mean that I'm not going to try though.
It's kind of sad. I don't really feel like leaving the house anymore except for class and really strong desires. I got invited to some gaming last night and turned it down solely on the feeling that bad things would happen if I left the apartment. I really hate dealing with people on a personal level nowadays. It's scary and depressing. *sigh*
"Help me, I've torn apart my insides
Help me, I've got no soul to sell
Help me, the only thing that works for me
Help me get away from myself."
--NIN -
It's not this hard, people...
2002-10-18 22:33:46
Things just can't go my way for long, can they?
Got up, did study for the quiz a little, bitched more with everyone else about how much work German is nowadays. Got at least 10 points off, quiz was 50 total. WTF.
Got my ticket for You Can't Take It With You. Turns out they had free ones left, so that was cool.
Got the CD mailed out and renewed my PO box for the next 6 months...found out that they raised the price, though. There went the savings from my free ticket.
Hopped on Metro after that and made it to the National Theatre. Bought my ticket for Man of La Mancha, and then I saw the sign. The one that said there were days for Les Miserables where rear balcony (the area always used for discount tickets) were only $20 before discount. Those who know me know that I have no great fondness for this show, but for $10 would I see it anyways? Hell yeah.
My wallet considerably lighter I head home. More good news in that I find out that the cast of Hairspray performed on the VH1 Fashion Awards and that it was rerunning this afternoon. I got the performance captured and on tape, only to be disgusted while watching it, as the cast was in such a hurry to get from their actual show to the awards that they didn't have the opportunity to do a mike switch. This means that they had to lip sync. I have only rarely seen worse lip in my life. What's worse is that they danced to their lipping, which means that all the movements were off. This is painful, folks.
You Can't Take It With You was pretty damn funny. Saw Dr. Burbank there, may be able to do some assistance stuff in exchange for a recommendation letter, which is good.
I then came home. There's no flash tone when I pick up my phone, so I figure "OK, they're just lazy and haven't called to tell me about my delivery," so I get online and check my UPS tracking number. As soon as the word "Exception" comes up I know something's wrong. The last time it happened they had forgotten to load my Tylor DVD box on the truck. Twice. This time, though, it's the fault of whatever fucktard works the desk. They were away on break when the delivery guy came, and he must've been in a hurry because he took off and didn't leave anything behind with him, including the stuff that didn't even need a signature (like my scroll).
Is it really that hard to sit at a desk, watch TV, hand people their toilet paper, listen to a stereo, search for spare keys for people when they lose or forget theirs, and then once a day sign for the fucking deliveries that need it? These people get paid for this and it's higher than the campus minimum, so what's the fucking deal?
Whatever the problem is, I'm now stuck waiting until Monday for my fucking scroll. Fucking desk receptionist, fucking UPS... -
Wrapping up a bad day...
2002-10-17 23:51:05
I'm feeling better now. Still not feeling GOOD, but not feeling quite so shitty. I'd like to thank my collection of music for this assistance. Between Quadrophenia, Nirvana Unplugged, KareKano ACT 1.0, and the first and final tracks from the Hairspray Broadway CD I feel much better.
The true beginning of catharsis came though at around 4:30PM. After getting through a chunk of Quad I started listening to one of my all time will-always-listen-to albums again, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I started it at Track 2 (Origin of Love) and lied down. I slept through part of it, but whenever the track changed it'd jolt me back to life, especially since I had the speakers up LOUD.
I *did* manage to stay awake for the most important set of songs, though. This would be tracks 9-12, or Hedwig's Lament, Exquisite Corpse, WLT Reprise, and Midnight Radio. For some reason I was drawn into getting out of bed as Corpse started to fade into the applause, and began singing along with WLT Reprise, the song where Hedwig transforms into Tommy Gnosis. It was a redeeming melancholy, especially to continue through Midnight Radio. Dunno if it pissed off the roommates, didn't care. It felt great.
I got my regular German homework done, and a bunch of reading for 1950's. I studied for about an hour for the Quiz, but got extremely frustrated and haven't been able to concentrate since so I did the stupid thing and gave up. I'm going to give the list a couple of final lookthroughs and then go to bed. HyperAlarm is set to play Oha Rock! to me at 8:45, which will give me an extra 15 min. to study before class. These are 15 useful minutes.
Tomorrow's going to be an EXPENSIVE day, too. Going to try and buy a ticket for You Can't Take It With You, which is the current play the theatre department is putting on. Then I need to renew my PO box for the next 6 months so that it's good over Winter, mail out a CD to someone who requested one, and then take metro into downtown DC so I can drop another $30 on a ticket for Man of La Mancha, which I've wanted to see since High School and is here right now for a preview run before going to Broadway. Yes, the seats will be ass-tacular, but for $25 I'll deal with it. For anyone who's ever said that anime is more expensive than drugs, guess what. Theatre is more expensive than Anime, I shit you not.
No UMBC for me tomorrow, no desire to go and watch new downloads when I can watch the ones I care about at home. I may start editing again, who knows. Anyhow, those who were scared off by the AIM messages should be able to contact me tomorrow after I get home from the ticket run.
Finally, the liner notes have been posted for that shitfest of a video I sent to AnimeUSA. The video sucks. It sucks SOOOOOOO much. I wish I hadn't made it. I almost cried when it played because I heard the sound of a hard-earned (however minimal) reputation getting smashed to bits. This video will NEVER be posted online, and when the current run of AnimeUSA CDs has been completely handed out there will be no more distribution of this video. Sorry all, I hate it that much. You would too if you saw it. Effects are bad, m'kay?
JOURNAL: iserlohn
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