I just took my last final.
That means I'm free. Free from the clutches of a semester from Hades. The underworld. "H" "E" double hockey sticks. New York in mid-July.
I blame Asian Studies.
First, the Chinese have been around for like forever, and because of their being around for like forever, all textbooks about their history, art and literature weigh approximately ten pounds each. So I'm pretty sure that my right shoulder is where my ear should be.
Second, I apparently have no ear for Chinese pronunciation. And my teacher didn't lecture with slides, so every time she'd say the name of a dynasty, or province, or emperor, I'd have to play matching games with my textbook to figure out what she just said. My notebook is filled with scribblings like "Shun-ze? Ten-yi? Cheeyeng-ky-shek?" All with question marks. As I reviewed my notes for the final, I found one page where, right in the middle of a sentence, I wrote "I have no idea what she just said".
Third, remember how my teacher didn't lecture with slides? Well, that doesn't mean she didn't use slides. At the beginning of every lecture, she'd turn off the lights, and show us a picture, of an emperor, or some ancient Chinese map, and then she's leave the lights off for the rest of the lecture. So, I would sit, in the dark, eyes inches off my notebook, scribbling phonetic attempts at a completely foreign language while trying to not fall asleep.
I'm just realizing this sounds a little bitter. Do I sound bitter? I might be coming off the sugar. Last night I ate somewhere in the neighborhood of ten pounds of jolly ranchers, starbursts, half a can of reddi-whip, pop-chips and drank like two gallons of diet dr. pepper, and I might have forgotten to keep the cycle going today. I love school. I love it. Every time I set foot on that campus I fall in love all over again.
It's just that I'm so pleased to have my brain back for the summer. I really missed it.
7 comments:
I was just thinking about you the other day and how it'd been so long since I'd read one of your delightful blog posts.
Brain power is a hot commodity these days—I just got mine back too and will cherish it always.
Stupid professors belong in swamps. I've banished many of my own there.
In my mind.
I missed reading your blog posts! Yay for having your brain back...now go grab a fun dip. :-)
P.S. My verification word is "ching". Coincidence? I think not.
this blog post makes up for the fact that you haven't blogged a post in far too long.
what an awful class. poor you.
camille- yippee, great to hear from you! i was just thinking about you and how much fun it was to meet you. new york says hello, and that you should come back here.
andersons- i was catching up on some blog reading and i gotta say that celeste is ADORABLE. how do you do that? keep making the cutest kids on the planet? nice work. seriously.
miriam- come to new york. now. tomorrow. whenever. just do it. i have an air mattress with your name all over it. i'll make you cookies. please.
Stupid Asian Studies! Glad you're back. I've missed your blogs. Eat bacon for fortification.
congrats on a another semester down!!!
It's been awhile since I've visited this side of town, but on behalf of my ancestors, Due boo xie. I'm sorry! Too bad they just weren't Wu's.
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