When life isn't much fun...

I'm sitting in class at 12:05pm. Class was supposed to let out at noon. I've been here 3 hours. It's Public Policies...sounds interesting but its not cause its a methodology class. This is torture. Instead of talking about methodology, I can't figure out what we're doing. We had an assignment last week analyzing policy and viewpoints on embryonic stem cell research. Today she had some of the students read they assignments outloud...taking about 2 hours. Monotone rambling reading. We ALL did the same research, so I cannot figure out WHY we needed to listen to some of the students read the same stuff we all read. Then she made them do a panel answering questions on the issue. WHY? I have no idea. The class isn't supposed to be about the issue, its about the method of research...and even if it were about the issue, why would our fellow students that did the same research we did be experts? They are just as limited in knowledge as the rest of us. Torture. Now we are watching Dave Weldon on a video from the Heritage Foundation...talking about the same subject. I still haven't figured out what we're supposed to be learning. This professor is going to get me baker-acted. I still have another 3 hour class with her tonight! And oh JOY...that one will be three hours of listing mathematical equations. Why am I in grad school? I've wondered that a lot this week. I hate both these classes, and the consume the majority of my time. My research for this class is interesting--well, it's for both classes--cause I picked my semester-long topic of higher education in Latin America. But her expectations of us are insane. Impossible. She has this method where she asks too much but then doesn't actually expect it all...but we never know what she expects..so we have to do all of it just for the heck of it. We never understand her assignments anyway... People are slowly leaving class now.... but she hasn't stopped the video. 5 of us remain. Perhaps I'm accumulating bonus points by staying late. I'm starving though so this won't last much longer.

I'm thoroughly sick of school right now and want a break and I'm not even 3 whole weeks into the semester. I'm just complaining now...I'm sure you noticed.

Thinking again...

Well, it's January now and I thought my thoughts should resume... but not without commenting that the primary reason for my long absence from the blogosphere has been the nagging feeling no one actually reads what I write.. (hint: comment/respond) ;)

I'm in Quantitative Analysis at the moment. My most mathematical class. This professor is very entertaining in a boring sort of way. She is extremely intelligent yet a terrible communicator. Thinks on a higher level than the rest of the world, thus it is hard for her to come down to our level. I have 6 hours of class with her on Thursdays...two different courses. AHH! She makes them both as difficult as possible--at least in theory--and the work load is overwhelming. Of course, when it comes down to it she won't actually expect the full load to be turned in--because that's impossible in one semester--but in the meantime its so frustrating cause I feel like I have to at least try to do everything, meaning I stay overwhelmed all the time. I've got to find a balance. Right now I have 120 pages of reading, a major unstarted research project on stem cell research, and an annotated bibliography on higher education in Latin America all due by midnight Saturday... and none of which are even started...

I intended to get started sooner but today I got nothing done. I'm in hour 5 of class with Dr. McDonald. I lost the early afternoon hours, partly running around trying to find a cure for my splitting sinus headache, and then I realized that I had not done several things I had to do for the COGS (student govnt) even that was at 5pm, so I spent the rest of the pre-class day working on that...running around like crazy...

I started coming down with a cough when I first got back after break, but now it has developed into major sinus stuff and an intense headache that keeps me from actually being able to think...an activity composing a minor part of my life right now. I hope I get over it soon or I'll go get antibiotics. I have NO time to be sick right now!

Oh well. There is never a good time to be sick I guess.

I absolutely LOVE my Christian and Islamic Political Theology class. My professor has an INCREDIBLE brain. He speaks about 8 languages fluently, most of them ancient... he has his PhD in Egyptian Hyroglyphics... (talk about taking a long time to write...try chiseling that one out!) and is an international expert on Coptic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, German and various other languages...crazy genius. He just randomly speaks various languages throughout lectures. He is a professor of Government, Law, and Divinity and is an incredible philosopher as well. I am just in awe of his intellect. A little jealous, perhaps. I also love his heart. He opened the class, which focuses on Islamic Political Theology, by praying for the salvation of muslims worldwide. I was a little overwhelmed realizing what a privilege it is to be here at such a time as this...

Ok, between my aching head and the mathematical equations accumulating on the board I guess I should stop blogging now...