First Day Back to Classes

Well Christmas break is officially over...back to classes.

I am so glad to be back. Yes, it does sound weird, it's just that I was getting a bit of cabin fever and I wanted to get out and do stuff besides be stuck in my room all day. I was starting to become lazy and bored with the stuff that I was working on, drawing, painting, making collages, reading, writing, and even dare I say blogging. The last one for me has definitly started to feel like a chore, the reason...I had to figure out what I was going to talk about. I feel all talked out so to speak.

Well not now, I am very excited about this week. I am only taking 4 classes again this semester. It may not seem like much but I like doing this so that way I can dedicate as much time as I can to each class and get higher grades. Yes it may take me longer to get done with classes, but at least my GPA will be awesome. Besides....I have to work my butt off to get into grad school. I still have a long way to go.

I already know 2 of my professors. I had one of them for math last semester and the other for french. The other 2...no clue who they are, but I will find out.

Other than that nothing much is really going on. I do have to find this one program for math which costs a lot. Actually its just a slip of paper with a code on it and I think the price to pay for it is ridiculous....anywho. I have to find that by Monday or I am screwed...wish me luck on that.

I only had to buy 2 books this time, which was really nice. I already had my french book and workbook from last semester, which I don't like but at least I won't be lost or have to buy another book. These textbooks are expensive though, really 2 textbooks equals $182??? What does the book contain...the secret to life? Yes I know...I'm being a little dramatic. It is just annoying, well it doesn't really bother me that much. It is more like a fly that is buzzing around the room annoying instead of buzzing in your ear annoying.

Wow I am going on a random tangent. I have to get going though I have to get ready for classes.

Wish me luck!

French Phrase of the Day!

I have had a wonderful idea. I just got a little pull-away calendar and on it it has French phrases of the day. I am taking French in college and I want to improve greatly so I will share this with all of you so that I can become better.

Not only will I have french phrases on there, but I will also talk about different facts and data about French history, different places, and anything else french related.

Here at my other blog is where I have started this:

http://me-learningfrench.blogspot.com/

I hope you all enjoy! Bonne journée! (Good day!)

Busy with Exams & Christmas

Yah, No more classes for the semester. Right now I all I have to do is get ready for the 4 exams I have, 3 are on Monday and 1 is on Wednesday. I am so excited!!! To be done that is, not take exams, and of course Christmas. I'm not so much excited for the getting present part this year, although that will be fun. I am really excited cause I just am, it will be nice to not do anything for classes. I have so much to do though!!!

Here is my list of things I have to do:

• Study for exams
• Get stuff together for the vacation
• Work on the Christmas Story present for my boyfriend
• Get all of my friends addresses to send them Christmas Cards
• Call my friends
• Merry Christmas/ Thank you notes for my Professors
• Practice the Flute for my family on Christmas
• Get my brother a gift
• Get a birthday gift for one of my friends son

There is so much I have to do!!! Not to mention I have to clean my room today cause one of my friends is back from Illinois! I can't wait to see her.

In other news I got a 98 on one of my French tests!!! Go me!!! Other than that I have just been working hard and trying to get everything done.

Pretty soon I will be starting up some book reviews. I have finished books I just haven't had the chance to write reviews on them. They are really good too, I can't wait!

Well off to work I go, I should really get stuff done, I have many things I need to do before she comes over.

Been a Busy Semester Prt I

Wow this semester has gone by so fast. I have done so much this semester and been so busy, I never have enought time in the day. Where do I begin....



Classes

I am taking 4 classes, which is a lot of fun. I am taking World Literature II, Beginner's French, World Religions, and Developmental Math. I'm not perfect Math is hard for me, but I am getting better. We have to use this Carneige system, which is overall okay, I just wish that I could get a professor (not a computer) to help me understand math. But that's my little rant on that. With my World Literature class it is awesome, I always love going to that class, I never dread it. My World Religion's class is cool, the professor is neat, very laid back and relaxed. And in my French class I really feel like I am always working my brain, its challenging for me to learn languages. This time however I will learn the language and "Think French." {That's becoming my new motto.}



Orgnizations

I have joined a few Organizations; Gnosis, Imaginary Gardens, and I'm thinking of joining a few more. Gnosis is a service learning group. Gnosis means spiritual knowledge or mystically enlightened. apprently on the campus they are called a "rebel group" and they have cause quite a stir. It is interesting because there are so many different types of people there, with a wide and I mean w i d e range of people. Usually we hold a few meetings a month and we can go to any of them, just as long as we pay our dues. We do learning events at the meetings and hold bigger ones for the community college. I will mention more of what we have done in another post. We also do service for the community, this weekend I will be joining others to help get training to volunteer for Family Promise (I think that is the name). We do other kinds of volunteer work as well, which I will keep you all up to date with.



I also am a part of Imaginary Gardens as one of the students to help out together the literary magazine. We do poetry, short stories and digital copies of art work. I'm very excited about this I know I'm going to at least summit one poem and one short story (I just have to finish editing them).



My Family

Nothing much going on there. Things have been a little hectic, last week my parents went to a benefit in CT and got to meet the Gene Wilder. For anyone that doesn't know he was the oroginal Willy Wonka and is still the best. My parents got autographs, talked with him, got a big hug from him, everything. No pictures though because he doesn't do that anymore, can't remember at the moment why.



I'm helping my brother with his homework. It has been a challenge, with his Autism. But I'm so proud of him and how he is doing, it has been great. I have started doing tongue twisters with him, but I really can't think of that many. If anyone reading this can recommend some to me, please let me know. I really like helping my brother with my homework, it has been fun adn rewarding, although some days I'm really not in the mood.



My dog, Amber, is spastic as usual. She is adorable and the older she gets, the more she acts like a puppy.





Oh I have to go, I have to make phone calls and check up on the news. Til Later!

Busyness!!!

So I just noticed something while writing the title for this blog: busyness and business. This may have been obvious to others, but to me this is a revelation. There is a definite connection between the two. I wonder if business came from busyness???

Moving on though I have been very busy for quite some time, I have been studying my butt off for this class, reading other books, hanging with my friends, chillin with my boyfriend, and all the while improving myself and trying to go nuts :D.

I am so excited though, within two days I will be completly done with this class. So far in this class I have gotten 2 A's on 2 exams and I want to get that last A.

Besides that I am dealing with paperwork for Pelissippi and its been a total pain,everything from registration to financial needs. I won't be going back to UTC where I originally was going for quite some time. But I won't be able to because I have been ill for quite some time and my immune system sucks as a result.

I am getting better, but until I am back to my peak I am going to stay at home and go to school.

Either way I am very excited to be finished so that way I can relax a little bit before classes start for the fall.

My plans for the rest of the summer is excersie, write more, post more on this blog, read more, practice on my flute, and maybe even paint and draw. I'm pretty excited.

Finished One Exam

So I have just finished taking my first exam for this and I am very glad that this is done. Man that was a hard exam, it was not multiple choice. There were stupid identifications, short answers, and we had to do 2 essays. It took 2 hours for me to finish this test and my hand starting cramping up. I was so glad to be done with this test, now I know what to expect in the future.

I haven't finished my reading response....but frankly I am tired and I plan on doing that tomorrow morning. I did start on it (a tiny bit) but I should be fine. Other than that there is nothing really else I can say about today. I'm just proud of myself, I hope I get an A.

Although of the girls that is in my class today wasn't there. She is really nice and I met her on the 1st day. I hope everything is all right with her, cause she doesn't seem the typr of person to miss an exam.

Anywho other then that nothing much else is going on. Off to watch reality tv...a way to vedge after reading lots of english. For an English Major it can get hectic.

Life Goes On..

So far my month of July has been great. I hope that it will stay that way, because I like have this happy content feeling I have been having. Right now I'm in the Pellissippi State Library right now waiting for my class to start.

Good news about the last class I took this summer.

My American Literature I class (that I worked so hard in) was a sucess...I got an A!!!! I'm still overjoyed about that. Since I was sick all last year the highest grade I made was a B, so seeing an A right now, really, really boasts my confidence.

Also this past weekend was an awesome weekend, I got to see some of my friends, hang out with my family and my boyfriend got to come up and spend the weekend with my family. He and my family got along really well. That made me very happy. I was great we went to a few bookstores, drove around K-Town, spent time together playing the new Harry Potter lego game (Years 1-4), it was the awesome!!! We also went to the World's Fair Park, and saw the fireworks and listened to the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. That was fun, but I'm not sure I would do it again....still on the fence.

This past 4th of July was pretty important and special for me. Not just because of my family, friends, and my boyfriend. It's because of everything that has happend these past 2 years. It's not just because Barack Obama is the President and we have a democratic majority in the House & Senate. That is a part of it, but not the reason. They helped play a part when it comes to question everything I have known and been told since I can remember.

An example with education, how many of us ever thought we were going to question what our teachers and professors told us? After all they are the "experts" they are the ones that know there stuff. How many of us read about history, science, and literature beyond what we are told in taxtbooks and the classroom? I know for me science would be a little hard seeing I am an English Major ( I also want to be a History major as well, I have just not filled out the paperwork yet to do this). But for me reading Literature and learning about History is not a hard thing. But others find it boring....which is a shame.

I use to not read a lot of historical non fiction books, after all it just wasn't my interest. But I started watching Glenn Beck. I honestly originally did not watch him even though he was on Fox News because he was on Headline News ( supported by CNN). But I started watching him and was amazed with how he was able to go after both parties with completle honesty. Then there was the fact that he talked about history and how it can apply to today, this was exicitng for me simply because I always thought that this was true. Then he really started to go into detail about history, that's when my brain went, "Wait....what!?!?!?!?"

He started talking about all these people, places and events that I have never heard of in American History, especially Colonial era during the time of the American Revelution, which my family and friends can tell I love readin about that era and I am an enthusiast. So for me not to know these things, immedialty put me into action. I started doing more research on what he was talking about and at the same time trying to find at the same time to see if there is any evidence that contradicts it. However I soon realized that I wasn't finding any evidence to contradict what he was saying, in fact I was finding more evidence to support it.

As a result I feel what I have learned in all of my class cannot be taken at face value. Like I said in my last post I really can't know who or what to believe anymore. I have to go straight to the sources.

I almost done reading a book called "The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette" by Carolly Erickson, it is quite good. After I finish reading that I think I will be reading a biography she wrote called "Misstress Anne".

Yes it is about Anne Bolyen, but I find her just fascinating and also since I checked it out of the library I should try to read that first instead of the other numerous books I have. I don't think I should check out books for a while, unless I have a paper to write. I always do this, I try to not to, it's just that I love books so much.

Anyway I should get going my class is in about an hour and I want to be able to read more of my book before class starts.

Oh and by the way for all those that live in Knoxville, Tennessee. it may reach 101 degrees today (which may be a record for the area of Knoxville). Stay cool everyone during this hot summer and have a great day!

What or Who Should I Believe.....

I have always been a questioning, skeptical person. An example being was I always asked all these questions about Santa Claus and I was persistent (after all we didn't have a chimney, so how did he get in?) I soon learned tht answer to that question :D

Now there have been parts of my life that I never thought I had to be skeptical towards when it comes to believing it and that is in the classroom. Call me naive, inexperienced, young, etc. whatever. The point is this I never thought I would have to wonder whether what I was being in taught in class was true or not.

I hear some many facts abotu history that contradict each other. I read different historical books, hear different facts from many professors and even stuff on TV: History Channel, Natinoal Geographic, and even Glenn Beck with his different specials that he has and his most famous one Founder's Fridays.

I hear and read of so many contradicting facts from all kinds of sources. I don't what to think. What I would like to be able to do is to be able to is to read the original documents and see it for myself, instead have other people and teachers telling me what to believe and think.

I want to think objectivly for myself, not have someone else do it for me. After all I don't like being told what to believe. I know I'm not the only one to believe this.

I know now what I need to do, I need to research anything that is of interest to me and write about, to help create interest in others. To help them to learn for themselves and to help them appreciate the amazing history of this great country.

Never Forget where we came from, for if we do, we will forget who we are and will be lost. I hope that if we do get lost, we will once again find our way. For I fear what to think if we are lost forever.

Been Busy With Classes

So I haven't been on my blog since I have been taking classes. Right now I am taking a class at Pelisssippi State Techincal Community. Its American Literature I and overall it has been awesome. We have talked about everyone from Anne Hutchison, Roger Williams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Frederick Douglas, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melvile, etc.

Overall I have been enjoying this class. Everynight I have to read about 50 pages of reading for the next day, it just depends. I also usually read more about the background of the author and other writings that our porfessor says that we don't have to read it, but she recommends it. So I take no chances, so I can be prepared at the end of the day.

I have had some annoyances while in this class, actually just one continuing annoyance. There is a girl next to me that rarely pays attention in class, she always is trying to copy other people's notes (as a result of her texting on the phone and not paying attention) highlights her book to the point where the page is moslty bright flourescent yellow (no one taught this girl how to use a higlighter) and this girl is going to be finished at the end of this summer at this community college.... really I know people get lazy at times I understand, but with her attitude and how she talks, she did this the entire time!!!! I know its a community college and it will get harder and blah, blah. But this girl is the kind to repeat questions in class that goes something like, "Wait...huh...w-w-what page was that on? Wait I don't see that, what page did you say it was? Umm what did you say the answer was?" And on and on. I sit next to an idiot and she keeps sitting next to me! I know I could move, but I like being close to the front.

Anyway, this class besides dealing with stupid girl has been a lot of fun, people might groan at that but I love literature, I have my own library(that's for another post). My favorite readings that we have done is:

1. Benjamin Franklin's Autobio( a part of it)
2. Anne Hutchinson's stuff
3. Frederick Douglass Narrative (a part of it)
   

I found these works my favorites, I found it to be inspiring and brilliant. I didn't agree with everything the professor said not because of my own personal beliefs, but because she was going on feelings of the what she got from the text, not using history of that person to interpret the text. Like with Benjamin Franklin, she said that he was that not much of a believer in God. Thats not true, you could say he would be considered a modern day non denomination Christian of sorts. For we were talking all about the His list of 13 virtues; she said he used them for money making puposes???? What!?!?!?!?!? Okay He did this, mostly because he wanted to be a better person and also ( this part Im not as sure of, cause I'm trying to recollect some research I had done a while back) because he knew that since he had trouble believing in the divinty of God, he thought that by practicing these virtues he may become a better person and maybe have a better understanding of God. But then again she is allowed to have her own opinion and I do respect her a great deal. Besides this, I really haven't had any moments that make me go Huh?

Now the one thing I learned a lot about was Frederick Dourglass. I admire that man, he is very brave and strong to have dealt with what he did. I am so glad I was able to read a part of it. I will be reading the full Narrative in the Future, I already bought it.

Back to the class itself....

So far in this class I have gotten 2 B's on 2 exams. An 88 & an 81. I have a strong B in thsi class. I am very proud of myself. And I have only missed one class; despite the fact that it is 8:00 every morning. I guess it helps that I'm home and I have my mom to tell me to get my butt up. ( :P )

Anywho I have just turned in my paper into this class this past Mon. and I will be taking the final exam next Mon. I hope I can get my grade up to a strong A!!

I'm also thinking of taking another class in the next session, American Literature II. I hope I wiil be able to take it. I know it may be shorter, but so far I was able to do real well, hopefully I can get it up to an A with the last test. I just have to do real well. Either way, I will be really proud of myself.

Well wish my luck with the coming exam next Mon!!