The beginning of the end
Nov. 11th, 2010 09:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quadruplifyCURRENT FAVORITES:
Pere Ubu, "Oh Catherine"
Magazine, "The Light Pours Out of Me"
* I feel like I should say a few words on Veterans' Day, but I don't know how to put what I want to say in words without it coming across as egregiously jingoistic, or without it otherwise making me feel uncomfortable. I am a sentimental person sometimes, but I'm no good at being sentimental when there is pressure at certain times of the year to do so, like today. What I will ask of you is to remember my grandfather (on my dad's side of the family), who fought in World War II in north Africa and southern Europe, and received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained while in Belgium. He died of health complications on September 6, 2008 at the age of 90 (a month before I started this LJ, which is why I only ever mentioned him in passing); he spent his last month in a VA hospital, which despite the horror stories that tend to be associated with them gave him the best end-of-life care anyone could ask for. I wish all the active and retired soldiers living today have even better lives than he had -- not only ones where their needs are taken care of with the highest quality of service, but ones where their stories can be used to better highlight our current social problems (like the socioeconomic factors that lead people to join the military), and ones in which they won't have to fight in so many needless wars in the first place.
* I really should be doing work right now -- working on the GIS group project for Sunday, and working on the latest geology lab and ES project revision for Tuesday -- but it really isn't in me right now. Hence why I'm posting this instead. XD
* Here they are, the last classes I'll be taking here at college:
WINTER 2011
INTD 1103 A -- Introduction to Korean Language, Literature, and Film
SPRING 2011
ENVS 0340 A -- Social Movements
JAPN 0217 A -- Contemporary Japanese Fiction: Haruki Murakami and His Generation
PSCI 0202 A -- African Politics
--PSCI 0202 Z -- Discussion
PSCI 0307 A -- The Politics of Virtual Realities
I'm particularly excited about Social Movements, because it's being taught by Bill McKibben, a.k.a. bestselling author of books like The End of Nature (if you've walked in a bookstore within the past few months, you've probably seen his books prominently displayed somewhere) and one of the most influential environmental activists in the world right now. Needless to say, the class was booked within the first five minutes class registration was open. ^_^; Taking a class with a personality is definitely going to be interesting, and considering it'll be my last semester it's not something I want to pass up.
This list isn't set in stone, of course. Earlier this week I applied on a whim for a spot in FMMC 0285 A (Sustainable Television: Producing Environmental Media), in which you work on making a TV show on environmental topics, like this one. And I got approved! Except......I don't know if I want to take the class or not now. On one hand, it'd be a really cool thing to do -- I've always been curious about media production§, and I'd like to graduate college with something to show for. Plus, I have an idea I really really want to investigate (namely, the idea of "downcycling" and "not really recycling" as shown in this Story of Stuff video). On the other hand, I really don't want to do another project-based class after being burned out on the two I'm taking right now, I'd rather try and avoid group projects as much as possible, and my burn-out on environmental topics should be well-known by now. If I do decide to take that class (and I have plenty of time to decide), I'll have to switch it out with JAPN 0217, which I'd be okay with, even though I really want to take that class as well. Ugh, I don't know what to do. :P
I might also switch out one of my classes (not PSCI 0307, which I need to graduate) with RELI 0140 A (Hindu Traditions of India), because now I'm really curious about Hinduism and related topics, but that might wait until the first week of class so I can "shop around." Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the last five classes, since they look to be very interesting! :D (And no, the fact that this makes it the last time I'll register for classes around here hasn't quite sunk in yet. I'm not sure if I want it to. D:)
* Anime club is doing registrations for Anime Boston this Saturday, and if you don't have the registration money by then, you're not going. Nevermind that AB isn't until April, and we don't know what's going to be happening there yet. Once again, I feel really conflicted about this, because I've never been to a con and would like to go just to say I have (not to mention the benefits of actually leaving campus for a weekend), but I'm not sure how much I'd actually enjoy myself, especially considering I'm a casual anime fan at best, despite how often I talk about it on here.
* I've decided this might just be my favorite spoken word poem ever:
* Has anyone here heard of JourneyQuest? It's an original Web-based TV series in the style of The Guild, and a pretty damned good parody of medieval fantasy stories and MMORPGs. I admit that some of the jokes fall flat for me, but the writing is pretty intelligent and the show is very sharply produced, so it's something worth keeping an eye out on, especially since the first season of seven episodes finished recently. Here's the first episode, for the curious:
* Here's something that's always worth keeping in mind.
* And finally, have a meme:
Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...
§This is why I applied for that Animal Planet internship. Speaking of, I've been trying to get a hold of the contact information for the person responsible for the internship so I can e-mail them a thank-you note and follow-up, but the college's jobs/internships database doesn't have the info on file, and the only person who has the information is out until Monday. And when I tried to e-mail the career services office in general, they just referred me back to her. UGH WHY D:
Pere Ubu, "Oh Catherine"
Magazine, "The Light Pours Out of Me"
* I feel like I should say a few words on Veterans' Day, but I don't know how to put what I want to say in words without it coming across as egregiously jingoistic, or without it otherwise making me feel uncomfortable. I am a sentimental person sometimes, but I'm no good at being sentimental when there is pressure at certain times of the year to do so, like today. What I will ask of you is to remember my grandfather (on my dad's side of the family), who fought in World War II in north Africa and southern Europe, and received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained while in Belgium. He died of health complications on September 6, 2008 at the age of 90 (a month before I started this LJ, which is why I only ever mentioned him in passing); he spent his last month in a VA hospital, which despite the horror stories that tend to be associated with them gave him the best end-of-life care anyone could ask for. I wish all the active and retired soldiers living today have even better lives than he had -- not only ones where their needs are taken care of with the highest quality of service, but ones where their stories can be used to better highlight our current social problems (like the socioeconomic factors that lead people to join the military), and ones in which they won't have to fight in so many needless wars in the first place.
* I really should be doing work right now -- working on the GIS group project for Sunday, and working on the latest geology lab and ES project revision for Tuesday -- but it really isn't in me right now. Hence why I'm posting this instead. XD
* Here they are, the last classes I'll be taking here at college:
WINTER 2011
INTD 1103 A -- Introduction to Korean Language, Literature, and Film
SPRING 2011
ENVS 0340 A -- Social Movements
JAPN 0217 A -- Contemporary Japanese Fiction: Haruki Murakami and His Generation
PSCI 0202 A -- African Politics
--PSCI 0202 Z -- Discussion
PSCI 0307 A -- The Politics of Virtual Realities
I'm particularly excited about Social Movements, because it's being taught by Bill McKibben, a.k.a. bestselling author of books like The End of Nature (if you've walked in a bookstore within the past few months, you've probably seen his books prominently displayed somewhere) and one of the most influential environmental activists in the world right now. Needless to say, the class was booked within the first five minutes class registration was open. ^_^; Taking a class with a personality is definitely going to be interesting, and considering it'll be my last semester it's not something I want to pass up.
This list isn't set in stone, of course. Earlier this week I applied on a whim for a spot in FMMC 0285 A (Sustainable Television: Producing Environmental Media), in which you work on making a TV show on environmental topics, like this one. And I got approved! Except......I don't know if I want to take the class or not now. On one hand, it'd be a really cool thing to do -- I've always been curious about media production§, and I'd like to graduate college with something to show for. Plus, I have an idea I really really want to investigate (namely, the idea of "downcycling" and "not really recycling" as shown in this Story of Stuff video). On the other hand, I really don't want to do another project-based class after being burned out on the two I'm taking right now, I'd rather try and avoid group projects as much as possible, and my burn-out on environmental topics should be well-known by now. If I do decide to take that class (and I have plenty of time to decide), I'll have to switch it out with JAPN 0217, which I'd be okay with, even though I really want to take that class as well. Ugh, I don't know what to do. :P
I might also switch out one of my classes (not PSCI 0307, which I need to graduate) with RELI 0140 A (Hindu Traditions of India), because now I'm really curious about Hinduism and related topics, but that might wait until the first week of class so I can "shop around." Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the last five classes, since they look to be very interesting! :D (And no, the fact that this makes it the last time I'll register for classes around here hasn't quite sunk in yet. I'm not sure if I want it to. D:)
* Anime club is doing registrations for Anime Boston this Saturday, and if you don't have the registration money by then, you're not going. Nevermind that AB isn't until April, and we don't know what's going to be happening there yet. Once again, I feel really conflicted about this, because I've never been to a con and would like to go just to say I have (not to mention the benefits of actually leaving campus for a weekend), but I'm not sure how much I'd actually enjoy myself, especially considering I'm a casual anime fan at best, despite how often I talk about it on here.
* I've decided this might just be my favorite spoken word poem ever:
* Has anyone here heard of JourneyQuest? It's an original Web-based TV series in the style of The Guild, and a pretty damned good parody of medieval fantasy stories and MMORPGs. I admit that some of the jokes fall flat for me, but the writing is pretty intelligent and the show is very sharply produced, so it's something worth keeping an eye out on, especially since the first season of seven episodes finished recently. Here's the first episode, for the curious:
* Here's something that's always worth keeping in mind.
* And finally, have a meme:
Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...
Simple, Progressive, and Sensual
7 Ukiyo-e, 4 Islamic, -7 Impressionist, 2 Cubist, -1 Abstract and -13 Renaissance!
Ukiyo-e (浮世絵, Ukiyo-e), "pictures of the floating world", is a genre of Japanese and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries. it mostly featured landscapes, historic tales, theatre, and pleasure. Ukiyo is a rather impetuous urban culture that has bloomed in popularity. Although the Japanese were more strict and had many prohibitions it did not affect the rising merchant class and therefore became a floating art form that did not bind itself to the normal ideals of society.
People that chose Ukiyo-e art tend to be more simplistic yet elegant. They don't care much about new style but are comfortable in creating their own. They like the idea of living for the moment and enjoy giving and receiving pleasure. They may be more agreeable than other people and do not like to argue. They do not mind following traditions but are not afraid to move forward to experience other ideas in life. They tend to enjoy nature and the outdoors. They do not mind being more adventurous in their sexual experiences. They enjoy being popular and like being noticed. They have their own unique style of dress and of presenting themselves. They may also tend to be more business oriented or at the very least interested in money making adventures. They might make good entrepreneurs. They are progressive and adaptable.
Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzyPeople that chose Ukiyo-e art tend to be more simplistic yet elegant. They don't care much about new style but are comfortable in creating their own. They like the idea of living for the moment and enjoy giving and receiving pleasure. They may be more agreeable than other people and do not like to argue. They do not mind following traditions but are not afraid to move forward to experience other ideas in life. They tend to enjoy nature and the outdoors. They do not mind being more adventurous in their sexual experiences. They enjoy being popular and like being noticed. They have their own unique style of dress and of presenting themselves. They may also tend to be more business oriented or at the very least interested in money making adventures. They might make good entrepreneurs. They are progressive and adaptable.
§This is why I applied for that Animal Planet internship. Speaking of, I've been trying to get a hold of the contact information for the person responsible for the internship so I can e-mail them a thank-you note and follow-up, but the college's jobs/internships database doesn't have the info on file, and the only person who has the information is out until Monday. And when I tried to e-mail the career services office in general, they just referred me back to her. UGH WHY D:
