I know I’m 15 days late and so much has happened in February already, but I’ll try to recap January the best I can and talk about February at the end of this month to get back on schedule. Hold on to your horses, I’ll right about my trip to Europe soon!
FEAST FOR THE EYES>>
- Things that make us smart. Donald Norman. Still working through this. But then CMU sent me a notice that someone else would like the book and that I have to return it. Because CMU’s library has this terrible policy where someone can just request a book you have after a week and then you have to return it. It’s a small library, I get it. But if you only want to allow someone to check out a book for 2 weeks, the make that the check-out period instead of giving out false promises left and right. (This is the second time this has happened to me).
- The Trial. Franz Kafka. Started and finished this audiobook in just a couple of days. It was good and I can understand why it became famous, but I think it was just ok to my modern sensibilities. The kind of issues Kafka probably introduced during his time are now common themes in our culture. wah wah.
- Hologram for a King. Dave Eggers. I just thought this book was ok, disappointed because I really liked the other books of his I’ve read (A heartbreaking work of staggering genius and What is the what?). But ah well.
- The Dubliners. James Joyce. I’m enjoying it so far! Joyce is just one of those writers I have to audiobook or I’d get wildly confused.
LISTENING>>
- ‘Mickey’s Monkey’ by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. I seriously could not stop playing this song when I got back form Colorado.
ENTHUSED>>
- Next week is our major career fair and I know you think this should be labeled under compunctions, and in another life it would be. But so far I have really enjoyed talked to the people I’ve already started talking with and it’s surprisingly easy to talk about what I do to people who love what they do. There’s a major plus with grad school.
- I’m really looking forward to spring break. Even if I don’t go anywhere, just resting will be nice.
- No surprise that I’m really enjoying my Calligraphy class. We have an eccentric older professor and it’s relaxing to learn. I also really like my seminar class too. We have interesting readings and good discussions. Although it’s a lot of work, the Suguru has structured the class so that we really learn the material.
COMPULSIONS>>
- Working on my portfolio. Seriously. I can’t stop tweaking it and changing it. Which is probably a good thing, right? But it’s also eating up all of my time.
COMPUNCTIONS>>
- After the job fair is we have to finalize our thesis topic and advisor and feel like whenever I try to work on it there is just a big hole in my brain where inspiration should be.
- This semester is kicking my tush. I got an override to take over the recommended amount of classes and I work about 16 hours every day. On the plus side, I’m not procrastinating. I feel like you’ll be hearing from me more infrequently this semester. Apologies for that. I will probably bring this up again because I don’t forsee it getting easier.
- My hardest class is Processing which is a programming language. I don’t have the mind for it, but I’m getting better. I hope by the end of the semester I’ll be a more logical person for it.
SIGHTS>>
- Colorado! I got to see my dear friend Carissa and her mom Susan. Christy and Paul, and the BWBacon crew! It made me miss Colorado.
- Passport to Paris art exhibit at the Denver Art Museum followed by an appropriate (and reasonably priced) French dinner at Le Central–highly recommend if you’re in Denver.
- My mom and dad like their presents I got them for Christmas. Which, let’s face it, is pretty big news considering. I know that was in December, but my mom actually used her Christmas present (a massage) in January and enjoyed it more than she thought she would.
(facetiming with Sarah and Carissa)
STORIES>>
- Captain Phillips. Was playing at CMU for a $1 and a friend invited me to go. I had no idea what it was about but assumed it was some sort of comic or comedy type of movie. That’s what the word ‘captain’ now connotes for me. It’s about a Somalian pirate attack. I thought it was really good and intense. It’s funny that, even though it was entertaining, it just not the kind of movie that I seek out anymore.
- American Hustle. I really did like this movie. But so did everyone else.