Curses! I totally had something to write about, but now I'm having trouble recalling... (5 minutes later ), ah hah! I remember.
The number of students that are in a class vary greatly. To me, so far, it would seem that there are three types of classes. Seminars (20 people or fewer), lectures (vary based on class), and lecture lectures (the 101s, basically as many people as can fit in the room). The basic lectures, though, are where things really fluctuate. For instance, an easy class with a boring lecture might start out with a large number of people and end up with no one. On the other hand, a class with an interesting name and interesting lecture that's difficult might start out big and stay big. However, perhaps the funniest (albeit these past ones weren't exactly "funny") is the following:
It's funny how some
Lectures can go from small to
Huge by word of mouth
For instance, I'm taking a class on word etymology. It's not exactly something that most people jump at the opportunity to take. And so, when I went in on the 1st day, the class probably had fewer than 20 people in it. The next week though, the class had about 60. I can only assume that this is because of the fact that the class is incredibly intriguing (we learn about the reasons why "cranberries" and "butterflies" are called what they're called) and an entertaining and educational way to spend a class period. My "Decadence" class also falls under the same principal. However, with Decadence, the class started out fairly large if only because of the really interesting course description. Then we watched a scene from the unrated version of Caligula. I swear, in the 5 minutes that the video was playing the class size tripled. The fact that my discussion section was only 8 people though would suggest that a good number of the lecture attendees are auditing. And I really can't blame them.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Naivety
Annnnnnnnnnd it's finally Friday! Bet you weren't expecting that, were you? I certainly wasn't.
If you can't tell, I'm still having writer's block. Which is a little strange, since I thought that writer's block only affects real writers. Apparently I was wrong.
I'm pretty sure that my lack of inspiration comes from lack of procrastination. You see, it's kind of unfortunate- I actually have free time it would seem. Last semester, I had practically no time, so when I procrastinated, I would actually be putting off work. Now, I'm able to finish my work and then feel like I'm just killing time instead of properly procrastinating. I know that soon enough I'll have plenty of work, but for now it's just a lot of reading. Or maybe the weather is just causing me problems. Who knows.
To inspire me, I decided to look at my document I have with a bunch of random haikus. I came across one which I found rather entertaining looking back:
Writer's block for the
Haiku writer would be the
Same thing as blindness
What a joke that was. I wrote that on one day when I was feeling especially inspired. I wrote about 4 pages of haikus that day, and would just see something and then write a haiku about it. Now, when I see that I see how naive I was. It's interesting how things like that become harder, as opposed to easier, over time. For instance, I'm writing a screenplay for fun. I wrote the first episode, and then suddenly had more difficulty. I started writing fake factoids, and then after getting two pages I hit a wall as well. I started writing songs but then hit a wall. It seems like I keep starting enterprises but hitting a wall. Although I suppose that's what life is.
On that note, have a good Friday!
Also, I'd like to take this time to announce that I'm going to attempt to maybe design t-shirts or something. Please comment on this post or let me know if you think there's something I said that's especially t-shirt-worthy.
If you can't tell, I'm still having writer's block. Which is a little strange, since I thought that writer's block only affects real writers. Apparently I was wrong.
I'm pretty sure that my lack of inspiration comes from lack of procrastination. You see, it's kind of unfortunate- I actually have free time it would seem. Last semester, I had practically no time, so when I procrastinated, I would actually be putting off work. Now, I'm able to finish my work and then feel like I'm just killing time instead of properly procrastinating. I know that soon enough I'll have plenty of work, but for now it's just a lot of reading. Or maybe the weather is just causing me problems. Who knows.
To inspire me, I decided to look at my document I have with a bunch of random haikus. I came across one which I found rather entertaining looking back:
Writer's block for the
Haiku writer would be the
Same thing as blindness
What a joke that was. I wrote that on one day when I was feeling especially inspired. I wrote about 4 pages of haikus that day, and would just see something and then write a haiku about it. Now, when I see that I see how naive I was. It's interesting how things like that become harder, as opposed to easier, over time. For instance, I'm writing a screenplay for fun. I wrote the first episode, and then suddenly had more difficulty. I started writing fake factoids, and then after getting two pages I hit a wall as well. I started writing songs but then hit a wall. It seems like I keep starting enterprises but hitting a wall. Although I suppose that's what life is.
On that note, have a good Friday!
Also, I'd like to take this time to announce that I'm going to attempt to maybe design t-shirts or something. Please comment on this post or let me know if you think there's something I said that's especially t-shirt-worthy.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
"No, Professor, I'm not bored- in fact, I'm in a state of ennui right now"
It's almost the weekend! And it's a beautiful day outside! And there's snow on the ground! And I'm not sure what to write about!
Let's see... as I believe I've mentioned before, I'm taking a class called "Decadence." It's incredibly interesting, and we read works that barely count as homework, such as Poe, Oscar Wilde, Baudelaire, Whistler, and other such writers. Apparently all of these authors were known as the "decadent" writers, meaning that they liked aestheticism (or "l'art pour l'art" as they called it) and laziness/boredom (or ennui as they liked to refer to it. Just a fancy way of saying that they're bored). Oh, and they thought death was poetic.
They wrote all of these praiseworthy poems and wonderful works. However, there's a little something I don't understand. Their whole moral system revolves around this ennui.
If they're so lazy
Why do they write full poems
Instead of haikus?
I mean, really. Haikus are just so easy to write on the spot. It seems like it would have made much more sense if these writers wrote them. They're just so much easier. For someone bored with the world, it just seems reasonable. And no, I'm not decadent. If I was, I'd be writing many, many more limericks- trust me.
Let's see... as I believe I've mentioned before, I'm taking a class called "Decadence." It's incredibly interesting, and we read works that barely count as homework, such as Poe, Oscar Wilde, Baudelaire, Whistler, and other such writers. Apparently all of these authors were known as the "decadent" writers, meaning that they liked aestheticism (or "l'art pour l'art" as they called it) and laziness/boredom (or ennui as they liked to refer to it. Just a fancy way of saying that they're bored). Oh, and they thought death was poetic.
They wrote all of these praiseworthy poems and wonderful works. However, there's a little something I don't understand. Their whole moral system revolves around this ennui.
If they're so lazy
Why do they write full poems
Instead of haikus?
I mean, really. Haikus are just so easy to write on the spot. It seems like it would have made much more sense if these writers wrote them. They're just so much easier. For someone bored with the world, it just seems reasonable. And no, I'm not decadent. If I was, I'd be writing many, many more limericks- trust me.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Couch Potatoes
Though the impact of the freshman fifteen is not always visible, it's really a ubiquitous presence. Everywhere you look, you see people making diet choices. People choosing to get a salad instead of a burger for lunch, choosing not to get ice cream for the 3rd time that day, or going for a turkey burger instead of a hamburger. Most students are ever-conscious of this legend, and try their best to avoid it. However, from what I've seen, the sole culprit of the freshman fifteen is not food.
The freshman fifteen
Is not caused by poor diet,
But by laziness
First semester, I never really noticed that people were lazy. I walk absolutely everywhere, and so I personally get a good amount of exercise. However, yesterday I overheard a girl complaining to her friend about walking down the stairs. The conversation went something like this:
"Ughhh, why are we taking the stairs? Why don't we wait for the elevator?"
"Because it's not there yet. This will be faster."
"But we're on the third floor!"
Keep in mind, this is going downstairs. Now, I don't know about you, but to me at least, 2 flights of stairs is practically nothing, and definitely not worth complaining about. The same type of scenario applies to the bus system. I will pass people waiting at a bus stop for the bus, and get to where I'm going before the bus even passes me. If it was always faster, I wouldn't be so fast to criticize them, but the fact of the matter is that it is not always faster (though it is always fatter).
And so, to return to my original point- though food plays some part in the freshman fifteen, the real underlying cause is laziness. People just can't bear to move their butts in order to get somewhere, and elevators and buses have become the bane of healthiness.
The freshman fifteen
Is not caused by poor diet,
But by laziness
First semester, I never really noticed that people were lazy. I walk absolutely everywhere, and so I personally get a good amount of exercise. However, yesterday I overheard a girl complaining to her friend about walking down the stairs. The conversation went something like this:
"Ughhh, why are we taking the stairs? Why don't we wait for the elevator?"
"Because it's not there yet. This will be faster."
"But we're on the third floor!"
Keep in mind, this is going downstairs. Now, I don't know about you, but to me at least, 2 flights of stairs is practically nothing, and definitely not worth complaining about. The same type of scenario applies to the bus system. I will pass people waiting at a bus stop for the bus, and get to where I'm going before the bus even passes me. If it was always faster, I wouldn't be so fast to criticize them, but the fact of the matter is that it is not always faster (though it is always fatter).
And so, to return to my original point- though food plays some part in the freshman fifteen, the real underlying cause is laziness. People just can't bear to move their butts in order to get somewhere, and elevators and buses have become the bane of healthiness.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
"BUBBLES!"
It's Tuesday! WOOOOOO! I'm being overly ecstatic because it's a new day and I feel like I deserve it. So there. And if you try to impact my happiness, I will CRUSH you. That is all.
It's a beautifully warm day. With a high of 27 degrees. Believe me, that's warm by my standards.
Today, I realized how much of a bubble I'm living in. Even more so than I had before. Apparently, this Saturday is a relatively hyped-up football game between two teams that no one really cares about. Also, in a couple weeks is some international sports tournament of some sort that only comes once every four years (and no, I'm not talking about leap year). And, finally, there is another awards show to honor more rich people, this time for movies. Yes, these are the type of things you forget about when living in the bubble that is college. Or maybe it's just me. Who knows. But in any case, here's what I figure:
When living inside
A bubble, people don't care
About other things
Now, I know- this might be a gross underestimation, but really- people just don't care as much. Sure, people will watch the State of the Union, or the Grammys, or the Project Runway season finale- but really, all of that is based on personal interests, and you usually need to make an effort to learn about what occurs outside of our giant Glad Press N' Seal (TM) bag. You can watch the news or read the newspaper, but usually unless there's something you actually care about it, all of the information will be taken in through the filter that is your brain, and will come out as only mush and traces of useless information. Or maybe this is only me.
I know what I'm going to talk about for tomorrow's post, so tune in then for a more organized (and timely) post.
The title quote is from Finding Nemo, duh.
It's a beautifully warm day. With a high of 27 degrees. Believe me, that's warm by my standards.
Today, I realized how much of a bubble I'm living in. Even more so than I had before. Apparently, this Saturday is a relatively hyped-up football game between two teams that no one really cares about. Also, in a couple weeks is some international sports tournament of some sort that only comes once every four years (and no, I'm not talking about leap year). And, finally, there is another awards show to honor more rich people, this time for movies. Yes, these are the type of things you forget about when living in the bubble that is college. Or maybe it's just me. Who knows. But in any case, here's what I figure:
When living inside
A bubble, people don't care
About other things
Now, I know- this might be a gross underestimation, but really- people just don't care as much. Sure, people will watch the State of the Union, or the Grammys, or the Project Runway season finale- but really, all of that is based on personal interests, and you usually need to make an effort to learn about what occurs outside of our giant Glad Press N' Seal (TM) bag. You can watch the news or read the newspaper, but usually unless there's something you actually care about it, all of the information will be taken in through the filter that is your brain, and will come out as only mush and traces of useless information. Or maybe this is only me.
I know what I'm going to talk about for tomorrow's post, so tune in then for a more organized (and timely) post.
The title quote is from Finding Nemo, duh.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Grammy, You Belong With Me
Well, last night was the Grammys. Artists such as Beyonce and Taylor Swift finally got the respect they deserved in the form of more awards (that was sarcastic). The only thing I really cared about was Leonard Cohen, who finally received a lifetime achievement award, something that should have happened a long time ago. But really, I'm glad that the Grammys are here. Otherwise, how will I know whether Taylor Swift or Beyonce really is better? I definitely can't listen to the music and decide based on my individual tastes which are different from the Grammy award choosers. No, that would be far too difficult. You see,
We need the Grammys
To tell us what to think. How
Else would we judge songs?
It's not like any good music exists other than the mainstream. And every good band wins a Grammy, right? And every band that doesn't definitely can't be significant. Bands and individuals like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Queen, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Diana Ross, or Neil Young are simply unimportant and invalidated considering that they never received the ever-so-high honor of a Grammy award.
If I were to guess, this is how the Grammys work: "Okay, let's open up the top 25 albums of this year... now boot up the randomizer. DONE!" Really, every year so many quality musicians are ignored based on the overly simplistic classification system. And, no this doesn't have to do with the fact that I have discovered more marvelous musicians in whose music I marinade. If you know me, chances are you've heard of God Help the Girl (who are amazing), but I also just discovered and ordered two CDs for Fredrika Stahl. Check them out. They might not be nearly popular enough to warrant a Grammy, but the fact of the matter is just because a band isn't popular does not mean that they aren't good, or vice versa. Really, I'm sure most of you were rooting for one person for an award, and someone else won. There's reason enough to take every Grammy with a grain of salt. Also, Flight of the Conchords and Mika weren't nominated.
Title is a play on Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me"
We need the Grammys
To tell us what to think. How
Else would we judge songs?
It's not like any good music exists other than the mainstream. And every good band wins a Grammy, right? And every band that doesn't definitely can't be significant. Bands and individuals like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Queen, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Diana Ross, or Neil Young are simply unimportant and invalidated considering that they never received the ever-so-high honor of a Grammy award.
If I were to guess, this is how the Grammys work: "Okay, let's open up the top 25 albums of this year... now boot up the randomizer. DONE!" Really, every year so many quality musicians are ignored based on the overly simplistic classification system. And, no this doesn't have to do with the fact that I have discovered more marvelous musicians in whose music I marinade. If you know me, chances are you've heard of God Help the Girl (who are amazing), but I also just discovered and ordered two CDs for Fredrika Stahl. Check them out. They might not be nearly popular enough to warrant a Grammy, but the fact of the matter is just because a band isn't popular does not mean that they aren't good, or vice versa. Really, I'm sure most of you were rooting for one person for an award, and someone else won. There's reason enough to take every Grammy with a grain of salt. Also, Flight of the Conchords and Mika weren't nominated.
Title is a play on Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me"
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Isn't it Interesting?
Oh boy, have I an article for you. I don't actually know what to say about it yet, I just know that I should have something to say about it.
But first, it's Sunday! I had pancakes for breakfast. Last night I had some banana bread for desert. But not just any banana bread- it was Reese's Pieces Banana Bread. If you don't happen to know, I love both Reese's and banana bread- so this combination was pure genius.
Now, on to less pressing issues. In a recent poll, Fox news was found to be the most trusted news network among Americans. Now, I know what you're thinking- that this is ridiculous. But don't worry- Comedy Central wasn't part of the poll, so it's not really the case (considering that both of them are meant for laughs). And if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. About 50% of people trust Fox (and by people, I mean of the 1151 voters that were chosen at random, which likely excluded most of the various demographic groups considering the underwhelmingly small number) according to the study, which is not the least bit surprising considering that they do the best job of brainwashing people. I think the results of this survey are really actually a good thing.
The results we see
Show that everyone doesn't
Believe everything
By this, I mean that people actually question what they hear instead of mindlessly listening to everything they hear on TV. If only 39% of people believe CNN, it really gives me hope for our country yet. So please, don't get mad over the results of this survey. This is disorganized. I'm tired.
In other news, Glenn Beck was declared to be the second favorite TV personality in another poll. This, again, is not surprising when you consider how entertaining that guy can be. Nowhere else can you see someone dodge slander by adding a question mark to the end of sentences. ("Isn't it interesting how Obama likes chocolate and Hitler liked chocolate? I'm not insinuating anything though, I'm just asking and ending my sentences a little higher like a teenage girl so that they sound like questions so I won't be sued and shut down for what could otherwise be considered slander?" (that was my Glenn Beck impersonation by the way)). Well I have my own question about Glenn Beck. Isn't it interesting that Glenn Beck is white and criticized Obama and the KKK does the same thing? I'm not saying anything, I'm just pointing out what would seem to be a coincidence.
Sources:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/27/fox-news-most-popular
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9659056
But first, it's Sunday! I had pancakes for breakfast. Last night I had some banana bread for desert. But not just any banana bread- it was Reese's Pieces Banana Bread. If you don't happen to know, I love both Reese's and banana bread- so this combination was pure genius.
Now, on to less pressing issues. In a recent poll, Fox news was found to be the most trusted news network among Americans. Now, I know what you're thinking- that this is ridiculous. But don't worry- Comedy Central wasn't part of the poll, so it's not really the case (considering that both of them are meant for laughs). And if you think about it, it kind of makes sense. About 50% of people trust Fox (and by people, I mean of the 1151 voters that were chosen at random, which likely excluded most of the various demographic groups considering the underwhelmingly small number) according to the study, which is not the least bit surprising considering that they do the best job of brainwashing people. I think the results of this survey are really actually a good thing.
The results we see
Show that everyone doesn't
Believe everything
By this, I mean that people actually question what they hear instead of mindlessly listening to everything they hear on TV. If only 39% of people believe CNN, it really gives me hope for our country yet. So please, don't get mad over the results of this survey. This is disorganized. I'm tired.
In other news, Glenn Beck was declared to be the second favorite TV personality in another poll. This, again, is not surprising when you consider how entertaining that guy can be. Nowhere else can you see someone dodge slander by adding a question mark to the end of sentences. ("Isn't it interesting how Obama likes chocolate and Hitler liked chocolate? I'm not insinuating anything though, I'm just asking and ending my sentences a little higher like a teenage girl so that they sound like questions so I won't be sued and shut down for what could otherwise be considered slander?" (that was my Glenn Beck impersonation by the way)). Well I have my own question about Glenn Beck. Isn't it interesting that Glenn Beck is white and criticized Obama and the KKK does the same thing? I'm not saying anything, I'm just pointing out what would seem to be a coincidence.
Sources:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/27/fox-news-most-popular
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9659056
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