Misguided angel love ya till I'm dead
This entry brought to you by: the wonders of Pen Refills, How to Break Dell, Ohmigod Amazon dot com, and HAIRCUT. In order of no particular significance.
Also: finals. I am making a very sad face that you cannot properly appreciate on the other side of the screen.
These finals only get longer. I am like, a third of the way done with my overall translating for Latin and I still have three essays. This is not including the three three-page essays, or the four other papers in my two other classes. Jesus, how did I let it get to this?
Well, okay, I know the answer to that, but I don't want to answer it. I have this sort of glazed, revivalist-looking-to-the-end-of-the-world perspective on next semester. It may not be better but, my god, it certainly cannot go worse.
About the only silver lining in all this --and slay me, I never thought I'd consider this a silver lining-- is that a professional head-doctor sat in a chair with me yesterday for an hour and watched her watch and harumphed at me. She agrees that there is something genuinely wrong when I am having symptoms of the scale that I am having, and she will write a note for academic consideration. So, I am to pick that up to take that around to my professors, and hopefully that will smooth my failing grades out just a little, long enough for me to finish the work. I wish she had a diagnosis on the sheet, but I know they can call her and press for one if they want: it's not like I didn't sign the HIPPA.
Just as a note for future endeavors, kids: do not be crazy. Or, really, do not be high-strung, because apparently I am not crazy, I am just a high-octane-high-energy-slightly-wild-eyed-thoroughbred sort of chick. And I suppose I can live with that, because I really don't want it any other way. The ability to focus without imitating my dog (jaw-dropped frantic wheezing) would be nice, however.
Meanwhile, I am hoping that in twenty years I will be a settled sort of person with some control over her life who will be at least partially happy with the way in which things have turned out, and that then I will not need the medication. And perhaps that will be the way it goes. But for right now I am told that there will be pills. If there is one thing I can promise, it is that I will be a model pill-taker. Having seen what my mom turned into without her medication, I am very unlikely to stray.
This may be the only time in my entire life where I have earnestly attempted to do what a doctor says. *wry face*
I spent two hundred and thirty dollars on books yesterday. Cue capslock abuse and keyboard rage.
I bought two Latin verb drilling books, a complete Latin course, parts I and II with workbook; a new Greek grammar, the workbook for my Greek book, and a few other relevant texts. For those who might be interested in either of these languages, the following come highly recommended by some of my university's best professors. Warning that all of them are more systematic texts than they are intuitive, because I intuit language just fine, but I need the system to learn.
The Big Gold Book of Latin Verbs
Latin Verb Drills
Learn to Read Latin Textbook and Workbook, P. I and II. (II not shown)
Athenaze's Workbook
A New Introduction to Greek (Revised and Enlarged)
Greek: an Intensive Course
By and large these resources are aimed at those who have started learning Latin significantly before they begin Greek, but I get the sense that's most of us.
A word on the Athenaze series. I want to like this book, but it repeats the error of the Cambridge texts that I used early in my Latin career: it privileges reading above a coherent, logical, and comprehensive guide to the structure of the language. I need a system, clearly outlined to me, so that I know what to expect of the language's various permutations. The structure and organization of this book seems to be 70% text that has nothing to do with the actual mechanics of the language, and that part which does appertain to the language are so poorly organized and formatted that the eye cannot discern the interrelationships just from looking. In fact, they play keep-away with paradigms. Much gnashing of teeth ensues whenever I look at the thing.
In short? Supplement this text unless you are a Greek prodigy. And even if you're not.
However, the most important part of what I have typed above is the: OHMIGOD TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ON BOOKS I WILL NEVER EVEN USE IN CLASS?! Which is bad, of course. But the really terrific terriblepart is that I'm at least as excited to get those and practice with them as I am at the possibility of picking up Lies of Locke Lamora or any of the new fantasy to have come out in the last little while. Jesus, guys, I am sick.
I guess it's good this is what I want to do with my life, you know?
I don't know how many of you are like me, but I have a particular favorite kind of pen. I use three colors of ink, and I use them down to the point where the damn things just won't write. Usually I then throw them away.
Yesterday in the store I noticed: O HAY GUYS, THAR R REFILLLLLS.
This reminded me of how I am a gross consumer and ought to be shot for pollution and gross Disrespect of Posterity, but at least it is also the highlight of my week, because my favorite kinds of pens are Damn Expensive and getting two for the price of half is not a bad thing. So all my pens are full and happy and I am cheerful in that respect at least. (It is important to the state of a writer's soul to have well-fed writing implements. Just trust me on this.)
And speaking further of gross consumerism: Dell finally got its act together enough to pry my warranty out of the hole in the Space-Time Continuum that is located somewhere around the company's collective prostate. How they got that itty bitty document that far up there, I don't know, but it took 'em about five months to find it. (This analogy may in fact explain a great deal about Dell's business practices, if you squint.) There is now a shiny new laptop waiting for me that I will get on Saturday, and perhaps hereafter THIS ONE WILL NOT BREAK.
Harumph. I feel like I should go buy some protective charms and crap for the case, or something. My faith in technology has been VITIATED, I tell you! But it doesn't matter because like most of my generation I am a complete sheep and will keep depending on technological crap I can't fix and don't understand to manage my life for me.
So I'm getting my hair cut at two. I will totally post with how it goes. Hold your breath for me, gang. We're going short and vampy like you've never seen. And maybe redder. Ssssssh.
Guys, guys, Imma be hawt!
The end.
Also: finals. I am making a very sad face that you cannot properly appreciate on the other side of the screen.
These finals only get longer. I am like, a third of the way done with my overall translating for Latin and I still have three essays. This is not including the three three-page essays, or the four other papers in my two other classes. Jesus, how did I let it get to this?
Well, okay, I know the answer to that, but I don't want to answer it. I have this sort of glazed, revivalist-looking-to-the-end-of-the-world perspective on next semester. It may not be better but, my god, it certainly cannot go worse.
About the only silver lining in all this --and slay me, I never thought I'd consider this a silver lining-- is that a professional head-doctor sat in a chair with me yesterday for an hour and watched her watch and harumphed at me. She agrees that there is something genuinely wrong when I am having symptoms of the scale that I am having, and she will write a note for academic consideration. So, I am to pick that up to take that around to my professors, and hopefully that will smooth my failing grades out just a little, long enough for me to finish the work. I wish she had a diagnosis on the sheet, but I know they can call her and press for one if they want: it's not like I didn't sign the HIPPA.
Just as a note for future endeavors, kids: do not be crazy. Or, really, do not be high-strung, because apparently I am not crazy, I am just a high-octane-high-energy-slightly-wild-eyed-thoroughbred sort of chick. And I suppose I can live with that, because I really don't want it any other way. The ability to focus without imitating my dog (jaw-dropped frantic wheezing) would be nice, however.
Meanwhile, I am hoping that in twenty years I will be a settled sort of person with some control over her life who will be at least partially happy with the way in which things have turned out, and that then I will not need the medication. And perhaps that will be the way it goes. But for right now I am told that there will be pills. If there is one thing I can promise, it is that I will be a model pill-taker. Having seen what my mom turned into without her medication, I am very unlikely to stray.
This may be the only time in my entire life where I have earnestly attempted to do what a doctor says. *wry face*
I spent two hundred and thirty dollars on books yesterday. Cue capslock abuse and keyboard rage.
I bought two Latin verb drilling books, a complete Latin course, parts I and II with workbook; a new Greek grammar, the workbook for my Greek book, and a few other relevant texts. For those who might be interested in either of these languages, the following come highly recommended by some of my university's best professors. Warning that all of them are more systematic texts than they are intuitive, because I intuit language just fine, but I need the system to learn.
The Big Gold Book of Latin Verbs
Latin Verb Drills
Learn to Read Latin Textbook and Workbook, P. I and II. (II not shown)
Athenaze's Workbook
A New Introduction to Greek (Revised and Enlarged)
Greek: an Intensive Course
By and large these resources are aimed at those who have started learning Latin significantly before they begin Greek, but I get the sense that's most of us.
A word on the Athenaze series. I want to like this book, but it repeats the error of the Cambridge texts that I used early in my Latin career: it privileges reading above a coherent, logical, and comprehensive guide to the structure of the language. I need a system, clearly outlined to me, so that I know what to expect of the language's various permutations. The structure and organization of this book seems to be 70% text that has nothing to do with the actual mechanics of the language, and that part which does appertain to the language are so poorly organized and formatted that the eye cannot discern the interrelationships just from looking. In fact, they play keep-away with paradigms. Much gnashing of teeth ensues whenever I look at the thing.
In short? Supplement this text unless you are a Greek prodigy. And even if you're not.
However, the most important part of what I have typed above is the: OHMIGOD TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ON BOOKS I WILL NEVER EVEN USE IN CLASS?! Which is bad, of course. But the really terrific terriblepart is that I'm at least as excited to get those and practice with them as I am at the possibility of picking up Lies of Locke Lamora or any of the new fantasy to have come out in the last little while. Jesus, guys, I am sick.
I guess it's good this is what I want to do with my life, you know?
I don't know how many of you are like me, but I have a particular favorite kind of pen. I use three colors of ink, and I use them down to the point where the damn things just won't write. Usually I then throw them away.
Yesterday in the store I noticed: O HAY GUYS, THAR R REFILLLLLS.
This reminded me of how I am a gross consumer and ought to be shot for pollution and gross Disrespect of Posterity, but at least it is also the highlight of my week, because my favorite kinds of pens are Damn Expensive and getting two for the price of half is not a bad thing. So all my pens are full and happy and I am cheerful in that respect at least. (It is important to the state of a writer's soul to have well-fed writing implements. Just trust me on this.)
And speaking further of gross consumerism: Dell finally got its act together enough to pry my warranty out of the hole in the Space-Time Continuum that is located somewhere around the company's collective prostate. How they got that itty bitty document that far up there, I don't know, but it took 'em about five months to find it. (This analogy may in fact explain a great deal about Dell's business practices, if you squint.) There is now a shiny new laptop waiting for me that I will get on Saturday, and perhaps hereafter THIS ONE WILL NOT BREAK.
Harumph. I feel like I should go buy some protective charms and crap for the case, or something. My faith in technology has been VITIATED, I tell you! But it doesn't matter because like most of my generation I am a complete sheep and will keep depending on technological crap I can't fix and don't understand to manage my life for me.
So I'm getting my hair cut at two. I will totally post with how it goes. Hold your breath for me, gang. We're going short and vampy like you've never seen. And maybe redder. Ssssssh.
Guys, guys, Imma be hawt!
The end.