Happy New Year: A Week In Preview
School is essentially over for me for the semester. Big relief. This was not the most graceful re-entry back into daily life, but I survived. Looking forward to hopefully spending more time getting organized and looking for work.
Last night was the last night of Topics in Sociology of the Family. After class a few of us stuck around and discussed an action plan for approaching the dean about making the program more academically friendly. It has become obvious to many of us who are frustrated about the lack of structure in the program that there is little effort made to prepare students for grad school, etc. There is an unspoken assumption that we are all 9 to 5ers who are just looking for a 4 year degree to help us get a promotion. After 10 years you would think that they would have realized that while this might have been the original intention, it is not always the actuality. Our primary focus currently is greater access to core sociology classes including research methods and surveying techniques, as well as incorporating workshops to prepare us for grad school, none of which is made currently available to us.
Tonight I am going to dinner with my friend Raychel. It's my first time seeing since before Thanksgiving. Hotcakes will be involved. That is all I know so far.
Wednesday is the first night of the Sufi Teachings that I talked about earlier. I am very much looking forward to this experience, as I feel like it will greatly enrich my practice and give me a more in depth exposure to my path. Not sure what we will be doing or how many people will be there. More on that after Wednesday.
Thursday, I am going to the second night of Capstone presentations. I have only been one other time, and that was for my friend moss_and_mud capstone. Thursday my student advisor will be giving his capstone, and there will be capstones presented students mentor by my teaching advisor. I have never met either of these people, having only talked to them via email, so I am hoping to get the opportunity to speak to them at the event. There will also be a presentation on "The Philosophical Implications of the Mandelbrot Set Fractal" by a student who was mentored by Glenn Kessler, one of my favorite professors thus far, and one of my candidates for my mentor. I guess that's my networking night for the week.
Friday, I may or may not be attending Zikr at my friend Asha's house up on the Sufi Mountain, as I like to call it, since the entire area is chocked full of Sufi goodness. Otherwise, I will be at home, finishing up the winterizing of our house.
Saturday is dinner with Bruce and elizablessing at Red Robin, which will mean a great deal of bottomless fries. Whee!! Looking forward to it.
Otherwise, just settling in for the winter. More time for personal pursuits and puttering around the house. It has been around or below freezing all day today and I can hardly wait for the layering shirts I just ordered to get here so I can start being warm again. Also, static cling sucks, so anybody with suggestions on that, you are my friend.
Last night was the last night of Topics in Sociology of the Family. After class a few of us stuck around and discussed an action plan for approaching the dean about making the program more academically friendly. It has become obvious to many of us who are frustrated about the lack of structure in the program that there is little effort made to prepare students for grad school, etc. There is an unspoken assumption that we are all 9 to 5ers who are just looking for a 4 year degree to help us get a promotion. After 10 years you would think that they would have realized that while this might have been the original intention, it is not always the actuality. Our primary focus currently is greater access to core sociology classes including research methods and surveying techniques, as well as incorporating workshops to prepare us for grad school, none of which is made currently available to us.
Tonight I am going to dinner with my friend Raychel. It's my first time seeing since before Thanksgiving. Hotcakes will be involved. That is all I know so far.
Wednesday is the first night of the Sufi Teachings that I talked about earlier. I am very much looking forward to this experience, as I feel like it will greatly enrich my practice and give me a more in depth exposure to my path. Not sure what we will be doing or how many people will be there. More on that after Wednesday.
Thursday, I am going to the second night of Capstone presentations. I have only been one other time, and that was for my friend moss_and_mud capstone. Thursday my student advisor will be giving his capstone, and there will be capstones presented students mentor by my teaching advisor. I have never met either of these people, having only talked to them via email, so I am hoping to get the opportunity to speak to them at the event. There will also be a presentation on "The Philosophical Implications of the Mandelbrot Set Fractal" by a student who was mentored by Glenn Kessler, one of my favorite professors thus far, and one of my candidates for my mentor. I guess that's my networking night for the week.
Friday, I may or may not be attending Zikr at my friend Asha's house up on the Sufi Mountain, as I like to call it, since the entire area is chocked full of Sufi goodness. Otherwise, I will be at home, finishing up the winterizing of our house.
Saturday is dinner with Bruce and elizablessing at Red Robin, which will mean a great deal of bottomless fries. Whee!! Looking forward to it.
Otherwise, just settling in for the winter. More time for personal pursuits and puttering around the house. It has been around or below freezing all day today and I can hardly wait for the layering shirts I just ordered to get here so I can start being warm again. Also, static cling sucks, so anybody with suggestions on that, you are my friend.