The Physics of Physics

I've gotten many freaked out looks lately. Why, you ask? Well, I'm voluntarily taking a physics class. The first week of the semester I had a class be cancelled. (The first time I've ever had a class cancelled.) It was a video editing class and the main reason it got cancelled was there weren't enough students taking it. Shocker.

I only need two more generals: an art class and a science class. No art classes were being offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so science it was. Now, I'm a complete sucker for physics stuff. Not only do I love The Big Bang Theory, but I also loved The Elegant Universe. This is fascinating stuff that makes our world function the way it does. Galileo? Genius. Einstein? Ditto.

My professor signed an e-mail to me "Dr. G," so he's now known as Dr. Gravity and his syllabus was hand-written then xeroxed. I guess he couldn't find a mimeograph machine. (Yes, I know what they are...)

Since I started the class, I keep telling people that I, the English major, am taking a physics class just so I can watch the look that crosses their faces. It's a combination of "What the hell?" and "Is she drunk?"

I can't help it if I hear about the equation that "got us to the moon" and write exclamation points and smiley faces in the margin of my notes! It's a simple concept, but it sent us 250,000 miles away and got us back again!!! I'm getting all teary just thinking about it.

Don't hate me cause I'm a geek.

A Sign That I Am Not a Pod Person

For those of you out there who think I always remember everything and never miss a detail, I have two instances for your consideration.

First, my mom and I were at the gym yesterday and she mentioned that a guy on the elliptical would "know me if he saw me again." I was oblivious. I think I'm pretty observant (usually), but I completely missed that. Sigh.

Second? Last Thursday I got onto campus shortly after 7am. I came with my mom for what I thought was an 8:30 class. I got there and found out it was a 7:30 class and that there were 15 minutes left. Dude! That's bad enough, right? NO! It gets worse.

I show up today (at the right time) and find out it's a TUESDAY AND THURSDAY class. I had looked on the website to make sure that it was just Thursdays and the schedule for summer is so... bollocksed up that you just can't tell. So... I didn't miss one class, I missed THREE. Damn it! Fortunately, they had just gone over the html code that I taught myself years ago. And the assignment that I turned in the other day in an effort to make up for the class (the one that I thought at the time) I missed? We did it in class today.

I feel like an idiot, but thank God I didn't miss anything more important than that. Again... sigh.

There are a few Banshees that would be very reassured by this sign that I am, in fact, human. I, on the other hand, am just irritated.

Sex and the Nation

Today was the beginning of the "Great Americans" unit in my American Civilization class and the professor went around the room asking us for one of our favorite Americans.

I started it off with Abraham Lincoln, cause he rocks.

The chick next to me continued with Martin Luther King Jr.

Next? Barack Obama. (Hooray!)

Then? Sarah Jessica Parker.

Wait. What?!

Imagine a seriously confused and vaguely affronted look on my face. And on the professor's. There was a pause and he said, "Who's that?"

He's just slighty older than dirt, so I completely understood his question.

I'm just as fond of Sex and the City as the next girl. Yes, I have all the episodes on DVD. Yes, I've had days with my girlfriends where we marathon and drink Cosmos. But Sarah Jessica Parker as a favorite American? Really?

I could probably come up with at least a hundred people that were/are more influential/crucial to our country, but that's me.

I doubt that the "Great Americans" unit is going to include Carrie Bradshaw.

Learn Something New Every Day

Spring semester is here! Things that I learned on the first day of class? My American Civilization professor told us all that the textbook is "extremely boring." Yeah, the one with Tom "Crazy-Ass" Cruise on the cover. Sigh.

My class on Microcomputer Applications is going to try my patience, but be super easy. The three units are on Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Sigh.

I actually get to submit two magazine articles to actual magazines for my Magazine Article Writing class. I may even sell them and make some MONEY on them. We'll see.

My British Lit professor is a fan of Sherlock Holmes. I can tell already from the number of times he mentioned Holmes in class today. We'll get on well.

Six hours is a long, freakin' time to go without a real break! I start at 7am and don't get done until 1pm. Thank God for ziploc bags full of almonds and my brain for remembering to pack one this morning!

A Holiday Summary Thingy

Whew! Holidays and parties can really wear a girl out!

I got a cold, I went to parties, I stayed home from parties and blew my nose a lot, I watched Robyn guffaw at Mamma Mia, I watched many episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I watched many episodes of The Big Bang Theory, I slept a lot.

I drank egg nog, pomegranate margaritas, and some very tasty wine. I ate fudge, divinity, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, sugar cookies, and my own weight in poatato chips.

The remaining Angeleno relatives departed this morning to return to the San Fernando valley.

I've managed not to burn myself with my new flat iron yet.

My cat's going to get a collar with a bell on it. I'm sure she'll be thrilled. Really.

I start my next semester on Tuesday and return to my African dance classes on Monday.

All is well in snowy Utah.

Cruisin' Civilization

I'm all registered for my next semester of class and I even have textbooks coming in the mail already. I'm pretty excited about my classes, except for one small detail. My textbooki for my "American Civilizations" class has Tom Cruise on the cover.

Tom "Scientology-Has-Sent-Me-'Round-the-Bend" Cruise. I skimmed through it and it looks like something from a sixth grade social studies class. Chapter 4: The U.S. Government, the Judicial Branch. Seriously? No, SERIOUSLY?!

I'm hoping my Neoclassic/Romantic Literature class will make up for the inanity of American Civilization. Who knows. Maybe the first day of class will be like that scene in Dead Poet's Society when Robin Williams has his students rip the textbook to shreds! I love that scene! I should really own that movie.

Anyway, here's to a well-deserved break for the next few weeks. My L.A. family and my Vegas family will be here a week from today and I can't wait! Let the holiday merriment commence!

Astonished by the Expected

I got out of my 7am final this morning, walked outside and said, "What the hell?!" In the hour and a half I'd been inside, it had started to snow like crazy! I had no umbrella, I had no hood on my coat, and I had no scarf. I shouldn't have been surprised that it decided to snow in Utah, in December, and yet I was!

Freakin' winter!

I have one more paper to turn in tomorrow and a linguistics (or linguini) final on Thursday and I'm done until the new year! Huzzah!

Writing Technicalities

When I started my technical writing class this semester, Mum suggested that I start another blog where I could collect my technical writings. I could use it as a portfolio in the future. I set it up and waited for something cool to post. Well, it's a month to the end of the semester and I just can't get myself to post my "Instructions for How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Tea" or "The Parts of a Pointe Shoe."

OK, so it shows that I can write a set of instructions and can explain the workings and functions of the agonizing parts of the shoe, but for general public consumption? I don't think so. I can't even bare to think of reading it and I wrote it!

Sure, I'll keep copies of all the assignments I've done, but I'll come up with something clever to post on "What's Next?" (That's the other blog, by the way.) Think Jed Bartlet and the title will make sense.

Grades, Pinot, and Hell Week

Many apologies for the lack of substantive posts lately. I could use midterms as an excuse, but they were pretty easy. I got an A on my Odyssey paper and an A- on my collaborative report for my technical writing class (on governmental cloning regulations, no less). Hooray for me.

We had a very lovely wine tasting this weekend and sampled four different bottles of Pinot Noir. Who knew that when I moved back to Utah (The Insane Liquor Law State) that I would become part of a group that has a monthly wine tasting. I'm learning more about what wines I like and dislike than I ever did living in Hedonistic L.A. (The What Liquor Laws? State)

And yet, at more than one moment during the sulfite-infused evening, I found my thoughts wandering to the work call that had taken place at The Banshee that day and the tech day that happened yesterday. I kept wondering how my auntie and uncle were coping with the insanity of getting the lights and sound incorporated into the show.

They say it went well, but that stage managing is not either's cup of tea. Lucky for me, yes?

I'll be thinking of them a lot this week. Tonight for the first dress rehearsal. Thursday for the first preview. And most of all on Saturday for the first opening night in almost six years that I won't be there for. I hope it goes as smoothly as it can and that all the nit-picky advice that I've passed on over the last couple of months will make it as easy as possible for them.

I mailed my opening night cards to the theatre today. Kick some ass for me, my cherubs! And break a leg!

Next time: Why is it good luck to say "Merde" to someone? Anybody?

School Days, School Days

Hooray for the first day of school!

Despite having a rather crappy night's sleep last night, the first day of school was great!

My desktop publishing class is going to be hugely useful and probably interesting too. My professor reminds me of my friend Debbie, which is super cool cause I love Debbie!

My classic literature class and technical writing class are taught by the same professor who reminds me of my favorite highschool teacher, Mr. James. I like him already and he knew to pronounce my last name in the proper French manner. He read us a paper a previous student wrote that's a goddess creation myth. "... she presented them with the staff of life and she called it chocolate."

My linguistics class makes only a little sense now, but that's what textbooks are for. And it seems a fairly logical subject.

All in all, an excellent beginning. But now, I must go read Hesiod's Theogony, which is the history of the Greek pantheon of gods.

Yeah, this should work out just fine.

Bring it On!

My tuition is paid, my books are purchased, I have two new pairs of (CUTE) glasses, my stage managing bag has been cleared of its theatre paraphenalia and is ready for collegiate accoutrement.

Here I am in my cutest new glasses. That's also a glimpse of my bedroom behind me. Many books, as you can see.

Classes start in just over a week and I am STOKED! I'm going to kick ass at this.

And the best part? (In my weird little twisted mind anyway.) I finally get to read The Odyssey and The Iliad.

I know. I'll just get "Geek" tattooed on my forehead now and save us all the time.

And a little side tangent... My Auntie and her hubby are stage managing Banshee's next show. It makes me feel slightly better about the fact that I buggered off and left them without an SM. Slightly better. I know they'll make me proud.