In my quest to read the entirety of my reading pile, I’ve taken to reading a chapter or two out of Bulfinch’s Mythology before I go to bed each night, for the last month.
I’ve had this book for over a year–I bought it after my Brit Lit teacher recommended it, as a lot of cannon work is derived from the classics, especially the further back you go. I started reading it when I got it, but the further into the semester I got, the less I read. And it’s hard to read a lot of mythology in one sitting.
Hense, the reading a chapter right before bed.
The best part about Bulfinch, though, is that he dumbs everything down. He put together the three books that make up this volume (Age of Fable, Age of Chivalry, and Legends of Charlemagne) as sort of a helpful guide for the casual reader who was reading to make sense of the British writers of the day. Each story is as concise as possible–Hercules’ story takes up at least seven full chapters in Robert Graves’ The Greek Myths, one of the textbooks for last semester’s myth class–but only five pages in Bulfinch.
This shortness means that I am looking forward to reading about the Trojan war (4 pages),and the Illiad (10 pages). Especially since all of this is just a general review, since I’ve read most of the myths before.
I’m looking forward to the Age of Chivalry, which is mostly King Arthur tales, as I’ve read very few of those stories. I’m sure Bulfinch will be giving me just a bare-bones overview, which will be filled in when I get to Le Morte D’Arthur, which is the next bedtime reading book when I finally finish Bulfinch.
Only 750 more pages to go.
– “The Secret’s in the Telling,” Dusk and Summer: Dashboard Confessional
The two of them were sitting in the car. Seatbelts unbuckled and windows down, they read their books; the radio hummed along in the background. Soon they would have to climb out of their stories, the schoolbell ringing to let them know that little sisters would be ready to come home.
Lisa read slowly, a roll of Thin Mints opened in her lap. Her lunch for today. She ate a cookie and turned the page alternately, occasionally surfacing to ask ME, “Are you sure you don’t want one?”
“No. No, I’m good,” was the reply. Pages were turned. Cookies eaten.
“Are you sure? Because I’m going to eat this whole thing,” Lisa said.
“Well of course. Who ever eats exactly the serving size?” ME said, flipping pages still, not really paying attention.
“They should just change the serving size. Twenty cookies in one sitting isn’t too many. And no one ever has any to put away once they’ve opened it up.”
“Very true.”
A radio commercial fills in the background; it’s trying to sell a diet pill slash sleep aid. “The weight will just fall off,” a chirpy girl says.
Lisa turns to ME. “Thin Mints would make a good diet.”
“Really.” The world comes out slowly, as in disbelief.
“Sure. The more you eat, the more the ‘thin’ sloughs right off.”
They’re laughing together when the school bell rings. Books shut, radio silenced, cookies polished off, and they reluctantly remove themselves from their temporary sanctuary.
Apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks I’m smart.
Last week, I was informed that I made the National Dean’s List. At first, I thought it was just a scam trying to get me to buy the book I would be listed in. But, ME assures me it’s legit, and apparently, an honor to be in.
Yesterday, I got a letter telling me I am eligable to join Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of the two-year college. Not as awesome as Phi Beta Kappa, but still pretty impressive.
So, perhaps this mean I shouldn’t be so stressed out about Chico State still needing to look at my transcripts. Obviously, my last two years show a marked turn-around from what I’d like to refer to as my “idiocy” from when I attempted college the first time around.
Although, I’m still stressed.
But, at least I’m not the only only who thinks I’m smart. And now I really (really) want into Phi Beta Kappa.
– “Thriller,” Infinity on High: Fall Out Boy
Apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks I’m smart.
Last week, I was informed that I made the National Dean’s List. At first, I thought it was just a scam trying to get me to buy the book I would be listed in. But, ME assures me it’s legit, and apparently, an honor to be in.
Yesterday, I got a letter telling me I am eligable to join Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of the two-year college. Not as awesome as Phi Beta Kappa, but still pretty impressive.
So, perhaps this mean I shouldn’t be so stressed out about Chico State still needing to look at my transcripts. Obviously, my last two years show a marked turn-around from what I’d like to refer to as my “idiocy” from when I attempted college the first time around.
Although, I’m still stressed.
But, at least I’m not the only only who thinks I’m smart. And now I really (really) want into Phi Beta Kappa.
– “Thriller,” Infinity on High: Fall Out Boy
I have been very internet-bored lately.
The problem, though, is that I have no idea what would make me not bored. I don’t want to watch video, I don’t want to read the same old blogs, I don’t want to read the usual forums. I talk to the same people, read the same sites, contribute the same ideas. The whole thing just feels oh-so-very stale.
Those of you who’ve know me for any amount of time have heard me bemoan many, many, many times about the horridness that is my home dial-up connection. Well, it’s all about to change, because DSL has finally come to our neighborhood.
I’ve been waiting for high-speed at home since high-speed was invented. And now that it’s here, I’ve got nothing to do, except idle silently in IRC all night just because I can.
I’m just not motivated to go out and find new content, new people. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been spending so much time at home. Because I’ve been online constantly for the last few weeks–just ask Josh. I haven’t gone a single day online without harrassing him to entertain me.
So maybe I need a break. Or to write more. Or to just come up with an entirely new interest to learn about, so I have a reason to start searching google for stuff.
Because this internet-boredness needs to stop. Like last week.
–”Of All the Gin Joints in All the World,” From Under the Cork Tree: Fall Out Boy
I have been very internet-bored lately.
The problem, though, is that I have no idea what would make me not bored. I don’t want to watch video, I don’t want to read the same old blogs, I don’t want to read the usual forums. I talk to the same people, read the same sites, contribute the same ideas. The whole thing just feels oh-so-very stale.
Those of you who’ve know me for any amount of time have heard me bemoan many, many, many times about the horridness that is my home dial-up connection. Well, it’s all about to change, because DSL has finally come to our neighborhood.
I’ve been waiting for high-speed at home since high-speed was invented. And now that it’s here, I’ve got nothing to do, except idle silently in IRC all night just because I can.
I’m just not motivated to go out and find new content, new people. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been spending so much time at home. Because I’ve been online constantly for the last few weeks–just ask Josh. I haven’t gone a single day online without harrassing him to entertain me.
So maybe I need a break. Or to write more. Or to just come up with an entirely new interest to learn about, so I have a reason to start searching google for stuff.
Because this internet-boredness needs to stop. Like last week.
–”Of All the Gin Joints in All the World,” From Under the Cork Tree: Fall Out Boy
Slow reading week, here. I’ve finally finished all the books loaned to me by ME, and the reading pile is steadily decreasing. Have I mentioned that my mum is afraid of the pile? Well, I am to, I suppose. It’s so very hard to decide what to read next.
- The Guardian – Nicholas Sparks
- Lord of Seduction – Paula Quinn
- Bird by Bird – Anne Lamott
- The Lunatic Cafe – Laurell K. Hamilton
- Bloody Bones – Laurell K. Hamilton
The Guardian was an attempt to make a dent in the multi-year reading pile. That is to say, books that have been on the pile since I moved back home. To bad I had forgotten that I had read it before. What a waste of good reading time.
Slow reading week, here. I’ve finally finished all the books loaned to me by ME, and the reading pile is steadily decreasing. Have I mentioned that my mum is afraid of the pile? Well, I am to, I suppose. It’s so very hard to decide what to read next.
- The Guardian – Nicholas Sparks
- Lord of Seduction – Paula Quinn
- Bird by Bird – Anne Lamott
- The Lunatic Cafe – Laurell K. Hamilton
- Bloody Bones – Laurell K. Hamilton
The Guardian was an attempt to make a dent in the multi-year reading pile. That is to say, books that have been on the pile since I moved back home. To bad I had forgotten that I had read it before. What a waste of good reading time.
You know I’m bored if I’ve started in with the whole Twitter thing. And I know I’m late to the party, as usual. Only when everyone else is doing it do I feel the need to get involved. So, you can watch me twitter away, if you so choose.
But I would recomend finding something better to do than waiting for me to twitter. Because seriously? I’m forgetful about this sort of stuff.
I finally received a letter from Chico State. Not exactly the welcome packed I was expecting, nor is it encouraging in any way.
It’s a form letter, of course, and the main gist of it says, “we need the following documents or information to determine your eligibility for admission to CSU, Chico.” This is not at all what I was expecting to see in a letter. I do understand the request for my transcripts, because that’s essentially what it is. But, the phrasing leaves much to be desired.
After all, I’ve already announced that I’m going to Chico State. They can’t take that back from me now can they? The admissions officer I saw during “on the spot” admissions gave me a little certificate that said I was attending Chico State in fall of ’07, dependent on whether or not I passed the math class I’m currently taking.
This letter implies that perhaps maybe they don’t want me after all.
I am deathly afraid of people looking at my transcripts. Sure, the one from SCC looks good. In the three semesters I’ve been there, I’ve gotten all A’s and one B in a non-transferable class. Unfortunately, my ARC transcript it atrocious. I think there’s only one A, a smattering of (most likely two) B’s, and a plethora of C’s. I really wasn’t into school back then. Can you blame me? I was a Business major then.
The problem is that nearly all of my ARC classes are transferable, and that a lot of them are my general education credits, so I can’t drop them if I wanted to. It doesn’t help that every semester there, I had a withdraw or a failure for some class.
My ARC GPA is abysmally low. A 2.5 or some such nonsense. Perhaps lower. Because my combined GPA last semester (before the fall semester grades were given) was a 2.9. Seriously. A 4.0 year brought me up to a 2.9. That’s how bad it is.
So I’m terribly afraid that they’re going to look at the ARC transcript, look at the GPA, and say “hey, she’s totally not bright enough for us.” And then not let me in.
They can’t do that, if they’ve promised me a spot, have they? I’m just so paranoid about the whole thing.
Whatever happens, I’m still going to Chico in the fall, even if it means I’m only moving up there to go to community college while ME earns a BA for both of us.
–”Hum Hallelujah,” Infinity on High: Fall Out Boy
