Breathing Room...

It's Thanksgiving, which is good. Three days off of class is always good.

I'm not big on turkey, and the kids are not spending this holiday with me, so I'm hanging out writing papers. Well, writing *a* paper, and doing some research on an extra credit paper for 18th Century, since I have a B in there, and I really need to pull an A. Kind of difficult to explain to law school admissions why you can't seem to pull an A in a freshman-level class.

I am also considering pushing back my graduation date to spring of 2011, since I won't be taking summer classes, as I had originally planned. Overall, I just need to have some time to think out a plan... but not this break. Maybe after finals. Well, I have much reading to get done for my criminal law paper.

Enjoy the holiday!

Nuttin but WOW.

Sooo... last night I went to see Nuttin but Stringz at the Bromley Theatre (at UPB).

Oh. My.

A violin is nothing but some wood, strings, a few bits of metal... but last night they were magic. I'm still reeling from the way that Damien and Tourie played. I grew up going to the free concerts at the Hatch Shell in Boston. I've seen countless symphonies play. The fusion that NbS created of hip-hop, classical, and... well... their own personal style just leaves me breathless.

...Except for the Charlie Daniels part, which you had to be there to truly understand. I'm not from Bradford (though I've been here for 5 years now, with one more to go), but I think NbS and I shared a kindred "are you kidding me?" moment when the crowd started clapping when "radio guy" played a clip of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" so that NbS could hear what that was all about, since they were unfamiliar with the song.

Lastly, when I heard Nuttin but Stringz was coming to do a show in B'ford, I got really excited until I saw ticket prices on BPAC's website. I was pretty bummed, because I really do love their music. Imagine my surprise when I got an email to the student body on behalf of Dr. Alexander (the university President) offering tickets to students for FREE. I got one (obviously). What I didn't expect was to have such great seats... third row, center. I thought I'd be in the nosebleed section (which at UPB, doesn't exist... but you get the reference). Once again, I love this place!

I had some serious fun last night, and got to listen to the kind of music that makes you believe that there are limitless possibilities within each of us.

Surrender...

I would really just like the plague to end. It seems, with 3 kids in 3 different schools, plus the incubating viral spawn of 2,000 uni students... we have managed to cycle through several illnesses. Thanks to H1N1, I cannot send a child to school with a fever or other symptoms of illness.

We have all missed an unprecedented amount of school. I've managed to tenaciously hang onto an A in a couple of classes, but my goals for the most part have languished to B-status.

I hate missing class.

Studying, studying, studying... and not.

I have two exams this week; one I took last night in Criminal Law... the next is tomorrow. Today, however, I have to finish reading Undaunted Courage for Early American (in 90 minutes). I'm nearly at the end... studying for exams took precedence this week.

On Tuesday night, I attended The Great American Auto Race of 1908: New York to Paris presented by Jeff Mahr, as part of the History/PoliSci Club. It was beyond interesting and fun. If it happens to be in your area, I'd highly recommend it. To find more information, go here. I'm not into cars, or racing, or anything of the sort.. but this was like the Lewis & Clark expedition of the Automobile age. Imagine.. no highways, no snow plows (they left in February!), no auto parts stores in Siberia, no gas stations... It really was fantastic.

Okay, back to the books. 85 more minutes before class.

And so it goes...

We are full-on in the swing of it. I'm still attempting to get caught up with my reading after having had 2 weeks of the flu (ick). I'm midway into the first round of tests; already had one in International Relations and in Law & the Courts... I don't have grades on either, so I'm a bit anxious to see how they turned out. This coming week, I have a test in Drugs & Society, then the following week, in Criminal Law. I know I'll be having a test in 18th C, since we got essay questions already (oh my).

I'm not going to go into the papers. There are a few of them. I'm already working on them. I should be in the library right now, but it's my weekend with the kids.

It is Alumni and Family weekend, so we might stop in to check that out. Maybe. I might decide to read instead.

It is also almost time to register for spring classes again. I hate the balancing of trying to make sure that class times don't overlap and making sure I'm home in time to get the kids off of the bus, and making sure classes don't start until they're at school. It's a narrow window... doesn't sound like it, but it is. Nothing before 9 am, nothing after 3 pm... and preferably no more than 1 night class a semester... though, that usually runs into 2 night classes.

I love the fact that we have adjunct professors who take time out of their real life to teach college students. How lucky is it that I have a district attorney teaching me criminal law and a judge teaching me law & the courts? It's flipping awesome.. I just wish I didn't have to get a sitter twice a week.

Okay, I'm off. Going to listen to Dr. Soriano's class lecture from this past week.

Bring out your Dead...

I don't care how much we're told that the flu shot doesn't make you sick. Almost three hours from the moment I got one, I contracted the plague. I feel absolutely horrid.

Class news: Dropped Chem lab, picked up Law & the Courts.

I've got kids to put on the school bus, then I'm coming home and taking a nap. At some point, I have to clean up the blanket that some stray shredded all over my patio.

In the Swing of It....

Wow... this semester is in full swing already. I have papers in every class but one, and I've already started preliminary research on three of them.

So far.. I'm loving 18th C. Europe with Dr. Thomas the best. The man is just so dynamic, it makes your head spin.. in a good way. "Think, people!"

That's all I've got for now. Criminal Law tonight... need to read up.