the joy of kate's tuesday
Mar. 28th, 2006 07:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
katekatDrove to school today in flash flood weather. I counted the time between lightning and thunder, and only got to 1. It was mad. The only other time I've ever been in such a deluge was trying to get across the Highway 17 pass (from San Jose to Santa Cruz) one winter, when the trucks coming the other direction splashed so much water onto my windshield I lost visibility (and the wipers were going full blast, but simply didn't do any good). It was an insane way to start the day.
But, since I had a traumatic drive into school I gave myself permission to park in the $8 parking close to class (and also justified that I'd forgotten to take the big umbrella, and the little one only covers me, not the backpack), rushed into Japanese, and found out my test results (which were not good, but hey, I expected that).
Met with my current favorite UT professor for a couple of minutes - talking with him is such a delightful thing because he's smart and theory oriented, and silly at the same time. He surreptitiously asked me why in the heck I was going to a state school like UT, because I'm smart enough to get into other programs (he really said the smart part. Ha. Fie to those who do not believe in my smartness!). My reply? Well, it's kind of ... the cheaper option. Which, frankly, it is. He relaxed when I told him that I'd think about a Ph.D. program elsewhere. It was fun. Oh, and then he asked me why we were meeting, and I said "to ask you to write a letter of rec for me" and he looked at me like I was crazy, because apparently it was already a forgone conclusion that he was writing it. I like forgone conclusions. That's 2 out of 3 professors that have felt that way about me. Gives me confidence that I am doing this right.
Got to have lunch with Miss Yvette and Peter today (along with Joel and Ariel), which was lovely, because I never get to see Yvette outside of our morning 'you must study rapidly for the Japanese quiz' moments.
Made it through Sufi without the computer crashing, which was great. Apparently the musical portion of the class has begun because we listened to a Ghazal (a poetic form used by a number of Sufi poets that has a specific rhyming scheme) that was absolutely electric. Maybe it's because I associate eastern music with belly dancing (because that's what we practiced to), or perhaps it's the emotional content of the song itself, but I felt energized and almost like I wanted to leap up and dance. That's what happens at these concerts of Sufi music, so perhaps it's the way they construct the music. All in all totally beautiful.
Umm, studying with Laura was really good, although we didn't get all that much done. I'm already tired of studying and there's much to be done for next week. Instead I want to goof around. Oh, and I took that awful lj quiz, and I have NO idea how to interpret the results. I think what it says is that I use LJ like a journal. And that I don't have a huge following nor do I make waves... which is pretty much true.
But, since I had a traumatic drive into school I gave myself permission to park in the $8 parking close to class (and also justified that I'd forgotten to take the big umbrella, and the little one only covers me, not the backpack), rushed into Japanese, and found out my test results (which were not good, but hey, I expected that).
Met with my current favorite UT professor for a couple of minutes - talking with him is such a delightful thing because he's smart and theory oriented, and silly at the same time. He surreptitiously asked me why in the heck I was going to a state school like UT, because I'm smart enough to get into other programs (he really said the smart part. Ha. Fie to those who do not believe in my smartness!). My reply? Well, it's kind of ... the cheaper option. Which, frankly, it is. He relaxed when I told him that I'd think about a Ph.D. program elsewhere. It was fun. Oh, and then he asked me why we were meeting, and I said "to ask you to write a letter of rec for me" and he looked at me like I was crazy, because apparently it was already a forgone conclusion that he was writing it. I like forgone conclusions. That's 2 out of 3 professors that have felt that way about me. Gives me confidence that I am doing this right.
Got to have lunch with Miss Yvette and Peter today (along with Joel and Ariel), which was lovely, because I never get to see Yvette outside of our morning 'you must study rapidly for the Japanese quiz' moments.
Made it through Sufi without the computer crashing, which was great. Apparently the musical portion of the class has begun because we listened to a Ghazal (a poetic form used by a number of Sufi poets that has a specific rhyming scheme) that was absolutely electric. Maybe it's because I associate eastern music with belly dancing (because that's what we practiced to), or perhaps it's the emotional content of the song itself, but I felt energized and almost like I wanted to leap up and dance. That's what happens at these concerts of Sufi music, so perhaps it's the way they construct the music. All in all totally beautiful.
Umm, studying with Laura was really good, although we didn't get all that much done. I'm already tired of studying and there's much to be done for next week. Instead I want to goof around. Oh, and I took that awful lj quiz, and I have NO idea how to interpret the results. I think what it says is that I use LJ like a journal. And that I don't have a huge following nor do I make waves... which is pretty much true.
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| Category | Your Score | Average LJer |
| Community Attachment | 22% You've got pals to cheer you up when you're down, but no audience to applaud you... Yet. | 22.47% |
| MemeSheepage | 15% Only trendy when it's sufficiently entertaining | 27.91% |
| Original Content | 35% Some stories must be told - and you're the one to tell them | 37.68% |
| Psychodrama Quotient | 3% Warning: Can Flame When Necessary | 16.76% |
| Attention Whoring | 2% Low-key and lovin' it | 20.56% |
| Your LiveJournal Obsession Number is: 11112 Click it to see other users who had similar scores to yours! | ||
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 02:02 am (UTC)Pretty much. Although I can be convinced to salivate over you.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 03:42 am (UTC)We should do coffee....i I have a lot to say about that dept. I tried to transfer out and got accepted to universityt of Hawaii after my first year, but couldnt get funding.
En ded up finishing at UT for free eb/c of staff ed benefit.
I'm typing this on a faulty laptop keyboard and can't see my text tin your comment windows on this monitor's settings for some reason. Sorry for weird typos.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 04:12 am (UTC)-BJ
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 07:16 am (UTC)Sorry to hear you had such a tramatic drive in! *hugs* Is it sad though that I'm now getting nostalgic for lightning and thunder? I haven't had much of that since I moved to washington. Lots of rain though...
How's life going in general for you? I haven't checked in with you for a while thanks to my recent bad flist reading habits and wanted to reconnect.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:07 pm (UTC)Would love to do coffee - and hear what you have to say - It sounds like there are many things you know that would be helpful... when do you have time?
lol, don't worry about the faulty laptop thingy... you were perfectly legible.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:11 pm (UTC)And yeah, the drive in was just ... indescribable. But I'm feeling acomplished that I didn't really have any problems with it, and made it safely in. Luckily the rain's a little bit better today, so it wasn't a case of me trying to wake up and drive safely in the rain anyway... I bet you miss it! There's nothing like the thunderstorms in the middle of the country on the coasts (or so I'm told ... since I grew up on the coast I certainly never saw anything like what we get here!) But then again, isn't that what visiting home is for?
Life is going well, in general, although you know the whole student motto: "ack! I should be working, but instead I'm procrastinating!" I've been bad at that, and have three tests next week... that I'm trying to study for.
What bout you? Was it school that made you fall off the lj checking, or just regular stuff? Welcome back, btw!
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:12 pm (UTC)I've heard similar stories by at least 3 other of her students...
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:16 pm (UTC)Did you ever take any Earl Jackson classes at UCSC? Because he was very much the same way. I think it's unfortunately the freaky smart ones who are also flakey (or unreachable, or whatever).
so... you're still working on campus, yes? do you want to get coffee somewhere on campus during the day? or evening? i know your schedule is fairly hectic, so just let me know
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:18 pm (UTC)what about this sunday? and I live fairly south too - William Cannon & 1st... Green Muse is great - I've never been to Cafe Caffeine....whichever you like
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:19 pm (UTC)Yeah, I remember Earl Jackson...hoo boy. And his "website" (that atrocity against usability).
On campus, I'll have to get back to you. This week is nuts, but I might have some pockets of time. I'll get back to you - please remind me too.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:29 pm (UTC)Plus, I never like talking academic smack too close to campus, b/c you never know who could be listening. I've been on campus since '98 and I spot people everywhere from previous depts I worked for or studied with.
Green Muse is my first choice, but when it's crowded I go to Cafe Caffeine over on Mary St.
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You live pretty close to me, I'm below W. Cannon off Brodie. Maybe sometime we could do a viewing of weird Japanese films from Netflix. My husband likes the more gorey/violent stuff...my tolerance for that's gone down since motherhood 'n' all. But you may want to check out my bookshelf for book title ideas. If I'm feeling particularly geeky and know what areas you're into - I have a ton of articles archived that I was planning on giving to one of Susan's students someday as I have no interest in certain areas anymore. I didn't want to give them all to her - I'd prefer they go to a new student. I also have a copy-machine at home if it's something I might not want to part with.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 05:32 pm (UTC)Email me contact info if this sounds good.
kuro_neko999 at yahoo
no subject
Date: 2006-03-30 07:44 pm (UTC)And yeah, well, he always tried to maintain he'd done that on purpose. HEE.
No problem about on campus - I think we're resoved for off! *grin*
no subject
Date: 2006-03-30 07:45 pm (UTC)