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So, we've known each other for quite a while now.
I've walked you through my life, step by step, from my first dorm experience (and those roommate troubles), my first off-campus house experience (and those roommate troubles), my first off-campus apartment experience (and those roommate troubles), to the start of my own house buying experience (where I swear I will not have any roommates to cause troubles).
As I've graduated from Ohio State, now, and the quarter has been completed, I think I'm officially not allowed to write to you anymore. As a parting gift, then, I'm going to give you the gift of knowledge. Here's the top 10 things (in no order) I learned about life, school, myself, etc., while a buckeye.
1. Everyone has a story. With all the students at OSU and all the people in the city, all you have to do to broaden your horizons is chat with someone new.
2. Random parking tickets that you don't agree with can be appealed. Just contact the Transportation and Parking Center. DO NOT just give money to stop them from threatening to expel you. If you did, however, deserve the ticket, just pay up and don't get caught doing it again.
3. Hot dogs when placed on lit outdoor lighting fixtures for consecutive hours do explode. (Just happens to be one of the main things I remember from my time there, as the burst hotdogs called forth all manner of city critters to our front porch for weeks on end.)
4. Living with friends isn't necessarily a good idea. If your personalities are remotely different, there will be confrontations, which could damage a friendship if it's not strong enough.
5. When accused of academic misconduct, don't try to go it alone. Student representatives make a world of difference, and can be the deciding factor in getting you found innocent or guilty. Hopefully innocent...
6. It is best to start working on projects etc. due at the end of the quarter as soon as possible. The first few weeks seem to be all fun and games (at least there's not as much homework), but the last few weeks are jam packed and known to cause mental breakdowns.
7. Find the elevators on the east side of Smith Hall and on the outside west side of Derby. When you have classes on the top floors after a 3 mile hike to campus, these are life-savers and not well-known by a lot of students.
8. Most people know this, but just in case...wear shoes when jumping in Mirror Lake. Gym shoes. If you wear flip flops there's a good change you will never see them again.
9. You can save A LOT of money by taking extra classes each quarter---if you can handle the work load, that is.
10. If you're broke and slightly cheesy in a romantic sense (or slightly romantic in a cheesy sense), Chadwick Arboretum can work as a date place. Kinda.
So take your time there to add on to the List of Knowledge--you will have a great number of chances to learn something about the school, yourself, and life in general, and every bit counts. Even the bits about exploding hotdogs.
In the meantime,
Happy gardening.
Blonde_gardener
I just had one of those moments where I was utterly and completely bored, but also beyond lazy to the point where I didn't want to do anything constructive, even though it would take care of me being bored. Anyone else have those moments, or is it just me...? Anyways, I decided to do something not so constructive and yet time consuming---I dug in my old nightstand and found a Snow White coloring book from what seems like the dawn of time (my time, at least), and proceeded to color.
And this simple act got me thinking. I bet how people color pictures could tell you a lot (or at least a little) about their personalities. For example, I was coloring a picture of the beautiful princess, Snow White. Flipping a page, I found another picture of the beautiful princess, Snow White (as the book is named "The Beautiful Princess, Snow White" I really shouldn't be that surprised) that I had colored back when I was like five. The remarkable part is that the two pictures--the past and the present--were almost exactly alike color-wise.
I'm not saying I color like a 5-year-old.... My point is that back then, I colored meticulously inside the lines and used very true-to-life colors (as true-to-life as Snow White can get...). None of that random blue skin or polka dotted hair or random scrawls like my sister did, but black hair and red lips and even a slight hint of blush.
So one (if one were bored and chose to analyze it) could determine from that that I am a person who likes some guidelines and order in life, whereas my sister, for example, is more random and not quite as orderly.
I think this could be a better personality testing method than the multiple choice questions they ask at schools etc. to determine what you're going to do with your life. It'd be more fun, at least, I think.
I swear there just aren't enough hours in a day. Or enough days in the weekend, for that matter. Or maybe I just have too much to do...I just can't seem to fit it all in...
Last weekend was my friend Amber's wedding. She met her now husband in college (King's college in New York), him being from an Amish family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Like most highschool girls, back in our day we would discuss our future husbands (although I swore I would never get married) and I must say, he wasn't exactly what I had pictured for her. Until the wedding, that is---they looked so happy, it just seemed right. I guess it just goes to show that the most unexpected things can sometimes be the perfect fit.
On another note, I was trying on old jeans this afternoon in order to see which ones I could possibly turn into work shorts, and got stuck. Stuck stuck. Like stuck for 40 minutes in a pair of jeans I should never have and don't know how I managed to put on. I had to call my friend to come cut me out of them. I guess some things just won't fit forever.
And now, before I get too cheesy, I'm off to see if I fit in at my friend's cook out...
So my friend Samantha is working on her senior project for OWU, and she's actually doing something really interesting (like I had any doubt). She's traveling around Ohio all summer, talking to people on benches, supposedly about this wonderful state and why they're living here, but after her trial run last night I think she'll have a harder time staying on that topic than originally thought...
We went down to old historic Loveland last night to the bike trail and, while I walked around town with another friend, she took pictures of the river and thought up her strategies for talking to people without sounding creepy. Lucky for her, one guy started talking without her having to even acknowledge his presence. And he kept talking. And talking.
And an hour later, when I walked back into the park and saw her talking with some strange guy and walked by to check how things were going, he was still talking to her...and started talking to me. It was just funny how the conversation ranged from his helmet he got at Goodwill for $4 to tornados to men chasing their wives with shotguns to how he likes his middle name better than his first name and everything in between. I guess this guy just really needed someone to talk to.
Finally, two hours later, I managed to come up with an excuse for Sam and I to leave and we realized that we were completely alone in the dark, deserted park. And at this point we decided that if Sam is going to go through with the project she's either going to need a bodyguard or some pepper spray. Or both, preferably... Like I said, this is turning out to be an interesting project...
So this is the first time I've been on a computer to check email and whatnot in weeks.
Work has been exceedingly busy--tis the season. I'm not complaining, though, although I keep getting the feeling that there just aren't enough hours in a day for me to get everything done on my to do list. By the time I finish everything I have to do for work and driving the kids to and from practices, I hardly have any time left for laundry and dishes and mopping and, well, life in general.
Today, after work, I did get to go to my friend Amber's bridal shower. It was beautifully done, and I'm really glad she's happy. Although I did realize too late that, while everyone else quoted Bible versus in their cards, I quoted Dante's Inferno. Probably not the best choice for sending someone off into married life.
But I'm off for now to attempt to squeeze some more time out of today--my friends say there's sumo wrestling at this bar. Sounds interesting...stay tuned to see if I can hold my own in a sumo ring...
For some reason my pictures from this year's exhibit won't upload. Sorry, but I'm no computer genius, so, until I can eventually figure out what's up, enjoy my rendition of our display, using Paint as my medium.
Today was, in a word, beautiful.
Beautiful weather--I'm really loving this 80 degrees and sunny stuff. With all the leaves coming out and everything blooming it's honestly as pretty as a picture.
Beautiful tan--I actually fell asleep outside reading and me, the girl who can stand in the sun for five minutes with spf 85 sunscreen on and still burn to the point of peeling, didn't get more than a slight tan. Don't know how that worked out, but I'm really glad I'm not layering on the aloe right now.
Beautiful hair, dress, flowers, couple, girl--It was my little sister's first prom tonight, and she spent most of today fixing her make-up and whatnot. Hours later (and actually quite a bit of money later) her hair, nails, make-up, and dress were perfect. Even her corsage and her boyfriend's boutonniere that my mom and I gathered flowers for and hand-made were a big success. I hope she's having a great time.
Beautiful meal--I went out to eat with my parents tonight; Dewey's Pizza. It was good. Pretty much all I have to say about that.
Beautiful end to the day--After dinner, my folks and I stopped by the Flower Show so my mom and I could make sure our exhibit was ready for tomorrow--the last day of the show. It was late--around 9:30--and the park was completely deserted. It's really kinda cool after-hours--not that I suggest crashing the gates after it closes...I actually think that would be frowned upon.
The Spring season has officially started, as well as the timely Cincinnati Flower Show. It's kinda funny that such a time consuming event for plant people takes place during the busiest time of year for those very people...
But somehow everything manages to come together every year. Even if it means a lack of sleep. And lack of sleep means my writing comes out as a random stream of consciousness, Faulkner style, so bear with me.
The Show is for the first time ever being held at Symmes Township Park, instead of its past home of Coney Island. I had my reservations about the location when I first heard about the change--I love the park but thought it would be too small for the show---but have to say it's lovely. With its winding paths and natural setting, it's like having our very own little plant town. I'm not being very descriptive, but take my word for it--it's cool. Or don't take my word--come see it for yourself.
My mom and I once again did a container garden exhibit. This year we did one in the category "The Book Club" and titled ours "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish." We actually made a huge 4x4 aquarium out of plexy (plexi?) (plexee?) (Like I said, bear with me...) (Am I even spelling bear right? It's not bare. Bear? Like the animal? Oh man I should go to bed.)
and made a huge cement coral reef and filled it with succulents and sedums and shells. We even made little foam fishes just like in the book and hung them off of fishing line so it was like they were swimming. We started setting up at around 1:30 in the afternoon on Wednesday and didn't leave until 11 that night. That's a long time to spend on one 4x4 exhibit. But it was worth it--we were awarded another gold medal. I don't have a camera, but I think my co-worker took some pictures--I'll see if I can get them from him and let y'all have a look see.
In honor of the bank teller I just spent 45 minutes trying to understand, I'm going to play a new game and talk only in huge exaggerations.
Starting....now.
A giant 40-foot snake with glowing red eyes and fangs sharper than any blade in the hunting section at Bass Pro just sped out of the woods and tried to eat us all. (Translation: a snake just snapped at my heel as I ran after a Frisbee too close to its nest.)
It was so hot today my eyebrows were completely singed off and any butterfly that unknowingly flew into the beams of death from the sun burst into flames right before my eyes. (Translation: It was beautiful today; I actually took off my jacket. Can't believe it's supposed to flurry on Monday.)
Wednesday is going to *sob* be the BEST day of my entire life. Every day up until now pales in comparison to how great Wednesday is going to be. I'm going to name my first-born daughter--or son--Wednesday in honor of this momentous day. (Translation: Wednesday my friend Sam and I are going to go see Paula Deen (She gets the title of Wonderful Amazing chef. Anyone who uses as much butter as she does in recipes gets the title of Wonderful Amazing, in my book.) We're pretty excited to see her; Sam, so she can get her cookbook and try some new recipes. Me, so Sam can get her cookbook and try some new recipes for me to eat.)
I opened the door of the fridge and was greeted by a smell so tangible it literally smacked me in the face. There, on the shelf between the yogurt and the sour cream, I saw it. Its crusted, misshapen body pulsed sickeningly, growing larger by the second. Before I could run away in fright, its bruised side began oozing a moss-colored pus. In seconds the shelf was covered in the foul, gelatinous substance. The creature splatted onto the floor, and slid toward my legs. It was coming for me. (Translation: My broccoli went bad.)
End game.
So it's (finally) Saturday, and I (finally) have a few seconds to update this thing.
Life has consisted of: going to work at 6:45 AM, working on the clock until 4:00, staying until 7:30 or so working on projects I didn't get done during the day and/or our flower show exhibit, going home and eating dinner, getting to bed by 10, and doing the whole thing over again.
Overall, more often then not I find myself thinking, man, I love my job. The spring season is just getting off the ground and the trickle of work will quickly turn into a waterfall here in the next few weeks--we'll see if this degrades or maintains my opinion of what I do for a living.
So in this busy work environment where there are all sorts of dangerous equipment like tractors and semi trucks and bobcats and lakes (see entry calm interrupted), (cue three-year-old's voice)I hurt my thumb. Actually it doesn't hurt so much as it's actually numb--I haven't felt anything with it since Wednesday. It's not a big deal--I'm assuming feeling will come back, eventually, it's just kinda funny and rather ironic. All I did was pick up an 8" annual pot and my thumb twanged and now I can't feel anything. It's ironic cause 8" annual pots weigh practically nothing compared to other things I deal with at work and picking one up is such a simple act, and the thumb is such a simple feature of the human anatomy to injure.
But I'm off to find something not work related to do. Stay tuned to see if and when feeling returns to my poor little thumb.
Over the past couple weeks there has been one topic in particular being talked about in my household--what exactly is that thing prowling around at night in our neck of the woods?
Last week, my mom drove off around 9:30 PM to pick up my little brother from his drivers ed. class. She came home a little spooked. As she drove up the dark street, she said, something strange crossed the street into the woods in front of her car. She said it walked on two legs, but was around 4 or so feet tall, which could have been a kid sneaking out,except that it didn't appear to have any hair on its head and wasn't wearing any clothes. She brushed off what she saw as a trick of the lack of light. Maybe a naked bald kid was sneaking out at night to hide in the woods? She didn't tell us about the incident until....
Earlier in this week, my sister headed out to the store (a late night craving for cotton candy ice cream) at around 10:00 PM. She came back extremely spooked. She said that as she was driving up our street, something crossed in front of her. Worried that it was a loose dog or something else she didn't want to hit, she slowed down, turned on her brights, and scanned the woods. And what she saw scared her enough to make her forget her ice cream. It was something on two legs, about 4 feet tall, and without any hair on its head though it could have had something like fur on its body. As her headlights lit it up, it turned around and looked at her with a face she described as "not human" before jumping into the woods. When she told us about her experience, my mom exclaimed that she had seen the same thing the week prior.
So what is prowling our woods at night?
Remembering a legend from my childhood in our town, I looked up the description of the Loveland Frog. The Loveland Frog, a creature rumored to have been spotted several times throughout the decades in our area of Loveland, Ohio, has beed described as "three to four feet tall, 50 to 75 pounds, leathery skin, possibly wet, matted hair on its body that made it look textured, possible tail, a head and face like a frog or lizard." I should mention that my mom, not from this area, had never before heard of the legend of the Loveland Frog.
Well, it certainly fits the descriptions given by my mom and sister. But I don't know, I guess I'll have to wait and see it for myself before making any decisions. Anyone for a little frog fishin?
So I'm officially done with that process I started at age four--the getting up, packing my lunch, making sure I had my homework, taking tests...
Now I'm a big business woman with a completely different schedule. Now I get up, pack my lunch, make sure I have the papers I need for the day, take licensing tests...
Haha regardless of the similarities, I'm still lovin after-college life. I'm training to work in a different department at the nursery--wholesale. I've done everything from production to retail to some advertising, but wholesale is a different world to me. So it should be exciting. I hope. At least a change in pace. Something different. Can you sense my hesitation?
I've decided not to attend graduation. I was told by my advisor that undergrads don't really do anything there. Several of my friends tell me that they don't think that's true. So I'm sure on that matter. I just know that, with my highschool and the kids I'd known since I was four, it meant a little more to me. I'm graduating early, so none of my friends will be graduating with me--just me, sitting there for three hours, wishing they'd hurry up and give me that piece of paper. So, for me, it was much better for me to just be able to move back to Cincinnati and say, well, that's it. I'm done.
As for a graduation party, who knows. My parent's mentioned having a party for relatives and whatnot, so my sister has been going around to my old highschool teachers telling them that they should come to my party (which hasn't been planned yet...). So either we plan a party or my old English teacher will show up by himself on my doorstep one night.
My friends are planning a party, though, that encompasses my graduation, my early birthday, and another friend's going away for the summer. It's supposed to be mostly a surprise, but I know there's at this point like 100 plus people invited. I really hope they're not planning on having this party at my house...
Things I've pondered recently:
How do shoes come untied when you've been standing in the same spot for the past few hours?
At the end of the original version of the movie "The Blob," the guy character (don't remember his name) said that society would be safe as long as the Blob's prison in the arctic remained cold. So if the arctic warms up due to global warming, will we be absorbed by a gelatinous monster from another planet?
Why did the last house I looked at with my realtor have the basement sealed off permanently? Maybe that's where they hid the bodies.
What should I have for lunch today?
Why in many movies do the characters leave doors open so often? The refrigerator, the front door, the back door, cabinets, car doors, store doors...
What really is the purpose of a wedding "save the date" announcement? Why not just send out real invitations the first time? Is it so details can be finalized? Can someone please explain it to me?
What is the difference between "blond" and "blonde"? I've been told to spell it blonde, but my driver's license says I'm blond.
I'm moving out on Saturday, and that day couldn't come soon enough. Not just because I'm excited to graduate and whatnot, but because I've finally stopped attempting to clean after my roommates and can barely see the floor as a result. I wish I could tell you where I live and warn you to NEVER rent this room....last night my roommate's dog peed on the carpet. That's gross, but expected as he's just a little puppy and still learning. But she just left it. Yeah. Didn't clean it or anything. Just told us to walk around it. Like I said, Saturday morning can't come soon enough.
My schedule's been pretty hectic as of late. I go to classes Monday through Wednesday, drive back to Cincinnati Wednesday afternoon and work through Sunday, and drive back up to Columbus Monday morning. I think I was actually in Columbus a grand total of 7 days in February. Actually, come to think about it, it might have been a good idea for me to just rent a hotel room instead of having an apartment. Probably would have been cheaper. And with less dog pee.
And for those of you who read my blog last year, you know what time it is. Flower Show time. Oh yeah. Actually, my mom and I haven't even really started on the container garden exhibit, though we have a vague idea of what it's gonna look like. While past exhibits have called for me to learn welding and glass cutting, this one might test my abilities of an electrician.
The Cincinnati Flower Show is going to be held this year for the first time at Symmes Township Park. I have mixed feelings about this change of scenery--we'll see how it turns out. The park is definitely a more intimate setting than the past home of the Show, Coney Island. But the park is beautiful--the perfect setting for a horticulture-based event. And maybe a smaller venue will be a good thing, let the Show get back to its roots. Ha. Roots. Sorry, I'm in a punny mood.
So I'll leave it at that and go find something for dinner--I've already packed up all my food to take back, so looks like I have an excuse to eat out.
So I have officially (by my book) ten more days of classes left. And I am so (oooo) excited....I really can't wait to, well, I don't know, not take tests and have a million papers to write and books to read about subjects I really don't care about at all, etc., etc., etc.
But that being said, I'm not too certain I'm exactly looking forward to having my life revolve around a 7 to 4 job, either. I was called in to work the end of last week, prepping and potting thousands of roses, and realized I had forgotten how tired a day on the farm can make you. I came home and just didn't have the energy to do anything. Once I get into the swing of things again--get my horticulture legs back, if you will--hopefully the day's work won't be as taxing. Having worked there the past few summers, I know it'll get easier, it's just the part before it gets easy that's hard. Ha, now there's a philosophy for ya.
In the meantime, I've pretty much packed everything in my apartment that will fit in a suitcase--all that remains is my bed, desk, and a few food items. And, no matter what my occupational future holds, I still can't help being beyond excited to finally (finally!) graduate.
So now I'm debating whether or not I even want to walk in the graduation ceremony. Just thinking about it, I've run into some hassels. First of all, I would have to drive up to Columbus from Cincinnati for one day of exams on the 18th and drive back to Cinci (cause I will have moved out of my apartment as of like the 10th and not really have a place to stay) and then drive up again on the 20th for rehearsal (and then back to Cinci again), and then again on the 22nd for the actual ceremony...
The driving's not a big deal, it's only an hour and fifteen minutes, but still, it gets tedious going back and forth after a while. And costly after a while, no matter what gas prices are doing...
With my high school graduation, it meant something because I had known everyone there for the last thirteen years of my life, and really loved my school. Here there isn't any of the sentimental value for me.
It kinda seems right now like it would be much easier just to have them mail me my diploma and pretty much be done when I move out. Just have a party to celebrate it. I don't know. Most of my friends keep saying they just don't want me to regret not walking. The other friends just think I'm crazy for even considering skipping that day. But the thought of sitting for 3 hours or so just to get a piece of paper....eh....I don't know....I'll be the happiest girl in the world when I graduate whether or not I have to buy another cap and gown.
But regardless, I count 6 weeks left of classes. (It'll be 5 after my last class on Wednesday...)
So the CENTS Show is officially over today. Sad day. CENTS (the Central Environmental Nursery Trade Show), for those who weren't privy to my blog at this time last year, is the horticulture convention that comes to Columbus once a year. It's really great to get together with old friends and coworkers and do whatever it is we plant people do.
Monday I got up bright and early and went to the classes with my mom. Those classes were all about the chemical aspects of the media and fertilizers used in the business---not exactly the most exciting topic, but useful nonetheless. I braved the ice and went by myself early again today to some classes that were a little more on the fun side--today was about cool new plants, fallscaping, and rain gardens.
And then there's the tradeshow in general--booths and booths of plant liners, tractors, carhartts, and pruners, saws, and shears of every kind. It's really kinda unique when you think about it; this is probably one of the very few conventions where it's pretty much expected for everyone to be carrying at least one sharp object. A few people were walking around with scythes swinging at their sides. You gotta love us plant people.
After walking into our apartment this morning and realizing that it in fact smelled worse than the dumpster outside, one of my roommates and I decided to clean.
Ironically enough, this roommate and I are the only ones out of a total of four people in our apartment who do not make messes and the only ones who actually clean. Listening to other roommate situations, it seems that this arrangement is actually fairly common. But it still gets frustrating.
But our pantry was disgusting. Really. It was one of those things when the garbage can got full and, instead of emptying it, people kept throwing the trash at it, thereby making the entire floor of the walk-in pantry a garbage pit. My one roommate and I filled a total of 5 garbage bags with the contents of the floor of our pantry.
And we haven't even touched the living room yet. We're determined to make the people who actually made the mess clean it up this time. I thoroughly cleaned last week before leaving town for the long weekend (and I will admit I'm a neat freak with a slight touch of OCD. When I say thorough, I mean thorough...we're talkin elbow-high rubber gloves and bleach, people.) and came back to find the sofa cover covered in crumbs and half off and the floor filled with a litter of empty popcorn bags, random shoes, dirty socks, shrimp tails, and other unknown and decidedly questionable objects. And I think there's something living in our coat closet.
Now don't get me wrong, I love my roommates. They're really sweet people. But living with them has made me ever more determined to keep my own house completely one hundred percent spotless. There will be no shrimp tails on my floor.
According to my calculations (which includes a lot of rounding), I have officially 7 more weeks of classes. And then that's it. No more classes. Ever.(!)
I'm sure somewhere in the future I'll end up taking more classes, but with those classes I'll at least try to find something a little more tailored to what I'm interested in. No more GECs or random major requirements!
The classes I'm taking now are fine, but it's to the point where I'm starting to count the hours until graduation, meaning my attentions are constantly off somewhere else besides the classroom. Oh I just remembered that I have to order a cap and gown....I forgot graduations required something more than walking down the aisle naked...
But in my sociology class, one project has my attention.We get to do the now campus-famous "break a social norm" project in which, obviously, we have to break a social norm (like by walking naked at graduation...). Not meaning to, I think I accomplished that task (although I was fully dressed) the other week: I was at Target late one night due to a sudden urge to listen to the Mamma Mia the movie soundtrack. I had just found the CD when the song that I had been singing in my head all day escaped from my mouth in a whisper. When the person next to me started to sing the song as well, my whisper grew. Before I knew it people all around me were singing the song, complete with movie-inspired dance moves. So for my breaking a social norm: I started a musical in Target.
If you're ever bored late at night, I suggest checking out the CD aisle of your local Target store. Highly entertaining in quite a unique way.
My New Year's resolution: to attempt to relax and enjoy my last quarter at OSU.
And two days into the quarter, I'd say it's a 50/50 chance I'll stick to my resolution.
With 24 credit hours, this quarter is so far turning out to be one of the easiest quarters I've had at the University. I'm taking Astronomy H161, Sociology H101, Comm 604, H&CS internship, and Comm 460.
I know, 5 classes doesn't sound like an easy quarter buuut....I completed the internship over the summer and am just tacking the credits onto this quarter, and, if you noticed, I'm taking two 100 level classes as a graduating senior.
The classes are still challenging and pretty interesting (so far), but I must say they are (again, so far) much easier than some of the higher-level classes.
I have a couple situations to work out with the University, and after that's all said and done I can probably drop the Comm 460. Which, while I'm sure it's a fine class, is a little too similar to another Comm class I took last quarter to hold my attention for long.
As hard as I try to stay focused on school, my mind keeps wandering to life after graduation with the job at the horticulture nursery I'm starting and the house I might make an offer on....
I just have to try to remember to enjoy my time in college (without a mortgage) while I still can.
Finally---both my laptop and family computer have been out of commission for the last few weeks, and we just managed to get the computer de-virused (apparently it had like 345 different threats, 5 of those which were viruses) and hooked back up to the internet. No small feat, let me tell ya.
The tech guys were able to save most of our files, including my papers from way way back in the good ol' days of highschool. Sorting through everything and re-reading papers, I must say, left me pretty impressed. I don't remember writing half of these papers, and was pleasantly surprised at the depth and cohesiveness of the metaphors I came up with. I'm not tooting my own horn or anything, as there were also the fair share of chemlabs and Spanish papers I laughed my head off at, but I'm amazed at how advanced our highschool English classes were (I'm also ignoring a short video of me dressed like a rapper rapping about cheeseburgers for a presentation on the Scarlet Letter. Not sure what I was thinking there...). But some of the prompts for the papers rival those I've received in college.
My friend also called me and informed me that she found several home movies we had made for English presentations. She claims that one has me running around in a blow-up fat suit attempting to speak French. A Tale of Two Cities, perhaps? But I'm looking forward to watching those and remembering just how much fun we had in school.
We had an interesting debate the other day in my Comm 424 class. The two groups, uh, discussed heatedly whether or not the ever-growing presence of civic journalism will slowly edge out traditional journalism. And while I'm not going to recount the dozens of excellent points made within that hour by both teams, there was one idea that had made its way to the surface of the debate by the end that has me thinking.....what are the rights of the everyday citizen journalist, the common blogger?
(Ignoring the slight irony of me hashing out this question in a blog....)
In my opinion, ordinary people contributing to the multitude of media is a wonderful thing. True, not every blogger has to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth (one must keep this in mind when when getting information from any source other than the primary source, oneself), but blogs, opinion sections, letters to the editor, youtube and other outlets of the sort create a unique place for any individual to express their views of the world around them, complete with their own personal opinions of their day to day experiences.
When reading the writings of an ordinary citizen, you get to see things from a different perspective than that of the on-the-job reporter. A behind-the-scenes look, if you must. And while you have to take such accounts with a grain of salt (actually, I have no clue if that's the right saying.....but it sounds semi-right to me. You know what I mean.) it's almost refreshing to get the un-official look at what's really going on.
And what I think is the greatest thing about citizen journalists: they have the every right to write about their experiences and opinions (steer clear of libel. Opinions are seen as a tenant of freedom of speech, libel is not.), just like the readers have the right to form their own opinions on the subject.
The combination of the weather and the fact that it's midterm time in most classes definitely make these days pretty blah. There's no other way to say it.
The silver lining to this perpetual cloud that hangs over Columbus: I scheduled for my final quarter at Ohio State, and actually was pleasantly surprised by how few classes I have left. My Horticulture advisor pointed out that I had already completed the minor without two classes I was planning to take winter quarter, dropping my total winter quarter class count (how's that for alliteration?) down to three.
So I've completed both my minors (Spanish and horticulture), have one more class for my major (journalism), and two more classes to graduate with honors. Both classes for my honors contract are freshman level classes....which I'm guessing are going to be fairly easy compared to some of these other upper level classes. Not quite sure how that worked out that I'd take my only 100 level classes as a graduating senior...but I'm also not sure it's entirely a bad thing. We'll see.
I'm dropping from 31 credit hours this quarter to 19 next quarter (4 of those are from my hort internship over the summer)--who knows, I might actually have some free time to enjoy....
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