Another "Study Avoidance" Tactic:

Recently I found out a way to "monitor" and actually SEE what people are typing into Google or Yahoo (or insert another search engine here) to be directed to my humble little blog.

Mostly it's Sex and the City related:
"I'm a Charlotte"
"Carrie sings Memories"
"Natasha falls and breaks a tooth"
"Mr. Big engagement party"

there are a few searches for "Turnitin dot com"...

Some science:
"Phylum Placoza"
"What are the squiggles on the Spirogyra"

But

the most "searched" phrases pointing people to my blog have to do with ART. Specifically The Girl with the Pearl Earring ("mona lisa of the north") one of Jan Vermeer's masterworks.

They land here from New Jersey, Kentucky, and Florida...and then internationally from Ireland, Portugal, Venezuela, Norway, Canada, and Sweden simply by searching "Mona Lisa of the North" (or some form of it).

Although lately I've gotten some visits because of my inclusion of a painting by John Waterhouse too.

And now back to studying...

~~J

Gobble Gobble!

May it not be as bad as Chandler's...

~~J

Student Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness:

(Better known around campus as the SETE)

My answers, in no particular order...for all five classes (professors); no, I won't tell you WHICH is WHICH...

1. I have become more competent because of this course.
SA, SA, SA, A, N

2. I had an opportunity to ask questions in or outside of class.
SA, A, SA, A, N

3. The course was well organized.
A, SA, A, A, D

4. The tests or other evaluation methods adequately assessed how well I learned the course material.
A, A, SA, N, SD

5. The instructor was enthusiastic when presenting course material.
A, A, SA, N, D

6. The instructor was interested in teaching.
SA, SA, SA, N, D

7. The instructor was concerned with whether the students learned the materials.
SA, A, SA, N, D

8. The instructor was knowledgeable about the subject.
A, SA, SA, N, N

9. In general, the instructor was an effective teacher.
SA, SA, SA, N, D

Key: Strong Agree, Agree, Neither, Disagree Strong Disagree

~~J

So Maybe I do Talk *too much*:

But what is *too much* really?

(and YES! I had a Chatty Cathy as a child)

I have report cards from childhood (which will go into a museum, no doubt) in which the comment section always includes something along the lines of:

"Janet is a pleasure to have in class, she is bright, friendly...But her mouth runs at 70 miles per hour"

Punishment for expressing myself (too much verbally) including standing in the corner.

Completely turned around and NOT facing the classroom.

I would always find a way to communicate with my classmates though. No really. I can't make this stuff up!

Fast forward to this weekend. I was "chatting" on Facebook.
(the written equivalent to running my mouth)

(p.s. what did I do before Facebook?--->Myspace?--->AOL?--->MSN?)

I was chatting with a classmate. I was chatting with a co-worker. I was chatting with a family member. I was chatting with a friend. Ya know, people I know and adore. Topics were varied. It was a successful Quadruple Chat Fest.

*just imagine conversations here*

Then I started getting block messages, every time I would "say something" telling me that I had REACHED MY LIMIT. I was about to be BANNED. For what? What did I do? I wasn't telling secrets dealing with national security.

I WAS TALKING (chatting) TOO MUCH! I thought it was a joke. So I continued. In fact, I started chatting more feverishly than ever. Words, sentences, paragraphs were FLYING out of my fingertips.

THEN! It stopped.
I was banned.Completely and utterly banned.
Mid-conversation. Mid-thought.

Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech...BUT FACEBOOK CAN!

It was funny. It was hilarious. I went to bed. Surely in the morning I would be able to...NO! I stared out on the "online" section of Facebook, watching friends (and family members and classmates) sign on and off and on and off.

I couldn't SAY A WORD! I actually had to do homework instead! I sent out text messages (I will NOT be stopped). Friends (and classmates) couldn't believe I was banned. (They were probably secretly relieved)...

But guess what? Last night--I came home from work and tried it out AGAIN just for the fun of it...and I was able to spew forth my verbal (written) thoughts! I was able to CHAT!

I kept the conversation down to ONE person. It was't even a marathon of verbal-wit. It was cool, calm, and collected. I've learned my lesson. When FACEBOOK says, "STFU" I guess I have to listen. Or blog about it accordingly.

~~J

Poetry from the 17th Century:

(a sonnet I considered writing extensively about, until I found out it was way to obvious and didn't really give way to decent discussion--at least not the type required for my forthcoming paper)

A Married State
A married state affords but little ease

The best of husbands are so hard to please.

This in wives' careful faces you may spell

Through they dissemble their misfortunes well.

A virgin state is crowned with much content;

It's always happy as it's innocent.

No blustering husbands to create your fears;

No pangs of childbirth to extort your tears;

No children's cries for to offend your ears;

Few worldly crosses to distract your prayers;

Thus are you freed from all the cares that do

Attend on matrimony and a husband too.

Therefore, Madam, be advised by me

Turn, turn apostate to love's levity,

Suppress wild nature if she dare rebel.

There's no such thing as leading apes in hell.

Katherine Philips

(1632-1664)

To Answer the Question:

Thanks for asking, Stephanie!

(according to Merriam-Webster)

Muse
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin Musa, from Greek Mousa
Date: 14th century

capitalized : any of the nine sister goddesses in Greek mythology presiding over song and poetry and the arts and sciences
2: a source of inspiration ; especially : a guiding genius

(this is John Waterhouse's rendition of Lamia, 1905)

Which means a lot to me, because it represents the way I feel. My current Muse looks like this knight (and I feel like the woman depicted--essentially because the "Art" has be on my knees...I can't stop thinking about it).

Dark hair + Broad shoulders + Light eyes = Handsome (Muse)

Now does he know that he is indeed my Muse? I think he may have an idea, maybe (he's no dummy). He [or should I say, his character] is partially responsible for my current explosion of creative writing.

How creative is it, really? I don't know--but it's taking up A LOT OF TIME!

I have a fully-fleshed female character who has quite a crush on a certain male character (originally created by, my Muse--he gave me permission to use or borrow him).

This creative writing/fiction writing/short story collection building has taken away from my OTHER home/class work though. So that's NOT good--but on the other hand I haven't felt this way about "Fiction" writing, EVER!

I was scared to death of this class--now I can't wait to start the Workshopping series of classes!

Now the friendship (Muse-ship) has essentially become the introduction to the series of closely related short stories. I'm moving beyond what is required for the actual class and into the "hey! I'm going to try to get this published realm"...We'll see what happens.

~~J

P.S. and lest we not forget all the other Muses I have been surrounded by lately either. My "sister goddesses" are very relevant as well. It's my "creative" period. Just like Picasso's Blue Period--but mine is shaded more in the Red family.

P.P.S. And my Muse is NOT an English major aka I won't have a class with him ever again. So should I start taking applications for my next Muse-ship? How does that all work anyway? (I assume it to be a very rare state of being)

My Lack of Blogging:

[or Branting, thanks Laura Zigman.]

I feel as if I never have enough time. Enough time to spout off lines and lines of beautiful blog worthy prose. My beautiful blog worthy prose has turned into:

• Three 12-page Fiction Stories (plus more, not required for my current class)
• Four "Newspaper Length" Feature Stories

and before the end of the month, you can add:

• a paper comparing/contrasting Sylvia Plath's use of obsessive/open form in her poetry
• a paper about the sonnet "A Married State" (1646) by Katherine Philips
• a "Magazine Length" Feature Story

I wish I could explain to you completely the sheer exhaustion my "writing self" feels. [And I basically couldn't be happier about it, either!]

• I have read (edited/commented on) more than 30 fiction short stories (written by classmates)
• I have read (studied/learned beyond recognition) enough poetry to make Keats cry.

And all of this doesn't even begin to touch the ten (10) chapters of Mass Media Law I have crammed into my head. My brain could explode. [And I basically couldn't be happier about it, either!]

I have also found a few "writing friends." Do you know how exciting this is? At least three other Creative Writing majors who are not only female--but amazing & talented & inspiring...our little group shall take over the world, no doubt!

[oh! and I've found a Muse! Be sure not to tell anyone!]

I registered for FOUR more class (Spring) this week as well. And I am contemplating my fifth class. So please forgive me for a really, really lacking semester (in the blogging department).

[But remember, I basically couldn't be happier about it, either!]

~~J

The First-MUTT:

Mutt (circa 1899) is related to Mongrel (15th century) and it comes from Middle English (sounds French to me) but according to Merriam-Webster it's "probably from mong mixture, short for ymong, from Old English" & there are several definitions but I prefer:

2: a cross between types of persons or things

So does Buttercup. Buttercup is my beloved "mutt" (Yes, I went for MUTT instead of Mongrel). She has occupied a space in my heart (and this world) for 5 years now.

She has a few distinct features of the Shar Pei: unique "hippopotamus" head shape, profile and wrinkles...but she is muscular, lion-like and regal with a very smooth coat (and not as much fur--although she sheds like...) like the Chow Chow. She has a blue/black tongue splotch and that stilted gait as well. Her snout protrudes more like the Shiba Inu...(AKC search)

Yeah, I don't know...but I love her madly anyway.

Now I can tell you that SHE...

• loves "soft" toys (the ones she can "de-fluff")
• ice in her water (crushed, not cubed)
• rolling around in the grass (or on my bed)
• frolicking around like a deer (when she sees a squirrel)
• laying with her hind legs splayed out...(she's classy)

When I told Buttercup that the First-Family Elect is going to bring a "mutt" into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, she was quite happy. We think it's only fitting. Why have some "pure bred" dog running around? A "mutt" represents us all so much better (and Buttercup agrees).

MUTTS: Shelter Stories

MUTTS: Daily Archive

Yay for MUTTS! Yay for a "first-mutt"...Yay for an "adopted from a shelter first-mutt"...

~~J

Election Day "Assignment"

Usually the line at Edgar Allan Joe’s pushes and wraps around the lobby of Patterson Hall as students stop to grab their preferred form of caffeine between classes.

However, today the late morning crowd was noticeably thin.

“I believe people are out voting,” said Jennifer Ervin, proudly displaying her red and white Vote button on her apron. “That’s where I think they really are.”

Ervin knows the students who come in and out of the English building well. She works behind the counter as a member of the Tiger Dining Service team Monday through Friday.

Students are milling around the lobby. Speaking in hushed tones over cell phones and checking websites on their laptops.

The conversation in the short line turns to the election. “Did you vote today?” Ervin asks a faceless female student at the front of the very short line.

“Yes. It took about two hours and I had a test in my 8 o’clock class...” she responds and hands over money for her drink.

“It took me two hours this morning too,” Ervin replies.

Two students pass one another, both wearing t-shirts supporting Barack Obama. They might not know each other, but they slow and nod anyway.

Simone Liggins, 21, voted for Obama during the early voting period in Shelby County. It was her first time voting in a presidential election and the experience met her expectations.

“It feels like a personal historical moment,” she said, “I got to vote for a black man, especially after hearing your entire life that it would never happen.”

Although she doesn’t consider herself, a “political person,” she made sure to watch at least part of the presidential debates when they aired, “I didn’t want to make an uninformed decision.”

Also voting in her first presidential election, Amanda Warner, 21, waited until Election Day to cast her ballot.

“When I walked in, they asked me if it was my first time voting. “ She said. “I said yes, and two people yelled, ‘First time voter!’ and started cheering and stuff so that made me feel good.”

Unlike Liggins, Warner voted for John McCain. “I vote republican because that’s the party my morals and ethics line up with. The face of the candidate doesn’t really matter to me.”

She admits to feeling as if her candidate will not go on to become the next president.

“It won’t be the end of the world,” Warner said, “Obama is NOT the anti-Christ!”

Mass Media Law Exam #2:

Introducing The Bart Simpson Method of memorization:

It is illegal to appropriate an individuals name or likeness for commercial or trade use without consent. It is illegal to appropriate an individuals name or likeness for commercial or trade use without consent. It is illegal to appropriate an individuals name or likeness for commercial or trade use without consent...

It is illegal to intrude physically or otherwise, upon the seclusion or solitude of an individual. It is illegal to intrude physically or otherwise, upon the seclusion or solitude of an individual. It is illegal to intrude physically or otherwise, upon the seclusion or solitude of an individual.

It is illegal to publicize material that places an individual in a false light IF
a) the false light in which the individual is placed would be offensive to a reasonable person, AND
b) the publisher was at fault when the publication was made.

It is illegal to publicize material that places an individual in a false light IF
a) the false light in which the individual is placed would be offensive to a reasonable person, AND
b) the publisher was at fault when the publication was made.


It is illegal to publicize private information about a person if the matter that is publicized
a) would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, AND
b) it is not of legitimate public concern or interest.

IT is illegal to publicize private information about a person if the matter that is publicized
a) would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, AND
b) it is not of legitimate public concern or interest.

~~J