O, the Weather Outside is...

Yes! Lookie up there and finish the song lyric correctly by singing: "really really CRAZY!?!?!?!"

I'm not exactly a fan of mathematics (if you follow this blog at all, you already know this fact) but I figured the most recent weather pattern deserved a bit o' math anyway.

The "highest" high was 75 degrees. The "lowest" low was 12 degrees.

*that's a difference of 63 in less than a week*

Does anyone know what happens when it swings hot/cold/cold/cold/ hot/warm/cold? (such a big changed over a short amount of time)

People get *sick*...people go to the doctor (or don't go to the doctor)... People (in their miserable state) go to the Pharmacy... AND being as I work in a PHARMACY...

Imagine it all.

"All of a sudden I'm congested and achy..."
*cough snot cough*
"It feels like my head is going to explode..."
*cut in front of people*
"Where's the green shiny pills I took 5 years ago..."
*sneeze*

"Why is my doctor's office closed, I might die?"

"Leave me alone! I want out of here!"
*that one's ME!*

FEEDJIT update:

As I mentioned in a previous entry (22 days ago, to be exact) I am able to monitor HOW people come to be on Student: Revisited.

Yes, I'm totally imaging people falling from the sky and landing with a *thud* now...

Poetry Saves the Day: (my Forms professor would be surprised)

• Holiday Survival (poem): Good to know we're all in this together!
• Gasoline (poem): I wrote/photo'ed that in September. I guess there is a "famous" version out there and people keep clicking on the wrong one.
• The inclusion of a poem by Katherine Philips: People either search the term "17th century poetry" or specific lines...

Different combinations of "mass" "media" "law" "exam" were terms used by (students?) in North Carolina, Texas, and California. Glad to know I'm not the only who was crazy preparing for finals.

Carrie Bradshaw ("We're so over we need a new word for over!") & The Mona Lisa of the North (could a link be posted somewhere?)...are the favorite women of my blog.

I haven't been as international this "go round"...it was mostly limited to North America, with a few hits from the Middle East thrown in for good measure.

NEW: I can see the Operating System (OS) used by my visitors: Windows XP beats out Vista and they both beat out Apple "OS X"...

*insert a conversation between "PC" and "Mac" here*

~~J

Seven:

Main Entry: nu·mer·ol·o·gy
Pronunciation: \ˌnü-mə-ˈrä-lə-jē, ˌnyü-\
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin numerus + English -o- + -logy
Date: 1911
: the study of the [deleted] significance of numbers

(according to Merriam-Webster anyway)

Seven. It seems as if my college career might come down to the number (7). I have never been one to "have a lucky number," but at least it all comes to one that traditionally is known as Lucky.

It seems as if I have seven classes to pass in order to graduate. I am taking five this Spring, which leaves two over the Summer session. 5+ 2 = 7

Each class is worth three credit hours (7x3=21) (21/3=7)
2009= 2+9 in reverse is 9-2=7
9 (my birthday) - 2 = 7
I’m on page 34 of my “novella”…(3+ 4 = 7)

Don’t worry, I’ll stop, this is getting a little crazy. Wait! Let me continue Biblically:

The number 7 in Hebrew comes from the root word (Sheh'-bah) to mean "complete" or "full"...seven days...

Okay. I'll really stop now. I think. Of these Seven classes, I know what six will be:

British Literature since 1750 /Studies in American Fiction/ Poetry Writing/ Editing (Journalism)/ Fiction Workshop/ Fiction Workshop/...(yes, twice)

The last class remains a mystery (at least until the classes for the Summer session are revealed).

~~J

Stick a Fork in Me:

(fill in the rest of the cliché)

Thus, the grand "book-packing" began this evening...

Now go ahead and call me crazy *elapse time* but I actually like to keep my textbooks *have some more time here*

Remember that my books now consist mainly of literature anthologies and reference books which shall always be there to read...(or take up a few shelves when I "grow up" and own my own library)

But I started clearing away this semester's books in anticipation of next semester's books. I have permanently taken over half of the dining room table (because I still can't do "homework" in my own room).

While shifting around the "merchandise," I thought long and hard about this semester. I am still awaiting grades (I only know results in two classes) but I am DONE, nevertheless.

AFTER Learning/Writing/Accomplishing:

• The Canterbury Tales
• Beowulf
• several legal terms & ideas specifically concerning mass communications
• FOUR newspaper length articles (prepared outside of class)
• THREE "unbiased" features about major political figures (inside class)
• an Election Day "on campus" story
• a MAGAZINE length feature story
• THREE "short stories" (36 pages of original fiction)
• (which means I read over 30 original fiction pieces by classmates)
• major figures in 16th century English literature (poetry)
• nearly 50 new poems (along with studies in formal poetry)

Alongside all I have learned, I have also managed to make several new friends. THIS I did NOT expect. I just assumed I would barrel through my last semesters, NOT taking names.

The complete opposite has occurred.It seems as if I have surrounded myself with several "writing friends" (who double as "drinking friends")...I expect an official "circle" to be created soon!

Now as much as I appreciate my "old" friends, there is nothing like having a conversation about story ideas, plots, writing exercises, grammar, and long lost books with people who LOVE story ideas, plots, writing exercises, grammar, and long lost books.

*more elapsed time to call me CRAZY*

thirty-three more days until Spring 2009 starts...

~~J

25 Holiday Survival Tips:

Now I admit that I was NOT creative enough to come up with this list on my own; it's actually taken from one of the holiday cards I am sending out this season.

The card actually has 99 survival tips...

But I was creative enough to PICK the card in the first place (as well as put little stars * * *next to my favorites)...AND share them with you:

1. mediate
2. light a candle
3. sleep in
4. swallow aspirin
5. hide out
6. eat chocolate
7. take a deep breath
8. bake cookies
9. glow
10. stretch
11. shop online
12. take pictures
13. take a chill pill
14. drink good champagne
15. hibernate
16. eat more chocolate
17. buy batteries
18. learn the words
19. have some coffee
20. up the dosage
21. giggle
22. wash your hands
23. moisturize
24. soak overnight
25. rinse and repeat

~~J

The Journalism Minor:

Yeah, I can't believe I have completed 15 hours (5 classes) of journalism either! When I read the "class descriptions" I'm pretty impressed with myself (and can't believe I actually "did all that")...and I have only one more this Spring and then the requirements for my "minor" will be met!

~~J

JOUR 1700 - Survey Mass Communication (3)
Social background, scope, functions, and organization of modern communication media, attention to all major mass communication media; philosophy and goals of modern journalism; impact on governmental, social and economic systems.

JOUR 2121 - Media Writing (3)
Basic instruction in journalistic forms and style; use of computer in composition of news reports or articles and in solution of news writing problems; laboratory writing exercises on computer. One lecture hour, four laboratory hours per week. PREREQUISITE: Passing grade on the Journalism Department's English Proficiency Test.

JOUR 2123 - Editing (3)
Practice in headline writing, editing, and newspaper makeup and study of contemporary editing problems. PREREQUISITE: JOUR 2121. **to be taken Spring 2009**

JOUR 3130 - Featre Write/Newspr/Mag (3)
Advanced practice in writing, publishing feature stories for magazines and newspapers; finding and developing publishable ideas; freelance techniques; advanced reporting skills; writing techniques with emphasis on leads, endings, description, effective use of anecdotes and quotations; critiques of student work.

JOUR 4700 - Mass Communication Law (3)
Origin and development of legal principles affecting freedom of expression and provisions of laws of libel, slander, copyright, and other statutes limiting communication in fields of publishing and broadcasting.

JOUR 4702 - Current Issues Journalism (3)
Advanced study of recent, critical problems faced by mass media with exploration of complexities that cause them. [I]

Filled with Spirit (2):

So I braved the holiday shopping crowds this morning.

Against my will.

But while running through the mall, surrounded by relatively nice and cheery people....I was reminded of one of my favorite parts of the season:

The Festive Adornments.

Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la.

I am a bit sad to announce that I was only fast enough to catch one shopper via my cell phone. There were a lot of santa hats darting around, searching for the perfect Sale. It was tough to capture a non-blurry Festivas Shopas.

But I've been practicing my "quick snap shot" skillz (yes, with a Z). So wear your lovely sweaters, vests, and hats. I'm looking TO POST YOU!

~~J