Saturday, January 20, 2007

Phew, a moment to write, and a computer that isn't sloooooooooooower than a tort.(?)..turtle. I am not nearly as motivated to update my blog these days, because its really mostly my family who checks this (and sometimes Connie?), and I talk to you guys more often then I write these days. But here it is, just for the record.

To remind you all (and myself), I am going to school to become a writer. So I am fulfilling my prerequisites, but I am also taking atleast one english/writing/literature class each quarter. I am also taking Italian, I am in Ital 102, which I think is WAY harder and I am having a difficult time keeping up. To add to the pressure of the class, its a new quarter, which means a new prof., and new classmates...my new classmates appear to me be a bunch of highschoolers, who really aren't very friendly. I have like two girls in my class who seem friendly. This is a big difference from last quarter, where most of my classmates were upper classman who needed to get their foreign language so they could graduate. They overall seemed a lot more mature, and less self'conscious. We hadn't a fun class that was really layed back and friendly, with a halarious teacher who you thought was all stone but really was melted ciocolatti (chocolate) inside. I miss Cicilia! She taught us the real important things, like the difference between 'pena' and 'penna' -don't mix those two up! And that they do have airports, and women can even vote! And women in Italy don't really sit around all day, every day and make pasta...sometimes they buy it at the store just like us. :) She was great. Maybe I'll be able to get her again next quarter, that would be benone!

I am taking a class called "The Jazz Age" and I think I have officially decided I like my professor. He is old"er" and he is sooo funny and annimated, and cocky! He's full of himself, but in an entertaining way, like he is a big mockery of all the other professors who are convinced they either created the world, or brought it meaning for the first time. His class is 2 hours long, and it is never boring. I love learning about History, even if it is from a very biased opinion. I often agree with him too. I have gotten pretty sparked up in his class a couple times, the last one he laughed and said, "See, aren't you glad you are in prof. Walter's class? I agree with you." He usually says at atleast one point in his class something about how lucky we are to be in his class and how we are "brilliant students" simply because we are in his class. He really is pretty great. He is from Jamaica originally, but he was schooled in the US and has been teaching for some 30 years in Universities. He dresses every day in a tie, vest, jacket, and a bowl hat. As he takes his hat off each day before class, he pauses with his hand on his hat, lets off a sleek grin, and then removes his hat. Then he smoothes his hair to make sure no stray hairs are out of place, I should mention that Prof. Walter has a very little bit of hair around the sides of his head- if any. And then, he laughs.

My third class is "Writing War in the 20th Century." I have a pretty great teacher for that class too. Jenny is a grad student I believe, probably in her late 20's. She reminds me of Rona in some ways. I really like her. That class has heavy duty reading assignments every night, but I have actually found myself enjoying them, and they are different books then I would normally pick up myself. They are all about WW1 and WW2.

I haven't had much writing assignments yet this quarter, a big difference from last quarter. I do have an Italian Tema (essay) I am working on right now, and I should get back to it. But first, I am also working now and they are training me in marketing. Mostly right now I am really just searching for new shows and conferences and awards for the mobile industry. And I get to update all our spreadsheets. I just started updating all our contacts- woohoo- what a party. But it is kinda cool looking at whose contact info we have. Occasionally Joanne, my boss, asks my different brainstorming questions about how we could market different products we are working with. I really enjoy working for Joanne, she is incredibly sweet and remarkably doesn't make me feel stupid and out of place.

On Friday, they sent an all company e-mail for us to go to the breakroom for beer and snacks to celebrate the progress on one of our new products. I went and got Janae to go up and join the group...I told her I figured I could get a SODA. We got up there and the head guy of this project started talking and thanking all those involved. He started, "I ordered some root beer too, but I guess it never showed." Another guy hollered out, "who wants root beer?" (The tables are covered with lots of nice beers.) Everyone is laughing and Janae (next to me) goes, "Well, we do have one under age-er." Then she told me how red my face was. Dangit. I wasn't that embarassed, I was laughing, and I toasted to them all with my diet-pepsi bottle, but I blush so darn easy!!! I told Chris a little later, I sure do hope I am still working there when I turn 21, because I am getting tired of missing out on all these "Beer and Pizza Fridays."

Alright, I love you all. I've got to get back to my homework.

Vi voglio bene!!! (I love you all!)

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Break is already over. gosh. Thursdays are now long school days. I have all 3 of my classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and my final class (history- The Jazz Age) is a 2 hour class. sheesh. My instructor for that class is quite entertaining though. I am not sure if I am really gonna get a kick otu of him this quarter or just wanna kick him, but I guess we'll find out. He is Jamaican but went to school in the US and has been teaching here for 30 years. He sounds very unique..very Jamaican, while also very sophisticated, and he is funny in his own really outspoken way. He informed us today that he is a product of the hippy period and also of the women's rights movement meaning that he is a "feminist." I really hope he doesn't end up like prof. Searle!! I haven't bought any of my books yet..I start classes at 8:30 in the morning and the two stores I need to go to both open at 9am..dangit! Plus I have been going to work right after class. SOO I will have to buy my books tomorrow because I am already missing assignments.

My Italian teacher this quarter is 23 and is a graduate student I believe. She is american, and she is a ....tough teacher. I miss Cecilia, who had a true accent. I can honestly tell the difference and I am having a hard time picking up what my new teacher is saying in class because I am so accustomed to Cecilia's accent. I ran into her on campus yesterday, and I waived and said with a big smile, "Cecilia!" She smiled and waived, and greeted me back, "Bella!" Gosh I liked her. I don't like my new teacher nearly as much. But oh well, we will see. I actually ought to go study Italian right now, I have a lot of reviewing to do.