Four Down & One To Go

My first final was on December third. A standard mass writing exam where we had to give a close reading of a poem and break down the underlying structures that enforce the overall meaning. How very New Critical of us. I hated it. I am not a poetry fan, I dwell in a universe of snappy dialogue and non-elusive thought. I appreciate the complexities of the style, I admire those who can write it and those who really love it but I am not of that English major camp. I have been know to wax poetic about a new dish at a recently discovered restaurant...but that's hardly the same thing.

Anyway, my personal feelings about poetry aside, I do know how to structure a close reading and examine ideas within the lines. If only they had offered a classic poet, but we had a modern poem in all its free-verse glory to contend with. A verse acting as an answer to a 16th century Spanish poem. Don't get me started on the girl who showed up at the next (and last) class meeting who actually looked up the original poem in all its Spanish glory and brought in the translation and who then proceeded to regale the class for ten minutes (when I could have been having lunch thank you very much) on the differences between the two. Did she know all this during the test? No. Did it matter at this point? No. Then why bother? Because some students are just like that. (Perhaps I'm bothered so much because I used to be that student, but have since realized how annoying it is for everyone else to deal with.)

Anyway...to make this long story a bit shorter, I hated the test, spoke in length about punctuation and voice, and name dropped a bit. In the paper. Because I could. Ha! We, as students, are not allowed to see our grades on the test until after the semester ends. This would require a visit to my professor, and unless my grade is really lower than I am expecting in the class overall, I don't think I'm going to care all that much.

So, I have been on blog break because I have been finishing a slew of end-of-term papers (all correctly cited and noted MLA style Miss A...I thought of you) and projects leaving me with zero motivation to do any other writing. Today I used almost the last bit of brain I have left functioning and took three finals back to back. I tested from 8 am on the nose until I scrabbled my last editing notation at 2:30 pm. I had about a total of an hour and 15 minute break all day. But everything at State is done, hallelujah. I do not have to light rail it over there again until mid January. Woo-hoo!

Tomorrow I finish off Spanish Two with a flourish and then let the holiday madness consume me. I plan on baking oh...about four or five different types of cookies for the holiday visitors and then there is the pickle labeling to be done and the wrapping to complete...all things I dearly love.

Come January, I have a stack of novels to read, full of pithy lines and upfront action. I have baby stuff to acquire and lots of fun home projects. This is the first time I won't be working during my school break, and I plan on enjoying it.

Wish me luck tomorrow...I can't wait to finish this semester off!