Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The Tuesday before Thanksgiving I met with dem Grair Bär about what to read for next semester. He agreed that I ought to begin with Winckelmann (his earlier essays, then his history of ancient art), then he elaborated on some of the authors and works I had compiled in a tentative list of potential subjects. Out of everything I had suggested for myself, Dr. Grair seemed inclined toward some study of Goethe, especially his Römische Elegien.
This idea suits me fine, since it would additionally provide me with the excuse to read Latin elegists (Catullus, Propertius, Tibullus). First, though, I need to visit the library and make certain I can find most of what I need there (but Latin and English versions of the elegies should be no difficulty). Then, of course, commentary for the Römische Elegien ought to be vast, with my only expenditure being committed toward an actual copy of said work.
This project, if completed thoroughly, necessitates much reading and analysis, which means I might drop another class or two I have signed up for this spring (specifically, either the introductory political science course or business communication). If given grants again over the summer, I really could take either or both at that time instead, which might be the better mode of action.
[Lauree Frances Keith concluded this diatribe at 9:19 AM]
Breaking My Brains
Monday, November 13, 2006
A. R. and I somehow (between laughing at our notes) combined powers to prepare for Dr. Reed's exam. Together we had both written every word she uttered over the past month, some of these words being highly amusing. Fortunately, the exam focused on only the topics she had mentioned it would, which was all I bothered to study. Ausgezeichnet.
Over the weekend Steve graded my Greek exam. He said I missed things he was surprised I should have missed (I had not studied until the morning of), but I still made a "B+". Ausgezeichnet. The next passages (Plato's speech, I think) contain dialogue, which is usually easier to translate, since speech patterns between languages (the ones I have studied, anyhow) echo each other much of the time.
Saturday night I fired my very first employee. He has had it coming almost from his first day. More elaboration later, perhaps.
[Lauree Frances Keith concluded this diatribe at 8:38 AM]
And Holm-Oaks Having Been Smited/Smote/Smitten With Axes
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Last night I studied Latin with a fair degree of intensity until about nine in the evening, when Adrian and I abandoned the coffee shop for our separate abodes. Beforehand Adrian had taken me to a Greek restaurant, where I squeezed a Mediterranean (egg, meat, and cheese) pizza into myself. At the coffee shop Shane (one of the Classics graduate students) bequeathed unto me his breakfast bagel; thereupon this morning I swam after working out, in order to burn off a couple of the thousands of carbohydrates I consumed.
I studied a little over two hundred lines of The Aeneid, to be tested over about twenty-five this afternoon. I focused on the middle parts, but the passages Mr. Soon-To-Be-Doctor Lynn included on the exam came from the beginning and the end. Fortunately, I knew the earlier passage thoroughly enough, missing only a vague noun or adjective here and there. The unseen passage was less difficult than the ones for the other exams, except the last three lines. At the very least, I should have made a high "B", which would be appropriate for the amount of studying I devoted.
Tomorrow, early in the morning, I have exams in Greek and in the sculpture class. About Greek I am only slightly concerned, but Dr. Reed's class is an entirely different matter, for this unit has been a hodge-podge of different things. The material she spends ten minutes discussing during class will occupy thirty percent of the space for the entire test, while something she focused on for an entire period might be the subject of one cursory question. Twitch.
After the nightmare is over, I hope to finally finish over the weekend the book about Virgil's reception in Germany during the eighteenth century. Then I need to send Der Grair Bär an e-mail about next semester's schedule. Viel zu tun. It now being five, I should spend the next two hours studying Greek, before A. R. gets off work. Then A. R. and I will try to make sense of our ancient sculpture notes. It will take all night.
[Lauree Frances Keith concluded this diatribe at 2:45 PM]
Arma Virumque Cano
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Considering that my grandfather has Lou Gehrig's Disease, and that I haven't seen The Grandparents in several years, I have been trying to find a decent travel option over Thanksgiving. Nothing seems too appealing, though. Perhaps I ought to wait until winter break.
I read a couple of articles Der Grair Bear wrote, and now have some better ideas about literature I might read next semester. Over the Thanksgiving and winter breaks, I should first read select Latin and Greek authors (in English translation) for background. These would include Virgil's Georgics and Eclogues (I read The Aeneid the summer before last) and Theocritus' Idylls. I have almost finished The Odyssey and read The Iliad this summer most recent. Then I need to look up the authors most influential to Goethe, Schiller, the Schlegel brothers, et cetera.
Among actual German works I would consider are Luise by Voss, Oberon by Wieland, select essays by Winckelmann and Schiller, and probably several things by Goethe, particularly Hermann und Dorothea. Viel Spaß.
I missed at least three days of Greek since the last exam, for various reasons, and need therefore this evening to study with Jason, who as well frequently absents himself from class, though he considerately schedules his absenteeism around mine, so that we should be able to fill in all our blank translations with the combination of what each of us does have. The Greek exam occurs Friday, after the exam for Dr. Reed's class (for which I have yet to study) and a day after the Latin exam. Viel Spaß.
I had all last evening to study, but after about half an hour of Greek I discovered I could not concentrate fully. I therefore (at the coffee shop) abandoned that endeavour to read through most of the fourth chapter of the library book I am reading, which was published very recently and concerns the German abandonment of Virgil in favor of Homer in the eighteenth century. It gave me a few ideas and also provides a decent bibliography of references.
Jetzt muß ich Latein studieren.
Viel Spaß.
[Lauree Frances Keith concluded this diatribe at 11:36 AM]
I Got Married To The Widow Next Door
Thursday, November 02, 2006
I ought to attend German class today, considering the homework is easy and there will be a quiz, but I also ought to write the rough draft of the paper for Dr. Reed's class, which is due tomorrow and worth more than the German quiz, in the long run. I can at least e-mail the German homework, so that damage should be minimal.
The notion of dropping out of school entirely for a semester to work greatly appeals to my mind at the moment, but I would then have to probably begin paying off loans, which I could not afford to do.
I just want to sleep again.
[Lauree Frances Keith concluded this diatribe at 8:39 AM]