Tuesday, July 10, 2007
After classes ended at two this afternoon, I (mostly) finished reading an old Penguin Classics edition of Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War. I ordered it a long time ago from an independent seller somewhere, who did not bother to inform me the last forty pages were never printed- instead, a duplicate copy of the four appendices, a guide to the classical Greek monetary system, the bibliography, a selection of further readings, and more books one might purchase from the Penguin Classics series consumes the space where pages 560-599 rightly ought to be. How the Peloponnesian War ended remains ever a mystery.
I enrolled in the two introductory political science courses and dutifully attended the first day of class, with my usual apprehension toward core curricula that I have already demonstrated proficiency in, having graduated from public high school. But both professors are engaging enough and reasonable insofar as concerns expectations. After the first class I stayed in the room (for my next class was initially located therein) and conversed with the professor about post-bacc study, how to make academic connections, demographics and the political climate of Lubbock versus Houston, etc. I had been one of the people answering questions and making comments during class, so he was curious about my interests. The next professor listed off names alphabetically from the first half of his roll sheet, to notify the lot of us that we were to go downstairs as part of another section that hadn't quite achieved the enrollment quota. The move at first upset me a little, until I discovered the required books for this section are cheaper. This professor posts lecture slides online and uses a text that reduces topics and definitions to their most basic forms. I am pleased, for I certainly have no desire to be challenged.
Between classes and between studying and work, I read through most of the introduction for the Penguin Classics edition of Ovid's erotic poetry. I had begun them in high school, but I seem to have reshelved the book without finishing, for I discovered a bookmark in the middle of it some months ago. The Ars Amatoria are entertaining, as I recall from the snippets I've read here and there.
I put Benjamin aside, but hope to finish him this evening, after I read the first chapter from one of my government texts. After Benjamin, I intend to tear through a play by Camus.
I love books and I hate people, although either smell odd sometimes.
[Lauree Frances Keith concluded this diatribe at 9:53 PM]