I began The Tempest with lukewarm feelings, but by the time I finished it, I was pleasantly surprised to have enjoyed it. At this point in the semester, I think I was burned out and just ready for it all to be over with, so at the beginning of this play, I wasn’t really in the right mindset. However, before the end of Act I, I was intrigued.

There was an interesting discussion in our class about Prospero and Miranda’s relationship. Some people found Prospero incredibly controlling, to the point where his behavior toward his daughter was creepy. I didn’t find any evidence in the text to support the “creepy” theory at all. There was also talk about how Prospero was dictatorial toward his daughter, but I’m thinking that the relationship was probably pretty representative of the time in which Shakespeare wrote it. In other words, I’m thinking Prospero wasn’t the least bit interested in progressive parenting methods.

Of all the characters, I liked Caliban quite a bit–so much that I wound up writing my essay on how he is ultimately a sympathetic character. (I got an A on the essay, by the way! ) I was very bothered by Prospero’s treatment/abuse of Caliban. Prospero treated Ariel poorly at times, but his treatment of Caliban made me sad. Hence, my sympathetic feelings toward him.

[Footnote: Many times during my reading I noticed similarities in motifs between The Tempest and the TV show Lost. Most notably, I likened Caliban to the Man in Black in the sense that they both just wanted to leave the island more than anything and they both had someone keeping them from doing that. Then again, Lost draws from tons of other sources (literature, mythology, religion, etc.), so this play is one source of many, in that sense.]

I’ve already finished the semester (and graduated!), but I’ve been lazy and haven’t updated my Reads of 2010. Before the semester ended, we read Macbeth and The Tempest (review forthcoming).

I didn’t enjoy Macbeth much at all. In fact, I found it difficult to finish. Most of my classmates liked Macbeth better than Hamlet, but for me it was the opposite. I thought Hamlet was a much more intriguing play as a whole. Different strokes, I guess. There was nothing about Macbeth that made me feel sympathetic toward him. With Hamlet and even Richard III, I found something slightly redemptive; but with Macbeth, I didn’t find that. His character struck me as very weak and boring.

Additionally, I found the witches sort of distracting and not very enjoyable. To me, they didn’t advance the plot in any way and I felt like they were out of place in a play that didn’t seem very supernatural overall. Lastly, the character of Macbeth wasn’t very interesting to me; in fact, I was more intrigued by Lady Macbeth, but as her husband rises to power, her presence in the play dwindles considerably. This was a pattern with me–I tended to find the female characters in Shakespeare’s plays far more interesting than many of the men. Wouldn’t Macbeth have been much more interesting if it had been written as Lady Macbeth instead? Just a thought.

First things first–in my previous post, I mentioned some school drama, which thankfully has been resolved! To make a long story short–I applied for graduation back in January and my school approved my application in February. I finished my classes earlier this month, so to my knowledge I had unofficially graduated. When my grades were posted, I pulled up my student record to make sure that all my grades had been applied to my transcript. But when I did, my record showed ONE outstanding course. ummmm? So I went back and forth with the college trying to get an answer and finally got one: whoever advised me in February made an error, so they waived the final course and I really have graduated! My degree will be awarded on 5/30. PHEW! I really didn’t want to have to take one more class, so thankfully I don’t have to now.

On to pleasanter things, such as yarn and knitting and socks!

Vanilla Socks in Tess’ Designer Yarns, unmarked colorway
@ Ravelry

I love these socks! The yarn was so nice to work with–in my mind, the base yarn seems like a cross between Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock and Wollmeise sock, if that makes sense. It’s slightly thicker than Lorna’s but softer than Wollmeise. Either way, it has great stitch definition and I think these will wear well. Also, I made the cuffs pretty tall and had a bunch of yardage left over. This is a yarn I’d definitely knit with again.

I’m still on a sock kick and I’ve got another pair (in a different yarn) almost off the needles–it’s so fun to be making socks again!

I am unofficially a college graduate!

So far, I’ve received my final grades for three out of my four classes and I’m proud to say that I got an A in Business Writing, Info Systems, and Sociology. I’m still waiting for two Shakespeare papers to be graded, and then I’ll receive my official grade for that class. I also found out that I’m graduating Magna Cum Laude! As of today, my GPA is 3.95 and yes, I am bragging because I am darn proud of myself. It was slightly insane taking four classes while working full time, but I pulled it off somehow. So, go me! However, I do not recommend going to school full time while working because it was really, really tough. But I made it work somehow.

I’m not attending commencement on the 15th since I’d have to take off work and travel, but I’m just relieved that I’ll never ever EVER have to write another paper ever again. Ever!

…to say that I’m back from Maryland Sheep & Wool! We had a great time and I will post photos as soon as I have the chance to take them. I have quite a nice haul to share.

Also, I had to come straight home today and start my Shakespeare paper (in which I finally decided to write about The Tempest), since it’s due tonight at midnight. I worked on it this evening and just turned it in! BOO. YAH. I’ve got one more paper that’s due on Friday, and then I am done–really, really done, as in technically graduated! Almost there!

Next post: yarn spoils!

Tomorrow, I’m leaving for the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival with Laura and Lennis! I’m so excited This will be my first time going and it’s doubly exciting because it’s my reward to myself to graduating college!

Which…hasn’t exactly happened yet. Here’s the rundown:

• Advanced Business Writing – done! I got an A!
• Intro to Sociology – done! Took the final exam yesterday and I think I did really well.
• Information Systems – done! Took the final exam today and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I think I’ll probably get a B in this class (which is sad, considering I have an associate’s in info systems…meh, it’s a long story).
• Intro to Shakespeare – ok, so our brilliant instructor decided to give us 13 weeks of assignments instead of 12, due to the fact that we don’t have a final exam. Fair enough. But I’ve got to write a research/analysis essay that’s due this Sunday and then I have another paper that’s due on May 7. Originally they were both due this weekend, but mercifully, he extended the due date for the second paper. Yeah, I’ve got a paper due the night I come back from Maryland. But I’m going to work on it today and then finish it up Sunday night before turning it in. I freaked out about it at first, but now that I’ve got the other three classes behind me, I’m confident I can get it done.

I am graduating this month, people! Finally getting my degree! I’m so happy. I won’t be attending commencement since my funds are going toward MDS&W instead (even though, coincidentally, my college is located in Maryland), but I’m ok with it. I don’t need the whole cap and gown experience–I had that at community college and it’s just not really important to me. It’s more important to be finished and finally have that stinking piece of paper!

Anyway, back to MDS&W–I’ll be there all day Saturday and then at the Fibercrawl After Party. At the festival, I’ll likely be wearing my Ravelry disagree (1) shirt as well as a Ravelry “hello, my name is sassenach” button. So if you see me and recognize me, please say hello!

Today I just realized that I’m not eligible for financial aid for the fall semester since I can’t take 6 credits or more. I am just NOW realizing this, rather than PRIOR to applying for financial aid and being approved and signing my life away on the loan documents and ALL THAT. Holy crap I am DUMB sometimes.

I learned all this today when I called the financial aid office to ask why there had been no disbursement, and the girl said I wouldn’t even GET any unless I enrolled in 6 credits. duhhhhhh me. So I had to cancel my financial aid stuff since they wouldn’t have paid it out for 3 credits, which is all I can take in one semester because I can’t afford financially to take more than 3 credits at a time.

sigh.

What it boils down to is that I am going to take the fall semester off from school, focus on paying off two of my credit cards–which have been charged up since we bought the house–and then I am most likely going to quit my second job. Once the cards are paid off, then I’ll be able to go back to school for the spring semester and not want to kill myself with two jobs + school workload (like I did this summer).

My life is just a mess sometimes, arg.