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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

I had a great WWKIP Day on Saturday! I met Tasha (and now want to knit a Pi Shawl because of her) and Laura at Starbucks and we knitted and chatted for a couple hours. I hadn’t seen either of them in months, ever since I started working nights, so that was really nice! I started a sock in Trekking and knit more in those few hours than I had in weeks. Of course, I haven’t worked on it since Saturday, but maybe I can do more knitting once we close on the house.

Speaking of which, it is 11 days and counting till M and I officially own it! eek! The bank is doing its appraisal this afternoon–we don’t have to be present for that–and of course our last financial review is this Friday at 5. We are starting to window shop for furniture–yesterday we went couch hunting and sat on several comfy ones, but nothing really caught our eyes. We need to look around more.

School is kicking my butt just a little. I’m kind of bummed because I had gotten a 100/100 on the Week 1 conference and then I checked yesterday and I got a 77/100 on the Week 2 conference. I emailed my instructor to ask for details on why I didn’t get a very high score. I posted my Week 3 response last night, and now I’m worried that it wasn’t up to par. Plus, our first writing assignment is due on the 23rd and it needs to be 1,500 words in length and I haven’t even started it yet, ugh. Why did I want to go back to college again?

I hope I can find a better job after we move into our new place so that I don’t have to work two jobs anymore. I miss having free time. And knitting time. I really miss knitting time.

I am one step closer to paying for college–sensibly!–and getting that darn degree once and for all! The sooner that happens, the sooner (cross your fingers) I can get a better job and quit working two of them. Hopefully. That’s the plan, anyway!

This confirms that I am, in fact, crazy

I did it–registered for Summer 2008 at UMUC. This is one of four (online) classes I have left till I graduate. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to manage school + full time job + second job, but I can do it. I am Superwoman!

(Any good luck, well wishes, prayers, random gifts of yarn are always welcome I kid, I kid. Well, about the gifts part, anyway.)