just around the riverbend - i look once more

[ink_splotch]

Well, I was in a good mood right up until I failed to fall asleep last night. And today's just gone from reasonably mundane to bad in a slow, gentle swerve.

In short, I am not down with life. I've been seesawing up and down emotionally since I got back to university, but my mind seems to have made a decision to stay on the negative curve today. Glorious. I hate Mondays.

My iPod is broken - it won't turn off, not even if I pause it and leave it, so I either need to get it to a repair shop (of which there are five in the entire United freakin' Kingdom) or restore to factory settings - definitely something I want to do. This is my shortest lived iPod yet, which is vaguely fucking impressive, considering the last one lasted four months. Seriously, what is with me and the damn things?

Then my seminar today...ugh. I'm so, so tired of having these stupid seminars where getting a discussion going is like pulling nails. Our teacher'll ask for an opinion, and everyone will sit and stare at their hands; I'll answer, or the teacher will ask someone for an answer, and then we start over. God. What are these people doing at university? They don't want to have an opinion, or speak in public, or write essays, or read these "boring" plays. Oh, and opposing another student's opinion? Terrible form. We're all just supposed to agree with each other, even though some of the opinions ventured have no logic to back them up and have nothing to do with the play, and I'm sick of it. Participate, dammit! We've yet to get through an entire play, just because people won't fucking talk. Ugh.

On the bright side, I've got Disney songs. This makes me happy. It also makes me want to write an essay about "growing up Disney", an analysis of the growing up that happens in the Disney Renaissance films, how growth is symbolized, etc. Disney, the outsider and the engagement situation. That sort of thing. And speaking of the Renaissance films, has anyone else noticed how radically different The Lion King is from the other films of the period? It's actually rather weird.

Also, apparently tonight I'm playing rugby. Which should be interesting. Until then, my headache and I are going to bed.

Comments

[phoenixwish.livejournal.com]

You know, iPods sound pretty fragile. It's amazing they keep getting away with it.

Everything you said about seminars? So bloody true. I don't get how people can get this far in the system and not want to form their own opinion. It keeps disappointing me.

I would totally read that essay. :-)

Good luck with the rugby.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

They are. My family seems to singlehandedly be keeping Apple in business. However, my iPod has been fixed - I let it die and it righted itself.

I just...what? Seriously, I don't get it. Particularly in our fields - it's hardly guarenteed employment when you get out. I. Just. SO MUCH FAIL OMG.

Hee. I really, really want to write it, but I don't really have the time, or the ability to do it properly - footnotes and all. Tempted to file it away for graduate studies.

Rugby is so much win. SO MUCH WIN. *loves*

[phoenixwish.livejournal.com]

Well, employment is almost guaranteed if you want to teach, but nobody wants to do that. Apart from me, of course. Though these people are definitely not the ones we want teaching the future generations. That's actually a pretty scary thought.

Well, I'll read it if you ever write it, then. :-)

I'm sure it is. *grins*

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Ah, true, but few people are brave enough to go that route (and can I just say how completely in awe I am of you for wanting to do it? You = awesome). I'll probably get employment, since I want to stay in academia and in England people who want to do that are a dying breed *struts* Still. Of all the degrees!

*grins* I'll be sure to link it to you if I do ;)

*loves*

[myhappyface.livejournal.com]

Aw, dude. *hugs* I hope you and your ipod are well again soon.

My senior AP English class was like that, and one of the courses I just finished - a feminist history of World War II and the study of the effect the atomic bomb had on American mores - was like that, too. Two other girls, one guy, and I did most of the talking, which wasn't much. It was so disappointing.

That Disney essay sounds excellent, though - pop culture studies are always interesting, and Disney had a big enough impact on most of our generation's childhood to be worth studying, if only for the concepts - love, loyalty, responsibility, happy endings - they present.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

*hugs back* The iPod has recovered. Me, I'm a bit better - nothing like being allowed to wrestle other people to the ground for an hour and a half to make one feel better.

I know! I don't understand it either - there just seems to be such an apathy towards English in most of my seminars, it makes me want to scream.

See, that's what I think as well! Plus, you could cover how Disney works with the traditional fairytales, and how they subvert the myths, and the idea of the "misfit" which is the theme of all renaissance movies (bar the Lion King, which is a whole awesome kettle of fish by itself and has tonnes of essay material in it). I'm becoming more and more convinced I want to do culture studies as a graduate programme (which sort of requires focusing right now, so I actually PASS university. Ugh.)

[lattara.livejournal.com]

Oh, honey. *pets* I'm sorry about your iPod, I really am. Maybe you should try something else, like maybe a Zen? They're uglier, but should be sturdier, I think.

God, people! Why are you at University if you won't fucking *participate*? If you don't want to be here, as my old high school teachers used to say, there are plenty of people eager to take your place.

And now I want you to write an essay on Disney. Oh, darling. I have so much love for you! ♥

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Yeah, next time this one dies, I'm doing that. However, for now it seems to be working (it just likes to taunt me, I swear).

EXACTLY! God, and it's not even like English is spectacularly useful. Fuck over to management!

Me too! It would be good, if I had time for the research and the books and the films and *flails everywhere* However, not now. Maybe for graduate studies. *ponders*

[madfrog.livejournal.com]

Just wanting to drop in here and mention the fact that in this day and age, one probably has the same graduate chances with management as with english.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

...really? What does have a good employmment rate these days? Economics?

[lattara.livejournal.com]

God, they're evil like that.

YES!

*applauds*

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

They really are.

Geek is me, you know it!

[lattara.livejournal.com]

I do! *grins*

[http://users.livejournal.com/trobany__/]

For one, iPods suck. I always advise others highly against them and to avoid them like the plague if they can. I would recommend a Creative Zen or an iRiver or even, if you're desparate, a Zune, but no iPods. Pbbbbth iPods. So it's not you that suck, love, I whole heartedly assure you. It's iPods.

And you're right. Disney is a bright side to look at. I have more than 330 some odd Disney songs, and damnit, yes, I've listened to every single one at least dozens of times. (Is it obvious yet that from 0 to 4 years of age I was only 10 miles away from Disneyland? No? Okay, just checking.)

Also, did you know that The Lion King is based loosely off of Hamlet?

And I'm going to see Lion King (again) on Broadway for my birthday. ♥♥♥ to getting fifth row from the front, orchestra. Oh hell yeah.

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am *so* getting a Zen when this iPod dies. I've had it with them.

Wow, want to share some? *bats eyelashes* I have about 164 songs, but the best ones are the ones off 'The Best Disney Album...Ever' basically ripped from the movies, so you don't get the "glorified" songs. Very cool!

I did, but I think The Lion King is the better excecution of the idea. And I mean that, academically speaking too. Which probably means I fail at English student-dom.

SO FREAKIN' JEALOUS. I love that musical. It makes me *cry*.