Wednesday, August 3, 2011

hello, august!


Hello new month. Hello new school semester. Hello new haircut. Hello, sunshine.

Wow. This week has been sprinkled in the most amazing, incredible sunshine. Winter? Hardly. On Monday, Mum, Nick, Tain and I sat out on picnic rugs and ate sundaes from McDonald's. Yesterday, we spent the afternoon on an island, and travelled home by water taxi as the sun set behind the mangroves (there will be pictures -- lots of them). Today is just as luscious but I am yet to explore its full potential as I've been trying to make up for all the gallivanting and Actually Do Some Work, which means inside, at a desk, on the computer.

It's the first week of August and the first week of second semester. I can hardly believe I'm into the final year of my bachelor degree. After this semester, just three more subjects and then I'm done! I've started researching graduate programs but at the moment I'm really just enjoying that beginning-of-semester newness -- ordering textbooks, working out assignments due (two entire typed A4 pages listing assignments due. Eek!), wrapping my brain around the subjects.

As always, the selection of subjects has me excited (and my excitement translates into: you get to read about it. Oh goodie). This semester I'm taking:

  • History and Literature of the Medieval and Renaissance Periods -- how all of this can be condensed into one subject I do not know, but I'm looking forward to finding out. Stories and history together = awesomeness.
  • The Bible as Literature -- I think this'll be delightful and challenging. I love that the primary textbook is by Leland Ryken and I've chosen to do a book by Friedrich Buechner for one of the book-related assignments. Yum.
  • Exploring the Christian Faith -- this one's a course in the core ideas of Christian theology. It looks to be very meaty with lots of reading, lots of thinking, and lots of assignments. I have a feeling this one will stretch me but keep me intrigued, too.
  • Writing the Short Story -- since I'm majoring in creative writing, it's probably no surprise that the writing subjects prove to be my favourites every semester. The short story is a form that I've slowly been growing to love, and I appreciate that this subject is based around reading and analysing lots of great short stories as well as learning to write them. Among the assignments due for this subject are four short stories, so I'll be kept on my toes. And I also have to keep a creative journal which is thrilling to me because I'm a complete journal nerd.
What new challenges are keeping you on your toes lately? What are you loving reading or learning about? And if you could make up your own niche degree to study (absolutely anything), what subjects would you choose?

* * * * *

Conversations:

BushMaid -- it really is! And I love how every meeting of someone new becomes its own cool story.

Caitlin -- THE CHEEKS THE CHEEKS! They are her talent and her gift.

Laura Elizabeth -- the headband was originally so people would know she was actually a girl, but now I suspect she asks to wear it ;). The Eagle arrived today! I shall share my response to it with you. Here's hoping it's okay!

Carla -- aaaah! I had thought about Meaghan being an aunty but I hadn't thought about Lachlan being an uncle! How cute!

Rebecca Simon -- those boys are all going to be clones when they're old men :).

We Three -- hugs right back at you! And aren't cheeks just the cutest thing on chubby babies? (Also, I owe you an email) xx

Staish -- <3 <3 <3 Hearts will have to suffice because words fail. I'm so blessed by you.

Chantel -- the cheeks are immensely squishable. I squish them A LOT.

Eweight -- YES!

9 comments:

  1. Wow, life sounds wonderful and busy for you, Danielle! :D

    I love learning about anything to do with writing. I can't wait to someday study something writing related to further my knowledge in that area. My current challenge is that I am holding a short story competition on my blog. Very exciting. :D I love writing and reading short stories, so I hope to see amazing stuff; especially from the talented people from www.holyworlds.org :)

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  2. Love your new haircut! And it looks like Spring there :)

    Your picnic sounds absolutely fantastic!

    Your classes sound fun; especially the history one and the creative journaling. I love journaling. I just wish I had more time.

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  3. Loving the new haircut - it looks great!

    Your semester seems to have gifted you with a lovely mix of subjects. I'm sure you'll have fun with those and that the semester will fly by crazily fast. My current area of learning is definitely photography. I'm learning so much and having a fantastic time putting it all into practice. My blog has practically turned into a photography blog these days.

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  4. Hasn't the sun been gorgeous?! I like that I know exactly the beauty of the weather you are describing! I do love the start of a new school semester. I was so looking forward to starting a-fresh... and then we got all our assignments dumped on us, and it's not so fun! I seem to spend most of my time on your blog talking about how I hate my studies, I really don't.

    If I could specialise in a study, I would specialise in cuddling puppies and kittens. That's a degree, right?! I think that would lead to my dream job.

    The Eagle arrived. Huzzah! Oh, I hope it's good. ALSO, side note, Jaimie Bell is in the new Jane Eyre movie as StJohn Rivers and I just can't picture it at all. I even saw him in the trailer and I still can't picture it! And that's your daily entertainment news done with :)

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  5. Yaya! Sun! I'm loving it! =D

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  6. I can't believe I've never asked you this; Do you want to want my textbooks sometime?

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  7. As always, your uni subjects make me giddy! What a delicious degree you're doing. I wonder if this is something I should consider in the future.... hmm :-)

    PS It feels like spring here, too. And it's delightful.

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  8. Those sound like intriguing classes, indeed!

    They already made up what I want to study: Rhetorical Cricism and Ethics applied to International Media. Yup. Now to finish my PhD applications...

    Ooh, I went to San Francisco last week, and put up highlight photos on facebook. ;-)

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  9. I sent you an email via your gmail account, so look out for it pretty please :)

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