Up until just before last weekend with its rather tragic beginning and somber ending, I was starting to say to myself that I could feel my energy level coming back. Though the summer had appeared to fly by, and with all the crap at work, I hadn't thought it so beneficial. That being said, I think it did some good. Especially the last month or so, what with me and HCW™ taking a break from visiting or being visited. Needed that.
I started back to school two weeks ago. After only 3 months off, I started another degree program. While the last one was for making more money (though that hasn't exactly happened yet), this one is for fun. (Regarding the MBA, in an example of life imitating art, or at least life imitating a FedEx ad, I have found myself being asked to make photocopies more in the weeks since finishing my degree than at any time in the last 5 years. Oh well.).
Whereas my last degree ended up being 20 courses, this one should clock in at a relatively sprightly 8 courses, three of which are pre–requisites. (I managed to get two others—economics and international relations—credited. I have to take courses (1 each) in history, law, and ... culture. Whatever the hell that last one is.)
Yep, again as if life was imitating art or rather current affairs and cultural shows in France with guests sitting around a table alternating between discussions of semantics and/or either not answering the question asked of them, or answering questions that were not asked or going off on a tangent in light of the question, I find myself in a class of students discussing the difference between such terms as intercultural (as opposed to multicultural); interculturalism (as opposed to multiculturalism); rite vs. ritual vs. celebration; and the concept of us all acting parts in life as theater. The "lens" through which we will consider all of this is through the phenomenon of film festivals, elevating these last ones to a level I would never have thought and am not sure I would.
January should bring a course in European history at Concordia; the law course, who knows?
On another note, one of these days, I will get back to blogging with some more stream of consciousness stuff (ie: whatever goes through my mind.) For now, I will either go up stairs and not watch porn; play GTA3 and finish a mission or two; or sit downstairs with my newly installed blinds, and read Through Our Enemies' Eyes, the precursor to the equally intimidating imperial Hubris, and a good follow-up to having read Skinny Dip. Next on tap of course is "Eats, Shoots, & Leaves" which should be a treat. Expect I will also get caught up on some HBR that have remained unread. And I need to buy the new Atlantic Monthly while I wait for my subscription to kick in again. Speaking of which, Maclean's goes boom next month( yay), but those buggers at BusinessWeek are making me offers that are hard to refuse; and Foreign Affairs is offering me one too ... aaggh!