Classes!

So much to say! First a bit o' business. I just changed the comments setting so that you don't have to have a blogger account to publish, though you do have to write out some letters to prove you're not spamming. That being said, I would consider it a personal favor if you'd indicate who you are and whether you're known to me. You don't have to put your name; you could make it an inside joke or reference or something. I'm loving this as a way to communicate, though. Although also feel free to email and stuff. (Side note: Pete called tonight and I about hit the ceiling. So good to hear a friendly voice!)

Although now that my classes have started and I have mad amounts of reading, I'm not sure if I'll be able to post as frequently or ridiculously as I was hitherto. But maybe that's a good thing....

So, classes! Technically, my first class was yesterday. It was a party for all the students and faculty involved in the program. Guess how many students are doing the MA in Text and Book?

One.
Me.

But there's another student taking the first module, Production of Texts. So I'll have a bit of companionship on the one hand, and someone to squabble over the library books with on the other. :) Not sure what he's like yet; we talked for aproximately a minute. I spent a large part of the "class" talking with the Victorianist in the program, Ian S---, who is extremely nice and frighteningly knowledgable. Which I can't even spell. I also met the other profs, some more extensively than othes, and drank two glasses of wine, which made me very red and slightly less coherent than I might otherwise have been (it was just before dinner). But I'm excited about this program. And Ian S--- is teaching the first real class, which is next Tuesday (unfortunately at 4pm on Rosh Hashana, but I've decided for my purposes that sunset will come early, and in any case listening to anything he has to say will be so much fun it won't really qualify as work. Right?). Unfortunately, I have to read seven books before then. So, as Caroline (one of my flatmates) said earlier this evening, why am I sitting here and talking (or typing in this case) to you? Good question. I would say that it's my steadfast devotion to my friends, but it's really just procrastination.

And I have so much to tell you!

So, later that evening, I went to the first rehearsal of the University Choir. I think I'm going to like it, despite the fact that it's nonauditioned. It's quite large--they say about 200 people (of which six are tenors, and only a few more are bases). We're doing a Dvorak Te Deum, Verdi's Requiem, a Parry setting of Milton, and some Vaughn Williams songs. I'm excited at the challenge of blending with all these people with British accents. Oh, and the note system is so different! Rhythmically, that is. At one point, Brian M--- went over the British system, but it was still rather a shock, all this talk of crotchets, semi-quavers and minums. Yes, there's really a British note value called a crotchet. It's a quarter note. How cool is that? And confusing.

Oh, and there's an incessant beeping outside my window. I complained, but Reception says there's nothing they can do. It's been going on since noon, a high-pitched series of beeps... driving me bonkers.

And I'm auditing a class on cultural theory. We did Marx today. Fun. Surprisingly. I think this is going to be extremely good for me, and probably enjoyable to boot. It's a six-person class, and everyone's really lively and interesting.

BTW, thanks to all of you who've told me that you're reading this. It makes me feel like I'm actually talking to you all.

Ok, guys, I have to go do some more reading on textual criticism. Unless anyone wants another cup of tea?

'Night.