Yesterday...

Okay, so yesterday, I went to my second class. Even though both classes don't fall on the same day, making me take my trip to Cleveland 4 times a week, this is a good thing. First, both classes are English classes. Okay, okay. Everyone can say that I'm crazy. They are also writing classes. Yeah, you can doubly say I'm crazy.

But, because I was grandfathered into the English degree, I didn't have to make a concentration focus. So, this means I can take any 7 uppper level English classes at the 300-400 level plus my senior survey. Since my focus is trying to get back into technical writing (or even corporate communications), my goal is to take the writing-linguistics-grammar type classes. Also, I wanted to be able to experience as many different writing classes as I can.

This class, is ran by the same professor I took over the summer, Professor Nuala (Nula). Even though I only got a chance to have her for Creative Writing for 6 weeks, it gave me an inkling into the type of professor she is. When I saw that she was teaching the creative writing workshop for poetry, I just had to be in it. This is the class I take on Mondays and Wednesdays.

But, we only had class one day this week as Monday was a holiday. As usual, she is give us, what she calls "Three Mental Health Days." These are days that, for lack of a better word, if we are stressed, we can just not show up and not have to give an excuse. After these days, though, there has to be a legitimate reason for not being in class, death, sickness, hospital, etc.

As it stands, we are required to have NINE (9), yes, nine books for class. I've got six of the nine so far. I swear she was requiring 10, but maybe she changed her mind on the one book. That's okay. I can take it back and see if the three are in yet.

For this class, I've got a TON of things to do. First, for my mid-term and final, I've got to memorize two (2) poems that are at least 30 lines long. I did one over the summer of 33 lines. I'll go ahead and pick them this weekend because once you pick the poem, no one else can use the same. Then, for this week already, we were give six poems. Our goal is to write four poems for Monday's class to workshop. I'll have to make 15 copies so everyone gets a copy. We will read the poems and get feedback on them from our classmates. Then, we have to keep a journal, writing in it five of the seven days a week. I'm going to use my blog for my journal, then transfer it to a Word document for printing. (I get to use my blog daily and do homework, what luck!) For our final, we've got to turn in: 1. a journal, 2. a personal portfolio with a listing of all the poems we're writing this semester, along with all the revisions, and 3. a class portfolio. Over the summer, I wrote how in the general Creative Writing class, I stayed up the day before the last class, getting the class portfolio together and bound. I've already been asked to be the editor/formatter of the class portfolio. No problem!

Before I went to class, I got our mail out of the box. In the mail was a simple envelope addressed to Rob and me. So, I opened it. Inside was two pieces of post-it paper. One said, "I love you mommy and daddy. Love, Cassi" Cassi and Pa secretly put together a note from Cassi that he sent to us. How wonderful a way to start my school day.

So, I had to show it to Nuala. Cassi had the luck of coming to class with me one of the days over the summer. Nuala loved Cassi. Cassi had come right in and given Nuala a hug. And, because it was a work day, Cassi was very quiet and pretty much well-behaved. Not bad for a 6-year-old in a college class. Well, I told Cassi I was having the same professor again. She was so excited that she asked when could she come visit. I passed this information along. Nuala told me to tell her hello and she was welcome to come anytime. This would good because it's getting her an opportunity to meet new people and to see what mommy does at school. But, I'll give it a few classes before I bring her. Plus, it will give Pa an opportunity to be without Cassi one night.

But, now, I've got to email Nuala suggestions for our journal. We've got two writings to do a day. I think I like the opportunity to write about what's going on in my life, as this is where I get my sparks of creativity. Plus, who couldn't look at such a gorgeous little girl and not get that spark?

So, anyone reading. Anyone got suggestions for my journals? I like the idea of writing about what's going on in my life, plus what we're doing at school. My journal from yesterday will be meeting my classmates plus working on my poems. I think I'll include this for today.

But, we got home and did Cassi's homework. I continued reading my tech comm book. I think it will be difficult, but easy as I know about lots of the stuff already as I do it. But, I think later on it might get hairy. I was in bed and asleep about 11:30 and up again this morning at 6:30.

Love to all,
Cathy
8^ )