Well...

...I know it's been a while. Sorry about that... it's odd. It's been long enough at this point that I can barely remember what's news and what isn't... I'll take some educated guesses.

Well. Best to go in chronological order, I suppose.

I'm now on an intramural soccer team! Well, I have been since late October, but anyway. My friend, Ellie, is the team captain, and somehow managed to rope me into it. It's a lot of fun, and I definitely don't regret it, but I'm awful. I mean really awful. Theoretically, I should get better with practice, but... well. We're not playing again until the Spring. I'll let you know should a miracle occur.

Last time I posted, I was about to leave for Princeton, I believe. My friend Brendon goes there, and he invited me to come up for the weekend, so I did, and it was really fun. We saw Illyria, which is essentially the musical version of 12th Night, so I enjoyed that. And... well, it was just really great to see Brendon. I'm forced to admit, however, that I was incredibly happy to get back to Baltimore. The place really feels like home to me now... I miss it whenever I leave, and it's always such a relief to come back. Princeton is a beautiful school (and of course, an extremely good one), but... well. I made the best choice for me.

My classes have been going as well as ever! I just turned in my final paper for Historic Preservation last week, and we'll be getting them back this coming Monday... I really better have gotten a good grade on it. I spent nearly all my waking hours for two weeks on that essay. Not that I'm complaining... it was really fun, to be honest. We got to choose a topic (within certain guidelines), and I chose to write mine on the differences between the Preservation movements in the United States, and the United Kingdom. ...actually, it ended up just being about preservation in the U.K., but since I got that cleared with my Professor, I'm not worried about that. I'm more worried about the fact that she asked for a six to eight page paper, and I handed in a full twelve pages...

I promised I wouldn't complain about that.

Anyway.

Anthropology is great as ever. I'm still enjoying English, and... well. I'll get to my Philosophy course later. I'm still doing very well in European History-- 93% average for the semester. The thing is... this is the first time I have ever, ever, been disappointed in a 93%. I had a 100% average for the entire semester, until I stayed with Nina at the hospital until some un-godly hour of the morning, and subsequently... well. "Bombed" is a bit of a strong word, but I took a test about an hour after getting back from the hospital. Not a very good idea. Especially since the test was on a movie that I didn't see, because I was at the hospital.

...I'm sort of hoping that if I just ace everything else that gets thrown at me in this class (which, although I don't want to brag, I probably will), I might be able to get back up to a 99%.

But that's not it... since we've starting moving into a time period that I'm especially familiar with (Protestant Reformation - French Revolution (which will not be covered in this class)), I've been noticing certain... things... that my professor does. Like try to cram the entire English Civil War and subsequent "Glorious" Revolution into half a class period.

... we spent at least three days on James I and Charles I alone in high school.

So, I'm sorry if this sounds bad, but... I mean, I really like my professor. And of course, I love the subject. But I sorta wish I was learning something new.

Okay, I know that sounded really bad.

Anyway! Speaking of classes, I finally got to sign up for my Spring semester courses! I'll be taking Intro to Art History (which covers pre-historic to medieval art), Modern and Contemporary Europe (which is the second half of my European History class, and covers from 1715 to the present day), American Society and Culture 1607-1876 (part one of two American History courses), Russian History to Peter the Great (part one of three Russian History courses), and Intro to Economics (which I'm hoping I can stitch to something else, since I've already fulfilled that requirement). I was planning on getting my math and language requirements out of the way this semester, but, of course, knowing my luck, I got put in the last slot for signing up. So. Both my math class, and my Spanish class, were both full by the time I got to them.

I am fulfilling literally no requirements outside my major this semester.

...yes, I'm irritated.

Well, not so much irritated so much as I am nervous. I shouldn't be, considering that half my requirements are done with already, and I have plenty of time to get to the others... but still. I can't help but feel a bit anxious.

And of course, there was Thanksgiving. I had a wonderful time as usual... It was great to be able to see everybody (well, almost) and have some down time at home.





I got myself a copy of Atlantic, by Simon Winchester, which was probably a bad idea, since I'd already started Citizens, by Simon Schama. Anyway. I'm almost done with Atlantic right now (I'll probably finish it tonight), and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. After being buried in piles of books about English landscape gardening (I'm not kidding), it's been nice to read something... well. Lighter. I put Citizens on haitus so I could read Atlantic, so I'll be getting back to that soon. So far, I've liked it, but... well. I'll get back to you on it once Robespierre is mentioned for the first time.

Now. Getting back to Philosophy... well. I just gave my final presentation in that class on Wednesday. I can't really bring myself to care how it went-- I'm just glad to be alive at this point. But, anyway, I no longer have to worry about that class! I'm practically done for the semester! So, I am incredibly happy with the knowledge that I will never, ever have to take another Philosophy class ever again.

And that... brings us up to today. I'm doing well, all things said. I went to an AIDS benefit concert last night, which was... well. It's difficult to say how I feel about it. On the one hand, it was really fun: Red Hot Blue (the school a cappella group) was great, and it was nice to just get out for a while. On the other hand... well. I never took the issue of AIDS lightly, but for some reason, I never quite got it into my head that it applied to me, and people I know... that's not quite what I meant. Hang on.

...there are those things one knows mentally, like "anybody can get AIDS," but... it doesn't quite sink in. Well... it sunk in for me last night. Nothing's happened, but at some point, a friend of mine popped into my head for some reason. I'm not sure why. But I started getting all teary-eyed and... okay. I right-out cried. I suppose I started thinking about what it would be like if something ever happened to him, and... I couldn't imagine how devestated I would be to lose him.

I told him that, after a bit of embaressed deliberation on my part, and... I'm really happy I did. Life is too short, and it could be even shorter.

I hope you're all doing well. My love to everybody,

Tasha