requisite school update

now that i've sampled each class of the fall semester i may now start pooling my thoughts, opinions and impressions.

ENGB02: Writing about Narrative
taught by anthony adams, this introductory english course aims to prepare me for university level writing and literary dissertation that will presumably be applicable for the rest of my life. it's definitely a laidback class, headed by a laidback graduate student. unfortunately the room is a bit cramped. summer school leg room has spoiled me. adams has a rather dry, deadpan sense of humour, delivered succinctly with nonchalance. this bodes well for me, as my writing tends to be more entertaining than substantial. my 'writing about poetry' instructor over the summer agrees that i sacrifice content for wordplay quite liberally.

ENGBO3: Thinking about Narrative
B02's requirement states that B03 must be either completed or taken in tandem with B02. we know this arrangement was wrought of an English major's mind as numerical order really means nothing. the logic is that one cannot Write without having first done some Thinking. the disregard for numerical order is highlighted by the poetry courses: ENGB01 - Writing about Poetry; ENGB04 - Thinking about Poetry. at elast they're consistent. oh yeah, this class is crowded AND boring AND textually expensive. coupled with a quiet, British woman with an English Ph.D, we have a recipe for inspired doodling.

ENGB42: the Bible in Literature I
my two playgrounds now meet to earn me credit. professor russell brown is interesting, but he's not quite SUPER familiar with the material, even though he's taught it about 6 times now. he's originally a professor of Canadian Literature (my secret playground, with my teatime mates atwood and davies) who felt it was nigh time someone ran a course that emphasized the profound influence that the Bible and Bible studies have had on literature and literary study. i like having my own thoughts mirrored by scholars. thus far i haven't learned anything BRAND NEW AND IMPROVED in this course (only 1 intro class so far, so duh) but i expect this to be aceably fun.

ASTB21: Introduction to Astrophysics: Stellar and Planetary Physics
my first experience with this class was last september. it was then taught by Professor Shepherd, who was probably the biggest reed-thin, hunchbacked, smoking NERD i've ever seen. he was very nerdy. computer nerdy, math nerdy. i surprised he didn't dress up as gandalf. anyway, he was so nerdy that everything he said was completely over everyone's head. his lecture notes were scribbled on a minute notebook, more fit for addresses than modeling three-body planetary motion. needless to say, i was scoring about 12% at the midterm so i dropped it like it was hot. astro b21 redux has a newly hired Polish astrophysicist. more physicist than mathematician, this is promising. and as it is his first year he'll either mark stupid hard or wahoo easy. time to butter him up for the latter option. not that he need butter. he worked up a lovely sweat that darkened most of his green button-down shirt. the back turned nearly black.

PSCD01: Science in Society
an abstract program requirement of a course. should be a breeze as it is merely a large group discussion about recent science news and it's affects on society and how science operates in society, etc. stupid 7-9pm timeslot. but super fun professors. and guest speakers will include my astro instructor, mr. Pawel Artymowicz. his last name is a bit of a mouthful for my asian tongue.