Ambush at Curtiss

Friday's class was quite interesting to say the least.  I didn't get out of my biochemistry class on time and considering that Moly-Bio and Curtiss Hall are probably the 2 most distant classroom buildings on campus, it wasn't surprising that I got to class a few minutes late.  When I got there Victor the instructor asked what grades we got on our first graded assignment and I answered that I got an "A."  After hearing what other people got, I wished I had played "deaf" and not answered.  I guess that is what happens when you enter in the middle of a heated discussion.  If there is one thing worst than having the lowest grade in a class, it's having the highest.

It is said that you should have a personal philosophy.  I like to say that mine is something to the effect of, "Aim Low!  That way, when you fail, you have less to fall!"  It's sort of like that quote about pride always comes before the fall.  I don't like being at the top.  I always like being second best.

I didn't have any major weaknesses that were pointed out on my paper.  What are my strengths?  Although it wasn't noted on my paper, I guess it could be summed up as 'OCD'.  I spent at least 4-6 hours spread over a weekend working on the paper.  That sounds like a lot of time for a 250 word essay!  However, said essay was worth 10% of my grade.  Why did it take so long?  Because I probably re-wrote and revised it over ten times before actually submitting it. 

Whenever I submit any homework, whether it is a writing assignment, math, chemistry, or what not, it is always with the attitude that it is the best that I can do given the time constraints.  So if I don't know any of the answers on a test, I will do my best to have legible handwriting and write something that sounds at least half-way intelligent.  In other words, inaccurate but precise! 

I think one thing that caught a lot of students in the class off guard is that Victor grades a lot stricter than what they are familiar with.  In the sciences (biology, math, chemistry, physics, etc)  the professors are pretty strict about the majority in the class being about a C, with very few at either end of the curve.  In the humanities, grading is usually somewhat more lax, with the majority getting a B, and anybody who scribbles something on a piece of paper usually getting at least a C-.    But Victor really sticks to the "old school" curve, with the average being a C, even if grades may be skewed to the D side.   I guess it is what it is.  If I were teaching the class, I'd probably cut students some slack for the first assignment and then turn up the heat as the semester progresses with the idea that I expect a lot more in April that I did in January.  But then again, I'm not in charge.  I'm just one of the schlubs at the back of the room.

The big question is whether I'll be able to keep up the 'A' rated material for the rest of the semester.  After all, writing quality pieces is a time consuming process, and I'm taking 18 credits (15 of science) and work 2 jobs.  Hopefully I can pull it off, though, as I need Eng 250 to pull up the rest of my GPA!

BTW, this blog took me 25 minutes to slap together and went through 1 revision (if anybody is keeping track)...

First two weeks of classes

It seems that I am not as "bad" at public speaking as I thought I was.  I've been able to say things in class without freaking out.  Why am I taking English 250?  Well, it's required.  I could have tested out, but I figured that getting a decent grade would help pull up my GPA.  And thus far, it has been a good change of pace from my other classes of biology, biology, biochemistry, microbiology, and biology.

Our class discussion of George Carlin's sketch about how America is controlled by a small handful of powerful interestest was rather interesting.  In particular, I was surprised that there are many people out there that believe we still have any real choices in elections, especially at the Federal level.  Don't get me wrong.  There are good people out there running for higher office.  However, they have little chance of winning in a system designed to keep them marginalized.

A handful of Wall Street firms give large amounts of money to the leading candidates of both parties.  Whoever wins, Wall Street gets their man in office.

Blog Exercise I

Here is Frank Sinatra singing Old Man River from the 1946 MGM film Til the Clouds Roll By.  One of the great things about this film is that it is in the public domain, which means that you can download it freely from websites such as archive.org or buy it from Walmart for $1.  Although the storyline isn't particularly memorable, it stars a lot of famous actors and actresses of the 1940s and has scores of great songs composed by famous American songwriter Jerome Kern. 

Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn from the 1950s movie Roman Holiday.

What were they thinking?  That's what goes through my head whenever I work on an antique furniture piece that has been coated with five layers of paint.  Of course, it could have been worst.  They could have thrown the piece out... The best part about restoring antique furniture is to see the finished product.  It wasn't something you found at the store and then shelled out a whole lot of money to get.  You actually put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to arrive at something that is really quite beautiful.