Do I have to?

The fall semester has officially begun. You know, I used to get excited about school. Yes, I was the biggest school geek as an undergrad. I loved it. But now that I'm working, it's very different. I'm learning interesting things and the classes are good. But some of it seems silly now. Some things are so theoretical that I can't apply it to my work, so it seems kind of useless since I'm not planning to be a professor or change career paths after I receive my degree. I'm ready to graduate already! And I'm only about halfway through. :(

I decided to take an elective this fall which should be a little less work than the other classes I've taken. I've got a lot going on this fall so hopefully a lighter load of schoolwork will help with the stress levels. Fingers crossed.

I suck, I know.........

Ok, so I suck at this blogging thing lately. I'm writing this on September 28th even though I'm going to post it with an earlier date so everything after this will post on the dates they actually occured. Life got busy!!! Work got a little crazy for awhile (ok, always) and then I had a few out of town weeks, followed by a nasty stomach bug, allergies, and more crazy work. Oh yeah, and school started again. So now I'll go start catching up...........

Simpsons Movie

Spider Pig. Spider Pig. Does whatever a spider pig does..........
Oh my god, it was funny. That's it- just go see it. I want a pet pig.
Spider Pig Song

Making Contacts

I was invited to a party at my professors house this evening. Apparently he invited a select group of students. I struggled with whether to go because all he really knows about me is my grade in his class. I decided not to go in the end, partly due to a lot of work I wanted to complete before leaving for my mom's house for the weekend. But part of it was that thing in me that says not to make contacts this way. While I've always thought that it would be wonderful to have relationships with professors like I've seen in older movies where everyone can hang out together and have intellectual discussions, this just didn't quite seem to fit that description. For some reason, it felt more like making contacts. And I've always had a problem with just making contacts for the sake of making contacts.

Since the beginning of college, I've heard people talk about making contacts and how important it is. And while I agree that it's good to know people in your field, I feel that how the contacts are made is also important. Through my hard work and good grades, I feel like I've met the right people and I've never had to put any effort into it other than just being myself. I've made friends who know me well that I feel I could call if I needed something and vice versa. But I've never just built up my contact list. I feel like there's a big difference between the two. Does this make sense? One is actively trying to find people who can help me boost my career; the other is proving myself through my actions. Even though I was probably invited to this party based on my grade, it still doesn't feel quite right. Maybe it's because he also invited my moron group member, who I would NEVER have as a contact. Made me think the professor might not be such a good judge of character.

I'm probably blowing this out of proportion, but I just don't like to make contacts in this way. For one thing, I don't enjoy small talk; I find it meaningless. So a bunch of people getting together who don't know each other to inevitably chat about work felt more like a drain than an exciting possibility. I guess it seemed like the sole purpose of the party would be to make contacts. It's everything I disagree with in industry and government. All too often idiots get promoted to positions they aren't qualified for because they know someone. I never want to get ahead that way. I believe I can accurately state that the only time I've received a recommendation or offer of a position has been because the person knew my work ethic and the quality of my work, not because they met me at some party and we had small talk. I plan to keep it that way.

Stair Puppies

If I didn't know better, I'd think they were posing.........

Trey Mcintyre Project

Tonight, Toby and I went to Wolftrap (I love that place) to see the Trey McIntyre Project. It's a group of dancers (ballet and modern) that dance to modern music, like Beck and the Beatles. I've seen many different performances before and let's just say that there's a wide range in levels of dance in different companies. Just because there's a dance company doesn't mean the dancers are good and I've seen my share of crummy performances. This one, on the other hand, was amazing. The dancers were phenomenal- true athletes. In fact, I would call the boys beautiful. :) The fact that they danced to the Beatles made it that much better. The choreography was great too. I was thoroughly impressed and am hoping they will return next year so I can see them again. Here's the website if you want to check out more: Trey McIntyre Project If you are or were ever a dancer, you will want to check it out.

New Dance Class

I've been going to jazz classes for the last month and a half or so on Saturdays. Tonight I tried a new class with a different instructor at the same studio. The class was very different than the other one I've been taking but I really liked it. Plus, it's a male instructor and that tends to lead to different choreography- a little stronger, if that makes sense. After my new class, I was sore in all new parts of my body. I'm going to try to start taking class a couple days a week now. I heart dance.

Exam Results

Ok, so I'm not trying to brag, but I have to share. I just got an email from my professor congratulating me on getting a 100% on the final exam! This is so cool! Apparently, working my butt off all summer has paid off. Hmm...... I wonder if I'll get an A? :)