Ch 1-2:
southern California
Sgt. Pedro Gonzales - liked to argue/tended to brawl with the others. Doesn't like Zorro. Calls him "Mr. Fox". (feels like Zenigata talking about Lupin III)
Zorro - wears a mask, flashes a pretty blade, carves a letter Z on the cheek of his foes. Called "the Curse of Capistrano". Gonzales calls him a thief. Reward for his capture. "He is like a fleeting sunbeam, I grant him that - and with about as much courage."
Zorro claims he is not really a thief, he is punishing those who mistreat the men of the missions. Left a placard (poster - sort of like a calling card) saying that he is a "Friend of the oppressed."
Bows and his eyes twinkle through his mask when he shows up.
Gonzales says to let Zorro come, and the door opens, the storm blowing in. But it isn't Zorro, it's Don Diego Vega. Vega is young and polite, asks if he startled the others. Sgt says it was that he came in on the heels of the storm that startled them, implies there is nothing startling about Vega himself. Vega tells him they have an agreement, Sgt's boasts amuse him so he provides him with wine but if he ridicules him again, the agreement will end. (Vega is a noble). Sgt kisses his butt to make up.
Vega was rich, would inherit 3 times what he already had, but disliked action. He was polite to women, listened to mens stories in the sun, and smiled now and then. Opposite of the Sgt in all ways. He was healthy nad good looking and didn't look twice at any woman.
Sgt tells them they were talking about Zorro, and Vega yawns, asking what about him. Sgt mentions how Zorro never appears in his vicinity, and wants him to so he can claim the reward. Vega doesn't want to talk about him, because all he ever hears of is violence, and would rather talk about music or poetry. Sgt keeps talking about Zorro, and Vega tells him that he's heard he has only robbed officials that have stolen from the missions and the poor, and has never killed anyone. He tells Sgt to "let him have his little day in the public eye."Sgt says he'd rather have the reward, and Vega tells him to earn it by capturing him. He tells him to tell him about it afterward, but to spare him now. They drink a glass of wine together, then Vega grabs his things and asks the landlord for a jar of honey that his people were unwilling to brave the storm for. He leaves, Sgt keeps boasting (and drinking), and then the door blows open again.
Ch 3 -
This time it's Zorro who enters. Sgt asks if he's come to surrender and he says he's come on business. He says that Sgt brutally beat a native he disliked a few days ago, and because he is the friend of the oppressed, he has come to punish him. Sgt draws his sword to kill him, and Zorro pulls out a pistol, telling him to stop. He tells the others present to retreat to the corner. He asks Sgt to turn his back while he draws his blade.
Ch 4 -
When Sgt turns around, Zorro has drawn his sword but is still holding the pistol too, and chuckling. Sgt keeps attacking while Z stands his ground. He calms down and attacks again, and Z still pushes him away with no effort. Z says they've had enough time for playing, and begins to attack, forcing Sgt backwards. Someone battered at the door, which made Sgt panic. Z says he will have to visit another time since they are interrupted. Sgt yells loudly to whoever is outside the door that they have Zorro in there. Z is angry and attacks again, besting Sgt and slapping him across the face for hurting a native. The person outside tried to smash the door in. Z made his exit through the window. Sgt and his comrades ran outside to look for Z, but he was long gone. Sgt claims that someone must have told Z that he had recently broken the thumb of his sword hand, and that's why he chose now to visit. Sgt tells the tavern's newcomers what happened, adding that Z threatened to kill him. The others who had been present gasped, but held their tongues. When Sgt finishes telling the men what happened and his plans to go after Z, Vega comes in and asks what's going on. He asks Sgt where Z's dead body is, which makes Sgt choke. Vega says he promised to tell him the story once he took down Z. He accuses him of being modest and sparing him because he doesn't like violence. He asks if he peeked at the face "beneath the mask" and suggests that it could be someone they all know. Sgt tells him Z had a pistol, and Vega asks why he didn't take it away from him. Sgt then insists he has to go report the incident, and swears Z will be meat for his blade before long. Vega smiles as Sgt rushes out.
Ch 5-6-7 -
Vega visits Don Carlos. Tells him of the Zorro incident. Carlos has had his money taken away by the govt and knows Vega has the power to make them stop coming after him. Vega tells him that his father talked to him about how he is approaching age 25 and must accept his duties and responsibilities, including having offspring to inherit the family wealth when he is gone. He tells Carlos that he thinks getting married will be a bore, but that he has decided to get a wife and would like it to be Carlos' daughter Lolita. Carlos and his wife give him permission to pursue her. Vega says he has no intention to court her, and they tell him he is making a mistake. When he tells Lolita to just say the word and their fathers can arrange the wedding, and that he has no plans to woo her, she is insulted. She tells him that if he really sends someone else to play guitar beneath her window on his behalf, that she will throw boiling water on him. Carlos tries to placate him as he needs the alliance to regain power. Lolita's parents tell her all the reasons she should marry Vega. She agrees with the things they say, and tells them that's why it angers her. She thinks his lack of energy and laziness is ridiculous. She falls asleep and wakes to a touch on her arm. It was Zorro. He says he is weary and came because it was siesta hour. He woke her because he wanted to tell her that "Your beauty would hinge a man's tongue in its middle so that both ends might be free to sing your praises". She tells him of Vega, and Z says he is an imbecile for not wooing her. She tells him he should go so he is not captured. He sits and takes her hand, kissing her palm. She tries to send him away. He says he will go if she lets him kiss her hand again, so she gives in. She wishes Vega had half as much courage.
The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley. Web Source.
Monday, February 12, 2018
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Reading Notes: Even More Carmen
Chapter 3 (cont): When trying to escape bullets, Don Jose tried to carry one of the injured, and both Carmen and Garcia (the husband) yelled at him to leave him and get the loot. Later at the campfire, Garcia was playing cards with one of the men while Don Jose lay on the ground thinking of the man he had to leave behind. Carmen sat beside him and kept kissing him "almost" against his will. "You are a devil", I said to her. "Yes," she replied.
Don Jose was sent to meet Carmen in Gibraltar because all the others were too recognizable. He was to ask where the chocolate-seller lives, while posing as a fruit-seller. He took a donkey loaded with oranges and melons. Many people there knew of the chocolate-seller, but said she was either dead or had disappeared. It was two days before he found her. She was shouting to him from a balcony, gold comb in her hair, with a rich Englishman who told him to come up because the lady wanted some oranges. She tells him in Basque to pretend it's the only language he speaks. They quarrel in Basque about the way she is conducting her "gipsy business", how he is silly for being jealous of it, and he threatens to make sure she does no business again if he catches her doing business this way again. She says "What are you, my husband?" and tells him that Garcia is pleased with her behavior. She asks "aren't you happy that you are the only man who can call himself my lover?"Carmen tells the Englishman that he said he was thirsty and would like a drink (lol). She started screaming with laughter at her translation, and when she laughed everyone laughed with her. She tells Don Jose to come back tomorrow with his oranges when the parade starts to find out if she is still his Carmencita. He planned to just leave, but when the parade started, he went to her. She tells him of her plan to get the Englishman to take her to another town where she has "a sister who is a nun" and tells Don Jose to take him down when they get to a particular spot. Then she tells him to let Garcia take the lead, and to fall a little behind so he won't be hurt. He tells her that he doesn't like Garcia, but he is a comrade, and while he might rid her of him someday, he will not do it this way. She accused him of not loving her and told him to go (be off with you), and he couldn't go.
Don Jose goes back to Garcia and the other man, El Dancaire, and suggests they play cards by the campfire. They do, and he accuses Garcia of cheating. They decide to fight it out with their knives. Don Jose kills Garcia. He tell El Dancaire that they couldn't live on together because he loves Carmen and wants to be the only one. They agree to be friends. They took out the Englishman and he won Carmen back. She tells him his day will come, and he says hers will too if she isn't a faithful wife to him. She says "so be it." She tells him she read in the coffee grounds more than once that their lives were to end together. They continue to be smugglers, and eventually she finds a rich man she plans to do the same as the Englishman with, and he carries her off and forces her to stop. She tells him if he's not careful, she'll find someone to do to him what he did to Garcia. Their group was caught by soldiers, most of them died, and he was shot. His only comrade left carried him to a cave and went to fetch Carmen. She came and nursed him and snuck him to Granada. He decided that it was time to change his life, and suggested to Carmen that they should move to America and live honest lives, which made her laugh. She talked him into another smuggling job. She kept talking about a local bullfighter named Lucas, and his comrade Juanito told him that she had been spending a lot of time with this Lucas. When he asks her about it, she tells him that he is useful, they either should take his money or ask him to join their gang. He forbid her to see him, and she told him to be careful because forbidding her to do something would cause her to do it quickly. But the bullfighter leaves town and they forget about him. At this point in time, he meets the gentleman. Carmen stole the gentleman's watch, wanted to take his money and his "magic" ring. Don Jose struck her and she cried, the first time he ever saw her do so. He begged her to forgive him, but she was very upset for a few more days, and then she was fine and they were like honeymoon lovers. She told him there was a festival in Cordova that she would go see, so she could point out to him the people coming away with money.
He realized by the festival plans and change in her temper that she must have already avenged herself. He found out that there would be bullfighting in Cordova, and he went to find Lucas, and Carmen was there. The bull attacked Lucas, and Carmen disappeared. At 2 am she returned, surprised to see Don Jose. They traveled together all night, and in the morning he told her he would forget everything like it didn't happen if she would go to America with him and live there quietly. She refuses, and he tells her it's because she wouldn't be near Lucas who might not recover anyway, and that he's tired of killing her lovers and will kill her this time. She tells him that she always knew he would kill her. He begs her to go with him, asks if she still loves him. He tells her to make up her mind. He asks a priest to say a mass for the soul of someone who will soon be dead. Then he returned to find Carmen scrying. He asks her to come with him, and they get on the horse. He asks if she is still ready to follow him, and she says she will follow him even to death, but won't live with him anymore. They arrive at a spring, and she suggests he brought her there to kill her. He tells her the past is forgotten, and she tells him it is over between them because she doesn't love him anymore. He asks if she loves Lucas, and she says she did, for even less time than she loved Don Jose. She tells him he has the right as her husband to kill his wife, but that "Carmen will always be free." She refuses all that he offers. He draws his knife and she still declines, throwing his ring in the bushes. It is Garcia's knife, and he killed her with it. He laid there with her for an hour, then dug her a grave and buried her in the woods with the ring beside her. Then he turned himself in. The mass the priest said was for her soul, not Jose's.
Chapter 4: Background on gipsies - highly invested in marriage, indifferent about religion. Most gipsy women tell fortunes, sell charms, and use incantations.
Carmen by Prosper Mérimée. Web Source.
Don Jose was sent to meet Carmen in Gibraltar because all the others were too recognizable. He was to ask where the chocolate-seller lives, while posing as a fruit-seller. He took a donkey loaded with oranges and melons. Many people there knew of the chocolate-seller, but said she was either dead or had disappeared. It was two days before he found her. She was shouting to him from a balcony, gold comb in her hair, with a rich Englishman who told him to come up because the lady wanted some oranges. She tells him in Basque to pretend it's the only language he speaks. They quarrel in Basque about the way she is conducting her "gipsy business", how he is silly for being jealous of it, and he threatens to make sure she does no business again if he catches her doing business this way again. She says "What are you, my husband?" and tells him that Garcia is pleased with her behavior. She asks "aren't you happy that you are the only man who can call himself my lover?"Carmen tells the Englishman that he said he was thirsty and would like a drink (lol). She started screaming with laughter at her translation, and when she laughed everyone laughed with her. She tells Don Jose to come back tomorrow with his oranges when the parade starts to find out if she is still his Carmencita. He planned to just leave, but when the parade started, he went to her. She tells him of her plan to get the Englishman to take her to another town where she has "a sister who is a nun" and tells Don Jose to take him down when they get to a particular spot. Then she tells him to let Garcia take the lead, and to fall a little behind so he won't be hurt. He tells her that he doesn't like Garcia, but he is a comrade, and while he might rid her of him someday, he will not do it this way. She accused him of not loving her and told him to go (be off with you), and he couldn't go.
Don Jose goes back to Garcia and the other man, El Dancaire, and suggests they play cards by the campfire. They do, and he accuses Garcia of cheating. They decide to fight it out with their knives. Don Jose kills Garcia. He tell El Dancaire that they couldn't live on together because he loves Carmen and wants to be the only one. They agree to be friends. They took out the Englishman and he won Carmen back. She tells him his day will come, and he says hers will too if she isn't a faithful wife to him. She says "so be it." She tells him she read in the coffee grounds more than once that their lives were to end together. They continue to be smugglers, and eventually she finds a rich man she plans to do the same as the Englishman with, and he carries her off and forces her to stop. She tells him if he's not careful, she'll find someone to do to him what he did to Garcia. Their group was caught by soldiers, most of them died, and he was shot. His only comrade left carried him to a cave and went to fetch Carmen. She came and nursed him and snuck him to Granada. He decided that it was time to change his life, and suggested to Carmen that they should move to America and live honest lives, which made her laugh. She talked him into another smuggling job. She kept talking about a local bullfighter named Lucas, and his comrade Juanito told him that she had been spending a lot of time with this Lucas. When he asks her about it, she tells him that he is useful, they either should take his money or ask him to join their gang. He forbid her to see him, and she told him to be careful because forbidding her to do something would cause her to do it quickly. But the bullfighter leaves town and they forget about him. At this point in time, he meets the gentleman. Carmen stole the gentleman's watch, wanted to take his money and his "magic" ring. Don Jose struck her and she cried, the first time he ever saw her do so. He begged her to forgive him, but she was very upset for a few more days, and then she was fine and they were like honeymoon lovers. She told him there was a festival in Cordova that she would go see, so she could point out to him the people coming away with money.
He realized by the festival plans and change in her temper that she must have already avenged herself. He found out that there would be bullfighting in Cordova, and he went to find Lucas, and Carmen was there. The bull attacked Lucas, and Carmen disappeared. At 2 am she returned, surprised to see Don Jose. They traveled together all night, and in the morning he told her he would forget everything like it didn't happen if she would go to America with him and live there quietly. She refuses, and he tells her it's because she wouldn't be near Lucas who might not recover anyway, and that he's tired of killing her lovers and will kill her this time. She tells him that she always knew he would kill her. He begs her to go with him, asks if she still loves him. He tells her to make up her mind. He asks a priest to say a mass for the soul of someone who will soon be dead. Then he returned to find Carmen scrying. He asks her to come with him, and they get on the horse. He asks if she is still ready to follow him, and she says she will follow him even to death, but won't live with him anymore. They arrive at a spring, and she suggests he brought her there to kill her. He tells her the past is forgotten, and she tells him it is over between them because she doesn't love him anymore. He asks if she loves Lucas, and she says she did, for even less time than she loved Don Jose. She tells him he has the right as her husband to kill his wife, but that "Carmen will always be free." She refuses all that he offers. He draws his knife and she still declines, throwing his ring in the bushes. It is Garcia's knife, and he killed her with it. He laid there with her for an hour, then dug her a grave and buried her in the woods with the ring beside her. Then he turned himself in. The mass the priest said was for her soul, not Jose's.
Chapter 4: Background on gipsies - highly invested in marriage, indifferent about religion. Most gipsy women tell fortunes, sell charms, and use incantations.
Carmen by Prosper Mérimée. Web Source.
Reading Notes: More Carmen
Chapter 3 - Don Jose tells the gentleman of his history. His family wanted him to go into the church. He studied but didn't like the work. he would rather just play tennis.He had to leave his town due to a quarrel with someone, so he became a soldier and moved up the ranks. He was told to guard the Seville Tobacco Factory. About 500 women work in the factory. Don Jose was afraid of the Andalusian women, so he didn't pursue them like the other men did. One night he heard a bystander shout "Here comes the gitanella (the gypsy)" and when he looked up he saw Carmen. She was wearing a short skirt with an off the shoulder top and had an acacia blossom in the corner of her mouth. All of the men paid her bold compliments. He didn't like her looks at first and continued to work. "But she, like all women and cats, who won't come if you call them, and do come if you don't call them, stopped short in front of me, and spoke to me."
She asked him for his chain to put the key to her strong box on, and he told her it was for his priming-pin. She teased him that she must make lace if he wants pins. She threw the blossom at him and it hit him in between the eyes, and felt like a bullet had struck him. When she went inside the factory, he picked up the blossom and put it in his jacket. He was still thinking about her a few hours later when a porter rushed in ab told the guards that a woman was stabbed in the cigar room. Don Jose took two men and they found 300 women stripped to their shifts, screaming and yelling. One was laying on her back streaming with blood, and X cut on her face by a knife. Opposite her, Carmen was being held by 5 or 6 others as the wounded woman yelled "a confessor, I am killed!" and Carmen said nothing. The injured girl had boasted that she had enough money in her pocket to buy a donkey at the market. Carmen asked why she couldn't do it with a broom, and the girl told her she knew nothing of brooms and that Carmen would meet her donkey when she took it out with 2 lackeys to keep the flies off. Carmen said "I'll make troughs for the flies to drink out of on your cheeks", and she slashed the girl's face with the knife. Don Jose told her to come with him, and she covered her head with her mantilla (lace veil). He told her he was taking her to prison, and she begged him to have pity on her, while complimenting his looks. She whispered that if he let her go, she would give him a loadstone that would make every woman fall in love with him. He told her to stop talking nonsense. Carmen could tell he was from the provinces and started speaking Basque. She was from a district four hours from him, and had been taken to Seville by the gipsies. Don Jose knew that she was lying and told the gentleman that she always lies. He was becoming drunk on her and when she suggested that she could knock him down and get away from the other two men, he told her to try for it. She punched him in the chest and he intentionally fell backwards and she ran for it. He blocked the other men with his lance, then ran after her with them following. She disappeared. The other men told their boss that she had spoken Basque to them and that it had been suspicious, so he lost is corporal's stripes and was put in prison for a month. He would have to work ten times as hard to get back into good graces. He still couldn't stop thinking of her. A loaf of bread was delivered to him from his "cousin". When he cut into it he found a file and 2 coins, a gift from Carmen. He chose not to escape.
When he was released, he was posted at the door of a young colonel who had many visitors. Carmen arrived in a carriage, dressed up and carrying a tambourine. She was with two other gipsy women and a man with a guitar. She recognized him, and he could see the whole performance on the patio from his post, and could hear the things the men were saying to her. He thought he began to love her that night as he kept almost driving his sword through the men. On her way out, she said he should go eat at a restaurant in Triana. He cleaned himself up and went. When he arrived she told her boss she wasn't going to work anymore for the day, and went for a walk with him. He tried to return the coins she had given him in the bread, and she decided they should go spend them. They bought food and wine and sweets, then went to a gipsy house. They spent the day together. He told her he had to get back for roll call, and she called him silly. She talked him into staying, then in the morning suggested that he leave. He asked when he would see her again, and she said he was too much of a simpleton, that she believed she loved him a little but wouldn't marry him because he wasn't a gipsy, and threatened to make him marry a window with wooden legs (the gallows) if he thought about her again.
He couldn't stop thinking of her, and her boss told him she had moved away. It was a lie, and one night she approached where he was guarding. He told her that no one could pass there. She told him not to be spiteful, and she asked him to let some people pass. He said he couldn't because it was his orders, and she mentioned that he didn't consider orders the night they spent together. He agreed to let the gipsies pass if she met him later. She was annoyed that he didn't just do what she wanted and tried to pay him off. He was angry and left, walking around town, going to church and crying hot tears in the corner. Carmen showed up and asked if he was still angry with her. She said she still wanted to come with him. They made up, and she promised to meet him, but didn't, and her boss again lied about her leaving the country. He looked for ever every day, and one day she walked into the restaurant with a young lieutenant in his regiment. She told him to go away in Basque, and the lieutenant told him to go away, and he felt paralyzed. They drew their swords and fought over her. He ended up running, and she ran with him. She found him peasant clothes and brought him to another gipsy house to have his wounds tended to. They told him that he would have to leave town as soon as he was well or he would be shot. Carmen tells him to go to the coast and become a smuggler to earn his keep. He was persuaded easily as it was the only job he could do. He also thought it would bring them closer together. He became a smuggler, and Carmen secretly was his mistress. He eventually found out that a gypsy man was her husband. She had been trying to get him out of prison for 2 years and finally succeeded.
Carmen by Prosper Mérimée. Web Source.
She asked him for his chain to put the key to her strong box on, and he told her it was for his priming-pin. She teased him that she must make lace if he wants pins. She threw the blossom at him and it hit him in between the eyes, and felt like a bullet had struck him. When she went inside the factory, he picked up the blossom and put it in his jacket. He was still thinking about her a few hours later when a porter rushed in ab told the guards that a woman was stabbed in the cigar room. Don Jose took two men and they found 300 women stripped to their shifts, screaming and yelling. One was laying on her back streaming with blood, and X cut on her face by a knife. Opposite her, Carmen was being held by 5 or 6 others as the wounded woman yelled "a confessor, I am killed!" and Carmen said nothing. The injured girl had boasted that she had enough money in her pocket to buy a donkey at the market. Carmen asked why she couldn't do it with a broom, and the girl told her she knew nothing of brooms and that Carmen would meet her donkey when she took it out with 2 lackeys to keep the flies off. Carmen said "I'll make troughs for the flies to drink out of on your cheeks", and she slashed the girl's face with the knife. Don Jose told her to come with him, and she covered her head with her mantilla (lace veil). He told her he was taking her to prison, and she begged him to have pity on her, while complimenting his looks. She whispered that if he let her go, she would give him a loadstone that would make every woman fall in love with him. He told her to stop talking nonsense. Carmen could tell he was from the provinces and started speaking Basque. She was from a district four hours from him, and had been taken to Seville by the gipsies. Don Jose knew that she was lying and told the gentleman that she always lies. He was becoming drunk on her and when she suggested that she could knock him down and get away from the other two men, he told her to try for it. She punched him in the chest and he intentionally fell backwards and she ran for it. He blocked the other men with his lance, then ran after her with them following. She disappeared. The other men told their boss that she had spoken Basque to them and that it had been suspicious, so he lost is corporal's stripes and was put in prison for a month. He would have to work ten times as hard to get back into good graces. He still couldn't stop thinking of her. A loaf of bread was delivered to him from his "cousin". When he cut into it he found a file and 2 coins, a gift from Carmen. He chose not to escape.
When he was released, he was posted at the door of a young colonel who had many visitors. Carmen arrived in a carriage, dressed up and carrying a tambourine. She was with two other gipsy women and a man with a guitar. She recognized him, and he could see the whole performance on the patio from his post, and could hear the things the men were saying to her. He thought he began to love her that night as he kept almost driving his sword through the men. On her way out, she said he should go eat at a restaurant in Triana. He cleaned himself up and went. When he arrived she told her boss she wasn't going to work anymore for the day, and went for a walk with him. He tried to return the coins she had given him in the bread, and she decided they should go spend them. They bought food and wine and sweets, then went to a gipsy house. They spent the day together. He told her he had to get back for roll call, and she called him silly. She talked him into staying, then in the morning suggested that he leave. He asked when he would see her again, and she said he was too much of a simpleton, that she believed she loved him a little but wouldn't marry him because he wasn't a gipsy, and threatened to make him marry a window with wooden legs (the gallows) if he thought about her again.
He couldn't stop thinking of her, and her boss told him she had moved away. It was a lie, and one night she approached where he was guarding. He told her that no one could pass there. She told him not to be spiteful, and she asked him to let some people pass. He said he couldn't because it was his orders, and she mentioned that he didn't consider orders the night they spent together. He agreed to let the gipsies pass if she met him later. She was annoyed that he didn't just do what she wanted and tried to pay him off. He was angry and left, walking around town, going to church and crying hot tears in the corner. Carmen showed up and asked if he was still angry with her. She said she still wanted to come with him. They made up, and she promised to meet him, but didn't, and her boss again lied about her leaving the country. He looked for ever every day, and one day she walked into the restaurant with a young lieutenant in his regiment. She told him to go away in Basque, and the lieutenant told him to go away, and he felt paralyzed. They drew their swords and fought over her. He ended up running, and she ran with him. She found him peasant clothes and brought him to another gipsy house to have his wounds tended to. They told him that he would have to leave town as soon as he was well or he would be shot. Carmen tells him to go to the coast and become a smuggler to earn his keep. He was persuaded easily as it was the only job he could do. He also thought it would bring them closer together. He became a smuggler, and Carmen secretly was his mistress. He eventually found out that a gypsy man was her husband. She had been trying to get him out of prison for 2 years and finally succeeded.
Carmen by Prosper Mérimée. Web Source.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Famous Last Words: Actually My Last Words
Today is my daughter's 17th birthday. We decided on Saturday morning to get some Italian takeout for lunch, and to spend the day making a crazy cake. We went with 6 layers of pastel rainbow, with sprinkles on top.
(Photos from my personal collection)
I'm also happy to report that I finally picked a graduate program last night. After spending some time with my art therapy teacher (I felt bad crashing their class, but everyone is so chill in there that no one seemed bothered by it), I've decided on a masters in human relations with a clinical mental health concentration. Afterwords I will likely get my PhD in psychology. It feels really good to have a plan finally. Now I just have to finish the application process.
I can't believe this is my last post for class. While I'm glad I have some extra time at the end of the semester, I'm also going to miss it. I'm very happy with how my project turned out, and hope all of you feel the same way when you're done. I plan to keep writing, and feel like this class has improved the way I think about writing stories. Thanks for all of the nice comments you all left me over the semester!
(Photo from Pinterest)
Friday, November 10, 2017
Famous Last Words: Five More Fridays
I realized this morning that my graduation ceremony is exactly five weeks from today. I have a lot to do before then, so it's a bit of a stressful thought. I guess I'm going to just roll with it and hope for the best. In class this week, I wrote my final story for my project. I can't believe it's about done. I started reading Carmen this week, because if I decide to write stories for the other characters, Panther would be one of the next. It's been a really fun book so far, I'm really enjoying it.
I made some grad school progress this week. Monday morning I talked to someone in one of the counseling programs. It sounded like where I might need to be. Then Monday night I got to talk to my psych teacher. She said she likes the other counseling program better (and has taught for it). She also confirmed that I can absolutely go get my PhD in psych after a master's in either counseling program, and the people she's seen do it that way have been really balanced students. This coming Monday I'm meeting with my art therapy teacher who graduated from the program my teacher recommended. And since I'll be crashing her studio class, I'm bringing my art project along to show her.
This afternoon at the veteran's center, no one wanted to do art. Most of the staff was off for the holiday and they had a big celebration yesterday. Even less people will be around the Friday after Thanksgiving, and the other art people aren't coming. I'm going to bring some new and hopefully fun things in case people show up and want to participate, and a project of my own to work on while I'm there. Whether anyone wants to do art with me or not, I need to get enough hours by the end. So I'm just going to camp out with something to do and hope some people at least come talk to me. That's why I'm really there, anyway.
I took my daughter to the mall this weekend and couldn't resist a picture of this bar of soap. Can you relate? I know I can right now.
I made some grad school progress this week. Monday morning I talked to someone in one of the counseling programs. It sounded like where I might need to be. Then Monday night I got to talk to my psych teacher. She said she likes the other counseling program better (and has taught for it). She also confirmed that I can absolutely go get my PhD in psych after a master's in either counseling program, and the people she's seen do it that way have been really balanced students. This coming Monday I'm meeting with my art therapy teacher who graduated from the program my teacher recommended. And since I'll be crashing her studio class, I'm bringing my art project along to show her.
This afternoon at the veteran's center, no one wanted to do art. Most of the staff was off for the holiday and they had a big celebration yesterday. Even less people will be around the Friday after Thanksgiving, and the other art people aren't coming. I'm going to bring some new and hopefully fun things in case people show up and want to participate, and a project of my own to work on while I'm there. Whether anyone wants to do art with me or not, I need to get enough hours by the end. So I'm just going to camp out with something to do and hope some people at least come talk to me. That's why I'm really there, anyway.
I took my daughter to the mall this weekend and couldn't resist a picture of this bar of soap. Can you relate? I know I can right now.
(Photo from my personal collection)
Tech Tip: YouTube Playlist
I normally use YouTube for finding music videos, video game tutorials, and other kinds of tutorials. I look up origami videos frequently because it's much easier to see what someone in a video is doing with their hands than looking at a flat diagram. I have also looked up videos on concepts for school if I was struggling, and it really helped. Occasionally I've made playlists of songs I can't buy anywhere. For this assignment I thought it would be fun to make a playlist of videos introducing the Persona 5 characters, and I also added in videos that introduce the many other characters that Joker can have relationships with in the game.
Learning Challenge: Mental Health Testimony
The mental health video I liked best was Jeremiah Stinnett talking about social anxiety. As a psychology major, this impacts me two ways. How can I help others, and how can I help myself? I also suffer from this. I felt like the video was really powerful because as someone who has problems with this, I could see how much effort it was taking him to just be behind a video camera, knowing that not only the person filming was seeing and hearing everything, but also that many people would see the video. That's an incredibly hard thing for someone with social anxiety to do. He looked uncomfortable, which is how I look any time I have to present in a class, or talk in a group I'm not very comfortable with. It was really brave of him to even do this. It also really hit home with me when he talked about how people without social anxiety don't even think it's a thing, because that's so true. People without it think you should just suck it up and do it and it will be no big deal. Unfortunately, that's not the case for us at all.
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