I won’t say that I’ve just realized that it’s been weeks since I posted…the thought has laid heavy on my mind. But, college has taken up a good chunk of my spare time and it’s been difficult to find time to touch base. With school, my writing, keeping the dust bunnies from overtaking the house and trying to spend some quality time with Danny, I find that I didn’t figure in a way to keep up with my blogging buddies.
The past two weeks I have been up to my ears in Dead Poets and Long Ago Authors. Yup, you guessed it, I’m in American Literature and good golly, Miss Molly, I’m drowning! After surviving Intro to Computers (no piece of cake, let me tell you!) I approached this course with a somewhat cocky attitude. I thought it would involve reading bios and taking tests on those bios.
Snap! The reality is that I’ve been assigned to read multitudes of dead poets, long deceased authors, ancient buried orators and then I must write about them. Stop! Read poetry? Say it isn’t so, as most of you know that I have admitted to being a Pinhead when reading poetry. I do find the practice I’ve had from reading your excellent poems (especially on one of my favorite sites, “We Drink Because We’re Poets) has helped immensely. I’ve struggled but I’m actually getting a handle on the works of Mina Loy, Randall Jarrell and Langston Hughes. Never heard of them, you say? Well, I hadn’t either but I found their work awesome and their lives intriguing. Who would have thunk it?
Anyway, another sneaky little challenge I’ve encountered is call the “APA” format. This is MANDATORY and failure to follow the myriad of forms and structure of the APA can result in a big fat “O.” For those of you unfamiliar with the villanous APA, its the requirement that you must cite and reference every quote you use in your essays. Huh. Well, I guess it is so we writers don’t fail to give credit where credit is due. However, APA format is highly structured and you have to be oh so vigilant to make sure you don’t cross that dreaded Plagerism line.
I have already had to submit my mid-term essay and my knees are shaking and sweat is beaded on my brow. But, I’ve got an A average so far so unless I totally bore my instructor, I shouldn’t do too bad.
So, to my over 1000 loyal followers I can only ask that you stick in there with me. When I get some spare time, I will be hopping on and try to update y’all. I do have a Xmas break which I hope to catch up with all of you!
Danny is doing great…he really seems to have regained some zip in his step and except for a brain on overload, I’m doing great too. I hope this post finds all of you in the best of health and hope to hear from you soon!
Until then, I’ll continue trying to dig my way out of all these dead poets!
Love,
Cranky
P.S. If anyone can understand the works of Marianne Moore, save me!
Well done you. Just to let you know my little warrior fought his final battle last week. I knew you would want to know. We are all getting through. xx
Damn…I am so sorry to hear that. He was a true warrior and I’m sure that he’s in heaven. Please send my condolences and a great big hug for all of you. There are no words to help the pain, but please know that I’m here saying a prayer for that brave, brave, brave littly warrior!
Thanks so much. Hope your Christmas is lovely, and your course work continues to get you A’s
Awww…you might hear a different story when I get to Biology and Algebra!
Study well. We are pulling for you. Where is Robin Williams when you need him. Carpe diem.
Oh yeah…loved that movie!
Congratulations on your A average! With grades like that you may not need this, but have you ever heard of http://citationmachine.net/index2.php It automatically does correct citations in APA style, MLA style, and others. You just type in the info. and it gives you the correct form for in-text citations and Works Cited. (My high school students use this a lot. I wish my college students would use it.) 🙂
Thank you…thank you…thank you! I will definitely check up on this. My college used APA sixth edition and although Microsoft word handles some of it, they don’t cover in-text citations! I owe you!
Hi, I’ve used the Son of Citation Machine when I was just starting to learn to write citations. It was good as a beginner’s tool, but my editor pointed out that that it introduced frequent errors (we can’t misplace even a space, comma, or period!). So, though its not a citation writer, the OWL may be a better resource for this: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/
Cengage also has a good resource: http://www.cengage.com/resource_uploads/downloads/0495799661_216547.pdf
Good luck to you!
Thanks so much for the info. I’m currently using OWL and so far, so good. But, you are so right! Once “oops” in a comma, space or period gets a frown! But I will look up Cengage and see if it might be a good backup check! Thanks again!
You’re welcome!
I think that what you are doing is totally amazing. it is said that first semester is the hardest … but it sounds like you are doing just fine with your A average – dead poets and all 🙂
Thanks so much! I’m having a ball…I just study hard and skip the toga parties! 🙂
Happy all is well even though you are super busy! See you on Christmas break 🙂
Thanks, my friend. Looking forward to having time to actually post again!
I am in week one of Political Controversy, I finished the Terrorism and WMD class with an “A” I think my conservative mind may stun some people in my current class though. Poets the dead kind can still whisper greatness from the grave. =) Keep up the good work…I am sure there are tutors offered for algebra help
Oh how I wish I was a fly on the wall during your Political Controversy class. It would be fun since I know you are not afraid to speak your mind. One thing that class won’t be is dull…not with you in it!
Alas, (oh no..I’m starting to write like Poe!) I’m afraid that I’m not only going to need tutoring…I’m gonna need a miracle. I do have a Beginning Math and Algebra class to brush up on the basics before actually having to take the real deal, so I’ll probably be okay.
Great job on those A’s big guy. As one who knows, it takes a lot of work to achieve those!
Glad to hear from you, Crank. I’ll be here for the updates, whenever they come.
Hope to catch up with everyone during Christmas break.
So you are now remembering the days when we were younger and wished we could skip some classes? Lol, you have lots on your plate and I had often checked my reader to see if I missed something from you and then I remembered you are in school. There are only so many hours in a day! We’ll be here, not going anywhere! 🙂
Good to know! Hope to get some updates in during Christmas break!
Great to hear from you friend…the dead poet’s society can be way difficult, but APA and Longfellow aside, I’m sure happy to see you’re doing so great…and never doubted the A average. See you, hopefully during Christmas break! Hugs.
You can count on seeing me on Christmas break. Can’t wait to touch base with everyone! Shhh…Cranky has a new webcam and a Public Speaking Course is next on the agenda for school. Could there be a Vblog in Cranky’s future? We’ll see!
ah! that could be interesting. Don’t work too dard lady! And congrats for your A average!