Week 2 of School

Been quite a while since I have posted - oh well, not gonna try to catch up.

I have begun classes again at UTA. Very exciting time for me. I am currently enrolled in an intro to philosophy class (for philosophy majors), ethics, Astronomy I and Music Appreciation. The philosophy classes are outstanding. The intro class is very good for a newbie like myself - I look forward to the arguments I am sure to start when I get better acclimated to the situation. I thank Heavens that the class is not taught out of a pure textbook - we are instead using actual texts from actual philosophers - imagine that - using actual philosophy to learn about philosophy. Take it, TCC.

As for ethics, another bright point for the semester - I look very forward to the class, mostly because I have picked out a few people who seem more than willing to get into friendly debate with the instructor - this will take the pressure off of me to always find something pertinent to argue about, so that instead I can focus on the material, process etc. Also, the instructor seems quite capable of playing devil's advocate (as he did today on behalf of the text's author). If one plans to present an argument, it had best be both valid and sound (two important terms that I needs to cement into my vocabulary).

Music Appreciation, my fine arts credit, would be a terrific class, if not for the fact that the entire purpose for this course is to provide a simple credit for students who have no interest in fine arts. I often wish I were qualified to sing at the college level - I have little interest in trying to enjoy our history's music with a room full of insipid students who have absolutely no interest in music that lasts more than the radio requisitional 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Oh well - at least the class inspired me to purchase a new Stravinsky CD - The Firebird, his last important ballet. The piece is phenomenal.

As for Astronomy I. Shoot me. I absolutely abhor planetary astronomy. This is a science that should be classified as geology (at best, astronomical geology). I could absolutely care less about the diameter of Pluto compared to the Sun, or how many masses of Earth could Jupiter hold? The class is going to be a semester of useless planetary facts, one or two studies on the cellestial sphere and a brief talk about the sun (nothing interesting, such as the physics involved in burning the sun, just how big is He?) I should have known better than to take Astro II first - I have nothing to look forward to. Further, this will be another class of Business School or Nursing School pupils who just want to get an easy 8 hours and move right through. Curse me for enjoying the subjects which have been dumbed down for others.

Anyhow - lots of work to do - I will be demanding good marks for myself this semester - I really want to get out of academic probation. Off to study I go!