I am severely in need of an update of some sort, especially as I have about half an hour before my 11-o'clock cultural anthropology class. To conserve space, here is a run down of the last 2 months:

1. college begun; lots of philosophy reading and thinking which takes up time (American philosophy with Emerson, Peirce, and James so far; finishing James today --- Philosophy of Literature, which included reading <u>Hard Times</u> by Charles Dickens reaffirming my fondness for that man's writing (earliest story of his I read was <u>Tale of Two Cities</u> which I read in...1997?) --- Environmental Ethics which is really effecting how I view the world, the environment; it feels as though I'm inheriting the themes of my teacher's philosophical views since the books we read were written by him, though it helps that I find a resonative quality to the content). I am also taking a geography course (which cultivates lovely creative juices, particularly political geo, agricultural geo...) and a cultural anthropology. This may not be particularly important, but it has taken up loads of my time, so there it is. As for what I think of the courses, they are quite enlightening, interesting, sometimes exasperating, sometimes very...striking, otherworldly (that is, early on in American Philosophy, I would have the strangest moments of being incredibly aware of myself and my surroundings as I listened to the lecture), or self-affirming (as in Philosophy of Literature, where I am periodically re-reminded as to why I began writing/having an impluse/interest to write, as least partially).

2. I am currently living in the international wing of my dorm; one of my roommates is from Brest, France (Brittany) and the other is from Holland (Netherlands = name of country, Holland = 2 specific...districts or such...it was in her presentation). That unto itself has been interesting, though I feel I have not, thus far, ultilized the opportunity as far as I could (of course saying it like that makes me think of Utilitarianism which I have never been fond of...). Every Monday night a different exchange student(s) presents information on their country with native food at the end. Recently was Kuwait with dates (very fresh and natives ones -- I think his mother sent them over). They were really good. So far it's been England - France (Brest) - Japan - Netherlands - Kuwait (I believe).

3. I've begun writing a new story (the first chapter is still incomplete). Yes, this is important news for me, as I didn't expect to start another one until next summer. Abeit this one will very likely progress much slower than my summer-story but...that's all right, as this new story seems to have a very persistent demeanor. I'm considering using it in <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/"NaNoWriMo</a>, though I don't expect to finish it, but it would give me incentive to write 100 words every day or at least 2,000 word per week (that's my goal anyway...which reminds me I need to write a bit to it today...). I've never done it before...does one sign up? Do I create a separate journal-thing? Hm, I'll research it, as I have Halloween free (I mean except for giving out candy -- I've never been big on trick-or-treating...meh).

4. I've become highly immersed again in Disney, specifically "old" Disney, whether Walt-living animated films ("Lady and the Tramp") or early 90s ("Aladdin"). It's feels...reflective of my childhood while at the same time, the sentiments from it (the harmony-song from "The Little Mermaid" Series with the Evil Manta) evoke emotions that seem to resonate, connect, reflect and glow in the spur for emotions, creativity, imagination and consciousness raising of awareness of others in a sympatheic/empathic way that I've gained from Philosophy of Literature (and hence, a re-affirmation of the "why" of writing for me, as I mentioned above) AND in the value-driven, aesthetic bodily environmental awareness and uniqueness-within-community gained from Environmental Ethics. I'm not sure that sentence made much sense but it's the closest to what I mean. Essentially, it feels like what my courses are spurring on in me is correlatively related to emotive sentiments from my childhood, related but not strictly so, to Disney; it feels as if there was this way I felt or "lessons" that infused with my ideological upbringing that are actually being affirmed as <i>all right</i> but college courses. Not in excess, but that there is value in the sentiments for themselves instead of immature, irrationality. That, and that love is a very good, powerful, opening emotion ("Secret of NIMH")

That is all, and now I have to get to class. (And of course there were four points...ah me)