And it is done.

Finished and sent off, good riddance to TMA08. I would say I hated every minute of it, but some of it I quite enjoyed writing. Saying that, I feel about 08 the same way I felt about 06, that it's a big pile of poo! As much as I want a funky high mark for it, I will be happy just to pass it.

And with the finishing of TMA08, it is also the end of A103. So what do I think I have learned? Well, I think I understand poetry now, though I will never again have the ignorance of writing poetry without thinking of the mechanics ever again. That I will miss. I've realised that I might want to pursue an English language and literature degree, rather than just the language degree. I have a new appreciation for classical music now that I can deconstruct it and mostly understand the techniques used to compose it. I was terrified of the art history sections, but once I started on them I fell into them, and enjoyed it more that I thought I would. I also now have some passing knowledge of philosophy, though I don't feel I could call myself adept at philosophising. All in all, apart from struggling a little through demotivation during the middle-ish of the course, I have enjoyed my time on A103.

I think I shall give myself the weekend to relax (and damn the weather, as I can't go and see La Machine) and play games with Principessa before starting with A215. Yay! Finally I am there!

Memory...

(Pinched from Elizabeth Bear's blog)

"If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now,even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory ofyou and me. It can be anything you want -- good or bad. When you'refinished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (ormortified) about what people remember about you."

Of frogs and assignments

I started reading the biography of Alfred Russel Wallace last night. I was hooked by the first few lines, but tired eyes and a need for sleep resulted in me having to put the book down not long after I had started reading.


(Image from Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Nonetheless, what I had read started my brain ticking. I went to sleep reminiscing about frog hunts, how excited my brother, sister and I would be when we saw that the frogs had spawned in the rain-filled Belfast sink that sat in the back garden. We were completely enthralled with watching as the tadpoles first sprouted back legs, then front legs, and then losing their tail as they became ickle biddy frogs. We were so protective over them! Makes me wonder if that's why I'd love to have a frog-aquarium.

I also reminisced about how we used to make our own little bows and arrows. We would choose branches from the lilac trees at the bottom of the garden, then spend the afternoon nicking the ends of the branch with a knife and peeling off the bark. For the arrows, a little cross would be carved into one of the ends and we would find bird feathers to poke into the cross. For the bow, we would get a piece of twine, nick both ends of the larger branches, then slide the twine into the nicks and tie it off. I loved doing all of that stuff, especially on sunny days when the air was thick with the scent of the lilac trees and it was just as warm in the shade as it was in the sun. It makes you wonder what has been lost with all the technology that clutters our lives now.

Anyway, back to the present. I received my result for TMA04 today. Another good'un, 82%. Yay me! And with TMA05 written (it's just sitting around wondering if it could be better. I'll leave it to fester over the weekend, and if I can't think of any changes I'll send it out on Monday) I can relax for a day or two. Woohoo!