impleri

Well, even though i still have one more final, it is time for me to PAH-TAY. This semester has been extremely hectic for me. As a word of caution, if you ever have to miss three weeks of a semester in chunks at a time, save yourself and drop for the semester. I feel like the entire semester was spent in playing “catch-up” without much success. For instance, i had a ten page term paper due today for my 4000-level philosophy class on Heidegger…i just finished it. I did get an extension till tomorrow from the professor, so i’m at least safe there. Well, now that i’m finished it, i think i FINALLY have SOME understanding of Heidegger’s philosophy. I think this is my favorite quote from his book, Being & Time:

“Only an entity which, in its Being, is essentially *futural* so that it is free for its death and can let itself be thrown back upon its factical “there” by shattering itself against death–that is to say, only an entity which, as futural, is equiprimordially in the process of *having-been*, can, by handing down to itself the possibility it has inherited, take over its own thrownness and be *in the moment of vision* for ‘its time’. Only authentic temporality which is at the same time finite, makes something like fate–that is to say, authentic historicality.”

i am actually doing well in my Biology class, but only because it is the class i intended on skipping except for the test days (and days before holidays). In my Religions of the West course, i know i did well…partially because the professor is my major professor and has only given me As in the six classes i have had with him, but also because much of the topics covered were already of my interest and so, i walked in with a strong background already.

In my German course, i am finishing the semester with a “C.” i know this because the instructor told me so. It’s not because i knew the material and made straight-A’s on all the tests i’ve taken (which i did), but rather because i missed three weeks of class (even though i had a written medical excuse). Apparently, it is the department’s policy to reserve the right to fail the student who misses six or more classes, regardless of those misses being excused or not. She was kind enough to only give me an “F” for participation and the one test that i missed and was unable to make-up (yet another policy). So, i guess winding up with a “C” is better than an “F”. She was about to not let me take the final (as i missed the last day of class), but i emphasised that the syllabus had the final listed quite clearly and, as such, i had the right to take the final. Well, it was an oral final (as i found out when i arrived for the test time). Since i had to go last, i had about an hour to scribble down some notes to make up a 15 minute speech in German. Well, i wound up with a 10 minute speech (i should have talked slower!) about the German philosophy i have studied (Heidegger and Kant) and what i will study next semester (Hegel and more Heidegger).

Finally, in my Philosophy of the Arts class, i was able to turn in all my work because the professor is really nice and understands the *why* i missed so much class over the semester (and why i was late to class the other half of the semester). I don’t think he docked me any points, though.i think i’ll end up with a “B” overall. Through all of that, i also found time to write my 20 page thesis and defend it for a “B”. With this semester over, i can have some relaxation through everything.

Oh yeah, did i mention that i missed three weeks of class? Well, that was because i threw my back out (yes, i know how young i am) in the middle of September and had nights that i wouldn’t go to sleep until after sunrise…and it was not because i stayed up all night playing around, but rather because i rolled in bed with some random part of body in pain. Now, after some time of work with a very helpful cousin who happens to be a Chiropractor and also happens to not charge me because he’s a nice Buddhist, i can finally sleep at night and have a generally “normal” daily routine uninterrupted by pains and without the use of medicine. Throughout all of this, i have found one person (my love) as constantly being there to support me however possible. This semester, even though quite hectic in school, has been a real blessing to me as my feelings for my girlfriend have matured, developed, and strengthened due to her unfailing support. I never thought i’d so quickly have a relationship as such, but i’m quite thankful for such a wonderful blessing. So, now i’m finally out to get a job. I interviewed with T-Mobile as a “temporary” retail dude with the possibility of going permanent in February if i perform well. I don’t think i will get the job though because i got a “don’t call us–we’ll call you response.” So, i’ve put my application in at a couple of other places as well. I think this weekend, i will try to discover what i want to do over the holidays other than work and spend eight days in Iceland…i mean, Pennsylvania.
I’m thinking about getting a jump start on my independent study (i’m translating one of Heidegger’s works–vol 69: Besinnung–into English from the German) so that’ll be one less thing to think about during the spring semester…which doesn’t start until Jan 18!. Speaking of numbers, 15 more days! Ciao for now!