Last night’s class was pretty fun, given the company. I was in a corner of people in the classroom; all of whom appreciate anime, some of whom cosplay, and even cosplayed at JTAF this year. It makes learning Japanese a lot easier when you have fellow fans in the class. Now, all I have to do is put together a study group for Japanese 4 and I’m gold.
A little about me and study groups. It began back in Japanese 1, Fall Quarter 1999, when I did the first study group for the language. I was married back then, and Stephanie indulged me in letting me have the living room every Monday night. It was half-study, half-anime watching. I remember writing for permission to use うるせいやつら from AnimEigo that year. Then the next quarter, it was きまぐれオランジロードー. Each time we did the study group, I would take a moment and write out the study guides, including all the meticulously written liner notes for both series. Also, after bugging Robert Woodhead for permission twice in six months to use AnimEigo titles for studying, he finally just said, “Don’t write me anymore. Just go ahead and use whatever you want for school.” Cool. This year, I’m going to try and put together a group and watch 逮捕しちゃうぞ！ 🙂
Math is still boring. I’m reviewing last year’s stuff, which I was able to do in Word so quickly that I was amazed people were still having difficulty with. We’re talking about factoring expressions and equations. I think it’ll just be this way the first week and then next week it’ll pick up and we’ll be learning new stuff. One of the most frustrating elements of school the first week or two is the review nightmare that is math class. I spent all of class playing against the computer in chess and getting my ass handed to me in two games. Luckily, not only am I sitting in the back of the classroom, but it looks like I’m taking notes in class. She called on me once and I just looked up and factored it in my head. I’m glad I’m able to do that now, because during Math 101, it sure sucked to be me.
Japanese doesn’t waste much time on review, if any at all. Like yesterday we spent most of the day doing self-introductions, and going over the syllabus. Today, though, it was work work work. All new stuff and very little review. Though my notes don’t reflect the amount of stuff we learned today (a lot of it was conversation), I’m already having to go over the reading and notes a couple of times to make sure it takes. In less than two weeks is the first midterm (of three) for the class. She wasn’t kidding about doing the class in Japanese as much as possible. All questions were in Japanese, most of the lesson was explained in Japanese. Talk about testing your listening and vocabulary skills.
One more bit of gripe and then I’m done. So, twice in a row, now, I’ve sat here in the cafe area of the student center, and solicitors are constantly asking me for shit. What the fuck? I know the economy is pretty hard up and shit, but for shit’s sake, leave me the fuck alone at school. I get enough spam and telemarketers at home. I love the fact that they’re trying for students’ money… like they’re all independently wealthy enough to buy all this shit, or save the world by adopting a child overseas. We definitely need a little bit of a ban on these motherfuckers who’re peddling their shit when all I want to do is enjoy a peaceful breakfast.
I lied, I have one more gripe to discuss. There’s a piano here in the cafe area, and it’s unlocked. Just any asshole can jump up and start pounding the keys like they’re Liberace or something. The problem is not the quality of the music, but rather the volume. Dude, this isn’t Carnagie Hall. If you’re going to play, play it light so I can at least put some headphones on and not have to have the music cranked up so loud it makes my eardrums bleed, just so it can begin to compete with you. Christ.
