The whirlwind pace of German in Summer Term is a real challenge, but I can recommend this type of total committment to a language first year if you can swing it.   I am packing a lot of information into this old non traditional student head, it is nearly full, not much more room left!   When you start dreaming about conjugating verbs and vocab tests, it must be a sign of information overload…   One benefit of this type of class schedule is that you really get to put learning skills to work in a major way.    Starting in the fall, I’ll be heading into second year German, only taking one section per term.   I will have to shift gears and make sure to study a little German every day and not put the homework off til the night before a class.

One of the buildings on campus that I will be spending many hours in is Kidder Hall, which is located across the Quad from the Valley Library.   This facility is one of the older buildings on campus and it has a “vintage college” feel to it.   I am taking in all of the experiences of being in college with an appreciation of what I missed so many years ago.   Even the creaking floors and windows excite me!  Being a non traditional student is more to me than just returning to school.   It has become a life changing experience, and I am trying to get every last drop out of it.   Older students returning to college is the overall theme of Reaching Lifelong Goals.com, but I’m finding the experience to be so much more than that.

Time to study more German Vocab for tomorrow’s test now.  Tschüss!!

Yes, this non trad has made it to “big boy” college, although some 35 years late, I am a proud OSU Beaver!   Clicking off bucket list items is more rewarding than you could possibly imagine.  My summer will be a fast paced initiation into college life, as I am pulling 16 credits during this term.   I am finally going to finish my math requirements for my baccalaureate core with Math 105.   This will be a math class that I can sink my teeth into.   Opened the textbook and there were no polynomials or quadratic or any of this number mixing with alphabets nonsense!!    Numbers and letters just do not belong in the same math problem!!

My main focus this term will be my beginning of two years of a foreign language requirement.   I am taking a full year of German (GER 111, 112, 113) all packed into this summer!!   It works out to about a Term every 12 days!!   This will be a huge challenge.  Two days into the class and we had our first vocabulary test.   First mid-term will be on Friday!   My brain hurts.    One positive note here is, my wife is taking German with me!!   She is an employee of Oregon State and is using vacation time each day to be a Non Traditional Student just like me.   So far she is kicking my butt in this class, but the competition will soon morph into cooperation I’m assured.   The sharing of this goal with me is very special and I am blessed to have Patty as my wife.   I will be posting about our progress in this endeavor throughout the Summer Term.   I have the whole afternoon each day to do my homework and study.   I ride to school with my wife and after she goes to German class with me, she goes back to her desk and spends the day catching up on work.   I spend my time just enjoying the experience of finally reaching one of my goals in life, attending college.   As a History Major, I’ll use my spare time (if there is any) to begin researching my thesis topic here at the fine library at OSU.   I think I’ll take a walk around MY campus for a while.    More later…

Reflections on Early Shakespeare  “The Bard through New Eyes”

I feel compelled to look back on my studies of the early works of William Shakespeare with a new-found understanding and appreciation of his plays for what they truly are, literary genius.  As a “theater person”, mostly in the technical realm, I was never able to read a play for pure pleasure.   How would I get my actors to exit stage left?    How will the sound effect be cued?   How many flats would I need to build an Elizabethan tavern for The Merry Wives of Windsor? Every script was more of an exercise in logistics and design versus the wonderful stories and dialogue.

What I have learned over the past ten weeks has allowed me to see the Bard’s plays through new eyes.   As a History Major, I was drawn to the historical tidbits in lectures about 16^th century England.   The study of these works became more than reading a play.   Richard III led me down a path of discovery about two young princes, lost in the Tower of London.   Shakespeare’s histories came to life in the study of how King Richard manipulates and schemes his way into the crown.   Having the background of how Shakespeare was able to fit history onto the stage was a highlight in my enjoyment of the play.

Information about Shakespeare’s poems involving his dedications to Henry Wriothesley sparked my interest as I read the words.   Who was the Bard referring to here?    How does this possibly relate to the “dark lady”?   I was reading a poem for both pleasure and clues at the same time.   This is what is so exhilarating about seeing this literature through my new eyes.    The theories about the symbols of Venus and Adonis and various codes that were popular in Renaissance England will be a theme I will follow throughout my study of Shakespeare.

I cannot possibly convey how wonderful it is to enjoy Shakespeare’s comedies on a literary and historical basis.    It really helps when you get the jokes!   The use of various mythological characters mixed into one story is fascinating when you learn how they were weaved together so artfully.   Again, my love of all things Historical allowed me to learn about medieval herbalists and the use of many botanical references all through Shakespeare’s works.    Further study of these references and Will’s country upbringing will be forthcoming.

Love and Hate, romance and war, the juxtaposition in the Tragedy Romeo and Juliet is another joy to behold.   And to think, only a few years ago, all I could think of was how to build that crazy balcony!    I originally planned to write this paper comparing West Side Story with this play.   As I watched, furiously taking notes, I finally realized that I was seeing something through this wonderful filter of literary awareness.    It did give me pause.   Where will these “new eyes” of mine lead me next? I hope that you will allow me this one indulgent paper.   I liken it to the catharsis of the climax of a Greek tragedy.   Not since I played the role of Banquo in the 4^th grade (with rave revenues on the playground I should add) have I been able to really enjoy my studies of William Shakespeare.   For this gift, I must thank you.

One can spend hours with the waves at the Oregon Coast

Someone spent hours balancing

These rocks on each other!