h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

3rd day of lecture/seminars. Got to sleep in a bit since the first one didn't start till noon... but I had to hang around till 5:30! I only just got back...

... and of course it *would* be chilly today as it is the first day I consciously decided not to bring a coat with me.

... am a bit worried about the education level of some of my peers. Maybe it's just the difference between US and UK schooling, but we were reading a poem by Yeats today that made mention of Thoreau, and only one other person had heard of him, and none of them picked up on the allusion. Normally I'd think that was just cause he was an American writer, but he influenced *Ghandi* and Martin Luther King, Jr. for God's sake. Not exactly an unknown figure. But then I could be wrong. Just because it seems that a figure is well-known from one point of view doesn't mean they're well-known in every country.

... the leader of my Early 20th Century literature seminar likes to go "yes, yes, yes, yes, yes" *repeatedly* the whole way through. She's good but... o gosh, that gets annoying after a while. It practically sent myself and one of the other students in my discussion group who had picked up on it into a fit of giggles.

... I know I'll toughen up, but this walking, standing on the bus, and then walking again has me utterly exhausted. Need sleep. On the plus side, I bet many of my clothes won't fit in a *good* way by the time I leave.

Dinner. Need. Read DH Lawrence. Have to.

The hanging around thing happens here too...so many people fall asleep on the lawns at University here in the Midwest.

Today I started the process of eventually getting to a new University. The college I go to now to use an American word "sucks"...hours of pointless work-almost a semester's worth every week....and it is online so supposed to meet the working student's needs-does a lousy job and takes more time then anybody has ....the aim is to get an education not just get through it...so I am transferring so I will have some real world skills (NOT real deadline skills for things I already know).

In America, I have also noticed a real difference between what is learned in public schools and private...private schools have more knowledge on specific pieces but public are much more rounded. I actually view a public school here as a better education in some areas. The university I went to seperated American and English Literature...do they do that there???

Are you enjoying the lectures? Is your major English???

Oh, the hanging around thing happened a lot at Radford, too... but I lived on campus, so if I had an hour or two hour break, I'd go back to my room. But here in the UK, I'm living in Ponders End but going to class at Tottenham - so that's a rather far way to go (plus it involves the bus fare and I spend a pound 40 on the bus each day I go to campus as is) just to not have to sit around campus for 2 hours. I'll cope.

As far as the public/private thing goes - are you referring to public and private university/colleges or public/private grade schools? Seems to me that grade schools teach pretty much the same cirriculam (spelled totally wrong) across the board. With public and private universities - it greatly depends on the quality of the English department as to what is taught and how. I know that Radford (a state supported uni) has a semi decent English department, but we did tend to have a minimalist approach as far as reading lists were concerned. Though, thinking back on it, I suppose that could be due to the atrocious cost of textbooks. Private unis (such as those many of my friends go to) seem to have larger lists - but whether or not that is actually benificial in the long run, I'm not sure.

Radford didn't really separate English and American literature - almost everything was separated by time period rather than place of origin. I think there were a few English only literary history courses, but those took place before there *was* any America, so that doesn't really count. Middlesex seems to totally segragate the two nations as far as literature is concerned - there are two classes I'm aware of (and there are probably more - it's hard to imagine reading all the American classics in only two classes!) that are American literature only, while the rest of classes are predominately English/UK literature, with the occasional American novel added in if it would be silly to study a certain topic without it.

Thus far I'm enjoying lectures... apart from "yes... yes... yes..." lady. I rather like my Romantic Politics and Art lecturer, and my Pop Genre fiction lecturer is , if a bit odd.

And yes, I'm an English major. Was it that obvious?

As for lecturer idosyncrasies, I think it's a condition of employment. Worryingly I also suspect become a lecturer makes one develop behavioural 'ticks'

I've heard of Thoreau (the name) don't know the first thing about them tho'. I'll be honest "education "education, education", (to shamelessly steal a phrase from our *gag* beloved prime minister) - is on something of a decline in these emerald isles and has been for some time...underfunding by central government and a truly bewildering array of policy initiatives over the past decade and beyond has left many education professionals with their heads spinnig, to say nothing of the students themselves. Plus before Harry Potter arrived the art of reading was on it's way out. Now Harry Potter is all children read. so the more things change the more they stay the same I guess.

Still that doesn't quite explain why they didn't know who Thoreau was. Also Martin luthur King Jr. isn't quite as public a figure over here as he is in the U.S. His importance as a civil right's leader are recognised but beyond that I don't think you'll find many who are familiar with who his 'influences' were. I wouldn't despair of my countrymen's standard of education - but er...dont expect much.

I'm looking forward to going to Warwick next week and signing up to the gym there - been itching to go swimming and weight lifting again, but seemed pointless to make plans here, knowing I was going away so soon.
This time around I'll be living on campus so it will only be 5minutes to the library and maximum 10 to mydepartment but us of the 'long stride' will have to see just how long it does take.

Please don't develop a tick, love. Please please please please.



As far as Thoreau goes - specifically, I suppose the fact he is American has a lot to do with it. *takes her all in one Thoreau collection off her shelf* He was writing in the late 1800s, a combination philosopher and naturalist. He lived out in the middle of nowhere (so he *says*) for two years and two months just to see if he could - wrote about it in 'Walden'. [Teachers often forget to mention that he was only a mile away from friends and family and went into town often - hardly an experiment in how much isolation a person could take.] However, the work that seems to have had the most influence is "Civil Disobedience" - something which both King and Gandhi read and acted upon, wherein he puts forth the idea of (what else) civil disobediance - nonviolent action, action against the government without getting into *real* trouble. I suppose the only reason people 'round these parts not having heard of him bothers me is because he is somewhat responsible for Britain losing India as a colony.

And just a mention - we've got quite a messy education system in the US as well. I think I skirted the worst of it... but I know of some true messes that have been made in the past.

*pats head* Gym... moving about... sorry, I like my desk-job of writing and reading.

oooooh *light dawns* Henry David. *clatter as the bell not only rings but drops bodily through several stories of steeple*


Yes opposed payig tax to fund a war in mexico is memory serves. (which'd be why he influenced Ghandi and King - I geddit, I geddit. non-vilonet, bloody minded opposition. )

When you put Thoreu earlier it drew a complete blank...suddenly it seems as though those essays uni forced me to write about the notion of a nation state and civil contracts weren;t a complete waste of time!

The *one* thing my philosophy professor last year taught me that Thoreau rocked. I brought my collected works book with me because of that - the man is awesome. (And I thought at one point it might be useful to have here)

Too bad he was bad on Plato/Socrates and couldn't pronounce Sartre's name right.

Thoreau or your philosophy prof?



Just kidding.

Seems you're instincts were correct, him coming up in thired ever 3rd lecture an' all.

I'm good, aren't I?

Pretty Average.


*pounce*

(P.S mum just came bakc in from picking chris up from work and I was describing all fo this to her - how one mninute Thoreau 'don't know him' to Thoreau - 'ooooooooh HIM!') she thinks it's pretty funny.

excuse the spelling erros, I'm trying to type and eat an ice-bun at the same time. (perks of having a brother who works in a bakery who get's all the discounted produced at the end of his shift!

*shivers*

Cold cold cold cold cold in this country.

Really?

*pokes head out of bedroom window.* - I've known colder.

It was a bit over-cast this morning probably brought the temperatues crashing down...

*warms her up.*

(doesn't say how)

Cold for me. It's just windy down here, so it feels colder than it actually is.

ah - ze wind chill factor. Hmm that can lower temperatures a by several degrees sometimes - especially in the winter when it cna be *just below* frozen like maybe -1 or 2 but it will *feel* like -10!

I know the wind chill factor well.

Just sitting here in my pj's with a wet head (felt like taking a shower when I got home today - so I did) was a bit chilly. But now that I've closed the window, it feels too warm.

hmmm my advice... beg borrow or steal a dvd off one of your flat mates and snuggle up in bed.

Me I've just discovered Christopher brought in some ring-donuts as well and heavens they have to be eaten tonght or else they'll go off - so seeing as I'm the only one in the house who likes them I've putting of ym self-imposed no donut diet and scoffing them..see ya later.

Might could do... still need to take that one back to Blockbuster that we rented last weekend. (I meant to return it when I came back from Tottenham today, but totally missed the stop). I'll do it tomorrow... maybe apply for membership as well. Not sure.

Found out we have some sort of inspection tomorrow... so I cleaned up my room. Again. How can someone who's brought so little make such a mess?

Mmm... donuts...

Inspections? Damn.

Attenshun soldier!