Well, I could use some prayers:
(1): School is harder than it has ever been in the past. I can't catch up with my work. I worked this weekend, hoping I could catch up, and I am still behind. I don't know how much more I can work everyday without going insane, but I guess I will have to try. I already know that my thanksgiving weekend will be used mainly for working on school, as well as all of my weekends. I am trying to fit in some 'down time' but it's not enough to get me through. I don't teach enough to make me sane through the grad research, but when I DO teach, I am not as prepared as I would like b/c of all my grad work. I also have a prof who gives way too much work every week. So please pray that I catch up on my work, and maybe even get ahead!
(2): I am sick. This weekend was supposed to get me caught up on work, but instead (probably b/c of the stress), I got a fever and aches and all-around flu/cold. I woke up this morning all dizzy and tired, so please pray I get better soon so that I can keep working.
(3): Well, this isn't a prayer request, more like a praise. I am SO THANKFUL for Paul! He cleaned the house this weekend (I didn't even notice it was so dirty!), worked on the yard, and took care of me. He almost even did some of my homework! :) I couldn't get through grad school without his support...
That's all for now. Hopefully my next post is more positive.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
My ponderings
This past week, I have thought about alot of issues that bother me. I have no answers:
**Why is my history graduate studies less about learning history and more about learning about SCHOLARS of history?**
Example: In my Islam history grad class, we read a large amount of material in order to compare/contrast the various arguments by different scholars about the impact of the West on Islam. However, I don't know ANYTHING about the history of Islam, so how can I have an opinion about one scholar over the other? Why can't we just have a super fast-track history lecture style class so that I can know everything about the topic? Alas, all of my grad classes so far are about historiography and not history...it makes me sad.
**Is it okay for a Christian to be tolerant, accepting, and understanding of another religion?**
I just wonder what other people think about this. I have asked two of my closest friends. One said a Christian should NOT be tolerant/accepting. The other said a Christian SHOULD be tolerant/accepting. I have been listening to my thoughts and my heart. From what I have read on various religions and their histories, I think we should be accepting of those religions that are so close to our own. Do slight differences in theologies matter to God? Or does He simply care that we worship only HIM, lead a godly life, take care of others, etc. I suppose I won't know the answer to this until I go to heaven and see if I am right...But the question still bothers me.
**Why does society follow traditions so close that the traditions practically become RULES instead of just IDEAS?**
Example: Weddings. Why do people spend all of their money on one day that no one else will remember, and why do people get all weird about silly details of weddings like wrinkled dresses and sitting arrangments?!?! I will never understand traditions and why people just do what everyone else does...unless perhaps people lack creativity and must do what everyone else does b/c they have no original ideas?
**Why do women wear "slutty" clothes so much?**
Men do not wear anything immodest, but I have yet to meet a woman who does not wear slutty things. (my definition of slutty: low cut, skin tight, uncomfortable in order to draw mens' eyes, etc.). I know part of it is b/c all clothes available to women are slutty, but why is that the case? Why is society so unequal? Women are wearing clothes that upsets the balance of gender equality. When a woman wears a tank top or a low cut, slim-fitting dress, why does she do it? The response from men is lust. The response from other women is jealousy. Thus, there are no positive reactions from wearing immodest clothes.
Let's picture an interview for a top-notch position somewhere. This certain business sees three interviewers. #1: A man dressed up in a business suit. #2: A woman dressed in a business suit.
#3: A woman dressed in a low cut shirt and mini skirt.
Who do you think they would hire? Based on appearances alone, #3 is unprofessional. The other two, wearing similar clothing, have an equal status for the interview.
If you take this hypothetical situation for everything, don't you think women and men should dress alike in order to be treated equally in ALL situations in the world? So why do women lower themselves by dressing poorly?
And WHY am I so unusual as a woman because I want to dress modestly and be a Godly and proper example to the world?!?!
**Why am I so different? Why do I question traditions and social standards?!?! Why do I stick up for my individuality, my originality, my modesty, and my uniqueness WHEN NO ONE ELSE IN SOCIETY SEEMS TO DO THIS FOR THEMSELVES?!?
Does this make me wrong?! Does this make me weird? Will I ever meet another person who questions the norms like I do?!?
**Why is my history graduate studies less about learning history and more about learning about SCHOLARS of history?**
Example: In my Islam history grad class, we read a large amount of material in order to compare/contrast the various arguments by different scholars about the impact of the West on Islam. However, I don't know ANYTHING about the history of Islam, so how can I have an opinion about one scholar over the other? Why can't we just have a super fast-track history lecture style class so that I can know everything about the topic? Alas, all of my grad classes so far are about historiography and not history...it makes me sad.
**Is it okay for a Christian to be tolerant, accepting, and understanding of another religion?**
I just wonder what other people think about this. I have asked two of my closest friends. One said a Christian should NOT be tolerant/accepting. The other said a Christian SHOULD be tolerant/accepting. I have been listening to my thoughts and my heart. From what I have read on various religions and their histories, I think we should be accepting of those religions that are so close to our own. Do slight differences in theologies matter to God? Or does He simply care that we worship only HIM, lead a godly life, take care of others, etc. I suppose I won't know the answer to this until I go to heaven and see if I am right...But the question still bothers me.
**Why does society follow traditions so close that the traditions practically become RULES instead of just IDEAS?**
Example: Weddings. Why do people spend all of their money on one day that no one else will remember, and why do people get all weird about silly details of weddings like wrinkled dresses and sitting arrangments?!?! I will never understand traditions and why people just do what everyone else does...unless perhaps people lack creativity and must do what everyone else does b/c they have no original ideas?
**Why do women wear "slutty" clothes so much?**
Men do not wear anything immodest, but I have yet to meet a woman who does not wear slutty things. (my definition of slutty: low cut, skin tight, uncomfortable in order to draw mens' eyes, etc.). I know part of it is b/c all clothes available to women are slutty, but why is that the case? Why is society so unequal? Women are wearing clothes that upsets the balance of gender equality. When a woman wears a tank top or a low cut, slim-fitting dress, why does she do it? The response from men is lust. The response from other women is jealousy. Thus, there are no positive reactions from wearing immodest clothes.
Let's picture an interview for a top-notch position somewhere. This certain business sees three interviewers. #1: A man dressed up in a business suit. #2: A woman dressed in a business suit.
#3: A woman dressed in a low cut shirt and mini skirt.
Who do you think they would hire? Based on appearances alone, #3 is unprofessional. The other two, wearing similar clothing, have an equal status for the interview.
If you take this hypothetical situation for everything, don't you think women and men should dress alike in order to be treated equally in ALL situations in the world? So why do women lower themselves by dressing poorly?
And WHY am I so unusual as a woman because I want to dress modestly and be a Godly and proper example to the world?!?!
**Why am I so different? Why do I question traditions and social standards?!?! Why do I stick up for my individuality, my originality, my modesty, and my uniqueness WHEN NO ONE ELSE IN SOCIETY SEEMS TO DO THIS FOR THEMSELVES?!?
Does this make me wrong?! Does this make me weird? Will I ever meet another person who questions the norms like I do?!?
Monday, September 7, 2009
Labor Day Weekend
Our first week of teaching/classes has gone by. So far, Paul is loving his new school. Unlike previous experiences, he actually has a lunch break, variety in his schedule, and he gets out on time! It is wonderful that he is having a good time. My week was great as well. I think I can manage a healthy balance of teaching and studying. I haven't decided if it is a good thing or a bad thing, but it looks like every week will be different. (Good thing: variety is nice; Bad thing: it will be more chaotic for me to keep everything straight). For example, I don't have discussion every week, but some weeks I will be grading intensely instead, and others I will have a light teaching load. Another example is that some weeks I will have more research/reading to do than others. I hope I can keep organized!
Even though our first week of work was great, it was still exhausting. I suppose it is a combination of getting used to waking up on time and getting used to a new environment and new faces, but Paul, me, and Rick (all teachers) were crazy exhausted by Friday. It gets better as time goes on. Paul and I took a nap almost every day!
It was nice to have a break with the weekend. And what great weather! Labor day weekend can be frosty or rainy, but rarely is it sunny and 70s! On friday, we played halo and board games with Rick. Always a fun friday activity! Saturday was super special. Paul surprised me with a chance to go to a renaissance fair. Bristol Renaissance faire is one of the biggest ones in the country and only an hour south of us. Even though I am a historian of the renaissance, I have never been to one! It was alot of fun. We saw some great jousting, acrobats, etc. We wanted to go back on sunday to do a cool interactive quest.
However, on Sunday, we woke up very tired. (At Bristol, we were on our feet and doing stuff from noon-7pm). So Sunday we worked on our front yard. We have been slowly getting it ready for my perennial garden, and we finished getting the stumps from the ugly bushes out. They took a long time and alot of hard work, but we got there! We also watched 'Harry and the Hendersons' with Rick. What a funny movie! I recommend it.
Today we were going to go back to the fair as well, but decided it would be better to sleep in extra long. Then we worked on the yard again. This time, we started the fun task of transplanting flowers around in our backyard. The people who lived here before us had a dumb garden going through the middle of our backyard. It makes it difficult for our dog to run around and it makes the yard look smaller. So we are moving the plants to other places. It will probably take the rest of September, but in the end, our front yard and back yard will look great!
Then we went grilling with Rick and Benji and ate ice cream at culvers and watched a movie.
Good times. Overall, it was a great weekend mix of fun yard work (I LOVE it!) and fun activities. Perfecto!!!
~Cris
Even though our first week of work was great, it was still exhausting. I suppose it is a combination of getting used to waking up on time and getting used to a new environment and new faces, but Paul, me, and Rick (all teachers) were crazy exhausted by Friday. It gets better as time goes on. Paul and I took a nap almost every day!
It was nice to have a break with the weekend. And what great weather! Labor day weekend can be frosty or rainy, but rarely is it sunny and 70s! On friday, we played halo and board games with Rick. Always a fun friday activity! Saturday was super special. Paul surprised me with a chance to go to a renaissance fair. Bristol Renaissance faire is one of the biggest ones in the country and only an hour south of us. Even though I am a historian of the renaissance, I have never been to one! It was alot of fun. We saw some great jousting, acrobats, etc. We wanted to go back on sunday to do a cool interactive quest.
However, on Sunday, we woke up very tired. (At Bristol, we were on our feet and doing stuff from noon-7pm). So Sunday we worked on our front yard. We have been slowly getting it ready for my perennial garden, and we finished getting the stumps from the ugly bushes out. They took a long time and alot of hard work, but we got there! We also watched 'Harry and the Hendersons' with Rick. What a funny movie! I recommend it.
Today we were going to go back to the fair as well, but decided it would be better to sleep in extra long. Then we worked on the yard again. This time, we started the fun task of transplanting flowers around in our backyard. The people who lived here before us had a dumb garden going through the middle of our backyard. It makes it difficult for our dog to run around and it makes the yard look smaller. So we are moving the plants to other places. It will probably take the rest of September, but in the end, our front yard and back yard will look great!
Then we went grilling with Rick and Benji and ate ice cream at culvers and watched a movie.
Good times. Overall, it was a great weekend mix of fun yard work (I LOVE it!) and fun activities. Perfecto!!!
~Cris
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
My week schedule
As promised, I thought someone out there might be interested in knowing what a phd graduate and teaching assistant's day to day schedule looks like. I enjoy this kind of lifestyle very much, however, some weeks are way way stressful due to my own papers being due at the same time that my students have exams that need grading. Those weeks are bad and exhausting. However, for the most part, as long as I manage my own time appropriately (which is a talent of mine that many others do not possess), my weeks go by quite smoothly. Here is my week:
Monday:
*wake up when I feel refreshed, but early enough to work (usually 9am-ish)
*9am-noon: either work on homework, lesson planning, or learning german
*noon-ish: get on bus for an hour long ride
*1-2pm: My students have lecture and I listen in and stay late to answer students' questions
*2-3:30pm: Office hours at the Campus coffee shop (if no students: doing more work)
*4pm: Paul and I go to the gym on campus and then we go home and hang out
Tuesday:
*wake up around 9am-ish
*9-noon: lesson planning/homework/german
*noon: bus ride!
*2-4pm: My grad class on historiography
*4pm: Paul and I go to the gym on campus and then home
Wednesday:
*wake up around 6am (boo!)
*Paul drives me to school around 7am-ish
*9am-1pm: teach various discussion sections
*1-2pm: My students' lecture
*2-4pm: grading/homework/german
*4pm: Paul picks me up and we probably just go right home
Thursday:
*wake up whenever I want (yay!)
*?-1pm: homework/german
*4-6pm: My grad class on Islam
*6pm: Paul brings me home
Friday:
*wake up around 9am
*9-noon: homework/german
*noon: bus ride!
*1-2pm: My students' lecture
*2-3:30pm: My office hours at the coffee shop
*4pm: Paul and I go to the gym and then home
Well, that is basically it. I also have an intensive medieval reading class. We only meet once every three weeks. However, I have TONS of reading homework and research to do for that class on my own. Hence the many hours I give myself to do homework. As long as I work hard during the mornings and whenever else I can during the day, I should be able to mainly avoid homework at night or on the weekends. Paul and I really try to keep nights and weekends open for hanging out with friends and each other. Hope you enjoyed reading about my daily life!
~Cris
Monday:
*wake up when I feel refreshed, but early enough to work (usually 9am-ish)
*9am-noon: either work on homework, lesson planning, or learning german
*noon-ish: get on bus for an hour long ride
*1-2pm: My students have lecture and I listen in and stay late to answer students' questions
*2-3:30pm: Office hours at the Campus coffee shop (if no students: doing more work)
*4pm: Paul and I go to the gym on campus and then we go home and hang out
Tuesday:
*wake up around 9am-ish
*9-noon: lesson planning/homework/german
*noon: bus ride!
*2-4pm: My grad class on historiography
*4pm: Paul and I go to the gym on campus and then home
Wednesday:
*wake up around 6am (boo!)
*Paul drives me to school around 7am-ish
*9am-1pm: teach various discussion sections
*1-2pm: My students' lecture
*2-4pm: grading/homework/german
*4pm: Paul picks me up and we probably just go right home
Thursday:
*wake up whenever I want (yay!)
*?-1pm: homework/german
*4-6pm: My grad class on Islam
*6pm: Paul brings me home
Friday:
*wake up around 9am
*9-noon: homework/german
*noon: bus ride!
*1-2pm: My students' lecture
*2-3:30pm: My office hours at the coffee shop
*4pm: Paul and I go to the gym and then home
Well, that is basically it. I also have an intensive medieval reading class. We only meet once every three weeks. However, I have TONS of reading homework and research to do for that class on my own. Hence the many hours I give myself to do homework. As long as I work hard during the mornings and whenever else I can during the day, I should be able to mainly avoid homework at night or on the weekends. Paul and I really try to keep nights and weekends open for hanging out with friends and each other. Hope you enjoyed reading about my daily life!
~Cris
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