Weekonedone.

It's officially the end of the first of the last.

Week one of my last semester is done.

First off, I'm in love with my classes so far. They're all English classes, two of them with teachers that I've had before, and really like. I'm taking three literature classes (Major Authors, Victorian and Modern Lit, and Romanticism) and a creative writing class with an emphasis on poetry. I'm also working at the reading center and TAing for three different teachers. It's a beautiful thing.

I don't know how I feel about this being my last semester, but it's off to a good start with the exception of splitting my forehead open. It's not as bad as I make that sound, but it hurt, and it bled, and there's a mark. Aside from that, though, I'm in love with this semester. I'm taking twelve credits of English, two of those classes are with professors that I've had before, and love. I'm taking creative writing (poetry) from Brother Cameron, and three literature classes (Romanticism; Cather, Steinbeck, and Faulkner; and Victorian to Modern British Literature). I'm excited for all of them. Other than that, I'm TAing for three different teachers, and working at the reading center. On top of all that, it's summer, and I've never had a bad summer in Idaho.

It is kind of bittersweet, though, knowing this will be my last semester. There are at least twenty instances every day where I'll be doing something or looking at something, thinking that it'll be gone in two and a half months. Part of me is excited to be out of college, doing what I want to do, whenever I want to do it, but the other part of me is really going to miss being a part of an academic atmosphere.

Some highlights of the week:

-Arriving in Rexburg on Monday, the night before classes.

-First day of creative writing: The Annalee Sine Compliment Hour

-First prank using The Fort: the FHE brothers scare the crap out of Caitie.

-Night of cookies #1: Jeff matches everything in our apartment, I find out five of Dirk's weaknesses. It's gonna be a good semester.

-Night of cookies #2: Cookies and Rear Window.

Also last night, I got to talk to my mom for about 45 minutes. I love phone calls with my mom. She's one of the best listeners I know, and there is literally nothing I can't tell her. She never tries to shove advice in my face, or tell me whether I'm wrong or right, she listens and gives her two cents, and she's almost always right. Anyways, she said something last night, one sentence, that shocked me. I won't say what it was, but it had to deal with something that's been on my mind for a long, long, long time now. Almost 10 months. Actually, on my mind is an understatement. This things has driven me nuts for the past 10 months. Anyways, it was one of those sentences that I'll look back on three years from now and either think she was the smartest woman in the world, or that we were both just two big idiots. Hopefully it's the former. Hopefully.

And now, a different kind of update:

It was around the middle of last semester that I became sick of all my music. There were maybe 30 songs on my 1,000 song-holding iPod that I wouldn't skip over, just because I listened to it so often. Even my 6,000 song iTunes library was driving me nuts. So I started the search for some new tunes. I call it the great iPod shuffle of April, 2010.

Some of the highlights of the shuffle:

-The National. I'd heard a few of their songs before, but I've become fully immersed in them since March.

Favorite: "You Were a Kindness"

-Asteroid Galaxy Tour: I first heard their song on a Heineken commercial. I proceeded to have that song on repeat for about two weeks. It's not Earth-shatteringly great music, but it's got spunk.

Favorite: "Golden Age" and "Push the Envelope"

-Pink: I used to be addicted to her back in middle school, then she fell off my radar for a while when she got super pop-py and political. But I've started listening to some of her stuff again, and I forgot how much I love her voice.

Favorite: "Glitter in the Air" partially because the MTV Awards performance

Bell X1: Just good stuff. Eclectic, punky, smooth, craggy, lovely.

Favorite: "West of Her Spine"

Otis Redding: I'll always have a huge place in my heart for blues/soul music. I used to listen to it a lot more than I do now, but this man's roped me back in.

Favorite: "These Arms of Mine" and "Pain in my Heart"

Mavis Staples: Another soul sister. I want to know her. This woman's voice is mind-blowing. Her album was produced by Jeff Twiddy, which makes it even better, I think.

Favorite: "Belong to the Band" and "Creep Along, Moses."

The Strokes: Another old favorite. This is the band that made me want to be in a band. The first time I heard Room on Fire, I listened to nothing else for about 6 months. I don't care what people say about them, I'll always love them.

Favorite: "What Ever Happened?" "You Talk Way too Much," and "The Modern Age"

Paul Simon: YET another old favorite, but I now have his entire discography.

Favorite: "Love" --- just the way the man says "love" is genius. I first heard this song back in Virginia just after I'd run 7 miles and I was walking my bike up a hill towards my house right as the sun was setting. Not to sound too heavy or stupid, but it's one of the most perfect moments I've ever experienced. You'll know what I'm talking about when you hear the song.

Battleschool: They came to Sammy's a while back. To be honest, if I hadn't seen them live, I don't know that I would like them as much. Anyways, they're new.

Favorite: "I Was a String"

So that's all the new stuff.

I want to write more. I'm in a big 'list' mood. BUT, I have homework and running to get done, so I'm gonna stoppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppnow.