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One of the astounding things you find out about people while working at a video store is that folks really don't like reading. They loathe it so much that subtitles become a burden worthy of racing back to the video store and exchanging one film for another. Never mind that the first film that they checked out has been adored by audiences and critics around the world, and the english-language one that requires no reading is a piece of shit action flick that only stayed in theaters a few weeks and was panned by critics and fans alike. (for reference, I'm talking about Pan's Labrynth vs. Ghost Rider)
People truely seek mindless entertainment. So mindless that any reading would hurt.
Soma.
One lady, in a hurry to quickly return to her couch-potato lifestyle, actually checked out nine movies at once today. These are all due back in five days, mind you. Who the fuck watches nine new releases in five days? Don't you want to, I dunno, MOVE in the course of the next five days? Maybe pick up a newspaper article and read that instead of sitting in front of a glowing screen? Do you have a job?
I dunno if it is appropriate or not to mention that she may have been morbidly obese. How can I put this simply? Everyone passes judgment, even the video store worker who notices the Cheetos crumbs on your shirt. You need help. Professional.
In other news, I was just visiting some folks in Oxford. Good to see them all again, even if it was a brief day-and-a-half visit. This morning = first authentic hangover in a little bit.
I feel like I haven't been online in a long time. That may be good for me, in a way. Still, I feel like I should update this thing a little more often. There is the occasional silly video store rant, after all. |
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Christina Kirchner is running for president instead of her husband, popular Peronist President Nestor Kirchner. Now, they can be reelected continuously. Bold stuff, considering they've lost several provincias and the city of Buenos Aires recently.
At the risk of sounding pretentious, I wish someone were around that could appreciate what that means. :o(
I had one of the most vivid dreams of my life during a nap today. Could have sworn I was back on el colectivo 29, riding through la plaza italiana.
Whatev.
Quite opportunely as I was closing at work today, I found a new Argentine film about an italian-argentine family who experiences "la crisis" of 2001 and thinks of fleeing back to europe. That'll hit the spot.
I'll stop now. G'night.State of Being:  nostalgic |
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Vista can go to hell!State of Being:  enraged |
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So Macri and the new PRO coalition won in Buenos Aires, beating the Peronist candidate. The 61% win is big enough to make Kirchner start shaking as his own office is up for grabs in October.
So weird. When I was there, a Kirchner reelection seemed unquestionable. Officialism's support seems to have wained ever since. I don't quite understand why, exactly. Maybe Buenos Aires' election isn't indicative of a new national sentiment, and just rehashes resentment toward Ibarra. Maybe people are actually realizing how damaging Kirchner's interventions have been.
I wonder if the coalition can move beyond personalism, become a center-right party, and maybe actually have an ideology?
... and alllll of this talk about the new revolutionary Latin America. Turns out there are more folks down there like my host family, sick of populism and state meddeling. State of Being: contemplative |
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Been a while...
Ok, so, a few developments. I think I'll start with the subject of work.
After two rounds of interviews, I was hired at Hollywood Video. The manager seems like a cool guy, the store is less than 5 mins from home, the hours are flexible, and I get free rentals of movies that won't be released for another week. It has its perks, and at $7/hr, it should help fund Spain's start-up costs (which has become even more scary, as I've read many don't get a paycheck in the first month!).
So, I went in to sign paperwork and type my SSN into a dozen different computers windows when I was told of the company's dress code. That code includes things not dress-related, such as piercings.
Now, I'm actually ok with removing my eyebrow barbell. I'm getting into the adult world, I dunno how kids in Spain will react to it, it has been slowly rejecting over the years - it has run its course. Removal isn't the problem. It's the timing.
I was told about this policy at around 4:30. My dad had to be picked up from the airport shortly after. I also had to buy clothes that fit the store's dress code. By the time I got back home and went online to check piercing places' hours, it was already quite late (Delta lost his luggage). No piercing place in town opens before noon on Saturdays. I have to be on the west side of columbus by noon for training.
Don't people understand that changing an eyebrow ring isn't like changing a pair of shoes? In 4 years, I've never taken this thing out. I can't! it bloody stuck and needs to be removed, cleanly, by pros!
Why the fuck didn't you say something during one of the TWO interviews you put me through? Why do you think less than 24 hours notice of demanding that someone change something in their body is adequate? Would you be happy if I told you, dear employer, that I'm not coming to work within less than 24 hours' notice?
They're just going to have to accept it tomorrow. Or fire me. Just a rude way to get things started, dammit.
On the subject of money and growing up, I also opened my first savings and checking accounts today. Exciting, I know. It just felt more grown-up than my debit or First Miami Credit Union (jackasses).
I need to get scared enough into seriously studying for the LSAT's. The above job drama again makes me hate the thought of working under a Weberian structure. I know firms can often have a rigid system, but in law, you at least seem to have intelletual dignity and respect for one another. No bullshit company mission statements to memorize.
_____________________________________
Spain:
I finally heard something from the my school in Aranjuez. One of the teachers over there e-mailed me, describing the place a bit. It's a new school, entering into its second year, and the faculty numbers at a modest 16. She seemed very warm, and assured me that everyone that works at the school gets along "like family." There is one other north american assistant that will be there, but I don't know anything about her besides her first name.
Housing is now scaring me (in an exciting way)! The teacher mentioned that she'd help us find a place to stay if we arn't living downtown Madrid. So, ¿You can live in Madrid city and commute to Aranjuez easily enough to work there? I had just kind of dismissed that possibility. Still, living in Aranjuez, although not as exciting as downtown at times, would be cheap and quaint. The fact that transport is really that good between the town and the city is encouraging though.
And there is something about not having a place to live until several days AFTER arriving in a new country, which is actually how a number of people suggest going about this. Thats fun scary. Should I really do that and just rely on the program for their suggestions/help? Is it possible to pick a place adequately online beforehand? Maybe I could make a million long-distance calls and try to live in a flat with some floks (à la L'Auberge Espagnole?). What the hell? Ahhh!
So yeah. New Job. New Accounts. New living in new countries. Growing up. Bah.
State of Being:  determined |
| » Un hogar en Aranjuez. |
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Just got a loooong distance call from Madrid. I'll be about 40 mins outside of the city, in a town called Aranjuez.
As this guy, Aurelio, was talking, I was kinda like, "oh shit. I'm not in the city." Then, he described the place a little bit and I looked up a few pictures. I think I've changed my mind already.
A few fun facts about Aranjuez: It is known as "The Royal Site" of the Bourbons in Spain, and the royal family still maintains a residence there (the above palace). UNESCO declaired the town a World Heritage Cultural Landscape.
So, its not where I thought I wanted to be. Still, history and culture redeem that quite a bit. While the city would be fun, there is something to be said about all cities having a similar feel or dynamic to them. This could be a chance to connect more with what is typically "spanish," if such a thing exists.
Plus, I'm only working 4 days a week. For a few €, I can take the train into Atocha on weekends and be in Madrid in under an hour. I could get the best of both worlds out of this. Taking the train from Long Island into NYC comes to mind.
A couple of other perks: I'll be making about 150€ more than I was initially told (after taxes!). Some meals are included, and they'll help me find lodging. Yay!
If interested, I found more pics at http://www.fotopaises.com/buscar.php - just search Aranjuez. Overall, seems to be a woodsy town with loads of palaces and gardens.
Jun. 13th, 2007 @ 11:04 am
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| » una beca... |
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so... updates have been scarce because there isn't much to update on. Still no job. Still not in love with Columbus. But this time, I do have news.
Spain accepted me into the teaching program! Yay! Some sort of direction in life.
The full reality of me living in europe for the next year hasn't quite hit yet. Surreal, but exciting in a distant way. I still dunno which part of Spain I'll be in (likely Madrid, where Dan and I could share a flat/ euro-trash hole-in-the-wall). I still have a bit of paperwork to get through (a visa process that requires two trips to Chicago). And... I still need to finance part of this with a job in the meantime (damn rotten luck on that so far).
Additional summer plans: Maybe start to prep for the LSAT. I feel like I've mentioned this before, but Spain has a testing center in Madrid, and I could take it there in December and do the whole grad school app thing from abroad.
It's just good to be validated as being worth something again. Thanks, Spain. I now have some motivation.
Speaking of mystical far away lands, the Harry Potter world is about to get its own theme park. Woah.
Napping now. Because I can.
May. 31st, 2007 @ 05:11 pm
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| » 28 weeks later |
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Not emotionally satisfying like the first one was. Still, as long as I can remember, I've had nightmares not about ghosts or monsters, but of zombies/ bat-crazed hoards of people chasing me.
This movie will definitely add to that. :o)
May. 19th, 2007 @ 02:26 am
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| » Get skype! pleeeze! |
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Allright. We're all going in different directions, or at least living in different parts of Ohio for a little bit longer. One solution to all of this is to get skype.
It's awesome. If you get an account, you can talk to me for free and SEE me (thanks to my Mac's awesome camera). So, get it at www.skype.com and add BelgranoBsAs to your friends list.
Do it. Now.
May. 9th, 2007 @ 06:58 pm
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| » (No Subject) |
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this sucks. It's also unfair.
poo...
May. 4th, 2007 @ 11:55 am
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| » I'm still alive... and the end is neigh! |
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I swear, I'll start to update this thing. Just not now! :o)
Really though, this will become a practical means of updating a few folks on post-grad life. I just thought I'd take this resplendent moment (it's 4:30 in the morning - maybe my last late-night college writing-binge ever!) to let you all know that.
So, briefly, what's new? I can't believe how socially fragmented everyone is in these final weeks. Are we all to busy with bullshit or something? I know its hard to coordinate busy work/study schedules nowadays. Just generally frustrated with what's socially (not) happening with my circle of friends. Let's be frank: I'm never seeing a few of you again.
That leads me to some brief self-analysis. Is this ever-so-close and disappointing end driving me to dive into a relationship in which I can flee from goodbyes? I'd really like to think that that's not my personality, but rather a certain someone has become available and interested at an inconvenient time (¿can't a good thing happen at a bad time?). Still, I don't know what's practical or possible even if that isn't the case. I kinda don't care though. Damn the odds, ¿maybe?
Oh, and a quasi-grandfather-like figure died the other day. Mixed emotions. As my mom put it, no need to worry. "The gates of hell just opened up."
My extended family is fascinating.
I may get a new laptop in the next week.
I have to pack all the shit I own.
Too much is happening. Academically. Personally. In every sense.
Yeah. I just vaguely touched upon maybe a few things that deserve blown-up posts of their own. We'll see if I ever get back to that.
Bed. Tomorrow shall suck.
Apr. 24th, 2007 @ 04:31 am
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| » It's real. |
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Señoritus (yes, it gets a "ñ") is real. He is no Bigfoot or Lockness. He is real. I have seen him.
And he is me.
Mar. 4th, 2007 @ 03:32 pm
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| » Tools |
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"Oh my gawd, I've got soo much work!" She said. "I think I'm going to have to stay up allll night tonight because I have an exam tomorrow at, like, 8:00."
It's currently 2:00 pm.
Two minutes later, she says, "So, I've, like, been sitting here for the past 45 minutes and I've only written like, a paragraph."
Another minute later, she adds, "I'm totally drinking tonight. I hope I don't pass out at, like, 9:00 or anything."
And then, "I'm sooo behind in my work. But hey, I have the craziest spring break plans!"
She creates a vocalic glide in nearly every other multisyllabic word that she utters.
Her male counterpart, sitting at the library computer terminal adjacent to hers, is more consistent. "Yeah!" or "Yeah, I know!" apparently synopsizes his lexicon.
They go back and forth. She tells a "funny" story about getting drunk or fudging an exam. His interjections are always a hearty, clearly sycophantic, "hahahawww," perhaps more motivated by picturing this easy blond riding on top of him than giving a damn about the dry, undeveloped character in front of him.
It goes on. At an unreasonable volume. In the library.
I want to graduate.
Feb. 22nd, 2007 @ 02:12 pm
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| » excuses |
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So, I'm skipping my capstone today (my only class) because:
1. The power went out last night, my alarm didn't go off, and I slept in quite a bit when I intended to get up early and read the online articles for the day;
2. Yesterday red route buses were not working;
3. Yesterday I waited 15 mins longer than I should have for the yellow to show up;
4. Conditions are worse today;
5. Miami is full of shit for picking and choosing which campuses are closed during what hours, instead of just calling a day off for hellacious weather;
6. My capstone is not particularly productive now that we're moving into the group-research stage;
and I feel the above justifies me staying in all day. I mean, isn't that enough?
And happy Valentine's Day, I suppose.
Feb. 14th, 2007 @ 11:50 am
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| » bah, whatnot, etc. |
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I'll briefly echo what some fellow Miamians are saying on their LJs: It's cooold and we shouldn't have school!
But aside from wanting school off, I'm kinda sick of the bitching about the weather. It's just become the cliché that starts every class. "OMG! My hands are, like, freezing!" It's 20°F outside. That's not deathly.
I mean, mutually agreeing that, yes, it hurts to step outside for two mins without proper layers is fine (you should know how to dress yourself for the winter at age 21!!), but not appreciating all of this snow is another.
You're just no fun if you don't see the fun in snow.
Look at Adam Cook! Fun guy! I suggested building a ramp for my snowboard, and he pops out of his room dressed in his human-cow Halloween costume, ready to go dive into the snow!
Kind of a different topic: I don't know if it is just because of this cold weather, but I feel like I never get out anymore. I'm either on Academic Quad or around Oxford Commons. My world's kind of small right now. It makes me feel like I'm about to graduate on a quaint, pianissimo note.
And to close this:
¡Vamos Argentina! They're playing Francia tomorrow in a friendly, but I have no bloody clue how I'd be able to watch it. Is there a website that broadcasts stuff like that? Also, Mexico is playing the US late tomorrow. How the hell can I see these games?! Grrrr...
Feb. 7th, 2007 @ 12:17 am
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| » El pedacito perdido. |
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It's a mix of things. It's my nine credits of Spanish a week. It's this contrast with small-town middle-America. It's that part of me is shocked every time I buy a cup of coffee for $1.75 (enough to give a family of 3 a large meal) whereas in certain other places you could get a better one for .84, including table service.
It's knowing that I'm not bound to here, or to anyone, after May.
I feel like I'm crazy and impractical about this sometimes. I'm torn between 1.) The terror that I couldn't stay afloat financially over there, and 2.) the ever growing realization that this is it. After this, I'm trapped into life's clichés: Possible higher education, a less-mobile family, and "a job that slowly kills you" until you retire and lose all control of your body.
Yeah, that's probably a bit dramatic, I know.
So I keep thinking that's not how it is. I must be blowing a few months out of proportion. After all, so many of us miss places and eventually move on.
More and more often though, I'm finding that I'm not alone. I know a few that are dying to get back somewhere. Added to that, a recent bit of a facebook prank with my birthday (heh, another issue, inspired by Chooch) led to a number of saludos from friends I made abroad. Me being so much less plugged into the net nowadays, I went through their profiles for the first time in a long while and was astounded at how much many of them emphasized wanting to go back, searching for food, etc. If nothing else, it's good to know I'm not the only one that gets this way.
So here I am with a glass of Argentine Malbec to myself, writing on facebook walls and getting nostalgically emotional about it all.
But does it go beyond that? Doesn't it say something that things like safety, missing the US, being afraid of not being happy there or feeling linguistically inept don't play a role? Does it matter that, more and more often, I see myself abroad for a year or two before considering grad school or a career?
I think I need to stop dismissing that possibility and start looking into it.
Jan. 24th, 2007 @ 12:51 am
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| » classes, in brief |
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monday - nothing, save a mandatory movie screening at 7:00 for a film class
Tuesday/Thurs - SPN 351 - Spanish literature (midevil stuff... ekk),
482 - Spanish dialectology
430 - Latin American Film
HST 360t - Mexican History (1890 through the revolution)
Wednesday - ITS 402 - United Nations Restructuring Capstone... nothing else!
Friday - Nada...
In other words, I have a beautiful schedule. Yeah. You want to be me.
Maybe I'll do a breakdown of the profs, etc. later. Off to read El Cantar de Mio Cid.
Jan. 10th, 2007 @ 06:41 pm
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| » Best Music of 2006 |
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A bit late this year, but it's fun to do and I think people don't swap good music often enough. These are what I'd say are the best releases of the past year. They're not necessarily my favorites, but my favorites and what I think is better are far from mutually exclusive. :o)
These are more or less in order, with the better stuff at the end.
 Cornelius: Sensuous
I'm cheating with this one. This Japanese noise-pop album won't be released in the US until well into 2007, but whatever. It's experimental, extremely produced and centered on setting a mood. It's a lot of fun and demonstrates how layers and sampling every-day noises can actually make for stellar writing.
 Tool: 10,000 days
I'm so torn on this one. The first two songs are so incredibly solid that they easily wipe the floor with the best hard rock has to offer. Even though I think the Grammys are largely irrelevant, they were right to nominate "Vicarious" for an award. After that, the 10,000 days concept tracks kick in, in which Maynard laments the passing of his mother (so I've heard) are just bland and outstretched. Then, tracks like "The Pot" and "Rosetta Stoned" go back to Tool's less mature writing era. I thought we were past that, after Lateralus was widely considered to be among the best concept rock albums in a long time. In the end, I guess, it is Tool: You're into pretentious prog-metal or you arn't.
 Beck: The Information
Neither as exploratory as "Sea Change" nor as good as "Guero," but still bumpin'. This is more along the lines of older, more typical hip-hop-Beck sounds. It's all the more fun because it comes with dozens of stickers to design your own cover, plus a full-length DVD that's just as quirky as the music's funk beats and Game Boy samples.
 Loose Fur: Born Again in the USA
Wilco frontman Jeff Tweed takes writing in a more technical direction when he's only working with the drummer and A Ghost is Born's producer. I gotta be honest, I just found out about this album and haven't listened to as much as the others - but it's Jeff Tweed and I loved it instantly. This has made for some great guitar-learning sessions while holding me over for another Wilco release. I feel like I can't be too critical of it, since it's still new to me, but all the same, it doesn't "hook" or inspire as much as many of the year's other releases.
 David Gilmour: On An Island
It's the newest Pink Floyd Album... minus the angst. If you're into classic progressive rock gone soft, this is for you. Great layers and smooth licks, with just a tad of that "Another Brick in the Wall" funk every now and again. You know what you're getting here with this older version of Gilmour.
 Electric President: Electric President
This year's Postal Service, except add some Smashing Pumpkins and a touch of Animal Collective. That said, it suffers from the same problem that Postal Service's album does: It becomes predictable. These guys are best when they push things a bit, which they do often enough to make this a solid freshmen album. Otherwise, it's a good, agreeable mix of soft acoustic tracks, hushed vocals and electronic rhythms. I'm kinda surprised there isn't more hype around this release.
 Thom York: The Eraser
This is an example of an album I loved but can recognize as not being as good as other releases. I wanted the Radiohead frontman's solo album to be the album of the year, but it was another appeal to Kid A fans (some critics called it Kid B... hawhaw). That sits well with me, but not everyone. Tracks like "Skip Divided" and "Black Swan" are clearly not as tightly done as others. The record also comes off as a heavily-produced indulgence into "bleeping" sounds for some listeners. It simply doesn't explore the totality of the music York can create - There is no "Fake Plastic Trees" or "I Will" style songwriting on this one - the drive here is in his juxtaposition of lullaby melodies with a digital nightmare. That said, "And It Rained All Night" has the best base line released this year, and "Analyse" will give you arpeggio-driven chills like no other. Where its good, it's good.
 Matisyahu: Youth
He's an orthodox Jewish reggae rock star. No, it isn't a gimmick, although before this release many thought it was. It oughta count for something that I find reggae annoying and Zionism to be misguided, but still love every track on this album. Youth is a perfect balance between an album that has one distinct sound (The Eraser) and one that tries to fire every song out in a different direction (Man Man, below). Just get over to Youtube and watch the video for "King Without a Crown" for proof that this guy rocks.
 Peter Bjorn and John: Writer's Block
Swedish Indy Pop Rock and, despite the album name, they've written some of this years catchiest stuff. The guy's voice sounds too much like John Lennon, and I love the group for it. They've been a lot more successful in the UK, where their single "Young Folks" broke into the top 40 (so says Wikipedia). The writing is generally simply structured, combining brit rock with Wilco-like melodies and folkiness. The part that sold me is "Paris 2004" chorus line: "I'm all aboooout you, you're all aboooout me" in 3/4 time while the rest of the band is in 2. It's been in my head all day long.
 Midlake: The Trials of Van Occupanther
It's good, subtle, harmonious songwriting. It's got that classic 70's style feeling to it, featuring lush winds, strings and strummy stuff. Just go and find "Heading Home" out there on the internet, and check out this very underrated release. It may not stand out for everyone, but it grew on me in a way that hurls it up above some other releases.
 Man Man: Six Demon Bag
I dare you to like this one. It sounds like the broken soundtrack of Fiddler on the Roof being eaten by a rabid pack of goblins while they enjoy a carnival. I don't think I'm exaggerating. Still, this isn't untamed buffoonery. Every track sounds different and moves through dramatic phases, but flows by its own logic. Every band member is constantly switching instruments, and the wall of sound that results is comical, depressing and dark. You're not going to find a quirkier, more eccentric release in 2006.
 Belle and Sebastian: The Life Pursuit
They're back and then don't suck. Yea, B&S had a couple of iffy releases, but Dear Catastrophe Waitress was solid and this new one is even more there. It has a good array of where brit-pop (technically Scotish) can go nowadays. "Dress up in You" probably has the best chord progression I've heard all year, and "For The Price of A Cup of Tea" is a catchy as it gets.
 The Decemberists: The Crane Wife
There is little debate: for many this is the release of the year. The Decemberists focus on story-telling takes on the epic Japanese tale of the Crane Wife, and to make it more fun, they do it out of sequence.The tracks outside of "The Crane Wife" story are just as literary and awesomely written. "Shankhill Butchers" is like a creepy children's tale. Just for contrast, the second track is a three-song prog-rock compilation. Literacy aside, I can't think of a pack of better composed songs than this - the structure is tight throughout. Plus, Steven Colbert had to cheat to beat the guitar player, who's focus isn't exactly on shredding. For Shame, Colbert.
 Ojos de Brujo: Techarí
Ok, this is more than me just being a snobby Spanish major. Ojos de Brujo's last release earned them the title of Best Band in the World by the BBC for a damn good reason. Techarí goes up from there about three notches. This Barcelona-based band is sociopolitically charged, basing many of their songs on the marginalization of ethnic groups in a golbalizing Europe, the erosion of human rights and disrespect toward immigrants. They do that through "Flamenco Nuevo" - a reinvention of the gypsy art form with hip-hop and electronica. The album is loaded with collaborations with some of the best Flamenco and Latino guitarists and pianists out there. It even harks back to Flamenco's Indian roots. Combined with the already incredible amount of talent in the band, that makes for some of the most intelligent globalized music you'll find.
For me, music cannot get better than "El confort no reconforta."
There it is. Some others are worth mentioning but I'm done for now. Do with it what you will. I had fun listening to everything again...
Jan. 4th, 2007 @ 11:59 pm
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| » surprise? |
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look at the guitar my dad won from a free raffle...
what.
the.
fuck?
It does have decent EMG pickups, though.
Jan. 3rd, 2007 @ 04:02 pm
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| » (No Subject) |
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Ok. So there is some amazing homemade whiskey slush at home. I'm gunna have to steal this recipe before returning for Miami... just in time for the holidays. Amazing stuff, really.
Anyway, that's good enough of a pretext to update this thing.
Soo... thanksgiving. As usual, I'm spending it with the immediate family. While I'm in town (for only the second time in the semester!) I don't feel like doing anything or seeing much of anyone (kt, you are an exception). I ought to be writing a couple of papers, but I don't think that's going to happen. One of them technically ought to have a rough version posted online tomorrow, but seriously now, Dr. Stockman, who the fuck is going to peer-review my paper ON thanksgiving!?
I've never known a professor with less common sense than this one.
I digress. No offense to my mother's cooking, but turkey sucks. What is so special about it that we center a national holiday around killing it and eating it?! I mean, for such a special occasion, I honestly get more excited about ordering chinese. That is my idea of a good meal.
So... the shit may hit the fan when i get back to campus. Many of my classes seem to want a major, major paper of some kind now at the end of the semester. The work in my linguistics class might turn into something more, too. A few weeks ago, my prof approached me, encouraging me to extend our final project into an actual research project that I could execute next semester. Essentially, I'd be doing experiments on 101-202 level spanish classes and then publish/present my work at a national Second Language Acquisition conference in Kentucky.
I thought my research design was too hastily thrown together for Eva (my prof) to continue encouraging me to do this, but after a meeting I had with her yesterday, I discovered she loved what I proposed. She was quite inspiring, really. I don't know if that's just how she is or if she really thinks I should follow through with this.
I'm kinda torn. The entire thing would imply lots of rather professional work in an accademic area in which I'm only partially educated. A big part of me wants to just push off all of that responsability, as next january will already be plenty busy. On the other hand, I honestly feel like I've stumbled upon something worth investigating...
Geek alert! No Need to read the following paragraph: The project, for those interested, is a study in the acquisition of the Spanish copula saber/conocer. Although similar work has been done on acquiring ser/estar, no one has studied the cognitive struggle to acquire and mix the two verbs for "to know" in Spanish. I'd be investigating whether Dr. VanPatten's generative-based theories on acquisition of copula structures applies to other areas, which would have broader implications on how learners produce in their Second Language and could even outline a natural sequence of levels within learning copula structures.
Anyway, that brings me to a related point: I've simultaneously felt like a geek and a slacker this semester. I don't know how well i can elaborate on that right now (currently wanting to just close this browser and go to sleeeep). Basically, I've felt busy enough that I've felt less attached to and have rarely seen some of the people I thought I'd be spending more time with this semester.At the same time, i could be doing significantly better and putting in more effort (or a damn, in some cases). Yeah. No more melancholic elaboration.
Sweet, whiskey-induced sleep awaits.
Nov. 23rd, 2006 @ 04:21 am
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