Graduate School?

SO, I have been in a graduate English program with NAU for the last two semesters. Happy to say I have done pretty good so far in my classes and my grades are better than I expected. But to be honest, graduate school has been a REAL challenge for me. Amongst the many weeks of endless writing, reading, writing, reading, writing, and, uh, more writing and reading (Why did I choose English again?!), I have found that school IS hard work! For all those brainiacs who just breeze through school...I envy you! I feel like I have worked my tushie to the bone (is that a real expression?) and I am hoping I finish this degree before I enter the "gray hair" zone--either from age or stress.

To give everyone a little look into this self-inflicted trauma (or should I say drama?)..this week I had three papers due on Wednesday which were supposed to be argumentative essays. Each paper was to utilize a different type of argument--argument by definition, argument by evaluation, and argument by cause--and could be on a topic of my choice. Although this was a pretty simple and straightforward assignment, I STRUGGLED! I just couldn't quite pin point an exact topic for each argument that I felt I could adequately take a position on and effectively argue. For two days, I flip flopped between about a dozen topics in which I would do about 30 min. of research on the internet then decide I didn't know enough about the topic to continue on...what a complete waste of time!

Anyways, by Tuesday evening I only had one paper done and I still hadn't even picked the topics of the other two. Needless to say...I broke down major! My poor husband had to endure about an hour session of "Adriane Self-Pity, Self-Loathing Time." I can recall a few of my sentiments-"I'm not good enough for graduate school...I'm just not smart enough!", "Why can't I just GET this stupid assignment?!!!", "Can't I just time-warp myself to a week from now to avoid this whole thing?!"


Now I don't want to alarm anyone because, thankfully, I did regain my sanity after about an hour of ranting. AND, also thankfully, I did complete those two other papers...at about 9:00 the next morning. While this was one of my more dramatic school experiences, there are a few lessons I want to highlight.


1. Graduate school inflicts its victims with its own brand`of PMS. This said, just like victims of the normal kind of PMS, graduate students need to realize that the cyclical emotions of depression and anxiety ARE normal and WILL eventually pass. They also need to stock themselves with a two-years supply of Kleenex, chocolate, ridiculously stupid movies (this one works on the Yin/Yang principle--a heavy dose of intellectualism is remedied by a heavy dose of stupidity...trust me it really works!), heavy painkillers, and a shirt that says,"BEWARE! Graduate Degree in Process."


2. Pulling an "all-nighter" is never a good idea. Staying up late to do homework usually results in a) bad work, b) bad skin, and 3) a bad academic "hangover" where your brain cannot function normally for about 24 hours. Bottom Line? Getting adequate sleep is one of the most understated secrets in life...Just Do It!


3. Getting a bad grade isn't the end of the world. While I am a definite academic perfectionist, I am coming to realize that grades aren't the most important thing in life. You want to know what is?...Health, Happiness, and a marriage where your husband doesn't fear for his life whenever he asks you a question while you are studying, writing a paper, or just freaking out over some stupid assignment. (I'm sorry Honey!)


In the end, I am grateful for having the opportunity to go to school and further my education. I know it's cheesy, but I do think of all the people in the world (including in this country) who don't have this opportunity, and when I do, I am completely humbled by how blessed I am. I am also grateful that I can indulge my self-pity within the blissful world of blogging...A

La Primavera

A little madness in the Spring

Is wholesome even for the King,

But God be with the Clown —

Who ponders this tremendous scene —

This whole Experiment of Green —

As if it were his own!

--Emily Dickenson

I love springtime! I love the freshness in the air, the busy chirpping of birds, and the budding of new life. This is the time I feel most inspired to start afresh and make new resolutions...to keep the house clean, my lazy bum active, and my outlook on life vibrant...why can't New Year's just be in Spring?!

Although less relevant to birds and buds, springtime also brings such funtimes as April Fool's, Spring break, and, my favorite, the showcase of the local high school musical. On this latter subject I have a few thoughts. This past weekend our local high school put on the show "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" which Justin and I went to go see on opening night. Considering we live in a small, relatively isolated town, I thought the kids did a really good job. Of course it wasn't a Tony performance, but if anything it was upbeat and the few kids who could really act/sing made it worthwhile. After the show, I starting thinking about musicals that high school kids SHOULD NOT put on. Here's the top 5 list I came up with (as you can see I am getting addicted to lists...but oh well):

#5 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL--Enough already! I feel like the whole HSM phase is like a bad case of acne that just won't disappear. It sounds cute right? Real high school kids re-enacting the love and drama of Disney's new generation of Mouseketeers? WRONG! For all those high schools considering on cashing in on this craze don't do it...for the love of all that is good, DON"T DO IT! Because the original production was, at best, tolerable (if you like that whole Disney-superficial-teenage-popstar thing), any re-make will really be torture. Also, no offense to anybody in high school, but for reals, high school drama it NOT exiciting...musicals are either good when they are about hardcore, people dying for a secret love, kind of drama or when their about feel-good, orphans finding new families, kind ot drama. Nothing in between really works for musical theater. Again, this is a major NO-NO for anyone.

#4 CATS-Although this is probably not a musical most high schools would even consider given the complexity of the costumes, it is still an option and that alone makes it vulnerable to being undertaken by either 1) a really desperate or 2) an overly ambitious high school. Let's just say that brightly colored spandex and furry tails are better left for the professionals and my favorite PBS show from the 80s Zoobilee Zoo (bring back memories anyone?!)

#3 PHANTOM OF THE OPERA-Ahh, another Andrew Lloyd Weber classic. Like Cats, this one is also vulnerable to the overly desperate and/or overly ambitious students of the arts. However, the reasons why this is a NO-NO doesn't have anything to do with costumes; instead, it has to do with talent and sex appeal. First of all, while some Broadway roles can be undertaken by less-than-great talent (or least forgiven for their attempts), the role of Christine is reserved only for the greatest of the great...I have yet to hear a 16 girl hit those Sarah Brightman notes. Second, the Phantom is scary yes, but he is also meant to be extremely sexy in a pompous, social recluse, Mr. Darcy kind of way. For all those sappy Pride and Prejudice addicts out there you know what I mean...trying to cast some Peter Brady for the Phantom is like trying to cast someone other than Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy...it's just not the same.

#2 HAIRSPRAY-Okay, well this might seem like a good option for the high school theater club...great story, lots of dancing, and a re-newed comtemporary appeal. But however shocking this may sound, this story was much better as a movie instead of a musical. Sure the music WAS great in the re-makes (Broadway and Hollywood), but somehow when the focus of the story changed to the music instead of the cheeky, somewhat trashy acting (that was only found in the original), it lost a lot of its charm. Briefly stated, Hairspray is a satire about race, class, and image and is better showcased through the twisted humor of John Waters than on the stage of musical theater. Besides, nobody quite plays Tracey Turnblad and her mom like Rickie Lake and Divine.

#1 RENT--Actually, as a kid I LOVED the music to this musical...I still find myself randomly singing "Five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes...." Then when I grew up I finally realized what the storyline was about--AIDS, inner-city poverty, and homosexual love. Not that these aren't important issues to talk about in society, but somehow I just don't see high school kids pulling this one off. For one thing, I know this musical would NEVER happen in my town (probably better it didn't too!), but also I think that this musical applied to the high school arena would have the same effect as watching self-taught singers/dancers/musicians try out for those talent reality show--ARKWARD--for both the performers and the audience! However, come to think of it, I would really like to see an adaptation of this musical to fit the scene of the struggling to survive artists/musicians in country-bumkin-landia...anyone up to see SHARECROPPER?

--A