First day of class, how interesting you are....

[nephir]

So far I've only attended one class.  Due to the scheduling faeries I have a 4 hour break in between my English Comp 101 class and my Computerz 4 dummies, I mean Computer Applications which means that I'll end up ferrying around my laptop so I can actually do stuff  while waiting. 

English looks like it'll be fine, there will be 4 essays turned in over the quarter, learning to give and take critical review of said essays and other fun stuff.  My big issue so far? Someone in the class is using or wearing a body product that makes me sneeze and my eyes itch.  I cannot actually smell it but I have all the reactions of it being present.  Joy oh joy for I am allergic to these things and they make my life a fucking misery.

Trapped in a plane with 200+ other people that don't understand fragrance allergies is shear hell; classrooms are not much better.

Also, I have a question for you fine folks out there... how do you define friendship?  I have a friend that I have known for nearly 30 years.  He has certain interpersonal ticks that make me twitch, but he is still a friend, or at least I call him one despite knowing that I cannot spend any amount of time in their presence without wanting to smack them some.  And on the internet, such as Facebook or blog sites?  I end up hiding them for periods of time so that they don't annoy me.  Are they really my friend?  Is my dislike of their ticks and quirks a friendship killer or is it that friendship means something entirely different?  Is the old bumpersticker adage right; friends help friends move, real friends help friends move bodies?  I am actually kind of serious about this.  Should I still consider them a friend when they annoy me so much or do I instead call them an acquaintance?

The reason I bring this up is that there is a person in my English class that could be a clone of the friend I am talking about.  Similar features, ways of talking, personality quirks.... I am just wondering if I am going to be able to survive being in the same classroom with this person without melting down.

The computer class I think I will hate as I'll be bored to tears.  Perhaps I can take in a flashdrive and write while twiddling my thumbs?  I would have skipped taking it at all except it is required for my degree.  Really.  

I know that there are lots of folks out there that cannot figure out how to use Word, PowerPoint and Excel, but I am not one of them people!  Sigh.

I leave you with this bit of poetry excerpted from The Garden of Proserpine by Algernon Charles Swinburne (1866)

...

Pale, beyond porch and portal,
Crowned with calm leaves, she stands
Who gathers all things mortal
With cold immortal hands;
Her languid lips are sweeter
Than love's who fears to greet her
To men that mix and meet her
From many times and lands.

She waits for each and other,
She waits for all men born;
Forgets the earth her mother,
The life of fruits and corn;
And spring and seed and swallow
Take wing for her and follow
Where summer song rings hollow
And flowers are put to scorn.

...
 

Comments

[abeilledeverte]

Also, I have a question for you fine folks out there... how do you define friendship? I have a friend that I have known for nearly 30 years. He has certain interpersonal ticks that make me twitch, but he is still a friend, or at least I call him one despite knowing that I cannot spend any amount of time in their presence without wanting to smack them some. And on the internet, such as Facebook or blog sites? I end up hiding them for periods of time so that they don't annoy me. Are they really my friend? Is my dislike of their ticks and quirks a friendship killer or is it that friendship means something entirely different? Is the old bumpersticker adage right; friends help friends move, real friends help friends move bodies? I am actually kind of serious about this. Should I still consider them a friend when they annoy me so much or do I instead call them an acquaintance?

Pretty sure I know who you're talking about there - did Dustin (from my choir in hs) remind you of him? Just so I know for certain.

Regardless, I have a "friend" who is similar. It seems that every thing they do these days bugs me. However, they once were, for certain, my friend, and I find it hard to delineate between "former friend, now just someone I know" and "friend." A part of me wants to hold on to that friendship that once was there, but isn't anymore; in ways, it's like ending a relationship, going from lovers to friends or mere acquaintances. This is the point in the relationship that I would stop saying "friend" and use "old friend" instead - you aren't stating for certain that they are no longer your friend, but you aren't stating that they currently are, and most people would just take it to mean a friend you've known for a long time.

As for the person in your class, feel free to text me to get the snickers and moans out of your system, so you don't rip their head off for asking everyone to tell them how great their project looks. ;)

[nephir]

Probably not the same person as he's closer to my age I am thinking. But yeah, I know what you mean. I like the distinction between friend and old-friend. I may go to that terminology for future use.

[ex_moondancer561]

::sniffle:: you hid *me* on Facebook? How could you!!

::more seriously:: There is a really strong reason why I claim to have few, if any, friends. Almost everyone I know fall sunder the category of acquaintance; some close, some very close, but rarely an actual friend.

[ex_moondancer561]

I still think you should consider challenging the class: get your credit for it and find another you want to take.

[nephir]

I did actually think about challenging it but figured that this is my first quarter back at school in 30 years. I may need the easy A *grin*.

Actually the thought of attempting to find another class that would fit into the schedule that I already have with registration at an all time high is a bit daunting.

[ex_moondancer561]

Yes, it's the one you are thinking of. Mom was confused by your wording.