In Continuum.

So, the academics aside, things have been fine for the second half of the semester. A reminder, this semester has been split into two, with six weeks for each half and two modules in each part. The first half of the semester was pretty good, save for the blood sucking Jan who decided that it'd be neat to backstab my project group with the worst score ever. I still vehemently defend my presentation, or at least it didn't deserve the grade that we got. Still, it's not like there is anything that can be changed now, although I am still frustrated by the fact that I could have gotten an A, if not for the presentation grade. On the other hand, there isn't anything bad that I can say about Julie Bowker. The numbers of Ratemyprofessor.com speak the truth about her, because she is everything that a grade A lecturer should be, and more. The thing about Julie Bowker is that she completely and thoroughly understands what she teaches in class and what she talks about. It is one thing if you are knowledgeable about a subject, and another thing if you can translate that knowledge to the students. The translation process was seamless in her case, and her lessons were actually a joy to attend. Yes, I used the word "joy" to describe a module at school, and I stand by that word with much pride. 

Julie Bowker is, hands down, the best thing that ever happened to my school life. OK, she shares that honor with three other lecturers (Nina, Lena, and Baban), but I suppose it is tough to get into that page of my books for the most part. She does have something that the other lecturers don't have though - she looks like Pam from The Office. That was a bonus, it doesn't really count for much, but it certainly helps. I mean, how many lecturers bother to reply to little notes you write in the quiz papers? April can testify to this as well, because we have both written little notes at the bottom of our quiz papers, and she replied to all of them. Seriously, would anybody imagine Rosemary to do the very same thing? I am sure, outside of the classroom, Rosemary can be very agreeable at times. Still, I don't suppose just any lecturer out there can be capable of something so personal and, well, something that requires a lot of patience I suppose. Just imagine replying too all those notes if everybody were to write one. That'd be like replying to all the fan mails for a singer! It'd be unthinkable, but she did that for me anyway, and for that I appreciated her very, very much indeed. The little things, the littlest of things. 

So the first half of the semester was lucky, in a way. The lecturers for the second half weren't half as good, however. Hell, make it a quarter, and they wouldn't even touch Julie Bowker's shadow. I have ranted about the China Man a few entries below already, so I shall not repeat the same thing. Although, a little more rant about what he did today wouldn't hurt. I didn't like how he brushed off our questions in regards to our research paper and the exam today after the exam itself, the way he entertained the bunch of ladies instead of Jeremy and myself. I mean, sure Jeremy wasn't exactly respectful when he made that snide comment the other day, but a little professionalism wouldn't hurt, now would it? Perhaps he was in a rush, or maybe he just wanted to grab some lunch. Still, the way he brushed Jeremy off was just rubbed me the wrong way, I suppose. 

And as for that other guy, let's just say he started high and ended off at the bottom of the slope pretty damn quick. I have no problems with the way he conducts his class, or his papers, or his style of teaching. The problem I have with him is probably the way he treats his students, the way he favors the ones who bribe, the ones who suck up, the ones who shows a little more skin than the rest. So the presentations weren't finished in time, mainly because his comments and arguments took up most of the time. We were supposed to do seven minute presentations, and he had the ability to stretch some presentations to fifteen, and sometimes twenty minutes each. He had to squeeze all thirty remaining students into a class yesterday, and he gave everybody a grand total of two minutes each, on average. I didn't stay for the whole class because I was only there for a few of my friends, but I heard that he merely heard some people's thesis statements and asked them to leave the front of the class. He even blatantly told a girl that he hated her advertisement, which I felt to be less than tactful. I mean, didn't giving the rest of the students the same amount of time is one thing, not giving them the kind of respect they deserve is another. Thirty odd people drained their brain to come up with a seven minute speech, at least give them an opportunity to speak, how's that? Don't just put people down because you didn't like the advertisement or because her argument does not make sense. Mark her down for all you want, but don't destroy her self-esteem, will you? 

Lecturers aside, everything else has been pretty hectic, in a way. My absence from this group of friends has left me rather guilty, for some reason. It's just the amount of investments that I have put into these people at the beginning, and the situation changed back then and altered some relationships. Still, they took me back in without questioning, without hesitations (maybe a little, I don't know), but certainly without judgments and doubts. I suppose I made a mistake back then, to have left without saying a word. It was wrong of me, it was the wrong path that I picked. The consequence materialized into a long period of isolation and self-doubt at the beginning of this semester, that time when everything snowballed into a giant stifling wall of, well, doubt. It was a difficult time, but also a time when I saw who were the real friends and who weren't, who were the ones that cared more than the others. Like I mentioned before, it takes the worst times to bring out the best of people, and I am eternally grateful to those individuals, even the ones whom I pass by in school with just a wave and a smile at times. Your mere existence means so much to me, and I thank you, again. 

So, today is the last day of the semester, the beginning of a moderately long holiday. OK, it's a little more than two weeks, but it is better than nothing I suppose. It is the time for a breather, and we celebrated that today in town, the way we usually do with our wackiness and nonsense. It feels good to belong again, it feels good to be in another affiliation once more. Anyway, today's hangout in town was really awesome, kind of like the old days but so much better. It was all about making a fool out of each other, walking around town aimlessly, food and a lot of talking in a Coffee Bean. We ended up talking in the Coffee Bean at Paragon about porn sites, foot fetishes, horror movies, furball-spitting cats, silent laughter and whatnot. It ended up with the girls having side-splitting pain because of all the laughing, and then us meeting with Shi Ting's boyfriend, Clement. A doctor in a nice shirt and a firm handshake - always a good thing. They say that you can measure a man by his handshake, and I suppose it was all I needed to know. 

Anyway, retail therapy today was really successful. First of all, it was Away From Her, the DVD that I have been wanting my mother to catch for a long time. I already have the film in my Mac, but it's always nice to share a film with her that actually has chinese subtitles. Anyway, I also got my hands on the graphic novel called Maus, by Art Spiegelman. Anything to do with the holocaust seems to fascinate me to no end, and there isn't a better way to spend money on a book on the topic itself. It was quite a hefty sum of money, but here is why I bought the book. 1) I needed the retail therapy, I had to spend money. 2) It depicts the Jews as mice and the Nazi soldiers as cats, how interesting! 3) Alan Moore recommends the book, enough reason by itself. 4) It is a hardcover edition. Everybody loves hardcover editions. So, that felt really good. This holiday seems like it is going to be packed with movies, more movies, books, and more books. Even if the trip back doesn't happen, I suppose I am well armed. Screw the school, and screw the life I have been leading. I am going to turn myself way off and hang my head out somewhere. Cheers!