A Small Blip

Last night I stayed up later than I planned reading Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami for my literature class. I finished it. I liked it. My reaction to the ending was "noooooo wait!! UGH." But beyond that, I thought it was an interesting, contemporary novel. And it wasn't at all what I had expected going into it. An interesting passage:

     Amazed at the harshness of his tone, I looked at Nagasawa. "The way I see it, people are working hard. They're working their fingers to the bone. Or am I looking at things wrong?"
     "That's not hard work. It's just manual labor," Nagasawa said with finality. "The 'hard work' I'm talking about is more self-directed and purposeful."
     "You mean, like studying Spanish when the job season ends and everybody else is taking it easy?"
     "That's it. I'm going to have Spanish mastered by next spring. I've got English and German and French down pat, and I'm most of the way there with Itailan. You think things like that happen without hard work?"
     Nagasawa puffed on his cigarette while I thought about Midori's father. There was one man who had probably never even thought about starting Spanish lessons on TV. He had probably never thought about the difference between hard work and manual labor, either. He was probably too busy to think about such things - busy with work, and busy bringing home a daughter who had run away to Fukushima.

It really strikes a chord. If you know me, you know why.

I'm so happy to be in a literature class. I always miss reading during the semester, and now I'm required to do it. Which is fantastic. (Especially so, because it looks like the books are going to be very engaging).

I also love my schedule. Only 16 units! I usually take 20, sometimes 19 units. My first semester at USC I took 18 units. Now, finally at my last semester, I'm taking 16!! Granted, I'm still going to be really busy with HapaSC and my Senior Recital, but wow. 16. It's refreshing to have time to actually do my work and do it well. I'm excited to go out with a bang.

This has been a good week. I came down with the stomach flu on Wednesday (and I'm still fighting it off...) but even so, I've been good. I was trying to explain this possibility to someone on Tuesday and she just couldn't comprehend having a seemingly bad day or days and yet being "good." Ironic that I would come across the perfect example on Wednesday. Anyway, I magnaged to get through all of my classes except for my Criminal Behavior class (which, unfortunately, seems like it's going to be the most difficult of the bunch), so I'm not behind in school. Most of the things I missed out on were social things (parties, birthdays, dinners, shows, etc...) but honestly the last thing I wanted to do was be at a party whilst feeling feverish, sore, and exhausted - with no appetite for that matter - so I'm fine with how everything turned out. People are very understanding when you have stomach flu. More so than when you have say, strep throat. Maybe it shows more.

I've had good, helpful company throughout, and I did manage to see friends (or they managed to see me?). And I made rice porridge!

Today I need to start getting back into gear. I have a list of things that I need to take care of, and it's starting to get long. I'm feeling well enough to go out tonight so the goal is to be finished with everything by 8pm so I can be at Room 5 by 9pm. Wish me luck..!