Well, with only a couple of weeks until finals, spring semester is coming to a decided close. I'm down to 15 credits, and you would think that it makes life a lot simpler, but uh... not quite so much. It's still 5 classes, you know.

I'm registered for summer classes through the International School of Linguistics, which partners with UND; this will allow me to complete my linguistics minor--much to my parents' chagrin. I'm also registered for classes for fall semester, and it should be both busy and spectacular. I'm actually enrolled in multiple English classes again, which to some may sound dreadful, but to me is greatly preferable.

I'm taking Diversity in Global Literatures, which will be investigating the peculiar similarities of folk tales across cultures. I'm also taking Studies in English Drama, which will be focusing on satire in theater, and Gothic Lit, which is apparently being taught by a new professor. My other two English classes are Survey of English Lit I, which is required to graduate, and Digital Humanities, which should be particularly interesting. My other courses include Continental Philosophy (which will touch on most major schools of philosophical thought) and ASL (for my Linguistics minor). With any luck, I'll manage to make it through the semester without dropping anything.

That said, I'm also going to have to be working full time (hopefully more like part time during the school year) in order to actually pay rent and live, since I just moved into a new apartment with my boyfriend, and the rent isn't exactly cheap.

This means that my reading time will likely be greatly diminished, but never fear! I will do what I can to get reviews out in a relatively timely manner. I have a handful of books that I'm working on currently, a couple of which are even nonfiction, and a handful that I'm really interested in reading soon. I also have a draft chillin in the archives, which will be finished as soon as I finish reading said book. lol.

Also, I'm kind of trying to look into doing the whole lit review thing in a more professional setting/manner, but I'm not really sure how to go about doing so. I'm looking into it. I'll get back to you on that.

So that's what we're looking at. My goal is at least one or two books a month, but we'll see what my work load(s) look(s) like and go from there. I do what I can, guys. I really do try.

http://emirenaereviews.blogspot.com for anyone who isn't already familiar, following, whatever. It could be interesting. As always, if you have any suggestions or requests, just let me know. (=

--Emily

Public Reading

So yesterday (04/04/2014) concluded the 45th Annual UND Writers Conference, featuring authors/poets Geoff Dyer, Brian Maxwell, Sarah Leavitt, Jessica Lott, Robert Pinsky, and Colson Whitehead. It's really an awesome event, and I hope that it carries on for at least another 45.

Each morning of the conference, there's approximately an hour allotted to community members who wish to read their own material, and this year, I took a leap and did it.

The piece that I'm reading is a short story entitled "Break Through". This isn't the best recording in the world because it was done on my phone, as I haven't a video camera, and it has this thing where it randomly decides to refocus and stuff. Also, my boyfriend was recording, so it's a little shaky and he coughs at one point. Sorry about that. But I watched it last night and I'm pretty sure the sound is decent enough that it's understandable.

I guess, truth be told, I'm not ENTIRELY certain how I feel/felt about this, but at least people laughed in the appropriate places. What was also interesting to me was that the people who seemed to be vaguely uncomfortable were not the adults or the older people, but in fact my peers. And that rings oddly to me.

Also: I know that people are going to want to tell me that they think, considering the material, that I mean "Breakthrough", but I don't, and I want you to think about what that means. I don't want to explain it to you because I want you to try to work through it on your own. If I'd meant Breakthrough, I'd have titled it thus.