I must seem like the most boring college student ever, given these past few updates. I did go out Friday night, but most of it was trying to find the pub we were looking for and so forth. Wound up just wandering around for a few hours and coming back. I was following around the English kids, and just taking in the sights.
Meanwhile, I still continue to spend an exorbitant amount of time reading about baseball, and watching Spring Training on MLB.TV. Right now I’d go with a starting lineup of Swisher in Left, Brian Anderson in Center, Dye in Right, then an infield of Fields-Cabrera-Ramirez-Konerko. Of course, that’s not what’s going to happen, but I can dream.
I’ve come up with a new way to write history papers that I’m really fond of, and has worked really well recently. I get the books and resources I’m going to use. I then spend several hours collecting all of the quotes and citations that could possibly have any relevance to my topic. Once I start writing the paper I can just refer to my notes, and if I ever need filler, or another supporting argument, I just go back to the quotes. So I’ve been compiling quotes for the past day or so.
The topic is, “To what extent was Ancient Greek religion a matter of doing the proper thing in the proper place.” So I’ll be exploring that. It’s a remarkably flexible and variant religion, but some things they were very strict about. If anybody has any interest in the papers I’ve written I can definitely throw them up here. So far I have written papers on:
- Julius Caesar (the play, not the historical figure, although some history inevitably creeps in)
- How much we can possibly learn about archaic civilizations
- Xenophon
Dry stuff, I suppose, but I’m proud of my work. I’ve been going through the notes I’ve compiled for stand up, and sent out an invite to my London friends. I’m no longer feeling overwhelmed, but capable of meeting these things head-on.
I have seen references to contrasts between the Greek religion and the Roman approach, with the Roman thought to be more mechanical. I would love to read any of your papers.
By: phil schaefer on 12 March, 2008
at 1:48 am
I’d like to see your papers too. Is anyone going to tape your appearance during standup? That’s coming up on Thursday, isn’t it? Have a great time. I bet your stuff will go over well because you’re both whimsical and anecdotal.
By: mary Jane schaefer on 12 March, 2008
at 3:59 am
Your obsession with baseball: I wonder if you feel more American the longer you’re away from your country. Perhaps this is why British colonials, when they were living all over the globe in their colonies, were proverbially ultra-British and really liked to stay with their fellow Brits, rather than reach out to the local community. There was an article in the New Yorker, or New York Magazine, about the British colony of litteratti currently living in NYC and how insular they are.
By: Mary Jane Schaefer on 12 March, 2008
at 8:56 pm
You’re probably working away on your stand-up for tomorrow. Break a leg!
By: Mary Jane Schaefer on 12 March, 2008
at 8:57 pm
The show will be taped tomorrow, although it’s for the club and not for me. They said it’s sort of to assemble a “Highlight Reel,” and they made sure I was okay with it. Maybe if it gets posted online somewhere I can link to it. I wouldn’t count on it though.
I do indeed need to finish working on it tonight, and possibly give Mike a call.
By: nschaef on 12 March, 2008
at 9:07 pm
Congratulations on your success in your new venue.
Now you can say, “appeared in New York and London.” Make sure you take careful note of the name of the pub. When you’re famous, they’ll have a plaque.
Excellence. Creativity. Sense of Humor. Perspective. And not letting the bastards get you down. Nick rules.
By: Mary Jane Schaefer on 14 March, 2008
at 3:58 pm
…Nick, we are eerily similar in this respect. Sorry, but it’s true. When I was about halfway through my time at CMU, I came up with the quote file idea. It works especially well for papers that are too complex or otherwise intimidating that you would rather just procrastinate on forever.
I would very much like to read your papers! I haven’t read any of your schoolwork since, like, that interview with Odysseus done in the style of Jerry Springer. That was 9th grade, I believe. Years later it still makes me laugh.
Hey, that last comment ties in nicely with your stand-up success as well! You’ve always been a funny one.
By: Annalisa on 20 March, 2008
at 3:24 am