Success Does Not Come Easily

To all my readers, (the few that are out there, thanks for tuning in!) I passed my classes this semester with relatively good marks. In English 407 I received an A; in English 330 I earned a B; and finally in English 230 I managed a C. In my own mind, I was certain that I failed my English 230 final, but as usual I underestimate my potential ability. I went into the class last Friday at 8am, and approached the final with caution and anxiousness. The format was this: out of ten quotes, identify four of them by title of the novel, author, and date. We then had to describe who was speaking, and what significance it held in relationship to the novel as a whole, what themes were in play in that specific quote. I examined all ten quotes for about five to ten minutes, and instantly I knew that I was without the adequate knowledge to accurately answer the identification. So, I chose another tactic: the process of elimination. I chose one quote at a time, and went over the list of titles, authors, and dates that the novel was published. My reasoning was this: if the quote wasn't from one book, I excluded that novel. I was the first to finish my final. 60% of the final was based on two essays, in which we had to choose one and write a thorough essay that was analytical and comprised of inspiration from three of the novels we read throughout the course of the semester. I walked out of the classroom with head low, knowing that I performed poorly, and had failed the final. Here it is four days later, and I am pleased. I checked my grades on the UK website, and found out that my grade was a C. I sent an email to my professor explaining that I was astonished by the result, and he wrote back saying that I received a C on the final, and a C on the final paper that we turned in a week prior to the final. Do I always underestimate myself concerning exams? And is that a good thing? I'm not sure. The results are always exhilirating to uncover once you've walked away with bad feelings in regards to a final. According to pattern, I always do better than expected. So, that's the report of English 230. That class was my most challenging course. Dr. Godbey thoroughly challenged me, and did not let me off the hook. Often when you don't succeed, you learn from your lack of success. Making mistakes often leads to higher learning. And as Dr. Rogers-Carpenter put it, "your grade is not you, and it does not blemish your character..." I took that statement to heart. The important thing is, I've passed another semester with decent grades, and I've completed another step towards my objective. I was certain that I would have to repeat English 230, and that I would walk away with shame. Well, I was wrong. Success does not come easily, it must be earned through discipline and hard word, everyday.

a toast to another semester completed.

Dr. Stephen Strange

Finals on Monday

Finals on Monday: English 330, and it should be a challenge. I turned in my poetry portfolio for English 407, so I'm done with that class. I have officially added another set of credits to my accumulation of collegiate progress. I have a final on Friday, and I think that one is going to be the most difficult.

There isn't much substance to this entry, just a notification of how close I am to finishing off this semester, and finishing with strength. I hope I do well.

Tonight I get to go to Shaolin class. For this entire semester I have not been able to attend Monday Shaolin classes, so I'm excited about being able to attend classes at a minimum of twice a week.

For the summer, the learning of leisure begins. I plan to read about six books, but mainly for recreation. There is a book entitled, "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" which is a book by the late great Bruce Lee, that I plan to read. Three books by my favorite author, Dean Koontz: "Velocity," "Midnight," and "Brother Odd." I might even dive into a Stephen King novel, but I am a bit apprehensive about his style. I've read only two books by him, and found the taste kind of bitter. Also, I plan to study Spanish by completing a book on the language, and dabbling with piano lessons.

it's 12:08pm, and I have less than an hour to take my final.

wish me well.

Dr. Stephen Strange

For Interest's Sake

Greetings to my readers! I would like to have you, when you post a comment, leave at least a first name, so that I can get an idea of who is leaving a comment. I got a really nice comment from someone anonymous, but it impacted me because he or she said that my writing was just what they needed. To be complimented in that fashion is always flattering. So, if you are brave enough, leave a name by your comment. This may help me to know who my readers are. But if you decline, no harm done.

Dr. Stephen Strange

Corrections: Update

I must admit that my entries have been incorrect in their form. I was not using capitalization, not separating paragraphs, and not getting into the specifics on certain issues. This is just a bulletin, stating that I'm gonna try to be a bit more careful on how I structure these entries from here on out. Any advice is welcomed.

Dr. Stephen Strange

A Glance at a Semester

This semester has been a real eye-opener for me. It began with butterflies in the stomach, anxiousness, and fear, but as it progressed into the material that we were to read, I became immersed in the prose and poetic writing of the authors we read. Faulkner is a strange writer, but he's considered to be one of the greatest writers of his time. Reading Absalom, Absalom! was difficult, but when I became acquainted with characters like Sutpen, Ellen, and Rosa, I began to enjoy the novel. The way he played the role of the poor white villain was remarkable. I must say that this book was challenging. We moved on to The Conjure Woman, stories that were narrated by an ex-slave by the name of Uncle Julius. His dialect was the hardest part about absorbing the book itself. After coming to a translation of this Old Southern African dialect, the stories became extremely interesting. More than likely, these tales were just that: tales made up by a storyteller. We progressed to Tobacco Road, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, A Curtain of Green, Native Son. By far, Native Son was the most compelling read of the semester in English 330. How sad it would be to be like Bigger Thomas, who was suspended in this world of black and white, where black men and woman were subjected to the patronizing of the dominant white culture. He had a duplicity about himself: being himself around the black community, and then putting on a mask to placate the white community. He is not completely protagonist or antagonist, but his plight from being a poor black man to be in service of the Daltons, to murdering Mary Dalton, then to his flight as a fugitive, you can see that there is more to this man than just the fact that he murdered a white woman. So many factors are involved in the plight of Bigger Thomas. The pressure of being black in a white world drove him to lash out at this system, and murder that which he hated. The book itself is compelling, because the elements are not simple. You cannot blame Bigger Thomas for retaliation, but at the same time he displays the characteristics of a sociopath in his stream of consciousness thoughts. I recommend Native Son to anyone who thoroughly invests their mind in volatile, controversial issues. The reading would not have been as intriguing as it would be if we didn't have an excellent instructor. Professor Rogers-Carpenter is engaging, intelligent, and simply kind. She made us think. I've had her for two semesters at UK, and I am glad that she was my professor for this course. With all things that you learn in life, it is best to have someone who knows more about the material than you do, so that you are guided in the right direction. Her stimuli of the material on our minds was effective, beyond effective. It was extraordinary. The books that we read opened my mind up to a different world, particularly a Southern world. The themes that we studied were poverty, violence, regionalism, racism. The books forced me to engage my mind to pass through a door that I really didn't want to walk through. I was forced to stomach some very difficult issues. Great writers like Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Charles Chesnutt, all pushed us through issues that are not easy to handle. But through this force-feeding, we come to grips with issues that NEED addressing. Underneath it all, we are all flawed. Yet, by addressing it, talking about these flaws, may bring us closer together as a human family. It won't be easy, but through literature and skilled authors, it is possible that a solution to our qualms may be found. This semester has taught me a great deal. As I've said before, it is not quantity that matters, but quality that stands more important. So, after Monday of this upcoming week, I'll take my final and be done with English 330, another class added to my credits.

Dr. Stephen Strange