February 2, 2009

Salvete, all!

Last week was crazy, to say the least. Unfortunately, I had to go down to Philadelphia from Wednesday-Saturday for my Grandmother’s funeral. Everyone here, especially my friends and professors, were really supportive and are helping me get back into the swing of this still-new semester. I have a lot of work to make up, but I’m chiseling away at it and will be back on track very soon.

I just completed a really interesting assignment for Montserrat. We’re currently reading Vergil’s Aeneid — and I’m pretty much in heaven, since I’ve read it once already and translated it senior year of high school. The best part about discussing the book again is that my opinions of certain events and characters in the epic have had time to sink, and I have formed definite opinions about them. This was evident in class last Wednesday, when we were going over one of my favorite parts of the book and I could not keep my mouth shut. The Aeneid is basically a myth about the founding of Rome, and foreshadows all of its greatness to come. So for class, Professor Joseph is having us write our own myths explaining a natural phenomenon. I spent a happy two hours writing mine on the origin of an owl’s hoot, and look forward to sharing it with the class on Wednesday.

The weather has broken a bit lately. It’s around 40 degrees out, which is unheard of compared to some of the negative temperatures we endured not so long ago. However, it is apparently going to snow and ice tomorrow. Go figure. The joys of a New England winter!

Astronomy is calling my name. I have a test Wednesday for which I should probably start reviewing.

Xairete for now, and Happy February!