This Too Shall Pass

Remember a few weeks ago (not even) I talked about how we often don't take risks because we think we might fail? I encouraged everyone to take a leap of faith because, in the end, we all land on our feet. Well, I guess that advice wouldn't mean much if I wasn't willing to take that leap myself.

We don't take risks because we think we might fail, but the fact that we take the risk and overcome our fear of failure does not guarantee success. We are not automatically rewarded for our faith, instead we have to be able to accept the consequences when our gamble doesn't quite pay off.

Last Night's Surprisingly Insightful Fortune Cookie

I began college in August in 2010 after a seven year "break". I was twenty-six years old and my choice was nothing if not a gamble. I didn't have any money or a way to support myself, but it was something I was (am) excited to do. I crammed a major and two minors into two years, which included a mandatory two semesters of Spanish. While I squeaked by first semester Spanish I might not have the same luck this time. I'm cum laude in the university (close enough to magna that I could bump off a few theater majors for the title) and suma cum laude in the Sociology Department, but language is something I just can't wrap my head around. Here's the problem: If I don't pass this last test on Monday, I don't graduate this spring. If I don't graduate this spring I can't accept the teaching job in New Orleans. See? A chain reaction. I could finish up Spanish during the summer, but I'd still need a plan B for work.

Remember that saying about getting knocked off the horse and getting back on? I think that might be the trick. Not the failure but how you roll with the failure, how you mold it into something you can use. I don't really believe in fate.I don't think that this is the universe telling me that New Orleans is a bad idea, but I do think that sometimes it's takes an unforeseen boulder to force a river to explore alternative paths.

My test is tomorrow (Monday) morning and I have put in seventeen hours of study time so far this weekend with another ten or so planned for this evening. I figure that at very least I will walk into the test having done everything possible to pass. In the mean time I am trying very hard to breathe evenly. Wish me luck!

Midsummer Night's Dream

With only a week of classes left I'm in the home stretch and very ready to be done. I'm a little worried that my body, having survived on adrenalin for the past year and a half, will collapse when my main source of stress is removed. I'll be like Jason Statham in Crank.

With the end of classes comes all sorts of award ceremonies and other shameless bribes to ensure that those soon to be alumni remember University with fondness when they are solicited for donations in the future. On Wednesday I'm getting an award for Outstanding Sociological Achievement presented at a Sociology BBQ, but yesterday I was invited to infiltrate the honor program's award dinner. A friend of mine was receiving the Lombardi Scholarship, which apparently entitles them to a two hours ceremony complete with name reading, compulsory walk down the isle, hand shake, and publicity photo. Thank goodness the Sociology Department doesn't take itself that seriously. The silver lining was a buffet at the tip top of the second tallest building on campus. The food wasn't anything to write home about, but the coffee and desert (shot-glasses of mousse) was to die for.

While eating we were entertained by a lecture on business management (snore) but managed to slip out before the a capella group began. From there it was off to the highlight of my Saturday: A Midsummer Night's Dream performed at the Rand Theater at the University of Massachusetts. This is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays, mainly because of Puck, "the shrewd and knavish sprite", who manages both deep wisdom and fierce comedy. In this rendition the director set the piece in 1950's Athena, introducing clothing and music from the period. I hate to sound like an old fogie, but when it comes to Shakespeare I'm a traditionalist. Lysander is not meant to wear a leather jacket nor Helena sing rockabilly. If you're going to mess with the original than go the route of the BBC's Shakespeare Retold and really jostle the script. While I was not a fan of the additions made, the Umass actors were wonderfully energetic and I was blown away by their ability to memorize two hours worth of lines while simultaneously studying for finals. If you're ever in the Western Mass area, I highly recommend catching a show.