Monday, July 31, 2006

TMA07 - A Literary Treat!

I've been reading, reading, reading this last month - what bliss! lol
For this TMA we had to read Pygmalion by G. Bernard Shaw, Medea by Euripedes, Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, and listen to Don Juan! 8~})
I thoroughly enjoyed Pygmalion - much prefering the original version to the film 'My Fair Lady', but got a bit fed up with Eliza's whinging at the begining. Medea was amazing - I know Euripedes wrote her as a child-killer, but I discovered that this wasn't in the original Myth - but I loved the whole play. I have to confess to a sneaking admiration for Medea - she was passionate, and vengeful, but you've got to admire her backbone in getting back at those who 'done her wrong.' lol
Wide Sargasso Sea was a strange one! I enjoyed the supposed history of how He Who Must Not Be named ended up locking his wife in the attic in 'Jane Eyre', but I had no sympathy for any of the main characters, but was very taken with Christophine, the ex-slave, and all-round organiser of everyone.
I haven't even listened to Don Juan as yet - I didn't plan on doing it for this TMA and, as it happens, my health has been bad this last few weeks, so I've run out of time if I want to get my TMA done in time!!
For this TMA, we have to choose two characters, from different books/plays/music, and compare the means from which they have been constructed/developed.
I chose Medea and Christophine, although I'll probably regret the second choice, as there's more inference than fact in the novel about her - but, hey! that's what the learning thing's about, isn't it?
Much as I love reading, I don't hold out much hope of getting a good score for this one - it's been 26 years since I did anything at all similar to this, and I don't seem to be the only one who doesn't even understand the question, let alone know how to write the answer. Even with my Tutor's advice, I can't seem to get it right, and I've written out the essay 5 times already! lol
It hasn't helped that, once again, we only have 1500 words to do it all in - it's quite funny really, when we started I thought that I'd never be able to find 600 words to complete an assignment, and here i am, bemoaning the fact that 1500 isn't enough! :o))
I'll let you know how I get on with my score - it's got to be in by 11th August, so I should know a week or so after that!
The next TMA after this will be about the 60's - I was born in 61, so this should be interesting!
I've spent a lot of time in bed for the last few weeks - with my poor old legs and feet all swollen because of this heat - I'm not keen on rain, but it's such a relief from the intense heat we've had, although my hubby says the long-term forecast for August is predicting even more heat! :~((
Talk to you again soon!



Friday, July 14, 2006

A Thumbs Down for TMA 06!

I had my 06 results back - and they were my worst ones yet! That'll teach me to try and be clever! lol
I had to use Ninian Smart's 7-point system to test something to see if it could be classed as a religion - and I decided to be tongue-in-cheek, and use Bingo as an example! (After all, I know many people who treat it as if it were their personal religion! lol)
I did well on this, marks-wise, but I didn't allow myself enough words to explain what could be used instead of the Smart points system - we had to do it in 1500 words - and this is what let me down! I always was too gabby with words!
What I am keeping in mind, is that I still passed comfortably and, with A103, the mantra among us students is 'A Pass Is A Pass Is A Pass!' lol
On a different note, I spent 3 days in the Millenium Stadeum in Cardiff, on the last weekend of June. It was our annual Convention for Jehovah's Witnesses, titled 'Deliverance at Hand!' and we had a fantastic time - 3 days of spiritual food from the Bible, with 39 new brothers and sisters Baptised, and a great Drama on Sunday afternoon to top it off! (Note to self: I must try and find out how they managed to stage the splitting of the altar!)
It was the first Convention I've been to since becoming a Witness and, for someone who finds a village too busy for me at times, I had expected to be very nervous but, with 10,400 Witnesses sat all around me, I felt absolutely fantastic!
The atmosphere was absolutely amazing and, with the roof closed due to a malfunction, which kept us lovely and cool as the weather was scorching hot, the sound of 10,000-odd people singing was brilliant! (And not a swear-word sounded!)
It certainly beat football anthems, I can tell you! lol
Well, I had better get on with my reading for TMA 07 - I'm studying Pygmalion, Medea, Don Juan and Wide Sargasso Sea at the moment (well, I'm actually writing this - I'm supposed to be studying! lol)
This is what's commonly called 'TMA avoidance' - Bye for now - talk to you again! lol