So I gave up time on Thursday to come to school and do an assignment that had not been explained very well and was represented as taking two hours of my time here in the lab. Then it turned out that I needed a number of my textbooks, and a calculator, and that I could take it home, although parts of it needed specific information from the table full of stuff right in the lab. Overall, I was pissy. When I told an instructor, unknown to me as we get a new set every semester, how I felt about not having any irection, her excuse was that the instructors were not here much over break to be sending out the instructions. Well! I'm sorry, but if I am to be expected to be here the week before class starts, than they must be here also...or at least make a passable effort at giving direction. Is this how I can expect the semester to go?? So now it's Monday and classes start in about an hour and a half and I am here early to drop off the stupid packet and hang out aimlessly until class. Fun fun. It's also Noah's first day of student teaching, and I hope I get a call from him before my class starts. I put Yorty the monkey in his bag this morning to make him smile.

Well, as to Ana's question...

(All you Taus who complain about never having anything interesting to write about: give me your thoughts. This is a fascinating topic I've stumbled across here, and I want all of your next entries to discuss it. What is an online journal? Are there people you won't ever show yours to? Why do you keep writing, and who is your audience?)

I have written things in here that have made people angry. I have also railed in here against things other people have written, even while claiming my freedom of speech. I still debate on whether or not I have been really hypocritical. I think that I only got mean when provoked, and I usually try to avoid too many identifying details in other cases.

I have always kept a journal, and I do better with this one lately than my paper one, if you can believe that. I do like the idea that a friend can be updated easily and quickly. And I won't lie, the idea of being available to one and all is intriguing as well, although I don't think I am widely read, by any means. It may be the run-on sentences. Anyway, the thrill of self-publication is definitely a factor. But I agree with Ana that it can be scary if it falls into the wrong hands. There are definitely people that I would not want to read this. For that reason, I have not told them about it. But there's always the possibility that they will find it, and I guess I have to live with that. Much like the fact that people will sometimes not like what I write, but that is their choice, as it is my choice to write it. Overall, I support this view.

As far as my audience...I think it changes depending on what I am writing about. Sometimes I guess it's just myself. But I keep writing, even though no one may care, mainly because I have to. If it weren't here, it would be in random notebook X, of which hundreds already fill my house. So mostly it's for myself again.

Good question, Ana!