The end of the semester is starting. I didn't do too well this time around. I started out motivated and capable, but lost steam about one month into the semester and eventually dropped a class (I can't get home at 11PM, be at school at 7:30 the next morning, and do my homework in between more than a few times, it turns out). It was horrible deciding wether to drop it or not, but when I did I felt much better. And I'm going to fail another course (damn lab), which means that effectively I'm only going to pass four courses out of six. Ironically, I only decided to take six courses to make up for last semester, when I only took four.
So that backfired. Lessons learned.
On the other hand, I feel better in general. Better than I did a month ago (miserable) and much better than five months ago (very miserable). So that's good.
I have no idea where this post is going. Oh, I read some books.
Book 39: This Place has no Atmosphere, by Paula Danziger
I thought this book was pretty bad, but somewhat entertaining nonetheless. Entertaining enough that I finished it, anyway. At the end it gave me a few things to think about, but I'm guessing that's because I was thinking a lot about things when I read this book (I mentioned I've been feeling better; that didn't just happen serendipitously, but rather it is fucking hard work).
Book 40: The Salmon of Doubt, by Douglas Adams
A compilation of letters, essays, interviews, etc. etc. by Douglas Adams, as well as a portion of a book he never finished. Immensely funny and thought-provoking, and also made me feel rather guilty that I don't have strong opinions about some things (namely politics and society, and that sort of thing). I really enjoyed this book, especially so because I was still thinking a lot when I read it. The only bit I didn't quite like is when there are several articles about technology, one after another. I mean, it's fascinating stuff, but after a while I felt like I was reading the same things over and over again. Four stars.
Book 41: A Spot of Bother, by Mark Haddon
I was feeling miserable one day and spent some time in a bookshop to cheer up (also I bought some lip balm that claims to taste like cookie dough, but really just smells faintly of sugar). I was going to buy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy because I can't find our copy at home and I've wanted to read it for about five years, but then I saw this and got it, instead. Firstly because I've read another book by Mark Haddon (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, which I think about half the English-speaking world has read as well). Secondly, I was sucked in by the description on the back cover (it said that a character "quietly begins to lose his mind". SOLD!). The first half was pretty hard to read and took me about a week and a half to chew through because it's really well-written and I kept getting nervous on behalf of the characters, but it got easier as they became less sane. Liked it a lot.
Wow, I write about the same things over and over. School and books, basically. I don't do much else that I want to write about...
