School, School, School

That is what the past few weeks have been: school. I think that is the reason I am so excited to graduate. Then I won't have to do anymore homework or papers! Don't get me wrong, I love school and I love to learn, but this whole stress of having a million assignments to do gets old after a while. I guess that's what life is all about though. There is no "done" in this life. There are always things that need doing, fixing, cleaning, etc. Okay, Amy, time to learn that fact and move on! I must say, though, that I have thoroughly enjoyed the many things I have done and learned this semester. I've been reviewing the works of great philosophers (Descartes, Kant, Aristotle, Plato, etc.); listening to and studying the musical theory behind the works of Romantic composers (Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, Berlioz, etc.); understanding the representation of nature in various art forms and the connection this has with today's environmental problems; learning about World War I, especially in Great Britain, through the poetry and art of that time and how that produced the modernist movement; exploring America's history, art, and literature from the late 19th century into the 20th century; and discovering the history of the LDS Church beginning with the westward moving pioneers. I have written papers on the dehumanizing effects of Anglo-Saxonism in America, the American fetishism of the dynamo as addressed in Henry Adams' essay, and the futility of war seen through the eyes of the poet Wilfred Owen and his poem "The Parable of the Old Men and the Youth." Right now I am supposed to be writing a paper on the musical contributions and innovations of Charles Ives and how they are the embodiment of the American spirit, encompassing our European roots with the independent nature of personal taste. I also just took my music history test yesterday, at least the written part. I had my listening exam on Monday. I did really well on the listening exam, but not as well as I'd hoped on the multiple choice part. I think the essay went well though. Guess we'll see! I have all the rest of my midterms next week and I'm leaving with my Mom and Dad for California tomorrow for a family reunion. All I know is that I will be doing a whole heck of a lot of studying while we're driving. I also have 2 big research projects to be working on, as well as a document transcription project for my LDS History class. Oh and I also have a nature journal project to do. Fun stuff! Well, enough jabbering about school things. This past weekend Nate and I went to an organ recital at the Salt Lake Tabernacle, which was really great. Then Saturday I spent half the day doing a service project for my class and the other half researching at the library. I also watched the BYU game that night of course. So nothing too exciting. I was really excited for my niece that got baptized this weekend! I wish I could have been there. I will post more pictures when I get back from California. Yay for good weather!