Week 10 Famous Last Words

This has been an exhausting semester for me so far. I am coming to an end on my assignments for this class (thanks due to the extra credit). It is kind of bittersweet. This was my first online class, and since this is my last semester you could say it is my last online class too. I really like the way this whole system is set up. I cannot even imagine the work that had to be put into making sure all the links and plans worked out as scheduled. Also, a shout-out to Laura Gibbs for being able to manage this many students! I am excited that this online class is going to be done right before all of my writing assignments are due that way I have ample time to make sure I can work on them. I am really proud of my storybook, though, and even if I have enough points to get an “A” before I write my last story, I am still going to write it to make sure that everyone gets the wrapped up and finalized version of my storybook.

I am really excited to start writing on my capstone paper. I am analyzing the ethics behind decolonization by case-studying the Algerian-French colony and comparing that data with a more modern day “decolonization” of Israel-Palestine. I have been studying this type of thing throughout my college career and I am ready to show everyone what I’ve got! If anyone has any good and scholarly sources worth sharing, feel free to contact me!

Outside of school I am very busy. It’s Christmas time in retail. Y’all come see me at Ulta! I’ll do your makeup. I have to admit I have Holiday fever. I am already in buying mode. I am thinking about surprising my husband with a trip to see his family in California. ;)

(Image Information: California State. Source: californiaserve)

Week 9 Famous Last Words

(Image Information: A +. Source: cliparthut)

I was very proud of myself and my hard work in school this week. I got one of the highest grades in my capstone class. We all had to turn in a prospectus for our research topic on international ethics, morals, and virtue. I decided to write mine about the ethics of decolonization in French West Africa, with a focus specifically on Algeria. I was very excited about my grade because I actually did not do too well on my first assignment in that class. It is more of a discussion class, so when it comes to doing the papers, our professor does not have a lot of guidelines or anything to follow. The first time, I apparently did not do what he wanted, but it was because I did not know what he wanted. So this time, I took his comments into consideration and wrote this prospectus as if it was something he would be writing and researching. I clearly defined everything I planned to do and laid out a clear outline with a well-established bibliography and even told him where and how I was going to use each article or book!

In my personal life, I am actually not doing so well. I hurt my foot two weeks ago, and I was hoping it would just heal itself if I started wearing more supportive shoes. I was wrong. My whole body is actually in pain now from trying to accommodate for my hurt foot. The pain has spread up to my ankle and down to my toes. The bad thing is, I just became a manager, so I am doing a lot more physical labor at work, and it is putting a lot of stress on it. I really need to go to the doctor, but for some reason he decided he needed a vacation right in the middle of flu season? 

Week 7 Famous Last Words

I am extremely excited about my storybook. It seems like everyone is really enjoying it and that makes me so happy! I was a little daunted about writing my first story already, because I usually like to have a while to write something before I let a large portion of people read it.

I have been crazy busy this week! I took the weekend off because it was my second anniversary, but a majority of that time was spent trying to catch up on sleep. I have been stressed trying to raise money for Breast Cancer Research Foundation. (IF ANYONE WANTS TO DONATE LET ME KNOW PLEASE.) The air force base is requiring everyone to raise a specific amount.

I am very excited about my classes this week. In this class, we have a “review” week which is going to allow me to experience some new things in this class outside of the never changing “read, read, write, discuss”. In one of my other classes, we are going to be discussing a book we have been reading called “The Nazi Officer’s Wife” (mentioned in last week’s post). This book has been a lot better than I would have ever expected. I’m interested in seeing what others have to say about the characters in the book.

I’m not very excited for my capstone class this week, however. We have a research prospectus due on Thursday and a majority of the class has not started because our professor has not really talked to anyone about what to do. I guess I will just wing it and hope it is right. It is not the best time to have something major to be due. Especially considering its midterm week and my professor has been sick and absent and has not been able to direct us with what exactly he likes and expects in our writing.

(Image Information: Me being excited in class. Source: cliparthut)

Week 6 Famous Last Words

I really loving this storybook project. I get to write about one of my favorite things! CSI!!! This week I actually found an article that said an OU professor was a contributor to the show. It made me very excited to learn that one of my favorite shows would not be possible without the University of Oklahoma. Here is the link to the article.

My favorite piece I read this week was probably by Nicole. Her storybook called “When Love Confesses” was very fun to read. You have to check it out! She presents her introduction as a dialog between mother and daughter. The story takes place while the daughter is away at college and thinks she has found the perfect guy. The mother, knowing her daughter, begs to differ. In the end, she tells her daughter to read the epics of India and learn from the love stories within. The daughter decides to give it a chance. I cannot wait to read what the first story will be! 

I have a lot of exciting things happening outside of this class. First, I officially become a manager in just a few weeks! WOOO! Promotion! Second, I pick up my graduation gear on Tuesday! Also on this point, I get to graduate with honors since my GPA is above 3.6! I am super happy about this and glad all my hard work has paid off. Third, my anniversary is coming up on the 11th. Married for two years. That sounds weird to say, but I'm very happy that I can say I found the love of my life. Finally, I am about to read a book on my favorite subject, WW2! It is called "The Nazi Officer's Wife". It is basically a story about how life was being married to a Nazi soldier while being Jewish. 

(Image Information: The Nazi Officer's Wife. Source: Susan Dworkin)

Week 4: Famous Last Words

Oh... this week...

I have been so busy with work and school. I have to read Virginia Woolf's "Three Guineas", I have to watch Hotel Rwanda, and I just got done selling way too much makeup to the whole city of Norman.

I have read "Three Guineas" before in my Intellectual History of Twentieth Century Europe class that I took about a year ago. Saying that, I must emphasize the "YEAR AGO". I have to reread the whole book, and the one thing I do remember is that I did not enjoy this piece very much. She takes too much time going off on tangents, speaking in ways that completely connect to only people from her time period, and she is always talking about being the daughter of an educated man and what that means to her. Oh, man, I cannot take it anymore!

(Image Information: Three Guineas. Source: Wikipedia)

I have also seen Hotel Rwanda before, but my teacher is making us rewatch it. For those of you who have not seen this movie, it is completely exhausting putting yourself through that much sadness. Hollywood sure knows how to pull at the heartstrings.

Last but not least, I had an event at Ulta in Norman yesterday! For anyone that has ever been to Ulta, you know it is this magical place full of makeup and skincare and fragrance and anything else that makes you feel beautiful. Well, yesterday I was a makeup artist for the makeup company, BareMinerals, and I did makeovers back to back for eight hours straight. The least I can say is I am exhausted. I did get some really nice lipgloss out of it though. :)

To anyone that ever wants to get a makeover done, come to Ulta! We are having some events with Murad, Urban Decay, and IT Cosmetics coming up soon! You can get your makeup or facial done by moi, personally.

Week 1: Famous Last Words

So far, I have to say that I really enjoy this course. It is a little different for me because this is my first online class that I have taken. I enrolled in some once, but they way they were set up was very intimidating. This course, however, is very hands-on. They don't just throw you out into the world of cyberspace and leave you with vague instructions. I really feel more comfortable being able to see my teachers and build a relationship with them, but I think Laura has designed this course to still embody that same type of feeling you get from being in a classroom full of peers. I really appreciate that! 

I have not done a whole lot in my classes this week since we are still in the process of introductions, however, I did come across a TED talk that I think is very interesting to watch and goes along with quite a bit of my research. 

        "We Should All Be Feminists | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | TEDxEuston" video at Youtube 

This is a really interesting perspective on human rights (not just women's rights). It is from the view of a famous author from Nigeria and how people fighting for rights in minorities can face discrimination from other minorities and even themselves in how they try to portray their identities. I really love this woman because I think she is hilarious and she definitely has some important things to say. 

If anyone happens to be wondering how this may fit into my studies, I will tell you! I have always focused on the relationship between Europe and their former colonies/mandates. I look at how the Western world has stereotypes placed on the people from these areas and perhaps ignore the fact that many of these ideas comes from the problems that came along with their empirical rule. In this case, Adichie mentions that people had identified "Feminism" as an un-African, Western idea and therefore she would have to change her identity to "a Happy African Feminist" to make sure everyone knew her intentions. It is pretty interesting to think that some people may believe that the struggle for equality among the sexes has to be put under so much detail in order to separate your definitions of the word from others.