These are Hilarious

So Ancient-Civ-Chick is teaching in High school now and she stumbled upon these historical music videos and sent them to me. I think they are possibly the funniest, most interesting way to teach history I have ever seen. So I figured i'd share some of them with you.

 

Check out this lady's Youtube Channel for her complete list of videos. She's amazing and hilarious. I wish my history teachers had been this inventive.

My Recurring Nightmare: I'm Not A Masochist

So for those of you who have been with me for awhile (and really I'd be surprised if i even have one regular reader on this blog) know that about this time last year I was applying to PhD programs....

... and that i got rejected from all of the ones i applied too.  It was painful to watch my life's dreams go down the toilet. I mean getting my doctorate was like the only thing i have ever wanted and to see it go up in a big puff of smoke was heartbreaking. I know the economy is bad and that lots of people got rejected, several of my friends included, and that i shouldn't take it personally. But when 6 colleges reject you, its hard not to take it personally.

Anyways, I've decided not to reapply to PhD program this year. There are several circumstances behind it. I can't afford it for one, between retaking the GRE'S ($150), application costs ($350) and having to drive back to my college to talk to my proffies about I simply can't afford it this year since my college loans are currently in repayment. Second, I don't think i can take another round of rejection letters. If i get rejected two years in a row I don't think i will ever be able to apply again and the economy hasn't really picked up enough for circumstances to have changed for me to get in. Lastly, I'm not sure i want to reapply. I mean I'm not loving working as a waitress but I think i need space from academia to have a real life. You know to live how the other half lives. I need to know that this is the only path for me, and right now I'm not so sure.

Does this mean I will never reapply? No, i still might apply again next year. I just need to live a little first. You know get laid, find love, make some money, have an adventure kind of life. All this means is that i'm not a masochist and i don't want to inflict pain on myself two years in a row.

Now That's Obscure

So anyone who has read my blog for along time knows that i wrote my Master's thesis on Eyre Crowe. Crowe was an official in the British Foreign Office during WWI and II, who was German born and bred, which made him a little bit of an outcast.

Anyways, as i am currently waiting tables while i try to find a real job (anyone know someone who needs an uptight, over-organized history professor or administrative assistant?) I meet a lot of interesting people. About a week ago, i had 6 British (I think, they may have been Scottish) guys at my restaurant drinking wine and Guinness and talking about History. Being the history nerd that i am, i could not help but putting my two sense in. Which led to a discussion of my life and why i was waitressing and what i had studied in college.

As they were wrapping up their meal, I told them that i had wrote my masters thesis on Eyre Crowe.

To which they all replied: Who?

I explained who he was, and they asked me to spell his name. SHOCKER, none of them had heard of Eyre Crowe. They were like "that guy is pretty obscure if 6 British history teachers have never heard of him."

So yeah, I managed to write a 100 page thesis about a guy that British people have never heard of. Score one for me.

I'm a Jealous Bitch

So let me tell all you college/grad students out their how jealous i am of you right now. Very Very Jealous.

You think "Surely this bitch is joking?"

I'm not. I have been graduated for a mere 3 months now and there is a pang of pain every time I go to a store and see school supplies out. I love buying new school supplies. I love pens and paper and notebooks and goofy paperclips. I just love school supplies. I keep trying to get an office job so that i can buy them for my desk. It's marginally pathetic- I know.

I'm also jealous that you guys are signing up for classes. I love going to class. I mean i am a total nerd- I freely admit that. I love new classes and books and knowledge. If i had the time or money i would sign up for classes i don't need like Russian or Anthropology or Cake Decorating 101. There is just something very fulfilling in going to school and taking classes for me. It's quite possibly the reason i never wanted to leave college in the first place.

In fairness, I don't miss the stress of papers, readings and doing source material. I don't miss in-class discussions on books i didn't give a damn about. But i do miss going to class and talking to people. I miss having a reason to use my planner.I miss having something to do besides online job-hunting and bitching i don't have a job yet. And i definitely miss the rush of going to college.

So when you are bitching about some new tyrant professor or some ridiculous 25 page paper you have to write or some book that sucks just remember: I would kill to trade places with you. Also for those of you who wonder what i have been doing in my time out of grad school check out my other blog for my inane bitching.