Grade anxiety

Last semester was a Less Good semester for me, academically. Part of that was that I took Cataloging (which is hard for everybody, though I thought I might not be half bad at it) and relational databases (and why I ever thought THAT was a good idea, I don't know).

This semester also looked to be Less Good; I mean, management. And research methods. Management isn't hard so much as stupid; I have to choose a "personal board of directors" for myself.

(So far among my personal board of directors I have a Buddhist and a Communist. I don't think this bodes well for me financially.)

The class annoys me because it feels like bluffing and vague generalities, and bluffing and vague generalities are what I put on my midterm. Which, I just found out, I got a High Pass on.

Well, I don't understand it, but I won't complain.

Vindication

My Master's paper is going to be on librarians' attitudes towards comic books.

There isn't actually any research on that, so my reading for my literature review is ranging far and wide, concentrating principally on the question of whether comic books (and other pop culture reading materials) are bad for you.

I have been told enough times that I won't learn anything by reading manga, that I'm quite pleased--though not exactly surprised--to learn that all the empirical research is on my side!

(In particular, they found that free voluntary reading--including comics--had a far more significant effect on second language proficiency than direct instruction. Makes sense to me.)