contradictions and dreams

As a (cough) *mature* student I was invited to attend a pre-semester warm-up plan for old bastards. This is known as the "Jump Start" academic skills program (though the moniker puts me in mind of old rusty vehicles growing weeds in a paddock...which is kinda how I feel)

Having accepted the offer of a metaphorical kick in the pants to get things rolling I duly trotted off to Officeworks to indulge in some (justified!) splurging on stationery...Bic Retro pens in their orange and black plasticy loveliness! paperclips in rainbow colours! a stapler with a satifying 'thunk' to it! notebooks in all sizes and colours! a laptop cover! shiny things! little tiny useless bits of frippery!

Sorry...where was I?

Ah, JSAP. A week of well-meaning, though often contradictory, advice.

I left most days feeling more confused than I had on arrival. *sigh*

No-one seemed to know exactly who I needed to see, which made things more difficult. I dragged my trendy book-transporter (i.e. nanna-trolley) hither and thither across the length and breadth of the campus, up stairs and down, and through the hallowed halls and all to no avail.

I required guidance on applying for exemptions or credit for previous studies I have completed. A few hints on courses to complete to get me to where I want to be wouldn't have gone amiss either.
It felt like everywhere I went I was greeted with a smile and then a shaking head and a finger pointing to the furthest corner of campus... "Oh you want X" (bright smiley smile)"X is over there, down past y, round z and about a bazillion floors up. Good luck!" (Beam)

*sigh*

A week and a half of this and I have to say I have more or less managed to cobble together my own version of the info I needed, in addition to getting to know the campus really, REALLY well.

My 'Plan' has been lodged - Philosophy Extended Major with a Minor in Logic & the Philosophy of Science.

That's a LOT of Philosophy. *beams*

Somehow along the way I have managed to pick up another course to sit in on, despite not technically being enrolled in it (yet - stay tuned!) so at present we have:- (cue Drum Roll)

• Phenomenology & Existentialism
• Crime & Punishment (Issues in Legal Justice)
• Power, Politics and Society: Passionate Encounters

and then maaaaaaaaaaaybe

• Logic

but maybe not.

Logic is a necessary evil if I am to (one day) progress to Honours. The jury is currently out on whether I need to actually do the course or whether I can sit in on lectures to cover gaps in my existing knowledge base (thereby missing out on 2 horrendous examinations. a terrible shame, no?) Associate Professor doing the lecturing is twinkly-eyed paternal sort with a wicked sense of humour - opening his lecture with a Monty Python skit. Methinks Logic might actually be FUN. (maybe)

The 'dreaming' part of the title of this post refers to all the pipe-dream planning aheadness of Honours and Post Grad certificates in Applied Law (only 6 months!!! Hoorah! Medical Law! w00t!)

In reality I now have to get on with the mastication at hand, so to speak, having bitten off a substantial amount to be going along with...

Wish me luck!