thinking about taking classes!

[supercheesegirl]

so Harvard Extension School finally got the class schedule posted! now i can spend the next month wondering what class i'm going to take this fall and changing my mind 800 times before registration on august 23. w00t! so here are the ones i'm thinking about so far: North American Archaeology, The Inkas (that's how they're spelling it), Architecture of Boston, Intro to Greek Art & Archaeology, and Intro to Museum Studies. all of these sound really really fun, and also would count if i someday decided to do the master's in museum studies program. there's also a Survey of Publishing class that sounds really fun, and there's also Teaching of Writing, which i definitely want to take at some point but not right now really. i took a look at the requirements for the certificate in publishing program and the classes didn't really get me all excited, you know? i could *do* it, and it would be interesting and all, but i was near wetting my pants looking at all the museum studies electives and wondering how i could possibly choose just two.

i'm psyched--here, finally, is something i can plan for and do. i can take classes. yes. i am very good at taking classes.

i'm also thinking about taking a ballet class this fall. there's a studio that does adult beginner classes that's right on my walk to work, and it doesn't seem too expensive. /dork

did i tell you anything about this weekend? it was beautiful. one of the more beautiful weekends i've had in a long time. thank you.

Comments

[tisana.livejournal.com]

"so Harvard Extension School finally got the class schedule posted!"

Ooh! Thanks, I've been waiting on that! I can't decide, I want to take it all... But I'm figuring one lecture course, and the ballroom/Latin dance classes at the MAC, at least.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

i'm so excited, i want to take everything. are the ballroom/latin dance classes at the MAC fun? and do you have to have any idea what you're doing? i've thought about doing one of those, i do the yoga classes there and like it a lot.

[tisana.livejournal.com]

The teacher last year--I think his name was Richard--was good, and I'd take a class from him again eagerly. I find moving my feet confusing, but he goes at just the right pace... You're a Harvard employee, right? If so, you pay $9 for a sticker on your ID and you can access the MAC for an entire semester--and the classes themselves are free. Find the recreation classes listing (probably not up yet). Last year it was Tue and Thurs evenings.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way about moving my feet--I took a salsa class in Greensboro and got confused a lot (it was worse because no one would go with me and everyone else brought a friend, so I never had a partner).

In june I went all-out and paid the $22 for a full year MAC membership. I'm a wild and crazy girl. But this summer they charged extra for yoga and group exercise classes, and they told me they're considering doing it for this fall, too. I told them that would suck, so hopefully they took that into consideration. :) But if the dance classes stay free, I'll definitely go with you--yoga's one thing, everybody looks stupid in a yoga class, but dancing lets you make a real ass out of yourself, you know? I'd be more motivated to go if i had a buddy. :)

[tisana.livejournal.com]

Cool! I might actually be lucky enough to have someone to dance with. I'm not sure how much non-employees have to pay, but deadwinter expressed interest in going with me. If he balks at cost or finds it's not practical with work, you and I could be partners.

I hope they do salsa again--I saw professionals (well, hobbyists, at least) dance and wow is it amazing and fun.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

I think nonemployees have to pay $10 a visit if they come as a guest, but I don't know if that includes the classes or not. If he ends up not being able to come, I would love to have a partner.

[queende.livejournal.com]

that (museum studies and ballet) sounds great! (i just had a reading rainbow moment!...i sounded like levar burton in my head..."you never know what you can do until you try". didn't he used to say that? along with "butterfly in the sky...")

you go dude!

[queende.livejournal.com]

ps i did indeed use "dude where's my scarf" for that display. it and "pinocchio 2 the rise of the marionettes" might be my finest hour ever!

dude where's my scarf has been the most popular though!

:)

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

that does sound like something he'd say. although in my head, he's much more likely to say something like "Captain! We're in danger of a warp core meltdown!" or something. :)

MAC stuff...

[allthefishies.livejournal.com]

i would so love a gym buddy it's not even funny... whatever class you take, let me know, yoga, pilates, etc. I need to hit at least one, hopefully two classes a week, and at least two, hopefully three other workouts a week...

Re: MAC stuff...

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

they don't have the fall schedule up yet for MAC classes, so who knows what they'll have. i like the TTH lunchtime classes with gene, but i know you can't make those. if they keep david doing MWF lunch classes this fall, that might work (mondays, at least) or we'll see what kind of evening stuff they've got. we should be able to buddy up for at least one class a week, i would think. would you be up for ballroom/latin dancing too? :)

how's the packing/moving going? we'll see you soon, right?

[lydian.livejournal.com]

Having done two NA archaeology digs, my verdict is: BORING. I vote for Museum Studies -- I took Care & Preservation of Museum Collections through Harvard Extension and enjoyed it immensely. Architecture of Boston might be interesting, but you could just become a Boston By Foot guide instead. (Note: extreme bias in that suggestion.)

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

I'm probably biased towards the archaeology thing, having watched way too much Indiana Jones as a child. It's always been my little secret ambition, and I won't know it's actually boring til I try it, you know? I read the description of Care & Preservation of Museum Collections and thought it looked really interesting. I'm mostly wanting to take Architecture of Boston because it would help me out at Otis House, it being a Bulfinch-designed house and all--we have people come to the house who want to hear about that, and I don't really like talking out my ass about things I don't understand. Also, taking Architecture of Boston would necessitate getting out and exploring the city a bit to actually *see* said architecture, and that would be good for me. If I go exploring, I'll find things, and I'll hopefully become less terrified of living here. So those are the main reasons I'm leaning toward that class.

[lydian.livejournal.com]

If you like what you do at Otis house, you might seriously want to check out Boston By Foot (www.bostonbyfoot.com). I've been leading tours since 2001, and it's a great organization... (and not only because the founders are the parents of John F. from TMBG and host a pre-final-exam study session at their home in Lincoln). Taking walking tours all over the city is part of the program, so it's a little more interactive than straight classroom instruction, and you'll learn all sorts of cool shortcuts around certain neighborhoods. (I know! Do the Harvard class AND become a BBF guide!)

Archaeology is the BEST THING EVER, I'm just not a big fan of the Native American stuff. Can you tell I'm projecting and desperately trying to do some vicarious living? It looks like -I- will be taking FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES and CONSULTING SKILLS FOR MANAGERS at Harvard this fall. Yeah. Woo hoo. Profit & Loss statements, here I come. *sigh*

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

I'll think about Boston By Foot--I do think I have enough junk in my trunk on my plate at the moment to keep me busy, though--I try to do Otis at least two days a month, plus adding a class and yoga and maybe dance classes, besides the actual job (are you loving your new job, or are you getting to the hair-ripping stage yet?).

Come to think of it, I'm not that excited about the Native American stuff either. But The Inkas would be cool. Because they were cool. Those South American ones were pretty neat, I think.

Gah. How will you endure?

[lydian.livejournal.com]

No worries - guide training won't start until April. ;) I'm pushing for someone I know to join up so I have a built-in tour guide buddy. I am transitioning to the LITERARY LANDMARKS tour, I think. *cough* hint *cough* You think about it.

I am all over the Inkas. Yeah. You should take that one. In fifth grade I built a model of Machu Picchu out of sugar cubes. A word of advice - don't paint sugar cubes. They will disintegrate.

[supercheesegirl.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Literary Landmarks tour. Hrm.

I went to Tulum with my parents on vacation once, and it was awesome. (or was that the Mayas? Can't remember. It was still awesome.)

Geez, what kind of paint were you using??