OK, guess what, it's blog time.
The list that follows is my secret 15-year plan. Now, I call it secret because I don't want to be held up to it. To be a professor has always been a "secret" plan. Don't expect me to see it through at all costs.
1. Get an honours degree.
2a. Get a library tech diploma through SIAST (surprise!)
2b. Do a job that pays real money, e.g., one in a library
3. Masters in history
4. Consider a masters in library science
5. Ph.D related to history
6. Sweet academic job
And here's a thought that occurred to me tonight, and brought me here to blog to you: If I'm having trouble staying on top of university right now, what difference does it make to pause my degree and go for the library program this fall? University is tough because it is more abstract and less structured, in a way. Everything is ideas, concepts floating around. Cat was telling me that, although an engineering degree is an insane amount of work, it's harder to fall behind because you have things due every week or so that you must do. In arts, things are due far in the future, and it's up to the student to structure themselves and manufacture weekly "assignments" to keep them on top of their long-term projects.
This is relevant because: a SIAST program would be much more structured and less abstract than my current university program. I imagine there would be more deadlines and such that cannot be shirked. I'll have to ask mom about it, because she did that program many years ago.
Because, if I get a library certificate, no matter what I will always have that certificate. Even if I get it and can't get a library job that goes well with school, I can still get one after my degree is done. Then I would work for a while and then go for the next degree. The hope would be that the structure helps me get in the right mindset to return to school, because my mindset right now is kind of all over the place. I don't see a downside with getting the lib tech done this fall instead of later.
Well, actually, downsides: Two years of library learning is a lot of time to forget history learning. Also, starting this Fall would not give me a chance to apply for small-time library jobs (such as a page), and thus be less aware of what it means to work in a library.
Bonus upside: Working towards a library diploma looks good on a library-related resume.
Well, I've spent long enough on this blog post, time to wrap it up.
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Unfortunately for my want to "wrap it up," I watched Helen of Troy today, and noticed something in common with other old clips I've been watching on youtube - ancient battles in classic films. Watch merely 5 seconds of each link and see if you notice it. It's not the music, the costumes, or the dialogue. I'll be impressed if you can guess it! Leave a comment if you do!
Helen of Troy
The 300 Spartans (watch for a whole minute if you want to see their sweet anti-cavalry manoeuvre).
Spartacus
Did you notice? They all have this crazy idea that ancient formations would fight with one rank at a time! Whose idea was that? How could anyone imagine that they would spread their ranks out, instead of fighting in one tight block of troops? With no one behind you, if you get knocked back, you fall down. With some extra support, say, if a few of those thousand troops stood right behind you instead of far away, you're probably a lot less likely to die. Common sense, folks.
You're probably bored now, but I just thought it was remarkably strange that these three movies all shared this ridiculous notion. Perhaps it was written in an academic journal of the time. It's just absurd.
If a group 10 ranks deep charges at a group 1 rank deep, the single rank ends up on their butts. Anyone can figure that out.
The idea has been corrected in modern media: Clip1 Clip2
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