Its all over. For now.

And I am a postgrad! I have finished uni for the year and expect to pass the final assignments without too much stress, and so have satisfied the requirements for the Grad Dip of Literature. Hurrah!!

So when results come out they will process my articulation into the masters with the full advanced standing and I will have just 4 units to complete. I want to do them all in one in a research unit. That will require writing a 20,000 ish word fiction piece and a 4000 word exegesis. I can do that twice over on infertility with the interviews, diaries, and information I already have. But I feel like I should take the opportunity to challenge myself while I have support to do so.

Problem is, what to write about!? I am vaguely inspired, but also sort of not completely so. I have a few ideas, but nothing that is begging me to write. I just don't know what to attempt. I have to submit a proposal soonish to get into the research project, so I need to work it out NOW. I also need a Distinction average across 2 units, so waiting for my Fic B mark with baited breath!

Also, the unit chair that I enrol through, seems to be pushing me toward doing half semester 1 and half semester 2, but I want to do it ALL semester one (also an option); because if the IVF works, any of them; I could be pregnant and with a small babe semester 2! And if it doesn't work, then we could be onto cycle 3 or 4 of IVF and finding it increasingly difficult to cope with. Will see what happens when the prospective supervisor returns and it begins to take shape some more. I will put my case to them then.

I have loved this years study, it has flown. I have learned an enormous amount, and my writing has improved far beyond what I expected. Its been fantastic, I wish that I could keep going with it. The research will be good though. Anyone got some inspiration for me?!

Semester is technically over, but I'm still plodding on...

I am not normally a perfectionist, but when my lecturer offered to help me perfect my last assignment, even though it meant an extension, I went for it. Stupidly, that meant that I should be finished now but I am still reading, revising and trying to understand...

This semester I have completed 'Driven to Write' a unit that required a creative piece targeted at a teen audience, as well as an exegesis dissecting 3 young adults novels and applying genre conventions to my creative stuff. It was a really good unit, I got a lot out of that one.

I also did a unit of Editing, which I enjoyed, but found so tedious and complicated! All those little symbols and so many types of editing... I had no idea. Learned much from this unit too and at first I had trouble getting the hang of it, but it ended up being something I enjoyed by the end.

I did a unit on fiction writing and the amount that I learned and developed in my writing from this unit was enormous. I got an awful lot of ideas about how to write, what to write and feedback on what I had written. It was really very good, although when I started I was utterly terrified. The other students seemed to be a lot less green than I was/am! It was challenging and I really loved that.

And I did a unit called 'The literature of sadness' which I was unsure about but am so glad I went ahead with. It explored texts such as 'The wind up bird chronicle;' 'Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' and others... then we had to write on them. Each of the 2 assignments had an option for a creative response which I chose. The first I wrote my own pathography (experience of illness) using infertility. The second is the one I am still perfecting. its a play about Melville's Bartleby. Need to perfect my rationale but no understanding of Felix Guattari's chaosmosis at ALL.

And this procrastinating is not helpful! ARGH!

Oh crap.

Written 19 February 2007

A literary piece????

I dont think I can. How utterly intimidating. What have I gotten myself into???

I won!

Written 26 January 2007

Thanks to anyone who voted, I won :) Feel very encouraged.

Have started the reading for uni this year, christ almighty - I am not going to have 5 minutes to myself soon. So much reading, so much writing... I am also considering going for Editor of the off campus mag, would be a good experience, and something I am passionate about having studied DE for so long. See how I go.

So incredibly excited about it, its just... have you ever done something and thought this is exactly what I am meant to be doing, this is so incredibly "right" ???? Its an awesome feeling.

Also, see below for the book I just read, it is BRILLIANT. Its about a Doctor who was in a severe road accident (cleaned up by a semi) and his recovery. His words translate across to any deep suffering one might experience - emotional or physical. Definitely given where I am now and my last year, I could relate so clearly to so much, it was very powerful. It is reading for a unit at uni, so I am pretty intrigued now, to read some of the others for that class.

Life is so good right now, everything is how I want it to be, and I am so happy, hopeful and content about my present and future. Its a kick arse feeling!!!!!

Still more study, yes I am addicted

Written 29 November 2006

I was accepted into the postgrad course to do fulltime next year!! A grad Dip in Literary Studies, which seems to me to be more of a fun exercise than a pathway to a career, a bonus that it is both. I do fear I am addicted, I remember the speaker at my BA grad ceremony saying study was addictive... it is. Ive done my BA, half a BSW at Monash, a few units of a BBus/Tourism at SCU... and now this looms. I love to learn!

I am really excited about it, its through Deakin, which is where I got my BA. They even assigned me back my old student number which was bizarre, like slipping on a pair of old comfy slippers. I have selected my units and first semester I will be doing 'Driven to Write,' 'The other side of the world: Literature of sadness - the body - mind in crisis,' 'Fiction Writing A' and 'Editing.'

Second semester will be 'Texts for young adults,' Life writing,' 'travel writing' and 'Fiction Writing B.' I have tried to keep a focus on the fact that I am likely to do a grad dip Education the year after, with a view to english teaching in secondary school for a while... At the same time, I have included units that appeal to me, just because.

My wonderful man is buying me an ibook for christmas, so I can type wherever I like, and it just feels good and right. In my search to find out which, if any, texts are assigned to my units, I came across a book that I have glanced at before - 1001 books to read before you die.

If I start now, and finish one a week, thats roughly 20 years. Best get started? One of a few lists can be seen clicking this link.

Not sure where to start, at least I can rule some already read off... even so, thats one hell of a list, and they aren't light reading! Right now, I am immersed in the Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad, a birthday present from J's mum, and am really enjoying it. Amazing how many worlds away it is from the life I live.

Would you attempt such a list? What would be your 'must' reads?