Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Sick Relatives, Classes, etc.

My mom just got back from seeing my grandmother who had a stroke. Apparently everyone of my aunts and uncles is getting some age-related illness. My dad was the first to go and he was, I think, lucky. They are all in their late sixties. I am not close to my family but but is sad that now instead of hearing about that cool home in Newport or someone's spiffy new car, I am hearing about people's illnesses. I wonder how old I will be when various things strike me. I am fortunate. Like my mother or not, she is healthy and I probably have her health. I am blessed because I have her looks and if her sharp mind at 70 (she has a boyfriend now, too) is inheritable, I will have that.

My Russian teacher is letting me retake the test. Steve made a profound impact on me the other day. Sometimes you need advice from the right people at the right time. I'd hated reciting dialogs in class-- they made no sense to me and the class wasn't into acting like they mattered. They'd use monotone voices as they recited and I just couldn't get into it. Steve told me how he studied for Peace Corps with dialogs and how the vocabulary came natural to him after that. I went to my text and everything is starting to fall into place. Of course when I take my test again and kick butt, my professor will want to know how the light went on and I will tell her that a fellow blogger told me what she'd been telling me all along. . . to study the dialogs and it would all come naturally. I made a high D in the class and I was relived that it wasn't an F. I worked hard for that D! Sunshine heard me squeal my joy and she asked what happened and I told her and she said, "What will Dad say? Do you think he'll ground you?" I laughed out loud!

I also have to tell you all something: I don't like Russian class. I adored my professor but in truth, I have the basics now and I am thinking of studying on my own because of some specific things that I am interested in, like Pushkin. I met a woman who is a nurse at the hospital and she hardly ever uses her Russian and would panic if called to interpret. If i do Russian, it will probably be in a self interest way.

There are two directions I am choosing between in two years. One is an interdisciplinary master's degree in creative writing and art. The other is a master's degree in medical arts where I can take my artistic and yogic ways into a hospital. Almost like an art therapist, but not. i have been doing yoga and massage for years and this leans in a medical arts direction. This in not being a doctor-- it's medical support where I keep the patients having something to live for while they recover.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

i hope your grandmother is fine

Tea N. Crumpet said...

Thank you, Ropi! She recovered but she is in that part of life where any illness can trigger death.

Dan said...

Taking your yogic ways into the hospital? I'm intrigued. Really, I am. I've been doing yoga for about six years now and LOVE it. And it does have a place in medicine, I agree.