A Dissertation: A Story in Five Songs

Edinburgh Expeditions

As my dissertation draws into a close (at this point, the thing is printed, bound and submitted), I realized that my odyssey can be recounted in five songs. It’s more the feeling (and title) of the song than the lyrics, but enjoy away.

May-June

No class! I can do whatever I want! It’s sunny, I can research outside! Mum and sister are in town, I can take some time off!

June-July

Things aren’t going quite as I anticipated…

July-August

As the deadlines draw nearer…

16 August 2012

The thing is in…and I am so tired…it’s a cold and its a broken hallelujah…now to recovery and celebrate with the friends I’ve been ignoring for the last few weeks.

And as it finally sets in…

FREEEDOM! Now I’m off to enjoy the sunny weather, the Fringe, and time with friends before I become a responsible adult.

Thoughtcrime: A New Film

Edinburgh Expeditions

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is the moment you have all been waiting for. It’s the premiere of my first film, Thoughtcrime. Loosely based on George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, it plays on the themes of surveillance, love, and honesty.

The film was written, directed and edited by yours truly and is my first film. I advise that you watch it wearing headphones, the sound quality is not the best.

Doubleplusgood INGSOC posters.

Sheer Art Attack

I posted some Nineteen Eighty-Four posters on my process blog and decided I had to share them here as well.

I’m really pleased with them, and cannot wait to print them out. The War is Peace one is my favourite.

Comment, critique! Just please DO NOT use these. They are for my dissertation!

War is Peace

(C) Bethany Wolfe 2012

Big Brother is Watching You

(C) Bethany Wolfe 2012

Ignorance is Strength

(C) Bethany Wolfe 2012

Freedom is Slavery

(C) Bethany Wolfe 2012

Sponataneous Edinburgh Art

Edinburgh Expeditions

Whilst walking to the Central Library today, I spotted this mural…who is it of? Where did it come from?

Mural

Who is this kid?

I’ve also spotted a number of quotes around the city, all from the Scottish Play…

Double Double Toil and Trouble

In front of St Giles Cathedral

When shall we three meet again?

In St Andrew Square

The quotes are for an exhibit called “Beyond Macbeth” that’s at the National Library. I guess I know where I’m headed to this week!

Surviving the first six weeks of postgrad study

Edinburgh Expeditions

I’ve made it through my first six weeks as a postgrad. Or grad student. Take the phrase as you will. It strikes me as strange that in the US ‘postgrad’ is someone who’s finished undergrad, but in the UK its a student beyond the undergrad level. But, living in the UK, I’ve embraced this terminology.

Six weeks done, another seven and term is over. So far, these six weeks have been the craziest, hectic, most sleep deprived six weeks of my life, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I’m learning so much. I’ve had my frustrations with the computer programmes I’m using, but they only make me more determined to do well. 3D Modelling class provides the most challenges, but I will work through them. I’m already thinking of making a short animated film for my dissertation, perhaps an adaption of Roald Dahl’s “Beware of the Dog.”

I absolutely love what I’m doing. I’ve had no doubts. This is what I’m supposed to be doing, and where I’m supposed to be. Now to get a job and a work visa for when I finish…

Also been listening to a lot of music I hadn’t paid much attention to before. Swing dancing music, bands such as The Jam and The Smiths, blues, jazz…makes me smile.

Far too optimistic and happy for my own good. Or it could just be the three cups of tea and slice of pumpkin cake talking. That would explain the rambling. 🙂

Dancing like a classy, talented person

Edinburgh Expeditions

When I moved here, I decided to take up a new hobby. Something fun, to keep me active, and take my mind off of my studies. I don’t want to get overwhelmed and go mad.

So, in thinking of ways  to get involved, I went to what I enjoyed before hand. Film clubs, theatre groups, even art club. But something stuck at the back of my head. I don’t know how to dance. Oh, I’ve done several types of dance as a kid and teenager, but I don’t really know how to dance.

So I’ve taken up the lindy hop. Why lindy hop? It’s fun. It’s cheap. It’s a social dance. I don’t have to be all serious like in tango, and if I mess up on the steps, I can easily fix my mistake.

That, and the social aspect of the club is really, really awesome. If I want, I can go dancing three times a week. Which, time permitting, I’ll go at least twice.

 

One of these days, I’ll be this good! But probably not for a couple of years.