Of (Open) University Challenges September 30, 2008
Posted by Jen in : A363 Open University, Journal , trackbackNearly October? Really? Oh my giddy aunt. My aunt’s giddiness is because Nearly October marks the start of my next OU course.
‘Just think,’ said lovely bf cheerfully on Sunday, ‘this time next week we’ll be behind with our coursework.’
Now this is most unlike me so don’t tell anyone, will you? But I, um, decided to get ahead. I might get a hat too soon. A special writing hat. Yes indeed. Anyway, I lugged out the whopping course book and read the introduction. Then I started on the first chapter. Tonight, Matthew, I shall be Playing with Genre. Ha! Playing with Genre? my inner wibble screeched. Who do you think you are, talking about that sort of thing? You nitwit. Go and watch Emmerdale or something and stop being so silly.
I put the book away again. Ooh, flippin ‘eck. It all sounds a bit complimicated. The tutor group discussion forum wotsit has opened and we are, as instructed, doing our ‘getting to know you’ exercises.
‘80 words and the first thing you’ve posted and still you manage to mention donkeys and porn stars!’ exclaimed lovely bf, while perfecting his much-used eye-rolling routine.
Oh dear. In between finding new ways to procrastinate, I must try to be more sensible.
Now where did I put that pantomime horse?
Comments»
I’d be interested to hear what you learn about genre, being a bit of a (wannabe) genre-buster myself.
I don’t really get the word “Genre”. It sounds to me like Calvin Klein’s latest fragrance. Maybe when you get your writing hat, it could smell of Genre. Or Obsession.
Who’s head were you wearing when we met, then?
Genres are genes with an extra chromosome which helps distinguish them.
LOL, genre really is an odd word, isn’t it?
You do make me larf. Wish I was doing that course too… maybe next year.
Rather you than me - I think I’ll stick on my course learning about dicotyledonous stems and roots.
I know exactly what you mean…. but Eastenders is what I’ll be studying on my next course, ha ha! (AA310 Film and telly history) what a cop out, eh? I’m doing this in front of A363 as I couldn’t get my funding sorted out in time for the course of my dreams. You will be absolutely fine, Jen. Promise. K xx
Always good to get ahead. And a hat. Could it be a purple crochet one?
Maybe if we all pronounce ‘genre’ with a hard ‘g’ it wouldn’t sound so scary. Shall we try?
(maybe not:-)
That cartoon’s worrying me, as I do really love a boxfile. Also see-through wallets and Lever Arch files. Oh, and pretty staplers and hole punchers and boxes of stripey paperclips. But a boxfile most of all. So, y’know, probably more than most, I would love to have all my personal paperwork in a series of boxfiles. Is that weird then…?
I looooooove the cartoon, but it is so far from my real life that it makes me want to roll on the floor crying. Having my paperwork scattered across every room in the house doesn’t count does it?
Oh, Jen - I’m so impressed! I haven’t even opened my book yet! Will do it tomorrow!
x
Cap’n Black - I do think the whole genre thing can be a bit restrictive. And you have just reminded me to come back and look at your writing thingamijig. Gawd, where does the time go?
Loth - Crikey, you’re right! That’s genius, actually. Wish I’d thought of it. Grrrrrrrr.
JJ - If you hadn’t swigged so much wine, you’d remember that I was wearing the head of an anteater on top of a scarecrow’s body. Well, I felt a bit like that the next day, anyway.
DOT - that is vay clever too. I am going to give up writing blog posts - the comments are showing me up!
Debs - It has taken a VERY long time for me to be able to use the word ‘genre’ without feeling like some sort of nutjob. And saying properly makes me sound as if I have blocked sinuses.
Zinnia - I soooooo wish you were doing it too. Sigh.
Thursday - you sound like a genius professor, stroking your stamen instead of a cat…
T&C - Hello Missis! Your course sounds fabbo - I’ve never spotted that one before. May be one to take instead of French. or I could watch French telly, swig Calvados and never been seen again. Result. Good luck - I’ll be interested to hear how you get on with it.
Lane - I’m thinking a purple crocheted beret, stretched over a bowler hat with special antennae made out of old metal coat hangers for Receiving Inspiration. ‘Genre’ with a hard ‘g’ sounds like a disease one has to go to a special clinic for, under the cloak of darkness. Should be perfect for the tosh I churn out.
Honeysuckle - There is something pleasingly sturdy about box files, isn’t there? Stripey paperclips sound delicious. I’ve been toying with buying a concertina file for my papers. A step too far, perhaps?
Helen - Your system sounds similar to my own. I actually have a wide, narrow drawer in my study desk where I keep important things. All over them. About 10 years’ worth. Lovely bf opened it once and had to email me to tell me the whole world had fallen out. Keeping it on the floor sounds far less hazardous.
Annie - There are people who have already done their first TMA on First Class. I bet they wear anoraks. We’ll be the naughty ones at the back of the class, shall we?
Oh, I think I’ve seen that porn film, the one with the donkey. When you find out what ‘genre’ is, could you tell me please?
I’m sure you are more organised that me. My book is in a series of beach bags under the bed. This is on account of downsizing to an even smaller house. Next time we’ll be moving into a burrow.
Signed up for the 125 - 521? creative writing course. Hoping to sit next to Chrish so I can copy.
Do you know, I’d started to think that ‘my giddy aunt’ was something my family had just made up! I have rarely if ever heard someone not from my mum’s side of the family use that phrase…
I reckon if I start now, I can be only TWO weeks behind in three weeks’ time. Sound like a plan to you? My tutor’s just getting us all to introduce ourselves, no warm up exercises (or not officially - unofficially I think they are!). And we’re going for coffee on Saturday - this group is SOOOOOO much more enthusiastic than the last. It’s great.
I REALLY didn’t like that violin story. Or The Man story explanation. It doesn’t fill me with optimism…. I’m really starting to feel that this was a serious mistake. I’m hoping that feeling goes soon…!
Oooh I’m doign A363 this year too!! We can procrastinate together!!
PS: I also thought that the violin story was a bit ‘meh’. Oh to write a text book so you can make people study your own sub-standard short stories
Kate, thank christ for that. i feel better now
Shame that we’re not in the same tutor group! How’s yours? Mine’s great - we’re meeting for coffee Saturday already!
Jen, sorry, will go back to my own blog for gossip now
Maddie - I may never find out which might not be a bad thing. As for the donkey - how did they get it into those fishnets?
Fiona - A215? Ooh, you’ll love it! I did i a couple of years ago and, apart from the poetry (at which I suck anyway) it was super-duper. Can’t wait to hear how you get on with it.
B - I’m sure lots of people have a ‘giddy aunt’ in their vocab? How odd! Your coffee morning sounds groovy - my online group still only has a handful of people and they all seem worrying clever and ace. I am quite scared. I must admit, it was after reading the Violin story that I put the book away. I couldn’t figure out whether it was good, too clever for me and thus impenetrable or just not that good and/or not my bag. I’m hoping the ’serious (expensive) mistake’ feeling bogs off too. Eep.
Kate - Wow, cool! There’s a few of us doing it - it’ll be great to compare notes as we procrastinate along. And as for writing a text book to house sub-standard stories? Hmmm… I’m not mentioning Sophie King again. No no no.
B - Gossip away, old girl. Here, have a biccie.
Right m’dear, now I could make you a tall slender pointy hat out of carboard. We use to be forced to make them at school for the christmas party (aged 5/6), then we had to parade them around the school singing “Do you like my party that I made for the Christmas party? ” Holy moses, Oh what fun we had! Character building
TFX
How much good would I be? In my Sunday morning first coffeeness I read that as playing with gender. Then wondered what course you could possibly be doing then came to my senses while reading the comments.
Playing with Gender would sadly be an assignment on my last course - stereotyping and how to avoid…..as part of Education Policy & Learner Support. It is why I ran off to join the OU and hide in a fantasy world. Although the stamen stroking is possibly a little weirder than I want to go right now. Back to A363….where ‘genre’ is pronounced with a french accent whilst drinking red wine - no problem there then.
I think your RSS feed things busted on mine or something if that’s possible… I’ve been thinking I haven’t been here for ages not having been prompted by it to come. Heavens, I used to be able to think for myself and come and visit you and now I’ve got an RSS dependency…
Anyway it’s great to be here now and you’ve posted loads and what dynamic thing are you doing now? OU and stuff about genre… I can’t keep up..
I saw an interiors magazine once where this incredibly creative woman had not only organised her life into box files but had covered each and every one of them with beautiful wrapping paper, by hand…
TF - My pointy hat wouldn’t have a big ‘D’ on the front, would it? It is quite odd, the stuff we were forced to do as kids. No wonder we all need therapy. And special hats.
Breezy - that did make me laugh! ‘Playing with Gender and Associated Caffeine Craziness’. Vay good.
Siaran - Your last course sounds rather hair-raising - no wonder you turned to the vino! Perhaps the red wine is essential is being able to say ‘genre’, even if it doesn’t help our understanding of it? Our tutor group seems quite a laugh, doesn’t it? I hope the others pitch up soon, it makes such a difference, having a lively group…
Lucy - Oh, don’t mention RSS dependency, I’m a slave to it. Even worse is when I use Google reader as I generally forget to go and comment. ‘Did I comment or did I just think it?’ is the question that bubbles away when I should be toiling at making my brain bigger. I’m swooning at the thought of beautiful box files. Sigh.
So, how behind ARE you with your coursework?? The very word makes my heart sink but that’s because there’s been so much of it in our house over the past couple of years. None of it done by me I hasten to add.
Never mind - as a fully-fledged adult it’s BOUND to be much easier…
Karen - I am nearly a week behind which doesn’t sound much until I mention that the course only started a week ago. So 100%. Which sounds sort of good, somehow. Excellent.
Hmmmm……A donkey in fishnets?? Why was the donkey wearing fishnets??
C x