The Tempest

I watched The Tempest on stage and discovered that if a play is produced well and well written (um, hello?) then it doesn't matter how many times you've seen/read it. It remains completely enthalling. I cried twice, during the Miranda and Ferdinand scenes. Just wow. Read it now if you've starved yourself of that pleasure thus far. Right now.

Also, Dante is surreal. How can a man achieve so much wisdom, wit and insight in one lifetime?

Nel mezzo del camine di nostra vita

In other news...in a certain way I'm pretty well sick of school. Academia is great and all and I love learning, but I most certainly do not love the idea that one lives in a passive way, drinking in other people's experiences. I want to experience things for myself. One might challenge me by saying: go out and balance your own damn life, and I answer you: you try dealing with a shitload of reading, two/three papers a week, a teacher who gets off making you feel like a moron at least five times per class, being President of the film society (ok that's minimal work but I thought I'd throw that in there) working 5-8 hours a week, working on a play, singing in chorus, talking to friends, and figuring out when to sleep. The last one I have not mastered; I just don't sleep much.

Now in spite of all this frustration, I need to point out that one hug from a particular friend completely turned my day around on Wednesday. I didn't even feel the need to vent to work through my various confusions and problems; my friend's presence was enough at that point. Amazing what a bit of affection can do.