Suboptimist

Non-Denominational Winter Break.

Thus far, I have spent my [insert winter holiday of choice here] break pleasure reading, working on some Arabic, playing in the evenings, and being a temporary tangerine delivery boy. A Santa Claus of citrus, if you will. I have engaged in every activity imaginable, except socializing and Christmas shopping. I also haven’t seen my grades, since I haven’t received any grades, except for the CR (credit in a credit/non-credit class) in my cycling class. If anyone would like to do something while I have this break, feel free to contact me.

If anyone is curious, here is what next semester looks like:

Islamic theology and philosophy. I’m excited for this class. Dr. Bernard Weiss is teaching two classes in the Spring, the other being:

Islamic law. This should afford me an opportunity to read some hands on experience with old Islamic legal texts.

Shi`ism. If I wasn’t fascinated by Shi`ism, I wouldn’t take this class. It’s being taught by a professor, whom I love, but is too old to teach. We’ll see how this goes. This, along with the other Middle East Studies classes I am taking in the Spring should about wrap up my Middle East Studies degree.

Phonology 2. As much as I bitched about theory the past semester, I grew to love phonetics and phonology. This should be fun, and in a remarkable twist of events, is being taught be a real phonologist.

Historical linguistics. As much as I talk about how interesting I find historical linguistics, this will be the first formal class I will have taken in the subject. Dr. Lyle Campbell, whom some of you may be familiar with, is teaching this.

Linguistic structure of Arabic. I want to be excited for this class, considering all the Clive Holes I’ve been reading lately. However, if it turns out like my Arabic sociolinguistics class, which was half filled with theoreticians and half with students who thought they were getting an upper level Arabic class, I will likely lose my mind.

The next semester of Arabic is in limbo. We will have to see when it is being taught. I hope I can at least audit again. I am thinking no syntax.