Noah Webster

Sorry about no updates, photos, or video as of late. There are two contributing factors: one, the batteries in the camera are dead. I'll go buy some more soon, I swear. Two, I don't think I have previously mentioned that I am taking summer classes. More specifically, super sped up intensified summer classes. Ten weeks of information in four! Today ended week two, and I have a midterm on Monday.

12 hours a week of each class, so doing the math that's a freaking 24 hours a week! Sure that doesn't sound so so bad, nothing like 40 hour work week, but then there's the homework. Ay carumba. It's kinda crazy.

BUT I will have 5 weeks off in August/September! My horoscope today said something about getting through the crappy stuff now, and if I stick it out my reward will come in August. So the stars are aligning for this business even! It also said that I would be smarter, funnier, happier, and even more beautiful if I can make it through.

Yes. I can.

The classes that I am currently taking are a linguistics class called History of the Enlish Language and a psychology class called Sensation and Perception. The linguistics class is very interesting and the time passes very quickly. I love learning about word origins! Something interesting I learned is that you know Webster? Growing up and still we are constantly consulting Webster about spellings, so I am very familiar. Anyways, I found out that he decided how a lot of words should be spelled. He was responsible for the -or endings rather than -our in such words as flavor, neighbor, and color. Hmm! Also he brought about the -er rather than the -re. Before Webster there was an extra k on such words as almanack, musick, and physick. Thank you Webster for getting rid of those k's!

A few areas of spelling reform in which Webster was not successful was lopping off the final -e of -ine, -ite, and -ive in final syllables. That's medicin, definit, fugitiv. Glad someone stopped him. The last thing I'll mention is the suggestion for language change made by Theodore Roosevelt: he and Andrew Carnagie wanted to simplify thorough to "thoro".

Can't blame them for trying.

Today we were also talking about how set spelling is a fairly new concept in English. For a long time people wrote different versions of the same word, depending on their accent and concept of their own phonology. Also, the language is constantly changing, so perhaps mispellings are simply the future of language! Some of you are cringing.

The other class is supposed to be a psychology class but is turning into more of a neuro science class. Very heavy stuff. I am learning a lot, for certain. Today I learned why the sky is blue! So when Ezra asks me I can explain about the short wave lengths and atmospheric particles. You know he's going to ask.

I am a little fuzzy minded right now, so I apologize for not giving more of what extremely interesting items I am learning in that class.

After these wrap up (in two weeks) I start two more four week intensive classes. Next up will be Historical European Novels, which I just ordered all the books for, and found that the instructor went ahead and made the book that he wrote a part of the syllabus. Hmmm, that just seems a little shady for some reason.

The other class is about Tibetan Buddhism. I think that class will be lovely.

You might be wondering, what the heck is her major? Liberal Arts. I can take whatever class I want! It's wonderful. And very helpful in maintaining a flexible schedule, being with the Bunny Boy after all.

He does love his child care. They had a 4th of July bbq today with all sorts of games and crafts. A pinata too.

What else was I going to say..

Oh yes, we are going to the Winnipeg Folk Festival this week! We leave a week from today. I will miss two days of class but I've cleared it so we're good. I am really really really looking forward to seeing family, friends, music, and camping. It's the first camping trip of 2009. Hopefully there will be more in the glory days of August and September!

I will buy batteries soon and you will see video and pictures of the precious boy. He said his first two syllable word yesterday: bubbles.

So smart. Like his mom. Ha.