So over Spring Break I submitted draft #2 of my honors thesis to Professor Pinedo. I was a little nervous at first, as always, thinking that the second draft probably still needed a lot of work. After editing everything, I got my feedback from Professor Pinedo and she thinks the paper is turning out well and is practically done. Of course, after she said this to me, I finished reading the book Brutal Intimacy by Tim Palmer, a book which is also about New French Extremism. Most of the book was a lot of crap, and only looks at the works of the big name directors, but there was one page that referenced the four movies I'm looking at. It turned out to be decently useful, as a decent amount of what he was saying directly supports my thesis. My paper elaborates on the nasty movies he didn't want to touch. Also, I had e-mailed an author of one of my Rue Morgue articles in regard to a source he used, he e-mailed me back a few days ago. This leaves me in a pretty good spot, I can add a few more pages to the paper and clarify some of my vague parts. Starting to get nervous about this semester ending and having to enter the realm of Grad school, but am very excited at the same time and still have fingers crossed for NYU.
Pinedo said I should check out a few other schools, so I started doing more research for out of school colleges. I looked at U Texas and U Wisconsin... still don't want to go out of state but their programs seem pretty cool. I know this seems lame but I really don't want to leave my boyfriend or friends behind!
On a less serious note, after class today I spoke to Pinedo quickly about my thesis and the movie Insidious came up (I was telling her how awesome it was). When I started telling her about the weird things that have happened to me at my house over the past year (including knocks on my door while no one was home, someone caressing my head, and beer caps flying off of my Miller Light can in my basement) she seemed really interested and said she was going to give her friend who is a psychic my contact info. Not sure I want to know whats calling out to me at my home-- but pretty interesting to say the least.
P.S...Still whoring out my thesis for anyone who wants to take a look and give feedback.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
A bit overwhelmed...
So I haven't gotten a chance to start making revisions on my thesis. I have had a ton of school work to do (including the massive amounts of reading for this class) and everything is kind of just catching up to me at once. My spring break is probably going to be dedicated to working on this paper because the next time I meed with Pinedo is right after Spring Break. I'm also waiting to get a book I ordered on the New French Extremity called "Brutal Intimacy" by Tim Palmer, should be in soon.
On a funnier note, my friends and I usually go to this bar near me called Guys and Dolls. The owner of the bar is a professor at (I forgot the college) but hes written a few books and teaches English. A little while ago, after having a few beers I told him how I'm trying to get into NYU and he offered to take a look at my thesis/ admissions stuff for NYU. I hadn't spoken to him about it for a few months until Friday night when he saw me and told me that I scare him because I'm smarter than him. He then went on to tell me that he is a psychic, and that in the next three months things are going to pick up for me and turn out really well. A good sign or drunken rambling? I guess we'll see.
On a funnier note, my friends and I usually go to this bar near me called Guys and Dolls. The owner of the bar is a professor at (I forgot the college) but hes written a few books and teaches English. A little while ago, after having a few beers I told him how I'm trying to get into NYU and he offered to take a look at my thesis/ admissions stuff for NYU. I hadn't spoken to him about it for a few months until Friday night when he saw me and told me that I scare him because I'm smarter than him. He then went on to tell me that he is a psychic, and that in the next three months things are going to pick up for me and turn out really well. A good sign or drunken rambling? I guess we'll see.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The meeting
First off, I'd like to talk about Black Swan briefly because I just saw it. I was totally disappointed by this movie and thought it was way too hyped up. Although I agree that all of the actors in the film were amazing, the specially effects were lacking and the plot was kind of slow overall. I thought the movie was good... but not as good as Inception (which I still think should have won Best Picture). The only thing that I did really enjoy about Black Swan was Vincent Cassel's performance. Hes so hideous and disgusting, but for some reason he charmed the hell out of me in the movie.
It's kind of hard trying to juggle school, a full time job and a personal life all at once, but I try and do my best... I see movies and TV as somewhat educational because in some ways its relevant to what I'm studying (and also a really good excuse to relax and drink a few beers).
Anyway, so last Wednesday I met with Professor Pinedo. I was really really nervous going into the meeting and assumed that she was probably going to rip me apart. To my surprise she actually had a lot of good feedback and suggestions for the paper and school in general. The thesis needs some material added and obviously some things edited out, but she told be to basically just write down everything now and we can edit a lot of things out later if need be because its much easier to edit things out then force things in. The best advice that she gave me though pertained to NYU's PhD program. She told me I should apply to other, possibly even better schools to make my application more competitive, so that schools want me, rather than me seeming desperate to get into NYU (even though I am and don't want to leave New York). It makes a lot of sense and I was told by Larry Shore (even though I hate him because hes for the most part an angry old man who gives useless knowledge and enjoys complicating the graduation process), told me that with my grades I could probably get a really good scholarship at some of the schools outside of New York. We'll cross that bridge when we get there... my parents and boyfriend were not too thrilled about the idea of out of state and I'm pretty comfortable in my own little suburban hell at this point.
Pinedo also told me that when I graduate Hunter I should try and take a graduate class at the CUNY graduate center or even possibly NYU if they allow non-matrics to take classes and that I should try and get a letter of rec from a Graduate professor because it would make it look like I'm more prepared to skip a master's program and go straight to PhD. Once again makes a lot of sense and was extremely enlightening.
Lastly, when I asked her about New School if I don't get into NYU, Pinedo told me that basically the school is a big waste of money with horrible staff and that students have a hard time graduating from there because it is too lenient.
All in all, it was a great meeting with her. I enjoy talking to Pinedo in general, shes just a brilliant woman and I am so greatful that she took me under her wing a bit and has pushed me to keep writing and get my stuff out there. I have never met a professor like her and don't know if I ever will after Hunter.
Anyway, my next draft is due the day after Spring Break. It should be much easier this time to edit the paper and am actually kind of excited to keep working on it now. I desperately needed the fresh insight provided by Pinedo.
P.S. If anyone wants to read my thesis let me know... most of my friends are not really the scholarly type and my family and boyfriend keep telling me that they are going to read my things but never wind up actually reading them. Any criticism/insight would be appreciated.
It's kind of hard trying to juggle school, a full time job and a personal life all at once, but I try and do my best... I see movies and TV as somewhat educational because in some ways its relevant to what I'm studying (and also a really good excuse to relax and drink a few beers).
Anyway, so last Wednesday I met with Professor Pinedo. I was really really nervous going into the meeting and assumed that she was probably going to rip me apart. To my surprise she actually had a lot of good feedback and suggestions for the paper and school in general. The thesis needs some material added and obviously some things edited out, but she told be to basically just write down everything now and we can edit a lot of things out later if need be because its much easier to edit things out then force things in. The best advice that she gave me though pertained to NYU's PhD program. She told me I should apply to other, possibly even better schools to make my application more competitive, so that schools want me, rather than me seeming desperate to get into NYU (even though I am and don't want to leave New York). It makes a lot of sense and I was told by Larry Shore (even though I hate him because hes for the most part an angry old man who gives useless knowledge and enjoys complicating the graduation process), told me that with my grades I could probably get a really good scholarship at some of the schools outside of New York. We'll cross that bridge when we get there... my parents and boyfriend were not too thrilled about the idea of out of state and I'm pretty comfortable in my own little suburban hell at this point.
Pinedo also told me that when I graduate Hunter I should try and take a graduate class at the CUNY graduate center or even possibly NYU if they allow non-matrics to take classes and that I should try and get a letter of rec from a Graduate professor because it would make it look like I'm more prepared to skip a master's program and go straight to PhD. Once again makes a lot of sense and was extremely enlightening.
Lastly, when I asked her about New School if I don't get into NYU, Pinedo told me that basically the school is a big waste of money with horrible staff and that students have a hard time graduating from there because it is too lenient.
All in all, it was a great meeting with her. I enjoy talking to Pinedo in general, shes just a brilliant woman and I am so greatful that she took me under her wing a bit and has pushed me to keep writing and get my stuff out there. I have never met a professor like her and don't know if I ever will after Hunter.
Anyway, my next draft is due the day after Spring Break. It should be much easier this time to edit the paper and am actually kind of excited to keep working on it now. I desperately needed the fresh insight provided by Pinedo.
P.S. If anyone wants to read my thesis let me know... most of my friends are not really the scholarly type and my family and boyfriend keep telling me that they are going to read my things but never wind up actually reading them. Any criticism/insight would be appreciated.
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