Like a machine...

I am blazing through books on my Masters reading list, making up for all kinds of procrastination on my part. I have read three complete books in the six days I have been here in Madrid. In addition, I have read articles and literary analysis of 6 or 7 more and written notes on all of them for studying purposes. As a result, I am feeling a little better about the prospect of taking comps in a few weeks. And just for the record, here is a little rundown of my comps and what I can expect:
Start with the reading list of about 60 novels and plays, plus a big ass poetry list, spanning the whole of Spanish literature, from Middle Ages to the 1990's.
Three tests:
1. Three hour essay test, choosing three out of five possible questions, dealing with the entire reading list.
2. Another three hour essay test, 3 out of 5 questions, this time dealing with the area of my choosing: poetry, prose, or theater. I have chosen theater.
3. If I pass those two exams, a two hour oral exam. Picture me in a room with three professors, asking me questions dealing with all of the classes I have taken over the past 4 summers in Madrid.

So I am making some progress. I have spent some time on this prior to this week, of course. But now that I dedicate almost all day, every day to the task, it is starting to seem a bit less daunting.
Almost all day is dedicated to reading and studying, but there is always time for Matt Damon. Yesterday I went to see Ocean's 13 for the first time. I know, I am slipping, but I was out of town for a wedding on opening weekend. Loved the movie--this really is the one they should have made last time, as Soderbergh has been quoted as saying.
I also got to meet MadridMan, a dude who runs a website dedicated to Madrid and all things Spain, which I read regularly. The message board is full of dorks like me who live for anything Spanish. There's a link somewhere over there in the sidebar, if you're curious. But MadridMan used to live in Columbus and last year moved to Madrid. We had a few beers after the movie at a rooftop café and it was a great way to spend the afternoon, on a gorgeous day in Madrid. The summer heat hasn't quite started up yet, so it has been in the 70s all week--I am loving it!
OK, back to the History of Spanish Theater in the 20th Century. Woo-hoo.

Estoy en España

Well, I made it here, despite the best efforts of a thunderstorm in Philadelphia. Close to a two hour delay, 90 minutes of which was spent sitting on the plane with a three-year-old screaming at the top of his lungs incessantly. Finally, they put a cork in the kid and we were on our way.
The apartment this summer in Madrid is ok. Not as good as last year's accomodations. Not as clean, not as quiet, and not as close to campus. But it's only 7 weeks, and I can deal with it. As long as I wash the smoke smell out of my stuff as soon as I get home. I'm also keeping my bedroom door shut as much as I can in an attempt to thwart any bad odors, since it is right off the living room.
Yesterday I took the day off of studies, to just relax from the flight and get settled. I unpacked, went shopping to get some essentials (like the electric converter I forgot at home, so I could plug my laptop in). I also bought a fan to help me sleep through the heat, but the weather now is fantastic. It's probably around 65/70 degrees and I am loving it. But I know the heat is coming...
So today, it's off to the grocery store to get some stuff for my little shelf in the fridge. And then I'll be typing notes and doing some serious reading.

One Day More

One day left of school for the year!! Yippee!! I can't wait for it to be over. This has been a very challenging year for many various and differing reasons and I am very glad to see it come to an end.
Now I am preparing for my yearly trek to Madrid for grad school. I leave June 12 and will be back in August. Before that I have a social schedule that is filling up quickly with goodbye dinners and spending time with friends before I leave. We also have a trip to Door County Wisconsin for Colleen's cousin's wedding. And somewhere in there I have to spend some quality time at the library finishing my notes and study materials for the reading list so I can have a shot at passing my comps this summer.
Hopefully I'll have some time between cramming for comps, going to class, and enjoying the Spanish food and sun to keep up with some posting here. If not, shoot me an email to see what's up. Hasta luego.