A new semester has begun. The basics: I signed up for two math classes this semester-- 442, Mathematical Analysis II, and 333, Chaotic Dynamical Systems. There's a definite leap in diffuculty from 300-level to 400-level. What's interesting is that both are taught by the same teacher, same room, right in a row. The teacher gave me a funny look when I sat in after 442 for 333; I guess he was wondering why I'd want to take a lower-level course. But, hey, I'd missed it last year, and it counts towards the math degree. One of the first things he explained in 333 was that it "opens the door" for mathematical analysis. Well, hell, shoulda known that before I took the first half last semester.

Also in mentoring 204, "Independent Research." Sat in on my first class for that Friday, looks like it'll be a doozy. I hate open-ended classes, and this one's as open as it gets. I have to choose a topic related to mentoring, get approval for my approach, figure out how to answer whatever questions I raise, then do it. And write a paper on it. And present it at a conference. Yay! *cringe* I'm looking at investigating the mentoring program's impact on nontraditional students; it's always stuck a little in my craw that the program is so heavily weighted towards meeting the needs of students who are coming out of high school or whatever.

...

I went dancing on Friday. Less than a minute after entering the dance floor, I was targeted by a couple of women. One was a short emo-type thing, and her friend kept pushing her into me as I tried to dance. It was incredibly awkward; perhaps under some other circumstances (like if I knew if I were single) I'd have reacted well, but as it was... uncomfortable. I was just there to dance, and they wouldn't let up.

What was interesting was watching their demeanors change over the span of a few minutes as they realized that I wasn't really responding to the overt gestures. What started as interest and attention-seeking became anger, then outright mockery as they determined rather loudly/rudely that I must be gay since I preferred to dance by myself.

So many times I've been at dance clubs or other situations where pushy men won't take "no" for an answer, then rudely call a woman a "lesbian" because they want to just dance alone or with friends... it's funny when the roles are reversed.

...

Still no contact from Heather. *sigh*

...

ShutTheFuckUp's official name now: Quinne. Oddly enough, not really from the SG of the same name, but from the Manfred Mann's Earth Band/Bob Dylan song Quinn the Eskimo. The "e" feminizes the name, I guess.

But she'll always be ShutTheFuckUp in my heart. Especially when she wakes me up.