Day 4

It is the final day of the final "web institute" I have to attend for this here library science degree. Let me just say the good news first, I think I will actually be able to build a database during this semester. The course material is actually pretty neat. If anyone of you gets spontaneously interested in deciding authority control, building a classification scheme or working with any type of metadata, for that matter, then we should talk. It's a more approachable and thought provoking conversation than you may think.

Still, the charm of 8 hours a day, four days straight of power point lectures wears off before it even starts. That is not to say, however, that there has been a demise though along the way.

Day #1 Disoriented trying to find class. Walk in late. Seat selection not made wisely. End up sitting in between a snorting, coughing smoker and a girl taking copious amounts of notes on everything said. Get nervous that I should be taking more notes. Smoker smell ends up being overcome by some bad, bad cologne. Some guy up front keeps asking obscure questions - I only know who is talking because he moves his big head around like a muppet when he talks.

Day #2 Pretty tired. Arrived early enough for back row seat + moved away from cologne scent and smoker man. Lady who asks tons of questions comes in late and sets up camp in the back - using a garbage can as a desk for her computer and water bottle. Takes her nearly and hour to get situated. After the break, garbage can lady finds a spot in front row so that her questions can be answered.

Day #3 So so so bored. Leaving the lecture hall makes me squint from the light like a ninetendo gamer who has been playing for 3 days in a dark room with stale air. Room begins to smell faintly of burgers after lunch. Why don't these people leave the room to eat?! Lots of more questions from garbage can lady, muppet head and a bunch of soft talkers. Coughing, burping smoker sits behind me. Lady next to me comments "some of these people need their own bubble".

Day #4 Room smells like burgers before lunch. Garbage can lady gives up but muppet head just won't stop, without consideration to how he adds to the lecture. The stink of someone's hard boiled breakfast eggs waft through when people walk by or open the doors. About 1/3 of the class is reading novels from their kindles. One blatantly listens to her iPod with both headphones. Approaching dangerously close to wits end.

3 more hours....