Math is fun?

We were certainly nerding it up last night. Using sea charts, rulers, military time, speed (in knots), and compasses, we had to figure out where in the ocean our imaginary ship was located. It involved so much logic, which I actually do like...I even had the option to leave from class early to begin cooking dinner, since we were running behind schedule, but I stayed instead, eager to continue solving problems. Rich, the literature professor, had to tell us it was time to stop and basically kicked us out. I'm grateful he put a cap on it because I think if he hadn't, we would have all continued working through dinner and would have gone onto the next event without food in our bellies.

After dinner, around 8pm...oh my goodness...our history professor, Glenn, BECAME Josiah Gardiner, a 19th Century seaman. He was amazing, speaking just like someone from that time period with an 8th grade education, "Oh yeah, I done that...I seen that...uhhh, umm...what else..." He told us that we were all adults and we would have a hard time suspending belief, but we had to try! (Wasn't too hard for me...that's all theatre is!) I had no trouble and instantly fell for Josiah's drama and troubles at sea, from encountering "ghosts," which turned out to be porpoises, to digging in Australia. He even showed us his missing tooth, lifting up his upper lip and baring his canines at us. (I must admit, I was taken a bit aback at this point.) He told us afterward about what goes into creating a character from history for role-play. He takes his own experiences and selects different experiences from many stories and accounts of people long dead. He does not make anything up, but rather, he meshes details of different lives to bring the 19th century sea to life.

I think this would be an amazing job. I think I'd like to possibly do it someday...I'd have the opportunity to challenge myself mentally through research and gaining more knowledge about the past. I'd also have the task of helping with the important process of maintaining our history and educating people, while getting to act, which is a passion of mine.

Today, we had our first Marine Policy class. I must admit, I was a bit hesitant to take a law class, since it's outside of my comfort zone, but my gosh, the professor is so engaging and FUNNY. She went on a rant about getting shirts a town over and complained about New jersey, and how no one in RI drives...they won't even drive to CT. hehe We WILL be reading 5 or 6 actual cases for each class, which intimidates me, but hopefully, with her as a professor, it won't be too bad. She also told us each house is responsible for bringing a different snack each week, and it has to relate to the theme of the week. She said one year, a group made a big chocolate, cake in the shape of a big fish, eating smaller swedish fish in order to demonstrate invasive species. Pretty clever, but hoo, we have big shoes to fill!

Anyway, I best be off. We are going to learn knotting soon and are in the throes of preparing for our off-shore trip. We also are being quizzed on different parts of the rigging...so many parts to remember!

-Main Mast
-Main Sail
-Main Staysail
-Fisherman Staysail
-Fore Mast
-Course
-Topsail
-Topsail Yard
-JT
-Jib
-Fore Staysail
-Bowsprit
-Main Boom
-Stay
-Hank

Wow...I actually remembered them all! Go me! :)