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Friday, 11 March 2011

Post inbetween posts 5 - Sin Tango

So... I'm a couple of weeks into studying and as some of you may know, I took a month off from my Tango work. No teaching or dancing since mid February, so that I can concentrate on the studies. Kind of an intensive kick-off phase. That worked out nicely for me, although there is still a lot of Tango-organising and planning to do. That's why I'm never really Tango-free. ;-)

Do I miss dancing or teaching? No. There's too much other things to do, to read and to think. And as I know that I'll be travelling for the rest of the year without pause, I rather cherish the time at home. It's nice. And I'll be refreshed and newly motivated for work.

But, there's a problem: I've got nothing new to write about. Not about Tango anyway. My thoughts are evolving about the definition of modernity in history and literature, about the difference of historicism and historic social sciences, about the long 19th century, the industrial revolution and about Mr. Marx. My head is spinning and I cannot imagine how I can my thoughts in order to pass the exam. I am kinda scared.

Sometimes, I really ask myself: Why am I doing this? I do not need another qualification, I do not need another academic title... I am doing it for the sheer pleasure of learning and yet I am condemming myself to years of studying in my rare free time. That's no fun anymore. I must be crazy. Ok. I can live with that. 

But do not dispair: I'll be back in the Tango world from next weekend on and there'll be much more to write about...

No rest for the wicked!
um

5 comments:

  1. ghost12 March 2011 at 13:47

    I did an extra art qualification when I was 17 simply because I enjoyed art and wanted to paint. However I agreed with the teacher that I wasn't going to do the written coursework because I had no interest in it. I got better at art and enjoyed it, though obviously my grade suffered.

    Likewise www.greatcourses.co.uk do a series of University lectures on dvd and cd with no exams - they just give you the information.

    Is it plausible for you to just study the course as you seem to enjoy that, and then just scrape through the exams as they don't seem to interest you?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Melina Sedo12 March 2011 at 15:44

    Thanks for you comment.

    I dunno! Although I do not need another exam, it would be nice to have it represent the result of my studies. See: studying history is what I did since years and years and I already have a rather broad knowledge (for an amateur). I would be kinda nice to have some "official" proof of that...

    Although that's maybe vain. ;-)

    But I'll see how it develops. If the exam-buisiness bothers me too much, I will rethink my plans!

    Have a nice day!

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  3. Preen and Ogle12 March 2011 at 18:06

    Melina
    I think 'self-inflicted' academic study by the already over-qualified must be a tanguero/tanguera thing. I meet quite a few similarly addicted personalities in various milongas. My 'vice' is social & cultural history.
    Instead of cruising tango blogs I should be working on a dissertation. Why do we do this?
    I look forward to discussing this with you in Devon this May.
    Terry

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  4. Melina Sedo12 March 2011 at 18:14

    I do - on the other hand - know a lot of Tangoeros/as who give up their studies and interests to do Tango exclusively. Who actually stop participating in real life.

    But all this might be a sign of the same phenomenon: that Tangp poeople are usually kinda "intense". Or crazy. ;-)

    Good luck with your dissertation, Terry!

    Melina

    ReplyDelete
  5. Andreas12 March 2011 at 23:40

    What do you mean with "real life"?

    ReplyDelete

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