It's been a long time since I last posted, as multiple family members have been kind enough to remind me. (Hey, family members! If you post comments here, I may write more often!)

And unfortunately, I won't be able to change too much about that right now. This is why:

• Classes start day after tomorrow, Monday
• I have to study for the French qualifying exam, which takes place Monday at 845 am
• For the third time since I chose my classes last May, the authorities have directed my attention to the fact that yet another one of my classes has been canceled: there will be no 199 Dutch this fall. After agonizing about the fact that there were very few classes left that I found interesting, I decided to see if I could get into The 200 literature class, Rise of the Novel. Luckily, Dr. van Werven was nice enough to let me in at the last minute (although he can, of course, change that); however, this means I have to catch up on all of the reading that the other students did over the break. (Thus the large addition to my "to-read" shelf on goodreads.com.)
• I am the chair of the school magazine, Tabula Rasa, and have as yet very, very little to show for it.
• I have to get up bright and early on Wednesday to take care of some residency issues in the Hague.

So I don't think I will be writing too much again for a while. Hopefully, I will read all of "Great Expectations" before 13.45 on Monday; maybe then I will be able to post another quick note. I would really like to tell you all about my three-day trip to Minnesota, so I will do my best...