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11/11/09- I think multiple choice tests are usually the easier alternative to a written test. This is the main reason why i mostly enjoy multiple choice tests. What I definitely do not enjoy are multiple choice tests in English class. I actually find them to be one of the strangest things ever. English is all about reading and writing, correct? So shouldn't we as students be focusing on writing by answering written questions? The class is certainly not about to how to fill in a scantron. Furthermore, English is about finding your own meaning in literature. I find it incredibly difficult to define my feelings and thoughts on a piece of literature when I have to choose from 4 choices, 1 of which is always a terrible answer and 2 of which are so similar that there is almost no discernible difference. This is an example of one of our English test questions (albeit slightly overdramatized): What is the relationship between Romeo and Juliet defined by?

a. love

b. romance

c. friendship

d. hatred

e. all of the above.

English multiple choice just makes no sense to me, and I would much rather write an essay about my interpretation of a novel than be limited by four simple answers.

11/14/09- I've been listening to the new (new to me, at least) musical Next to Normal and it revolves around some truly thought-provoking characters and their strange circumstances. The play is about a "normal" American family and the many issues that they all face. The daughter is a genius but a freak and not one really likes her, not even her mother who shows obvious preference toward her slightly older son. The mother also suffers from severe mental conditions and is wildly bipolar and delusion. The father is the most normal, and easiest to sympathize with as he is tasked with keeping the household under control, though his wife claims that he doesn't care for his son. About halfway through the first act, the wife, Diana, brings out a birthday cake for her son's birthday. She is met with strange looks and the sympathetic husband who sings "he's been dead 16 years. Love, I know you know." The first time i heard this in the music I was super confused because the son is played by an actor who even sings in many of the numbers. This made me question the reality around me. What if I was making up a significant person in my life, and every time someone told me I was wrong I just forgot they told me? It seems impossible, but this is the problem that Diana is faced with and it seems highly possible judging by my knowledge of the possible severity of mental illness caused by traumatic experiences. It's a great musical that really makes you think about the things you take for granted, as well as what you assume is your reality. I highly recommend it, and I'll gladly burn it for anyone who wants to listen to it.