I guess I spoke too soon in that last entry where I said things were resolved.

Oh and yesterday there was this crazy incident with my algebra class I’m taking. Approx 45 min before turning in a homework assignment, I am reading over my proofs to make sure I don’t have any typos. I realize in one of the problems, I don’t use the hypothesis at all. So, I turn to my officemate to ask where in his proof he used that S was a ring extension of R. He outlines his argument, and I think about it for a second. I open up my notebook, start writing some definitions and set containments on the board to try to wrap my head around the hint he just gave me. As I’m writing, he says “Oh, that’s not right. You have everything backwards.” The definition given of integral closure in class was WRONG. So, my notes, from which I built all of my homework arguments, were WRONG. So, my argument for one of the 5 problems was WRONG. And completely unsalvageable, especially within 45 minutes.

I was LIVID. I was pacing, and swearing, and generally infuriated by everything in the universe at that moment in time. I opened the file I’d typed my homework assignment in and deleted the entirety of one problem’s solution and began typing a paragraph about how I’d done the problem completely incorrectly because the class notes were wrong. I turned it in with the other work I’d done (which wasn’t affected by this one definition). I’m still pretty angry about it now as I type this, approx 22 hours later. I had to skip class yesterday because of the whole incident. I know if I’d gone, I would have been extremely combative toward the professor and probably really rude, and instead of embarrassing myself in front of my classmates and being disrespectful toward a professor that I actually enjoy having for class, I decided to sit this one out. I felt guilty skipping class, because I hate missing class, especially in grad school. But there’s no way it would have turned out to be anything but a disaster and an embarrassment.

(Aside: you see how if I think I might be a bitch to a person in a position of authority over me, I check myself and act like a normal, respectful human being instead? If only my problem student had this instinct as well.)

Anyway, this week is really stressful in general. And I have at least 2 if not 3 homework assignments due next week. But my birthday is next week and so I’d rather spend all of next week celebrating and partying instead of homework-ing. So I’m going to have to work really hard between now and then to get all of my work done before my birthday. Yay grad school!