Do the Happy Dance!
I gave my second-semester lecture today, hurraah for me!
It was a two-hour long lecture-workshop, where interspersed with lecture-y bits the students discuss particular topics in small groups.
Overall I think it went okay, still speaking a bit fast I think, but apparantly I improved in the second half (when this had been pointed out to me). My trusty learning partner Joanna handed over her notes, so once I manage to tear myself away from the computer I'll have a read through those - and I might finish off the Potterstakes chocolates Karen so kindly provided*. It was a topic I enjoy, and it was a lot of fun researching for it.
I've discovered that my attitude towards a particular subject is coloured by the attitudes in the subject of study itself. Complicated? No. I read about enthiastic people, I become enthusiastic about them. In this case the sense of creativity and passion of the 19th century national romantics comes through in the secondary material, so it's quite inspiring to read it.
Compare this to my actual thesis topic, which requires plenty of film theory. Although there are exceptions, a lot of the material I come across is quite whingy and bitter (oh how nobody truly appreciates the seventh art!), so I become quite whingy and bitter about film. Not good, when I am supposed to thoroughly engage with the material and say something new and inspiring about it in turn...
*note the "positive reinforcement"- approach to reading feedback.