Language Classes, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Hello.

First, I would like to remind those of you who have not yet done so to complete the poll on classes for next semester. Unless, of course, you are done studying languages.

Languages of Europe: Go to the computer terminals in the lab and play French verb hangman. You will get extra credit for telling me which verbs you played with and conjugating them appropriately.

Cat: I already told Miss Hopeless-Savage this, but I am suspending classes in cat-form for the remainder of the semester. I believe it would be irresponsible for me not to do so, given the plague of involuntary animal transformations at the school. Today, you may read through the web archives of "Cat and Girl", by Dorothy Gambrell. The cat in this strip is drawn largely in human form; discuss how its body language remains feline.

Comments

Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Work in the lab or visit Dream here. Archie, your midterm is calling.

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Um, sir?" Rory asks, knocking on the doorframe. "You wanted to, um, see me? About my nightmares?"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Dream rises from his chair. "If you do not mind discussing them," he says.

[OOC: Headed home in a few. Pick this up around 7?]

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I don't," Rory says, fidgeting. "I mean, if you think you can help, or something."

[ooc: Sure thing!]

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Dream pulls his cloak around him. His expression is one of concern. "I have some power over dreams," he says, simplifying things considerably. "The dream that Bridge alerted me to was terrible. You are an excellent student, and you know pain enough."

He taps a finger against his chin. "Is the dream something that happened to you, as you remember it?"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Rory says softly. "It's like living it over again."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"That changes my options," Dream says. "Let me lay them out, and you can pick.

I could erase that area of the Dreaming. It would be gone, as would your dreams. That always feels like a violation, and I do it only as a last resort.

I can drop a cloud over your dreams, so you will not remember them. They will still come, though.

I can assign a guardian to supervise the dreams and protect you if at all possible.

Or I can teach you some techniques that will help you fight them, to control them and be aware they are only dreams. That helped Miss Parker and Miss D'ancanto, I believe."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Um, the last one, I guess," Rory says hesitantly. "You helped Parker and Rogue, too?"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Dream says. "Many students here have troubling dreams."

He glides over to his bookshelf. "The main technique I would suggest is something called lucid dreaming. If you are aware a dream is a dream, you retain power over it; you can turn the situation to your advantage, or leave it altogether. Turn the vampire into a kitten, for example, or overpower him yourself, if that is your wish." He hands Rory a slim blue volume. "Here (http://www.lucidity.com/) is a text on the subject."

"As a secondary control, I had one student select an object that she could focus on during the dream. Maintaining awareness of the trinket allowed her to rise above the horror around her. Do you have any jewelry, or personal objects, that might work that way for you?"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker stops by during office hours, wearing a bemused smile. "Professor? I ran into a friend of yours. In Special Collections."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Oh?," Dream says.

His tone is friendly, by his own standards.

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker bites her lip. "A Lucien, in the library? He was catalogging a new quarto and looking for a raven. He said to tell you that everything continues well." She shook her head, looking bemused. "He gave us directions out, which was very nice of him."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Ah, Lucien. He is one of my oldest and must trusted aides," Dream says. "I wasn't aware students could find the spot where the Dreaming and Fandom meet. I'm glad he was there to point you the way home."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Definitely. Angela Chase and I were fairly relieved at that point. Special Collections has been weird before, although that was... new." She smiled. "We're taking Rory Gilmore in there next week, so if we run into him again, I'll tell him you said so."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," Dream says. "Though I hope for your sake that you do not wander as far afield with Miss Gilmore."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Definitely not. Map, string, and Zero to get us out next time." Parker smiled. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you know. What I saw of your world was... really interesting."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"I am very proud of my library," Dream says, lips curving into a gentle smile. "I shoould spend some time there at the weekend."

"Thank you for stopping by."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

Archie turns up during office hours to take his midterm. He's a bit pale with nervousness, but seems calm enough otherwise.

[OOC: Ugh -- only now getting around to classes!]

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Lieutenant Kennedy," Dream says mildly. While he's no more severe than usual, there's nothing in his manner to settle Archie's nerves. He hands the student a one-page test -- half Spanish vocabulary and grammar, half translation exercises.

"Let me know when you're ready to begin our dialogue," he says. "We will talk for five minutes in Spanish."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

Archie nods nervously and goes over the test in front of him. As it's written, it's a little bit easier for him to handle than the spoken part will be; less thinking on his feet, and he can take his time. He does so, struggling a bit with the grammar, though his vocabulary is fairly solid. The translation exercises take him longer, and one or two of them involve the use of slang colloquialisms that should not, technically, be considered correct usage.

Once he finally finishes the test, he clears his throat and looks up at Dream. "/I am prepared to begin now./"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Dream smiles as reassuringly as he can manage.

/Excellent,// he says. //How do you think you did on the test?//

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"/I feel I could have done better,/" Archie replies truthfully. "/But I am still pleased with my work."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Dream glances over the test.

//It looks like you did fairly well.

Do you have weekend plans?//

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"/Only more study. I will see what . . . ah, may change. I have not seen much of other people outside of my classes./"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

//Study will help you make up the time you missed. Good idea.

What other classes are you taking?//