Its great right,

I love when its good and hot until the leaves change. Unfortunately, my hard fought tan has faded and there is nobody around during the day to throw the bee with. It funny but I seem to read the best outside in direct sunlight, bugs bitin' at me, it's good for concentration. Pretty soon it will be too cold to read outside, but I'll still have the study lounge upstairs in the library. Big comfy chairs, peace and quiet, that's the stuff.

However, I was interrupted the other day. Like fifty kids came up for a presentation about why they should come enjoy the MAC with me. I'll forgive them this once for derailing my study train since they are seeing how great the Mount is to get a top notch education, but that's the only time! I hope I see some of them up here next fall!

What's that homework? You want me to do what with you? Oh homework, you are scandalous. Well, I can't ignore an invitation like that, so I guess I'll catch up with you guys next time. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll see you up here on a visit. Later on like Donkey Kong.
Go out and enjoy the weather before it's gone.
DePiro Rules!

Posted by Adam DePiro at 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Evening,

Welcome back to the inside of my odd mind. Gets a little weird in here sometimes, but its a lot of fun. Right now Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is helping me write an introduction for my big research in my Capstone Seminar. I don't know if other schools have a class like this, but it's pretty wild. For us Mounties that are on the way out into the real world, this class is meant to synthesize our majors, experiences, and the Mercy values that we learned here into a "Capstone" for our education. Basically, its a three-hour discussion class that comes up with a lot of ideas I would have never thought of on my own. It takes a special kind of educator to keep a room of people talking for three hours but Dragani is doing a really good job.

For someone who wants to be a teacher its a great experience, because I'm totally utilize his skills when I have a class of my own. I do that to all the professors, however, I don't think I could keep up the energy levels of Diable or Fr. Nik. If I could only match Steinbeiser's one-liners.

Anybody have any good ideas about global citizenship, suggestions would be nice. Time to get back to work. Salude!
Writing soundtracks always need to have good backbeats and a few parts to sing along to.
DePiro Rules!

Posted by Adam DePiro at 11:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Blink and you'll miss it,

How's everybody? Good to hear. Nice to be back. Between work, class, and my big projects I'm a busy guy! But I'd feel like a jerk if I didn't tell you prospective Mounties about all the great stuff going on here at MAC.

One of the nice things about this semester is that I haven't had any tests yet, just a lot of little stuff. In Judaism, we have questions due about our reading everyday which is cool because Diable will explain anything we don't understand. The tricky part about that class is separating what I already know about my own religious tradition and the Jewish view of the life. I just dig learning about other cultures, so I'm really into that class.

Smith is keeping the workload surprisingly light in her classes. What's that all about. In Con Law we spent a day at the library and Shamin, one of our sweet librarians, showed us how to use Lexis-Nexis for our big project on a Supreme Court justice, which was good cause I was a little lost on that one. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to Public Administration because I'm battling a warm weather cold that's just killing me. Luckily, Smith said it was alright because we were doing a case study. When you put effort in, the professors are always willing to work with you. But, that's MAC for you!

I'll see you guys soon, I'm going in for a crash landing.

DePiro Rules!

Posted by Adam DePiro at 11:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That's just not fair,

I really shouldn't have to choose between one or the other. Unfortunately, watching the greatest game ever created by the hand of man is not conducive to properly done homework. But man, there have been a lot of good games on this weekend. Of course, My Steelers. I love you, you are great and the Browns are still the Browns, haha!
However, now that all the games are over I can get to serious reading. I'm reading The Life and Times of Michael K for Dragani, it's a fiction work set against the back drop of civil war in South Africa, powerful stuff and a little unsettling to tell you the truth. I'm interested to see how the discussion goes tomorrow in class.
Chapter 3 in Con Law. We’re just starting to get into the application of specific cases and I've chosen my cases for my oral presentations. One is the ruling that made Nixon turn in his oval office tapes, how cool is that.
The reading in Public Admin. was a case study that was really short for a Smith reading! We do a lot of group work which happens a lot because of the small class sizes. It's cool because you get a lot of one on one with the professors and it helps to get to know everybody. I'm just saying if I was say looking for a new school that might be one of the things I was looking for. Just saying.
Finally, I read Exodus 20 for Judaism. Basically, "Moses said to the Israelites, no messin' around, or else." Now I have to write my discussion questions for the morning, so it's time to get rollin'. See you soon.
Head on a swivel and keep the feet moving,
DePiro Rules!
!

Posted by Adam DePiro at 9:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Or if you don't dig that, my fall schedule,

I've got a pretty cool lineup this fall. I always like it when my class subject matter overlaps. At 8:00 on Tuesdays a have Ken Diable for Contemporary Judaism which has been really cool so far. My religion classes have been some of my favorites since coming to MAC. As a history guy, you can get a whole new perspective on historical events if you understand the religious undertones connected with them. Do I sound like a nerd yet?
At 11:00 I have my good buddy Dr. Smith for Constitutional Law. It's a wonder she isn't sick of me yet because she's seen me twice a semester for the last year. I'm a tutor for her World History II class. Con law makes it feel like I have a mouthful of peanut butter in my brain but I made friends with two Law majors in my summer class that have agreed to help me along in exchange for help in my 2:00 class…with who else but Dr. Smith for Public Administration. There is a lot more to it than I thought. Our big grade is a three person presentation on rural poverty which I'm already starting to work on because my workload is... challenging? Yeah let’s stick with that.
Finally, I have Dr. Dragani for my Capstone class, which I don't know anything about because I haven't had it yet. I heard good things about him so it oughta be alright. I had to butter him up a little bit to get in but after I told him I was a history major that like to talk in class, he was glad to have me.
That's it. These 4 monsters are all that stands between me and a hand shake from Sister Dillon and an exciting new career. Come take the journey with me won't you.
Find out before the last day of add/drop if you need classes... seriously,
DePiro Rules!

Posted by Adam DePiro at 9:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello Mounties, prospective Mounties, parents, and anyone else!
I am Adam DePiro, thankfully, the one and only. This is my third semester at MAC but my last as an undergrad. I transferred in from a larger university after a little time off when I realized the value of a college degree. Since coming here, I've come to appreciate the atmosphere of this little slice of heaven.
My major is History/Political Science but after I graduate in December I'm coming back to get my Secondary Education Certification. Summers off, coaching football, and power-tripping when kids call me Mr. DePiro....sweet. Until then, I'm taking 4 classes, working a part-time job, and subbing in Altoona when they need me. It probably wouldn't be possible to do all this except for the MAC flexible class schedule, as well as, night class.
I'll do my best to tell it straight and keep you up to date. For now, I got reading to do so I gotta get back to work. Later.

DePiro Rules!

Posted by Adam DePiro at 9:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)