GSI In-Class Essay/Midterm

This morning/afternoon was the "in-class essay"/midterm in Gobal Security Issues. Long-term readers of the blog may remember my last in-class essay from October, in which I wrote on the topic "Explain why and how the conduct of war was transformed between 1815 and 1914." This time around I wrote on the topic, "Assess the coherence and efficacy of the global strategy of the United States since 2001."

As with the previous event, we were allowed a half sheet of paper with up to one hundred words to use as a note sheet, so my last few days were spent perfecting it and laying out my essay, salient points, and appropriate sources. When we began, the Director said that we had ninety minutes, which spooked me a bit - I had expected to have two hours, and had planned accordingly. I wrote like a maniac, pausing a few times to pop my elbow joint, stretch out my wrist, or think of whatever word was failing to come to mind. I was still writing when the Director began collecting the booklets, and managed to get nearly everything on the note sheet into my exam booklet. I may turn it into a short essay and post it on here at some point in the next week or two.

With that out of the way, it's back to work on some of my other school projects. I've gotten about three quarters of my portion of the memorandum for GSI written, and still need to write the section on Saudi Arabia and the introduction to the GCC. I've gotten a bit of work done on the PowerPoint slide deck that CN Slapshot and I will present in late March. At some point in the next week or so, I also need to look at the requirements for my term paper in SND, which is due right around the same time that CN Slapshot and I will be presenting on Gulf Security, so time management is critical. Oh, yeah, and I'll be working with CN Odin to finish our paper on counterinsurgency for Small Wars Journal. And I need to do two or three loads of laundry. And I need to sort out my taxes and my finances for the month. And I need to get my head shaved and beard trimmed at the well-defended barber shop. And I need to go to the chemist for a few bits and bobs. And I need to do some serious work planning a couple of excursions.

Sheesh, even just writing that makes me feel like taking a nap. Back to work. Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen, because there's always more to come.