Inferno, Purgatory...finally, Paradise!

It's been a long week (or month...) but it's finally over. The Dante class finished yesterday, and there are still 3 days before the next class starts. It's finally time to relax. Now, it is true that we in the english class were assigned homework for monday, but I'm not thinking about that yet. Clearly the incoming professor is not aware that the weekends in between classes are supposed to be free.
Because I've memorized it, I'd like to share with you what we had to recite for class. It's not that long, but you try reading it, let alone memorizing it. It's not so easy.

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita
mi ritrovai per una selva oscura,
che la diritta via era smarrita.

Ahi quanto a dir qual era e cosa dura
esta selva selvaggio e aspra e forte
che nel pensier rinova la paura!

Tant'e amara che poco e piu morte;
ma per trattar del ben ch'i'vi trovai,
diro de l'altre cose ch'iv'ho scorte.

Io non so ben ridir com' i' v'intrai,
tant' era pien di sonno a quel punto
che la verace via abbandonai.

Ma poi ch'i' fui al pie d'un colle giunto,
la dove terminava quella valle
che m'avea di paura il cor compunto,

guardai in alto e vidi le sue spalle
vestite gia de' raggi del pianeta
che mena dritto altrui per ogne calle.

Now you may be wondering what relevance there is in knowing 18 lines of classical Italian. I'll tell you a secret...THERE IS NONE. I know virtually no Italian, so it's comparable to someone who knows no modern English memorizing Shakespeare or Chaucer. Completely useless.
But if ever, in the middle of your life's journey, you find yourself lost in the middle of a dark wood and care to express that in classical Italian, i can help you out.

Today was a much needed day of relaxation. I stayed up pretty late hanging out with Kate and Garrett and then slept in later than usual. Megan and I had some breakfast and then watched Studio 60 for a bit before talking a walk before lunch. After lunch it was a couple more episodes of Studio 60 and then a two hour nap (which was completely accidental). I'm incredibly thankful for the chance to rest.
The new art teacher arrived today, but I haven't met her yet, and the new english teacher will come in tomorrow.