The Wednesday reading thingy
Apr. 10th, 2013 09:33 pmCame as close as I've come today to taking a semester off (sounds so much better than dropping out), but I went for an enjoyable shopping trip with the kid, said hi to ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stonebender, and talked myself into going to school. Went to school, gave my presentation, came home to a clean house and a dinner not made by me. So there's all that.
And books! I have books!
What I'm reading: Still reading Existence. It's long and I'm in school, so it'll probably be at this end of the list for a while. For school, I'm reading Chaucer and Shakespeare and a bunch of American Lit. Rough life.
What I'll read next: My to-read pile looks like this:
Mean Little deaf Queer
Number the Stars
Brown Girl in the Ring
I have nine weeks left of school. I can do this.
stonebender, and talked myself into going to school. Went to school, gave my presentation, came home to a clean house and a dinner not made by me. So there's all that.And books! I have books!
What I'm reading: Still reading Existence. It's long and I'm in school, so it'll probably be at this end of the list for a while. For school, I'm reading Chaucer and Shakespeare and a bunch of American Lit. Rough life.
What I'll read next: My to-read pile looks like this:
Mean Little deaf Queer
Number the Stars
Brown Girl in the Ring
I have nine weeks left of school. I can do this.
Making choices
Apr. 4th, 2013 06:04 amHad a terrible day yesterday, and was considering dropping the most awful of my two awful Wednesday classes and graduating a quarter late, but I think I'm just going to tough it out. Only ten weeks; I can do this bullshit class with all its bullshit group work for ten weeks. Bleah.
In other, more important news, heading over to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
wtfpotatoes's place today to finish filling out out the papers to adopt her. It's pretty easy to adopt an adult in this state, and I would have done it sooner (like, say, when the kids were babies) if my sister had let me, so it feels good to be able to do it now.
Perspective. That's what I needed. Much better.
In other, more important news, heading over to
wtfpotatoes's place today to finish filling out out the papers to adopt her. It's pretty easy to adopt an adult in this state, and I would have done it sooner (like, say, when the kids were babies) if my sister had let me, so it feels good to be able to do it now.Perspective. That's what I needed. Much better.
One down, one to go
Mar. 16th, 2013 08:20 pmAll done with Black Lit class, yay! My paper could have been better (and longer). I decided it was good enough. We'll see what the professor thinks. Now all I have left is the rest of poetry class: 1) revise three poems for my portfolio; 2) write a poem for the anonymity game (in which we don't put our names on our poems and classmates try to guess who wrote which); 3) write up the poetry reading I went to the other night; and 4) put together a submission for the poetry magazine on campus -- we get credit for submitting to that.
But for tonight? I'm done. Done done done. Bring on the vintage SNL!
But for tonight? I'm done. Done done done. Bring on the vintage SNL!
Yeah, yeah
Mar. 16th, 2013 08:50 amMe: Do you know I love you?
james_huber: Yep.
Me: Do you know I'm ready to be done with school?
Him: Yep. I also know that you were ready to be done with school last quarter.
Me: Yep.
Him: AND, I know that once the quarter's over, I say, "You know, you don't have to finish school if you don't want," and you say, "But-- but-- pencil cases! new notebooks! fun classes! nerdgasm!"
Yeah.
james_huber: Yep.Me: Do you know I'm ready to be done with school?
Him: Yep. I also know that you were ready to be done with school last quarter.
Me: Yep.
Him: AND, I know that once the quarter's over, I say, "You know, you don't have to finish school if you don't want," and you say, "But-- but-- pencil cases! new notebooks! fun classes! nerdgasm!"
Yeah.
Home stretch
May. 4th, 2012 11:04 pmI just submitted my application to graduate in Fall, so if all goes as planned, I'll finally finish college on December 9th of this year, 30 years and 6 months after my first day of college, at the tender age of 15.
It's 5:08pm right now. My next class starts at 6:30 (usually a few minutes later than that, actually), and I've already eaten and done all my homework. That means I genuinely have an hour and change to just hang out and do what I please. This is limited a little by the fact that the library computers don't offer any privacy, so I won't be typing up any posts I wouldn't want strangers seeing over my shoulder or anything, but oh, my. An hour to myself, with nothing pressing on me! (I have essays due Monday; I don't count that as having homework to do, because they're already in good-second-draft form or better. Likewise a little reading I need to do before Monday, but the book's at home and it's short, anyway.)
Whee!
( And speaking of school... )
( About my mom )
( Call for submissions )
Whee!
( And speaking of school... )
( About my mom )
( Call for submissions )
HI, Internet Frenz!
Apr. 19th, 2012 07:25 pmWhat. A. Week!
I say that a lot these days, don't I? But oh, man, whatta week. I won a prize and met Lorna Dee Fucking Cervantes, wrote three papers, including a short story, navigated some potentially dramatic relationship stuff that didn't turn out to be (oh, yeah, I forgot I chose low-drama family members), finished week 3 of 10 at school, got offered a full-time position at work doing the same job I'm doing now part-time, at which I worked my ASS off this week, and it's only Thursday!
Saturday is Cal Day, and I've committed to making cookies for it. The kid was gonna come over tonight and make them with me, but she's not up for it, so
I
Have
An
Evening
Of
Downtime!!
(I'm gonna chip away at my homework, but I have until Monday before anything's due, James is making dinner, and oh, goodness, downtime!)
( And you didn't think I wouldn't do some silly survey thingies, did you? Here's one from submarine_bells )
I say that a lot these days, don't I? But oh, man, whatta week. I won a prize and met Lorna Dee Fucking Cervantes, wrote three papers, including a short story, navigated some potentially dramatic relationship stuff that didn't turn out to be (oh, yeah, I forgot I chose low-drama family members), finished week 3 of 10 at school, got offered a full-time position at work doing the same job I'm doing now part-time, at which I worked my ASS off this week, and it's only Thursday!
Saturday is Cal Day, and I've committed to making cookies for it. The kid was gonna come over tonight and make them with me, but she's not up for it, so
I
Have
An
Evening
Of
Downtime!!
(I'm gonna chip away at my homework, but I have until Monday before anything's due, James is making dinner, and oh, goodness, downtime!)
( And you didn't think I wouldn't do some silly survey thingies, did you? Here's one from submarine_bells )
He's phoning it in, wouldn't you say?
Mar. 12th, 2012 06:21 pmJames, hugging me hello after a 10-hour day at work: "Do you have lots and lots of homework to do?"
Me: *whimper*
Him: "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Me: "You can do my homework for me. Duh."
Him: *laugh*
Me: "What do you know about Flannery O'Connor?"
Him: "What? Is that a person?"
Me: *can't decide whether to laugh or whimper some more*
Him: "Well, if it will help, you can talk it out with me -- tell me all about -- wait. What was it again? Flannel O'Donnell? No, that's Rosie's kid. Okay, start over."
Me: *dissolves into giggles*
Me: *whimper*
Him: "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Me: "You can do my homework for me. Duh."
Him: *laugh*
Me: "What do you know about Flannery O'Connor?"
Him: "What? Is that a person?"
Me: *can't decide whether to laugh or whimper some more*
Him: "Well, if it will help, you can talk it out with me -- tell me all about -- wait. What was it again? Flannel O'Donnell? No, that's Rosie's kid. Okay, start over."
Me: *dissolves into giggles*
Best. Day. Ever.
Mar. 6th, 2012 10:13 pmThought the day might suck because I had to turn around at the bus stop, go home, and grab my homework, which I'd forgotten, and that was gonna make me late for school.
BUT THEN!
The kid told me SHE GOT THE CUTE PLACE SHE WANTED! Sorry for yelling but ohmigosh I won't have to kick her out and cute place yay!
AND THEN
I walked into my class late, and the tough teacher who has really improved my essay skills was using my essay as a good example AND I got an A on it!
Add in a nice long walk, an hour between classes (a rare luxury), two people competing to pack my lunch for today, and celebratory sushi, and you have a recipe for awesome.
She got the place!!!!!!!!!!!
BUT THEN!
The kid told me SHE GOT THE CUTE PLACE SHE WANTED! Sorry for yelling but ohmigosh I won't have to kick her out and cute place yay!
AND THEN
I walked into my class late, and the tough teacher who has really improved my essay skills was using my essay as a good example AND I got an A on it!
Add in a nice long walk, an hour between classes (a rare luxury), two people competing to pack my lunch for today, and celebratory sushi, and you have a recipe for awesome.
She got the place!!!!!!!!!!!
School burbling
Feb. 23rd, 2012 07:48 pmThe other day, I posted about a night class I wanted to take but wasn't sure I wanted to deal with the commute for. Then shit got silly.
( cut for length and potential boringosity )
( cut for length and potential boringosity )
(no subject)
Jan. 28th, 2012 09:37 amDue by Tuesday: 4-page essay for Critical Writing on Fiction; 5-to-6-page piece of creative nonfiction for Writing Women's Lives; and 4 one-page essay answers for a test in Women in Performance. By Tuesday. See you in a few days!
Winter quarter 2012
Jan. 10th, 2012 06:54 amThis is the first day of my second quarter of university, and happily, I am finally not sick. I'm a little hung over from sleeping something like twelve hours a day for a few days, but I'm mostly well, and ready to meet my first day. I'm starting it off by leaving an hour and a half early so I can go to an advising appointment before class starts: I need to make sure I'm not wasting a single unit on classes I don't need for my degree. Normally, I don't like thinking about school that way, but that's why I have nearly four years' worth of credits and only a two-year degree out of it. So I'll batten down the hatches, or some other bad metaphor, and get this BA done as quickly as I can.
Still shopping for grad schools. Getting a LOT of recommendations to do one of SF State's counseling programs. Two of my co-workers LOVED their Rehab Counseling cohort programs there, and my upstairs neighbor is really grooving on the MFT she's doing, as well. Plus, the commute is roughly the same as I'm doing now. We'll see. The idea of an online masters is appealing, but maybe if I can do something close by, that would be as good, and I do like going to school. (I don't really like the commute, I'll be honest, but it's not too terribly onerous.)
So, ten weeks of this. My schedule is as follows:
T/Th on campus:
Critical Writing on Fiction
Writing Women's Lives: A Workshop
ASL II
Online
A theater class, Women in Performance
On the waiting list for Women and Literature
Now that I'm not sick or exhausted, I'm getting a little excited about it.
Still shopping for grad schools. Getting a LOT of recommendations to do one of SF State's counseling programs. Two of my co-workers LOVED their Rehab Counseling cohort programs there, and my upstairs neighbor is really grooving on the MFT she's doing, as well. Plus, the commute is roughly the same as I'm doing now. We'll see. The idea of an online masters is appealing, but maybe if I can do something close by, that would be as good, and I do like going to school. (I don't really like the commute, I'll be honest, but it's not too terribly onerous.)
So, ten weeks of this. My schedule is as follows:
T/Th on campus:
Critical Writing on Fiction
Writing Women's Lives: A Workshop
ASL II
Online
A theater class, Women in Performance
On the waiting list for Women and Literature
Now that I'm not sick or exhausted, I'm getting a little excited about it.
Here we go
Dec. 18th, 2011 08:48 pmGood, if unproductive weekend. Came home from work on Friday in a foul temper (I assume from relief at the end of both my own school quarter and our students' semester, which was especially hard for me this time around because I was finding people scribes for their finals. I think I just had a mini-meltdown from its being finally over), and it took me until yesterday morning to feel vaguely like myself again.
This week, I have to work Monday/Wednesday/Friday, but my boss is not here and my file clerk is, so I think I'll be able to get lots of work done. I hope so! It would be awesome to be able to greet my boss next month with the files in order; they've gotten so bad with all the work turmoil.
Got to go to Costco withwild_irises yesterday, which was fun, and have spent some time cooking and cleaning and exercising, but lots more time staring into space and playing computer games than usual. Which, of course, is okay. If my dad gets here on Saturday morning and my house is a wreck, hell, he lived with me for 14 years; it will not be news to him.
We are liking the Bowflex. It's easy to use and was fairly easy to put together. It takes up a HUGE amount of space, so it's good that we have a big living room and no sofa.
sogwife has to have surgery this week (I don't feel okay talking about the details; that's her story, but my story is...) and I'm worried for her, but also glad she's able to have it done. I wish I had the wherewithal to go up and hold her hand and stuff, but honestly, I'm standing
righthere
and the end of my rope is
rightoverthere
My dad and stepmom will only be here for one day, the 24th -- they leave the morning of the 25th -- and then when they're gone, I have one week off from EVERYTHING: school, work, and obligations. I will be broke, but that's okay. I will be in my house, with my family, recovering. I can hold out for one week until that happens. Pretty sure. Probably.
The kid's grades come out on January 3rd, according to her school's website. I'm actually kind of glad I don't have to deal with that conversation until after Christmas and her birthday. I'm not feeling anxious about it, but I still don't think it'll be easy. Unless somehow I'm completely wrong and she didn't actually drop out of school without telling me. Again. I mean, there are people who manage to get good grades without going to class, right?
This week, I have to work Monday/Wednesday/Friday, but my boss is not here and my file clerk is, so I think I'll be able to get lots of work done. I hope so! It would be awesome to be able to greet my boss next month with the files in order; they've gotten so bad with all the work turmoil.
Got to go to Costco with
wild_irises yesterday, which was fun, and have spent some time cooking and cleaning and exercising, but lots more time staring into space and playing computer games than usual. Which, of course, is okay. If my dad gets here on Saturday morning and my house is a wreck, hell, he lived with me for 14 years; it will not be news to him.We are liking the Bowflex. It's easy to use and was fairly easy to put together. It takes up a HUGE amount of space, so it's good that we have a big living room and no sofa.
sogwife has to have surgery this week (I don't feel okay talking about the details; that's her story, but my story is...) and I'm worried for her, but also glad she's able to have it done. I wish I had the wherewithal to go up and hold her hand and stuff, but honestly, I'm standing righthere
and the end of my rope is
rightoverthere
My dad and stepmom will only be here for one day, the 24th -- they leave the morning of the 25th -- and then when they're gone, I have one week off from EVERYTHING: school, work, and obligations. I will be broke, but that's okay. I will be in my house, with my family, recovering. I can hold out for one week until that happens. Pretty sure. Probably.
The kid's grades come out on January 3rd, according to her school's website. I'm actually kind of glad I don't have to deal with that conversation until after Christmas and her birthday. I'm not feeling anxious about it, but I still don't think it'll be easy. Unless somehow I'm completely wrong and she didn't actually drop out of school without telling me. Again. I mean, there are people who manage to get good grades without going to class, right?
(no subject)
Oct. 19th, 2011 07:08 pm( Excuse me while I pat myself on the back )
School is so much easier for me the older I get, mainly because I get better at dragging my ass to school and doing the homework, whether or not I feel like it. I used to have the impulse control of a sociopath (the MMPI told me so); I am still super-impulsive, but I can sometimes come through for myself, and this makes me happy.
School is so much easier for me the older I get, mainly because I get better at dragging my ass to school and doing the homework, whether or not I feel like it. I used to have the impulse control of a sociopath (the MMPI told me so); I am still super-impulsive, but I can sometimes come through for myself, and this makes me happy.
1) Look what stonebender and loracs got me! Isn't she great?
2) Still loving school. Teachers who put assignments up a week late and don't shift the deadline? Not so much.
3) Work is getting better because (a) I have an assistant; and (b) I'm forcing myself to leave work on time every day, which I think is actually making me more motivated to be productive during my work hours.
4) There's a person at work (we don't work together, but I see her most days) who looks a LOT like my dear friendhobbitbabe, and seeing her makes me happy.
5) My chosen family memberwild_irises is going to be one of two Wiscon Guests of Honor in May, and while I wish I could go, I can't. So the family's taking Deb out to dinner tomorrow to celebrate. I love it that people I love are doing such cool things.
6) Speaking of that,clever_doberman and my friend/co-worker Danny have a voice class recital tomorrow evening, and the family's going to continue on after the celebration dinner and go listen to our friends sing. Should be nice.
7) I've been on a total Korean-food kick. Check out what our dinners have been looking like lately (well, minus the writing; I added that for you. You can see a bigger photo by clicking on it, and you can look up the dishes if you're interested at my new favorite cooking site, http://www.maangchi.com -- only five of the dishes you see are filled with store-bought things (pickled garlic, gochujang [red pepper paste], Korean barbecue sauce [I can make it, but it was on super-cheap sale], pickled herring, and the seaweed); I made all the rest, mostly with the help of Maangchi's videos.
stonebender and loracs got me! Isn't she great?2) Still loving school. Teachers who put assignments up a week late and don't shift the deadline? Not so much.
3) Work is getting better because (a) I have an assistant; and (b) I'm forcing myself to leave work on time every day, which I think is actually making me more motivated to be productive during my work hours.
4) There's a person at work (we don't work together, but I see her most days) who looks a LOT like my dear friend
hobbitbabe, and seeing her makes me happy.5) My chosen family member
wild_irises is going to be one of two Wiscon Guests of Honor in May, and while I wish I could go, I can't. So the family's taking Deb out to dinner tomorrow to celebrate. I love it that people I love are doing such cool things.6) Speaking of that,
clever_doberman and my friend/co-worker Danny have a voice class recital tomorrow evening, and the family's going to continue on after the celebration dinner and go listen to our friends sing. Should be nice.7) I've been on a total Korean-food kick. Check out what our dinners have been looking like lately (well, minus the writing; I added that for you. You can see a bigger photo by clicking on it, and you can look up the dishes if you're interested at my new favorite cooking site, http://www.maangchi.com -- only five of the dishes you see are filled with store-bought things (pickled garlic, gochujang [red pepper paste], Korean barbecue sauce [I can make it, but it was on super-cheap sale], pickled herring, and the seaweed); I made all the rest, mostly with the help of Maangchi's videos.
I've been back to school for a week now. I really really like it. I'm almost (almost!) sorry I only have a year left to go. My classes range from acceptably good to awesome; my teachers range from meh to awesome. The campus is pretty and uncrowded. The commute is long but not difficult. And I'm so much better at being a student than I was when I was a kid. I think this is gonna work out.
Weekend noteishness
Sep. 24th, 2011 07:29 am1) First weekend of homework. There's a lot to do, but it's manageable. I *think* five classes will work out for me. If I feel differently in two weeks, I'll drop the one class (women and their bodies) that I didn't actually turn out to need, but it looks like I'll like it. It's taught by a man, though -- what's up with that?
2) Point me to bento communities? I want ideas for my new bento thermos
3) Today is my planned day withstonebender, but I may not be up for leaving the house. I got up at 5am and have sat in this desk chair, virtually immobile, ever since.
4) I bought a freezer!. I've never bought an actual appliance before. I'm excited. They're delivering it on Monday, and the first week of October, I'll cook a bunch of stuff to fill the freezer with. It even has a quick-freeze option for when I fill it up with a bunch of food at once.
5) I need to dig out my cheapo mp3 player and load it up with podcasts and music for my school commute. It turns out I cannot manage to study on the BART/bus. None of the rides is really long enough, and there are two transfers, so I end up paying attention to when I'll be getting off and transferring, and so on, so my attention just isn't there for the whole reading thing.
6) Tempted to write some code that will auto-fill my "mood" field with "happy and exhausted".
7) They let me hire a student worker to assist me with filing at work. I'm so thrilled! She'll come in for six hours a week and get my files under control. They're so jam-packed right now that people can't even get into them. It's crazy!
8) My food blog was featured on a big blogging community website. I wish my blog design weren't so ugly. Maybe I need to shell out some money to get it fixed.
2) Point me to bento communities? I want ideas for my new bento thermos
3) Today is my planned day with
stonebender, but I may not be up for leaving the house. I got up at 5am and have sat in this desk chair, virtually immobile, ever since.4) I bought a freezer!. I've never bought an actual appliance before. I'm excited. They're delivering it on Monday, and the first week of October, I'll cook a bunch of stuff to fill the freezer with. It even has a quick-freeze option for when I fill it up with a bunch of food at once.
5) I need to dig out my cheapo mp3 player and load it up with podcasts and music for my school commute. It turns out I cannot manage to study on the BART/bus. None of the rides is really long enough, and there are two transfers, so I end up paying attention to when I'll be getting off and transferring, and so on, so my attention just isn't there for the whole reading thing.
6) Tempted to write some code that will auto-fill my "mood" field with "happy and exhausted".
7) They let me hire a student worker to assist me with filing at work. I'm so thrilled! She'll come in for six hours a week and get my files under control. They're so jam-packed right now that people can't even get into them. It's crazy!
8) My food blog was featured on a big blogging community website. I wish my blog design weren't so ugly. Maybe I need to shell out some money to get it fixed.
This'll be fairly disjointed. I'm too wiped to organize.
I'm really truly a college student now! Did my three on-campus classes (back-to-back, two hours each) today; started my two online courses last night. Outside of one teacher who will frustrate me, I'm happy with all my classes. (And inside one teacher, it's too dark to read!)
ASL teacher is a kick. Great sense of humor, third-generation Deaf, and she is enthusiastic about combining our ASL lessons with some Deaf culture awareness, so that's awesome.
My classes are as far apart as they can be and still be on the same campus, and there are lots of stairs getting from one to the other, so man, did I get a workout today, especially after ASL, when the teacher let us out a minute late and I had nine minutes to get to Ethics. Not complaining, though (much), because it did feel good to get a bunch of exercise, and to feel busy and productive all day.
The school desks are too small to be comfortable at all, but not too small for me to fit in them, so that'll do.
I packed myself a decent lunch, so I didn't spend any money today except for my train fare, so that's cool. I need to do some planning for optimal lunch packing, but now that my super-nifty thermos has arrived, that's gonna be fun/easy/silly.
I'm really truly a college student now! Did my three on-campus classes (back-to-back, two hours each) today; started my two online courses last night. Outside of one teacher who will frustrate me, I'm happy with all my classes. (And inside one teacher, it's too dark to read!)
ASL teacher is a kick. Great sense of humor, third-generation Deaf, and she is enthusiastic about combining our ASL lessons with some Deaf culture awareness, so that's awesome.
My classes are as far apart as they can be and still be on the same campus, and there are lots of stairs getting from one to the other, so man, did I get a workout today, especially after ASL, when the teacher let us out a minute late and I had nine minutes to get to Ethics. Not complaining, though (much), because it did feel good to get a bunch of exercise, and to feel busy and productive all day.
The school desks are too small to be comfortable at all, but not too small for me to fit in them, so that'll do.
I packed myself a decent lunch, so I didn't spend any money today except for my train fare, so that's cool. I need to do some planning for optimal lunch packing, but now that my super-nifty thermos has arrived, that's gonna be fun/easy/silly.
I'm off for my first day back to school. Very exciting. Got my way-too-heavy backpack. Got my lunch and snacks. Got my bus pass and BART money. I'm all set.
(Online classes started last night. Looks like they'll be good, though I have some quibbles with the language used in one of the lectures, like I want to sit down and give the instructor some Language of Oppression 101 training, but her heart is obviously in the right place.)
(Online classes started last night. Looks like they'll be good, though I have some quibbles with the language used in one of the lectures, like I want to sit down and give the instructor some Language of Oppression 101 training, but her heart is obviously in the right place.)
