For the past couple of months, Tuesday has been my favorite day of the week. Why? For the simple reason that it is the day that I can do absolutely NOTHING, if I wish to do nothing, or I can do whatever I want to do. I know that most people have this day on either Saturday or Sunday, but I work in retail sales, so weekend work is mandatory for me. However Monday and Tuesday work is NOT mandatory for me, and I've asked to be off those 2 days of the week.
Monday is my day at school, and I'm usually finishing up some kind of assignment, so that I can hand it in before my class starts at 6 pm. I love going to campus one night a week. It makes the work a lot easier for me, and I thrive in the classroom environment.
Last night, due to some procrastination on my part, and due to some issues with my online labs, I was working on homework that was due by 3 am. I finally had every last assignment completed and submitted to my instructor by 2:30, giving me a half an hour to breathe. I do not like to submit my assignments that late. No, I didn't hand the assignment in late, and I will receive full credit for the assignments, what I'm saying is that I typically have my assignments completed and submitted before sometime on Saturday. I like to submit them early, so that I can have time to hang out on the weekend, when I'm not working.
So, saying all of that, let me just say that Tuesdays are my relaxing days. I am taking full advantage of that today. I finally fell asleep at 5:30 this morning, and so, I slept until 12:30, my brain finally caught up with me around 1:00 this afternoon. Now, I'm still in my PJ's, and have no desire to get out of them today. I think that I am just going to catch up on my DVR'd programs on the tube, and just veg out. I think this sounds like a great idea!
Hope that y'all are having a great week!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Special Friends
Tonight, I am thinking about the people in my life who are special friends. Now, we all know that I joke a lot about being "special", as in special ed, but I'm not talking about that at all. I'm talking about the people who love me and support me, no matter what.
With the happenings of this week, and my son's inability to follow the rules of his probation, I've had a really bad start to this week. It's ended so much better. Those of you who have stepped up, and loved and supported me through all of this, you know who you are. I am not going to mention names, but I will say to each and every one of you, that I appreciate you more than you all will probably ever know, because I am not sure that are words in the English language to express how much I love and appreciate you.
You are the people who encourage me, tell me when I'm doing something wrong, support me when I'm doing the right things, tell me that I can do whatever it is that I have set my mind to doing and let me know that I'm on the right track. You let me know your opinions, and do not get frustrated with me, if I decide to follow my own path. Those of you who respect me, and understand that I have to have boundaries in my life, and encourage me to set those, and hold me to them. To you who will hold my feet to the fire, if I'm walking in an inappropriate direction, and those of you who will keep me accountable, to you: THANK YOU!
With the happenings of this week, and my son's inability to follow the rules of his probation, I've had a really bad start to this week. It's ended so much better. Those of you who have stepped up, and loved and supported me through all of this, you know who you are. I am not going to mention names, but I will say to each and every one of you, that I appreciate you more than you all will probably ever know, because I am not sure that are words in the English language to express how much I love and appreciate you.
You are the people who encourage me, tell me when I'm doing something wrong, support me when I'm doing the right things, tell me that I can do whatever it is that I have set my mind to doing and let me know that I'm on the right track. You let me know your opinions, and do not get frustrated with me, if I decide to follow my own path. Those of you who respect me, and understand that I have to have boundaries in my life, and encourage me to set those, and hold me to them. To you who will hold my feet to the fire, if I'm walking in an inappropriate direction, and those of you who will keep me accountable, to you: THANK YOU!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
FRUSTRATION
The past 2 days have been filled with major amounts of frustration for me. As y'all know, I've chosen to go back to school full time. Y'all also know that I only go to school one night a week to campus, but the rest of the work is done online. The University of Phoenix works a lot with learning teams. This is the first week that we are working in our teams. There are four people on a learning team. We are also to switch off as the team leader for the week, in the next 4 weeks of class.
So, this week, I was elected as the team leader. We have 2 assignments that needed to be completed. With that said, the first assignment was a team charter, to have all of our rules, and each of our other contact information, such as phone number and outside of school e-mail addresses. All but one of the team members did that much. The other things in the team charter have to do with what rules that we'll follow, and it's important to have each team member be involved in setting of these rules for our team. If one team member cannot be involved in setting these rules, he or she is going to be pretty upset in having to follow rules that they did not agree to.
The second assignment is a worksheet that has to have 3 paragraphs. The one that was assigned to the specific team mate who has been AWOL, is on personal responsibility. The other 2 team mates wrote their paragraphs, sent them to me to edit, and now, I have to put those paragraphs together, write the AWOL team member's paragraph, and then edit ALL of these together to make one cohesive document. UGH!
I'm just really frustrated with this, as I have my reasons for wanting good grades, my other team members have their reasons for wanting the same things. If those of us who want the same grades, and have the wherewithal to go out and get those grades, and do the work that is needed to get those grades, then why should we be saddled with a team mate who doesn't want those things, and who is holding back the rest of the team? Is it fair to the rest of us? I don't think so. Fortunately, neither does our instructor. I've been in constant contact with the rest of the team and in contact with our instructor today. She is going to not reduce our grade because of the ineptitude of one of our team. That's the good news. Now, however, the frustration is that the work still needs to get done, and I have to be the one to do her share of the work.
Arg!
So, this week, I was elected as the team leader. We have 2 assignments that needed to be completed. With that said, the first assignment was a team charter, to have all of our rules, and each of our other contact information, such as phone number and outside of school e-mail addresses. All but one of the team members did that much. The other things in the team charter have to do with what rules that we'll follow, and it's important to have each team member be involved in setting of these rules for our team. If one team member cannot be involved in setting these rules, he or she is going to be pretty upset in having to follow rules that they did not agree to.
The second assignment is a worksheet that has to have 3 paragraphs. The one that was assigned to the specific team mate who has been AWOL, is on personal responsibility. The other 2 team mates wrote their paragraphs, sent them to me to edit, and now, I have to put those paragraphs together, write the AWOL team member's paragraph, and then edit ALL of these together to make one cohesive document. UGH!
I'm just really frustrated with this, as I have my reasons for wanting good grades, my other team members have their reasons for wanting the same things. If those of us who want the same grades, and have the wherewithal to go out and get those grades, and do the work that is needed to get those grades, then why should we be saddled with a team mate who doesn't want those things, and who is holding back the rest of the team? Is it fair to the rest of us? I don't think so. Fortunately, neither does our instructor. I've been in constant contact with the rest of the team and in contact with our instructor today. She is going to not reduce our grade because of the ineptitude of one of our team. That's the good news. Now, however, the frustration is that the work still needs to get done, and I have to be the one to do her share of the work.
Arg!
Friday, July 13, 2012
What was I thinking?
So, I started my first "real" college class this week. What was I thinking? I am completely overwhelmed! This is crazy stuff. I forgot how much I hated required reading..especially when it's something that I'm not too interested in, and then, there's the homework issue. Good Lord, am I too old for this? I have forgotten so much stuff. This week is all about grammar, and for the most part, I'm pretty good at grammar, but I've forgotten all about how to use commas, and semi-colons. Punctuation marks, proper sentence formation, congugating verbs...REALLY?!?!
I do love the learning process, but I'm thinking that if I'm having this much trouble remembering my grammar, which was a favorite subject of mine in high school, what is going to happen when I start a math class? OMG, a nightmare to be sure! I am so not left-brained. I don't think in numbers, and I'm terrible at angles. Geometry is only good for shooting pool, bowling, and playing putt putt...I'm in trouble when it comes to math.
Ok, so the good thing is that University of Phoenix has workshops on math, and those are free, and believe me, I plan on going to some of those. I'm going to need them! They have a lot of resources too, and I've been using the grammar ones as well.
I'm more worried about all of the computer work. God knows that I am very technologically challenged, so that's a bit of an issue, but I'm working around it, and their web site is pretty easy to use. That helps. Every little bit seems to help.
I didn't expect this type of work-load, but I'll get used to it. I have too many goals with this whole "expanding my mind through education" thing. I want to have nothing less than a 3.85, and my main goal is a 4.0 for my gpa. I want to have the best grades that I can have, and that's important to me!
I do love the learning process, but I'm thinking that if I'm having this much trouble remembering my grammar, which was a favorite subject of mine in high school, what is going to happen when I start a math class? OMG, a nightmare to be sure! I am so not left-brained. I don't think in numbers, and I'm terrible at angles. Geometry is only good for shooting pool, bowling, and playing putt putt...I'm in trouble when it comes to math.
Ok, so the good thing is that University of Phoenix has workshops on math, and those are free, and believe me, I plan on going to some of those. I'm going to need them! They have a lot of resources too, and I've been using the grammar ones as well.
I'm more worried about all of the computer work. God knows that I am very technologically challenged, so that's a bit of an issue, but I'm working around it, and their web site is pretty easy to use. That helps. Every little bit seems to help.
I didn't expect this type of work-load, but I'll get used to it. I have too many goals with this whole "expanding my mind through education" thing. I want to have nothing less than a 3.85, and my main goal is a 4.0 for my gpa. I want to have the best grades that I can have, and that's important to me!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
School Supplies
I went "Back to School" shopping this morning. I don't know what it is about new school supplies that makes me so happy. All I know is that I now have new notebooks with no writing in them, a new dry erase board that's still white, new pens, and dry erase markers. It's all new...that might just be it..that it's new.
Last year, I didn't go school shopping because I didn't have kids in school, this year, I still don't have kids in school, but I am. Since most of my school work is done online, I didn't need a whole lot of things, just some pens, and a couple of things to make it easier for me to take notes. Even though everything is done on the computer, I'm still a bit old-schooled, in that I like to write things down. I learn better that way. If I hear something, then see it, and then write it down, I'm learning. It's the way I memorized my spelling words, or bible verses for school back in the 80's, it's how I learned my anatomy and physiology when I was an EMT student in the mid-90's, and it's how I learned what PSI to use on fire hoses, when I was a Fire Fighter Student in the late 90's. Now, things have so changed in the learning arena. I'm having some issues in keeping up with it. Somehow, it's not normal to read a book on my computer. It feels strange to me. I miss the pages in books, I miss the way that they smell, I just miss books! I miss writing my research papers on a typewriter...what happened to the return button, and hearing the barrel return, with a ding. Maybe I'm really just OLD!
Who knows...I will say this much...I do NOT miss the card catalog at the Library!
Last year, I didn't go school shopping because I didn't have kids in school, this year, I still don't have kids in school, but I am. Since most of my school work is done online, I didn't need a whole lot of things, just some pens, and a couple of things to make it easier for me to take notes. Even though everything is done on the computer, I'm still a bit old-schooled, in that I like to write things down. I learn better that way. If I hear something, then see it, and then write it down, I'm learning. It's the way I memorized my spelling words, or bible verses for school back in the 80's, it's how I learned my anatomy and physiology when I was an EMT student in the mid-90's, and it's how I learned what PSI to use on fire hoses, when I was a Fire Fighter Student in the late 90's. Now, things have so changed in the learning arena. I'm having some issues in keeping up with it. Somehow, it's not normal to read a book on my computer. It feels strange to me. I miss the pages in books, I miss the way that they smell, I just miss books! I miss writing my research papers on a typewriter...what happened to the return button, and hearing the barrel return, with a ding. Maybe I'm really just OLD!
Who knows...I will say this much...I do NOT miss the card catalog at the Library!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Self Protection
It has hit me lately that I need to be the one to say no in situations. I also need to set boundaries in my life. I'm sorry if that hurts some people, but the truth is that I get to say who touches my life, in which ways they touch my life, and how they touch my life. I also get to say who doesn't get to touch my life.
It strikes me as funny, in an ironic way, that people who have known me for a long time say things to me about my setting these boundaries that I've changed. Well, of course I've changed. My whole life has changed, and in most ways, it's changed drastically and for the better! However, it is MY responsibility to make sure that drama and stupidity do not touch my life. I don't like drama and stupidity. I just want to be happy, happy with my life and those who are in it. It's up to me to be responsible for my own happiness. Therefore, that means that I have to be the one to protect my heart, because, unfortunately, it just seems to me that no one will stand in the gap to protect my heart, so it's up to me to do it.
I'd love for someone to stand in that gap, however, that's not happening right now. I also don't think that it's too much to ask for, either. If I'm standing in the gap for someone else, I expect that he'll do the same for me. What happened to that? What happened to people protecting each other's hearts, when they are in relationships? What happened to putting their relationships first? What happened to plain old common sense? I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't.
It strikes me as funny, in an ironic way, that people who have known me for a long time say things to me about my setting these boundaries that I've changed. Well, of course I've changed. My whole life has changed, and in most ways, it's changed drastically and for the better! However, it is MY responsibility to make sure that drama and stupidity do not touch my life. I don't like drama and stupidity. I just want to be happy, happy with my life and those who are in it. It's up to me to be responsible for my own happiness. Therefore, that means that I have to be the one to protect my heart, because, unfortunately, it just seems to me that no one will stand in the gap to protect my heart, so it's up to me to do it.
I'd love for someone to stand in that gap, however, that's not happening right now. I also don't think that it's too much to ask for, either. If I'm standing in the gap for someone else, I expect that he'll do the same for me. What happened to that? What happened to people protecting each other's hearts, when they are in relationships? What happened to putting their relationships first? What happened to plain old common sense? I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't.
What is BEAUTY?
A friend asked this very question on her facebook wall the other day, and I'm curious about what everyone else thinks about this as well. I have also been thinking about this question, and why it's important to me.
I believe that beauty is found everywhere. I see it in the older woman's eyes, as she is being kind to another person and me at our workplace, when another customer has been unbelievably rude to us. I find beauty in nature all of the time...a sunset, a sunrise, the full moon on it's rise to the heavens, the lightening bugs, and all other manner of sources. I find beauty in the way a mother holds her child's hand, or how a father supports his children at sporting events. Sometimes, in even the ugliest of situations, I can find beauty. During an EMS call, when someone is in serious condition, I can find the way that a loved one cares for the sick or injured to be beautiful.
I have also found that some of the people that I have seen who are considered to be "Beautiful" are some of the ugliest people that I know, and their actions and attitudes are what make them so ugly to me. I don't always think that beautiful is a physical look, I think it's the inside of a person, and how they act and react to situations. I strive to be graceful in how I handle myself, and I can find that to be beautiful as well.
Now, do I think that I am physically beautiful, no...I don't. Now, don't get me wrong here, I don't think that I'm ugly either, nor do I think that I'm hideous. I just think that I'm never going to win any kind of beauty pageant, and that's alright by me. What I am is CUTE. I like being cute. Cute can get away with things that Beautiful cannot! I like being feisty, fiery, opinionated, loving, kind, and all of the things that I am. I've made my peace with not being one of the beautiful ones. I'm happy with it, and isn't that the most important thing in the end? That I'm happy with myself? That's what I think.
So, come on...tell me what YOU think is beautiful!!!
I believe that beauty is found everywhere. I see it in the older woman's eyes, as she is being kind to another person and me at our workplace, when another customer has been unbelievably rude to us. I find beauty in nature all of the time...a sunset, a sunrise, the full moon on it's rise to the heavens, the lightening bugs, and all other manner of sources. I find beauty in the way a mother holds her child's hand, or how a father supports his children at sporting events. Sometimes, in even the ugliest of situations, I can find beauty. During an EMS call, when someone is in serious condition, I can find the way that a loved one cares for the sick or injured to be beautiful.
I have also found that some of the people that I have seen who are considered to be "Beautiful" are some of the ugliest people that I know, and their actions and attitudes are what make them so ugly to me. I don't always think that beautiful is a physical look, I think it's the inside of a person, and how they act and react to situations. I strive to be graceful in how I handle myself, and I can find that to be beautiful as well.
Now, do I think that I am physically beautiful, no...I don't. Now, don't get me wrong here, I don't think that I'm ugly either, nor do I think that I'm hideous. I just think that I'm never going to win any kind of beauty pageant, and that's alright by me. What I am is CUTE. I like being cute. Cute can get away with things that Beautiful cannot! I like being feisty, fiery, opinionated, loving, kind, and all of the things that I am. I've made my peace with not being one of the beautiful ones. I'm happy with it, and isn't that the most important thing in the end? That I'm happy with myself? That's what I think.
So, come on...tell me what YOU think is beautiful!!!
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