Today's my birthday...yay!
No big parties - unfortunately I have to work - but I made myself pancakes for breakfast (one of my all time favorite foods!), we rented a movie for tonight, and we'll have pizza, cake, and ice cream later.
Hope everyone else has an awesome day, too!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Cheatin'
So I took the Art Hx midterm, which was not too bad except I couldn't for the life of me remember the names of any of the Renaissance Flemish artists and of course there were like half a dozen questions about them and their works of art. Drat.
But the most interesting thing about the test was that I sat there and watched another student cheat her way through the test. She kept her notebook on her desk with her notes sort of sticking out, and when she ran across a question she didn't know the answer to, she just opened her notes, found the answer, then wrote it down. This was obviously not the first time she'd done this. She had the procedure worked out pretty well. Wow. I wanted to poke her and call her a cheater, cheater, punkin' eater.
Okay, so what's the protocol when you witness a cheater? Do you squeal? Do you snitch? Do you become a tattletale? Or do you let it slide? I mean, I and most of the rest of the class at least put some effort into being prepared for the test. It wasn't meant to be an open book test, unless everybody else missed that little announcement. At least I earned the grade I got, whether it turns out to be good or bad.
Isn't there some moral message here? Or is it no big deal? Does her cheating really effect the rest of us in any way? I don't know. All I know is that it irked me for some reason. I've never cheated on a test. I manage to work 40+ hrs per week, go to school full time, and manage a family and still get on the President's List without cheating. Maybe I'm just an uptight old (okay, middle-aged?) lady, but if I can manage to study for the test with everything I've got going on, it shouldn't be that hard for a kid to do the same.
I just wonder if this little episode of cheating is symptomatic of something larger, or if it's all just my imagination? Just wondering.
But the most interesting thing about the test was that I sat there and watched another student cheat her way through the test. She kept her notebook on her desk with her notes sort of sticking out, and when she ran across a question she didn't know the answer to, she just opened her notes, found the answer, then wrote it down. This was obviously not the first time she'd done this. She had the procedure worked out pretty well. Wow. I wanted to poke her and call her a cheater, cheater, punkin' eater.
Okay, so what's the protocol when you witness a cheater? Do you squeal? Do you snitch? Do you become a tattletale? Or do you let it slide? I mean, I and most of the rest of the class at least put some effort into being prepared for the test. It wasn't meant to be an open book test, unless everybody else missed that little announcement. At least I earned the grade I got, whether it turns out to be good or bad.
Isn't there some moral message here? Or is it no big deal? Does her cheating really effect the rest of us in any way? I don't know. All I know is that it irked me for some reason. I've never cheated on a test. I manage to work 40+ hrs per week, go to school full time, and manage a family and still get on the President's List without cheating. Maybe I'm just an uptight old (okay, middle-aged?) lady, but if I can manage to study for the test with everything I've got going on, it shouldn't be that hard for a kid to do the same.
I just wonder if this little episode of cheating is symptomatic of something larger, or if it's all just my imagination? Just wondering.
Just A Few Little Things
1. Today is midterm in Art Hx, so I'm cramming facts about Renaissance art, and trying to remember as much about Raphael, da Vinci, and Michelangelo as possible so I can write an essay about them. I love Renaissance art, I just hope I can cram the details into my widdle head and they don't leak out before I get them on the page.
2. I'm panicked because there isn't enough time in life to complete the academic requirements of 12 credits plus work 40 hours a week and also have a life. I may have to reduce my credits by 6 (I only really need 6 more to graduate, but had to have 12 to receive my scholarships. Drat.) It's not that I'm not interested in Native American Lit and Children's Lit. It's just a matter of expediency and sanity.
3. So far I've been able to stick to my "writing every day" schedule, and I'm excited about my new story idea. I think it has potential. But I'm wondering, have any of you writer people out there ever had ideas that you think are good but that you are maybe slightly apologetic about? Maybe you're embarrassed that others may find the idea goofy, or childish, or unrealistic? Even though you have this fear, do you forge ahead and write it anyway because in your heart you think it works? Maybe it's my nasty self-doubt monster rearing his ugly head again. I think I'll beat him about the noggin until he disappears. I'm going to keep writing this story. I like it.
Well, off I go to my Art hx test. Wish me luck. Hope you all have a lovely Monday!
2. I'm panicked because there isn't enough time in life to complete the academic requirements of 12 credits plus work 40 hours a week and also have a life. I may have to reduce my credits by 6 (I only really need 6 more to graduate, but had to have 12 to receive my scholarships. Drat.) It's not that I'm not interested in Native American Lit and Children's Lit. It's just a matter of expediency and sanity.
3. So far I've been able to stick to my "writing every day" schedule, and I'm excited about my new story idea. I think it has potential. But I'm wondering, have any of you writer people out there ever had ideas that you think are good but that you are maybe slightly apologetic about? Maybe you're embarrassed that others may find the idea goofy, or childish, or unrealistic? Even though you have this fear, do you forge ahead and write it anyway because in your heart you think it works? Maybe it's my nasty self-doubt monster rearing his ugly head again. I think I'll beat him about the noggin until he disappears. I'm going to keep writing this story. I like it.
Well, off I go to my Art hx test. Wish me luck. Hope you all have a lovely Monday!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Where Oh Where Has My Little Phone Gone....
This morning I was scheduled to train a new transcriptionist, which means that I needed to call her. However, when I went upstairs to grab the phone, it was not sitting on the charger where it belongs. As I've discussed in previous posts, we are not, as a family, the tidiest group of people around, so it's really not a surprise to discover that something isn't in its proper place.
I pushed the "find handset" button on the charger. This is a handy little button because without it we probably would have lost the phone ages ago.
I didn't hear any beeping. I went to the bottom of the stairs and listened to see if I could hear it upstairs - no luck. I went to the top of the basement stairs and strained to hear the beeping - nothing.
I pushed the "find handset" button again.
This time I heard a faint beeping right there in the living room. I got closer (warmer - warmer- getting warmer - now colder) until finally I narrowed it down to the loveseat. I could hear the beeping, but all I could see was the cat.
Lo and behold the phone was under the cat. Why he chose to lay directly on the phone when he had the whole loveseat to sleep on, I'll never know. Who understands cats, anyway?!
I pushed the "find handset" button on the charger. This is a handy little button because without it we probably would have lost the phone ages ago.
I didn't hear any beeping. I went to the bottom of the stairs and listened to see if I could hear it upstairs - no luck. I went to the top of the basement stairs and strained to hear the beeping - nothing.
I pushed the "find handset" button again.
This time I heard a faint beeping right there in the living room. I got closer (warmer - warmer- getting warmer - now colder) until finally I narrowed it down to the loveseat. I could hear the beeping, but all I could see was the cat.
Lo and behold the phone was under the cat. Why he chose to lay directly on the phone when he had the whole loveseat to sleep on, I'll never know. Who understands cats, anyway?!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Yay Me
In keeping with my goal of writing everyday, I managed a whopping 2 pages/4600 words today. Doesn't sound like much, I know, but crammed in between everything else I'm pretty jazzed about it.
For the first time in days I feel good!
For the first time in days I feel good!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Trying Something New
I've been so bogged down recently in worry (about work, about school, about everything, it seems), and nearly wallowing in the dreary emptiness of the doldrums, that I just haven't done any writing at all. Of course, that just makes me more depressed since writing is what I really want to be doing. The more depressed I've been, the more certain I am that I'm not "good enough" to write anything anyway.
However, if I am nothing else, I have always been resilient, so I am going to try something new. "Real" writers always say that you need to put nose to the grindstone and write every day. Okay. I'm going to try that. I had started work on a novel, and I've got 3 chapters done, but it feels very stale to me and I can't find the motivation to go back to it right now. It needs to ferment like a fine wine.
I look back on this academic year and it's almost completely barren of new written material, compared to the 2 previous years where I produced several plays and short stories per year. I need to snap out of this rut.
I've never written anything in the first person before, so I think I'm going to try that point of view. Maybe it will help me shake up my head and find new inspiration. I have an inkling of an idea....if I can force myself to write just a few paragraphs per day, maybe I can start a good habit!
I also want to get back into the habit of blogging every day as well. I've fallen out of the habit for the last few weeks, again because I've lacked motivation and inspiration.
So, despite the fact that sometime this semester I have to write research papers for both an art history class (subject: grafitti as an art form) and a native american literature class (subject: children/parenting in native american culture), I am now determined to get some productive creative writing done as well!
Wish me luck!
However, if I am nothing else, I have always been resilient, so I am going to try something new. "Real" writers always say that you need to put nose to the grindstone and write every day. Okay. I'm going to try that. I had started work on a novel, and I've got 3 chapters done, but it feels very stale to me and I can't find the motivation to go back to it right now. It needs to ferment like a fine wine.
I look back on this academic year and it's almost completely barren of new written material, compared to the 2 previous years where I produced several plays and short stories per year. I need to snap out of this rut.
I've never written anything in the first person before, so I think I'm going to try that point of view. Maybe it will help me shake up my head and find new inspiration. I have an inkling of an idea....if I can force myself to write just a few paragraphs per day, maybe I can start a good habit!
I also want to get back into the habit of blogging every day as well. I've fallen out of the habit for the last few weeks, again because I've lacked motivation and inspiration.
So, despite the fact that sometime this semester I have to write research papers for both an art history class (subject: grafitti as an art form) and a native american literature class (subject: children/parenting in native american culture), I am now determined to get some productive creative writing done as well!
Wish me luck!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentine's Day
Well, Valentine's Day is here, and it's no big deal.
I've been with my Valentine for 22 years, and we stopped singling out and celebrating this day many, many years ago. It's not that we aren't still in love, because we are. It just seems silly. Why wait for one specific day to show each other how we feel? We say "I love you" every day. We treat each other to little trinkets, or gifts whenever we feel the whim, just because it makes us both feel good.
I think my biggest pet peeve about Valentine's day (and every other major holiday, for that matter) is that it's turned into another commercialized extravaganza. Buy! Buy! Buy! - spend money, boost the economy! I don't think the economy would survive anymore without the bloated buying involved in Valentines day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and, of course, birthdays. Blech.
I suppose I can see how people just falling in love, or newly in love would be so gaga over Valentines day as an opportunity to express their feelings more tangibly, but for those of us who have been together for eons, it just seems like a waste of money!
But, since I've been slightly grouchy and pessimistic lately due to a seriously chronic case of the blues, I've recently been consciously trying to be less negative. It's been tough. I'm having a hard time seeing the glass half full when it's plainly half empty.
However, in an effort to be upbeat and positive:
Happy Valentine's Day!
Follow this link to read some of the greatest love poems ever written. Hope you have a wonderful day!
I've been with my Valentine for 22 years, and we stopped singling out and celebrating this day many, many years ago. It's not that we aren't still in love, because we are. It just seems silly. Why wait for one specific day to show each other how we feel? We say "I love you" every day. We treat each other to little trinkets, or gifts whenever we feel the whim, just because it makes us both feel good.
I think my biggest pet peeve about Valentine's day (and every other major holiday, for that matter) is that it's turned into another commercialized extravaganza. Buy! Buy! Buy! - spend money, boost the economy! I don't think the economy would survive anymore without the bloated buying involved in Valentines day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and, of course, birthdays. Blech.
I suppose I can see how people just falling in love, or newly in love would be so gaga over Valentines day as an opportunity to express their feelings more tangibly, but for those of us who have been together for eons, it just seems like a waste of money!
But, since I've been slightly grouchy and pessimistic lately due to a seriously chronic case of the blues, I've recently been consciously trying to be less negative. It's been tough. I'm having a hard time seeing the glass half full when it's plainly half empty.
However, in an effort to be upbeat and positive:
Happy Valentine's Day!
Follow this link to read some of the greatest love poems ever written. Hope you have a wonderful day!
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