My last "required" blog. (sigh) One more thing on a long list of things that I no longer have to do. This semester has been a chore; but then, it seems every semester has been a bigger chore than the last. I guess that is a sign that I am getting closer to the end...and closer to a better beginning. (woot woot)
I am suppose to provide advice to someone who may be writing their first scientific paper. (ha ha ha) Do not procrastinate! Treat the paper like a job, and set time aside specifically for your research and writing. Oh, yeah, and JUST DO IT!
To me, the research is the interesting part of the project: the writing is the work part. A big step is to start your research early. Don't put it off and then find that the subject won't meet the parameters of your rubric causing you to have to start over. Make sure you have picked a subject that will hold your interest, has sufficient materials for you to be able to provide the length you need, and yet won't overwhelm you. I have become very skilled at "last minute writing" and it has to stop. I am better at writing when under pressure, do best when I can get the info from my brain to the paper all at once, and I must teach myself to do this differently.
Life interferes more times than not. If you are older like me, have children (even grown ones)and a husband, and must work while going to school, you must plan for homework and studying. Get it done early and give yourself a chance to breathe.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
finally...
We are finally finished with another semester - well, almost - have 2 pages left on my term paper that I am in a mental block with and one final test. Three classes with numerous written reports, work, and family have been exhausting this time around. But then, I am the consummate procrastinator and time management is NOT my forte.
One of our topic suggestions for this week is whether we feel accomplished or just tired. Once again, are you kidding me?! Who comes up with this stuff?! Do they really want an answer? Puh-leeeez...
I am tired - always tired - and probably will be until October when I am finally finished with school. As for accomplished, I feel I have accomplished something by making it through one more semester without dropping any classes and passing them all with better grades than required. I will probably feel more accomplished when I have graduated, become certified, and found a fulfilling job.
My greatest accomplishment will be when my children are all educated, employed, and supporting themselves. ;-)
An added bonus will be to have a job that will be sufficient to support my husband and me, and he can permanently retire to the couch with his boxed set of M.A.S.H. and a glass of sweet tea.
One of our topic suggestions for this week is whether we feel accomplished or just tired. Once again, are you kidding me?! Who comes up with this stuff?! Do they really want an answer? Puh-leeeez...
I am tired - always tired - and probably will be until October when I am finally finished with school. As for accomplished, I feel I have accomplished something by making it through one more semester without dropping any classes and passing them all with better grades than required. I will probably feel more accomplished when I have graduated, become certified, and found a fulfilling job.
My greatest accomplishment will be when my children are all educated, employed, and supporting themselves. ;-)
An added bonus will be to have a job that will be sufficient to support my husband and me, and he can permanently retire to the couch with his boxed set of M.A.S.H. and a glass of sweet tea.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Do I Plan to Continue My Rants...hmmmm
This week one of the suggestions for our blog is whether we plan to continue our blog after the course is finished. Well, I can probably state within some realm of absoluteness...no. Who has time? I personally like the TV way too much to take away from any of my "me time" (what little I get) to venture into blogging on a regular basis. And starting next week, I will finally have a full time job compounded with my last three classes of my degree program (excluding my externship that is in July)! WOOT! WOOT! Although, this 20 - 30 minutes of ranting is fairly therapeutic. ;-)
My sister has MS and her "husband" survived several brain aneurysms almost a year ago and she has children "issues" that she must deal with and her husband is home now needing daily care: she blogs almost every day and that amazes me! But for her, it is a simple way to allow all of the friends and family know how things are going. ...maybe it is some therapy too: to rehash the day and keep things in perspective. So far my children (teenagers) have been entertained with my rants, but I have kept those rants slightly ambiguous. To do this regularly, it might have to get a little personal; therefore, I don't think they would be so entertained.
Maybe I'll start a journal for my therapy...hmmmmmm
My sister has MS and her "husband" survived several brain aneurysms almost a year ago and she has children "issues" that she must deal with and her husband is home now needing daily care: she blogs almost every day and that amazes me! But for her, it is a simple way to allow all of the friends and family know how things are going. ...maybe it is some therapy too: to rehash the day and keep things in perspective. So far my children (teenagers) have been entertained with my rants, but I have kept those rants slightly ambiguous. To do this regularly, it might have to get a little personal; therefore, I don't think they would be so entertained.
Maybe I'll start a journal for my therapy...hmmmmmm
Last weeks This Week
Doing this paper on Multiple Sclerosis has been a burden to accomplish, but I am getting there. I have to keep reminding to just do it. They should have students promoting Nike apparel instead of athletes. We know they just out go and do it, they are athletes -what else are they going to do? But we, as students, have to JUST DO IT ALREADY!! Just get it done and be done for good!...end of story... It feels so good when it is all done and you don't have to look at it again and again and again. You would think we would have figured out that getting it done right out of the gate would be the best way: surely not seeing how long we can put it off.
On another note - would you believe that people would subject themselves to multiple bee stings in an attempt to "cure" their MS? No research has confirmed positive results to date; however, some patients have found it to help with several of their symptoms. This "therapy" is called apitherapy. Thank goodness, they have developed a way to inject the bee venom without the patient having to undergo 20 - 30 actual bee stings!
On another note - would you believe that people would subject themselves to multiple bee stings in an attempt to "cure" their MS? No research has confirmed positive results to date; however, some patients have found it to help with several of their symptoms. This "therapy" is called apitherapy. Thank goodness, they have developed a way to inject the bee venom without the patient having to undergo 20 - 30 actual bee stings!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Last Six Weeks
The topic for this week's blog is for me to tell you what I have been experiencing over the past 6 weeks. ...Really?!!...Does anyone really want, or need, to know?...Does it matter?
I have a brain that analyzes everything (drives my children & husband crazy) and becomes detail oriented about really minute, meaningless, non-essential items. I become anal to the point of OCD and must talk myself back to what is necessary on a regular basis.
I demand perfection of myself and others. School has taught me to pick my battles, reset my priorities, and let the "non-essentials" slide. I have learned my house does not have to be clean: just not a hazard. The dogs do not care if they are walked everyday: 2 minutes or 2 hours of attention is all the same to them. My children are teens and therefore will never be really happy. My husband won't be happy until I am happy, and that won't be until I have finally finished my degree AND have a job that I enjoy. I have also learned that I do not need straight A's, but I need to learn and understand the material. Prospective employers do not care that I graduate top of the class, just that I am certified and can do a job well done.
I have a brain that analyzes everything (drives my children & husband crazy) and becomes detail oriented about really minute, meaningless, non-essential items. I become anal to the point of OCD and must talk myself back to what is necessary on a regular basis.
I demand perfection of myself and others. School has taught me to pick my battles, reset my priorities, and let the "non-essentials" slide. I have learned my house does not have to be clean: just not a hazard. The dogs do not care if they are walked everyday: 2 minutes or 2 hours of attention is all the same to them. My children are teens and therefore will never be really happy. My husband won't be happy until I am happy, and that won't be until I have finally finished my degree AND have a job that I enjoy. I have also learned that I do not need straight A's, but I need to learn and understand the material. Prospective employers do not care that I graduate top of the class, just that I am certified and can do a job well done.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
How is School Influencing My Life?
WOW! Talk about a loaded question!
After a day like today, I must strive for a positive response to such a question. I tried to stay after class today to work on my research paper, and to no avail, the cell phone wouldn't stop buzzing. My husband even called to see when I was coming home to spend some time with him before he had to go to work. (sigh) Once I got home I visited with him for about an hour, then the children were home. (sigh) I listened to the events of the day, discussed a little homework, consoled my youngest that she won't get in trouble for missing soccer since she is sick, made a doctor appointment for my husband and my son since they are sick, and then spent the next two hours consoling my "home-schooled" daughter because she misses SC and has no friends. (double sigh) -There went the homework plans!-
I know going to school is the right thing to do right now. The end will justify the means (so the cliche goes). However, am I adversely influencing my children due to the lack of personal time that I have to spend with them due to the hours that I must occupy with school, homework, and work? Also, if I give more time to them because I feel so guilty, how am I affecting my education by not giving it 100%?
After a day like today, I must strive for a positive response to such a question. I tried to stay after class today to work on my research paper, and to no avail, the cell phone wouldn't stop buzzing. My husband even called to see when I was coming home to spend some time with him before he had to go to work. (sigh) Once I got home I visited with him for about an hour, then the children were home. (sigh) I listened to the events of the day, discussed a little homework, consoled my youngest that she won't get in trouble for missing soccer since she is sick, made a doctor appointment for my husband and my son since they are sick, and then spent the next two hours consoling my "home-schooled" daughter because she misses SC and has no friends. (double sigh) -There went the homework plans!-
I know going to school is the right thing to do right now. The end will justify the means (so the cliche goes). However, am I adversely influencing my children due to the lack of personal time that I have to spend with them due to the hours that I must occupy with school, homework, and work? Also, if I give more time to them because I feel so guilty, how am I affecting my education by not giving it 100%?
Monday, March 22, 2010
Blah blah blah
There is a new song out that my girls listen to ALL THE TIME called "The Blah Blah Song." And that is how I feel when I sit to do these required blogs each week.
We have not yet been given a topic to write about, well, other than any new challenges we have had with working on our research paper. Therefore, when I start in my mind with the writing of these blogs, all I can think of is blah, blah, blah. And, or, "Are you kidding?!!"
New challenges? How about the old challenges: where to start on the paper, where do I find time for this, what possessed me to go back to school after all these years, will I ever get the children (teenagers) to start helping out, will I survive working and all of the homework, why don't they just give us a due date and let me get this done when I am able, is an outline necessary, blah blah blah.
We have not yet been given a topic to write about, well, other than any new challenges we have had with working on our research paper. Therefore, when I start in my mind with the writing of these blogs, all I can think of is blah, blah, blah. And, or, "Are you kidding?!!"
New challenges? How about the old challenges: where to start on the paper, where do I find time for this, what possessed me to go back to school after all these years, will I ever get the children (teenagers) to start helping out, will I survive working and all of the homework, why don't they just give us a due date and let me get this done when I am able, is an outline necessary, blah blah blah.
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