it's all over but the finals

Thursday was the last day of classes for summer session. I am very thankful that I have a week to prepare for finals -- especially since I lost Friday being sick in the bed. I'm going to finish with the final chapter for Child Development tonight, and then review the three chapters once more on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, depending on how studying for WorldCiv goes. Best news, though, is that Thursday night I finished the baby's blanket without running out of thread! Just need to bury the ends and give it a quick wash. Am I weird for liking the wrong side? I so want to start knitting something new -- oh, and my reservation for DaVinci Code is available. Guess hubby gets to start reading it first! Enough for now, I suppose. LC

i'm gonna be a zombie!

I've just got to give up eating pizza I guess... or at least not eat it two nights in a row. Went to bed about 11:30 last night and was quite uncomfortable and worried about getting sick here on the last day of classes. So far so good, but I woke up at 4:15am and could NOT go back to sleep. I finally got out of bed at 5:30 and started knitting on the baby's blanket. With no explanation of how the brain rambles from one connection to another, I found myself wondering, "does anyone play Rook any more?" Not that I necessarily want to play with a real person, though computer games do seem to have an unfair advantage. Anyway, didn't really find much on line. One shareware game that I'm half-afraid to install -- sometimes they come with lots of ad-/spy-ware and pure junk. One online game, but I don't really like to do that. Anyway, thought I'd pop a note here to say, I finished my second and final paper for psych yesterday afternoon. Will turn it in this morning. Maybe I can put another few rows on the blanket before I have to get a shower.  Only about 13 more rows. And now I'm hungry too. bah! LC

battin' 1000

We got our graded psych papers back yesterday and the only deductions on my grade were for APA style errors! One more test and one more paper (which I'm working on this weekend) and this one is finished. Although I'm anxious about getting all my work/reading done for WorldCiv, I'm trying to stay calm because there really is a lot of time before that final. Only about 16 more rows on the baby blanket to go. I still haven't heard if my cousin's twins have been born yet -- my biggest concern there is whether the 5HBS will fit them come cold weather here. I may just hold off on making the sweater(s)  -- but, I'd have to figure out (or ask around) about sizing the sweater because the directions are only in one size. There's a young woman we know in town who is also having a boy, but not until September, so I can always give her the one already finished. She so tiny, her baby may be small too. I have a plan to visit an elderly aunt, well, cousin actually (the one I mentioned on my birthday entry) in August; I don't think I have seen her in over 15 years. She tats. I have tried on a couple of occasions to learn, but never pursued it. There were always other things I was doing. But now, since I'm sort of giving up my 'small needle' arts, tatting may be something I can do without further injure to my hands. I feel like I need to keep doing something, as all the note-taking does make my hands hurt. Even the knitting and crocheting is a different repetitive task and helps. Tatting results in fine work -- which I love -- but holding the shuttle is not like holding a #26 Tapestry or #13 Beading needle!!  I think learning from an aunt will make it 'take' better than the exposure I've had in the past... she is frustrated that no one wants to learn and that it is a dying art. Weather is a little cooler today (at least at this hour). Yesterday was horrible on campus. Of course I wasn't feeling well all day and that didn't help.  Maybe we will have supper at the new Olive Garden this evening, since I have to go pick up a book for my paper that isn't in the library system. Happy Friday! LC  

purdee purfick

I guessed right: the psych professor threw out some questions and also curved the grades -- but, she also must have weighted grades for a few who did really well. I think that is great. The best news is that the 'final' is only covering the last couple chapters AND I managed to get my first paper turned in on time. I completed all the editing and APA formatting about 2:30am this morning. No, that's not right. It took me until then to get the durn thing printed!  Then it took me more than an hour to fall asleep. Amazing to me, I was inspired just about the time I lay my head on the pillow about the topic for the second paper, so that was another worry off my mind.  I have a somewhat euphoric feeling all afternoon. Seeing my son looking better than he did yesterday helped. Ya know that saying, 'if momma ain't happy, nobody's happy"? Well, if my boys aren't happy, I ain't happy. Have a special thought for them for me, will ya'll? I've been sending up a special request for each of them for this fall, and can use the help. Oh, more good news! My dear friend and her husband are finally headed home after his treatments. Now, if I would find out in the morning I have enough money in the bank to pay ALL the bills this month, my life would be pretty purrrr-fick. Heh, heh, heh. If my eyes will cooperate, I'll read some tonight and get some knitting time tomorrow. Only about 30 more rows on the baby blanket. Then I can make the second 5HBS for my cousin's twins. LC

surprise of the day

Notice how I haven't posted since I mentioned the 'big psych' test? Well, I worked hard but could not get caught up on all the reading before the test. I did review notes and 'looking back' sections of each chapter, but my eyes finally revolted at about 2am Thursday and I went to bed.   I took almost the whole time allowed for the test -- I finally just left because I had answered everything I could recall and still there were blanks. I was very disheartened, but knew I had no one to blame but myself. I got behind and couldn't catch up -- exactly what I have spent, oh, the last two to four years harping at my sons about.   Today I drove up to campus to meet with my professor about the paper that is due tomorrow. I was very anxious about it and she had offered in class to look over papers prior to due dates. It's not all right, but it's not all wrong either -- narrow the scope, correct the format, and I should be fine. She even mentioned she liked the topic.   One the way out, I asked if the test grades were posted. They were.   I can't believe I scored as high as I did: 91.5 !   (do you ever accidentally hit 'hot keys' see the program/whatever come up and wonder, now how did I do that so you can do it again on purpose?? I do.. just happened)   Now I'm curious to see what she has to say about the test in class tomorrow. There were three scores above 90 and two above 100 (there is always extra credit on her tests).  I can't imagine getting so high a score without some kind of adjustment to the test on her part.   Still -- I am please and very excited. And plan to be sure all reading is done before the final in three weeks. There are four more classes to cover three chapters, and fortunately, both my finals are at the end of finals week. On the same day, unfortunately, but at least two more study days.   Enough rambling... got the second printer installed to the laptop. The first one is really dying and I was embarassed enough to take the paper up there today printed from it.   later-taters!   LC    

sugar, spice, everything nice & pink

I'm a great auntie! At least, I hope I am... but what I really mean is that I have a brand new grandneice. Alaina Marie was born about 5:15pm EDT today, and as far as I know, mother and daughter are well. No photo at the hospital website yet; maybe tomorrow. The blanket is almost done and would be if I managed my study time better! B-I-G psych test tomorrow, so back to the books & notes... LC

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is the first day of the last year of the first half of my life. How's that for optimism?? And as a matter of fact, while my father was visiting me today, he mentioned that my Aunt Callie (who is really first cousin, once removed) will turn 99 in October of this year... so it just might be possible! It's been a quiet day. As I said, my father came to visit this morning, my sister called, as did my dear friend, Ann. Worked a little on my psych paper. I was going to go get a pedicure, but ended up napping instead. Maybe Friday; and a haircut. Mexican supper and flan instead of cake. Now we are watching Cold Mountain -- there was only one copy remaining at the video store. Lucky me, eh? So, happy birthday to me, and also to my moonsister, KiwiEllen! We are lucky indeed: 7/7 LC

O M G ! !

We finally got back our graded World Civ mid-terms -- I made a 91.5 -- which was rounded up to a 92! He didn't return them until class ended. I stuffed mine in my tote and didn't dare look at it until I got to the car. Guess I was afraid I would cry if I did badly. I couldn't believe that I did so well, though I wonder what I stated incorrectly or left out of my short answer on Siddhartha Gautama to lose one point. I do believe that he was generous on the essay grade -- I don't expect that will happen on the final. He will expect improvement, and plainly said so today. So far, so good, in both classes, in class-/homework and tests -- but there's far to go: three map tests and the final in World Civ; two tests and two papers in Psych. However, I couldn't have asked for a better pre-birthday present! As I'm writing this, I'm in the last four hours of my ?9th year of life. Maybe there's not as much "fluff 'n stuff" in this 'pooh-bear' brain afterall. I've also got my schedule all set for Fall: Spanish, two psych classes, Comparative Religion and either another psych or an English course. I told dear hubby tonight that I wish I could think of some where special to go tomorrow to celebrate, but we spent two of the past four days in New Orleans, showing his daughter, son-in-law and grandson the sights -- yes, THOSE too. It was hot as Hades, of course, but I think they had a wonderful time, and fortunately we had afternoon rains both days for a bit of relief in The Big Easy. We toured the French Quarter and the Garden District, introduced them to beignets, bar-b-qued shrimp, red beans and rice, K-Paul's Kitchen, pralines, breadpudding, sternwheelers, Bourbon Street, The Big Muddy,... just about everything but a swamp tour! They held up longer than we did; thank goodness Son#1 took over for Saturday evening's events. Unfortunately, I'm now behind on my studies (Classical Rome & Byzantium; Preschool physical & cognitive development) and will spend most of my birthday with my nose in the books (two tests and a paper due next week). As soon as the dryer shuts off, the clothes are getting folded and this bear is going to bed! with a smile on my face! LC