Fall (Study) Break, Part 2

10/20/13

A week ago (which is what I'm writing about), my parents drove up to A2 because my truck was leaking power steering fluid big-time. Like, it turned out to be a fantastically large hole in one of the hoses. Happily Dad was able to get the hose off, I was able to purchase a new hose and some clamps, and Dad put the new hose on. Awesomely, it was less than $20. Not awesomely, the guy at the store kept directing his questions to Dad until it finally dawned on him that 1) I knew the answers about my vehicle, as it was my vehicle, and 2) that I was the one paying for the parts, and thus he began talking to me. I paid Dad with lunch (I also bought it for Mom and D, and that took a nice chunk of money out of the bank account, but it was nice.)

So no more worries about the leaking power steering fluid on Grune. However, the 'Check Engine' light is still on and he doesn't like going up hills AT ALL and so when I'm in MC for Thanksgiving or Christmas, I think I might have my transmission flushed or whatever the process is there. I want to keep this vehicle running indefinitely.

On Monday I had to work, and I was learning how to do pick-up and discharge. Big whoop. Tuesday I spent all day doing my reading for 581, wearing several layers of clothes and wrapped in blankets. I don't want to turn on my heat until I absolutely have to. I like sleeping cool and I like saving money, so unless I can see my breath, all is well. Besides, if my landlord (who lives on the bottom floor) turns on his heat, well, heat rises.

On Wednesday I talked to the cute bus-stop guy (who is indeed my next-door neighbor on the top floor), and he spent 11 hours each day of the break working on a project. He's a biomedicalsomethingorother graduate student. And then I went to class and group meeting and then I walked around Kerrytown and visited the Farmers' Market and Hollander's. Maybe I'll eventually buy something from one of those places.

More later.

Thinking?

9-28-11

I waver between being an adult and being an almost-adult. I think most people (if not all people) do. But what does it take to feel like an adult? Or are the adults just running things while pretending that they're adults (while secretly feeling that they're not adults)?

Thinking about that makes me think about Ender. And Ender's Game. And why I like that book so very, very much. It connects, you know? And it speaks to me. The power of books, I s'pose.

Anyway, super busy. Very sleepy. Too many projects, not enough time. It would be nice, sometimes, to have a decent Delorean or some other device capable of turning time. (Except for the possibility of paradoxes and the annihilation of the entire universe. Or something like that.)

Headed to bed. Night, folks!

-Ashlee

Seriously?

9-22-10

First of all, I'm an education major. I am planning to be a high school teacher. (Brave soul, I hear some of you saying while others mutter, Idiot.) I also spent a year attempting to teach high school while I was a student missionary in the Marshall Islands.

Those glimpses into the life of a teacher still do not make me ineligible to be frustrated and/or annoyed by the fact that four of the six teachers I have on Monday all have important things scheduled for that day. The list is as follows: German chapter 2 test, chemistry chapter 3 quiz (read: mini-test), first draft of Essay #2 due, and working bibliography for history research paper.

First of all, thank you for assuming that I have all day Sunday to do your project. I happen to work for five hours each Sunday so I can pay for my education (you know, that part of my bill that the federal government hasn't covered in outrageous loans). Second, thank you for assuming that I want no life other than doing your project. I certainly do not want to spend time with friends nor exercise.

Yes, I know I picked my course load. Yes, I know that I've previously handled eighteen hour loads and a fifteen hour work week. Yet somehow this semester is different, and I am not entirely sure why. Perhaps it's due to the fact that I'm taking two upper division classes, a language class, honors seminar, a religion class, a general science course, and being part of the Wind Symphony--and striving to do my best in those classes? (That's what I get for being an overachiever. Silly me, wanting to do well.)

I'm not a person for all-nighters. I physically can't deal with that, since I need a minimum of six hours of sleep to actually function during the day. I have to spend at least a tiny bit of time with friends, or I'll go insane. (I'm not joking. Two weeks ago, I saw my friends on Sunday and didn't see them again until the Thursday of that week. Argh. I'm an extroverted introvert. I like my alone time, but I need people, too.)

So what's my solution to my self-chosen overload?

I'm doing homework a day ahead, which I've never had to do before. What I mean is that it's Wednesday evening and I just finished up most of Friday's work; I just have to do my lab manual for German, which requires listening to a CD and I don't want to bother my roommate with that tonight. (I'll do it tomorrow before chemistry recitation.) Tomorrow night and Friday afternoon I'll work on Monday's projects and Wednesday's reading for History of England because a classmate and I are leading the class discussion that day.

And I haven't even gotten started on the stuff I try to get done that doesn't have anything to do with classes or work, like my writing or my work with the Student Missions club or reading for pleasure and fun or exercise or being with friends.

I am trying to figure out how to balance it all, and this week has been better than last week, but I am seriously stumped as to how my teachers all assigned something important for the same day next week. I'm trying to live in the present, but not at the expense of the future (as Obi-Wan tried to point out to Qui-Gon). *sigh* This year is going to be difficult.

Seriously.

Tornado Warning...AGAIN

1-22-10

So I was in the middle of watching my online class when I heard the sirens outside and knew that I was about to have to go to the dorm basement. So I paused the video, gathered up my homework, headphones and computer, grabbed my ID card and headed to the basement, all with the annoying voice alarm blaring.

In the basement I found an outlet, plugged in, and tried to turn on the campus wireless. Shoulda figured, but I discovered that it doesn't work in the basement of Thatcher South--so I couldn't watch the rest of the class. So I turned on iTunes and stuck my headphones in my ears and read for Arts and Ideas. I had the music up LOUD because the people next to me were giggling and watching Friends. I don't hold it against them, but some of us had homework that we were going to finish. :D

After about half an hour, forty-five minutes or so, I was allowed to go back upstairs. I watched the last ten minutes of class, finished reading for Arts and Ideas, revised my essay that's due today, submitted it to Turnitin, read for American History II, and then I went to bed. *sigh* I didn't get to go exercise because I was sitting in the basement because "a tornado has been spotted in your county..."

I am SO glad that it is Friday. Now if the severe weather can be kept to a minimum, that would be nice. Also, as a random thought, I am toying with creating a blog dedicated just to writing. I'll keep you updated on that.

Busyness

1/21/10

The Safest Job on Campus

So, there I am, sitting at work, waiting for the grammar contract client to show up. They never did, but the rest of the library's human contents did. Why? Tornado warning, complete with a campus-wide alarm that has this annoying voice (won the contest for most annoying voice EVER, that voice did). The all-clear sounded ten minutes before my shift at the Writing Center, which is in the basement. The annoying alarm voice made it impossible to concentrate, and there were tons of people talking. We were relieved when the alarm went off, and we all had this corporate noise of resignation when it came back on five minutes later. Anyway, we were in the basement, and so all was well. (It didn't hurt that the real potential for tornadic weather was a good distance away, to the north of us, and moving in a northeasterly direction. Knowledge all gleaned from weather.com and family members obsessed with weather.)

Fitness for Life

I had my second pre-assessment today. It was depressing, slightly. I only got 31 sit-ups, 11 guy pushups, am heavier than I was a few months ago (though I did eat a few hours before class),  and feel that my partner is disgustingly healthy, compared to me. Good thing we're not graded based on comparisons between people, but on ourselves. Also, I got to see the Gym-Masters' gym, with its springy floor. That was cool.

Homework...Time Management...ARGH

I usually am decently good with time management. But I didn't realize how time consuming 300-level classes are. Argh. I'll figure out. Also, I have a lot of tests and things due in two weeks. ARGH. Then a concert right after that, the music for which is being frustrating to me because it's supposed to go fast and I can't go that fast yet. ARGH. I haven't been able to freewrite much; it's been essay this and paper that. ARGH. But I am doing something good by getting an education, so not ARGH, but YAY.

Onto homework. More later.

First Day!

8-27-09

Even though my precious students complained about the amount of homework I assigned them, they have never experienced the joy that is university homework. I already have a lot--and I've only had two classes! Ah, well, it's what I signed up for. So far, I have a personal spiritual history to write up and a chapter to read for Christian Beliefs, a reflection paper, chapters to read, a chapter presentation (since the teacher doesn't want to lecture, he wants us to do it), and another paper--all due on Tuesday. I haven't even had tomorrow's classes yet! :D

I enjoyed my class this morning, although Daniells Hall was freezingly cold this morning. I forgot how cold that particular classroom could be! I also enjoyed convocation and my Intro to Secondary Education class this afternoon. And it was pasta day!!