what i haven't learned/what i don't know

i'm still here, in case anyone was wondering :)

i've been trying to get through this semester. last spring i wrote some blogs during the semester titled: what i l've learned/what i know. this semester is the polar opposite! i don't feel like i'm learning a lick of biology, psychology, or art appreciation; although i have to admit that my art appreciation class is more interesting than the others.

so here is what i DON'T know:

biology: i still don't understand covalent bonds, or ionic bonds, or any type of bond for that matter. my last major exam felt like i a mental massacre. i was so LOST!!!! and here is the kicker, I actually studied for the exam. i read and re-read the chapter. but my friends, there is a huge difference between reading and reading comprehension (of which, i have ZERO when it comes to biology).

psychology: my husband told me i would like psyc, but it turns out i'm not that into it! yes, it is fascinating, but i think my own petty problems don't allow me to focus on the science.

art appreciation: i didn't realize there were so many elements involved in art. i will write about them later, because my next subject is beckoning me.

world literature ii: ah, yes! always the english major, i don't think i can go a semester without taking an english class. i really enjoyed reading "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," again. i had read it when i took british lit., but i really picked up on the details this time around. but, my concern/homework right now is dante and his inferno. i must read about 20 pages tonight, so i'm off.

what i don't know: i don't know if i will graduate in august like i want. i have childcare issues, remedial issues, and not to mention my non-interest issues that come with biology and math. ;)

nevertheless, i guess we shall find out in august, huh?

the best of times

i don't know if i will ever get over the sense of loss i feel since leaving corpus christi. i know, i know, i should save the drama for my mama. but, i do feel so, so sad; and i still can't get over it. it has been about six months now, and i still at times feel miserable. what is weird about this is that i am doing better here. i have actually lost some weight and have been exercising a whole lot more. so what is the big deal? maybe if i list all the things i miss about corpus christi, i will finally understand why i miss it so much.

i miss my daughter's school. i think it is an AWESOME school! i still visit their website, just to mope, i guess. my oldest daughter had an awesome kindergarten teacher, and i had really hoped for my little to be in her class this year. it didn't work out that way.

i miss del mar college. my husband tells me that a community college is a community college. I DON'T HAPPEN TO AGREE! i have had excellent professors and help along the way.

i miss my favorite muffin.

i miss driving down ocean drive and seeing the beautiful ocean.

i miss seeing my daughters enjoying an afternoon play date with my neighbors kids.

i definitely miss the 24 hour walgreens being close to my house.

i miss my hairdresser. i haven't gotten a haircut since september, i think.

i miss friends from corpus christi.

i miss corpus christi christian fellowship. the church we attended, although being able to see Pastor Leavell's preaching online has been very nice. we have started going to a nice church here...

and for some reason, even though my little one would not be in preschool anymore, i miss her preschools. she went to two different ones and i really miss walking the halls of those schools. her teachers were great, as well.

i wish i could put my feelings into words. i know that i can't look forward until i stop looking back. i realize that it is perhaps detrimental to look back, but i was happy there! my family and i were happy there. and it isn't that we are unhappy here, but i just can't get used to living down here. i understand that life is not stationary, and that we need to keep growing. but my heart doesn't; my heart was full and content when i lived in corpus christi. nevertheless, i know that God will give me grace for this new chapter in my life. Amen.

updated fitness journal

i know i haven't kept up my activity logs, but i have been exercising. i started school on the 17 of january and things have gotten even crazier than usual. first let me catch up:

january 16: jogged for 45 minutes (5 easy, 20 hard, 15 steady, 5 min hard). i'm sure i walked
afterwards.
january 19: jogged for 1 hour easy run.

january 23: jogged for 35 minutes.

january 25: jogged for 20:39 and walked for 10 minutes.

february 1: jogged for 10 minutes.

february 2: ran in a 10k. 1:03 (that is one hour and three minutes).

alright, let's hope i am back on track!

we will see what february brings.

Make the World Go Away

these are my sentiments exactly. i had an awful start to spring 2008. if there was ever a time i would've like a do over, today is the day :(

i somehow managed to get out of my house on time. i dropped off my girls early and headed towards stc with plenty of time. nevertheless and much to my detriment, i began to worry about my iron at home, and whether or not i had unplugged it. so much to my own chagrin, i had to drive right past the campus and all of the nice empty parking spots and head home once more to check on the iron. when i ran inside, i saw my rowenta's red blinking light. ah-hah! yes, the house could have (God forbid) burned down. so i quickly unplugged it and ran to the bathroom to check on my rollers; all clear in the bathroom and headed back to school.

but that was not the worst part of my day. i got to my classes on time because i parked off campus. stc's parking situation is worse than del mar, believe it or not. after a not so enthusiastic day of meeting my new professors, i headed back across the street to my car. Only to find a PARKING TICKET!!!!!!! courtesy of the City of McAllen. now to be honest with you all, i felt like cursing like a sailor, but i have realized that cursing is degrading. so, i cried. boo-hoo, poor pathetic me. $35.00 for my ignorance, it is true that ignorance does not pay, it actually costs fools like me money.

oh well, what can i do now?

activity log 4

in a nutshell,

january 9: steady jog for 32 minutes, walked for 10 min.

january 11: jogged intervals for 50 minutes as follows:
10 Easy
10 Steady
10 Easy
10 Steady
10 Easys
i also walked for 10 minutes for a total of 1 hour of exercise.

january 14: jogged with my husband for 24 minutes. {VERY LIGHT DAY}

Academic Resolutions for the New Year

school is about to start, and like always, i'm nervous. i don't know what stc will bring. i signed up for biology, art appreciation, and psychology. i am also taking my remedial math through del mar. my anxiety level has already gone up because i could not find the math textbook here in the valley. therefore, i had to order it online and you know how that goes. will it be the right one? will i get all the cds i need, the student i.d., etc.

nevertheless, i persevere. here are my academic resolutions for the new school year.
i must say that i am not at all enthusiastic about my course load this semester. i ran out of literature courses to take (until i get to the university) and now only need my core requirements.

1. try to enjoy my classes!
2. do not procrastinate! use my planner to stay organized*
3. i will be ecstatic if i receive a B in math.
4. begin applying for scholarships for the fall semester.

*this statement might seem odd. but i have found that when i use my planner, not only do i manage my assignments better, i'm less stressed out. i used it a lot last spring while i was taking four classes (i know that seems like very little for some college students, but when you have a household of four to run, it's alot.) and did well. i remember that during the month of april, i had major assignments due almost every day.

other resolutions i have are as follows:

1. finish reading "Founding Brothers" by Joseph Ellis this month. (i've been reading it since this
summer!)
2. after i finish the aforementioned, i would like to read a book on Thomas Jefferson. that way i
can work on my other lofty goal of reading a book on every president; TJ is next on my list.
let's see that would leave me only forty more presidents to go, easy as pie, remember?
3. i have read two out of the ten plays in the book, "Ten Greek Plays in Contemporary
Translations." i have read "Agamemnon" and "Oedipus Rex." i would like to read the
remaining eight plays this year.

i think i have enough to get me started, what do you think?

Activity Log 3

alright, so i did not burn up the road this past week, but i did get out there.

January 1:

i'm excited for the new year!!! i jogged for 34.18.53 walked for 8.59.19.

January 4:

i jogged for 45.01.31, i'm sure i walked for at least 5 minutes.

January 7:

my long run today. i jogged for 1.15.30; walked for at least 8 minutes.

that's all folks!

by the way, HAVE A HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!!