Diary 04/29

As Sam of cohort 9 said "Testify!" I am ready to testify.

I am D-O-N-E with the BP paper. It looks good enough to me. I hit all points and am moving on.

Friday I rest, Saturday I pack, Sunday I drive to Pitt - 48 hours of summer break over.

No matter, I have happy news.

I received 99.9% in my YA class, not the 100% that I aimed for but, not too shabby and I made my goal of an "A" - minus, but still on target- in my DL class.

Thank you for your support. I really do feel it (smile)

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Diary 04/28

I'm having a hard time writing this BP paper. I admit, I'm probably over thinking it.

It is due on Monday. I have time but I would like to get it done so I can enjoy at least one free day before I leave on Sunday for a full week of classes in Pittsburgh.

I'm burned out from this semester/year. I'm not complaining, yet (I'm sure it won't be long), just tired and wondering what I'm doing.

I see we are going to have a group project. Sigh... I got lucky this semester, group member wise. Can lightning strike the same spot twice? I hope so.

Diary 04/26

Message to self: FOCUS !!!!!!

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Diary 04/24

I'm four and a half hours away from home, in Kentucky, at a work conference.

Between meetings I am working on my final YA group project due on Tuesday and the five page paper due, on the first day, in my upcoming Behavioral Perspectives class.

Everyone else at this conference has gone to the casino or to museums etc. I can not. I have to focus on school work. I haven't even had time to go to the hotel fitness center or pool. Ug!

The positives are I've gotten my portion of the final YA project done. The group will Skype on Sunday to finalize the PPT for presentation on Tuesday and I've found the resources necessary for my BP class and outlined each article so I can start writing the paper.

I'll start that paper on Sunday. I need some entertainment. I'm going to try finding some of my co-workers so we can do something, anything other than this!

Ta Ta.

Diary 04/22

I am not getting my 100%, damn it!, in the YA class.

The group was docked .1 for something, it escapes me, that we missed on the rationalization for our collection.

THAT SUCKS!!!!!!!

There is one group project remaining and a self evaluation that must be graded. It no longer matters to me what those grades are becuase my goal of a perfect grade has been obliterated.

I am still awaiting my DL grade. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let it be an A. Anything less would be an abomination. I worked my tail off!

I'm moving on... Now to my Behavioral Perspectives paper!

Diary 04/20

I sent my DL instructor a final email to ensure that I had submitted my paper properly. I can tell by his response that he is as tired of this class as we are tired of being in it. We are all happy it's over. Now I wait with baited breath for the grade...

In my YA class, I've just entered my final book discussion responses! I am not going to read another book for a WEEK! For me a week is a lifetime. I love to read.

The collection my group developed is FAB! We are going to get full points. I am doing the group analysis, where I will give us full points because we rocked! Two of the people from my group graduate after this summer. I'm happy for them but sad for me. I've just met them this semester and I love their style/sense of team work, now they'll be gone. Sucks for me :o(

Final items to get in are a 2nd half self appraisal. I'm going to give myself EXTRA points just for not giving up and a program proposal on internet safety that is being done with the same group (plus one late addition) that put together the collection.

The end of the tunnel is no longer near, IT IS HERE!!!!!!

I don't think I've said this in a couple of days but, never again! I have learned a lot, not all good, this semester about juggling (too much) work, instructor personalities and strength of character.

It has only been one year since I started this program. How can that be? It feels I've been here infinitely...

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Diary 04/18

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have just submitted my final paper to my DL class.

The instructor put a twist in the end that I think might catch some unwary students. But, HA HA it did not catch me, well almost, but not quite.

I pray my grade reflects all of my hard work.

Now I have to get through this YA class. Our collection is due Tuesday. That leaves one more group project due on the 27th, a final book discussion on the DB, two rubrics to fill out and submit and I think, other than choosing which books we liked or not, I'm done.

I'm still on track for 100% in that class so I cannot stumble now.

One year down. One to go!

Diary 04/17

I cannot get the monkey of this sickness off of my back! I called off work Monday and Tuesday. Returned to work Wednesday. Took off again Thursday. Tried work again on Friday. I am a mess.

In the mean time I attempt to stay current with school work while unable to breathe, swallow or function with head and stomach aches. This cannot all be due to the change in seasons and allergies! Am I being punished?

I soldier on trying to write the DL paper that was initially due on Thursday. Now it's due on Monday. I keep finding more and more information. I'm sick of this paper. The more I remove in my attempt to focus firmly on one aspect of Intellectual Property Law the more I find to add. I am at the point where I'm going to do all I can today, do a final read over and citation check, and then submit what I have. I throw my hands up - I tried.

I'm LYING to you and myself! Being the perfectionist I am, I'll probably be agonizing over this paper until 11:59pm on Monday.

I am also writing the conclusion for the YA collection. I was so focused on my DL paper that on Tuesday I completely forgot about my collection development meeting. When I got on Skype, like 5 minutes before it was ending, the group had already divied up the work. I got the conclusion. Sigh... That is what I get for tardiness. The conclusion is due by noon on Sunday. I am now trying to do both assignments simultaneously.

What a wonderful, wonderful life!

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Diary 04/15

Today is April 15 - Tax Day. I owe. I'll be sending off those checks at 11:55pm. No need to rush...

My DL paper was originally due today. While watching the Panapto I heard a student ask for an extension, bless his heart, he gave it to us. The new due date is the 19th. I am still attempting to turn my paper in today. I have too much other work to be lolly gagging around with this paper. I think it will be best to just get er' done.

In my YA class the collection is due on the 20th, we have some type of 15 minute presentation on the 27th and all sorts of odds and ends like DB's and book discussions still to complete. I cannot begin to express my pain.

In two weeks I will be done with all of this stress and on to:

LIS 2800 Behavioral Perspectives

For one week of intense (I know it will be, Alman is no joke) classroom exercises. I still have not found articles for that five page paper that is due on day one of class. I refuse to stress myself.

It will come together. It's summer and the weather will be wonderful. I know I'll be fine - positive affirmations are said to work. Believe with me.

Diary 04/12

I'm sick! I slept all day Sunday. My computer did not come on once. I woke up intermittently during the night to blow and choke. My final awakening at 4 am showed me that there was no way I was going to work today. My throat is completely swollen and raw. I feel like heck.

Heck, as bad as it feels, will not keep me from my school work. I have to make up for yesterdays comatose behavior.

My final draft of the DL paper is due Thursday - tax day (go figure), I have to keep up with my YA group's activities for collection development, as well as many sundry items like DB discussions and posts that are still upcoming in that class.

We are in the final stretch. After the week of the 27th all that will be left is the singing.

I'm striving for 100% in my YA class and an "A" in my DL class. I cannot let health issues derail that goal.

I truly feel horrible but I push on...

544

Diary 04/08

I received my Behavioral Perspectives (BP) assignment due the first day of class 05/03. A five page paper outlining research studies on personality type and interpersonal communication. Sounds easy right? Well, not so fast! We need 8-10 articles to cite, no books. I have been online looking for works to cite for 90 minutes. I have found 5 articles only 2 of them relevant. The remainder of what I have found is personality tests or course curriculum's from other schools.

Already, I am frustrated.

I am going to stop working on school work, all together, this evening. I need some sleep...

532

Diary 04/06

After this week only two more book discussions! I am discussed out. I can barely stand to read anymore of these book. By the end of the semester we will have read 48 books for this class. That reading does not include articles, that were as long as books, and a TON of other projects.

The instructor said at the beginning that this class would not be for geriatrics. I did not start out as one but I'm now a geriatric in the making. This is too much, I say, too much! I am burned out.

I've got to find enough fire to submit my final DL paper - currently 23 double spaced pages w/out cited work, table of contents or cover page included in that count- and the final three LE assignments for YA.

Feet don't fail me now...

Diary 04/04 continued

Twelve hours of editing later, I have submitted the draft. My wrist, fingers and mind hurt. The final paper is due in eleven days on the 15th - tax day. All that will be left after that will be the praying and, of course, my YA class. There was no way we were getting out of that class before the end of the month.

In my YA course there are still four weeks remaining and entirely too much work to complete.

I have fond memories for the enthusiasm of the instructor, the lovely TA, and the people I've met in my group but I will NEVER put myself through that load of work again.

Have I already said "never again?". I will be repeating that phrase over and over again...

Diary 04/04

I got up at 6 am, popped some corn, and got to work. I'm still slogging away at this first draft of my DL paper. It is due today. I think I will have a reasonably good draft completed by this afternoon. I have used over 20 sources and changed the title and table of contents like eight times. The more I research the more that changes or gets added. This is the paper from heck - I'm trying to keep it clean here.

When I FINALLY submit this draft of the paper, I can go back to researching my portion of the YA collection. I have not done anything with that since Tuesday. I feel guilty but this paper has taken over my life.

Thankfully, this upcoming week is spring break. My students are gone (smile) except for one day at the end of the week when we go to the metro-parks to learn about plate tectonics. I expect to get tons done and lots of much needed rest.

I feel good just thinking about it. Okay, enough of this, I must get back to the final revisions of my draft for DL.

TTYS

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