There is one thing I hate- I hate being sick.
I have used every weapon known to man to fight off a achy cold and I am hoping with everything I've got that tomorrow will be the last of it.
Being sick makes you thankful for your health.
Tomorrow will be a feeling better day.
This morning I taught class, cleaned house, lunched and worked some more.
I am thankful for a clean, beautiful house, and my cats who lay across my papers strewn across the dining room table as I plunk away at my laptop projects.
I am thankful for the soothing sounds of my front porch fountain which accompanies the quiet, perfectly.
I am thankful for the flow of thoughts and clarity that emerge like the sleuth I've been searching everywhere for.
I am thankful for my husband who went to the store and bought several delectable beverages to fill our refrigerator shelf and ward off my looming cold-medicine dehydration.
I am thankful for family and those who nurture our spirits when our strength is low.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
I'm back!
After a few weeks of hiatus, rest, love, food, and more rest. I am officially rejuvenated out of utter exhaustion. Fall 2010 closed with a 3.8 gpa and the holidays were a fabulous blur of glitter, fun and food. And the spring semester has officially begun. Off to the races folks!
My courses are off to a running start. The constant stress of "newness" has lowered from a daily tidal wave to a more manageable, occasional upheaval of nerves. I bought a planner, and now manage my world in hard-copy (in addition to digital.) The planner is very comforting and has freed me from post-it note overload.
The required reading for school has increased 7-fold, and is ever-so-dense and philosophical. But, I am resolved, for now, to persevere through it all. I have found joy again in learning. I love my student teachers- they are the brightest spots of my week. And I am determined to keep my daily joy around, much longer than the constant cognitive dissonance of Fall 2010.
Here we go!
Off to read: Using a Chicana Feminist Epistemology in Educational Research by Delores Delgado Bernal
My courses are off to a running start. The constant stress of "newness" has lowered from a daily tidal wave to a more manageable, occasional upheaval of nerves. I bought a planner, and now manage my world in hard-copy (in addition to digital.) The planner is very comforting and has freed me from post-it note overload.
The required reading for school has increased 7-fold, and is ever-so-dense and philosophical. But, I am resolved, for now, to persevere through it all. I have found joy again in learning. I love my student teachers- they are the brightest spots of my week. And I am determined to keep my daily joy around, much longer than the constant cognitive dissonance of Fall 2010.
Here we go!
Off to read: Using a Chicana Feminist Epistemology in Educational Research by Delores Delgado Bernal
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Missed
As finals come to a close- one last stack of papers lay beside me to grade. Grades to post, paper work to wrap up - and then I will tie a big red bow on this first semester of school and say-
it is finished.
What an experience it has been...
I thought I would feel so light today, smiling from ear to ear.
But- this season of work has squeezed out so many things I love about the holiday season.
Both Neil and I have been working so hard, that those events outside of work were missed this season.
The CTWP Holiday Social
Kevin & Missy's Red Soiree
Ryan & Sandra's Christmas Party
Michele's Cookie & Jewelry Party
Alex's Ornament Exchange Party
Miranda's Birthday Brunch
Amye's shopping visit to the outlet mall
The Annual White Elephant Gift Exchange Party
ALL missed by us.
I'm just not sure what to say about it.
I know I am investing in the future, but at what sacrifice?
I miss the joy I used to find in cleaning my house, cooking dinner and seeing our friends- things that I do not have much time to do anymore.
I just want my friends to know I still love them. I miss them terribly. I hope I will see them soon.
Next year, I will figure out a way to do it better. This program will only interrupt one more holiday season, and next year- I will surely be more prepared.
Time to dry it up and count my blessings.
The last thing I'm missing is an attitude adjustment. Hopefully, I'll find it soon.
My husband has said on several occasions... "Grad school is about as much fun as stabbing yourself in the eye with a fork, over and over and over." I'll just leave it at that.
it is finished.
What an experience it has been...
I thought I would feel so light today, smiling from ear to ear.
But- this season of work has squeezed out so many things I love about the holiday season.
Both Neil and I have been working so hard, that those events outside of work were missed this season.
The CTWP Holiday Social
Kevin & Missy's Red Soiree
Ryan & Sandra's Christmas Party
Michele's Cookie & Jewelry Party
Alex's Ornament Exchange Party
Miranda's Birthday Brunch
Amye's shopping visit to the outlet mall
The Annual White Elephant Gift Exchange Party
ALL missed by us.
I'm just not sure what to say about it.
I know I am investing in the future, but at what sacrifice?
I miss the joy I used to find in cleaning my house, cooking dinner and seeing our friends- things that I do not have much time to do anymore.
I just want my friends to know I still love them. I miss them terribly. I hope I will see them soon.
Next year, I will figure out a way to do it better. This program will only interrupt one more holiday season, and next year- I will surely be more prepared.
Time to dry it up and count my blessings.
The last thing I'm missing is an attitude adjustment. Hopefully, I'll find it soon.
My husband has said on several occasions... "Grad school is about as much fun as stabbing yourself in the eye with a fork, over and over and over." I'll just leave it at that.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Monday Short List
Monday, Monday- here we go!
I missed my pilates class because my brain is too full.
My heart is full because we set up out Christmas tree and decked the halls last night- joy!
Church and my mother's Christmas brunch brought food for the soul and reminded me that the world does not revolve around my doctoral program.
This season is a time for reflection on God's gifts and blessings to us (and oh, they are so many), and a time to GIVE to others.
The Limpopo Writing Project is my charity project this Christmas, and I am even more excited to try to put together a little money for learners far away who are moving along their educational journey- just like I am trying to do.
Dancing to Bing Crosby in the living room with my husband fills my bucket.
The Christmas shopping is done, Christmas cards are mailed- it's time to get back to the school work.
Giddy up!
I missed my pilates class because my brain is too full.
My heart is full because we set up out Christmas tree and decked the halls last night- joy!
Church and my mother's Christmas brunch brought food for the soul and reminded me that the world does not revolve around my doctoral program.
This season is a time for reflection on God's gifts and blessings to us (and oh, they are so many), and a time to GIVE to others.
The Limpopo Writing Project is my charity project this Christmas, and I am even more excited to try to put together a little money for learners far away who are moving along their educational journey- just like I am trying to do.
Dancing to Bing Crosby in the living room with my husband fills my bucket.
The Christmas shopping is done, Christmas cards are mailed- it's time to get back to the school work.
Giddy up!
Friday, December 3, 2010
30 Second Pity Party
I'm going to allow myself to write one pitiful sentence, so here goes:
My house needs cleaning, laundry needs doing, I have a paper to write, stacks of grading, a final to write, grades to submit, IRB training to compete, and three statistics assignments to complete, Christmas cards to mail, and the fact that my precious tradition of putting up my tree the day after thanksgiving did not happen this year makes me want to cry right now. I am afraid Christmas is being smothered out by work. After work has already gobbled up my friends' holiday parties- this work is really starting to get to me. Okay- that was 3 sentences.
Time for 3 sentences of truth:
I am blessed. God is good. Life is good.
Time for action:
Time to dry it up, eat a bowl of chicken soup and get this house clean. I can do it. I can do it.
One.
More.
Week.
My house needs cleaning, laundry needs doing, I have a paper to write, stacks of grading, a final to write, grades to submit, IRB training to compete, and three statistics assignments to complete, Christmas cards to mail, and the fact that my precious tradition of putting up my tree the day after thanksgiving did not happen this year makes me want to cry right now. I am afraid Christmas is being smothered out by work. After work has already gobbled up my friends' holiday parties- this work is really starting to get to me. Okay- that was 3 sentences.
Time for 3 sentences of truth:
I am blessed. God is good. Life is good.
Time for action:
Time to dry it up, eat a bowl of chicken soup and get this house clean. I can do it. I can do it.
One.
More.
Week.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Oh the weather outside is... tepid.
Yes, the holiday music is in full swing. I have already rented A Christmas Carol and pulled my best campaign to put up the Christmas tree- rightly rejected by Neil in order to stay true to our own family tradition- putting up the tree the day after Thanksgiving. I can't wait!
This Thanksgiving holiday is riddled with a MASSIVE amount of work to be done, of which, this blog post is a feeble attempt to delay the looming 10 hours of work I must somehow fit into today. How? you ask.
I don't really know. I typically have a grand scheme- but today I don't have the time to make one. So it will be settled that somehow, someway, I will fit it all in and live to tell about it.
Even as I type this, I can feel the pressure beginning to surround my mushy brain. Maybe it's the delirium of too much work and not enough sleep, maybe it's my recent conference in Disney's Magical Kingdom... but somehow I am positive that I can pull it all off to the tune of little friendly mice singing, "We can do it! We can do it! We can help our Cinder-melly!"
Today - 10 hours grading, yoga to balance it out
Wendesday - House Cleaning, Grocery Shopping, Lunch with Amye in San Marcos, WORK, Pack for T-day
Thursday - Up early to make Baked Potato Casserole for T-day lunch at the ranch, Pick up Mike in Fredricksburg, Spend the day at the ranch, Take Christmas Card Photos, B&B in Fredricksburg
Friday - Fun in F-burg then head home to prepare for T-day with Barb, Steve and Zach
Saturday - T-day lunch with the Fam at our house, REST
Sunday - A3's baptism and lunch reception at the Mansion, home - Christmas Tree Time!
Did I mention I have 3 papers due the week after Thanksgiving? Yes, I do. If you know any helpful, magical mice- please give them my address.
This Thanksgiving holiday is riddled with a MASSIVE amount of work to be done, of which, this blog post is a feeble attempt to delay the looming 10 hours of work I must somehow fit into today. How? you ask.
I don't really know. I typically have a grand scheme- but today I don't have the time to make one. So it will be settled that somehow, someway, I will fit it all in and live to tell about it.
Even as I type this, I can feel the pressure beginning to surround my mushy brain. Maybe it's the delirium of too much work and not enough sleep, maybe it's my recent conference in Disney's Magical Kingdom... but somehow I am positive that I can pull it all off to the tune of little friendly mice singing, "We can do it! We can do it! We can help our Cinder-melly!"
Today - 10 hours grading, yoga to balance it out
Wendesday - House Cleaning, Grocery Shopping, Lunch with Amye in San Marcos, WORK, Pack for T-day
Thursday - Up early to make Baked Potato Casserole for T-day lunch at the ranch, Pick up Mike in Fredricksburg, Spend the day at the ranch, Take Christmas Card Photos, B&B in Fredricksburg
Friday - Fun in F-burg then head home to prepare for T-day with Barb, Steve and Zach
Saturday - T-day lunch with the Fam at our house, REST
Sunday - A3's baptism and lunch reception at the Mansion, home - Christmas Tree Time!
Did I mention I have 3 papers due the week after Thanksgiving? Yes, I do. If you know any helpful, magical mice- please give them my address.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Counting
What better day than today to count my blessings!
1. The new bed arrived! We can finally get that mattress off the floor in our guest room!
2. Pilates is awesome!
3. I have a new work-out partner on Monday nights! Yeah accountability!
4. I have some great new recipes in my bag.
5. The holidays are coming!
6. I can do my to do list one item at a time. I can. I can do it. I can get the grading and projects done.
7. A wedding, a marathon, and a research paper. Here we go weekend!
1. The new bed arrived! We can finally get that mattress off the floor in our guest room!
2. Pilates is awesome!
3. I have a new work-out partner on Monday nights! Yeah accountability!
4. I have some great new recipes in my bag.
5. The holidays are coming!
6. I can do my to do list one item at a time. I can. I can do it. I can get the grading and projects done.
7. A wedding, a marathon, and a research paper. Here we go weekend!
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