(138) checking things off my list

There are 4 days until i leave the country and i am so stressed. 

How do i know this...

...my emotions are all out of wack

...i cant think straight

...my words aren't coming out right

...my to do list is growing

Today I attempted to alleviate some stress.

-slept in til 10:45

-spent time with krissi

...lunch at BJ's

...ran errands (tj max and target)

-continued gathering things on my packing list

-made a phone call to my bank letting them know i was leaving the country so they wouldn't put a hold on my account

-bought tickets for American Idol live tour (in nashville july 30th)

-printed out paperwork for the trip

-spent lots of time on my computer

I crossed 3 things off my to-do list and 4 things off my shopping list. Slowly making progress. Taking things one day at a time...unfortunately i am running out of time.

FYI

Last night i ended up watching several movies, decorating my NZ journal, and gathering stuff to pack.

(i went to sleep at 2am)

(95) Momentarily Blurred

Now that it is getting close to midnight i am having trouble remembering what happened today.

Right now all i can think about is how tired, exhausted, achey, stressed, and over work and school I am.

Im going to put my thinking cap on.

Or maybe i will sit like winnie the pooh "think...think think...think...oh bother"

It may have worked.

I got to school and spent my hour before class looking over and setting up a computer assignment.

Basically i located and saved all of the articles that i have to summarize.

I spent the rest of my time watching one tree hill online. 

While the video was buffering i skimmed the articles.

I went to class at 9:20 and was done around 10:20.

I went back to the lounge and attempted to work on the computer assignment. I quickly gave up and ended up listening to music and reading blogs.

I walked over to dr. medoras office hoping she was there so that i could pick up some fundraiser candy, but she wasn't there.

I walked back to the lounge and ate pretzels and 2 tangerines (aka lunch). 

I read part of an article that was for my 12:30 class and then couldn't keep my eyes open.

I took a 15 minute nap and then went to class.

After class i walked back to dr medoras office hoping to catch her at the tail end of office hours, but once again she was not there.

I caught the bus and headed home.

As soon as i got home i cooked some food. I was so hungry, my lunch was not filling.

I ate what i cooked and watched glee, then parenthood.

At 4pm i got ready for work and i left at 4:15.

I was at work from 4:45-10:30

My shift started off good, but then it got really busy, little things kept happening and getting messed up.

At some point i was so behind, so frustrated, so overwhelmed. I snapped. All i wanted to do was relieve the stress and scream instead, i stood by the soda machine with my mouth shut and tears rolling down my face. I am so tired of my emotions building up and bursting at inconvenient times.

I was able to get a glass of water and go to the back and take big gulps of water and take deep breaths.

I reminded myself that everything was fine. I got back out on the floor and continued my shift fairly smooth after that.

But believe me i was so over my night of work.

Let me just say, sometimes it sucks being a waitress, and tonight was just one of those nights.

Well now that i have remembered today and expressed just how awful work was, i think i will go to sleep now. Last nights 5 hours was not enough.

Tomorrow is another day. I am so grateful for that. A fresh start, different experiences, better emotions, different outlook, one day closer to the weekend.

(81) Momentary Relief

It has been yet another busy and tiring day.

I got less than 6 hours of sleep last night which made me feel like a zombie today. 

I spent my hour before class writing my micro-teaching assignment on gross motor skills.

I nearly fell asleep during my 12:30 class. Lets just say, movies and lack of sleep don't mix well together.

I got home around 2 and ate a soft taco and then took a nap.

When i woke up from my nap i got ready for work and then left shortly after.

I worked from 4:30 to about 8:30. (this is the earliest i've been off in a very long time)

I got home a little after 9. It was time to finish this project. I did the write up on dramatic play. I finished at 10:45. It was such a relief to have this assignment done at a reasonable hour. All i have left is to draw some diagrams-i will do this at school tomorrow.

Tomorrow also marks the beginning of another stressful day. I have to work on another project- due on friday.

So as good as it feels now to have something completed or at least nearly completed, it is only short lived. Thankfully my stress level should be dropping after friday.

(I just have to choose to not think about the three tests that are next week.)

(79) Success and a plan

Spring Break is officially over.

I woke up at 6am and never really fell back alseep during my 15minutes of "snooze."

My mind was ready to start the day and I was motivated.

Before class started i was able to finish up one of my paragraphs for the paper i was working on.

Unfortunately i didn't have my book, so i couldn't get more done at school.

It was a good back to school day post spring break. (i know that is a horrible and unclear sentence but i've been writing for hours...cut me some slack)

I got home around 2:15 and immediately went back to working on my paper.

At 4 i went with erin to look at a studio apartment.

I got my baby fix there. We had gone outside to look at the parking situation. A mom and her little girl were outside. The little girl toddled over to me and put her arms out. SO I asked the mom if i could pick her up. The mom had no problem with that. SO i got to hold this adorable little girl. She was maybe one years old.

I got back home around 5. I ate dinner and then i realized i was too tired to do anything productive. I took a nap from 6:30 to 7:15. When i woke up i got right back to working on my paper. The paper was done by 9:45. It was supposed to be a minimum of 6 pages, mine ended up being 8. I think i did well-normally i did the minimum, so i feel good about doing more than that.

Here is the homework plan for the rest of the week:

tuesday: write my miniproject paper between classes.(due wed), Start my micro teaching assignment.

Wednesday:complete micro teaching assignment(due thursday), research for parent project.

Thursday: Complete the outline for the parent project (due friday)

It is not going to be a fun week but all of my nights are full, so my days have to be productive otherwise i am doomed.

(77) Can i press the skip button?

I slept in again this morning. Somehow the days i sleep in are my least productive. Isn't sleep supposed to leave you refreshed, energized, and ready to start the day. Today it left me lazy and lethargic. 

I sat down in "my chair" and sipped on my cup of coffee and worked on a couple of blog posts. 

I first wrote day 76 of this blog and then i moved on to one for welcome to my closet. It was about clothes that i would buy for spring, if i could. That took up quite a bit of time. Also during that time i got sucked into a project runway marathon. Too dangerous-there went hours of time.

Once again, no homework got worked on today. WHAT is wrong with me????

I know that it has to get done and that i won't have much time during the week. I work on tuesday and wednesday and I have something due everyday from tuesday to friday. I'm doomed.

I left for work at 3:30 and got home around 11.

There went my day.

So tomorrow, papers will be written, research will be done, assignments will be started, and other(s) will be finished. 

Can it just be friday evening already. Then all of this would be behind me...oh wait, then i have tests and more projects....gahhhh. Just 6 more weeks of class and finals to get through and just 2 more months until new zealand (one of the thing that is getting me through all of these classes) 

(76) Oops

Ummm I'm a day behind....OOPS. Last night i was watching a movie and couldn't keep my eyes open.  I gave in to sleep and never got a post up yesterday.

The plan for friday(yesterday) was to spend the day doing homework.

I got absolutely no homework worked on. YIKES!

Somehow i knew this would happen. I always think, i will do this on this day and that on that day and it will all be done well before it is due and i will be so happy it is finished. Then somewhere along the line, usually at the beginning of that plan, things get all messed up. I just don't due the things i am supposed to.

Eventually it all gets done, but not without tons of stress and unenjoyable rushing.

SO back to yesterday.

I enjoyed my morning by sleeping in and then finishing the last few pages of my book-i couldn't keep my eyes open the night before to finish it.

My dad didn't have work that day so there were even more distractions around the house. (I can be distracted by anything when there is something i need to be working on-yet don't want to do)

I watched greys anatomy and was not very impressed by their musical episode. I found it hard to watch, and it distracted me from the plot and dialogue. When that finished, dad and i watched parenthood. Then I thought I would do some homework. Instead i revised the calendar with all of the assignment due dates. That counts as schoolwork, right? Ok probably not.

A little while later, after realizing i wasn't going to be productive, I chose to watch a documentary about models called "Picture Me." It followed the life of a model from the time she was 19 until she was in her mid to later 20s.

In the afternoon close to evening, me and dad ran some errands. We went to home depot and then to lowes to look at dryers. Then we went to the grocery store to pick up a few things.

We dropped the groceries off at home and then grabbed some coupons and got dinner at wienerschnitzel. 

I had an ice cream cone, fries, and 2 corn dogs. Derlicious.

Krissi came by the house around that time to pick up a book and i also loaned her water for elephants.

I don't even remember what i did after dinner, but i went up to my room at 10 and started watching a movie and then fell asleep.

It was such a wasted day...but that's what spring break is for. At least i think it is.

(61) its the little things in life

Just one more day of school and then it's the weekend. 

I wish that the weekend equalled relaxing. Unfortunately this weekend is filled with work. Not much of a break for me.

Tomorrow also marks the beginning of my next group project and this one entails a lot more work and planning. 

So now that i am fully aware of what is ahead, here is what has already happened:

today......

...i woke up at 7am. This would have been even more wonderful if i hadn't of gone to bed at 1am. So it was the same amount of sleep i always get instead of an extra hour.

...sat and enjoyed a cup of coffee and perused the pages of the April issue of InStyle magazine.

...went to school

...did my write up for an observation

...went to class

...worked out. I was still sore and tired from tuesdays workout.

...took a brief nap. It wasn't nearly long enough.

...went to my 2pm class

...rode the bus home

...got home and sat in my chair for a couple of hours.

...watched last nights american idol and americas next top model.

...ate corned beef and cabbage and potatoes.

...went to church

...caught up with friends

...continued catching up and hanging out at In-N-Out

Some little things that made me smile today and made me wish i had my camera with me:

-seeing tons of snails on a brick wall

-watching a squirrel run around

-seeing all of the beautiful pink blooming trees around campus

-running into debbie and us spotting a "legit" older man (he was wearing a trenchcoat, boots, a hat, carrying a breifcase, standing next to his fold up bike, smoking a pipe-it was amazing)

The best way to make it through crazy, busy, exhausting days is to focus on the big picture and to appreciate the little things in life and to remember to smile and laugh and enjoy the world God created.

(51) Tests, Tests, and more Tests

I have to say, school wouldn't be so bad if ya didn't have to be tested on what was being taught.

I am so tired of studying and taking tests. Last tuesday i had a test (i ended up getting an 83%....ehhhh)

This morning i took a test. I think it went well. At least, it didn't seem too bad.

And tomorrow, I get to take my final for my 7 week class. It will be a bitter sweet day. I will be bitter about taking the test, but the class being over will be oh so sweet.

It wouldn't be so bad if the test was based on lecture. The class only had 2 lectures and the rest is from a big packet of articles and history about home economics and how it became family and consumer science. It is so boring, I can't keep my eyes open. Anyone want to read an article about the betty lamp, cause i sure don't, but i have to if i want to do well on this final. Grrrrrrrr

 Friday, I have another test, and then tuesday i have one too. Will this ever end??????

I think i am done complaining and being dramatic.   

I will end this rant with a taste of what i have in store:

(48) Feeling Accomplished

Oh hello friday. 

Today is the start of my school/project filled weekend.

But before i made it to school i had an interesting start. I was walking to the bus stop and saw two police cars right in front of it. There was a homeless man sitting on the bench and the police were talking to him. Apparently he was spending time at the library but had urinated in public. They asked him to leave and he did. I was still waiting for my bus and then another police officer arrived. Now there were three police cars, no homeless man, and me standing by the police cars. Everyone driving past kept staring as they went bye. I kept thinking about how people probably thought, "what did that girl do." Oh well, i know it had nothing to do with me. The bus arrived but had to pull up way further since the police cars blocked the bus stop. I was worried the bus wouldn't stop and i would have to ask the police officer for a ride. Thankfully i got on (the people on the bus gave me a weird look) and i made it to school and got on with my day.

I got to school at 10:40 and observed at the preschool. One less thing for me to have to do next week.

Today was my parent education backpack project presentation. It went really well. We chose to present first and get it over with. My teacher liked the activity i put together, and asked to keep it-Always a good sign of getting a good grade.

I got home after 4 and postponed my jury duty. (i had needed to do that for a couple of weeks now-the jury duty interfered with my vacation over spring break.) What a relief to have that taken care of.

Now for what the weekend holds:

-studying for a test on ch.1-4 in prenatal development and infancy

-studying for my final FCSE 299-7wk class (reading a packet full of articles, and going over the powerpoint notes)

-Doing research on Irish immigrants settled in new york in 1860 for our project being filmed on sunday

-writing my ch. 9 summary

SO how much of this studying is happening tonight? 

Hmmmmm....probably not much. I just want at least one night not thinking about school. So tomorrow is dedicated to studying.

P.S. I think i have decided to read Water for Elephants over spring break.
I am so excited for the movie to come out in April. I mean can it get much better....Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson...ya it's gonna be good.

(42) Gearing Up for March

I slept in 'til 10 this morning. It was delightful and much needed.

I started my morning off with coffee and immediately started working on a study guide for a test i have on tuesday.

I got a few questions in and then switched over to planning/organizing mode. I created calendars for the next three months and color coded all of my classes with everything that is due and with all of my exams. In the month of march, I only have 5 school days where there isn't a test, presentation, or assignment due. 

Trying to keep my sanity is going to be difficult but at least I know what's ahead.

At 3:30 I left for work and started my shift at 4.

I had a really good night. My break came at a great time (i had just got sat a table I didn't like and i was hungry and able to eat)

I still had food left over. I took packaging my food as an opportunity for my creative outlet for the day.

Yes, i did have to write on the box to make sure my food didn't get thrown out.

I got off work at 11pm. I had made $80 tonight- around 12%. Not too shabby.

I got home around 11:30 and then watched an animal planet show called Must Love Cats. I already love cats and it was so great to see so many cute kitties and see just how many people care about them and for them. (ok some of these people are quite weird and over the top. FYI i am not one of those cat lovers)

Now I will attempt to go to bed. Which, if you recall from other saturday nights, is quite a challenge. 

And like always i had iced tea tonight-so my chances for falling asleep soon are very slim. I will do my best to get some sleep.

UPDATE
Got some free music on itunes...you should get them while they're still free.

Went to sleep around 2am

(34) Stay Calm and Productive

I have so much to get done this weekend.

Here is my sticky note to do list to keep me on track:

I am trying really hard not to freak out or stress out. My main problem is knowing that i will want to procrastinate on all of these assignments. Unfortunately, I don't have time to do that. So i have to keep on track and stick to the plan and have all of these done by the end of Sunday because i know i won't have time to do them on monday or tuesday.

☁☁☁

Today's Happenings:

It is another cloudy day, and I'm happy about that except for not wanting to fully wake up.

I slept in 'til 9 and then got up and took a shower.

I spent the morning working on my roadmap to graduation project and doing laundry.

 I got to class early and started this post.

Class got out around 3:40

I had to wait over half an hour for the bus to come-thankfully it wasn't raining much, but it was really cold.

I got home around 4:40 and was so hungry.

Mom made italian sausage and angel hair pasta. I was eating dinner by 5:15-So early, not at all like us.

Dinner led to the downhill spiral of a nonproductive night.

I watched:

Gilmore Girls (while eating dinner)

 Design Inc., Cash Cab, Life as We Know It 

(were watched while laying in front of the fire and listening to the rain-so delightful)

Next thing I knew it was 9 o'clock and that meant that it was time to watch Say Yes to the Dress.

Why oh why am I such a TV junkie. I'm way too addicted.

So i failed at my plan today, but there is always tomorrow.