Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Today, it's half full

Well, I'd hate to speak too soon, but thus far, today has been much better than I had anticipated. Here are the high points.

I discovered that I've grown a testicle or maybe even two (strange, I know, but good) as evidenced by my display of authority in the library lab this morning. Of course, I didn't really have much choice. A certain XA and a certain (supposed) philosophy student were duking it out over the validity of the Christian scriptures, right in the middle of the lab. Before I know it, the XA had apparently ESPed some back-up, and they were swarming the place. Meanwhile, a more knowledgeable and less extremist non-trad added himself to the conversation, for which I am grateful because that poor girl, believer though she may be, was getting the theological beating of her life. Notice that I am hearing all of this from my post at the info desk. The entire lab was either being entertained or infuriated -- in other words, completely distracted -- by the display. So I plucked up my courage and laid down the law. Of course, with the disclaimer that I respect such thoughtful discourse, but... Oh, what a disciplinarian am I.

Miracle of miracles, I finished my Span-Am homework with time to spare. If you divide the number of pages you have to read by the number of minutes you have to read them, you can quite easily devise a system of miniature deadlines that will help a lot -- and make you feel better when you're thirty minutes ahead of schedule.

Grades are looking upward. I found out today that I almost made an A on one of my Span-Am quizzes. Very excited. What's more, I am almost certain that I did make an A on today's quiz.

It's possible (but only possible) that I might be having someone under my tutelage. And it's possible (but only possible) that it would increase my income by 2/3 and only increase my working hours by 1/3. Oh, and it would increase my tutoring experience by, like, 100%. That would be a sweet deal.

Here's to a second half of the day as good as the first.

Oh, and p.s. I bought this tshirt.

Monday, January 30, 2006

It gives you wings

Out of nowhere, I just got the greatest surge of confidence. (Maybe it has something to do with the roughly thirty ounces of coffee I've had today thus far.) That confidence being in my ability to teach. I don't know. I was watching this required film about Cortez and his conquest of Mexico, and I think I was daydreaming. And I suddenly imagined myself being very successful as a teacher. I think part of my fear is that I'm not going to be knowledgeable enough. Not that I won't be able to impart my knowledge, but that I won't have it. And suddenly, today, I feel qualified. Let's hope it lasts.

I didn't expect to be able to come home between classes today, but alas, here I am for a meager hour. *turns a half-hearted cartwheel*

And now for a suggestion: Go to toothpastefordinner.com. This is some of the funniest stuff I've ever seen. And it's so subtle and -- I don't know -- dry. Not to mention cute. Go. Be fruitful and laugh.

Sunday, January 29, 2006

(v.g.)

Miles on stationary bike 6 (g.), floors climbed on stair stepper 5 (I'm weak), iPods 1 (quite excellent).

Okay, I swear I'm going to shut up about this. I was just proud of my mileage increase. And my iPod nano! Good stuff.

I've been entirely productive today. Went to the Journey. Did a little unnecessary shopping. True, one of the stores was Radio Shack for some cute little skins and socks for the iPod. But I balanced that off with the Dollar Tree. Everything's $1! That can't hurt, right? I went to the library for a huge chunk of the afternoon/evening to get all caught up for all four of my classes tomorrow. I even checked out the book I'm going to read for my COM 372 analysis, which isn't due for, like, a month.

Tomorrow's going to be a seriously long day. I'm going to be on campus from 7:30 am to 9:00 pm. Faaar too long. The problem is that I can't come back home before my night class because I have to go watch a movie for Span-Am lit from 3:30-5:30 or something. My afternoon classes don't end until 2:20 and my night class begins at 6:00. During that hour break from 2:30-3:30, I'll being going to get a coffee the size of a wastebasket and an IV.

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Eyes on the prize, Violet

Well, the daily regimen (a word I didn't know that I didn't know how to spell, hm) of going to the Wellness Center has made it to Day Three. Now if I'd just exercise once I got there... No, no. For real, I'm spending 30-45 minutes a day on cardio machines. That's a pretty big deal, you know. I am the least self-disciplined person on the face of the planet. But I think this semester is definitely going to be a four-month exercise in discipline, all around. I have too many daily quizzes to slack off on homework.

So. As an incentive to this wellness gig -- you know, besides the wellness -- I'm casting an awfully lustful eye at this. Yes, it's an Ipod. I'm making a deal with myself. I've already somewhat proved to myself that I'm going to do this thing. You know, the e word. (Psst...ex-er-cise.) I know three days isn't much, but it's the longest, most consistent record I've got. And once I lay down (eek!) two-hundred smackaroos for that beeby Ipod, I should have accumulated enough financial guilt to remind myself of the commitment. Plus, hey, I'll have an Ipod to help me whistle while I work and basically to tune out the world. I guess it's not the cleanest deal that I could've struck with myself, but I hope it works. In the meantime, I'll just tell myself this: "It's not for the Ipod. It's for me."

Ha!

But let's be honest here. I don't believe at all in the immediate, drastic lifestyle change that the words "healthy lifestyle" imply. I always think of Evelyn, Kathy Bates' character in Fried Green Tomatoes, you know. Out of virtually nowhere, she starts going to the gym, eating only two peas for supper, making a Good Samaritan out of herself, looking at her vagina in a mirror for enlightenment, wearing and selling Mary Kay products... It's all too mid-life crisis-y for me. And I think a lot of people fall into that trap. I think that's what unrealistic lifestyle changes are -- traps. But I don't want to be a whole new, different person. I just want to be a better me. You know, the me that moves around a little bit each day so that she doesn't die at the age of 30 due to heart disease.

Well, on that happy note, I'm going to recommend that you go see Campus Lights. They're doing the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Hilarious. They have a fine and talented cast. And my neighbor-friend Tessa's character, Smitty, is delightfully wacky. Well, the whole thing is. There's a show tonight at 7:00 and one tomorrow afternoon at 2:30, Lovett Auditorium. Go. Really.

Friday, January 27, 2006

Steamroller, baby

Finally. Another Friday. It's about time.

Here are my goals for the weekend:
  • Make it to see Campus Lights.
  • Read my Early English lit assignments and make a discussion board post.
  • Read (at least most of) my Span-Am lit assigments.
  • Clean out my closet, like Eminem.

I think those are lofty enough goals for the weekend. Oh, and speaking of lofty goals, guess what I did. Yep, yours truly went to the Wellness Center yesterday. So what if it was only for about three miles on a bicycle. I had to burn off some pent up agression. Between yesterday being a Thursday (AKA D-Day, AKA One of the Days I Have to Go to Spanish-American Literature) and having to deal with folks in both the University Scholarships office and Sparks Hall, I needed to let off a little bit of steam. And let's be real, I could stand to let off about two tons of weight steam. As stressed out as I have been thus far, I think I'll have plenty of anger to motivate me to the gym. Here's to the healthy by-product of aggression.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Down to the wire

I'm just stopping by to recommend two songs. Two songs that I feel like everyone ought to listen to. I don't know why. They're just good.

"My Father's Gun," Elton John.

"Vultures," John Mayer Trio.

If you can, get your hands (or ears) on them. They'll make you happy.

Monday, January 23, 2006

O, the shire

Okay, I may be singing a different tune in a matter of weeks, but tonight, I looove Early English literature. Maybe it's just the professor. It's hard to contain myself. However, I do foresee a required twenty-ounce coffee dosage for these night class sessions.

In other loosely-associated things, I am beginning to realize that I have a problem with fashionable things. Tonight, we had to fill out an information sheet on which one of the questions was about our favorite work of literature. I do have a difficult time pinning this one down. It's easy to just go with the Chronicles of Narnia. But it kind of bothers me that they are now fashionable texts to read. Why does that bother me? It is similar to this complex I have about "ripping off" music from other people. I think I have a fear of being a copy cat. How irrational of me.

Ah! I got my Spanish dictionary and thesaurus-y thing today. Thank you, UPS. It made my day a little bit brighter.

So I haven't ever really watched 24, but tonight, Mom told me over the phone that Sean Astin -- you know, of LOTR fame -- is on there and that I should watch a little bit to see him. She seemed to be impressed with how "cleaned-up" he looks, which didn't make a lot of sense to me. Then I realized what she meant. Mom. He's not really a hobbit.

Home Sweet Heorot

And so week two begins. If we want to get all technical about it, this is the last day of week one. This'll be the first Monday of the semester. It's my long day. A little work, three normal-like classes, and a night one: the highly-anticipated Early English literature class. I'm not sure just how much more coursework I can handle, but with this nine-hour Spanish diet, I need some English lit. Be it Beowulf.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Brown paper packages

Do you know what I absolutely love? Receiving packages. I get extra-giddy when it's from services outside of the USPS. You know, like FedEx or UPS. But you know what I hate? I hate it when UPS decides not to leave the package, even though no signature is required. I hate getting the post-it note type form stuck to my door saying I'm going to have to wait all weekend before I get to rip open my Amazon.com box filled with the Spanish lexicon. I ordered a for-real Spanish dictionary. You know, Spanish words with Spanish definitions. I had planned to spend my whole weekend devouring it. Okay, not really. But it would've been nice. *sigh*

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Like blades of grass

Tonight, I feel like a-blogging.

'Tis the first week of the semester, so I did my obligatory over-achievement. I did all my homework for tomorrow. Notice: that's pre-pre-class-3.5-hour-work-shift. If that made any sense, congratulations. Anyway, I'm going to pretend that I didn't do all that somewhat easy Spanish homework for tomorrow with sole intention of making myself feel better after failing that somewhat hellacious Spanish quiz today.

Dated with my b/f/f/ tonight. A two-hour conversation over the inevitable Tom's chicken tenders is always a delight. I love my b/f/f/. Not just because she got me some really amazing and wonderfully thoughtful gifts from Ireland and England.

Because I'm an old maid -- no, really, I am -- I'm going to browse through my books and find a new one to read before heading to bed. I finished off The Five People You Meet in Heaven last night. Good stuff. Now for something new.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

My duty

Yes, yes. The obligatory I'm-back post. I basically dragged all my things through the door and stopped at the computer. I feel 100% out-of-touch. And 100% barricaded-in. Unpacking with commence shortly.

Hm. The accomplishments of the past month (because there ought to be some) are few. Of course, the big plan was to read a thousand books, including the six section introductions in my Spanish-American lit textbook. Well. I read Persepolis and Persepolis 2, which was no chore but very enjoyable. I read the first intro of the lit text. I've gotten through the first two people in The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I tell you. I worked light duty. Very light. Well, it means I have lots of books to read this semester. I'll be needing some Contemporary Modern English, anyway.

I did teach myself how to knit. I got tired of it, but I was determined to complete a scarf. I gave it to Mom. It's cute, too. Oh, and I made her watch all the Harry Potter movies. That's an accomplishment, right?

Yeah, okay. I gotta sort through my stuff. Clothes and Christmas things and I don't know what all.

And tomorrow. I'll be making a much needed Wal-Mart excursion to replenish the cupboard and to pick up my OCD-induced color coordinated folders and notebooks for this semester. I ought to do that after I drop a million dollars for textbooks. You know, so they can match. Dear lord... Oh, and I gotta put some money in the DB.

Waterfield's the workplace again. Jury's still out about the tutoring position.

It's weird to think this semester might've been my last. Has all that time really passed? I didn't mean to make that rhyme.