Busy Times

Yep, another busy post. why is it that when I need to procrastinate the least is when I settle in, hunker down and want to blog about it?!

I'm anxiously awaiting my scores for the Miller Analogies test I took a couple weeks ago. Either I relax, a bit, or I really have to move my a$$ and get my classes done. I have realized, of course only now that I'm old, that in order to retain information I've read, I have to have the room completely quiet. No kids talking, no background TV, nothing. Perhaps this 'study style' would've helped me in High School.....perhaps.....we'll see how well I do with these two courses. I have that Basic Skills test coming up, so I can always perform crappy on that and be two for two on my test-taking abilities!!

I'm think of new projects for my week off next month, only to realize, I have no money. I've got a lot of ways to spend money, but not enough money to spend. That's another complaint at a later date. I've been hit with another tax increase to boot this month, either I spread it out, or I pay it up now.....What are the politicians doing with my money anyways?!?!? I've had to take pay cuts and such, what's with that?! When will they?! I'm irritated by the whole thing. I think I've decided to be an independent voter. Vote for the best candidate. I will truly try to not be politically pulled in one direction, although it is quite hard not to.

Today, I had lunch with some co-workers and a woman who's husband is a lot like mine.....he's a co-worker who wasn't at lunch, but I so hope I'm not like her in another 5 years. It was comical, but she also seems to have quite a crabby husband at home. I kept thinking, OMG! This will be me in 5 years! It was a moment that was a good teaching tool. I really don't want that to be me and Husband.

However I also remembered I saw a show last week that depicted the first half of marriage as lying in bed(after the honeymoon phase of course) you look over and say "Good God, you're still here?!" The second half of the marriage you look over and say "Thank God you're still here".

Paid Time Off

This week I am taking off work, granted it's only 20 hours, but there's a big to-do list. Mostly it's in my head of what needs to be done and the first thing on the list was washing the basement closet because, well, a tiny bit of mold had grown in it from the result of the flooding of the basement incident that took place last year. Having washed it down with a bleach/water solution, I can tell it smells better. I think the water main in the closet was not helping the situation. A little too much moisture. All seems to be well now.

I have read a chapter of my sociology book and am on the second chapter of my history book. I finished the first assignment for sociology, although I have no idea if the professor even knows I'm a student. I keep signing in and it brings me to the first page all the time. I sign in at my folks and it brings me to where I left off.

I'm definitely learning a lot already. It's just if it sticks or not.

Handsome had his routine ultra-sound for his hydronephrosis yesterday. He was a champ! It was non-invasive, but he was just calm and relaxed and it went really well. I have to pick up the disk with the report and schedule an appointment with his pediatric urologist, so I hope to get that done today. He's diagnosed as mild to moderate, at the lower end of the spectrum I guess.

I also hope to set up a chiropractic appointment (I'm a firm believer) as I missed the one I was supposed to go to after Christmas and haven't rescheduled as of yet. I think that my stress definitely flows into my neck......the more stress I have, the more pain I get.

I'm writing this as both kids are down in the basement with me. Sometimes they say the funniest things I've ever heard. Handsome is just like Uncle Du, always trying to make you laugh. I'm finally breaking Sweet Pea out of the 'no teasing' phase. Ever so slowly, but she's coming along.

Saturday we had the unfortunate experience of replacing our furnace. Ugghhhh. The people were nice, it was replaced within 12 hours of making the call....it's just that the money that was spent we had better plans for. Husband wanted a driveway and I wanted a new sliding glass door. He told me that he was sorry I wasn't going to get a new door. I told him he's sorry he must be mistaken. I insist on looking outside and seeing my backyard instead of seeing the 'fog' between the glass created by a broken seal. I am adamant about getting that thing replaced. It's embarrassing and only adds the white trash look.

Have I mentioned that I need someone to come in and help me decorate this house?! I've got a million plans, worth a million dollars, on a nickel and dime budget. I'll have to send my woes to all the decorating shows to see if anyone will bite. So I will appease my decorating angst by painting the basement closet. One item will be off my list......

I love being off with the kids, yesterday was a holiday and today, Sweet Pea doesn't have school. Four days in a row of no school, this is heaven. Speaking of school, once again, I've been told I don't want to be a teacher, by a teacher. How is it that teachers turn so crabby?! I don't have sympathy for them at all. They've got it good. Having probably not worked elsewhere, they don't get that it's always (almost always) something at work places: management, co-workers, owners, customers. It's how you view it and what you do about it......

Miller's Analogies

It took me two days to tell Husband that he must've married me for my beauty! It certainly wasn't for money, nor was it for brains. This was confirmed via taking that Miller's Analogies test this past Sat. I'm am not out, boy boy am I down from taking that thing. I was smiling at the end of taking it, because it is what it is.......I hope to find out how bad I did in a couple weeks, they say in 4-6 weeks you'll receive your score, but the person providing the test said sometimes it's as early as 2-3. Great, I'll know I'm an idiot even sooner.

Some may think I'm being hard on myself, but really, you don't know me. When I took the ACT in High School and got a terrible score, my Mom said "You can take it again honey". So I did. I took it again, I got the EXACT SAME SCORE. I'm writing it off as being a horrible test taker, I will not accept that I'm just that stupid.

Yesterday I started my Sociology Class on line. The first page of Lesson 1 told me to read Chapter One of my text book. So, I did. I like what I read, I stink at retaining it.

I somehow have to shake off this negativity, otherwise I firmly believe you are what you preach........So, I'm smart, I'm beautiful and gosh darn it, people like me!

Estimated Start Date

What's that, have I started my classes since I've received my books? Is there an estimated start date. Well, that's tough. I could start the class on-line right now, but I think I'll be hindered by a 5 year old who probably doesn't need to rest any more, at least most of the time, but I guess I'm still hopeful or dreaming.

I've accomplished acquiring a 3-ring binder for my book, it looks fabulous, and purchased ink for my printer. I'm not trying to make excuses, it's cold in the basement today. Have I mentioned I hate the computer down here? I need it upstairs and I need it now. I'd love a lap top. That'd be so cool.

Tomorrow I take the Miller Analogies test that is required for acceptance into the MAT Program I'm applying for......I printed a study guide, which I reviewed a portion of a couple weeks ago and it seems to be a test that deals with comparisons of some sort. One of those, 'should be a no brainer' but I'll stink at it. So, I'm not so into jumping into starting my courses tonight until I take this thing tomorrow. So, that's where I'll be at 10am for an hour or so. All the previous 'bs' I just spewed is to inform you that my brain is preoccupied with taking this test. So I guess my official 'start' date is tomorrow. I promise, today won't be wasted. I'll review the study guide.

Did I mention that Husband finally asked how much this is going to cost. I told him around $15K (that includes free baby sitting from my folks). He was shocked. ::rolling eyes:: Guess he though it was going to be for free. He's soooooo, supportive.

Reading is not for dummies!

"My new school books are here! My new school books are here!" ::ridiculously jumping up and down as I type this:: That's my best impression of Steve Martin from "The Jerk". The books were delivered during the lull in a snow storm! UPS is awesome! I'm down with brown!

Sociology, by John Macionis
and
Firsthand America, by Burner, Bernhard & Kutler

The history book is a re-print, with no sell back value....::shrug:: what'ya'gonna'do? I Need a 3-ring binder......there's got to be one somewhere around here.

I arrived home early today because Husband was so sure the traffic would totally blow with the snow. It's snowed about 4 inches last night and into the morning. There's been a break in the snow and the sun even tried to break through. Sa-weeet! It's supposed to wrap around and hit us again over night.....we'll see about that. Who knows if they'll cancel pre-school. If they didn't today, they might not tomorrow. Husband also works at a school and he said they do everything in their power NOT to close the school because of the extra money it'll cost.....guess we'll see.

I remember several instances where they closed school when I was young. Once, I had to walk home more than 1/2 way (which seemed to take forever) because the school bus could not make it up the hill. We lived near the Des Plaines River and Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal. It's about the hilliest location in northeastern Illinois. Surrounded by flatland, the town was a quaint break in the mundane. It's the final destination in which I hope to plant my family for good. The sooner the better. I'm only one town, but worlds, away. I could've slapped Husband when he said we should've moved there instead of where we are now. That was my suggestion 9 years ago....... Back then, he was afraid we'd be too close to my folks. My folks help out so much and enjoy being with the kids, that looking back now, it was a no-brainer. His hind-sight is my "I told you so".....don't get me started.

I'm tempted to start reading, but I have a feeling Sweet Pea will be down here.....again....for the 5th time....I know she's 5, but she still needs a rest now and then.

Yep, I'm trying again.

So, the jogging thing worked really great, until the cold weather set in. I'm not happy about it, nor is the dog. I got to week 8 or 9 of 11 and definitely plan to start again, I'm looking at March 1st. Guess I'll have to figure out some other kind of working out regime until then, cause sitting on my butt is unacceptable. I'm still 9 pounds down, but have 5 to go. Sometimes it's 7, sometimes 5, it fluctuates. Being a girl is so......progesteronated....if I may create a word.

This past November I applied to a school to receive my Master of Arts in Teaching and to obtain a Secondary Education Teaching Certificate. It is a mouthful, isn't it?

My transcripts were reviewed and I am down two courses; History and Sociology. In order to buck up my historical chats with Husband, I decided to take History 221, which is US History from 1776 to present time. I figured I've lived the last, almost 40 years, so it'd be 'easy'. Well, nothing is ever easy, but I'm hopeful. I'm a horrible test taker. The second class Sociology I hope to learn a few things about myself and the world around me. I'm a pretty open individual, but I'm just wondering if that will count against me as I'll be taking these two courses at a heavily based Christian College. I could be wrong, we'll see what they think of this city, o'kay Chicago suburbanite, has to say.

I'm nervous about the whole process really, I've got a Miller Analogies test this Sat, a Basic Skills Test on Feb. 13th, and need to start my two on-line courses as soon as I receive the text books which should be arriving this Thurs. or Friday. The sooner the better. Although the worst part will be figuing out how to set up exams at local colleges. I'm throwing some pessimism into that, so again, I hope I'm wrong. Let me repeat, I'm a terrible test taker.....I get pretty bad stress headaches after taking tests, no matter the type of test.

So if all goes well, and I dont' know why I'm so skeptical, probably from living with Husband so long, I should start the program on April 5th. Then it's 10 weeks, two nights a week in the Spring, summer break, 10 weeks, two nights a week in the fall and six weeks of student teaching in the Winter of 2011. Of couse, lets ont forget there's some student teaching I'll be doing during both 10 week sessions.

My folks suggested this, that they are here for me if I wanted to try this. So, here I am. Excited and apprehensive at the same time.