Update

I know that you are all concerned about how I am doing with my work load with a little over two weeks left in the semester.  I have finished two of my assignments, the 250 word paper on childhood in the 1950s and a 500 word essay on the history of Play-Doh for my show and tell.  My show and tell got moved to next week, but those two papers are done.  The group presentation on HPV is done, now to hammer out the 1000 word essay on it.  Below is my list of my own work to take care of by the end of the semester.  It helps me to make lists of what needs to be done.

• 12-15 page historiography of Girls' Secondary Education
• 1000 word paper on HPV and a group presentation on it as well.
• 8-10 page paper on Title IX
  
• Six 1-page legal briefs
• Three page book review of Oakes' Keeping Track
• One final exam

I also have a pile of grading to take care of for the courses that I am teaching.  I was able to catch up on some of the work, but I just feel a little overwhelmed.  I know things will get done, but I felt the need to complain here. 

On the other hand, it has been 5 weeks since my surgery.  I have lost 17 pounds.  I feel back to normal, I just need to find the time to get back into a workout routine.  

For an update on the stats situation, I have enrolled in the stats class that will work for my program.  The faculty member believes that this class should work for me, as long as I am willing to read earlier portions of the book when I get lost.  I had to drop the other course that conflicts with the stats class.  I am waiting for Pablo to write me back and let me know what I can do.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that they move the course to another night so I can have it all fall into place.  I am not too worried, I was the only student registered for the course.  I just like having this planned out a head of time.  It is one less thing for me to worry about.

I Hate Statistics, and You Should Too

If you have not noticed by now, I am not a scientist or a mathematician. I am a trained historian and an educator. The program that I am in requires all of its students to take a graduate level statistics class, and is very specific about which courses qualify. There are two courses in the entire university that qualify, as far as I know and have been told. I understand why they want their students to have a background in statistics, it doesn't mean that I have to like it. What happened is that I met with my advisor, Pablo, and it went very well. If the graduate school accepts one of my master's degree courses for credit, I have 12 credits left. Four classes, two each semester, and I am done with all the course work for my doctorate. It is a scary thought. One of these classes is the stats class that I have been putting off since I began this program in the Fall of 07. I have very little wiggle room for the four courses left. I have registered for one course this fall and I am trying to get into the one stats class that will let someone like me, who has not had stats since 1997, take the course. I have to get permission from the instructor who has never taught this particular class and is not completely sure if she will cover any introductory material. She is being really good about trying to help me determine if I want to attempt this course without a refresher. Here is the problem I am faced with now. The stats class is offered on the same day and roughly the same time as the only other class that I will be taking this fall. The two that I will take in Spring of 10 are not offered until Spring so there are not really any other options that I am aware of at the moment. Pablo told me to worry about the stats first and the other class will figure itself out. I have a great advisor!

On another front, I am working on hammering out my pile of grading. I think that I have let the students suffer enough agony waiting for their graded work to be returned. Today is a day of marathon grading. Then I will turn to getting my papers done. Here is the last few things I have to complete this semester:

• 12-15 page historiography of Girls' Secondary Education
• 1000 word paper on HPV and a group presentation on it as well.
• 250 word paper on childhood leisure activities in the 1950s
• 500 word paper on a toy and a show and tell presentation (I still need a toy)
• 8-10 page paper on Title IX
• Six 1-page legal briefs
• Three page book review of Oakes' Keeping Track
• One Final Exam

There is three weeks of classes left, so I have my work cut out for me. I will be very happy when I can start crossing these off my list.

5 Weeks and Counting...

Today it has been 3 weeks since my surgery and I am really feeling like myself again. Food is still entertaining, and I still have protein shakes to scarf down, but it is a little easier each passing day. Things are looking up.

As for the academic side of my life, I have been trying to plan what should be the last year of coursework! I have 12-18 credits left to take. Three of which are proscribed by my program and I am not quite sure about the other 3-9 credits. I meet with my advisor, Pablo, Thursday to hammer out the finale to my academic career. It is very exciting to see the halfway point in the marathon that is my doctoral program. It is also an odd feeling to think that after the coursework is done, I will be on my own, with no net. There isn't someone setting deadlines as to when my drafts are due or I will fail a course.

On the subject of deadlines, I have been way too good at procrastinating this semester. That 1000 word paper, got an A. I know that this school should come easy to me after 10 plus years, but it is a little scary that I can do this without putting in the effort. It worries me. I have a few papers and projects that I am putting off, alongside all of grading that I have piled up. I need to find a way to stop doing this to myself. Any suggestions? With 5 weeks and counting left to this semester I need to find something to kick me in the butt.

Back in the Saddle

So my surgery is over. I stayed one night in the hospital, just to help control the pain and make sure I was strong enough to get home. I have asthma, so I worry about making sure my breathing is consistent and not too painful. I have been mending slowly but each day is a better improvement. The toughest part now is to stick to the very strict diet attached to the recovery. I am only allowed to eat pureed food for the next two weeks and also have to consume 3 protein shakes a day. I feel like I am always preparing, measuring, or eating/drinking. I have to try and keep to a more consistent schedule, and this requires me downing the protein shakes while teaching. Let me tell you that they do not mix. I am not one to drink lots of shakes, so doing this three times a day is becoming problematic. I just have to get over this dislike of eating/ingesting these in front of my students. I have disclosed to them the nature of the surgery and why I have this going on, and they are fascinated by the whole process.

On other news, I am procrastinating from writing a 1000 word paper that is due on Thursday morning. I am just wiped out from my first day back after spring break surgery. I just cant seem to find my motivation to just get it done. I have 6 hours in my office tomorrow to work on it, plus all night tomorrow. I do have some other homework due on Wednesday that has to get done as well. Instead of working on these things, I am writing about it. I feel like this is becoming a broken record with me. I want to know where my motivation went. How can I get my energy and focus back? Anyone have any ideas?

Tomorrow is one of my favorite holidays, St Patrick's Day. I don't say this because it is an excuse to drink, but I am of Irish descent, and it is a day to help people understand Irish culture. I will not be able to partake in my traditional events, I am not allowed to drink alcohol for a year, and I cannot have my Reuben lunch that I traditionally share with a friend. Well I could, but it would have to be pureed and that is just the desecration of the blender. So the only way to help me get into the spirit of the holiday was to look yet again at my photos from my trip to Ireland. The last two I posted were well accepted.

Here is a photo of an area called the Burren, County Clare:

Here are the Dublin steps. This is the old entrance to the city and reportedly the most haunted site in Dublin. Do you see any thing?

An lastly for you all is the Irish version of the dollar store:

Reflections

I am on break this week and anticipating a life-changing surgery on Tuesday. Now that I have been able to clean up a few loose ends I have been reflecting on the last few years of my life and all of the changes that have occurred that led me to where I am today. Almost a year ago, my husband and I went on our honeymoon to Ireland, and there I feel I found some of the most peaceful places to reflect on life. I wish I could go back there now. The country had such a calming effect on me. Here are two of my favorite places that help me focus more on life than on the projects I have to complete. The first is of Ladies' View in the Kilarney National Park, looking down on the Lakes of Kilarney.

The second photo was taken in Glendalough, on the grounds of St. Kevin's monastery. The place was so peaceful and serene that words could not even begin to describe it.

So now as I a mentally preparing myself for surgery, and for the end to this semester, I have tried to find the mental peace that was so readily available to me on my journey through Ireland. Viewing the photos of these places have brought me some peace, hopefully sharing them with you can do the same.

Pet Peeves

So this will be a shorter post, but I am just really being annoyed lately by pretentious people. I mean, I think that I am smart. I have a few pieces of paper that say that I am, but I really cannot stand it when people try to sound smart for no reason.

Could it be that this person has learned a few new words and wants to share them with me in a sentence? Could it be that they are intimidated by my team's recent trivia win? Could it be that being on a college campus they just feel the need to sound more academic?

I am not sure, but it annoys the crap out of me when people try and make themselves sound so self-important. I am not asking that smart people dumb themselves down when talking, but using technical jargon in a relatively casual conversation doesn't impress me.

Resume vs. CV

I have always hated trying to explain what a CV is to people outside of academia. It is not just another way to write a resume. It is a little more than that. The comic below hit it right on the head. For thouse of you yet to have put yours together, you have my sympathies.