Day #8032 - Back in the Saddle

Don't worry, readers. For those of you who have met me and my incredible clumsiness, never fear - I am speaking figuratively, not literally. I am not actually talking about riding horses (though that would be a fun time). I'm referring to the fact that the dawn of a new school year is upon us once again. Or at least, upon me.

Though my classes don't actually start meeting until next Tuesday, I've been spending this week doing all of the required reading that has to be completed prior to each of the first lectures. Who ever thought I'd be grateful for homework? The start of the school year is perfectly timed, because I have just about gotten to the point where I was running out of ideas of how to fill my days productively, especially given my lack of employment at the moment.

And this time, I'm determined to do better. My summer class and 10-day boot camp down in Champaign showed me several things about this program. For starters, this is NOT undergrad - the readings are longer, more challenging, and the professors will be expecting much more of me. Secondly, this really is something I want to excel at. I never took notes on the readings for my summer class, and that was a mistake. By the time I got to campus, all the different articles felt like they had melted into one big confusing puddle in my head. But not this time. This time, I will be organized. Finally, my focus and attention levels need to stay high. Starting next week, I will be going to the library to do my school work. Quiet, big tables, and not being able to wander to the refrigerator every time I'm tired of reading is exactly what I need.

In other news, I'm 100 pages into book 5 (Order of the Phoenix) in my Harry Potter reading marathon. Those 2 days of being sick really threw me off my game, but I think I may still have a shot. It'll be close and maybe it's not going to happen, but if I finish the series before my birthday ends Monday at midnight, I'll consider this a rousing success haha

Day #8024 - Page by Page

There's an old saying that says, "Idle hands are the devil's handywork," meaning that if you have nothing to do, you'll get into trouble. At the moment, it's a sentiment that I can certainly understand. With just under a week and a half before school starts again, I am surprised to find myself with so much free time, yet not much to do. I make my daily calls to try and to register my teaching certificate in my region (but that's a story for another day) so that I can finish my applications to become a substitute teacher. I'm getting back into the habit of running in the morning and all that jazz. I've even been practicing my guitar and sounding slightly less terrible. Yet there is still a lot of open time in my days, at least for the next week and a half anyway.

All of this has led me to my crazy goal. In the last week and a half, I have read three novels. More like flew through them, actually. So I've set up a challenge for myself - to reread all 7 Harry Potter books before my birthday and the first day of school on the 23rd. Is it completely ridiculous? Oh heck yes. But given the current state of funk that I've been stuck in for a while, I think these novels could be just the boost I need to snap me out of it. It's been several years since I've read them, so it also makes for a nice trip down memory lane. I can remember where I was they days I got each of these books, even the first one which I got in 1999.

So wish me luck, readers, as I attempt to dive into this magical world all over again. Anything to distract me from the crazy high temperatures and humidity we've been getting here in Chicagoland! Yeesh!

Day #7997 - Finally

Well I can feel a little...different, yeah we'll go with different, now when I say "Hello readership!" because as it turns out, there are really some readers out there! Finally! Granted, this one reader who did take the time to leave a comment was anonymous and accused me of calling vegans unhealthy (which, to be clear, that is not what I said! As with anything in life, I just believe people need to make educated and informed decisions), but hey, a reader is a reader and the more, the merrier! Though for the future, I guess I wonder if I'm allowed to be a little picky and request that you at least leave a name (even if it's not your real one) - anonymous comments still feel so distant. Anyway, so that happened today!

In other news, LIS502 will finally be over after tomorrow's lecture in the morning and final exam in the afternoon. The words "totally psyched" come to mind - not that I haven't enjoyed the experience, because I really have and look forward to the things to com, but it will be nice to be back in my own house and let my brain decompress a little from this information surge that has been underway. Intense, but in a good way. Tomorrow I really would be okay with getting a B! haha

Well back to the grindstone, I suppose. Keep those comments coming!