Really, I just want to register, Part 2

Remember how I registered for a Social Change & Leadership class for the Summer? Yeah, strike that. When I got the syllabus for the class I found out I'd need to log 60 hours of volunteer time in the two months of class (that averages about 9 or 10 hours a week, after taking into account the two weeks I'll be gone), and that was on top of the reading and postings I'd have to do. I felt sort of guilty about even thinking of dropping the class; after all, I would be getting out in the community and doing good. But I had to think realistically. It's going to be a difficult enough summer as it is, taking so many classes, and to even begin to think about having to be gone that much (and find a place for my kids during that time) made me sick to my stomach. Plus I feel pretty strongly that I need to be able to spend time with my kids this summer--going to the zoo, the library, friends' houses, etc. I knew I couldn't swing that if I were to continue to take that class. And, as an added bonus, after I had pretty much decided I'd just have to take the loss of the $10 I spent on books for that class, I got an email from the half.com seller I'd bought the books from telling me there'd been some sort of error and they didn't really have the books I'd ordered, did I want a refund?

So instead of Social Change & Leadership, I'm taking a Project Applied Study Term. Basically what that means is I'll be working on my book. I've decided to add a bad guy and so I've got to plan him (and any possible sidekicks), write his story, integrate it in with the existing story, and probably do some editing along the way. (Who, me? Edit?) I have to clock 150 hours over the two months, but I can clock them any time--at home, in the car, reading, writing, researching, planning, editing, talking with my Field Supervisor (a UIS English professor), 3:30 in the morning or 4:00 in the afternoon. I plan on re-reading my story in preparation for adding the bad guy, taking notes on when and how I want to fit him in, and guess what? That counts as hours! I can totally get used to this. I may even read The Princess Bride as further research. (Seriously! I've wanted to re-read it as inspiration for my story, and now my just be the time to do that. And no one's complaining that it would count as hours toward my project!) So, basically, for the next two months I'll have a NaNoWriMo part two. Or, wait...I think we're up to NaNoWriMo part three. In any case, lots of writing, not much time. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to give myself a word goal or not. I know I can't/don't want to write a full 50,000 words just on the bad guy. So I think my goal is just to write his full story and successfully integrate it in with the existing story. I have to figure out my exact goal and write a proposal in the next few days. Yeah, basically my "break" (which hasn't been as much of a break as I'd hoped, but was still much better than full-blown school) is over. I won't even talk about the project for my American Souths class I'm already working on (at the suggestion of my professor).

And, finally, remember how I said I planned to re-read my story in prep for my writing? Well instead of sitting in front of the computer screen, I will get to curl up in a chair and read...


...my book.

Yup, that's right, folks. My book. It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Aaron still hasn't read my story because he doesn't like reading umpteen pages on the computer screen--and really, who does?--so we decided to print it and bind it so he could read it. We started looking at Kinko's, but then thought, why not go all out? I was able, through Lulu.com, to self-publish my book and buy a copy for less than $9.00. Now, I realize, probably more than anybody, that my story still needs a lot of work, even outside of the whole adding-another-whole-storyline thing. But I can't tell you the rush I've gotten today flipping through my book. My book! My actual, printed-on-pages...


...bound-with-a-front-and-back-cover-and-spine...


...bearing-my-name, fits-on-the-bookshelf-right-next-to-The-Princess-Bride (sorry, no picture--my batteries died and I have NO other AA batteries in the house), honest-to-God book. I knew it would be cool, but words can't describe how cool it is. And I think this was just what I needed to get my writing mojo back (I was feeling a bit overwhelmed a few days ago).


*Sigh* Isn't it lovely? Maybe one day, when the completed version is for sale in bookstores around the country, this true first edition will be worth lots of money.

Or, you know, maybe my husband and I and my mom will have a copy. Either way, it's mine. My book.

2 down, 6 to go

I am officially done with the Spring semester!

Actually, I was done with it on Thursday, but I figured if I opened with that it'd be a little anticlimactic.

I turned in my Children's Lit final on Wednesday, my Research & Study major research paper last Saturday, my not-as-little-as-I'd-thought R&S reflection paper on Wednesday, and a dinky discussion board post for CL on Thursday, and that's the end, folks! Today I found out I made a 100 on my CL final (I made 100's on both tests in that class!) and my final grade was a 98. Yeah, I'm quite proud and pleased. (This is not new emotional territory for me, either.) And by the way, the Webposium I mentioned in that post I just linked to? My entry is currently in the running to win one of the prizes!

Next up: The Summer of Hell. I've already mentioned that this summer I am taking a total of 13 hours. Yup, 13 hours in 2 months. (For the record, I've just finished 16 hours in 8 months.) I will be taking classes at UIS and MCC. At MCC I'll be taking Public Speaking in June, going to class M-Th from 8-10 am (I'm crying at having to get up early in the summer), and Intro to Statistics (which is an online class--yay!) in July. The stone in my shoe with these classes is that I've already taken both a speech and a math class (two math classes, actually), but what I took won't transfer to UIS. C'est la vie. At UIS I'll be taking Literature of the American Souths (sorry, no link) and Social Change & Leadership.

And I have determined that, after The Summer of Hell, if I keep going the way I have been, taking two classes every semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer), then I will graduate in May 2010. Two years, baby. Two semesters down, six more to go.

In the meantime, I've got a three week break. I'll be doing all sort of constructive things with my time...like playing Chip's Challenge.

Potpourri

I thought of doing several different posts, but, really, why? Instead, you get THREE, yes, that's right, folks, THREE blog posts for the price of one!! What a deal!

Post #1
Some people, if they will...ahem...be in the bathroom for a while, take along some reading material. I've even been in bathrooms in people's homes where there was a magazine rack or a small bookshelf. That's overdoing it, in my opinion, but the universality of some sort of bathroom diversion is my point.

Noah has found a different way to pass the time in the bathroom.





Post #2
When doing laundry, which I DO do from time to time, contrary to whatever you may have heard from my husband or children, I occasionally find a penny or even a quarter, or a bouncy ball, or some such sundry item. The other night, in one single load, I found this:


And, by the way, Maria, that large two-toned coin is a Toonie. I have no idea where it came from (well, Canada, obviously, but other than that...).

Post #3
This past Sunday, we FINALLY partied down in honor of Halle's ninth birthday. Poor kid, we had to postpone twice, but I think she had a good time when we got to it.


I'm quite proud of this cake. It certainly wasn't a major feat of decorating, but I think in its simplicity it turned out really well. The yellow frosting is homemade lemon, and I could eat it with a spoon, it's so good. Yum, yum, yum! The pink was good, too (store-bought strawberry tinted darker pink), but give me some of that lemon frosting any day!

By the way, I used my Betty Crocker 100 piece Cake Decorating Kit for the center of the flower. And all that stuff around the cake? That's confetti. Why? Because.


Birthday Girl (kinda' blurry). And, mom? The dress she's wearing is what you bought her.



And, finally, many thanks to Brooke for helping out. It would not have gone nearly as smoothly without you there!