Entry for November 5, 2010 OMG is that the Score I Got

I could not believe the score I received on my Math exam.  Out of a hundred percent I got a 112%.  What that means is, I didn’t get anything wrong on the exam and I also got both bonus questions right.  That is a way go me kina thing, isn’t it.  Who would have thought that I would understand Logic so well?  We started a new section today called, Counting Methods and Probability Theory.  What this basically means is we finally get to work with numbers.  FINALLY!  I had an hour between Psy and Math, so I decided that I would see what we would be doing, and I way know this stuff.  I am so excited.  Now I will have a clue and might actually use it someday.

I am not as stoked about what happened in Psy today, though.  We had a quiz and it was not a pop quiz or anything, but I feel as though I totally bombed this one.  It is my own fault really.  I had plenty of time before hand to study and I did write all the material down, but I kept on putting it off and off and well I basically studied on the bus on the way to school today.  So if I did bomb it, I have no one to blame but myself.  I will learn from it and begin to study this weekend for the exam we have on Friday.

I am showing some symptoms of my mental illness that I won’t go into detail about, but it has me worried a bit.  I am grateful that I have the knowledge of it and can see what I can do about it, but I wish I was not in transition with a therapist right now.  I have not heard news about who I will be getting or when I will get to see that person since my last therapist left almost two weeks ago.  This is concerning me some but I think I am strong enough in my own recovery to handle this situation. 

I guess because of the way I am feeling these last couple of days, this picture I chose for today fits perfect.  How many of you all have had a slinky at some point in your life.  I know I have had quite a few.  TTFN

Entry for November 4, 2010 Schedule Switch a Roo

Today dragged for me today.  I even was getting sleepy in my Western Civ class and that never happens to me.  Good thing about that class is there is no homework at all next week.  We will only be meeting the one day and that is it.  The school is closed on Thursday which would mean that we would miss both English and Western Civ but they are making Thursday be Wednesday but the Professor from Western Civ won’t be able to make the class but the English instructor wants class that day so rather than having two days off next week I have one and a half.  Oh well.  Also because of the schedule change for the one day, I have to cancel the NAMI Connection group I do on Wednesdays. 

Ok, so here it is for today….I decided to quit smoking.  I know I know I have tried before.  Did pretty well for a while and all but failed in the end.  Well this time is different (don’t you hate when people say that). Different as in I won’t have Denny to look to for cash when I need it.  So again the government has chosen something for me because I don’t know better for myself.  They conveniently made the price of smokes so high (with all the taxes they have added to it) that I can’t afford them.  But that is ok, at least now the insurance companies feel better since I won’t be wasting them large sums of money on unnecessary equipment due to my smoking problem.  I should feel so grateful that everyone is so concerned about me that they feel the need to control me but with me not realizing it.  It is the whole enforcing the seatbelt laws all over again.  Don’t let me get started.

How do you deal with a guy who creeps you kina out but you know you have to work with them.  You wonder if they have dead people decaying in their basement.  Maybe that is a bit extreme but there is this guy that I have to work with from time to time and well he kina creeps me out.  I guess he does, because you never know if he is going to snap.  He always looks like he is on the verge of just freaking out.  You feel like you have to watch everything you say to him.  It is just an awkward situation.

Oh ok so my friend Ami who had the surgery.  She is home and doing really well.  She gave me permission to share with you all that she got the gastric bypass surgery.  She was way nervous before the surgery and was trying to figure out if she was going to be doing the right thing.  Now that the surgery itself is done and she has mild pain, I think she feels like she made the right choice.  Hugs out to Ami.

This picture is brought to you because I was thinking of Ami and since she is ten years younger than me she had to quite young when this doll hit the market with a bang in 1984.  If you are not sure on the doll and where she came from you are either quite young or from another country.  I introduce to you, the Cabbage Patch Kid….. TTFN

Entry for November 3, 2010 All in All a Pretty Ok Day

Hey all!  Had a pretty good day today.  Was kind of tired but all in all it was a non-eventful day, which can sometimes be a really good thing.  I am having major problems following my Psychology Professor because he moves around the room so much and I lose so much information because of my stupid ears.  I really have to go and get my hearing aids adjusted; it has after all been a few years.  I do have my digital voice recorder and that seems to help a bit.  Good thing though that most of what he goes over is in the book and he does give out a study guide for the exams and tells us where to look for the quizzes, so mostly I am ok.  I do have an A in the class so I must be getting it, just feel like I am missing out and feel like there is no real reason for me to be getting up at four in the morning for a class that I don’t feel like I am participating in.

Had Math as well today and took an exam.  I feel like I did an ok job on that exam but watch, I messed it up or something.  Here is another class that I feel like I am missing out with, because the Professor is always talking to the chalk board and I miss so much.  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays it is so hard for me to attend those classes because I think, what is the point?  Everything I have learnt seems to come from the books and I don’t feel like I am being instructed.  Maybe I am expecting too much.  Maybe that is the way it really is and we really just have to read the books and that is all the information we need.  Well at least it seems that way with those two classes.

Tuesday’s and Thursdays I have Western Civ and English Writing, now both of those I feel as those I am part of the class.  My Western Civ Professor keeps us engaged and speaks very clearly and I have no issue with hearing him, and he doesn’t seem annoyed at all when I ask him to repeat what he said if I miss it.  My English instructor is big on us working in groups and figuring out how to work certain problems.  At first I was not thrilled with his type of teaching, but it is kind of growing on me, and in fact, next semester I am taking him for the next step in English.

The school hooked me up with a special kind of textbook for both Western Civ and Psychology that will read aloud for me as I follow along in the text on the puter.  Usually it is used for people with reading problems or blindness, for me though I use it so I can learn how to pronounce words and associate them better to memorize their spelling, since I don’t have phonics skills and every word I know how to spell is from memory.  That was way nice of them to do that for me and has helped a great deal.  When I was a kid I was one of the first kids to get a tape recorder because I needed it for exactly the reason that this program they set me up with is being used.  So that is why today’s picture is a old 1970’s cassette player.  How many of you all remember those. 

Ok so that is all for today so you all have a good one.  TTFN

Entry for November 2, 2010 Election Day

Spent the night with Denny last night.  We watched the movie Braveheart.  I had never wanted to watch that movie, but since I didn’t have many movies to choose from for my final project in Western Civ, I decided that it was the best choice, since it is one of Denny’s favourite movies and he could help me with my final project.  Turned out that all these years I was knocking a pretty good movie.  I was quite surprised how much I liked it.  I feel better for having watched it so early and getting a good head start on my final project.

While at Denny’s we got a good chance to talk and reconnect.  Since moving out two months ago, I have been wondering if I was doing the right thing.  We have lived together since the spring of 2003 and after all these years it seems that I have grown quite a bit and Denny seems to be stagnating and it was causing us to argue quite a bit.  Also I used to enjoy going out for drinks with him and that sort of thing, but since we moved here to Providence, I have noticed that he has been going out way more then he used to and even when we go out, there has to be alcohol involved. 

We have talked about my feelings on the issue and he has voiced his, but it seemed as though we were arguing more and more about it so I proposed to him that I would move out, in order to keep myself healthy and give him an opportunity to really focus on himself.  It was a hard decision to make, but I feel that it was best for the both of us.

Since moving out, Denny had a bit of depression hit him and he is finding it hard to manage his finances, and I feel bad about that situation but I feel that he has to do something to help himself, and having me there to bail him out is not going to help him in any way.  As hard as this is, I still today feel that I made the right decision.

Anyways, so this morning I started to get ready to go to vote and then head here to get some studying done, well on the end table in the living room I notice he left his wallet.  Knowing that he had his therapy appointment today and he had to still vote after work, I grabbed the wallet and dropped it off at his work.  I know that I was making something easier for him and that I really should have not done that but I knew that if he had a choice to either vote or go to therapy, he would choose going to vote.

Ok, so I get home and have the whole idea of studying and then I looked over at my bed and thought, “Ok, just a little while in bed would be great.”  I woke up four hours later!  Talk about a total waste of time!

My friend’s surgery went well and she is doing fine with some pain though.  I am thinking that perhaps I might head out and see her this Friday.  I could do it.  My last class ends at eleven and I usually get home around twelve, so I can really make the four o’clock bus to Albany.  It is going to cost a bit, but totally worth it.

I guess that is about it.  This was a lot longer than I expected really.  I was wondering what I was going to write about and didn’t even think I would have much of a blog.  Looks like I was way wrong.

Today’s picture is the first book I ever read by myself.  I know it is a little odd that someone would remember that, but I do, because I remember going around the house and reading to anyone that would listen to me.  You could imagine my delight when my son was young, and seeing that they made a show about Little Bear.  Well that is it you all.  TTFN

Entry for November 1, 2010 Early Morning Classes

Three times a week this semester I have to be in class by eight in the morning.  Since I take a city bus to school, I have to leave by six.  I like to wake up at least two hours before I go in.  No, it does not take me that long to get ready, it is just that I want to be fully wake when I get there so I mostly spend my hour and a half playing online, eating breakfast, getting my stuff together and what not.  Usually this is not a bad thing and it works well for me, but half way through my first class, I started to feel really tired.  I made it through my classes alright and figured that I would get a nap in when I got home, but it doesn’t look like I am going to since I am not tired any more.  Oh I wish my body would make up its mind! 

My friend Ami is in surgery right now.  That could be the reason for the not being able to take a nap.  This is her first ever surgery and she was quite nervous about it.  I am pretty sure she will be just fine.  I should hear something around six or so as to how the surgery went.  This is a big deal for her in many ways that I would like to share but I will wait until she is feeling better to ask her if I can share with you all what kind of surgery she had. 

I will be co - facilitating two NAMI Connection groups this week and I am not sure that it was actually a good idea to accept the request for the second one.  The first one I run each week and it seems to be doing well.  We are having room issues at the moment but I think we might have figured them out.

One week from tomorrow I will be picking out my classes for the spring semester.  I am hoping I get the ones that I want and they don’t fill up on me or get cancelled out.  I made it so I can stay here in the city two days a week and two days in Warwick.  Another added plus is having Fridays off.  Oh that is going to be a great thing to have.  Maybe I can go to Jersey to see my son and my father. 

There is also my mother to consider in Florida.  She starts chemo for lung cancer on Friday.  Those of you, who know me in real life, know that mom has been battling this for just over a year now.  For those of you who don’t know I will give the quick rundown.  Last year they found a mass in mom’s right lung and proceeded to remove 40% of her right lung.  I was in Florida for three weeks while she had the surgery and recover time.  There were no cancer cells in her lymph nodes so she didn’t have to do chemo.  She recouped well and thought she was in the clear.  Well the day after the fall add/drop period at school, she was told by her doctor that she had another mass on her left and the surgeon didn’t want to hesitate to take out a third of that one.  Mom didn’t want me to disrupt school (basically she told me she would be upset if I upset my studies) so she went to a rehabilitation center after her last surgery.  During surgery they tested her lymph nodes like last time, only now they found cancer cells, so she has to do chemo for twelve weeks.  I am concerned because her sister lost her battle with the same cancer only three and a half years ago.  So mom is a big concern here and dad is have some serious memory problems, but dad has my brother there with him so I am not as overly worried as I am with mom.

Wow, sorry you all.  Didn’t think that this was going to be a long one, but it looks like it is.  Ok so for the picture today.  I am posting a picture of a doll my mom told me that I came to live with them with.  I don’t actually remember the doll but have heard mom mention it over the years, and how she had to find a way to get rid of it quick, because apparently it had this God awful laugh, that drove everyone in the house crazy.  So here it is Baby Laughs A Lot...

Scary looking, wouldn't you say!  TTFN

Entry for October 31, 2010 So it is Halloween

Decisions, decisions.  Today I could really use the time to catch up on the reading I have for both Western Civilization and Psychology or I can go to the city and listen to Bill Clinton speak about how he supports Governor Candidate, Frank Caprio.  This is tough since it could be a really good thing to get an opportunity to see Bill Clinton.  Seriously though I am thinking that he is only going to talk for like a few minutes and then be whisked off to another rally to support someone else.  Also, most likely it will be crowded and I won’t even get a real good view, let alone to be able to hear him speak.

Well, just now got a call from Dennis.  I hate to say boyfriend, being that it is such a juvenile word really, but I don’t know how else to describe him really to those that don’t know me.  So I guess we will stick with that.  Anyways looks like I am going to go to the rally.  Sometimes it is so hard to chose between something and school.  Seems that people my age who have already finished school don’t remember how much work is really involved, and the ones who have not gone on to college, are not aware.  I just have to be more proactive in sticking to the schedule that I laid out for myself as far as study time and homework time goes.  So I will start that tomorrow.  LOL

With it being Halloween, I am showing you all a picture of the costume I wore back in the day.  Notice the plastic mask.  This was a norm of the 70’s.  I am not sure what the adults of that time were thinking with the plastic mask and costume, because when you breathed the mask was wet and yucky around the inside mouth and the costume itself was ripped by the end of the day.  Anyways this costume, Tinker bell, was worn one year that Halloween was on a Saturday.  I remember I was Tink and my brother, Tommy, was Spock.  We basically got up early and wore the costumes all day.  Not much else to remember about that day really.  It was just a good memory about being a kid and not having a care in the world except for when we could go out and collect our loot.

Well, there you have it folks.  Now you know I chose to go to the rally and now you get a glimpse into a bit of my childhood again.  TTFN

Entry for October 30, 2010 First Post

I want to first welcome you all to my blog.  I will only tell you that though this is labelled as a back to school kind of blog, I will write about different aspects of my life.  What that basically means is, I will be writing about anything my mind wants to.  So with that said, here we go.....

I should be studying for my Logic exam on Wednesday or perhaps working on that outline for the How To presentation I have due on Tuesday, but here I sit, in front of the computer, typing my thoughts.  Good use of my time, don’t you think.

I did get a lot done today though.  I went to Staples and picked up the external hard drive I have needed with a gift card that I had for that store.  I think 1TB will do the trick.  Funny you know, I can remember back in the mid 90’s when someone I knew bought a new computer with one gig, he said, “Can you imagine!  1 gig!  No one could ever use up more than that!”  Now that is funny if you think about it.  Here I am now wondering how much I can fit on the 1TB.

So I also went to Wal-Mart and picked up a few things I needed for my new apartment.  I have been here for two months now and just finally bought a microwave.  Talk about going back in time there.  I actually remember the first microwave we had in the house.  I was about eleven years old and we moved into a new built townhouse and there it was.  That is pretty much the same time that I started cooking, so I really only knew the microwave life.

Ok so what else did I buy at Wal-Mart.  I got a wall clock that is big enough to see without my glasses.  It makes it easier at night to know if it is really time to get up or if I can sleep a few minutes more.

The rest of the stuff I got was basic things that I needed for the apartment.  I did spend more then I wanted to, but that always seems to happen there.

Ok, so, this is the end for today, only because I just wanted to get a first entry in and wanted to see what it looked like on the page.  For each entry though I am going to post a picture of something that reminds me of my childhood in the 70’s.  I figured that if any of you on my Facebook page, happen to read, you might get a kick out of seeing some of the various items, commercials, entertainment, electronics, or any other pictures I happen to find on the net, which pertains to my childhood memories. 

Today I will show you a picture that resembles my most treasured childhood possession all throughout my childhood.  It was a Sears plush Winnie-the-Pooh.

Well that is it.  TTFN