Please bear with me as I may not post consistently for a week or so. A new semester just started and I’m trying to get into a routine. I’m taking an accelerated German 101/102 class so even though I have one class at a time, it’s like having two. And with my full-time job, I’m not doing much more than sleep, work, school, and homework.

On the plus side, I can now introduce myself and tell you what I’m wearing, including the colors of my clothing, in German:

Ich heiβe Jenni. Freut mich. Ich trage ein Hemd, eine Jacke, eine Hose, Socken, und Stiefel. Mein Hemd ist lila, schwarz, weiβ, und grau. Meine Jacke ist grau. Meine Hose ist blau. Meine Socken sind weiβ. Meine Stiefel sind grau.

English translation: I am Jenni. Pleased to meet you. I’m wearing a shirt, a jacket, pants, socks, and boots. My shirt is purple, black, white, and gray. My jacket is gray. My pants are blue. My socks are white. My boots are gray.

You’d think I’d be a pro at juggling by now, but I’m not. And, when I say juggling, I don’t mean the throwing of balls, or other like materials, in the air while simultaneously catching multiple previously thrown objects. I mean juggling as in balancing life’s responsibilities.

The second week of school is almost over, and I’m trying to learn how to deal with going to school and working full-time again. Luckily, most of my homework is reading, which does take time, but it’s not hard reading. I get to read about different grammar and usage rules with a few exercises thrown in here and there to make sure I understand what I’ve read. So far, I really like my classes (Modern American Usage and Grammar), and I find them both very interesting. It’s just that my “me” time has decreased significantly.

I haven’t found a way to do some of the things I did over the summer. But, once I get used to my schedule again, I’m sure I’ll be back in the swing of things, including coming up with more discussion posts for my blog. Please just bear with me during this transition period. It should only take one more week, maybe two at the tops, to get things down.

The first day of school is Monday. When I had three weeks until school started, I came up with a list of five things I needed to get done. I only accomplished one of them, albeit the most important. Oopsies.

1. Finish watching LOST.
2. Conquer Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
3. Finish reading The Book Thief.
4. Reread Shiver and Linger, so I can read Forever.
5. Gather my sanity to get me through the next few months.

Now that I’m out of time, I don’t really care about the first four items. I’ll still do them, just during the semester instead of before. I’ll watch LOST over the weekends. After all, I only have 16 episodes left. And, I can conquer Zelda one week or another. After I get out of my reading slump, I’ll accomplish 3 and 4.

I had one thing that wasn’t on my to do list that I still had to accomplish. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to go back to school at all. BYU, the school I attend, doesn’t allow extreme hairstyles, which is anyone’s guess, but I was fairly certain my current color wouldn’t be allowed. Today, I remedied that and had my niece Carlee redye my hair.

Although I miss the purple … a lot, I really like the new color. I also love that it’s still a bit edgy, but within BYU’s rules. (The red isn’t quite as noticeable when it’s not in the sun.)

At this point, after I put all my supplies together tomorrow, I’m ready to go back and I’m quite excited about it!

At the beginning of summer, I felt like time was moving slowly which is how I wanted it. Now that summer is almost over, meaning I start school in three weeks, I’m wondering where my summer went.

I’m not ready for school to start again. I need to qualify that. I’m ready for school, but I’m not ready for how it’s going to affect my schedule, especially my work schedule.

Currently, I work full-time and go to school part-time. Because of this, I have to fit my school schedule into my work schedule. As I’m getting closer to graduation, this is becoming harder to do because the classes I need are only available at certain times. This next semester, they happen to be available around lunch time.

Each day, I need to be to work by 7:00 in the morning. Then, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I have a class from 1:00 to 2:00. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have a class from 12:00 to 1:30. After class each day, I’ll go back to work and stay there until 6:00.

I’ll still be working only 40 hours, but because I’ll be there from 7:00 am until 6:00 pm each day, it’s going to feel more like 60 hours each week. The things I do to better myself.

I was able to work out my class schedule so I have a class each day. I like that much better than last semester when they were all MWF classes and I had to make up the time away from work on Tuesday and Thursday by working 12-hour days. Thank goodness for small miracles.

Before School Starts To Do List

1. Finish watching LOST. I only have 16 more episodes.
2. Conquer Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I only have Ganondorf left to defeat.
3. Finish reading The Book Thief. I keep getting distracted and now I have no more time for distractions.
4. Reread Shiver and Linger, so I can read Forever.
5. Gather my sanity to get me through the next few months.

Yesterday was the first day of school for me.  I’m taking two classes this semester, Engl 295: Writing about Criticism and ELang 223: Introduction to English Language (a linguistics class).  I’m very excited about the ELang 223.  Even just after the first day, it has me wondering if I’d do better to major in linguistics (while still minoring in editing) than in English.  I guess I’ll see how I like this class.

My Engl 295 class, however, has me a little freaked out.  I was excited about the class until my teacher had us read the following on our syllabus:

At BYU, a grade of “A” indicates that student performance is “Excellent,” a grade of “B” equates to “Good” performance, and a grade of “C” indicates that student performance is merely “Satisfactory.”  I understand the use of the word “good” in the sense defined by the American Heritage Dictionary: “superior to the average.”  Accordingly, in order to earn a grade of “B” or higher, you must submit above-average work on a consistent basis.  If you understand the definition of “average,” you should be able to figure out that most of the students in most of my classes will receive a grade lower than “B”; the odds against an entire class being “above-average” are astronomical.

I’ll be the first to admit that some teachers do give As too freely.  However, the way this teacher is making it sound, it seems like it’s nearly impossible to get an A in his class.  I’m going to do my best.  I’m also going to challenge my perfectionist-nature during the entire semester to be okay with my best, even if it doesn’t coincide with what my teacher considers “good” or “excellent.”  My counselor even suggested that I don’t track my grade at all because I need to work through this issue of basing my “worth” on my grades.  Wish me luck!

We just finished the drama unit in my current English class.  During this unit, we read two plays and one screenplay.  The plays were Trifles by Susan Glaspell and Sure Thing by David Ives and the screenplay was Tender Mercies by Horton Foote.  I enjoyed both plays and the screenplay was fair.  Honestly, I would’ve liked Tender Mercies better if it had been about a drunken alternative singer who turns his life around rather than a drunken country singer.  That way when it came time to watch the movie in class, I wouldn’t have felt like someone was scratching their nails on a chalkboard every time someone sang. My favorite of the three was Sure Thing, although I do highly recommend Trifles as well.

Sure Thing is a play involving only two characters, Bill and Betty.  Betty is reading a book in a cafe and sitting alone when Bill comes in and asks to sit at the same table.  It’s a very short comic play in which the conversation between Bill and Betty is continually reset by the ring of a bell any time one of them responds negatively to the other.  The use of the bell gives way to some very interesting topics and interactions between the two.  I thought I’d share a performance of the play from youtube.  (The F-word is used once during the play.)

Note: For those of you who don’t speak Spanish, there’s an English translation afterward.

Siempre he querido estudiar en el extranjero pero nunca he tenido la oportunidad.  BYU está organizando un semestre en Madrid durante la primavera.  Los estudiantes que pueden ir a España van a tener la oportunidad de estudiar en la Universidad de Alcalá y visitar a cuidades cercanas por siete (mas or menos unos pocos días) semanas.  ¡Quiero ir muchísimo!

Al principio, Corey y yo pensamos que yo podría ir.  Pero, después de mucho pensamiento y consideración, nos dimos cuenta de que no es posible.  Para ir, necesito tomar dos clases en el invierno–Span 206 y una para prepararme por el semestre en el extranjero.  Parece bastante fácil, ¿verdad?  No es fácil.  Es necesario que trabaje tiempo completo y los horarios de las clases contradicen con el horario de mi trabajo.  ¡Así es la vida!  Quizás pueda ir otra tiempo.

*****

I’ve always wanted to study abroad but I’ve never had the opportunity.  BYU is hosting a semester in Madrid during Spring term.  The students who can go to Spain will have the opportunity to study at the Alcalá University and visit neardy cities for seven (give or take a few days) weeks.  I want to go so badly!

Initially, Corey and I thought I could go.  But, after a lot of thought and consideration, we realized that it isn’t possible.  To go, I have to take two classes during Winter semester–Span 206 and one to prepare me for the semester abroad.  Seems fairly easy, right?  It’s not.  I have to work full-time* and the class schedules conflict with my work schedule.  C’est la vie!  Maybe, I can go another time.

*It’s not just a matter of having to work full-time.  Sure, I do have to work full-time so Corey and I can meet our financial obligations.  But, I also have to work full-time because my job won’t allow me to go down to part-time.  I could always find another job that works with my school schedule, but I probably wouldn’t be paid as much, which of course brings me back to the “meet our financial obligations” problem again.  (In the last 10 years, I’ve worked up to a fairly good salary.  And, I’m nearly 100% sure that any other job I took–before I finish my degree–would pay me about half of what I earn right now. But, at least I have a job, right? I know there are many people who’d kill to have my job.)

I’m disappointed that there haven’t been any Friday’s Fab Five posts for the last few weeks.  I’m running out of material to post on my blog.  Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, but since I’m neck deep in school, work, and boot camp, I’m not really doing anything exciting so I don’t have anything to write about.

*****

Today marked the end of the poetry unit in my current English class.  I’m so happy!  Now, I just need to take the test tomorrow and I can leave poetry far behind me.  I must say that I’ve learned a lot in this class.  I’ve actually learned to appreciate meter and the words used in poetry much more than I thought I would.  I can actually see poetry’s relevance now.  I still don’t enjoy it all that much.  Actually, I should qualify that.  I still don’t prefer poetry over fiction.  But, I do appreciate it more.

*****

As I’m figuring out my school schedule for winter semester, I’m realizing how hard it’s going to be to maintain a half-time student status.  Most of the classes I need to take are either held at the same time or several hours apart, which doesn’t work with my work schedule.  This is a big deal because a student can only receive financial aid if they’re a half-time student.  Luckily, I’ve figured out a schedule that will work for winter semester.  I just hope I can continue to find something that works as I progress.

*****

Boot camp is still going well.  I was sick most of last week so I only went on Monday.  When I went for the first time this week, I could feel I hadn’t exercised for a week.  But, because my body is so used to exercising as hard and as often as it does, I recovered quickly.  The workouts are still very tough, but my stamina is getting better and better all the time.  Even though I don’t always enjoy exercising while I’m doing it, I love the feeling (other than the sore muscles) afterward.

I don’t like to not finish books I start to read.  (That was the most awkward sentence ever.)  I’ve only not finished two books on purpose because they were a little too risqué for my taste.  And, I’ve only not finished reading one book before–The Hobbit–which is no longer the case.  Now, I have to add one more to my list of not finished–The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby.  I got the chance to read an ARC.  But, because the book is on a blog tour, I could only keep it for two weeks and my time is up so I must pass it on to give other bloggers on the list a chance to read it as well.  (Unfortunately, I’m only 100 pages into it because I just didn’t have the time to dedicate to reading it.)  Luckily, it releases on Friday and I just ordered it on Amazon so I can finish it as I have the time!

*****

I really hate phlebotomists.  But, this hate has only come on recently.  Until about three months ago, I’d only have to be poked once.  However, oddly or coincidentally, I’ve had to be poked multiple times ever since I started giving blood.  For some reason, my veins just don’t want to bleed. Or, if they do bleed, they only bleed for a second before my blood starts to clot. However, there’s one vein in my left arm (since this started happening) that seems to be immune to the non-bleeding-ness that my other veins suffer from.  And, because it’s the only vein that seems to want to bleed, I think it will be bruised for the rest of my life because just as the bruise is healing, I need to have my blood drawn again and it gets bruised all over again.  Even with this perpetual bruise, I’m going to insist that any future phlebotomists I go to use this vein with a butterfly needle (my last phlebotomist told me to request this type of needle) so I don’t have to be poked more than once anymore.

You’d think that while I was having iron infusions (my last one was on Thursday), the nurses would’ve had a hard time getting an IV started.  Nope.  Most of the time, I didn’t even feel like I’d been poked.  Maybe, I should see if they can draw my blood from now on.

*****

I took my first test of the semester last week.  It was for my Spanish class.  I got my score back today and I only got 161/200 or an 81%. Most of the questions I got wrong were because I made stupid mistakes (forgetting an el or la, accidentally conjugating a verb wrong when I knew I needed to conjugate it a certain way, etc.).  However, there are a few things that I’ve always had trouble with–imperfect tense vs. preterit tense, ser vs. estar, por vs. para, and direct/indirect objects.  No matter how hard I study, I never quite get it to the point where I can confidently say I understand the differences.  90% of the time I do okay, but it’s that 10% that always trips me up.  Now, I’m thinking that what I thought would be an easy A may actually break my perfect record since going back to school.

School is going well.  I hardly have any homework, which is nice.  I should qualify that, actually.  I have homework everyday, but my Spanish homework is fairly simple and I can get it done quickly.  My English homework takes a little more time for a few different reasons.  First, there is a lot of reading.  Second, we’re studying poetry right now and I loathe poetry (because I don’t understand it most of the time or I don’t see its value).  Third, the papers we have to write take a lot of thought.  The upside to my English homework, however, is that my teacher doesn’t assign homework each day.  He’s very long-winded and goes off on tangents easily (quite the understatement) so he built catch up days into the syllabus.

*****

Even though I don’t spend a lot of time on homework, I’m still very busy this semester because of everything else I have going on.  Every weekday I leave between 6:20 am and 6:40 am and I don’t get home until after 8:00 pm because of class, work, and boot camp.

*****

Last week, I was sick.  I ate something on Sunday that didn’t agree with me so I was out of commission on Monday and Tuesday.  I also didn’t feel too well during the rest of the week.  Because of this, I didn’t go to a single session of boot camp. Yesterday was the first time I had worked out in over a week and I feel like I’m starting over again!  My muscles are screaming in pain, but it’s good because I now know how important working out is for my body.  I can tell I do a lot better when I exercise.

When I weighed myself this morning, it came as no surprise that I didn’t lose any weight this past week.  But, I didn’t gain any weight either! I’m nearly where I was last year when I stopped following my new lifestyle.  I won’t ever let go of this lifestyle again because having to make up for what I gained back by having to lose it again is not fun.  I definitely learned my lesson.

*****

I’m halfway through my iron infusions.  I just have two left.  I’m really hoping it’s making a difference with my iron levels because even though I haven’t had any adverse effects from the infusions, I don’t want to get a weekly IV for the rest of my life.