this is it....

Well folks...it's almost time to say good-bye. I have enjoyed helping everyone with their papers. It was a real mind blower how much you guys have said I helped in seminar. It is always so easy to help someone else then it is to figure things out on your own. I will definately use some of the techniques I learned in Comp II. Especially the post draft outline, it proved to be really helpful. I was a little anxious about writing an essay that was longer than a few pages but I got through it and feel great knowing that I accomplished the project. Now I just have to get through two more final exams and then I'm off for a few weeks before starting a new term. I am proud of the fact that I am almost done with my classes and hopefully soon will graduate. Even with all the distractions I seemed to have had this term, I have finished and am better for it. Good luck to all and have a great summer!!!!!

Final Paper due, already?

I am shocked that it is already time for the final paper to be turned in. I am a little nervous about finishing it on time. My weeks have been so busy. First last week I got the stomach bug, the next day my oldest got it. I took him to the doctor because he said he felt so sick, so he got a prescription that made it even worse. He couldn't hold it down. Then last night I took him to the emergency room because my husband was scared he was still having an allergic reaction. Turns out my son is not dehydrated (which I was worried about), nor is he having an allergic reaction to the medication...he caught another virus while being sick. He had a fever last night and today but is more active than he has been for a week. Now, my youngest has caught the stomach bug. Poor thing, he's three and doesn't understand what is going on. He just finally got potty trained and he cried when he didn't make it to the potty in time. He thought he would get in trouble. So now I have to finish writing my paper (wondering how I'm gonna make it longer) and study for final exams in my other two classes. I really hope that when I get a chance to just sit and write (with no distractions) that it will flow and meet the requirements. I am ready for that feeling of relief when I finish and turn in my paper. I learned a lot from this class and hope that I will remember it when I write papers for my future classes. Good luck to all!!!!

Blog, blog, blog...

I really don't know if I like writing blogs. Yes, it did help with relieving some stress but then at times when life was crazy, it caused stress having to sit down and write when all I wanted to do was go to bed. I enjoyed reading other people's blogs. It gave me some insight on what and how others live. Blogging gave us all the opportunity to get to know each other a little better, something you miss out on when you go to online school. Unlike highschool and college we had no cliques and it was easy to get along with one another. I honestly don't know where I am going with this, my brain is in a fog. Both my oldest and I have caught some kind of stomach bug and I just want to go to bed but alas, I am the caretaker of this wonderful kingdom and I cannot let my duties go. I still have a class tonight, typing homework to finish, stuff to get ready for work tomorrow, and litter that needs to be changed. This all will take me at least two hours to finish but even then it's too early to put the little one to bed. The sun will still be shining and he let's me know that it's not night time. I just hope I can make it...

What did you say about me?!

I enjoy it when I get a review from one of my fellow peers. I like hearing feedback and getting advice. There are times when my brain just doesn't want to function and reading someones advice on how to advance my essay helps out a lot. The juices get flowing as I determine whether or not the person could have a point or they just don't know what they are talking about. Every time I ask for help on an essay from either classmates or friends, I have gotten a lot of positive and negative feedback. Some may like my introductions, some may hate my thesis statement, but all give advice on how to make it sound better or ask questions about certain parts of the essay. The questions help me realize if I'm not being clear enough or that the person who read it is an idiot ;). The only problem I have is that when my husband tells me something about my writing, I get so mad because he doesn't understand how hard it is to start writing in the first place. He may even just tell me that I forgot a period somewhere, or I don't make sense. It still makes me mad even if he is right, how dare he?! I should be perfect in his eyes and that includes my writing. lol. It's weird how that happens. I know a lot of us can take criticism from a professor or fellow classmate, but when it comes to our spouses, mothers, sisters, or brothers it just doesn't count. Anyways, good luck to all with your essays and I look forward to reading some of them.

Uh-oh...week 6

These six weeks have gone by fast for this class. I had totally forgotten that a first draft was due by the end of this unit. I swear I meant to start my paper last week but like my last blog said, my kids determined when I would be able to do my school work. Between sick kids, dentist appointments, and fixing water heaters time has slipped past me. I have had no time to work on my draft and now I fear that it will become a stressful situation trying to get it done on time so that I will be able to post on the discussion board before Saturday night. I have learned a lot during the last six weeks. Having three classes this term was quite a challenge, especially since two of my classes require essays almost every couple of weeks. I have come to realize that this college thing is no easy task and requires a lot of focus and dedication. I am glad that during some points of the day I am able to focus on school, sometimes I wish it could be more but I take what I can get. Anyways, good luck to all of you who read this on a writing a great essay!

Greatest Academic Challenge (which is also just my greatest challenge)

I'm sure a lot of online students have the same challenges. Time, jobs, housework, and family. My greatest challenge out of all of these selections is family, more specifically my two boys. My husband works two jobs so that I don't have to work and can focus on getting the best grades I can. What he doesn't realize is that just because I'm home all day doesn't mean that I can just study and finish school work whenever I feel like it and we get into arguments about it all the time. My boys have been unusally time-consuming these past couple of weeks. First one got sick, then my youngest decided to catch it and had a hard time getting over his infection (took two weeks). Then the beginning of this week our pressure to the hot water decided to give out. Follow that with having to take my oldest to the dentist (by the way, my son hates and is scared of the dentist) for a follow-up and then two days later back to the dentist so he can have his chipped tooth fixed and retainer re-glued. That happened today and it was no picnic, it took me and two other dental assistants to hold him down so they could finish. Getting the water heater fixed was also no fun, the repair was scheduled for after my sons terrifying dentist appointment and lasted three hours. All that needed to be done was a routine draining that was eight years too late (I know, I am the worst about keeping up with house maintenance but the kids are fed and clothed).
Anyways, as like must of my alumni (did I say that correctly?), my greatest academic challenge is figuring out how to manage my time but a lot of times, the kids decide when I can work on school and when they need me. My children are the most important thing in my life and when they need me, school can wait. It is just unfortunate that school work tends to pile up and consumes me! LOL

What would I do?

I have never had the experience of someone claiming the work that I have done as their own. I'm sure that this would make me very upset, depending on what it was. If it was an essay on a certain subject, (let's say childhood obesity), I gave a friend a copy so they could help edit it, and I find that it's been publicly published, that would make me very upset. I would have to confront the person and ask what were they thinking?! If I can prove that I wrote the essay, I definately would send the proof to the publishers and ask for a statement saying that the author was me and not the other person.
Now, if this situation was something that happened at work, say a proposal for something, and a co-worker took that idea from me. I would be even more upset. This person is taking my hard work and trying to climb that corporate ladder with my ideas. I again would find proof that this idea was mine and get it to the boss. I mean seriously, give credit where credit is due.
The last situation I could think of is for homelife. My husband is trying to run a business and work two jobs all at once. He doesn't have time to take pictures, write descriptions, and post his products to ebay. So I have to do this for him. The business is in his name and any money made goes to his business account which I can't touch. This should make me upset that he is getting credit for selling, but I'm just helping out until he gets more time. Now, when we are out with his family and they ask how is business is doing and he goes on about how this or that is selling or how hard it is, I don't keep my mouth shut. I am doing all the work and for some reason him acting like it's all his doing is quite upsetting. That has happened maybe twice. He has learned that he needs to mention the work I do or his stuff doesn't get done. lol Never make a wife mad or that's the end of us being the woman behind the man.