I hope I haven't seen any more posts from you because the words are just flowing out of you in an effortless stream of writing, Aimee. Good luck.

I did not. You did not see any posts from me because I was hunched over my keyboard, sobbing, because I could not for the life of me, understand what the paper was supposed to be about. I couldn't figure out the definition of conventions or statuses in how they relate to Hispanic Americans.

I also could not understand the thinking behind assigning a research paper 2 weeks before my final project is due.

Joe finally pulled me away from the computer saying, "You can't write anything decent when you are this upset and tired. Let's go to bed." So, I did. After declaring that I was quitting school (I'm really not - that was the frustration talking.)

I'm tempted to just take the 100 deduction and get my B and be done with it. Hell, at this point, I'll be happy with a C.

...

School hard. No wonder I was content to sit there and be pretty my first time around.

Lemon yogurt and a vanilla cap:

STEPH! I had a dream about you last night! I came to stay with you in Cincinnati and you took me on the "Jennifer Crusie Tour" and showed me all of the landmarks that she talks about in her books! It was way fun!

Timelies!

I went to a very fancy party on Saturday that was way fun, but now I have a cold and that's no fun at all. Also, I got my ass grabbed but have heard nada from the grabber. So I am offended.

I'm sorry about school woes, for Aimee and ChiKat and others.

Work calls. Blech.

Oh! I am trying to schedule a brief visit to Puerto Rico. Any hints, tips, or advice?

Aw, Aimee. That sucks. I'm really sorry. It is SO HARD to balance schoolwork AND full-time work AND personal stuff (witness my total freakout crying breakdown staring at the online database this morning.) And I don't even have the having-a kid stuff that multiplies all the stuff I just said by a factor of 10.

I freak about it all the time. It makes me tired all the time. I try to focus on the good stuff, and try to take one thing at a time (while also... looking to the future. It's very convoluted). Once I figured out my studying/paperwriting style, it got a little easier to figure out ahead of time how to get in the groove, in theory anyway. There's always something that shakes it up.

It's very overwhelming. I know this is not encouraging, but I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

It's hard.

I can't even imagine taking more than one class at a time.

Thank you d. Also d! Stephanie - one our beautiful Bitches here, is living in PR right now. You should try her email addy and see what she can reccommend.

And thank you , Nora. And it is encouraging in that, "Whew. THank gods I am not alone in feeling like this. While I love my online university, I feel as though going through school on a campus would have been a great support. Other students you could study with, bemoan classes with, etc. I kinda feel really alone in this cause everyone around in RL finished long, long ago and I'm sitting out here, under the trees, like Stitch yelling, "HELP! I'm lost!"

STEPH! I had a dream about you last night! I came to stay with you in Cincinnati and you took me on the "Jennifer Crusie Tour" and showed me all of the landmarks that she talks about in her books! It was way fun!

I would TOTALLY do that! You just have to visit....

I'm tempted to just take the 100 deduction and get my B and be done with it. Hell, at this point, I'll be happy with a C.

Everytime I say this about one of my classes, DH just laughs at me. I may no longer have a 4.0, but damn, giving away points is hard, even when I'm ready to tear my hair out over them.

In school news for me, I just finished Accounting Part 1 and am supposed to start Part 2 today. I say supposed because the instructor has yet to post anything (hello, syllabus?) to the classroom.

I would TOTALLY do that! You just have to visit....

Whoot! We'll gat Cash to leave the kiddos with someone for a weekend and GO DRINKIN!

may no longer have a 4.0, but damn, giving away points is hard

Yeah it is. I have 2 days to finish this paper. Maybe I'll just fudge it and get whatever points I get. Points is points, right.

Oh! I am trying to schedule a brief visit to Puerto Rico. Any hints, tips, or advice?

Definitely email Stephanie. We stayed at a cheap little hotel/casino in San Juan within walking distance to a public beach with was great. Nice part of San Juan, walking distance to restaurants and bars as well as a Starbucks. I'll have to look up the name. DH's employer paid for us to stay in a nice resort called the El Conquistador--which was totally awesome and which I'd highly recommend. I also think Nora was there for an event of some kind recently, too. She can tell you about where she stayed.

{{Aimee}}

I feel as though going through school on a campus would have been a great support. Other students you could study with, bemoan classes with, etc. I kinda feel really alone in this cause everyone around in RL finished long, long ago and I'm sitting out here, under the trees, like Stitch yelling, "HELP! I'm lost!"

Well, I go to a campus class and I would say that about 50% of my stress is the logistics to get there every week. Also, since I am only on campus one night a week, it is hard to get any administrative support, because they all work the same hours I do. The program is really geared for full-time, on-campus students. Also also, it is annoying to see these young fresh faced first year grad students who make me feel old.

But it does have its good parts too, once I'm actually in the classroom talking with the students and professor.

But yeah, you're not alone. I am constantly trying to talk myself down from school-work-life confluence-related anxiety and panic. If I didn't actually love the content and feel that there is a great future for me once I'm done, I'd have quit long ago.

My mantra this semester while warily contemplating the 25-30 page literature review I need to write before the 10 page annotated bibliography and the 20-25 minute presentation is, "After this class you're halfway done. After this class you're halfway done."