Dear Yahoo.....

I am truly sorry that I haven't spent much time with you for about 3 months now. But 3 hours to go through the unread messages was a bit much. Even if I did end up deleting 10,443 unread messages.

Sadly I must also tell you that I probably won't see you again until Summer. Till then we will have to survive with Blackberry connections. I am sure you will survive somehow.

With much regret,
Rae

Another Productive Semester....

I got my grades today.....

a 3.94 for the semester

Interestingly enough it was my writing class that lowered the GPA. I only got an A-. But still for the schedule I was keeping I am still fairly impressed with myself. Lol!

Now to do it again.....

Wish me luck.

2:45 am

The house is quiet...

There are no loud boys or crying babies or any of the others things that signify a large family has gathered for the holidays. Shopping will come bright and early tomorrow, yet here I lay awake. I am exhausted and should be sleeping but in reality all I want to do is to start another book.

For months now I have had to put off my personal reading time. Books that used to take me hours now takeome weeks and sometimes months to get through. As the semester progressed and I got more and more busy, I the books in my TBR (to be read) list did nothing more than gather dust on the shelf. Now that the classes are done for the holidays and I have had 10 days to relax and prep for next semester, I have read 12 books. I have another week and a half to go and look forward continue on my reading spree.

Be it The Art of War by Sun Tzu, an young adult fiction, a sci-fi/fantasy, or a romance, I can't begin to explain the balance that I can find when I slide into the pages of a good book.

Tiana is not pregnant!!

Apparently there has been confusion.....
Now that that has been cleared up back to your christmas festivities. :)
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It's that time again....

So I realized today that I didn't have my traditional Christmas in Kilarney Video up yet this year. I wouldn't want to disappoint anyone... and since I listened to this song for the first time last night.... here you go! Aren't the Irish Rovers great!

Finished!!

The day I thought would never arrive ... arrived this morning. I had to meet with my writing professor regarding my conference paper. And with that short 30 min class.... I finished my semester.

It has been a particularly hard one. Between moving, the New Moon Event, work, and classes, I seem to have lost sight of myself and my goals. There were a couple of times I seriously doubted my desires. Did I really need to go back to school? Was it worth it? For the first time, I wondered if I had the abilities to pull off the degree I want.

Now that the brain fog of classes and finals has cleared.... my answer to all of the above is still a resounding yes.

This semesters classes have been passed and while I don't know if I pulled a 4.0 like last semester, I am content with the grades that I have.

Now for a 2 week break to prep for next semester. :)

"Goose Frabba"

Can it really have been a month since I posted? I can't believe I have let time go so long. I guess that explains so much of my current verbal diarrhea. I need an outlet.... :)

today..... well it is crazy busy and I have to get to the how to guides for Thursday's event......but I found a quite that I really enjoyed and needed to write it somewhere....

I have been taking an American Lit class this semester. I had forgotten how much I enjoy reading the classics. There is just something about the greats that causes my heart to race. (I can hear my mother now...... "Now if she can just get as excited over some guy as she does her books...." lol!) We have read so many different things, from short stories by Charlotte Gilman's to poets like Langston Hughes. I loved the chance I had to re-read Fahrenheit for book club discussion. That book is one of the ones that shaped my life as a teenager.

I came across a quote today while reading an interview of my friend over at Salon.com and it reminded me why I feel that reading is so important. Why I am grateful for women like J. K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer who bring people back into the world of books and reading.
One of the women interviewed stated that:

"I like my life. But there's probably some deep need to shut out the world for a while. Because the world is so [freaking] intrusive....Reading is an act of defiance in the world today. I owe Stephenie Meyer a thank you note for reminding me of that"

I felt this so describes how I am feeling these days. I have very few complaints about my life..... okay.....I am way busy... and I live in Utah ... with my parents. Other then that, I have enjoy my classes and all of my learning opportunities. But there are times, when you want to defy it all, block it out, and find that moment of "goose frabba," as Steph would say. And that is what books are for. Those moments of learning and Goose Frabba!


Okay....Moment over....... back to work and event stuff!

Coming up for air.....

You know that horrible feeling you get when you are in over your head..... Being me I get that feeling a lot. I thought that I have finally found my breaking point. So what do I do? I add another assignment onto my already full list of things to do.

I have been trying to think of a way to tell everyone.....well.....everyone who doesn't already know. But with all that is going on I just don't have the time. Today alone I still have to do my homework, find boxes to pack, research storage units, and figure out a meeting place in Draper for tonight's meeting.

To top it off, I am tired. Beyond tired, for the past 3 days I have gotten at least 8 hours of sleep and I am still draggin' tail. I know it gets worse when I over do, but I don't know how to cut back. There is too much to do and so little time to do it in. I also know I would feel better if I hit the gym, but with an already packed schedule I have no idea where I would fit it in. The only time I have available is after 10 pm. Which does me no good, as I am then up until 2 or 3 am because I have so much energy. *sigh*

Back on track......

I am moving in with my parents to work thing out financially. I have the chance to do a study abroad in France next spring and if I get every thing paid off I can go. So I am moving in with my parents so that I can do that. Now I have 2 weeks to pack up my house and move. On top of everything else I have to do. Cross your fingers for me.

;)

Pros

When deciding to move back to Utah, I made a list of pros and cons.

I have to admit days like today were on the pro list!!! Crisp fall air. The trees on the mountain changing colors. Topped with snow capped peaks!
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American Lit....

So I received my first exam for American Lit today. I have 2 weeks to take this 12 question test. It is open book, open notes and take home. Easy right?

NOT!

The first 11 questions are short answer. Meaning I have 1 paragraph to explain the significance of given quotations. Not bad. It is question 12 that is the doozy....

I have to write a 3 page essay. 3 PAGES! now I know why he lets us take home his tests for a week and a half. Lol!

To be honest, I am really looking forward to this exam. There was a lot of great readings in this section and I can't wait to discuss it.

I don't want to work.....

I don't want to read about Daoism (homework).......

I don't want to go to class tonight.......


*sigh*

I'll change my mind in about an hour......but for now can I take a nap?

Quotre from women's conference

"Nick taught me never to go to a church function without treats."
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I have missed being able to write just for me........I never seem to have time to sit and write when the thoughts are flowing....

I just go off a call from a good friend....you would think after 12 hours of sleep I would be awake but I am still exhausted. Yet I got to thinking about guys and all my various friends and the choices they have made regarding guys. Some one once pointed out to me that to find a guy I was willing to marry I had to know what I wanted (Hi Tara!). At the time, I tried to make a list of what I wanted in a guy. But as Marianne the librarian's mother says, the mix of Paul Bunyan and Shakespeare doesn't exist. Even then, there were so many things I wasn't sure I wanted. I think this is my current problem. I feel a little like Eric from the Little Mermaid, when I see him it will hit me like lightening. Except I know that is not realistic.

I was trying to think this morning about what I really wanted. Want to know what I came up with?

Ok I will tell you....only cuz you asked so nicely.

I really want to finish school. I want to go to grad school. Iwas looking at schools again last night and putting them in order of desire......I think Rutgers moved into second place now that I know the Universite de Montreal is ALA accredited. It is also french speaking. How cool would that be?
UMD and Catholic are still on the list and so is Indiana. But I was looking at all the other options (all on the east coast) and I can hardly wait!

Also....I started thinking about minoring in French. My french teacher suggested it and it has been on my mind ever since. I am gonna look into what is required on top of what I am already doing.

That is what I want.....I guess everything else will have to wait. :)

Quote #4

J: I think he is sexy........ Whenever my husbands showers I find an excuse to go in to the bathroom. I usually tell him I have to pee. (Then there was lots laughing)
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Quote #3

"We need a bucket for the placenta"
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Quote #2

Me: I don't have time to see my trainor.

L: then sleep with him its a better work out.

A: It's a two-fer.
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Quote #1

L: He has his bras and I have mine.

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Reasons to attend French class.....

Because you never know who will show up!

Out of Steam....

I have 13 weeks left of the semester. It sounds like such a small number, but the urge to cry is strong. I think I am in over my head. But truly I am not. It isn't that I can't survive the schedule I have set for myself. It is that I just don't want to any more. My motivation is completely lacking. While the schedule is rewarding it is also very demanding. I never get to do what I want any more. I love learning and I have chosen this path. I know that.

I also know that I took on the extra responsibilities for the event and I won't back out now. I committed and I keep my commitments. But I will admit that I have started counting down the days until Nov. 21st when I can eliminate it from my schedule. (I believe we have 67...should I put a counter on my blog? Lol!)

So people....what I need from you are ideas. I need help staying motivated. How can someone who is working a 37 hour work week, has 17 credits, and helping with an event keep her head above water. I just need ideas to keep me in a good mood......well at least most of the time. Can any one give me any suggestions?

Okay back to the 2 short stories for American Lit, the paper and 2 chapters for Writing and the 2 readings for American History.......

Helping Kate.....

While talking with Kate tonight she confessed to struggling to name her second bedroom....
It is a Study/Library/entertainment center

But what do you call such a room. Since I have a room that is also a study/library, I have decided that a word must be created. The top two choices are:

Stud-brary

and

Li-budy

To be honest I am leaning towards the first one.....lol! Ihave always wanted a Stud-brary. ;)