Well, I've asked myself that question one too many times in my life. This time, the answer is "in busyland". I have been so consumed with the everyday rutine that I have not had time to blog since last semester. Which, makes me feel like I've given up on yet another project in my life. I am going to make another attempt at this and hope that I can stick with it. Who's with me? (She calls out, wondering if anyone is going to answer.)
Since my last post several things have happened. Here's an overview.
Braydon continued through preschool having some great days with lots of friends and lots of learning, and some bad days where he had "no friends," "hated school" and "never wanted to go back".
The preschool teacher that I didn't care for, apparently slapped my son's hand! I was outraged. She no longer works there. Off to pursue her "culinary dreams," the newsletter said. However, I know otherwise.
I made some good "semester buddies" some of whom I still see on campus, or have in other classes. Became close to one teacher in particular who found out last semester that she has breast cancer.... again. But she is amazingly strong and doing well.
The semester ended with a 4.0 (for the first time in my entire education!) and I was put on the President's List (which is community college talk for the "Dean's List")!
This semester is about half over. I am taking COM100 (the most basic communications class) and I hate it. BPC110 is a computer class in which I seemingly know more about the subject that my teacher! On the plus side, I have ENG102, which is going great so far and PHI118, a philosophy of sexuality class. It's amazing - although it is clear that 95% of the class signed up for the wrong reasons.
Braydon is still going though ups and downs with school, but overall he seems to love it. Life is that way I guess, so it is a good thing he is getting the hang of it early on.
Now, the question is can I keep up with everything in my life...... and still have time to write it here?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Pee Pee Dance
Braydon was fine when I dropped him off at school this morning but by the time I closed the door behind me I could see him coming around the corner after washing his hands, and he was in tears already. I called later and they said he was fine. But when I picked him up I noticed he was doing the potty dance, so I asked him if he had to pee. It was then that I noticed he had on the pair of shorts I put in his "just in case" bag at the beginning of the semester. Bray told me he had an accident in his pants at school. This is the first time he's peed his pants in well over a year. I have no idea what happened that could have brought this on, but given yesterday's issue, I'm sure I can guess he was picked on again. I don't know what to do about this. And the girl at the front desk of the preschool could have TOLD ME about it, if only so that I'd take his peed in clothes! Perhaps I could have noticed the change before we left, but I didn't even think to notice it because this is the first time it's happened. I hope things turn back around for him, because just a couple of weeks ago, Braydon didn't want to be anywhere other than school and now he hates it. He keeps saying, "I've decided I'm not going to school anymore." Grrrrrrr.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Preschool Blues
This morning Braydon was having a particularly hard time being three. He was emotional, but on pretty good behavior considering. We stopped at the Starbucks near the college for a little morning pick me up and he made friends with a firefighter. The firefighter gave Braydon a Jr. Firefighter badge - dog tag style. This made Braydon so entirely happy that I thought the rest of his day would be pure bliss. He smiled and played with the badge the whole way to class. We saw one of his friends on the way in and he was even happier as he talked to me about what he and his friend would do today. When we got inside the preschool, I had him put his badge in my purse for "safe keeping" and signed him in, as he merrily skipped away to wash his hands and begin his day.
Before I even finished signing him into the computer, Braydon was running at me with all his force, crying hysterically. He told me that he hated school and never wanted to come back! I tried to ask him what happened but all he said was that he wasn't staying. Suddenly the director of the preschool was there, patting Braydon on the back and asking him if (insert boy's name here) pushed him. WHAT! I thought, but didn't say. Apparently some trouble maker at the school has been picking on Braydon. The director took Braydon and calmed him down, made the little brat apologize to my baby and then got him to paint with a few of his friends.
I could not believe the pain in his eyes, but he's over it and the woman from his school handled it so well. I just hope my attempts to be extra nice and let him stay up late today to watch a Halloween movie compensate for the bad day he had.
Before I even finished signing him into the computer, Braydon was running at me with all his force, crying hysterically. He told me that he hated school and never wanted to come back! I tried to ask him what happened but all he said was that he wasn't staying. Suddenly the director of the preschool was there, patting Braydon on the back and asking him if (insert boy's name here) pushed him. WHAT! I thought, but didn't say. Apparently some trouble maker at the school has been picking on Braydon. The director took Braydon and calmed him down, made the little brat apologize to my baby and then got him to paint with a few of his friends.
I could not believe the pain in his eyes, but he's over it and the woman from his school handled it so well. I just hope my attempts to be extra nice and let him stay up late today to watch a Halloween movie compensate for the bad day he had.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Loans, Homework and Tests
I just found out I'll be able to get a student loan this year. Just in time too, because I am already almost out of my grant money. Life is expensive! It is no picnic not working. I still think I've made the best possible choice in quitting my job and going back to school, but this is a whole new life.
It's been so hard getting my assignments done on time with a three year old constantly either begging me to play, jumping on me or needing mommy for something. I really didn't expect anything different. And it's so hard to have to tell your precious child that you can't play with him because you have homework. He has no idea what that means except that mommy has something on the computer that is temporarily more important than what he wants at that very moment. I can't even imagine how that must feel. But so it goes, because homework must be done.
Tomorrow is my first college test. Other students in my classes said that was odd; they've all had tests already. It will be for my Art History class, and I think I'll do just fine. I do need to study though, but that won't happen until Bray goes to sleep. Which has been a whole other challenge lately!
Despite all the difficulties, school has been incredible. Braydon is happy in school and I love all my classes. I have had a few "I don't want to go to school today" comments from Bray, but lets face it... we ALL feel that way sometimes.
It's been so hard getting my assignments done on time with a three year old constantly either begging me to play, jumping on me or needing mommy for something. I really didn't expect anything different. And it's so hard to have to tell your precious child that you can't play with him because you have homework. He has no idea what that means except that mommy has something on the computer that is temporarily more important than what he wants at that very moment. I can't even imagine how that must feel. But so it goes, because homework must be done.
Tomorrow is my first college test. Other students in my classes said that was odd; they've all had tests already. It will be for my Art History class, and I think I'll do just fine. I do need to study though, but that won't happen until Bray goes to sleep. Which has been a whole other challenge lately!
Despite all the difficulties, school has been incredible. Braydon is happy in school and I love all my classes. I have had a few "I don't want to go to school today" comments from Bray, but lets face it... we ALL feel that way sometimes.
Monday, October 5, 2009
College Success for Everyone
In an earlier post I mentioned how completely useless I thought the college success course would be to me. I've been working since I was 13 years old, only ever had two jobs where I wasn't promoted (and actually received a raise at one of those two), and I feel that I've developed a good set of employable skills. I'm not going to school because I can't get a job. I am going to school to get a degree to back up my skills and to learn more about being a writer. I have loved many of my past jobs, but in the end none of them were what I wanted to "be when I grew up".
As it turns out..... there is a lot I need help with. I know this. I don't deny it. However, I had written the above mentioned class off as something that would only help with time management and note taking (both of which I think I'm good at). I've been to this class three times now and in all honesty the first two seemed to confirm my thoughts. In this last class though, we went over everything we would be doing over the next sessions and what we could hope to learn. I see now that this class will offer stress management techniques (which I need), tips on emotional intelligence (lets face it, even the most "responsible" among us could use this), assistance with career planning (if I didn't need this, I'd be a successful author by now) and an array of other seemingly helpful topics. I think for now, I'll open my mind to the possibility of learning something new in this class....
As it turns out..... there is a lot I need help with. I know this. I don't deny it. However, I had written the above mentioned class off as something that would only help with time management and note taking (both of which I think I'm good at). I've been to this class three times now and in all honesty the first two seemed to confirm my thoughts. In this last class though, we went over everything we would be doing over the next sessions and what we could hope to learn. I see now that this class will offer stress management techniques (which I need), tips on emotional intelligence (lets face it, even the most "responsible" among us could use this), assistance with career planning (if I didn't need this, I'd be a successful author by now) and an array of other seemingly helpful topics. I think for now, I'll open my mind to the possibility of learning something new in this class....
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Pink Elephants on Parade
During ENG101 we watched the clip from Dumbo known as "Pink Elephants on Parade". Whether you remember the whole movie or not, you likely remember this part of the movie. After our instructor showed us the clip, he gave us five minutes to write as much as we could about, not only what we saw, but what the scene meant. Basically it was a short review. Here's what I came up with.
Disney’s Dumbo is an animated film that takes the audience on an elephant’s quest to come to terms with his large ears. The lovable elephant befriends a mouse named Timothy Q Mouse and, in one scene, the two get into more trouble than they bargained for. This particular segment of the famous Disney movie stands out as one of the most memorable because of its dark tones and eerie music. After becoming accidentally intoxicated, Dumbo and Timothy Mouse begin to have a hallucination of pink elephants that sing, dance and perform before their eyes. Startled, Timothy Mouse asks in terror, “are you seeing what I’m seeing,” before seeking cover under Dumbo’s hat as he peers out questioning what he is viewing. The two friends watch in disbelieve and fear as a pink elephant produces another elephant from his trunk. This is continued until four elephants are formed, each made from the truck of the one before him. The elephants begin to play trumpets and symbols, growing and shrinking with the noise they are creating. A brief moment later and you are now watching these, and other elephants crawl through windows as they begin to sing a cautionary song about their own presence. These elephants continue to transform into various shapes and colors including pyramids and snakes, theater masks and dancers, figure skaters and snowmen. This continues on, until two dancing elephants, outlined in blue and pink, created a spark of electricity that turns into lighting. The obviously male figure throws the lightning bolt at the elephant with female features, and from this a group of smaller pink dancing elephants is created. The elephants then become various vehicles with eventually crash into each other, bringing the hallucination to an end. On the surface, the scene is a caution to young children of the dangers of becoming intoxicated, a theme that is found in many early Disney movies. Pink Elephants on Parade also includes undertones of sexuality, and caution of releasing one’s inhibitions; it brings to the surface a fear of what may be hidden in the darkness of your own mind.
Disney’s Dumbo is an animated film that takes the audience on an elephant’s quest to come to terms with his large ears. The lovable elephant befriends a mouse named Timothy Q Mouse and, in one scene, the two get into more trouble than they bargained for. This particular segment of the famous Disney movie stands out as one of the most memorable because of its dark tones and eerie music. After becoming accidentally intoxicated, Dumbo and Timothy Mouse begin to have a hallucination of pink elephants that sing, dance and perform before their eyes. Startled, Timothy Mouse asks in terror, “are you seeing what I’m seeing,” before seeking cover under Dumbo’s hat as he peers out questioning what he is viewing. The two friends watch in disbelieve and fear as a pink elephant produces another elephant from his trunk. This is continued until four elephants are formed, each made from the truck of the one before him. The elephants begin to play trumpets and symbols, growing and shrinking with the noise they are creating. A brief moment later and you are now watching these, and other elephants crawl through windows as they begin to sing a cautionary song about their own presence. These elephants continue to transform into various shapes and colors including pyramids and snakes, theater masks and dancers, figure skaters and snowmen. This continues on, until two dancing elephants, outlined in blue and pink, created a spark of electricity that turns into lighting. The obviously male figure throws the lightning bolt at the elephant with female features, and from this a group of smaller pink dancing elephants is created. The elephants then become various vehicles with eventually crash into each other, bringing the hallucination to an end. On the surface, the scene is a caution to young children of the dangers of becoming intoxicated, a theme that is found in many early Disney movies. Pink Elephants on Parade also includes undertones of sexuality, and caution of releasing one’s inhibitions; it brings to the surface a fear of what may be hidden in the darkness of your own mind.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Getting to School
Last week the transmission went out on my car. It's broken down several times and between myself and my wonderful mother, there's been about $2000 put into the damn thing over the past year... actually, probably a higher $ amount and a smaller amount of time. Now the old Volvo has just given up. I've been taking the bus to school with Bray and it has been a complete nightmare! I am about one day from faking an illness so I can get a break from taking the stupid valley metro transit system. When Bray was a baby we took the bus to day care or the babysitters and I took the bus to work. Aside from the scorching summer days, it wasn't that bad. He would sleep in my arms or sit on my lap and play with whatever I pulled out of my purse. Don't get me wrong, there were rough rides, but all in all it wasn't that bad. Now, however, the little monster that lives inside my 3 year old's body comes out every time we get on the bus or arrive at a bus stop. Today, for example, as we got off the first bus on the way home from school, he was pulling my hair and screamed so loudly that for about a minute afterward I couldn't hear anything clearly. And that is not even the half of it. I am so glad this day is over and honestly think I may skip class one day next week just to get a break!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
