Monday, June 28, 2010

Frustrations

Hello,

This blog is up rather late and I apologize. I have been having problems with Internet here and without a car, I have no way to get to Internet very readily. It is frustrating to get the run around by the cable company when you live in a small town and there are few options to turn to for better Internet. One day I will move I swear! LOL

One of the options for class was to discuss how we felt about peer review. I was nervous at first, the very thought of other people besides the professor seeing my work made me nervous. Then I was thinking on the bright side of things and realized that this will help me with a better final paper. I have always hated to critique or criticize anyone Else's work. I always look for the good things and never have the heart to say the bad. I have learned though throughout the years of being a supervisor at work, that not everything can be great all the time. Critiquing is a way to help someone see it from a different point of view. I know all this and how it is beneficial but it does not take away the butterflies I feel when I read someone Else's review of my work. So this will be a learning experience for me in just calming down and looking at what is said. Then making the changes for a better paper. I look forward to all the feedback!

Have a great week!

Missie

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Stressing Out!!

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Father's Day weekend! It was so hot to do anything here this weekend outside so instead of grilling outside we used a George Forman Grill to grill inside. It worked out wonderfully and everyone stayed cool! Since my father passed away about a year ago we started a tradition that on Father's day we would pay tribute to him by each of us telling something we remember about him or even a story about him, then we have his favorite dessert at the end of the day! This is our second actual Father's Day doing this and it was very nice to remember him so fondly.

I have been stressed out the last few weeks because of our final projects coming up in both classes. I have had mishaps happening to my left and to my right! LOL I have been having problems with my internet connection here and that in itself gives me a level of frustration that is beyond belief. I was then sick and I am just now feeling better and that lasted almost a week now. Lastly, our car broke down and lets just say I gave an arm and leg at the garage..LOL So, now I feel like I am working against the clock on how long my internet signal will stay on. It is like a race and let me say that I like a challenge but this is nuts...LOL. I have many ideas on my paper and everyone wants a outline but I do not usually work with outlines. I like to use free writing and brainstorming and then put it all together. This has worked for me in the past. I think I overthink the outlines. I am sure this will all come together soon, I just need to take a deep breath.

I hope all of you are getting along on your papers! Good luck! I know they will be great!

Missie

Friday, June 11, 2010

Kaplan Decisions

Hello Everyone!
One of the questions that was suggested we discuss for class was; How is school influencing our lives up to this point? I have to say that school has been a positive influence on my life. My main reason to go to school was to change careers and hopefully graduate to work from home. When I first started at Kaplan I was excited and a bit nervous. I am now in my fourth term and very comfortable with my classes. I have found out a lot about myself during this journey so far. I have learned that I can do more when I am faced with a challenge then I give myself credit for. I work hard for my grades and I have learned to balance school and home life. It helps that I do not have a job right now or children which are more of a challenge and I applaud the people who balance it all. It takes work. I happen to have a very understanding family and they tend to stay out of my way when I am doing homework. When I finished high school I went to work as a certified nurse assistant and did not feel the need to go to college. I needed to make money and figured later I would go to school for LPN or RN certification. Life changes though and so do we, my life took a different direction and I found some things I was really good at. I always regretted not going to college. I found the perfect job and loved every minute of working there but when they downsized, I became unemployed. Therefore, I needed a career change and with the disability that I have, working at a desk for eight hours a day is not possible. I need something more tailored for me. I know I am rolling on; it was just of story of how I came to Kaplan. Sorry for being long winded. Anyway, coming to Kaplan has been an eye opening experience. I have learned that I can do almost anything I put my mind to and that it is okay to ask questions. I love to talk and be around people so that is a bit of a challenge with online classes. Do any of you miss the social interaction? I also felt, until coming to Kaplan, that asking questions on how to do something when it is unclear as a weakness. Now, I feel questions help me more than hinder me. I find that with writing classes, like the one we are currently in, I over think the assignment. I get to many ideas and sometimes filtering them is a pain in the neck. I learned in my first term at Kaplan that brainstorming works for me best. I love to just put a lot of ideas on paper and then go back later and filter through what I think is important and which are not. I have tried other processes but brainstorming works best. What works for you? I am a huge fan of lists too! I love making a list for the day and then as I complete each project or errand I can check it off. At the end of the day I love to see a list full of checks! HaHa! I know it is strange. I love the feeling of accomplishment that I get.

Well, I am sure that you have had enough of my rambling but have a great week everyone!

Missie

Friday, June 4, 2010

Small Town VS. City Life

Hello! My question for everyone is which do you prefer, living in a small town or the city? I live in a town of about 10,000 residents. I grew up in a very small town of about 2,000 people. My point is this, many people graduate and leave here for college. I have been to the bigger cities in our area but never have I lived in one. I have a few friends that I have visited that live in larger cities and they love it. When I visit, I fall in love with all that there is to do and see. However, when I leave to go back home I feel a sense of relief. Living in a smaller town or village seems more comfortable because of the atmosphere and people. I can go to a store and sure enough I find someone that I know or I am friends with. This can be a blessing and a curse. HaHa! In small towns, everyone knows everyone else's business. When I visit the city, I feel anonymous and sometimes that feels good. I bring this up because one my best friends came to visit this week and she lives in a large city. She was here for only one day and started complaining about how early everything closes here. She got progressively worse as the week went on and said since she had not lived here in ten years that now she feels suffocated here. I felt a little insulted and I probably should not have. I agree that the city has a lot more to offer in the way of places to go and things to do but there is something to be said for the small town charm too. What she forgets is that people here are friendly and there are things to do here, they are just more low key. So, what do you all prefer?

On a different note, this week "Golden Girl" Rue McClanahan passed away. I have been watching the Golden Girls re-runs for years. I love the show and I actually look forward to watching it. In the past two years we have lost Estelle Getty and Bea Arthur and now Rue McClanahan. It feels like an end to an era! Betty White is the last Golden Girl standing. She is having a second coming in her career and she is hysterical. I was just sad about the loss.

My last thought is about procrastination. Do any of you do this? I am a perpetual procrastinator. I put things off until the last minute and then hurry about to get them done. I used to be a planner, always planning ahead. I like to get things done just a certain way. Lately, I have noticed myself procrastinating more and more on different things. I find that I actually get a rise out of finishing things at the last moment. I get a rush and I find whatever I am doing gets done better for it. I think this is backwards, when I was younger I planned out everything and now that I am older I am constantly putting things off. This should be the other way around, shouldn't it?HaHa! Do any of you suffer from this?

Well, that is all for now. Have a great week one and all!

Missie :)