Random Stuff

I have 8 whole subjects for my study for my Master's thesis. Yay. (I need at least 50, and I'm hoping for about 100.)

My computer is having this weird thing where if I push in on my CD-ROM drive, the computer shuts down. It doesn't exactly crash, and the power light is still on, but it's like the hard drive has quit working (which doesn't make sense because the hard drive is on the opposite side of the computer from the CD-ROM drive). I'll have to open up the casing and see if I can figure out what's wrong with it.

Some idiot broke into my friend's car and she's on a rampage. Can't blame her. I hope the cops catch the idiot before my friend does--she'll kill them with her hands.

I've been having the urge to write a paper on the symbolism in Labyrinth. As if I didn't have enough to do. I think part of it is because my screensaver involves screenshots from the movie and every time it comes on I start thinking about the symbolism inherent in the shot I'm looking at. Maybe next semester, if my Master's thesis doesn't kill me, I'll work on that on the side. No harm in trying.

More later.

Robert Jordan Dies at 58

James Rigney, who wrote the Wheel of Time series under the name Robert Jordan, died Sunday of a rare blood disease. While I didn't like the series much, it is a huge loss to the Fantasy community. He inspired lots of other writers. W.E. loved the series. He's still waiting for the last book to come out.

I might have to force myself to read the rest of the series now.

More later.

Smile Time

Laughing at these people is mean, but I'll bet you won't be able to help it.

Procrastinatey

This weekend was a wonder of doing not very much. I have quite a bit of homework, and did none of it. I'll have to get on that as soon as I'm done here. Instead, I watched Angel, cross-stitched (working on Christmas presents), slept, and read. Yesterday W.E. and I went to the park to ride our bikes. Unfortunately, we overestimated my endurance and I got dehydrated and nearly threw up. Good times. Today after work I plan to go back to the park and "run" a mile (it will probably be more of a half-assed jog, actually, but I'm being optimistic). I've finally gotten just so tired of being fat that I'm actually motivated to exercise--which has made W.E. happy beyond belief. He likes the outdoors (crazy man). And it's gotten pretty cool here, so running in the middle of the afternoon won't be so bad.

We are green and go on my study, which will begin as soon as I get some students to administer the survey to. Yay! I'm not sure why I'm so excited--I've got more than enough to do as it is--but I am. And I'm thinking about writing a paper on this when I'm done, something besides my thesis. There's so little empirical data in Literature studies, maybe this will get people interested in doing their own studies. As long as they leave Fantasy alone. MINE! :)

Must go do homework now. Ciao!

More later.

Oh. My. God.

As if all the schoolwork I'm having to do isn't enough, now I'm having fun issues with my tutoring students. I can't really talk about it here, but let's just say that one is psycho and one wants me to do the work of a $400-per-hour editor. I've had to discuss both of these students with my boss multiple times--this week.

PLUS, W.E.'s been called for Jury Duty, and there's no provision for excusing a college student. He's just going to have to hope he gets stuck on a jury QUICK, for a little trial that will take maybe one day. Or that when he talks to the judge, he'll be excused (or at least delayed for a while) anyway.

I will be amazed if I survive this semester with all of my hair.

On the plus side, I should be getting the go-ahead from the IRB to start my study soon. I know it seems weird that that's a plus--it means more work--but I'm actually looking forward to it. I haven't had a lot of time to work on my thesis this semester, and this will be time set aside JUST to work on the thesis, even if it is just in a data-gathering capacity.

Must go back to my mountain-o-homework.

More later.

Writing News

Abyss and Apex: Rejection

Submitted "Into the Black" to Anotherealm.

Still no word from Jennifer Jackson or Blood, Blade and Thruster.

Gave up on Gryphon's Blood (murder mystery). Instead started a new one about a writer/earth mage and a selkie. No time to write though, so I have 2 whole paragraphs and a rough outline for this one.

Must return to homework, which has taken up all of my headspace.

More later.

Thoughts, Prayers (Part 3)

We went to see W.E.'s dad again today. He's had surgery yet again, and was sedated when we got there, so he didn't even realize we were in the room. While the surgery area is healing up fine, he's got pneumonia now, and the doctors say if they can't clear it up by Monday, they're going to have to do a tracheotomy. If it does heal up, though, he can get out of ICU.

More later.

Working for the Weekend

Another week is almost over. Thank GOD. I thought this week would kill me for sure. I have one professor who appears to think that her class is the ONLY class and piled on the work. After this week, though, there is noticeably less work due each class period. I wouldn't have been so worried about the massive assignment (about 100 pages of reading--in an anthology--and a log on said reading, plus an analysis of a Blake webpage) if it wasn't for my other massive assignment due Monday--a "critical review of a scholarly text," at least 8 pages long. As of 30 minutes ago, I have 7 1/2 pages. We know what that means: time to B.S. until our eyes bleed (cause I'm already about B.S.ed out just getting it to this length).

I have three more fun books on feminism and religion to take home and try not to fall asleep over. And as soon as I finish this darned critical review, I can start trying to get ahead on the rest of my homework again. I only managed to stay ahead for two weeks this semester, an all-time low for me.

And my study has finally gone to a reviewer at the IRB, who has been busy peppering me with questions about the study and finally decided to discuss them over the phone tomorrow morning. (Sigh. Morning.)

Speaking of mornings, I'm tired of not sleeping. Thought I'd mention that yet again.

I'm also working on my personal statement for my applications to Doctoral programs. I was panicking (I'm not a shameless self-promoter) but I got a push from my boss and at least managed to crank out a halfway decent rough draft. I e-mailed it to her for further examination and will probably fuss with it some more over the weekend. I'm almost done with my application packets. Thank God. I think I need a personal statement for the MFA programs, too, but I'm not nearly as worried about that one, especially since I kind of half don't want to get an MFA right now, anyway. But if I don't get into one of the Doctoral programs, maybe I can at least get into an MFA program. And vice-versa. I don't want to think about what might happen if I don't get in to either.

Six and a half hours til I can go home. Sigh.

More later.

Thoughts, Prayers (Part 2)

W.E.'s dad had another surgery last night to remove an abscess that had been forming at the previous surgery site. They say he's fine now--not jumping on the bed fine, but exactly where they expect him to be for post-op instead of in the rough shape he was in after the last operation.

Yay!

We're going back up there on Saturday. I'll keep y'all posted.

Thoughts, Prayers, etc.

W.E.'s father is in the hospital. He went in with kidney failure due to severe dehydration and is still in because they operated and found colon cancer, which had spread through his intestinal tract. They had to remove a lot of his intestines. Now he's suffering from post-op complications (nothing horrifically serious, but no fun, either) and severe frustration from not being able to talk (he's on a ventilator) and not being in control of what's going on. We went up there on Saturday (4 hour drive in, 4 hours back) so W.E. could see him, and we're planning on going back this coming Saturday.

Prayers, good luck wishes, etc. are much appreciated.