It’s only one week into school, and I’m not sure I’m going to make it.   Seriously, I have three class days, and I’m already so overwhelmed and frustrated, I just want to cry (or yell…that might help some).  Pray for me, okay?

I started grad school last night.  Apparently, the prof had told someone she wouldn’t be there and asked him to let us know, but half of us didn’t get the message.  Um…oops.  I’ve already discovered that communication is not UD’s strong point.   But she apologized, and we got started.  The workload for this course freaked everyone out (I’m glad it wasn’t just me), so that didn’t help my ‘overwhelmed’ feeling very much.  But then we spent the rest of the night being “introduced” to the library and OhioLINK (a consortium of Ohio libraries that is a godsend for researchers).  But since I teach that stuff and have used it for years, the class was not hard.  I did learn a couple of things, but I did show the teacher a couple of things as well!

Today, my to-do list seems a mile-long.  I have been working since 8:30, but on problems that came to my attention with my email this morning, so I haven’t actually gotten to my to-do list yet.  And now it’s 10 am, and I still have too much to do.  Yikes…

Just one of those days…

Those hectic and unceasing days that continue until 2:20 when I realize I haven’t even looked at Xanga yet.  Sheesh!  But here I am anyway…

Eric arrived home yesterday at 7:15-ish with a bunch of fun winery products and clothing that said “Hogue” on it somewhere.  How fun is that!  He relaxed for the evening, and it was so lovely to have him at home again.  Love that guy!

I spent yesterday…shopping!  I went shopping for Karen.  My mom and I decided that she needed some basic clothing that will get her through the “my clothes don’t fit” stage of pregnancy, so we would go in together, and I would shop for her.  I found a number of things and had a marvelous time.  She came over last night to get them (I’d even wrapped them all in a big box because she’s a gift-giver) and really liked them.  Some of them will have to be returned for size/fit issues, but that’s no problem at all!  I think she appreciated the thought anyway.

Classes have gone well so far today, but I’m definitely ready for a weekend.  And on that note…happy Friday!

My first day off…

It amazes me, every year, how the activity level of the first week of school is like jumping off a cliff after you’ve been strolling leisurely along for a long while.  Three straight days of continuous activity is really exhausting after summer break!  But all that to say, the students are back.  The meetings have been had.  All my advisees have their classes.  I’ve run into a number of other students from earlier classes.  And my first day of classes went pretty well.  And last night, I got to relax for the first time all week!

When I got home, I watched television, ate dinner, surfed the net a little bit and watched more television.  That’s it.  I watched American Chopper, Everybody Loves Raymond, a cheesy old movie, the end of Mythbusters, and Whose Line before going to bed about 11:00.  I knitted some while I watched all of those things, but that is all I did.  Lovely!

I stayed up until 11:00 because I could sleep in today and because I was trying to stay up until Eric called.  Sadly, he did not call last night, but his evening’s activities might have put him back to the hotel later than I could stay up. But he is flying home today.  I’m very glad for that. 

Hi Ho, Hi Ho…

It’s off to class we go…

So I’m in my office for a couple of minutes this morning before heading to chapel for convocation.  I have a few details to finish up for my classes today (like getting the testing stuff for Basic and printing the syllabus for Comp), but I’m sure I’ll have a minute or two to get that done before it’ll be necessary!

Last night, I had dinner with my parents at Bob Evans before heading back to my house.  I watched Eureka and then flipped over to see who one the America’s Got Talent finale.  I really liked Cas Haley who came in second, but I think he’s been “discovered” now, so I’m sure he’ll end up with a recording deal and such.  I missed Eric’s call from Washington, so I called him back before going to bed.  He’s enjoying himself, it seems, so that’s good.  And they had visited the Hogue winery out there which he loved because he was surrounded by all this stuff with his last name on it!  He’s so funny!

Anyway, on to the rest of my day.  Happy Wednesday!

Man…was I tired!

I got up at 6:00 am yesterday and made it to CU with 10 minutes to spare for my 8:30 meeting.  I went to two meetings (one for my department and one for the undeclared majors, whom I actually advise), then to chapel, then to my office to work on my Composition syllabus.  It’s still not done (yes, I know classes start tomorrow! ), but it is the big item on today’s to-do list as well.

I ran home for lunch (after stopping at Super Rip to put gas in my car), then back to my office for a bit more work before my advisees started coming to see me.  I met with four of them.  The first one came at 2:30.  The last one left at 5:15.  I was supposed to be leaving for grad school no later than 5:15.  It was pouring down rain.  P.o.u.r.i.n.g.  I had to drive to Dayton.  I had left the windows open in my car (and forgot about them) so my books had gotten a bit wet in the backseat.  Grrrr!  I left for UD, eating my supper along the way, trying not to drive too fast on the wet roads.

I arrived at my class about 20 minutes late.  I hate being late.  Hate.it.  I was also wet from the aforementioned rain (and I did have my umbrella, too).  I walked into the room to find 8 other students…and no teacher.   We chatted.  I met a few people.  They had thought I was the prof.  We waited until 6:30.  Still no prof.  We left.  I drove home (it’s about an hour and fifteen minutes from UD).  At least I don’t have any homework this week!

On a different note, Eric is gone a business trip until Thursday night.  He left this morning early.  Somehow he always ends up having a trip on the week I start classes.  I think Battelle plans it that way.  

Now I must head to CU for the day.  It shouldn’t be as long of an afternoon (fewer advisees to meet with today), but I will have to stay until I get done all my prep work.  I should really get going then, huh?  

Happy Tuesday!

It doesn’t take long for school to get back in session, I’ll tell you that!

I got up at 6:00 am and walked (I realized I was nervous about the day,
so I especially needed the 30 minutes of prayer time!) and then got
ready to go.  I even got Eric’s coffee and lunch made at the usual
time.  I’m such a good wife.

So far, I’ve had meetings, chapel, and about an hour of office work to
prepare for my advising meetings this afternoon.  I might try to
meet my mom for lunch, but we’ll see how that goes.  She’s always
crazy busy this time of the semester. 

My first grad school class is tonight from 6-8:30.  At least I
know I can get there.  And I know where my class is meeting,
too.  So hopefully, I’ll actually adjust back to being the student
again easily. 

Anyway, just wanted to check in before the entire day got away from me.  Happy Monday!

Yesterday, I got the furniture moved in the loft.  Eric’s old green steel desk is VERY heavy!  I like how it all turned out, though.  Our meeting was semi-productive, but we have lots left to finish in our first department meeting of the year.  I left CU and headed to Dayton for the grad school open house.  There were no cookies that I saw (though I didn’t actually go where the food was!).  I got my temporary parking permit and my id card taken care of.  I did a bit of driving around to find my destination, and then to find my way out of Dayton, but I got there and home without too much difficulty.  Classes start on Monday, so I’m glad to know where I’m going!

Today, I’m on my way to CU for a few hours today.  Since I didn’t really get much done on my classes yesterday, I decided to go down today for a bit.  Hopefully, I’ll sequester myself into my office and work, work work! 

I’m also meeting my brother around noon to help some students move in.  The fathers always appreciate not having to carry all 600 pieces of their daughters’ bags, boxes and such all by themselves.  And watching how excited the new students are usually helps me get in the mood to start again myself.  We’ll see if that happens!

Tonight, I’m making a meal for a couple in our small group who just had their baby (a little girl).  So I won’t be hanging around in Cedarville for much longer than is necessary. The weekend involves a baby shower, but other than that, I have no official plans.  Happy Friday!

It’s Thursday.  That means it’s garbage day, and I must get the garbage out this week because it STINKS!

I have a meeting in Cedarville this morning.  My mom called at 7:00 to let me know that CU is on a 2-hour delay because the storms last night knocked a tree over onto power lines and blew the transformer.  Oops!  Power is supposed to be restored by 10:00, which I believe is when my meeting is supposed to start.  What a coincidence…

EDIT 8:50 am: Apparently, my morning meeting has been moved to an afternoon meeting.  Now I don’t have to be down until 2:00 which is slightly messing up my already-decided schedule for the day.  *sigh*  So now the question is…what should I do with my suddenly-open morning?!?

I have a grad school open house this evening.  It’s the first ‘event’ of my classes and such, so I’m glad to finally get some info and some errands completed.  That event also means that I’ll be hanging out in my office all afternoon and (hopefully) getting some work done.  I figured there was no point in driving back to Columbus to turn around and drive back to Dayton this evening.  But it’ll be a long day.

I have no good stories to tell you today.  Nothing exciting happened yesterday.  I barely left the house.  So I guess I’ll have to keep on living through you with all of your exciting lives!

Better late than never…

So I was internet-less until about 5 minutes ago.  I spent a good bit of time this morning trying to find and resolve the issue. I reset things.  I plugged and unplugged things.  Finally, I just gave up and resigned myself to life without the Net until Eric got home.  Then, a few minutes ago, I tried one last time…and tried one last thing…and voila!  It worked.  And it’s working better than it has in three days.  In other words, I’m brilliant!

And I’ve been productive today, too.  I washed my kitchen floor.  I worked on class stuff for next week.  I finished the laundry.  I cleaned up the kitchen.  Maybe I should do without the internet more often…

Or maybe not!

Tuesday ramblings…

• It was actually chilly outside on my walk this morning.  Of course it was 70 degrees, but the lack of humidity was a shock!
• I canned and froze peaches yesterday.  I think all 7 jars sealed.  I know the other peaches froze.
• Eric has the pictures from the weekend mostly ready here.  He’s still got a couple of pictures to add as they come to him (like the group shots). Enjoy!
• I bought baby shower gifts yesterday morning.  Karen and I are going shopping later today for the rest of the gift.  It sure is nice to have a ready-made partner for baby gifts!
• I finished a book yesterday.  I reading. 
• Today I’m going to make applesauce and do laundry.  Sounds like fun, huh?
• I want you all to notice that I haven’t mentioned cleaning in like a week.  Of course, that means that I’m going to have to do some cleaning this week.