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I've just spent the entire day working on an entirely uninspiring assignment which is due later this week. I didn't even manage to finish it, although I think perhaps I'm over the hump. Two more events or observations to reflect on ... anyone interested in contributing? It's worth 70% ... so this isn't really one I want to bomb out on. I could do with a little inspiration before finishing it off as I've completely lost interest. Not good. Oh well. I'm counting on the assumption that I'm too intelligent to accidently fail. Hopefully the assumption pays off.
Meanwhile, I went to Phantom of the Opera on Friday night!! And I've been meaning to post about it ever since. It was such an incredible show ... loved it to bits, as expected of course. In bizarre news though, we had two Phantoms! So confusing. I immediately checked the cast board on arriving at the theatre, and I was thrilled to see Anthony Warlow's name listed next to the Phantom. Given his recent medical concerns, I certainly wasn't expecting to see him ... just hoping.
But he was on, and I was so excited to finally see him performing the role. I guess he was still trying to save his voice though (for the closing weekend matinees perhaps?), as he didn't do the entire show. They kept subbing another guy in and out. It messed with my head so much! I know Anthony Warlow's voice, and I know his face, and this other guy certainly wasn't him. He was brilliant, don't get me wrong ... his voice was amazing, and he certainly looked the part. He made an incredible Phantom. He just wasn't Anthony Warlow. He wasn't even the same height ... biggest give away was when the Phantom suddenly became shorter.
I kept doubting myself though ... I've never heard of them continually changing the lead character. It was bizarre! I've seen them change a character once when one actor falls ill, but not this continual changing. I started questioning my sanity, and what I was seeing. First I started to think it wasn't him, and that the cast board was wrong, and clearly we had the understudy. But then he'd come out or even just sing and I'd be utterly convinced it was him, so then when they changed again I started to doubt my ability to recognise someone I really ought to be able to recognise. And then he'd return and I'd wonder what the problem was. It was so, so confusing!
And the most amusing part of the entire experience is that I'm fairly sure at least half the audience realised nothing. Even when the understudy came out for curtain call immediately after Anthony Warlow performed the final scene, people seemed to be completely ignorant. Such a bizarre experience. But it was Phantom, and Anthony Warlow was in the role for the majority of the show - at least, for all the most important scenes. And it was incredible!
I just want to say - the emoticons in Skype must easily be the cutest emoticons ever designed! I love them. I love that one of them claps ... that's so me! And I love that you can wave. And giggle. And shake your head. And the sun is just plain cute. I want the Skype emoticons in every other chat program. They're way more versatile than any others available.
And yes, I'm procrastinating. Is it not obvious!? My exam tomorrow is pure evil. I'm honestly quite terrified of it. And as such, swinging wildly between panicked preparation and blatant avoidance. How can anyone possibly think that making students prepare five essays, memorise them all, then rewrite three of them without any notes in two hours is a logical way to assess our knowledge and understanding? Evil. Pure evil.
MOO.com have the cutest new StickerBooks. I love them! 90 full colour vinyl square stickers with rounded corners on little tear-out sheets. Made from your own photos. Only US$12.98 including postage anywhere in the world. Do I sound like I'm on the marketing team? Of course, I just put in an order. Hurrah!
I love ordering stuff from MOO.com. Even the email after is entertaining .... "I'm Little MOO - the bit of software that will be managing your order with us. It will shortly be sent to Big MOO, our print machine who will print it for you in the next few days. I'll let you know when it's done and on its way to you. Thanks, Little MOO, Print Robot" - love it!
Meanwhile, I'm procrastinating horribly. I finally feel like the uni workload has calmed down ... which is awfully dangerous, as in actual fact there is still plenty of assessment to do. It's just not so urgent any more, and I'm rather enjoying doing other stuff instead. Like placing MOO.com orders, or shopping for stationery, or preparing for prac.
Ooh, prac! I visited my class on Thursday. I'm so ridiculously excited! My prac teacher is fantastic ... so friendly and enthusiastic and supportive. The students all love her. She's bouncy and excited and loves her job. And I can't wait to get back into that classroom. 54 names to learn as the two classes work together, but they all seem friendly enough. The other teacher is lovely as well. And the DP is great. I'm almost worried that I'm building my expectations up too much. Certainly looking forward to prac though!
Meanwhile, my Teachers DVDs arrived last week! Less than a week after I ordered them, I must point out ... rather impressed. And I'm loving them of course. Just finished Series Two. Two more series to go. Brilliantly funny. Although Simon has left now ... I do miss Simon. As funny as the others are. I love how random animals walk through the school too. Usually donkeys, but there was a zebra in this episode. Completely unexplained and irrelevant ... just wandering through the school yard. Hmm, anyway ... must get on with things.
Group work is so ridiculously tiresome and exhausting. Not as a rule, but it builds up ... and this semester I can without any hesitation say that I am entirely over it. One group assignment - even a couple of group assignments in a semester - probably wouldn't be so bad. But this semester very near the majority of my accumulated grade is made up of group work. For three different subjects I have considerably sized group assignments to work on. My fourth subject is an ungraded pass/fail prac placement, so it doesn't count.
One group assessment is thankfully over and done with. The 40% seminar presentation for my Sociology class which my group of three nailed. Now I'm working on a 50% Maths lesson cluster plan in a group of four - due Friday. And simultaneously (although somewhat less urgently given the more distant due date), I'm working in another group of three on a 50% Technology lesson plan and presentation. It's plain exhausting!
It's not even the actual group work that is difficult (for the most part at least). Usually I enjoy group work and I love collaborating with other people to build on ideas and improve things along the way. The challenge is more to do with finding time to meet and work together. Trying to fit in countless group meetings with all the different groups, in amongst all our other commitments. For one group assignment in a semester it generally isn't so bad - but for three separate groups and such major assessment pieces, it's exhausting! I seem to be constantly at uni.
I don't seem to be the only one in my course noticing the challenge either. It's so clear we're all over it. On a potentially positive note, we hardly have any individual assessment left - exam preparation, and that's about it. And exams aren't until after prac. So when we're not working on group work, there's not an awful lot else to do. In a strange way though, that's rather frustrating as well - having time and opportunity to study, but hands are tied considering so little group work can be down without group input.
I'm so over this semester ... I just want the uni part of it to be over, so we can get out on prac! I'm so ready for prac!! I'm going to a Year 6 class this time, and my teacher phoned back this morning - she sounds absolutely lovely. I'm visiting the class on Thursday. Two and a half weeks until prac starts. I just can't wait!!
I had one of the most bizarre assessment experiences during my sociology class this morning. It was my group's turn to present our seminar to the class - a 40-minute seminar on the topic of "New World, New Schools", which was worth 40% of our grade for the semester and for which we'd been preparing for days. Literally ... we spent multiple entire days in the uni computer labs working on this seminar!!
We were so prepared! We knew the content inside out. We'd read so many textbooks, and studied the lecture content. We had a outline to follow. We had fabulous examples, and activities to encourage participation. We had put so much effort into it! And despite a few nerves, everything was running smoothly and feeling good. We were following our plan, we were keeping to an appropriate time frame, we were comfortable with what we were talking about.
Then suddenly, in the middle of our seminar, our tutor - who was supposed to be assessing us - excused herself and left the room!! She slowly crept around the room to the door, then left ... for a good five minutes! No explanation ... just an apology and an instruction to continue without her.
It was utterly bizarre! We didn't know what to do exactly. The three of us were standing at the front of the room mid-discussion, trying hard to earn a good grade, while the rest of our class were sitting at their desks listening and watching. And suddenly we were all there without a tutor. Without anyone to decide whether we were earning that good grade or not. It was bizarre!
We all just burst out laughing. Everyone ... the entire class. We couldn't help it. Tutors hardly leave the room even when there isn't assessment going on. For it to happen in the middle of a presentation ... especially one worth 40% ... it's just unheard of! But what can you do? After a few jokes about jumping to the end and having everyone tell her we'd done brilliantly, we continued with our presentation ... we didn't really know what else to do. Our tutor reappeared a while later, apologising again and explaining sheepishly that she'd got lost! So funny!!
At the end of the class our tutor gave us plenty of feedback, and as it turned out we totally nailed the assessment. Top marks ... she loved it. And she'd pretty much figured that out by the time she disappeared. I still doubt I'll ever forget it though. It was hilarious.
I just spent an entire Sunday at uni! Being at uni on a weekend just doesn't sit well with how the world should be. Uni is a weekday thing. Weekends should be for fun! But uni isn't that kind, so at the very least, weekends should be for lazy studying at home. Having to go into uni to study in uninspiring, strange smelling computer labs is just not how the weekend should be. We even have a lovely, brand new 24 hour computer lab ... but it's still strange smelling and uninspiring. Although at least it has comfy booth seats. And the vending machines are handy. What would students do without a handy supply of vending machines?
I'm still rather disgusted by how much time I've spent at uni. I was in the same strange smelling, uninspiring computer lab until 8:30pm on Friday night too. Two entire days at uni, when I should be doing something far more interesting. Or maybe at home. Group work is so inconvenient! And now the week is about to start again, and I feel like I'm due a weekend still. Evilness.
My resolve to post more frequently hasn't been as successful as I'd hoped. It has been a busy week though. In fact, I'm probably still far busier than really allows for the laziness that I have allowed myself to enjoy today. The uni workload is picking up, as it does, and I should really be studying. The week just gone has zapped all my energy though ... I needed a day of unwinding I think. And it wasn't entirely unproductive ... I crossed a few non-uni related things off my list. Besides, the day isn't over yet. I've already written the weekend off as a study weekend, so I'm home tonight anyway ... I'll get something study related done before I go to bed.
Meanwhile, I've just spent the last while catching up on the blogs I used to read regularly. I've been awfully slack at reading them lately. Somehow I haven't succeeded in getting back into the habit since returning from my trip around Australia. Hopefully this marks the changing point. I feel like the blogging world grounds me somehow, and I need it back! Facebook, although successfully consuming my precious time in much the same way, is a far different concept and doesn't have anywhere near the same effect.
To change the subject somewhat ... why am I not in the city watching the fireworks? Tonight is RiverFire ... I love RiverFire! And this year it looks even more spectacular than last. Magical. I love the way they choreograph it all. Matching the fireworks to the music, and bursting out of so many different places. Then the drop and burns at the end. Love it all! I considered going in too, but told myself I needed to study. I haven't even done that. Instead I've watched the show on tv ... it's just not the same!
Anyway, must get on with things I guess. Maths study awaits. Thrilling!
The football season has begun again! Proper football that is ... the type I still can't get used to calling soccer. I'm becoming such a fan too! This year, I've purchased season membership to the Roar ... eleven home games, and I have tickets to them all already! Well, they're coming out in the mail at least ... along with a few other supporter bits and pieces. So exciting! I'll be going to each home game with a friend from uni and another from SES ... along with anyone else we can drag along on the day. First home game in a couple of weeks ... can't wait!
Meanwhile, the English Premier League has kicked off this weekend, and Everton has won their first game against Wigan. Very good! I've spent far too much time procrastinating today as well, figuring out where all our Aussie boys are playing this season, and as such which teams I'll attempt to follow the results of. Such fun! Procrastination is so, so easy!
Uni work, on the other hand, is suffering dearly. Thank goodness it's Ekka week ... no Brownies or Gumnuts this week, and no classes on Wednesday. I am heading into the Ekka one day to help man a stand for the Department of Emergency Services (and SES), and will probably have a look around afterwards - I haven't been to the Ekka in years! But otherwise I should have a little more time at home this week than usual. Hopefully enough time to catch up all the work I should have done already!
Then on Sunday Annette (from Sweden, and prior to that Pax) flies in with a group of UK Guides! Such excitement! Will be so lovely to catch up with Annette, and also to meet all the UK Guides. So exciting to have international visitors!
For now, however, I shall need to sleep I think! I have a ridiculously early start in the morning. While everyone else in the area has a public holiday tomorrow, I must go to uni. Such is the hardship of living in one city and going to uni in another. On the flip side, at least all the shops nearby are open when I have my day off. :)
I'm so tired! It's been a while since I've posted that hasn't it? I hope. I try not to post it too often, as tempting as it often is. This time though, I think I could fall asleep while sitting here. Literally. My eyes could close and I could be asleep with my fingers still resting on the keyboard. I'm that tired.
I can't believe uni is starting again tomorrow. Already. Already after six weeks. That doesn't really work does it? Six weeks is a rather respectable mid-year break. I shouldn't be complaining. And I've done so much with the time. Uni almost feels like a distant memory. But I'm not ready to go back!
I need another week maybe. Even a few days would help. I'm not done with everything I wanted to get done. I still need to sort and label photos. I have email to reply to. My whiteboard is covered in To Do tasks. And of course, all I want to be doing is reading.
I queued up at 9:01 yesterday morning to purchase my much anticipated copy of the book, and I've barely even had a chance to read it. I'm terrified of spoilers - I turn the radio or tv off any time anyone vaguely mentions it. I guess at least I'll be able to savour the joy of reading it for a little longer.
Anyway, time now to sleep. 8am start tomorrow. Another semester of 8am Monday classes. And another semester of 10am to 12pm Mondays spent at Beadles. At least I have my routines. I've been craving Beadles coffee for well over six weeks now ... something to look forward to. Uni is such a social activity when it comes down to it!
Friends must easily be the best part of life. Where would we be without them? Life just wouldn't be the same. Tonight I had dinner with a group of friends from uni, and it was so much fun! We were laughing nearly the entire time. Conversation didn't lapse once. We were there for almost four hours, and if it wasn't so late could have so easily stayed longer. It was just fabulous.
These girls have made my entire degree so much more enjoyable. I imagine it's much the same with any degree, but teaching especially is not the sort of degree you can survive easily on your own. We rely on each other constantly. I learn more and gain far more from chats over coffee and between classes than I do from going to class. I'm sure of it. Obviously it wouldn't happen without class, but half the time it's not until we chat about stuff that it actually sinks in.
And on top of that ... they're such fun to spend time with. I'm so looking forward to this semester. I'm sure the assessment will be a killer, and I'm a little nervous about prac again, but being back at uni will be fun. Especially given we actually have traditional style lectures again ... so three times a week we're all in the same room at the same time, even if we don't have tutorials together.
I just checked in and printed my boarding pass! This time tomorrow night I'll be on a plane heading to Darwin, and I already know I'll be sitting by the window. Checking in before even arriving at the airport seems somehow counter-productive. Convenient though!
So Semester One is officially over, for me at least. I handed my last assignments in this morning, presented my drama micro-lesson to the class, caught up with the crew for coffee one last time, then left uni in rather high spirits ... albeit slowly due to the crutches.
My foot is still broken, but I believe it is healing. I'm done with the crutches. I detest them ... they cause more pain to my hands and arms than walking does to my foot. I've spent the last two weeks keeping weight off my foot ... hopefully that's enough. I may take a ridiculous looking walking stick with me though, to help take the weight a little. Plus, I'm hoping my lovely new hiking boots will help a bit. And we'll be spending a fair bit of time in the car. Fingers crossed all will be fine.
I think I'm just about ready to go. I have a to-do list that I'm working through slowly. I still have to pack, but I have a pretty good list of what needs to be packed. Most of it has already gone ... my uncle left here on Thursday, so I put as much into the vehicle as possible. He's already in the Northern Territory ... should get to Darwin sometime tomorrow. I arrive tomorrow night, then we spend a couple of days stocking up and getting sorted ... then head off. Exciting!
Meanwhile, I need to get some sleep! I can't believe how tired I am ... it's crazy. This semester has been awfully draining ... everyone has said so, it's not just me. Crazy though, seeing as this was my "lazy semester" ... only three subjects and no outside work, yet still I'm more exhausted than I was last semester. I'm blaming the evil literacy subject. Evil, I say!
I have a timetable for next semester! Which is something of a relief, as I was a little afraid the allocation system wouldn't open up until after I left. That said, they've made a huge mess of it. It was supposed to come online at 9am this morning, and instead randomly started appearing at around 1pm this afternoon. Ridiculous!
To make it even worse, the timetable that had been displayed earlier in the week for the Technology unit is completely different to what is actually available today ... so the timetable I'd worked out totally doesn't work. On top of which, for one of the units ... we've just been randomly allocated to a class, all the classes are full so we can't change to a different time, and not everyone enrolled in the unit has even been allocated. I'm in an 8am class ... which is dreadfully early (leaving home at 6:30am), but at least I've got a class.
Oh well, it's all done ... I've got three days on campus, and two 8am starts. Could have been worse. I hate to think what some people have ended up with, considering I managed to jump in as soon as it came online. My only worry now is that they'll realise they've completely messed up, pull the lot and we'll have to do it all again.
Life got busy again. It always does. All kinds of stuff happening. Gumnuts started ... a new Guide unit for 5 and 6 year olds. Eleven girls came along for the sign up day! They were all born this century ... how to make a girl feel old! At uni, assignments are all coming due ... I really should be spending more time working on them. Hard to prioritise, although my stress levels at the moment are surprisingly quite low. Not sure how much longer that will lost.
Loads to organise for the outback trip. Accommodation is now sorted for the central Australia part ... very nice five-star deluxe spa hotel rooms at Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs. I've never stayed anywhere quite so fancy. After three weeks of sleeping in a swag under the stars on the side of the track ... it's going to be the most appreciated accommodation ever! Fancy or not. I've also been shopping over the last couple of days for quick dry, sun protective, moisture transfer, mosquito repellant (no kidding!) travel wear. Gradually nearing being ready I think!
And in amongst all this ... Stella, a friend from London, came to visited over the last couple of days. Such fun. A perfect excuse to push the study aside for 24 hours or so. We spent last night in town exploring what Brisbane has to offer on a Sunday night (more than I expected, I must admit!). It was fun ... a trip up to Mt Coot-tha, dinner at South Bank, a ferry trip down the river, walking through the Queen St Mall then back to South Bank. All was lovely ... until I tripped over the curb. And did something nasty to my foot.
Seriously, can there be a more dull way to injure one's self? I was completely sober, I wasn't even doing anything silly ... I was just checking for traffic and looking where I was going, and the ground underneath me was uneven so I tripped. And now I'm hobbling, and everyone asks what happened. I don't even have an impressive story to tell. I have to admit it was pure clumsiness. So pathetic!
Meanwhile ... we were on the other side of the river, so after it happened I had to walk all the way over the Grey St bridge, through South Bank and back to my car (near the cinema) before I could pull out an instant ice pack from my first aid kit and ice it. Severe pain the entire way, and major swelling almost instantaneously. Really appreciated having the fully stocked first aid kit on board! Too bad the car was so far away though. Ice pack still helped of course, and then we bandaged it so I could drive home ... it's my left foot at least, but I drive manual so it was still far from fun!
The irony of this whole situation ... Stella is a podiatrist! Of all things I could have done while she is in town ... I have to go and injure my foot. Pretty classic, really. It would be like having a mid-life crisis while a psychiatrist friend was visiting, or losing my passport while visiting my Vice Consul friend. Rather convenient though. Stella kindly strapped my foot this morning, and offered all kinds of tips along the way.
Isn't feeling a great deal better though ... today I had a drama workshop at uni, then I took Stella to the museum, then after dropping Stella at the airport I called in to DFO to look for cheap travel wear ... so I've been walking (read: hobbling) almost non-stop all day (and as such in severe pain the entire time). Tried to rest it as much as I could ... but hard when there's so much to do.
Tonight, I finally went to the doctor (first appointment I could get), and tomorrow I have to get an x-ray. The doctor said I might have been walking around on a broken bone all day. The fifth metatarsal, assuming I read the radiology request correctly. Comforting thought. I pointed out that I've been walking all day ... so surely it can't be broken? Apparently it can. More likely a pulled tendon I suspect. I guess I'll know more tomorrow.
Such perfect timing! Hoping such injuries can heal within a couple of weeks. Two weeks tomorrow I fly to Darwin. Hiking in central Australia won't be much fun with an injured foot. Even with lovely new hiking boots.
Procrastination is the source of so much random productivity! If only the productivity could be in the areas I most need it ... like my never ending assignments! My entire weekend has been devoted to catching up on assessment, and while I have been somewhat successful in this respect ... I can't help but feel after an entire weekend I should have achieved somewhat more than I have.
Along the way though, procrastination led to aimless browsing online ... which led me back to Courtney's lovely reading blog. I'm so inspired, and so wish I had the time to create something similar. In fact, I so wish I had the time to read as many books as she does. I'm sure that would need to be the first step. Then, once reading is happening more frequently, maybe I could find time to post reviews. It's a nice thought!
In the immediate future, I don't see myself finding the time ... although I shall certainly try! In the meantime though, I have created my own reading list, constantly accessible via the 'reader' link in the sidebar, and open for recommendations at any time.
It's a start at least. I'm sure there are many more books I should have added already ... but I don't suppose all will pop into my head immediately. I will have to think about it some more and over time, all the books I've been meaning to read will hopefully, eventually, be added to the list. The advantage of live documents!
Then, with time, all these books will hopefully be gradually crossed off the list ... signifying my success in having found time to read them! The point I shall watch with interest will be whether the list will shrink, grow, or remain constant in size. I'm tipping it will more than likely grow.
I'm watching the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala thingy ... usually quite respectable evening entertainment, and I've already seen tonight's Desperate Housewives, so it seemed a good option. It's making me miss The Glass House though! Seriously ... who's brilliant idea was it to axe that show? Hmph. Must stop talking about tv.
I got my assignment back today! The one that caused record levels of anti-social behaviour over the Easter weekend. I now feel somehow vindicated with respect to my pathetically dull and depressing holiday weekend though ... as I aced it! 39 out of 40. Certainly won't be complaining about that one. What a relief!
Must sleep. I was up at 5am this morning. Insanity. 5 isn't supposed to exist in the morning as well. I got to watch the sunrise in my rear-vision mirror on the way to uni. I arrived so early that the lift lobby in the car park was still locked. I had to climb the stairs! And then ... the café wasn't even open yet! I had to wait for coffee. Insanity.
So, the Easter break is now over. I have to be at uni at 7am tomorrow morning. Jumping straight into assessment, and as always I have loads to catch up on. But such is life. Or the life of a student, anyway. I made the brave (lazy?) decision earlier in the week to withdraw from a subject. I felt the need for a reprieve from the non-stop-ness.
I have some credit from a past degree, so I was already due to take one less subject one semester. I've decided this might be a good time to take advantage of that. Plus, I'll pick the subject up again next year ... I get the impression it may suit the degree structure better that way anyway, and it sounds like the unit will be better organised by then.
Anyway, this basically means my time commitments should become a little more flexible. One less day at uni, and obviously less assessment and reading to worry about at the same time. I just have to be careful not to let that lead to slackness on my part. After all, assessment and other commitments always tend to very easily fill up whatever available time there is.
Meanwhile, I got a text from my sister this morning. She lives in Darwin and works with all manner of scary (and not-so-scary) wildlife, most notably including crocodiles. Today, at work ... she had to teach the Aussie Ant & Dec's (aka the Aussie Idol hosts ... does anyone actually know their names?) how to safely hold an unrestrained crocodile. Amusing.
She just sent me photos ... quite brilliant really. She looks like a female Crocodile Dundee. No exaggeration. She's holding the teeny tiny baby crocodile, with Aussie Ant & Dec on either side of her, with the dark sunnies looking all celebrity-like. So funny! Uploaded to Flickr for the benefit of friends. Shout out if you need access.
If you're an Idol watcher ... look out for the NT auditions. Apparently they were pretty funny, so the footage should be worth a look.
Anyway ... I should get on with the preparations for uni, which I've been putting off all day.
I've recently reinstalled the little "On This Day" bit in the sidebar, which I had in MT and have thankfully rediscovered in WP. It's purely for my own benefit - I find it a more convenient (and random) way to visit my archives than actually searching through them. After over five years of blogging, it's fun to see what I was doing in previous years. I always find it intriguing though, to find a date on which I've never posted. With five years to choose from now, it doesn't happen too often. But it has today! Apparently I don't tend to blog on April 9th. Who knows why.
I really shouldn't be now. I'm still working on my second assignment. I've been trying to work on it all day, but completely unsuccessfully. My head has basically given up. After three and half days of continual study, this morning it just wouldn't work for me! Concentration and productivity just wasn't an option. I've got my first assignment (due tomorrow) fully completed (unassessed components included) and printed off ready to hand in. I started this one yesterday, and I was hoping to finish it off in time to hand it in tomorrow as well, but it's not looking likely. I've got until Wednesday evening to hand it in, so I think I'll have to continue working on it tomorrow and make a second trip over to uni to hand it in after it's done. Frustrating, but I should have expected it. I never seem to get anything done early.
Meanwhile, football is on. I've got the tv on Fox Sports, but it's muted. I'm trying not to get distracted by it, but my Everton boys are about to play Bolton, and it's a rather important match in the fight for a place in the European Champions League next season. I'm torn between climbing into bed and watching it, continuing to attempt productivity with this assignment while half paying attention to football, and forgetting either exist and going to sleep. It's late, and I need to be productive tomorrow to get this assignment done, so sleep would be a wise choice. But it's a big match ... and I actually remembered it was on (usually I completely forget until after the event). I should try to keep working, but my head is still fuzzy and having trouble focussing. I'm torn!
I just finished the first of my two huge assignments that I need to complete this weekend! Well, kind of finished. I've finished the part that's actually assessed. The big, scary, project overview part that I've been working on for the last two and a half days. I've also finished the reading summaries that aren't assessed. I still have four online tasks to finish and print off that have to be handed in but which aren't assessed. The cruelty! Spending precious hours working on something that doesn't even count when I could be working on the next assignment. Or even better, having an actually holiday weekend.
This easily has to qualify as the most depressingly boring and anti-social Easter weekend ever! Who spends four entire days doing nothing but studying? On a holiday! Seriously ... it's pathetic. Unavoidable, but pathetic. Productive at least, but pathetic. Bring on the moment when the assignments are done! I can't wait to have an actual break. So much to do! So much non-study, non-Guide stuff to do. Emails to write, photos to label, movies to see - desperately want to see Becoming Jane! People to visit, presents to send, books to read, SES study to do, lunches to have, the list goes on.
But first, I must eat. Then finish the online tasks. Then sleep, get up, and start all over on the next assignment. Tragic.
My love of being a student is a little fuzzy at the moment. It's a little harder to identify. Or remember even. I'm so overwhelmed with work. It's ridiculous. Two major assignments due next week, and I've barely started either. Readings to do for basically every subject, including preparatory reading for upcoming group assessment. A lesson to present Monday morning. And it hardly improves after the Easter break.
I have unassessed exercises and reading summaries that need to be done as well ... explain that one to me? How can they make something compulsory then not even assess it? As though we don't have enough to do already. If we don't hand it in, we're penalised, but if we do it well, it in no way contributes to our marks. There's no criteria sheets for them, so it's impossible to know what "well" even is. So infuriating.
Then on top of all that, I'm trying to organise a ridiculous amount of paperwork for Relay for Life this weekend. I was up until 2:30am a couple of weeks ago sorting out the forms and getting them ready to send out to our team members, making sure they all got out in plenty of time to be completed and returned in time to lodge before the weekend. But for various different reasons, I'm still waiting to get them all back. Makes the effort I put in feel entirely pointless. So unimpressed.
Grrrr. Okay, rant over. Back to the study. Anyone want to write up a project based literacy unit for me? No? Shame.
I do rather love being a student. Sure, it's stressful at times, and it would be far nicer if they didn't have to assess us. I know I complain constantly about all the readings. And the early morning starts aren't so fun. But I still love being a student.
I love learning new things every day. I love going to classes and having my head filled with new ideas and theories and perspectives. I love sitting with a group of friends at the cafe at uni, and having intelligent discussions about something we've been learning about. I love spotting first and second year students, and realising how much more I know now than I did this time last year or the year before.
I love knowing that although I'm likely to start panicking mildly about assessment very shortly, when it comes down to it I can do it, and chances are I can do it well. I love coming away from a meeting about a group assessment feeling like we're on track, and knowing that I've contributed at least in some small way to that progress. I love the feeling of satisfaction when I get through all my readings and go to class feeling prepared and knowledgable (rare, but it happens).
I love going to the State Library, sitting amongst thousands of books in the comforting quiet that fills the huge spaces and feeling like I belong. And I love getting on the train to come home at the end of a ridiculously long day, knowing that I've had a productive day, achieved loads, procrastinated far less than usual, and will arrive home smarter than I was when I left home.
What does it say when, while studying a subject titled "Primary Curriculum and Pedagogies - Language and Literacies 2", I'm have trouble deciphering the basic intent of the sentences? And is it even worse that I had the same problem during Language and Literacies 1? It's mildly disconcerting, to say the least. I've been struggling with these readings all weekend. I'm starting to wonder if, perhaps, I am in fact illiterate. Or at the very least, I interpret the English language is some less than normal manner.
In an attempt to make myself feel slightly less at fault, I'm going to blame the writing. As I have done in the past, here and here. Slightly comforting is the fact that the author of these readings is the same person I am currently trying to read. And I have had no trouble deciphering any other reading I've had to do in my entire university career. With exception, perhaps, of those times when I was falling asleep while trying to read ... at which point the inability to read clearly had very little to do with the writing.
While this decision to place the blame on the writing helps with my own literary confidence, it does concern me given the fact that these impossible texts are supposed to be teaching us how to provide effective literacy education. There's something ironic in the whole situation. The horribly long sentences, the ambiguous sentence structure, the overused passive rather than active verbs, the vague intent, the hard to find crucial verbs hidden at the end of complicated noun phrases ... it's all so frustrating and impossible to read. I get caught up trying to decipher the intent, and miss the overall point of the reading.
I am the star procrastinator. This is a well established fact. Undisputable. I can avoid study with the best of them. I must say though, homework is such a great motivator ... to do all the other things I've been meaning to do for ages.
Today, I cleaned my bedroom windows. Inside and out. The world outside is now bright and sunshiney. And I pulled the screen off my window and hosed it clean it too. Do Level 2 water restrictions allow for this? I'm not entirely sure. I was quick though, and it was worth it. My windows haven't been this clean in years! Sad, but true.
Then, I pulled out a handy little disposable dusting cloth and cleaned all the surfaces in my room. Quite a filthy task really. I'm rather disturbed by how much dust I've been living in. I wouldn't be entirely surprised if the handy little dusting cloth tonight comes alive and walks out of the house. Perhaps joined by the paper towel I used to clean my windows.
I should study. How did it get to late afternoon so quickly??
I'm having so much trouble getting into uni this year! I just can't get focussed. My mind is all over the place. I know I have assessment coming due far sooner than I care to think, but nothing is inspiring me to work on it. I've done a few readings, read through my unit outlines, sorted out what assessment I have due when ... and that's about it!
So much for the homework tasks and project plans and various other things I should have done! I've got about a billion readings that I just haven't done, or at best haven't finished. I set aside time to study, and instead of actually studying, I get sidetracked uploading photos, or replying to email, or doing any one of a huge number of typical procrastination jobs that always seem so important at the time.
And on that note, I have finally started uploading photos. Started. In that there's currently only a small number of photos in one set, which will eventually grow to a very large number of photos across about twenty sets. London to begin with! Viewable here. People photos restricted as always. There are many more photos from London, but they fitted into sets of their own, so will appear later on. These are basically the left over photos that don't fit anywhere else.
Meanwhile, I'm awfully impressed with the new Flickr options - viewing sets in detail mode is so much more convenient! The collections idea is cute too. I need to play with it more! And I love the fancy new "share" feature ... very cool! Flickr is the best. My appreciation for it continues to grow.
Anyway, time to do some real work. Hopefully reading all afternoon will make up for my poor efforts this morning. Best intentions ... I got to uni an hour before I needed to be there, having left home at the unfathomable time of 6:30am, with the brilliant plan of sitting at the café and doing my readings for this morning's class. Very studious of me, I thought.
Plans fell apart though when I arrived at the café, sat down with my yummy thick toast, pulled out my books, and discovered that in my intense drowsiness and stupidity last night I packed the wrong text book. Not only the wrong text book, but a text book that I don't even need to read for any subject this semester. So much for catching up on any work! Oops! So now, to work!
Yesterday, I shopped absolutely guilt free!! The spending money part wasn't exactly guilt-free, considering how much my credit card is already suffering. But the time spent not studying ... 100% guilt-free! Something that is very hard to achieve mid-semester. I was out all day ... down on the Gold Coast, browsing through Pacific Fair, then walking along the beach ... so much fun! And I didn't have to worry about not being at home studying, since my cousins are the absolute perfect excuse!
Last time Sarah came I was horribly sick with Glandular Fever, so I couldn't do anything! And I haven't spent time with Justine since she was 7 or 8. We're getting along so well! But they're only here for five days. So quite simply, the spending time with them part is non-negotiable. Which means studying just hasn't been a possibility, and not studying is out of my control and therefore guilt-free. So loving it!! I need more of this!
Today, however, I've allocated as a study day. I can't really help it ... I have readings and tute preparation that need to be done for class tomorrow. And assessment is approaching, plus more weekend activities that will detract from future study ability. I've had such a nice few days though ... outlet shopping Thursday, Australia Zoo Friday (how much has it changed!?), and Gold Coast yesterday. And tomorrow after uni I'm meeting them in the city or at Southbank ... so more fun ahead. :) All of which is making studying today far easier.
Although the distractions are apparently still easy to find. Hmmm. Back to work I guess!
I bought a new bed! Terribly exciting. It's all big and comfy like. Not as big as the lovely big bed I bought in Melbourne ... it sadly doesn't fit in my room anymore and is currently not in use. But for the last eight or nine months I've been back in a comparatively tiny bed - unavoidable once I decided to move my desk and computer and bookshelves and other such study essentials back into my room as well.
My lovely new bed is far bigger than the tiny one I've been putting up with, and fits beautifully ... as it's a rather stylish sofa bed type arrangement that I can click up into a comfy sofa whenever I need the space. Very cool! It fits quite well opened out, or I can click it up and sit on the sofa and watch tv or read or whatever! And the sleeping set up is seemingly very comfy as well ... I guess the test will come in a moment when I lie down to sleep. But it seems comfy! It's a lovely futon style, so quite firm, but not overly so. And the fold out mechanism is so neatly done! So impressed
Tomorrow I'm going to the shops to buy new sheets and a doona that fit - queen size are a bit big. Shopping after uni that is, and a ridiculously early start. Ooh, and my cousins are visiting from New Zealand too ... they arrive tomorrow morning. First stop, outlet shopping! Straight after uni. Should be fun! Then all manner of touristy fun over the next five or so days. They're actually my mum's cousin's daughters. Sarah is my age, and has been before. Justine is 18, and has never been out of NZ. I haven't seen her in over ten years. She's a wee bit excited I think! Hehe, should be fun!
Okay, must sleep. Readings to do for class tomorrow too! Somewhat sidetracked by the whole putting a bed together process. Ooh, spent the afternoon at the state library though ... I was far more studious and productive there! The views and design and look are so beautiful. The entire space is so inspiring - I think just being there inspired me to want to read and learn, and I achieved far more than I would have at home. Or at uni! The lack of distractions surely helped too! I may have to become a regular I think.