français deux - UPDATED

Today I start my Beginning French, part 2 evening class. I am SO excited! It's been a year since I completed part 1, but I think I will do fine. The cool thing is that I am basically taking the class for pleasure - I haven't really done that before. I mean, I am seriously kicking around the idea of studying French at university and ultimately becoming a French professor at a local JC or university, so the class is advancing me in that direction. But basically this is two birds with one stone: fun and functionality. Hey - how P.C.! I'm jazzed, though. The nice part is that it will be my one and only class so it will be my whole academic focus. I have one job that I will start next week, and have an interview for another today. But with the one today I am just going to be straight up with her (there's really no reason not to - I'd only be hurting myself) about the fact that I have another job (which means that it is my first priority in terms of scheduling) and a night class two days a week. If she is willing and able to work around that then I'm in business. I would love to be able to have two days a week off - preferably Tuesdays and Thursdays - the days I have my class so that I can study and go into the language lab without having to rush. Maybe that will work out - I'll have to talk that over with my boss from my first job.

Anyway, I am happy. I have something to look forward to for the rest of the year (French) that really doesn't cost all that much money (I will be using my elementary French book from the first class as this one is just an extension of that one - sweet!). I would love to take the bellydancing lessons, but I am more interested in saving my money for the potential move to SLC come next spring. We'll have to see how things go this year with the new custody arrangement, less money, me working two jobs, etc.. I figure we'll be able to decide with more clarity whether or not to move by the new year.

Oh yeah, and one more piece of good news? Come Saturday, autumn will be officially one month away. So one more lovely month to enjoy the warmth and prepare for fall. I don't mind the wait - it makes it really good!

Gotta go prod the daughter off to school now. More soon.

UPDATE:

Well, went to the class thinking the above to be true about it not costing any extra, but alas even though I have the main textbook, there was three additional texts that we needed to buy and because the class is only four units, I didn't qualify for financial aid (the min. being 6 units) so it would have been an additional $168 out-of-pocket expense just to take the class. I unfortunately can't afford that so it'll have to wait. I'm not too bummed, surprisingly. I can just focus on work and subsequently save for my big move. For that I am so very, very excited! Next year, less than a year, actually - the countdown is ON!

Math Makes Me a Cynical Little Git

Bloody hell. My brain is positively fried. Toooooo muuuuuuuch maaaaaaath...

BUT - the good thing is that as of 7 am this morning, I had no bloody clue what we had just learned the day before (hang with me here, not to the good part yet), but by about 10 am, I was beginning to understand and needed less and less help as the morning went on. This is good.

Test Monday. Feels doable.

Passing is the only goal. Must pass. Doubtful I won't. Short sentences. Are helpful. When brain. Is fried. Even if. And when. They aren't. Proper sentences.

Anyway, must go eat piiiiiiiiiiizza. When in need of a counter to mathematics, I highly recommend a slice of the greasy stuff (with a cold beer, of course. Duh!).

Alles wohl.

Random Thursday

I, like many parents, dread this time of the year for one reason: the kids get out of school. *Dun dun dun!!!* As one blogger put it, it is like staring into the jaws of hell. Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. It's hard enough keeping them on track and entertained when they go somewhere for 8 hours a day, five days a week. But 24 hours a day, seven days a week? Hell. Pure hell. I mean, look. There are going to be good things and moments and events to look forward to, etc. They especially are looking forward to the break and I can't blame them. All they can think about is the fun they'll be having and NO SCHOOL!! But the parent, the poor poor parent, is the one that really has to deal with the whining and boredom and such. Every day is a fight to keep the debacle at bay and keep sanity in the home. Can't they have some aunt to go visit for a month or something? That would be great. In fact, they had the chance to go to England for the month of July but that didn't pan out - for good reason - so it's all us, baby. *Sigh* I've been stocking up on arts and crafts and have designed a schedule for them to follow because I cannot. live. in. chaos. Period. Can't do it. It's hard enough for me to keep things cheery so when there is a schedule to follow, one, it eats up time, and two, gives structure to an otherwise unstructured day. That makes me happy inside and not want to pull my hair out an banish everyone to their rooms - including myself. So, like all the other summers I've endured, I will make it work and there will be good memories to look back upon. I wish that I had the summer off -- in fact I was planning on being able to do so, but alas I still have to complete my statistics class -- BOO. That will be a 6-week class, four days a week, 3 hours a day, not including homework time. But as with all other dastardly math classes I've had to complete, I just devote myself to the math lab and complete homework there so that when I come home I don't have to stress about the class and can just enjoy the time off. Because of the schedule there won't be much going away from the home, but then again our car can't really fit everything anyway - that's why we're looking into buying a minivan or an SUV because we NEEEEEEED to get away. You know, I was thinking the other day about the concept of vacations - because we study things like how much vacation time a country allows its citizens and the like - and I realized that I have never, ever been on a vacation. I've gone places and done things, but maybe my idea of a vacation is different that that of the average American's. When I fantasize about going on vacation, I think of a place where there are no phones, no TVs, no computers (I'll get over it quickly, I'm sure), no kids (sorry girls), and no bloody demands. Just me and the man, relaxing, laying about, eating good food, repeat. So. This is a goal of mine. I doubt I'll be able to accomplish this goal any time soon, but it is a good and worthy goal nonetheless.

Phew. Thanks for listening.

Bicycle! Bicycle!

See that beaut over there in the sidebar? You know, the fantastical bicycle? Well, I'm a tryin' to win it. Now that I'll be in university come fall, I could really use an awesome and stylish utility bike to transport me and my school supplies to and fro on the gargantuan campus. If you wanna help a girl out, go ahead and click on the bugger and give 'em some traffic from my site.

She'd make me so very happy! I haven't had a bike this cool since I had my pink and purple huffy with a bell and tassels when I was a little girl. Sweet!

(25 extra points for anyone who guesses the song the title of this post came from. Hint: it's a rock-n-roll song.)

Bonjour! EDITED

Well I suppose it's time for a new post, don'tcha tink? After all, it is a very important day. Why, you ask? Because of this and this. Can hardly wait to see how they rule. But word is that they aren't going to overturn it - I can't believe that this is even an issue! I realize that for as far as we have come in terms of social justice, we still have a long way to go, but for goodness' sake! It is unconstitutional! And SHAME on religious groups saying that it isn't a matter of whether being gay is right or wrong and that it's only about the definition of marriage. So fucking what, if it's the definition of a word?! The claim that your children will suddenly be subject to the gay "agenda" because two people are allowed to commit to one another legally and have the same RIGHTS that you enjoy is asinine! Just asinine! Grow up, people. Grow. Up.

Anyway, on other news, I am finally done with the spring semester and am enjoying the short break before I start summer school. Statistics. I have full hope that I will be able to understand and apply what I learn as sociology utilizes statistics in all facets. Then it's off to university!!!!! Yay! It has been a long time coming. I have had to prepare and learn and get up-to-speed from a place of not knowing how to do much beyond long division. I have gained so much knowledge about everything from chemistry to anthropology. It has been wonderful and I am grateful for all I have learned and experienced. I discovered the love of my life (sociology) and have set out on a path to attain the dream of being a professor. I have grown to love the academic environment and have found that that is where I want to spend my career. I love learning and would very much like to be able to pass that along to students.

So I'm just taking care of the various red tape items in preparation for university. It is both exciting and scary. I may have to adjust how many classes I can take as I may need to get another job here (making that job # 3), but that's just how it is these days. I hope to be able to grade for a professor or something of the sort. We shall see.

Happy day to you all.

UPDATE:

F you to all you bastards who voted for the ban on gay marriage in the first place.

My Next Step

I've already graduated from the school I'm at now, but as I am moving into university come fall, I treat this time like my own graduation. Who better to give a speech for grads (other than the Prez, though). I love Miss Ellen. I really do.

The Father of Our Country

The wisdom and compassion of this man humbles and inspires me.

It's A Beautiful Day

Hey, y'all. Just wanted to give any one out there reading the good news that has just been made fact to me: I am pregnant! Yay!

We've wanted to have a baby for some time and it's finally the right time for us. So at this point, I am going to finish up this semester, my summer class, and probably even do my first semester at university come fall since I am already accepted and ready to start. At that point, I'll get permission to get a deferment for maybe two semesters and start again once Baby is sitting up, etc.

We are overjoyed and very humbled by the task ahead.

Cheers, all. It's a beautiful day!


Oh, and by the way... APRIL FOOLS!!! :p