What does the airplane symbolize?

So, I had my first week at school. It went well, although now I'm quite a bit older than most of the other students. Heh. I'm liking Spanish, that is going well, although it is hard. I am not liking Lit or Art. I'm not a big fan of analyzing everything to death, and that's pretty much what we're doing in both classes. "What does the airplane symbolize?" Who cares? I read mostly for entertainment purposes. I do read non-fiction, and it does make me think, but I don't want to pick a story apart. Luckily for me, we only have to write two papers in that class, and a friend of mine has offered to help if I get stuck. So that's a load off.

I think I'd like the Art class more if I had a different instructor. The one I have is very old-fashioned, even recommending that we consider dressing professionally to come to class. Okay, I'm not going to trek across a campus in a business suit, sorry. When I finish school and start interviewing/working, then I'll dress appropriately for my chosen career. She also likes to show DVDs, which so far, I have found incredibly boring. With her, it's pretty much read chapter X, and watch a DVD. I don't think it'll be too hard, it's just difficult for me to get interested when she makes it so boring.

Well, that's it in a nutshell! It's going good, but I will be glad for the semester to end. I only have 28 days of classes (plus final exams), so I know I can do it. But still, think good thoughts for me. ;)

Back to school - for me!

Tomorrow is my big day, I start school! I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. There are still a few things to be done, which irks me. I thought getting my financial aid stuff filled out back in April, and my admission application in June would leave enough time to get everything squared away before the first day. But, no. I have to go in early tomorrow and make sure my tuition is charged to my financial aid, get my parking permit, and check on book prices. I wasn't planning on buying any books until after my first day of class, but my friend ever so helpfully said "What if they give you homework on the first day?" That's a way to bring my anxiety level down, friend. Heh. I'm going to go ahead with my way of doing it and hopefully it will work out. From what I remember, you just get the syllabus, book list, etc. on the first day anyway.

So, I leave as soon as I drop the kids at school tomorrow, and I'll be home in time to pick them up. I'll try to post tomorrow night about how it went. Wish me luck!

Put yourself on the map!

I added one of those buddy map things to my blog, so please add yourself! I'm not so arrogant as to assume I have a lot of readers, but I thought it would be fun to do. It's at the bottom of the blog, so please add your name. :)

The Tooth Fairy's coming!

Shelby lost her first tooth tonight! I had no idea she even had one loose, she never told me. She ran up to me this evening and said she had a loose one, and it was just hanging on by a thread at that point. She pushed it around with her tongue for a few minutes and it popped out! Everything is happening at once with her. She just finished her first full week of school, and now lost her first tooth. The one next to it is pretty loose, too, so I figure she'll lose it within a few days.

Anxiety, lots of anxiety

I've suffered from general anxiety for over 3 years now. It was triggered when our friends were murdered in 2004. I suffered with it for a while, went on Lexapro briefly and then back off it. I don't like taking daily medication, and I've always been able to handle it pretty well.

I don't know what's wrong with me lately, but it's gotten bad and I'm not handling it well. I'm sleeping a lot, I feel nervous the majority of the time, I've started having headaches at least 4 times a week, and I have a lightheaded/dizzy feeling a lot of the time now, too. I am thinking it has to do with me starting school. The closer it gets, the more nervous I am. I start in 5 days, and I'm excited about it, I don't dread it or anything. I guess the reason it's making me anxious is I'm worried about going to school, and caring for my children and my home at the same time. I had a breakdown Sunday night, I just started crying while I was folding a load of towels. My whole body felt like it was shaking uncontrollably, but I wasn't shaking at all. It came and went pretty quickly, and I didn't identify it as anxiety until later.

I should probably go to the doctor, and get put back on meds, but I just don't want to, and I'm not really sure why. I guess I want to wait until I start school and see if it goes away, or at least back to the tolerable level it was a few weeks ago. I will have to do something if it doesn't ease up soon, though, I don't know how much longer I can handle this.

White Light, Black Rain

I just finished watching a documentary on HBO called White Light, Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I have always been interested in World War II, so I tivo'd this the other day when I saw it on. It made me incredibly sad. I just keep seeing the pictures and images they showed. The survivors they interviewed were so young when it happened, mostly small children, and it hurts my heart to think of the things they saw and endured.

I really recommend watching it if you get the chance, but be warned, it shows graphic images of the injuries people sustained, and of the aftermath.

Scissors + 5 year old = Emergency trip to salon

I forgot to mention when I posted last night, Shelby got a haircut! Apparently her new school scissors were just calling her name, and for some inexplicable reason, she cut her hair. Up to her ear on the left side. Shelby, the child who has handled scissors for at least 2 years now, cutting paper and doing crafts, finally cuts her hair when she's 5 1/2! Luckily, the salon was able to get us in that afternoon, and now she has a pretty short, but very cute, layered bob:

Before:


After:

Busy week!

The kids had their first week of school this week, and I've been trying to get everything lined up for my school, so I've been pretty busy. Hunter and Mackenzie started out with a full week, and since Shelby is in Kindergarten, she's on a staggered schedule and only went one day this week. All of them like their teachers, and the year has started off well. Hunter was extremely nervous about 6th grade, switching classes and all, but he absolutely loves it. I figured he would, and I'm glad he does. Shelby was looking forward to it until she found out that her teacher is a man. But she had a good time on her day last week, and she says she likes her teacher, now, which is a relief. Here are some pictures of them:

As for me, I've been getting all kinds of frustrating surprises from the college. First of all, the website was saying I had holds from the library, so I couldn't register my classes online. When I called the library to have them removed, they couldn't find any record of me in the computer.

I finally got that worked out, and got online to register. Then I found out I can't take more than 11.999 hours per semester unless I show proof of 2 doses of the MMR vaccine. The thing that pisses me off is the only reason I have to show this proof is because I received my GED. At this school, if you graduated between '78 and '99, you only have to show proof of one dose (which is what I have). But if you graduated after '99 OR got your GED, you have to show proof of two doses. I was supposed to graduate in '97, but actually received my GED in '96. So I really fail to see what the fact that I got my GED has to do with how many doses of a vaccination I got when I was a kid. Did they give me a different dose or something, knowing that 17 years down the road I'd get my GED instead of graduating with a diploma? It's insane.

So, for now, I'm registered for 9 hours. I'll go on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and take Intro to Visual Arts, Intro to Literary Genres, and Spanish I. Those weren't my first picks of what to take, but there wasn't a whole lot left by the time I was able to register.

I also found out that when I took the placement test for the college back in 2000, I was deficient in the Reading portion of the test, along with the Math portion. I fulfilled the Math deficiencies (Elementary and Intermediate Algebra) when I went in 2001, but no one ever told me this. Plus, the fact that I was deficient in two subjects, requires me to take a class called Learning Strategies. This also pisses me off, because I could have finished these classes already if I'd known I had to take them, but the main thing that makes me mad is that I am an excellent reader (not to toot my own horn)! I really don't understand how I could have failed the Reading portion. I can pay $20 and retake the reading portion the next time they have the placement tests, and if I test out of it this time, those two deficiencies will be removed and I won't have to take those two classes. I plan to do that, because I'm sure I will test out this time. I'm wondering if there wasn't some kind of mess up, seeing as I was never told about those developmental classes before. The college changed computer systems recently, so it makes it suspect.

I just hope nothing else comes up before school starts. I'll start on August 28, so just over two weeks. I qualify for some financial aid, but it won't let me accept the award on the website. I've got to call the Financial Aid Office on Monday and see what's up with that. Since I'll be a student this fall, I'll have priority registration for spring, so hopefully I won't have a bunch of bullshit to go through when it's time to register for spring. And I will definitely finish this time, because no way do I want to go through the whole enrollment process ever again!