Category Archives: Memes and Link-Ups

7 Quick Takes: Staring At a Blank Wall Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

End of the quarter. I am two tests, two quizzes, a discussion post, a report, and an amended PowerPoint presentation away from being done with the quarter. The quizzes, discussion post, and report will be tackled on Sunday. PowerPoint will be amended either tomorrow or Saturday. The tests will be taken on Monday and Tuesday. After that, I AM DONE!!!

— 2 —

Parenting advice. Parenting advice has indeed changed.

— 3 —

An interesting idea. Crocheted water balloons? What a novel idea!

— 4 —

Unbelievable. I’ve been getting a lot of “On This Day” things on Facebook about Daniel this week because it has been 8 years (as of the 7th) since we were able to bring him home from the hospital. It’s so amazing to think that my tiny baby is now only a foot shorter than I am!

— 5 —

Getting fur out of my keyboard. Homer, my gorgeous grey loaner cat, is being extra affectionate tonight which is wonderful… except that my keyboard now has quite a bit of fur in it! *goes off to find a can of compressed air to clean it*

— 6 —

Trinity fun. Some fun because this Sunday is Trinity Sunday…

— 7 —

Sports take. Go Dubs!!!! Sweep the Cavs!!!!

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: June 4, 2017

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For Today…

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… sunny and in the 60’s. I might have to shave my legs so I can wear shorts tomorrow!

I am thinking… about the presentation I have to give on Thursday in my Intro class. I’m doing a PowerPoint presentation on the same topic so I’ll probably use the PowerPoint presentation to help me organize my thoughts.

I am thankful… I don’t have a heavy homework load due on Tuesday — Thursday is going to be crazy though.

One of my favorite things… Pure Leaf Raspberry Tea. I’m drinking it while working on homework.

I am wearing… burgundy fitted tee and jeans. Church clothes this morning were this tee, my black cardigan, black slacks, and my black flats.

I am creating… Accounting spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations

I am reading listening to… Daniel playing with Legos in the sun room.

I am hoping… Daniel keeps going back to sleep in his own bed after he drags me downstairs for milk in the middle of the night.

I am learning… how little sleep my body needs to survive.

In my kitchen… Dad is barbecuing salmon tonight so dinner for me will likely be a fairly loaded baked potato. (I can’t stand salmon.)

Post Script… This response to a troll who wrote a letter to the Mayor of Austin is FABULOUS.

Shared Quote…

Deep inside...

A moment from my day… Today’s recessional hymn.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Too Tired To Move Edition

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7 Quick Takes

It occurred to me while doing something else tonight that I had completely forgotten to post my Quick Takes last night. Oops! I think it was just utter exhaustion from my week.

— 1 —

My exhaustion level. Because of the holiday on Monday, I had a huge amount due on Tuesday. I tried to space it out as much as I could but it just took FOREVER to do everything that was due that day. I even had one assignment due at 11:55 p.m. that I had to turn in even though I knew it wasn’t my best work because I just hit a wall in brainpower and energy. There was nothing I could have done to improve it or make it better when I hit send on my discussion post for it and even though I could have looked at what other people had done and used some of their tricks, I just could not force myself to do any more work.

I got my grade on Thursday morning: 19/20 which was better than I was expecting. Then again, my instructor for the class has me for two “on the ground” classes this quarter (ones that meet in person) and she has watched me come to class looking like death warmed over.

— 2 —

An improvement? Daniel still does wake up in the middle of the night… but he’s gotten SO much better at going back to sleep in his own bed. He’ll do it largely on his own… with the exception of last night when he threw a tantrum about this with banshee-level screaming (6 inches from my head) at 2 a.m. because I moved him from my bed to his. NOTHING (short of calling in an old priest and a young priest to perform an exorcism) would calm him down so I got to lie in bed and listen to him howl, knowing that he was waking up my parents and I was helpless to get him to stop. Lovely.

Praying for a calmer night. He also had a massive meltdown today so hopefully he tired himself out sufficiently?

— 3 —

Summer plans. I was able to register for the online version of the Communications class I need to graduate. (It was the reason for the stupid placement test I had to take last week. Ugh.) I’ll be just taking that class (though it’s 5 credits so it’s not a small class) and also working through the Business English textbook to get ready to challenge both quarters of it in the fall and winter. The co-chairs of my program are not incredibly happy that I want to do this but both of them have had me in classes so I hope they realize that when I put it in my mind to something, I pursue it wholeheartedly and I crush it. I do have to pay for both classes even if I successfully challenge them but I’ll have resident tuition by that point so it will be infinitely cheaper than it is now.

— 4 —

Political take. I haven’t been blogging about politics since I returned from my Lenten break and the reason for that is that I honestly have too much on my mind and on my plate to provide any thoughtful discourse. I know it might not seem like it but I *DO* actually think out what I have to say and put effort into researching both sides of an issue. I simply do not have time to really do that this quarter.

— 5 —

Covfefe. Having said the above, 45 really needs to get a better press secretary. Seriously, Sean Spicer is probably the worst person for the job.

— 6 —

Stopping here. The small creature is asleep and I need to go to sleep as well so that I get more than a handful of hours of it.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

7 Quick Takes: English Placement Test Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

English placement test. Because my school apparently experiences perverse joy in making its students jump through hoops, I had to take an English placement test to get into one of two Communications classes for my program’s requirements. Apparently, my AP test score in English Composition and Literature doesn’t count nor does THE FACT THAT I HAVE A FREAKING B.A. AND PART OF A MASTER’S DEGREE.

So I bit the bullet and went to the testing center this evening and took it. 30 minutes and 20 reading comprehension questions later, the computer spit out the result that I qualify for the highest level English classes they offer.

SHOCKER!

— 2 —

You know you’re an Accounting geek when… I bribed myself to take the stupid placement test by promising myself that once it was over, I could go set up the Excel spreadsheets for this weekend’s Accounting problem set.

— 3 —

An excuse to drool over office supply websites. The required intro class for my program (that I am taking because apparently *working* as an administrative professional for 12 years does not mean that I am qualified to be one) requires a 6-8 minute presentation on the history of an office supply product of our choice. We brainstormed a list of possible topics in class today and I drew the #1 pick. My choice: datebook/planner/agenda because I want ALL THE PLANNERS. The Plum Paper website makes me giddy. There’s also Kelly’s book.

— 4 —

Birthday? Birthday! I had a fabulous time in Anacortes with my friend on Friday and a lovely time with the evil twin and his long-suffering wife last weekend (a.k.a. The Girl) as well. The Girl was able to leave work early on Friday so they were able to beat some of rush-hour traffic in Seattle and Tacoma to make it up to us in time for dinner. Saturday was the family dinner with them, my uncle, and grandma.

I got enough cash from my parents as a present to get a pedicure so I spent part of my Wednesday doing that while reading one of my textbooks for an online test I had to take for the intro class I was whining about in take #2. (I got a 98 on it which is amazing, given that my instructor writes insanely hard online tests because we can use books and notes on them.) My feet are all pumiced and pretty with sparkly pink nail polish on my toenails! (My mom laughs because it’s the only time I wear pink willingly.)

— 5 —

Memorial Day plans. Plans for this weekend are to go for a walk downtown with my friend/walking buddy tomorrow, go to a therapy appointment afterwards, and… do homework. Yeah… I have a *FABULOUSLY* interesting life. There will probably be things like church, coffee runs, and a few park trips with Daniel interspersed but my instructor this quarter (I have all three of my program-specific classes with her) has joked that she assigns as much homework as she can over holidays because she takes great joy in our suffering. She then adds that we get to torture her right after because she has to grade all of that work.

— 6 —

Monty Python. My Accounting instructor referenced this song in class on Monday.

— 7 —

And because why not? If you’re going to quote Monty Python, you need this one.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

7 Quick Takes: Birthday Girl Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Birthday girl. So tomorrow is my 37th birthday. I pondered doing video takes like I did last year but I’m dealing with cold/allergies/asthma exacerbation so I’m feeling like I want to just go with the flow this year and do normal takes.

— 2 —

Plans for my natal feast. I’m headed to Anacortes with a friend tomorrow who wants to show me some of their favorite places and we have my evil twin and his long-suffering wife coming to dinner on Saturday night. My BFF Rebecca’s present arrived today ($tarbux — she knows me well 🙂 ) and I have the promise of gift cards to Old Navy and Kohl’s from my parents so I can start rebuilding my professional wardrobe.

— 3 —

I love my family. I shared this article to my evil twin’s wall:

The article on my brother's wall.

The following discussion resulted (thus far):

The resulting discussion.

I can just see my sister-in-law’s eyes rolling now!

— 4 —

Danielism #1. When he’s in time-out and he wants to get up, he’ll say “Sorry. Up?” to me. It’s adorable… and doesn’t work unless it’s time for him to get up.

— 5 —

Danielism #2. When I told him that it was time for his evening meds, he raced downstairs ahead of me. When I got to the kitchen, he handed me his peanut butter jar and a spoon and said, “Pee boah meds shower.” (Translation: “peanut butter, meds, shower”.) It’s the order of the starting things for his bedtime routine so it was nice to hear him tell me that part of his schedule.

— 6 —

Because cute. Usually, after he gets his shower, he goes and hangs out with my mom while she watches The Big Bang Theory so I can have my shower and not have to worry about him doing things like putting kitty litter in the bleach dispenser of the washer or climbing on the roof. Anyway, I ended up taking my shower early last Friday (before he got home from school) so I was just sitting in my room listening for him when I heard him heading toward my mom’s room. Then it got quiet. About 15 minutes later, he came to my room and told me he wanted milk. As I was walking downstairs past my mom’s room, I saw his tablet and two of his blankies on her bed. Apparently, he automatically took everything in there after his shower because that’s what he does (almost) every day and it was time. Mom was in heaven because apparently, he was being extra cuddly that night.

— 7 —

You know you might be an Accounting geek when… I’m going to be getting my laundry and folding it after I get this up. My bribe for doing that: getting to do my Accounting homework!

Yes, I am a geek. I embrace this.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 14, 2017

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For Today…

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… sunny with some clouds. We’ve gotten sprinkled a couple times but it’s nice enough out right now.

I am thinking… about what I have due over the next couple of days. All of my PE 100 stuff has to be in tonight, Accounting homework is due tomorrow morning, and I have stuff for my other classes due at various points on Tuesday.

I am thankful… for good worship this morning. It’s always good when I feel connected in prayer and in receiving the Eucharist.

One of my favorite things… calmness and quiet in the house. Mom and my uncle are cooking downstairs and Daniel is in his room currently.

I am wearing… my Cougars shirt and jeans. I hate the Cougars about as much as I hate Ohio State… but my youngest cousin Sarah (recent WSU grad) is coming to dinner tonight and I love Sarah so I’m wearing the shirt. (It’s also very warm.) Church clothes this morning were my turquoise/black/white bokeh dress, black camisole, black cardigan, and black flats.

I am creating… spreadsheets for my Accounting homework and message board entries for my PE class.

I am listening to… “Eye of the Storm” by Ryan Stevenson.

I am hoping… this chapter’s book work for PowerPoint isn’t boring. I love creating and manipulating presentations but not so much the reading about it.

I am learning… how to do the indirect method for a statement of cash flows.

In my kitchen… ling cod tonight with various salads and potatoes and macaroons with ice cream for dessert.

In the school room… Daniel’s teachers are working with him on getting him to stop hitting.

Post Script… I’d like to share this for those whose mothers or mothers-in-law are toxic people. I’m very lucky to have a wonderful mom but some people aren’t that lucky.

Shared Quote… “We are mirrors whose brightness, if we are bright, is wholly derived from the sun that shines upon us.” — C.S. Lewis

A moment from my day… My first Mother’s Day 8 years ago.

The kidlet and me on our first Mother's Day in 2009.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: The End of a Long Week Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Must rewatch this. Anyone else agree that the version of Anne of Green Gables with Megan Follows is a tough act to replace?

— 2 —

Accounting. It was a difficult test on Monday (I couldn’t even find some of that stuff in the book!) but I pulled a 94 on it so I’m pretty happy. 🙂

— 3 —

Duuuuuuuude… Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano lost its Kamokuna lava delta last week. The video of this is incredible and it’s proof that the world continues to change around us.

— 4 —

o.O This is just… wow.

— 5 —

Mother’s Day flowers. One of the women in my Accounting class got daffodils to give to all the mothers she knows… including pet mamas. It was really sweet and meant that almost all of the women in our class ended up with flowers.

— 6 —

Music Take #1. This is one of my favorite hymns and she does it beautifully.

— 7 —

Music Take #2. This is a song I *ALWAYS* sing along to when it comes on the radio when I’m driving. It was one that helped me deal with everything going on in the summer of 2015.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.