In the Thick of Things

     Oh I just hate it when I don't have time to update my blog! School has been absolutely insane lately. This semester, the classes are different, 3 are computer classes, and two of them are pretty intense. In particular the Intro to .NET Programming; learning the C# programming language with Visual Studio. Holy Moly, I don't have time to breathe some days. I still love it, but it is very serious learning, lots of homework and a team project to work on, something everyday. And nothing takes half an hour to complete or work on, oh no. Everything takes several hours or days to complete. It is like immersion, only with a computer language instead of a spoken one. I'm fortunate that the instructor is very knowledgeable and thorough, so I am getting my tuition money's worth!

This is a generic user interface (UI) created w/ Visio

     Of course, I believe that you get out of school what you put into it, so I am trying to do my very best, and that does add to the time it takes me to complete things. But I do love it, and that is still a surprise to me somedays. In college, the first time around, back in the mid 80's, I had no interest in computer programming. Of course, all I knew about it was the binary code I had learned a bit about in high school, which I thought was sooo boring. But I am so enamored of the web development and design field, that I want to know everything. I don't ever want a client to ask me a question that I cannot answer myself or know exactly where to go to get the answer. Maybe I am being unrealistic, but I don't want to be a hack, I want to be good, very good. I don't think I'm asking too much, especially since I am asking it of my own self.
     Of course, everything is not about me. My husband had knee surgery today. Had a torn meniscus and it was causing him pain when he ran, and he runs a lot! Came through with flying colors, thank goodness. He is already walking a bit without crutches. He is a very good patient too, I'm so lucky. I skipped two classes today so I could drive him to and fro and play nurse. I still have a ton of homework to complete this weekend, but I did enjoy a book while waiting. Michael Crichton's "State of Fear." What a great book! I have been absorbed with this while taking care of my patient. I really miss having time to read for pleasure. But it won't be like this forever. 
     There is one more thing I have to mention. While I was in Avon Lake, Ohio for the visual journal class with Teesha Moore, I met a woman who was staying in the same B&B. Her name is Sue and she is an amazing visual journal artist and photographer. She went to Egypt to fulfill a life long dream and ended up witnessing the beginning of the revolution. She made it back safe and sound, thank goodness. If you want to see the photos of her trip and read about her experience, you can check out her blog. It is on my list of Blogs I visit, Chez Madame. There are a lot of images, so don't forget to click on the "older" link to see them all. They are really amazing photos.

Feeling a little overwhelmed...

Stress Visualization

    Well, I knew it was coming, but I was hoping it wouldn't hit me quite so early. Or maybe my iron is low. Working on multiple assignments and projects already, the pressure is on! I have to remember to focus on learning the concepts, the processes and terms, and not so much on trying to get an "A" in every class. This is so hard for me, even though I seem to go through this every semester. It is the overachiever in me, a first born Sagittarius with ADD. I do not have a scholarship riding on my grades or anything else for that matter. And if I do happen to really get lost in one of my classes, I will take it again, over and over until I get it. So why am I feeling this stress? Time to take some slow deep breaths and exhale even slower. Refocus on what is really important and expel the rest along with my exhaled breaths.


Important

• Read the assigned pages in each textbook.
• Take notes on the reading and on the classroom lectures.
• Work on the assigned exercises, tutorials and research.
• Understand the key concepts from each lesson.
• Apply the new concepts.
• Study for quizzes and tests.
• Understand the basics of the programs I have to use for each class.
• Ask questions if certain concepts or directions are not clear to me.
• Remember how much I love these classes!

Not so important

• Get 100% on every assignment.
• Turn in everything on time.
• Turn in everything.
• Know how to use all the programs inside and out for my classes.
• Complete every assignment.
• Get 100% on every quiz and test.

Reading over my lists...tweaking my lists...reading again...breathing in...exhaling...I feel better. I want to be a web designer. I love my classes. This is where I am meant to be right now.

"Potential" Digital ATC

Potential ATC 2011

     The day started with a bit of anxious insomnia, but that was to be expected. I was still up and raring to go at 7:15 a.m. I left early to get my books, and holy moly, my C#, aka C sharp, book is the size of a metropolitan area phone book! Only slightly intimidating...and of course it was full price being new, as were all my books, sheesh, no breaks this year. I meant to order them all on Amazon, but ran out of time. Live and learn, again.
     It was nice to have just one class today, especially considering that it was my C# class. The instructor is very knowledgeable and has a great syllabus along with a solid timeline for the class. I enjoyed it, even though I am so taken aback with the size of the text. Overall though, I think this is going to be a great class, learning to write programs in C#, using Microsoft Visual Studio. I'll keep you posted...
     I actually had time to create an ATC tonight. Using Photoshop, I  built it in layers, using several brushes along the way. I made my virtual stitches blurry somehow, so I will have to go back in and figure out what I did and undo it. Troubleshooting is a good thing though, I need lots of experience.
     Can't wait for my new classes tomorrow, so exciting!

Homework and the Oboe

My brain this week...

     Well, school is kicking my booty. The classes are challenging, which I like, but there is so much homework, I'm pooped! I am wondering if the homework is taking me longer because of my age or because I am being so thorough? I don't know and I'm too tired to let my brain wander around trying to figure it out. The important thing is that I am doing the homework and "getting" the materials. I love my classes for the most part, but I am feeling a little overwhelmed, hoping I did not bite off more than I can chew this semester. But if I want to finish this program in a year and a half, I have to have these four classes now, since next semester's classes build on top of these classes. It is what it is. Although I have already spent over 25 hours doing homework this week, I still have at least another 10 hours of homework to finish before the holiday weekend is over. Yup. I have to create an animation based on an old invention, all by hand, and then I have to work on the Flash animation that is due the following Tuesday. Wheee, right?

     My youngest daughter got her rental oboe this week. She tried it out at school last year, before the end of the year, and really loved it. So she is joining the band this year as the only oboe player. I have to say it is a lot more expensive to rent an oboe than a flute, like twice as much. But I think music is very important and have made sure that all the kids had an opportunity to learn an instrument at some point in their lives. I never played any wind instruments so I have no idea how to put it together, clean it or play it. All I can do is be encouraging, remind her to practice and pay the rental fee each month. I hope she stays with it. I like the oboe. Ever since I first watched the lovely movie, "Enchanted April," years and years ago, and heard the oboe solo from Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1, I have enjoyed the haunting sound. And she is thrilled, already practicing the three notes she learned on Thursday, as well as trying to see what other sounds she can make with it. She is so passionate about it, full of excitement and dedication, I hope it lasts forever. And if you haven't seen "Enchanted April," I highly recommend it, a wonderfully charming movie with beautiful cinematography, music and a lovely story. The acting is excellent too, with Josie Lawrence, Miranda Richardson, Joan Plowright, Alfred Molina and others, a terrific cast. It is one of my top five favorite movies of all time.
     So I guess today's post is about learning new things, education and passion. What do you want to learn to do? No matter what it is, go for it, make the time, jump in with both feet and let yourself go. And if you can't do it now, start visualizing it. Imagine yourself taking the class or classes. Imagine yourself loving it and waking up each day with energy and motivation to learn. Really, let your imagination run wild with the visualization everyday and before you know it, you'll be doing it for real. It works for me...

Back to School

Wild Woman Sketch

     Classes started on Monday. Got my books, schedule and supplies ahead of time, for the most part, and headed back to school. I'm in the Web Developer program at the local community college, trying to juggle classes, homework, parenthood and marriage without breaking anything. I love school, I always have. I never tire of learning new things and you know what is really wonderful about being in my mid forties and being in school? I have discipline now. The ability to get to an 8 a.m. class on time and prepared. The motivation to make time to do my homework, all of it, and turn it in on time. Even the parts of the courses I don't love, I'm putting my all into them. I wish I had felt this way when I did college the first time around. But being 18, 19, 20 and 21, I wanted to have fun and get my college degree. The classes I didn't like so much, I blew off or dropped. But I was also full of indecision. I was overwhelmed by all the choices, like one of those buffets I've heard about on cruise ships. I changed my major at least four times before I finally decided on IPC, Interpersonal and Public Communications. And regretably, I have to say that IPC is a fabulous minor but not such a good choice for a major. But I'm not going to go there right now, let's just let sleeping dogs lie, eh?
     Let's talk about my classes, I love them! I have 2-D art, Web Animation, Web Design I and Programming and Logic. When I pack up my books for my long day on campus, it must weigh twenty pounds! Well, after you add the weight of my laptop and purse, it must be close to that. All I know is that I am getting a workout hauling my crapola around campus. Hope I don't pull anything just shoving it all into the car. I wish I had a locker there somewhere, it would make my life a lot easier. I'm thinking I need to downsize on the purse part, I could probably knock off three pounds just by purging that baby alone. I don't really need anything except my license, CC and lipstick, right? Yup, that is my next move. Of course, I could also start going to the gym again, lift weights and build some muscle, that would really be the smart thing to do...

More Recovery and School

     On Monday I had stomach polyps removed and took a couple days for me to feel like myself again. Today is that day actually. Something about anesthesia, it wipes me out for a couple days instead of just one. My daughters' graduation party was on Saturday and we had perfect weather. It was an 80's themed dance party. All the kids dressed up and she gave out prizes for biggest hair and best costume. My wonderful parents made tamales, beans, rice, tostada and taco shells for the buffet. I helped with the meat for the tacos and made some fruit pizzas for dessert. We had a great time visiting with friends and family and the next day several of my daughter's friends helped to clean up and take down the decorations. I should mention that she had some friends help to decorate before the party as well. Now we are sort of back to normal, although in the summer, we don't really have a "normal." We come and go as we please, no real bedtimes or wake times. I'd love to get out and pick some blueberries this week, maybe on Friday, we'll see if the weather cooperates.
     I've registered for all my web design classes at the college and paid up on my tuition, ouch. But I'm fortunate to be paying in state tuition at a community college, otherwise, I could only afford to take one or two classes a semester and it would take me forever to get where I want to be. I have four classes this semester. Intro to web design, which focuses on using Dreamweaver as far as I can tell. I also have an animation class which I assume will focus on using Flash and Fireworks programs. Then there is 2-D design, an art class, which I am excited to be taking and hope I can grasp. Pray for me and the right side of my brain please. Finally, I have Programming and Logic, an introduction to computer programming, another class where I could use some prayers. All in all, it is eleven credits, two more than last semester. I was swamped then, but I worked hard to get the most out of  each class and really tried to absorb as much as possible. I want to "own" these new skills and be able to use them when I need them. I wish I'd felt this way when I was in college the first time. Why does it take so long for some of us to mature? I wish I knew. But I'm here now and ready to work my booty off...