I think it is now safe to label myself as a career student.  I don't even care if I get a degree I am just going to keep going to classes until something clicks.

Along the way I have picked up some very important study habit tips that I will now share with you.

Some people like to study in their bed.  And this can work out fine for awhile... but unless you are especially perky and/or hopped up on Redbull you are going to wind down.  And if you are too comfy and the subject isn't catching your interest it is all too easy to find yourself thinking you can close your eyes for just a minute or lay your head down just for a bit and before you know it you are catching a cat nap.

If you are studying with a feline assistant there are additional tips.

Sometimes you really score and have several feline assistants.  At one point today I had three on my study desk at one time.  Left to right we have Layla (Layla-Lou), Figaro (Figgy-Foo) and Mush (Mushy-Moo)

As time went on only one (Mush) had the stamina for a several hour long study session,

As you can see he was extremely helpful.

It is important to note that it is never (NEVER EVER EVER EVER) Permissible to move the feline assistant even if he or she is laying on your backpack/textbook/laptop/notebook/calculator/printer/glasses or the actual pages you are trying to write upon.

If they are laying on your text book you may make no more than one (1) attempt ever so gently to move them over no more than 15 centimeters. 

 You may also attempt to turn the page of your textbook so long as no more than 1.79% of fur is displaced in so doing.

Most importantly always make sure that you are not neglecting your feline assistant.  If you are right handed it is perfectly acceptable to give intermittent scritches with your left hand if you have been properly trained to do so.  If you are not able to ambedexiously scritch, please do not attempt this in your own home.  Instead, halt all studying until your assistant has received the proper amount of attention.  Keep in mind that should he or she fall asleep you may not move him or her under any circumstances.

Finally:  Your feline assistant is there to help you in your school work.  Do not become distracted by any amusing/cute/annoying things they may do.

I know I never do.

I hope these studying tips will be as helpful to you as they are to me.

Back To School!

I know, I know!  I have been in hiding lately but I am starting to get things in order.
You may or may not know that my sister and son and I have been very busy moving my 97 year old grandmother into a residential care home.  This is a long sad story and I won't go into details here but this has been difficult for her as she has always lived on her own and sad for us because she has failed so much in the last few months.
And with all this and other things in my life I just haven't felt myself.  I have had a hard time finding the joy in my life I usually can wrestle out of what ever else is going on.
But enough.  ENOUGH!
(Sitting up straighter.  Chin held higher.)
The new semester started this week at school.  As you know I completed all my pre-reqs last semester so that I could transfer to a state university this semester.  This has been a goal that took quite a few years to complete.  In all truth I didn't think I would really do it and so when it got did I was quite taken aback!
Because then the ugly truth was that if I were to move forward I would been incurring serious debt and here I am at an advanced age.
To buy myself some time to re-evaluate I decided to punch up my resume with some new professional certifications whilst I decide what I really want to do.  This semester I am taking Bookkeeping 101 and Keyboarding 101.  Both of these will keep me busy and (hopefully) out of trouble.  They will also help to keep me from residing full time inside my own head which does have a morose effect on my personality.
Besides, college always affords the best blogging topics.
And I am trying my hand at some serious writing.  Not that the topic is especially serious but that I just kinda sorta think there may be a book in me somewhere.
So, there should be more fun and frivolity on the horizon.
For now, let me paint you a mental picture of a gal in my class.  She is probably in her mid twenties and she is That Person in the Class That Can't Shut Up.  I was afraid of being that person but I was careful to write SHUT UP on the palm of my hand to remind me to.... well, shut up.  This works better than you would think!  This girl is wearing shocking pink and black plaid vans that actually and truly matched her backpack.  Now that bit of style did have me a little jealous I must admit.  I did get myself a new backpack last week because I just could not start yet another semester with the old blue one.  This one is brown with polka dots of varying shades of teal and pink and it is uber cute.  BUT....... I do not have matching shoes (waahhhhh).  The cats approve also and have been taking turns napping on it when it is laying on my bed during the day. Anyhow... this girl is spouting off answers right and left.  And some of them are even right.  But mostly she is confusing the poor people in the class that raised their hands when the instructor asked who can't even balance their own checkbooks.  She also wanted to know if she would be excused from class if she went into labor, apparently this being her subtle hint that she has a little bean counter in the oven.  I am sure you will get to hear more about her later.
Okay now off to bed..... go on.... here is your drink of water.  Sleep tight!

LeAnn