hm

It feels like Tuesday. I don't know why... but it does. Simon worked Saturday morning which made Saturday kind of feel like Friday, and Sunday feel like Saturday, but that doesn't account for why today feels like Tuesday....
I've been studying. Well, more working through lots of multi choice questions from past exams. The wonderful thing is that they do recycle them, so some of them are bound to come up and now - well, now I know the answers! I just have to hope that I've managed to trap sufficient information in my brain in order to pass everything. Tomorrow I start preparing for the essay questions. For the first time ever, at least half of the papers have indicated an approximate length for these essays, most tutors refuse to comment on it (one this year stating that you should write as much or as little as it takes to answer the question, fantastic... you know sometimes you could answer a question with 5 words, I am pretty sure that wouldn't get me a pass tho). 1-2 pages seems about right, which is fantastic because thats all I ever seem to be able to manage!!!

exam prep

has stolen my brain...
It really feels like that at times. I'll have been studying hard and someone will say something to me and I just can't understand the words coming out of their mouth. Someone said vengeful to me and i heard ventral. The brain, oh my the brain... I'm thinking it, but I don't actually believe I'll remember it on the day, there are just so many names to remember, and locations, and purposes, and actions. Bleh. My wonderful fiance has told me not to stress too much, if i fail this one paper I shouldn't worry about it - I only took it cause it was the only paper that fit in with the rest of my year, I could take one next year and that would be fine. It's nice to have little reassurances like this, makes me feel less like I might break if I fail. I mean, I haven't failed anything before at uni, so fingers crossed I will scrape through this time.

I got back a copy of my SoCNoc that I emailed down to a friend in welli, he printed it off, bound it up and went through scrawling comments every where, it's fantastic! What's even better is that his girlfriend went through and did the same, so I have not one but TWO sets of comments! Their feedback was exactly what I was looking for, it's so helpful, pin points all the little changes that need to be made, consistency errors, little plot problems and confirmed that there is a lot more that needs to go into the story. I think it's going to grow in a big way with a rewrite, VERY exciting! But I have to write part 2 before then. So I have been making notes on all the things I have thought of for book 1 so that I can slot them into book 2 hopefully.

Anyways... grumpy child is demanding I go and do something...

Long weekends

This one seemed longer than usual. We went over to Rotorua to stay with the inlaws, and man.... what a long trip! I mean, it's only around 4 hours, but they are some long hours when you have a small child who doesn't like to sit still for more than ten minutes at a time in the backseat of the car. Poor thing, I felt so bad about it, though she did have a good time once she had had enough sleep to recover from the trip. Her and her cousins get along so well, it's just awesome considering they only see each other maybe a couple times a year.
The whole experience was generally more enjoyable than I find it, which is a nice change, I must be finding my place in the family or something because it's certainly getting easier. That said, I am very glad to be home, in my own bed, with my own animals, having my own space (and the ability to get on the computer whenever i want to!).
Today I am working on finishing the text book for another paper - because after that I can get into exam prep. I still have one more paper which isn't officially finished yet, but that is going to have to wait until the weekend I think. We'll see how the weeks study prep goes anyways, the exam is 6 days after my second to last exam and while I will also be writing frantically in that period, I am sure I can work on finishing off whatever needs finishing in that space as well.

There are still two challenges on Kiwiwriters that I signed up for and do not think I am going to be able to complete - I think thats just life though. If I do get the chance to finish I will, but I just don't see it happening from where I am sitting right now, exams need to take priority, and it's not long til they arrive and are all over wooohooo!!!
Ok, better go and eat something, I had heaps of sleep last night but still feel so very tired, long trips, long weekends, man they can really take it out of ya.

final assignment complete

Hooray! It feels like such a relief, to finally have it done. Home stretch to read all the final parts of the text books and get into actual exam prep.
It seems further away now, Nov 1. But I know it's not, it's just that there is one less thing for me to do now.
We're off to Rotorua for the weekend for Simon's parents 25th wedding anniversary. I'm going to need to spend some good chunks of the weekend in study, but that's ok, I am sure they will understand - they'll have to, I don't have another options, there is no extra time I can just create for catching up.
I hope Ivy travels ok, she didn't enjoy the trip much last time, and I can't say I blame her, so hopefully this time will go a little better - by the trip I mean the actual driving part, the rest of it was fine.
So, I realise I just said that Nov 1 seems further away now - funnily enough other things are seeming closer.
I get to start thinking about my novel after my first four exams, and thats pretty exciting - I think I am going to have to hold off starting Nano til the evening of the 6th, it's the smart thing to do, and I can catch up, I've proven before that I am capable.
My cousins wedding is on the 1st of December - I still have to arrange accommodation, a gift, something to wear (I better buy some shoes!), then there are Christmas gifts to organise, Christmas day to make arrangements for.
After exams I need to contact our celebrant so we can start organising our wedding ceremony, write our vows, that kind of thing - and I am sure there are many other wedding related things that are going to start needing to be organised as well.
And I need to get a massage, after exams again. My body is so achey and sore from being stressed for so long, I know it will make me sick, but it needs to be done. Oh and a hair cut, and get my eyelashes tinted to see how it looks to decide whether I will get that done for the wedding or not - I'm a cryer, lol I really don't want make up running all over the place on the day
Maybe I'll make a list, lists are fun!

2 weeks to go!

For a variety of things - Nano, and exams. Getting closer every day.
I have now completed 3/5 papers, and by the end of this new week I should have 4/5 papers complete and my final assignment done as well. Then I just have to finish the last paper... and I can prep for exams!!
It's kind of exciting to think that in one month all my study and exams will be over - hopefully for good for awhile. I could be graduating next year, finally!!! Even though I won't know for sure that I passed until well into December, it will feel good just having everything done for the year and knowing that I can get onto the other exciting things like writing the second part of ASHE for Nano, and organizing more wedding things, oh and thinking up ideas for christmas presents as well, hopefully making them again this year, got a few ideas but we will just have to wait and see what works out!
I'm feeling pretty optimistic about everything at the moment, and thats a good space for me to be in right about now.

We went out for dinner for Simon's bday last night, was really nice, actually we had a really great day, pretty relaxed, doing lots of fun things. Hopefully there will be many more days like that after things have settled down.
He's at work at the moment, got called in... which is great moneywise, lol I just wish it had happened before I started cooking the roast. Family roasts aren't much fun when 1/3rd of the family isn't home. Just gotta keep thinking - the money is all going to a good place, it's a good thing.

I'm really looking forward to starting Nano. I'm just waiting to get some more feedback on part one of the story, and I am sure it will be helpful for when I start my nano piece. There are still 3 challenges I need to get done before November as well - though if I don't manage it, then that's ok as well. I do need to accept that I have other very important exam things coming up, and that most of my time should be focused on them for now....

Our internet is still pretty bad at the moment as well, over 70 disconnections today... lol i think this week is averaging out to be about 35 per day... if they don't get it sorted soon we're going to switch providers, go to someone who actually seems like they care.

stress

Despite the fact that the worst of the assignments are over with, that now there is simply the lead up to exams - I feel more stressed than before. I do still have one assignment to go, and I still have 4 papers that I need to finish the reading for before I can prep. We have to go to Rotorua over Labour Weekend. The weather is crappy, I am tired, my little girl is driving me batty with constant talk - I need some time out. If only it was that easy.

wahoo

last big assignment done, posted by 1.05pm this afternoon, well before the final clearance of 2.30pm. Feels so great to have it done, but I also feel very very tired. I only managed to stay up til 11.30 last night on it, and then had to finish it off this morning. I think I'll give myself the rest of the day off study related things and get back into some course work over the weekend.
Not really able to get into the prelim challenge just yet as we have a guest, but soon enough! This month is going to roll by so fast, I can just tell.
Though that means I can now get excited about the things I've been putting off major excitement about such as exams and my course being completed, nano and the wedding!

such delicious distractions....

I had forgotten just how easy it is to waste time meandering through the nano forums.... and that was last year without the slow speeds that it's ticking along at right now, overloaded with eager people.
Since signing up last night I have made a few posts, checked some threads almost religiously, and thought about writing a lot. But I haven't done any yet lol.
I still have one assignment to finish, it's due in on Friday and I don't feel stressed about it which is great - probably the reason is because I am so terribly distracted by nano and november and all things to come.
So exciting.
I really had better get into this assignment though. I have a friend coming to stay for about a week and I know that it's going to be hard getting things done with her here, not that I mind her being here, it was only really decided on this morning though so I didn't have much time to prepare!

Nanowrimo

Waiting waiting waiting to be able to sign up for this years event.
At least I know that by the time we get back from dinner at Mum's place I'll be able to do it, yay!
I just finished my first read through of me piece from SoCNoC. Wow, so exciting, so many possibilities and opportunities, so much to write.... and I just can't wait to find out what will happen! Roll on November I say.
I have to keep in mind that my final exams are at the start of the month as well though. Which I know is going to be exceedingly hard. The first four are out of the way during the first week of November which is something at least, I am sure I can get some writing in between the 6th and the 12th, I managed it during SoCNoC and I managed it during last years Nano as well.
No homework done today, but I feel that it was well spent reading through this part of the novel and reaquainting myself with these characters, reminding myself of the changes that need to be made. It's going to be really interesting editing it, though I have said that will have to wait until after last years nano has gone through the wringer...
Hopefully having more time next year for my writing will mean I can develop a solid system of dividing my time between writing and editing, or I'm going to end up with 12 unedited novels for every novel thats been given a proper inspection/edit/rewrite.
Does any one know of any guidelines for this kind of thing online? Resources that suggest how long should be spent on the editing process compared to the first writing?
I know everyone works at different speeds, and has strengths which lie in different areas but some general thoughts would be good. I might have to go hunting in a few days time, after this next assignment is finished.

Death comes to all

thats what they say.
it came to a girl I knew yesterday, she died in her sleep during the night. Apparently she woke, took two breaths and then just died. Her partner was there beside her, he tried to get her to breath again, the ambulance tried as well but no one could. No cause is known. How scary is that, to know that someone just died in their sleep, she was only 27, I'm going to be 27 soon. What can cause someone to just pass over like that with no apparent reason?
A friend called me last night to tell me. I was so stunned, it was just as I had been going to bed myself, though it was during the night before that she had passed. I lay in bed after getting off the phone, wondering how that must have felt. To be asleep, to wake and then for everything to just disappear. Did she know that those two breaths were the last she was going to breathe? Did they taste differently? Did she have any idea? Was she afraid of what was to come? Had she been dreaming anything in those last minutes?
I didn't know her well enough to call her my friend, but I have known her for several years. And she was a vibrant person, a lot of fun to be around when I did see her at our mutual friends parties and other occasions. She always had this way of including me, which I always really appreciated. She was going to come to my wedding with my friend, and now she can't.
Peace be Ella, you will be missed.

one month

Til exams start woohooo!
So I didn't get a lot done at all over the weekend.... I mean, really I didn't. I really needed a break from assignment writing and that is what I did.
I do feel a lot better for it, and a lot less stressed despite the fact that I now have even less time in which to do the same amount of work that I had left to do on Friday. Funny how that happens isn't it?
I finished Shaman's Crossing, book one in the soldier son trilogy by Robin Hobb. I initially had trouble getting into it but am totally hooked and waiting on a friend to courier me the second and third books now - which should hopefully arrive in time for me to celebrate having these godawful assignments out of the way.
I also started reading my SoCNoC novel. It's actually pretty good so far! lol and I feel like I have left it long enough to have that much needed distance from it, so that I can see it for what it is and isn't. As I'm writing part 2 for nano, and setting up to do the prelim challenges this month I thought it was to get back into the story in order to better resolve the plot issues I know are there before November and Nanowrimo roll around. I also today emailed it to a friend in wellington to have a read over and give me his ideas, it will all help!
And with that, I should away... and get into this assignment. I have a plan now, and my head feels about 95% more together and onto it than it did on Friday, so wish me luck! Hopefully I can report back later that I have successfully completed my mission of finishing assignment 2, assessment of individual differences by tonight.