I never really overcame my writer's block. It took many hours of painful effort to get a crappy version of my paper out. Once I got the "whole" paper out, I didn't even have enough energy to edit it up, and I was just wasting time. Therefore I decided to go to bed and wake up early to edit it. I think that was a brilliant decision. I slept in a bit later than I had hoped, and I had to skip my morning classes, however I have actually felt some inspiration and have improved this paper a lot. I have A's in my two morning classes right now, and I'm not sure I can say that about French. That in addition to it just being my most important class focus-wise, I'm happy with this decision to dedicate my energy to it.
I still think my paper has errors, and I really don't want to have it peer edited (which I'm sure we will), but I feel like it is less embarrassing to turn in. It has all the requirements (different types of sentences and vocabulary), it is the right length and it better explains what I was trying to say. For this first version we are only graded on having all the necessary components and having gender and conjugation errors. More complex errors of grammar are pointed out, but not marked down on until the final version. This means that I am going to go through very carefully and try and make sure that I have no simple, mark downable errors, and leave it be.
Tootaloo!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Writer's Block
I have a French essay due tomorrow and I am having the toughest time writing it. I should have started it last weekend but I was in Edmonds so I didn't.... I went to bed really early last night instead of starting it, and now I'm tired again! I'm thinking about taking a 30 minute nap and then making myself write... if that doesn't work, I'll just drink coffee. I can't waste toooo much time sleeping.
It has to be an essay on intolerance/discrimination/inequality. A combination of a general problem and specific instances. I know it would be interesting to write about homosexuality, but the actual words just aren't coming. I am tempted to do it all ironically, and write an argument against homosexuality, but that would just be so much harder!!
Well I'm going to go nap, and start writing at 6. I'll keep the internets updated on my progress, but not too updated because that would mean I'll be getting real distracted from my work!
It has to be an essay on intolerance/discrimination/inequality. A combination of a general problem and specific instances. I know it would be interesting to write about homosexuality, but the actual words just aren't coming. I am tempted to do it all ironically, and write an argument against homosexuality, but that would just be so much harder!!
Well I'm going to go nap, and start writing at 6. I'll keep the internets updated on my progress, but not too updated because that would mean I'll be getting real distracted from my work!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
A future job?
Ok, so as many of you know I think it would be really cool to get a job in the office I'm currently in. It would be an easy transition, and amazing security. I constantly go back and forth on if this is actually a possibility, and even though I KNOW I need to find a plan b, plan c, and plan d, I'm still having trouble figuring out what else I would like to do. Now, in theory there is a job I could have. My old boss left, and her job is yet to be filled. However, there is also a hiring freeze, and so the request to have the job filled has been sent down to Olympia. I mentioned to my boss that I may be interested in applying for the job if/when it opens up. She encouraged me to do so, and said there would be advantages to not having to train someone. That was the last time it came up. As far as I know, the job has not yet been posted. I haven't seen it online nor have I heard anything about it in the office. This is probably a good thing, because if the job were posted now, my schedule would be an issue. However, it also means that I have gone this whole time without hearing anything. I have no idea if my boss remembers my interest in the position... There are little signs that show that I would be perfect for the job -- I already do almost all the training and helping of the other students. I already know how to do the majority of the work that I would have to do in this other position. Also, when someone brought something in for my boss, she handed it to me immediately and told them how she "just gives everything to me". Also, she got a call from another department calling to complain about a record that I had worked with. What I did was correct so she told them that. I told her how it always seems to be my name that they call about (I'm always right though, luckily!), and how I don't really like that. She said that she likes it when it's my name that has touched the record, because then she knows that it is correct. The way she said this made me very happy by the way, she showed complete confidence in my work. It is, however, very stressful and I do NOT want to ever make a mistake. *Sigh*
So, there are many reasons why I think this job would be perfect for me. Did I already mention how much I need a job and the money? This would be the easiest transition ever. However, I fear getting my hopes up. As I said before, this other position hasn't been mentioned in ages, and I don't even know if it will open up when I need it to. Even though I have expressed my interest in the position, I have no idea if my boss remembers this. I think about how amazing it would be to work there, but then I realize that it is an actual office filled with business majors and accountants, and there will be hundreds upon hundreds of applicants for the new position. Plus, priority is given to previously laid-off employees, I believe.
So, I'm in limbo. I should probably inquire about the position soon, remind my boss that I'm interested in the job. Things have been going well - I have been doing many special projects for the people in the office, training the new girls, being very productive, etc. It would be a good time to remind her of my interest. However, I also don't want to "beat a dead horse" or whatever that saying is... No matter what, I'm going to have to apply, so I should probably work on a resume soon. Most importantly, I think it is time that I find my plan B, plan C and plan D. My only current back up plan is "rent out my apartment, move home, and get a job in Edmonds". For many reasons, that is not the best plan.
If any of you guys are out there reading, what do you recommend? What should my back up plans be? How/when should I talk to my boss about my interest in the position? How much hope do YOU think I should have, knowing nothing about the office but what I tell you.. :P
So, there are many reasons why I think this job would be perfect for me. Did I already mention how much I need a job and the money? This would be the easiest transition ever. However, I fear getting my hopes up. As I said before, this other position hasn't been mentioned in ages, and I don't even know if it will open up when I need it to. Even though I have expressed my interest in the position, I have no idea if my boss remembers this. I think about how amazing it would be to work there, but then I realize that it is an actual office filled with business majors and accountants, and there will be hundreds upon hundreds of applicants for the new position. Plus, priority is given to previously laid-off employees, I believe.
So, I'm in limbo. I should probably inquire about the position soon, remind my boss that I'm interested in the job. Things have been going well - I have been doing many special projects for the people in the office, training the new girls, being very productive, etc. It would be a good time to remind her of my interest. However, I also don't want to "beat a dead horse" or whatever that saying is... No matter what, I'm going to have to apply, so I should probably work on a resume soon. Most importantly, I think it is time that I find my plan B, plan C and plan D. My only current back up plan is "rent out my apartment, move home, and get a job in Edmonds". For many reasons, that is not the best plan.
If any of you guys are out there reading, what do you recommend? What should my back up plans be? How/when should I talk to my boss about my interest in the position? How much hope do YOU think I should have, knowing nothing about the office but what I tell you.. :P
Monday, October 18, 2010
Lily Allen....
So kind of random, but today at work Lily Allen came on my pandora. I was suddenly placed at christmas time, almost as strongly as christmas music would. I thought that was very strange, seeing as it was not at all about christmas or anything winter, in fact it was rather vulgar.... However! I then realized that I went through a Lily Allen phase where I listened to her songs over and over and over again in that obsessive way I do. (Similar to movies...) This phase just happened to be the beginning of December, last year. It didn't feel that long ago at all, however the instant that that connection was made, it was so clear and obvious why it made it feel like the holidays. Its so interesting how we have those associations in our head!
I had so much trouble writing that in English, by the way. I would think of French vocabulary and could NOT get away from it.
Today I watched a movie in Psychology that made me kind of want to be a Speech Pathologist. But I remember not liking mine in elementary school and knowing that I would never do that....
I kind of want to watch Everwood. I didn't even watch it when it was live way back when, so I'm not positive why. (Maybe its because I just watched something with the main girl..)
I think I have a cold. But its ok, because I had the other more serious illness so recently that I still remember how bad it could be, so this feels easy peasy!! :)
I had so much trouble writing that in English, by the way. I would think of French vocabulary and could NOT get away from it.
Today I watched a movie in Psychology that made me kind of want to be a Speech Pathologist. But I remember not liking mine in elementary school and knowing that I would never do that....
I kind of want to watch Everwood. I didn't even watch it when it was live way back when, so I'm not positive why. (Maybe its because I just watched something with the main girl..)
I think I have a cold. But its ok, because I had the other more serious illness so recently that I still remember how bad it could be, so this feels easy peasy!! :)
It's been awhile....
So, I think it has been awhile since I last wrote. Summer came and went, and school has started once again. I have a few posts stored up from the beginning of summer. I had a couple weeks without internet where I tried to be good and keep up the posts, even though I couldn't put them online. However once I got my internet back, clearly I didn't get back into the habit of posting here. Therefore sometime in the next few days I will try and find those somewhere on my computer and post them. Maybe I'll even try and write a brief summary of my summer. I mean, I did turn 21 and Anna left for China for 2 years. Though I guess besides that I did little else than work.
It is very exciting though that I started my last quarter of undergrad! I'm taking only 13 credits, which is the least amount of credits I have ever taken. I was hoping it would be a very easy quarter, however in taking Math (though its only pre-calculus) I now have HW all the time. Plus, my Psychology of Language course has 3 five page papers. It isn't horrible, but its not "easy" either. And the class that I knew would be the most difficult (French 401) is holding true to its expectations, demanding at least one paper per week. I do feel like I'm learning a lot about writing though, so I'm still happy with this arrangement. We'll see how I feel at the end of the quarter.
I'm getting into the holiday spirit early this season, and I'm really worried that because its way too early to feel seasonal that I'll lose it. Therefore I'm trying to focus my excitement now into seasonal art projects, and hold off on more complex seasonal activities (like music and movies) until months from now. I think a large part of my excitement is that I know that I will be DONE with school come this holiday season, which is exciting in its own right. Plus I love my family and I'm excited to see them all in one place again. Plus, its La Nina this year so there is supposed to be a lot of snow... I hope that is the case but since everyone is forecasting that it seems like that just has to mean it won't actually happen. I'm excited to take a train over to the east side and visit Laura, and I'm excited to have the back-up option of taking a train down to Edmonds if its snowy over here (No way would I drive in that!).
Another big topic to discuss if I continue to write on this blog is that of my future plans. Seeing as I'm graduating soon, I really need to figure out what I will do next. I have a few ideas, and I will go into those at another time. Right now, its 8:50am and I should be editing my paper. I have this new thing where I wake up early even though I don't have class until 10am. I make my coffee, and drink it leisurely while doing my math HW, revising my French essays, or studying for tests. I really like it as a time to work and feel like I'm more productive now than in the evenings. Plus, I would lose so much of the day if I didn't wake up til 9. And probably most of all, waking up at 6 feels kind of early, 7 feels just about right, and 8 feels like sleeping in. I love having the option to sleep in and still have time in the morning, and I also love that I could feel like I slept in soooo late (9am) and still be fine for class. It's all perspective I suppose.
Ok, well anyway, for any of you still out there (I don't know who would still check this after so long without a post), I hope more posts are to come and I'll be seeing you again shortly!
It is very exciting though that I started my last quarter of undergrad! I'm taking only 13 credits, which is the least amount of credits I have ever taken. I was hoping it would be a very easy quarter, however in taking Math (though its only pre-calculus) I now have HW all the time. Plus, my Psychology of Language course has 3 five page papers. It isn't horrible, but its not "easy" either. And the class that I knew would be the most difficult (French 401) is holding true to its expectations, demanding at least one paper per week. I do feel like I'm learning a lot about writing though, so I'm still happy with this arrangement. We'll see how I feel at the end of the quarter.
I'm getting into the holiday spirit early this season, and I'm really worried that because its way too early to feel seasonal that I'll lose it. Therefore I'm trying to focus my excitement now into seasonal art projects, and hold off on more complex seasonal activities (like music and movies) until months from now. I think a large part of my excitement is that I know that I will be DONE with school come this holiday season, which is exciting in its own right. Plus I love my family and I'm excited to see them all in one place again. Plus, its La Nina this year so there is supposed to be a lot of snow... I hope that is the case but since everyone is forecasting that it seems like that just has to mean it won't actually happen. I'm excited to take a train over to the east side and visit Laura, and I'm excited to have the back-up option of taking a train down to Edmonds if its snowy over here (No way would I drive in that!).
Another big topic to discuss if I continue to write on this blog is that of my future plans. Seeing as I'm graduating soon, I really need to figure out what I will do next. I have a few ideas, and I will go into those at another time. Right now, its 8:50am and I should be editing my paper. I have this new thing where I wake up early even though I don't have class until 10am. I make my coffee, and drink it leisurely while doing my math HW, revising my French essays, or studying for tests. I really like it as a time to work and feel like I'm more productive now than in the evenings. Plus, I would lose so much of the day if I didn't wake up til 9. And probably most of all, waking up at 6 feels kind of early, 7 feels just about right, and 8 feels like sleeping in. I love having the option to sleep in and still have time in the morning, and I also love that I could feel like I slept in soooo late (9am) and still be fine for class. It's all perspective I suppose.
Ok, well anyway, for any of you still out there (I don't know who would still check this after so long without a post), I hope more posts are to come and I'll be seeing you again shortly!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Colloquium
I finish the Colloquium. I am done. OMG I can't believe it. Sandy and I were the first group to present, which I really liked. We were able to just go and get it over with. We had no one to compare us to. The presentation went really well. I think I talked at a really good speed, which is really my own problem with presentations. Apparently our adviser was smiling the whole time (especially turning the forms part - my solo research part). We don't know if we have a pass/fail yet, but the head of the department said that Xing was VERY happy with us. I feel like were one of the most professional/in-depth projects. I said a comment to the head of the dept that I realized later didn't come out at ALL like I hoped and sounded kind of assholey. I was in a very good mood so I just kind of spoke without thinking, and said something along the lines of "I hope she liked it! We worked on it a lot with her!" Which doesn't seem as assholey in writing, and apparently Sandy didn't even notice the asshole connotation to it til I mentioned it, but I realize now that even if it doesn't seem assholey in writing, I think it sounded a little bit...
But thats ok, because I'm done! Though I guess I should share the questions part because that's what we were most scared of. The first question was from a girl asking if its hard to tell what compounds are, if its a native thing or if theres some sort of more set in stone thing. I'm definitely not an expert on Chinese, but Sandy didn't seem to have an answer so I responded "Well neither of us are Native Chinese speakers, but I think there would be a instinct to it..." or something like that. First question, fine. Then Prof Hearne decided to ask questions. I didn't realize it was him until afterwords, but I've heard things about him being...harsh? He asked some semi-critical questions, like "You started off my saying it was difficult to define this...then ended up just skipping it in your presentation." Luckily Xing stepped in and TOTALLY defended us and they ended up having an argument. She said he was biased, looking through it with Native English speakers eyes. :) Very very very happy she was there at that moment, because I have no idea how we would have handled that otherwise. She was great! After that he said "Are you sure 'sleepwalk' is a verb-verb compound? Because its clearly noun-verb." My response to that was that was interesting and relates to an idea I mentioned about it being hard to know the class of words, but that in my opinion it was verb verb. All the students in the class agreed with me. Muahahah! :P
So yea, the questions were a little tough, but we got good reviews afterwards and everyone was on our sides during them (well, almost everyone of course).
Afterwards we had to walk back (from OM) to the C Lots where Sandy parks, but it was POORING DOWN RAIN. Instead of complaining, I decided to embrace it. I rolled up my pants and ran through the rain, jumping in puddles. It was so fun! It reminds of of a similar walk with Rachael after a concert.
Oh, and haha I saw a professor of mine that I LOVE and think is SOO cute outside humanities smoking. I don't have too much of an issue with smoking (meaning I have ZERO issue with some people, mild issue with some people). So, I have zero judgment there, and it just works well with her whole french image. Anyway, when we saw each other it was from a distance, but her body language made it seem like she was shocked to see me. Then two seconds later she was gone! I may be crazy (prolly am), but it was almost like she didn't want to be seen smoking? I don't know. Not very logical, most smokers don't hide it!
Anyway, that was really my evening! I am so happy to be done with the Colloquium that I'm taking the night off. Though I'm really sleepy and wanna go to bed...but then I'd just wake up and my day off would be over. :(
Ok, so what I have left to do... (as far as I remember, there may be more)
Due monday:
Essay Sociolinguistics
Essay Litterature
Long long answer HW Quebec
Tuesday:
Thirty minute one on one with professor
Wednesday:
Final project (includes 3 more recording sessions, 300 minutes of analyzing speech, 8 page paper)
Thursday:
Psych Exam
THEN DONE. Sides work of course... :)
There are things to look forward to too, of course. Besides work, classes and 2-3 recording appts, I have nothing due tomorrow and Friday, meaning I can space out my work over multiple days.
On Friday we're having a party in French class.
On Friday we're having a party at work.
On Sunday there is a Linguistics party that I may or may not go to (profs cabin). It depends on who else goes.
So, SMILES. I'm a lot happier that its June than I was just a few days ago. :)
But thats ok, because I'm done! Though I guess I should share the questions part because that's what we were most scared of. The first question was from a girl asking if its hard to tell what compounds are, if its a native thing or if theres some sort of more set in stone thing. I'm definitely not an expert on Chinese, but Sandy didn't seem to have an answer so I responded "Well neither of us are Native Chinese speakers, but I think there would be a instinct to it..." or something like that. First question, fine. Then Prof Hearne decided to ask questions. I didn't realize it was him until afterwords, but I've heard things about him being...harsh? He asked some semi-critical questions, like "You started off my saying it was difficult to define this...then ended up just skipping it in your presentation." Luckily Xing stepped in and TOTALLY defended us and they ended up having an argument. She said he was biased, looking through it with Native English speakers eyes. :) Very very very happy she was there at that moment, because I have no idea how we would have handled that otherwise. She was great! After that he said "Are you sure 'sleepwalk' is a verb-verb compound? Because its clearly noun-verb." My response to that was that was interesting and relates to an idea I mentioned about it being hard to know the class of words, but that in my opinion it was verb verb. All the students in the class agreed with me. Muahahah! :P
So yea, the questions were a little tough, but we got good reviews afterwards and everyone was on our sides during them (well, almost everyone of course).
Afterwards we had to walk back (from OM) to the C Lots where Sandy parks, but it was POORING DOWN RAIN. Instead of complaining, I decided to embrace it. I rolled up my pants and ran through the rain, jumping in puddles. It was so fun! It reminds of of a similar walk with Rachael after a concert.
Oh, and haha I saw a professor of mine that I LOVE and think is SOO cute outside humanities smoking. I don't have too much of an issue with smoking (meaning I have ZERO issue with some people, mild issue with some people). So, I have zero judgment there, and it just works well with her whole french image. Anyway, when we saw each other it was from a distance, but her body language made it seem like she was shocked to see me. Then two seconds later she was gone! I may be crazy (prolly am), but it was almost like she didn't want to be seen smoking? I don't know. Not very logical, most smokers don't hide it!
Anyway, that was really my evening! I am so happy to be done with the Colloquium that I'm taking the night off. Though I'm really sleepy and wanna go to bed...but then I'd just wake up and my day off would be over. :(
Ok, so what I have left to do... (as far as I remember, there may be more)
Due monday:
Essay Sociolinguistics
Essay Litterature
Long long answer HW Quebec
Tuesday:
Thirty minute one on one with professor
Wednesday:
Final project (includes 3 more recording sessions, 300 minutes of analyzing speech, 8 page paper)
Thursday:
Psych Exam
THEN DONE. Sides work of course... :)
There are things to look forward to too, of course. Besides work, classes and 2-3 recording appts, I have nothing due tomorrow and Friday, meaning I can space out my work over multiple days.
On Friday we're having a party in French class.
On Friday we're having a party at work.
On Sunday there is a Linguistics party that I may or may not go to (profs cabin). It depends on who else goes.
So, SMILES. I'm a lot happier that its June than I was just a few days ago. :)
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Productive
I spent 5 hours in the computer lab on Saturday and 7 hours today. Plus when I got home today (at 7pm), I spent the next 4 hours working on finishing up my speech and powerpoint for the colloquium with Sandy.
I have to go to the computer lab again tomorrow to write an essay and do my take home exam...
I have to go to the computer lab again tomorrow to write an essay and do my take home exam...
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