I stopped by Unnamed Store tonight to pick up some coffee creamer. Coffee creamer is infinitely important to me, and I was certain I didn't have enough left at home to doctor tomorrow morning's coffee properly. This warranted a trip to the store. Unnamed Store has creamer for $1, so I ran in after picking MiniMe up from her friend's birthday party.
I found my creamer and brought it to the register. The young man behind the counter rang it up. Total was $2.06. After a little digging in my handy-dandy little all-in-one wallet thingy, I handed him $5.06 -- the last thing I needed was more change rattling around in my wallet. The clerk punched a couple buttons on the register and the cash drawer sprang open with a resounding ding. As I stood there, the young clerk looked at the register display, looked down at the money in his hand, and his face fell. "Oh, no," he said. He closed the cash drawer, punched a few more buttons, and looked at me apologetically. "I did it wrong," he said.
Color me confused at this point. Two items at $1 each, $2.06 total... No, it looked perfectly fine to me. I said as much to the clerk. He didn't respond, instead restarting from the beginning. Beep went the first item across the scanner. Beep went the second item. Again, the clerk totaled my purchases. Again, he punched a couple more buttons. Again, the cash drawer sprang open with a resounding ding. But this time was different. This time, the clerk smiled as he counted my change out of the drawer.
"I punched in the wrong amount," he explained as he handed me $3. "I entered $2.06 as the amount you gave me, and it said you didn't get change. But that wasn't right because you gave me more money." He pushed the cash drawer closed. "Now it's right." The young clerk smiled, extremely proud of himself.
MiniMe and I bade the store employees goodbye as we gathered our purchases stepped out of the store into early evening twilight. Once we were out of earshot, I looked at her. I know my eyes must have been the size of large dinner plates. I couldn't believe what I had just seen."Did he really just void that first transaction because he punched in the wrong amount tendered?" I asked.
"I don't think he could figure out the change without the computer," she replied.
I think she was right.
It's a sad story. It's a scary story. And the worst part: it's a true story.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
One Ends, Another Begins
I always seem to start new posts with an excuse and an explanation, these days. This post will be no different, since I haven't posted since February. February? Has it really been that long? Wow.
Spring Semester 2012 has finally come to a close. Classes are over, finals complete, and as of this morning all my grades are posted. So....yes, you guessed it. This is another brag about my grades post. And why shouldn't I? I'm proud of my grades. I'm proud of the fact that even after being out of school 25 years I can still pull it off. I'm just plain proud.
So here you go, my grades for Spring Semester 2012 including my final exam score and my overall grade for the semester:
My overall GPA continues to be a 4.0, which is where I want it to be -- particularly going in to apply for the extremely competitive nursing program at my school.
Yes, I'm bragging. It was a really tough semester. A&P I is well-known as a weed out course with a 50% drop rate, and I not only survived it, but I survived it with an A. Yes, I'm proud. No, I won't apologize. But I will smile sweetly. :-)
Summer Semester begins in a couple weeks, and I'll be tackling A&P II with its accompanying lab and Healthcare Communications. Another tough semester. Two more months of intense studying. Immersion in A&P. Two more months of remembering details of the digestive or endocrine systems, but inability to remember to plug my phone in to charge at night. Two more months that will leave me feeling accomplished at the end.
I just hope my family will be able to put up with me.
Spring Semester 2012 has finally come to a close. Classes are over, finals complete, and as of this morning all my grades are posted. So....yes, you guessed it. This is another brag about my grades post. And why shouldn't I? I'm proud of my grades. I'm proud of the fact that even after being out of school 25 years I can still pull it off. I'm just plain proud.
So here you go, my grades for Spring Semester 2012 including my final exam score and my overall grade for the semester:
| ENGL1101 | Literature & Composition | Final: 100% | Overall: 99.7% / A |
| BIOL2113 | Anatomy & Physiology I | Final: 99.5% | Overall: 100.2% / A |
| BIOL2113L | Anatomy & Physiology I Lab | Final: 99% | Overall: 100.75% / A |
My overall GPA continues to be a 4.0, which is where I want it to be -- particularly going in to apply for the extremely competitive nursing program at my school.
Yes, I'm bragging. It was a really tough semester. A&P I is well-known as a weed out course with a 50% drop rate, and I not only survived it, but I survived it with an A. Yes, I'm proud. No, I won't apologize. But I will smile sweetly. :-)
Summer Semester begins in a couple weeks, and I'll be tackling A&P II with its accompanying lab and Healthcare Communications. Another tough semester. Two more months of intense studying. Immersion in A&P. Two more months of remembering details of the digestive or endocrine systems, but inability to remember to plug my phone in to charge at night. Two more months that will leave me feeling accomplished at the end.
I just hope my family will be able to put up with me.
Friday, February 3, 2012
I Worked Hard!
I just opened my school e-mail and found this note from the registrar:
Am I giddy? Yup.
Am I happy? Absolutely. I'm grinning from ear to ear.
Am I proud? HELL, YES! I worked damn hard for this. I earned it.
Dear Lynn,
In honor of your superior academic record attained in the fall semester 2012, I am pleased to include your name in the dean’s list for the term. The catalog states that students who have achieved a quarterly grade point average (GPA) of 3.69 or higher while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours will be placed on the dean’s list. Your transcript will reflect this accomplishment.
You have demonstrated a strong determination to succeed and a commendable work ethic; the college wishes to recognize your success. You are encouraged to continue your hard work and challenged to inspire your student colleagues to demonstrate excellence, so that they, too, may join you on the dean’s list in the future.
The French statesman, Charles de Gaulle said, “Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so.” Let your determination continue to drive you to your success. This accomplishment is a result of that determination which you possess.
Congratulations on your outstanding achievement!
In honor of your superior academic record attained in the fall semester 2012, I am pleased to include your name in the dean’s list for the term. The catalog states that students who have achieved a quarterly grade point average (GPA) of 3.69 or higher while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours will be placed on the dean’s list. Your transcript will reflect this accomplishment.
You have demonstrated a strong determination to succeed and a commendable work ethic; the college wishes to recognize your success. You are encouraged to continue your hard work and challenged to inspire your student colleagues to demonstrate excellence, so that they, too, may join you on the dean’s list in the future.
The French statesman, Charles de Gaulle said, “Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so.” Let your determination continue to drive you to your success. This accomplishment is a result of that determination which you possess.
Congratulations on your outstanding achievement!
Am I giddy? Yup.
Am I happy? Absolutely. I'm grinning from ear to ear.
Am I proud? HELL, YES! I worked damn hard for this. I earned it.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Overwhelmed, Terrified, and Excited
Week one of semester two is now complete, and I left campus yesterday feeling overwhelmed, terrified, and excited. It was the oddest way to be. The sheer amount of material I know I will have to master in order to maintain my 4.0 (which is still my intention) is overwhelming. The amount of work I'll be doing and time I'll be spending doing it -- terrifying. The material? Utterly exciting.
Last semester, my first week of class was all about class syllabi and expectations. Here's what we're doing, here's how we're doing it, this is what you'll need, this is when it'll be due. I remember being a bit overwhelmed with the brand new experience. I also remember stumbling initially and fearing I'd be unable to do any of it. Yet, I overcame. I succeeded. I'm trying to keep that in mind.
This semester started completely differently. Yes, there were syllabi. Yes, there was the presentations of expectations, supplies, and due dates. What changed is in all my classes, we jumped right into the material on the first day. In a couple cases, that was what made it overwhelming.
My very first class on my first first day was ENGL 1102: Literature and Composition. Lots of reading -- mostly short stories and poems with a couple plays. Lots of writing -- four essays total, plus the final. After going over the syllabus, Mrs. H had us write a story about ourselves in the story arc with introduction, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Luckily, she gave us questions to answer that guided us. After that, it was class introductions -- name, rank, serial number -- and literature definitions. All in all, not too bad, although our instructor has promised us it will be a tough class. I have a reading assignment due Tuesday.
Day two was BIOL 2113: Anatomy & Physiology I. At 64 students, this class is huge. Especially when you consider my English class had 15 students. In fact, I don't think any class I've taken so far has had more than 30 students. Until now. So...big class. I made sure to get a seat up front where I knew I'd be able to see and hear the professor.
Class started as usual with syllabus and expectations. Dr. S told us we'd need the textbook package available at the bookstore. I had picked mine up last week, before the lines became ridiculous. The package contained lecture notes, a lab manual, a body atlas, a computer code for online access, a body systems DVD, a lecture DVD, and of course, the textbook, which is huge. Huge! At seven pounds (yes, I weighed it), it reminds me of an oddly-shaped bowling ball.
As class went on, I quickly recognized that this class (and the co-requisite lab) would be taking over my life. Dr. S made it clear that this course would not be like high school anatomy. Rote memorization will not get us through. Learning and repeating the information from the book word-for-word will not work. We're expected to recognize and understand the material. Test questions won't come directly from the book. When completing our homework, we won't find answers word-for-word in the textbook. Understanding. Comprehending. It's actually a whole new way of learning.
Consider this the first class of your program would be a phrase I would hear repeatedly over the next couple of days.
Last week, the Biology Department sent all new students an e-mail warning of the amount of commitment the class requires, advising us to re-evaluate our schedules and make sure we could devote the necessary study time. Included were the first three chapters of lecture notes and a suggestion to fill in as much of the notes as necessary. Dr. S also stressed that people who earn A's in A&P are those who come to class prepared. In the world of A&P, this doesn't just mean with notebooks and textbooks and writing instruments. In the world of A&P, preparing means checking the schedule to see what chapter the next lecture will be covering, pre-reading the material, and filling in the lecture notes. In other words, self-study. Lecture should be treated as review, not the introduction of new material.
This became evident when Dr. S jumped right into the first chapter of material. She didn't fill in all the blanks from the lecture notes; we're expected to do that on our own. If it's in the lecture notes, we're expected to know it. If it's not in the lecture notes, we won't see it on a test. The department has posted study aids including flash cards and games, and it's strongly suggested we form study groups. ::gulp::
Day three was BIOL 2113L: Anatomy & Physiology I Lab, the co-requisite for A&P I. The lab coordinator came in and gave our orientation talk. We got the rules of the lab, the dress code, and the expectations. No pictures allowed. The other school I had originally considered suggested photographing the models for self-study, the school I've chosen forbids it for copyright reasons. If I hadn't already been terrified and overwhelmed after yesterday's class, the lab orientation would have done it. As it was, I was doubly overwhelmed, terrified, and excited when all was said and done.
The lab coordinator showed us the models that were available to us, talked to us about Open Lab, and then told us that when she went through her program, she treated school like a job. She got up, got her kids off to school, then went to "work" and stayed there until it was time to meet her children's bus after school. While she was at "work," if she wasn't in class, she was in Open Lab or otherwise studying. Once she went home, though, work was done. I can definitely see the logic there, and I already anticipate spending a lot of time in Open Lab. Gotta learn those bones! And organ systems! And cell parts! Gotta learn it all!
After orientation in Lab, we sat at our lab tables and filled in the first chapter of our lab manual. Since the information coincided with the material from class that I had already prepared and been studying earnestly (like a good little girl!), I completed that without issue. I also managed to find a study group, get my first homework finished, and schedule group study time.
This weekend, I'll be reading for English; studying anatomical terms, organ systems, directional terms; and preparing for Monday's A&P chemistry lecture. Overwhelmed by the amount of material, terrified by the amount of work, and excited subject matter. And ready to go back on Monday.
Last semester, my first week of class was all about class syllabi and expectations. Here's what we're doing, here's how we're doing it, this is what you'll need, this is when it'll be due. I remember being a bit overwhelmed with the brand new experience. I also remember stumbling initially and fearing I'd be unable to do any of it. Yet, I overcame. I succeeded. I'm trying to keep that in mind.
This semester started completely differently. Yes, there were syllabi. Yes, there was the presentations of expectations, supplies, and due dates. What changed is in all my classes, we jumped right into the material on the first day. In a couple cases, that was what made it overwhelming.
Class started as usual with syllabus and expectations. Dr. S told us we'd need the textbook package available at the bookstore. I had picked mine up last week, before the lines became ridiculous. The package contained lecture notes, a lab manual, a body atlas, a computer code for online access, a body systems DVD, a lecture DVD, and of course, the textbook, which is huge. Huge! At seven pounds (yes, I weighed it), it reminds me of an oddly-shaped bowling ball.
As class went on, I quickly recognized that this class (and the co-requisite lab) would be taking over my life. Dr. S made it clear that this course would not be like high school anatomy. Rote memorization will not get us through. Learning and repeating the information from the book word-for-word will not work. We're expected to recognize and understand the material. Test questions won't come directly from the book. When completing our homework, we won't find answers word-for-word in the textbook. Understanding. Comprehending. It's actually a whole new way of learning.
Consider this the first class of your program would be a phrase I would hear repeatedly over the next couple of days.
 |
| My A&P textbook package from the bookstore |
This became evident when Dr. S jumped right into the first chapter of material. She didn't fill in all the blanks from the lecture notes; we're expected to do that on our own. If it's in the lecture notes, we're expected to know it. If it's not in the lecture notes, we won't see it on a test. The department has posted study aids including flash cards and games, and it's strongly suggested we form study groups. ::gulp::
The lab coordinator showed us the models that were available to us, talked to us about Open Lab, and then told us that when she went through her program, she treated school like a job. She got up, got her kids off to school, then went to "work" and stayed there until it was time to meet her children's bus after school. While she was at "work," if she wasn't in class, she was in Open Lab or otherwise studying. Once she went home, though, work was done. I can definitely see the logic there, and I already anticipate spending a lot of time in Open Lab. Gotta learn those bones! And organ systems! And cell parts! Gotta learn it all!
After orientation in Lab, we sat at our lab tables and filled in the first chapter of our lab manual. Since the information coincided with the material from class that I had already prepared and been studying earnestly (like a good little girl!), I completed that without issue. I also managed to find a study group, get my first homework finished, and schedule group study time.
This weekend, I'll be reading for English; studying anatomical terms, organ systems, directional terms; and preparing for Monday's A&P chemistry lecture. Overwhelmed by the amount of material, terrified by the amount of work, and excited subject matter. And ready to go back on Monday.
Friday, December 16, 2011
I Did it!
Wow, has it really been six weeks since I last posted?
In my last post, I was preparing to start this year's NaNoWriMo. I'm sorry to say I did not win this year. Didn't even come close. But I'm not mad -- I had great reasons for my failure.I finished my first semester of college this week, and all during NaNoWriMo I was dealing with tests and research papers and homework... I was feeling a bit harried and overwhelmed, and honestly, school was infinitely more important to me than NaNo.
Officially, classes ended last week, but I had final exams this week. Just moments ago, my last grade posted, and I'm really really really excited. These grades aren't official, and they won't be until they're posted in the school system. Official grades are scheduled to post on December 23. Unofficially, though, I ROCKED this semester!
I think back to this summer, and my anticipation for starting school. When I say anticipation, what I really mean is abject terror. I was so scared! Scared of trying to tackle schooling again after being out for so long. Scared of being so old -- a combination of fear of the old dog/new tricks adage and of being the crusty old oddity in classes that garners attention for all the wrong reasons. Mostly, though, I was scared of failure.
My reality was so different. So much better. My terror forced me to work harder. I busted my but to avoid that failure. And I found that after the first week or so, I really didn't much care if I was the oldest in class. Once I got into the school groove, I was too busy with assignments to worry about what others thought of me. It didn't matter. I also discovered that as long as I applied myself, as long as I studied and worked hard, I didn't need to worry about being out of school for so long. I was able to do the work. I was able to take the tests. My result was the polar opposite of failure.
Now for my grades. I had two classes that graded on the regular 100 point scale, and two classes that graded on a 1000 point scale. My goal was straight A's, which means a 90-100 on the 100 point scale and 900-1000 points on the 1000 point scale. Here are my results with the 1000 point grades in blue, and the 100 point grades in green:
You see that? ALL A'S! Yes, I'm proud of myself. And now that the semester's over, I'm taking this time to lay back and rest before the next semester starts on January 17th.
Officially, classes ended last week, but I had final exams this week. Just moments ago, my last grade posted, and I'm really really really excited. These grades aren't official, and they won't be until they're posted in the school system. Official grades are scheduled to post on December 23. Unofficially, though, I ROCKED this semester!
Now for my grades. I had two classes that graded on the regular 100 point scale, and two classes that graded on a 1000 point scale. My goal was straight A's, which means a 90-100 on the 100 point scale and 900-1000 points on the 1000 point scale. Here are my results with the 1000 point grades in blue, and the 100 point grades in green:
Introductory Psychology (PSYC 1101): 1010 points
Composition & Rhetoric (ENGL 1101): 99.76
College Algebra (MATH 1111): 99.3
Introduction to Computers (COMP 1000): 1120 points
You see that? ALL A'S! Yes, I'm proud of myself. And now that the semester's over, I'm taking this time to lay back and rest before the next semester starts on January 17th.
Monday, October 31, 2011
30 Days of Insanity
I've really been looking forward to this year. I can't say why; I really don't know why. But I've been counting the days and making my plans. Maybe it's because my first essay in school was about NaNoWriMo, and how it helped me rediscover my joy for writing. Maybe it's because school is taking all my waking hours, and I'm looking at writing for NaNoWriMo as a little bit of downtime.
Then again, I could just be weird. One way or the other, the reason behind my excitement doesn't really matter. All that matters is the fact that I am excited. I've got my vague story plot. I've got my main character. And today, after I got home from school, I designed my cover and signature banner.
Now, for my story, and the history behind it. Last year, you may or may not remember I wrote a story with the working title Blur. I hate that title. It's not particularly representative of the story. But until I finish it and come up with a better one, that's what I'm stuck with.
Anyway, last NaNo I wrote Blur, which was about a woman who discovered the power of daydreams and indulged until they took over, blurring the lines between her fantasies and reality. My conundrum as I wrote was whether to write it so the fantasies were reality and she just thought they were daydreams, or to write it so she ended up in a mental hospital. As time went on, the story ended up with my main character institutionalized, and I actually had a lot of fun with her descent into madness. But I still wanted to write a story where the daydreams were real.
Lead Glass, my NaNo project this year, was borne of that desire. It's not quite a daydreams are real scenario, but it does promise to be fun to write. Here's the synopsis I posted at the NaNoWriMo website:
Nadine Thomas is a woman in her 40's, and what those of yesteryear would have termed an Old Maid. While browsing a rundown, musty antique shop two towns away from her home, she finds and purchases an old lead glass window that captured her attention and refused to leave her alone. When she finally gets it home, she discovers the window isn't just a window, but a portal through time and space. Using that window, she travels to exotic times and places, discovers the true origins of her window. She becomes deeply embroiled in the mystery and theft that surround her portal, and works with a temporal detective to apprehend the thief, find the other missing windows identical to her own, and restore them to their rightful home.
So, the synopsis needs a little tweaking, but you get the gist. Nadine is going to travel to different times, places, and even planets and experience all kinds of exciting adventures. See? Fun!
It remains to be seen if I'll be able to finish this year because of my school commitment (I also have a research paper due the first week of December), but I'm going to have lots of fun giving it the ol' college try. (Sorry. I couldn't help myself.)
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Updates are Scarce
It's not that I don't have much to talk about, it's that I don't have the time to talk. School is taking a tremendous toll on my time, but it's worth it. I'm past the midway point of the semester and still pulling A's in all my classes. Two of my four classes gave midterms, and I got A's on both of those. I've turned in another essay since my last update and just found out last week I earned another A on that one.
I had a meeting last week with my ENGL 1101 instructor to go over my grades and submit my preliminary research paper topic idea for approval. All went as expected until she went over what was coming up. I have an essay due Tuesday that will count for 10% of my grade. The research paper, which is due at the beginning of December will be 20% of my grade. For the final exam, we will be expected to write an essay in class from pre-writing through final draft -- 20% of my grade. I've got three papers to write during the remainder of my semester, and they will count for a total of 50% of my grade! No pressure there at all.
Yikes.
Gulp.
Urg...
nothinkingaboutthatnotthinkingaboutthatnotthinkingaboutthatnothinkingaboutthatnotthinkingaboutthat
I spend so much time doing algebra work, studying psychology, and writing my essays, that I spend very little time online these days. For the most part, I throw up Facebook and Twitter statuses with my phone (by throw up, I mean post as opposed to vomit -- but you knew that) and haven't read a photography forum in months. If I'm not doing algebra or English comp lab work, I really prefer to not look at a computer. In fact, I just completed that 10% of my grade essay and studied for algebra, and am now on computer overload. Sooooooo...I'll post this, check tomorrow's weather, and then shut this baby off. Time to rest the ol' brain before tomorrow's test.
I had a meeting last week with my ENGL 1101 instructor to go over my grades and submit my preliminary research paper topic idea for approval. All went as expected until she went over what was coming up. I have an essay due Tuesday that will count for 10% of my grade. The research paper, which is due at the beginning of December will be 20% of my grade. For the final exam, we will be expected to write an essay in class from pre-writing through final draft -- 20% of my grade. I've got three papers to write during the remainder of my semester, and they will count for a total of 50% of my grade! No pressure there at all.
Yikes.
Gulp.
Urg...
nothinkingaboutthatnotthinkingaboutthatnotthinkingaboutthatnothinkingaboutthatnotthinkingaboutthat
I spend so much time doing algebra work, studying psychology, and writing my essays, that I spend very little time online these days. For the most part, I throw up Facebook and Twitter statuses with my phone (by throw up, I mean post as opposed to vomit -- but you knew that) and haven't read a photography forum in months. If I'm not doing algebra or English comp lab work, I really prefer to not look at a computer. In fact, I just completed that 10% of my grade essay and studied for algebra, and am now on computer overload. Sooooooo...I'll post this, check tomorrow's weather, and then shut this baby off. Time to rest the ol' brain before tomorrow's test.
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