It is SNOWING!

Snow has come unseasonably late to our region! It is about a month late, but I woke up this morning to the white stuff covering the ground. A healthy dusting, but I'll take it.

Classes. Ugh, we're in the home stretch. I'm working on my paper for Ancient Greece and wrapping up my Capstone paper. I have a bunch of exams this week, a business plan to finalize, a presentation or two to get done, and seemingly endless school-related things to get done. There's not enough time in the day, it seems! Next semester should hopefully be cake, though.

I've had a stretch of sick going on in my house, and I figured out that over the course of 6 weeks, there was no period of time where all 3 kids were well enough to attend school on the same day :( It bit.

The business is going okay. Things have really slowed down sale-wise. I'm in a group of other artisans who are all experiencing the effects of this economic depression. When people are struggling to keep their homes warm, food on the table, and a roof over their head, purchasing yarn is the least of their concerns (as it should be.) I'm up for a business grant through Pitt's Power of E program, and I'm really hoping I can get a boost in sales from the advertising budget I proposed.

We're all mostly healthy, with Evie still battling the congestion of her last cold. Thanksgiving was okay, and spending precious time with my very ill dad has been amazing. This will likely be his last Thanksgiving, and he's really hoping on going fishing this spring, so I really really hope he can hold out til at least then. I have to travel to Massachusetts and help him pack up his things, as he's going to be moving into the VA assisted living facility. He doesn't want to lose his independence, and this was his choice.

So, mucking through this semester. Still waiting to hear from my first choice law schools.

And so it begins...

My last fall semester at UPB begins tomorrow. Cheers!

Sept 1 is drawing near

I'm knee-deep in articles for capstone. I still have no idea which direction my paper will run, but I need to figure it out soon since abstracts are due in a month. If I'm going to present at the conference, everything needs to be wrapped up and finalized in about 8 weeks. Four pages a week won't be bad to pump out, but still... I need to have a some sort of basis.

Applications are available on Sept 1. I am in the process of drafting my personal statement. I'm excited to get this next step underway. Closer and closer to law school....

I got the syllabus for American Corrections. Seems straightforward enough; much like the syllabus for criminology. Reading, assignment, quiz. I should be able to pull an "easy" A (not that the course is easy, just that the format is.)

LSAT... LSAC... and waiting.

I'm quite aware I keep posting about law school prep, but you know what? Any incoming senior prepping for any sort of grad school would be doing the same sort of anxious preparation / obsession.

I just finished reading, "The Law School Admission Game" by Ann Levine. I must say, it definitely has made me feel like I have a bit of an edge due to the knowledge imparted by Levine, a law school admissions director.

I'm currently researching LSAT weekend prep courses, and in about 10 minutes, I'll be analyzing my correct and incorrect answers from the June LSAT, since it has taken me a few weeks to get over the trauma of being in the middle percentile.

I'm really hoping that the additional prep, the LSAT course, and the fact that I know what to expect does wonders for my test anxiety... because I really need to bump up a few points to be more competitive in the applicant pool.

Onto analyzing. I hope you're enjoying your summer. I can definitely say that I'm happy I had this last summer to take a break and enjoy spending time with my kids.

catching up before it starts

Well, I've ordered my transcripts for my LSAC profile. I'm slowly drafting my personal statement for law school applications. LSAT prep starts next week again, 2 hours per day, 5 days a week. I'm in the process of analyzing the LSAT I took in June to see where I went wrong (and right).

Classes start at the end of next month.

Fall Textbooks

I don't know about you, but I get anxious when textbook buying time rolls around. I don't want to dedicate a small fortune to books I'll read for 16 or so weeks. So, I rent as many as humanly possible via Chegg.com. They somewhat make you feel like an environmentalist, since every time you rent a book, they plant a tree... somewhere. I don't care if they do a cartwheel every time I rent a book; when you can use a book for the semester for $23 and the bookstore is selling the same exact book for $107 used, that's more money I get to keep in my pocket.

I found out about Chegg after the semester where I spent a whopping $647 on books, when I happened to be outside and someone walked by toting the ubiquitous bright-orange Chegg box. I remembered the name, checked it out and the following semester, only spent $250 on books for 6 classes (one wasn't available at Chegg, so it ended up being about $80 at the bookstore).

I'm still waiting for the fall textbook list to come out (which was supposed to be today, but isn't.) Go here, and keep an eye on it until books are posted. Rent them, order them online, whatever; just don't wait til the last moment, or else you'll be stuck paying the bookstore's prices.

Edit: I emailed about the fall book list, and it's UP!

Ohhh Summer

Okay, since my last post was prior to spring break, I should likely fill in a few gaps:

1. Widener Law was small, but the civil procedure class I attended was a lot of fun, and got valuable info from both traditional and nontraditional students alike. Not counting that one out.

2. The prospect of dealing with DC traffic on a daily basis made me reconsider law schools in the immediate DC area. It's not completely out by any means, but it doesn't excite me like I used to be excited about DC. Still one of my favorite cities though.

3. Visited Gettysburg. Came in supremely handy to solidify the battles there (and in the area as a whole, since we drove through MD and VA via the "scenic route"). Ended up with a B+ in Civil War and Reconstruction... but that could also be because of the Gettysburg "lucky pencil".

4. Went to the US Supreme Court. Way smaller than I thought. Loved it though. Snapped a pic of Chief Justice Warren Burger for Professor Meddaugh. Also got a lucky pencil there.

Finals and papers came and went. Did well, with my only B's being in history. Still not my "all-A" standard, but I'll take it. Dr. Frederick's exams are difficult, only because there is just SO much information to digest before it (and I suck at dates and names, so I get them all mixed up sometimes.)

I have the summer off. Yes, I know I registered for a summer class, but I had to drop it due to severe lack of funds since I spent money set aside for said class on fixing a plumbing leak in my basement. Sometimes, you just have to suck it up and stay for another semester. So, graduation in Spring 2011. Not too shabby. Gives me some time to get my GPA up a few tenths of a point.

GPA for last term: 3.70 I'll still take it.

Next semester is chock full of General Ed requirements so that I can graduate a "well-rounded" individual:

Police & Society (CJ minor... I tried to switch in juvenile justice for this, but can't since it's a core element)

American Corrections (CJ minor)

Human Biology

Human Biology Lab

Living Well (phys ed at 40.. that should be exciting)

Poli Sci capstone

Ancient Greece

This leaves me with a whopping six credits to graduate. I know I have to take a political theory class. I'm pretty sure that I don't have to take anything as far as my major is concerned, but I'll probably take psych and law if it is offered in the spring... and the rest shall be classes that I wanted to take because they sounded interesting, but I didn't take because I had to take a core class. Spring shall be time to have a bit of fun, class-wise.

Took the LSAT a few weeks ago, get results on Monday the 28th. It was pretty brutal, so I hope I did okay.

A Missing Week

I'm rather tired of illness. I caught something last week, which I thought was sinusitis and turned out to be something altogether different combined with sinusitis; long story short: kids got it and I missed a week of class. I did drag my happy self to Geography this week, but it was before I started feeling well again and lets just say that I have no idea what was discussed because I just concentrated on not vomiting. Gross, I know. But there it is.

The 4-year-old daughter finally broke her fever last night, but the youngest just developed said fever so I'm really happy that next week is break. Really. Happy.

The youngest's aunt is taking care of her next week, and the older two are going to stay with a friend so that yours truly can tour law school and hit DC for some much needed R&R.

I did decide to take Ancient Greece in the fall; and I'm sticking to American Corrections and Police & Society as well. Police & Society is a core class for the minor & major, so I can't substitute it for anything; and there's nothing similar to American Corrections being offered; so I'll just take it. Hopefully, in spring, there will be something law-related that I can take (even though my minor will be completed by then.) So, here's the schedule:

Human Bio (no lab... I'll take a lab in the spring)
American Corrections
Police & Society
Living Well
Polisci Capstone
Ancient Greece

and this summer, I'm taking American Political Thought. There you have it.

Where have you been?

Yeah, you might ask me that. I've been right here, slogging along, attempting to get an A in most, if not all, of my classes. I survived midterms, but don't have all of my grades in yet. I have an exam this Friday. I've been practicing LSAT tests, making appointments to visit law schools over break and taking care of kidlets and the biz... and looking for a PAID summer legal-field internship.

I have been busy.

Tomorrow is registration for summer classes, and I spoke with my advisor (O Great One) today about directed study for a certain class I need to graduate. Now I have to see if I can swing $1,500. We'll see about that.

I've been perusing the fall course offerings and so far... this is what it looks like I'll be taking (mind you, I have one class or so in my major left to take, plus capstone, plus 2 in my minor, plus a virtual cacophony of GE classes that I need to take):

Human Biology (life science GE)
Living well (Phys Ed GE)
PoliSci Capstone
American Corrections
Police & Society

There. That's it. I have one requirement left for Spring, and that's an upper level history (though I really want to take Ancient Greece this semester). The above classes should ease the demand of Capstone. I might argue a case to change those last 2 criminal justice courses to criminal evidence & investigation and forensics 1--which are both upper level CJ classes (as opposed to the above 0200 classes) but will help me on my journey to be an attorney more than something with a focus of policing and corrections.

Beware thy office hours, my advisors.

Midterms

Well, it feels like this semester is *flying* by. Midterms next week (oi... 4 of them) will pretty much guarantee that I do nothing but read and study. How does this differ than my regular "read and study" schedule?

Pressure.

It'd be different if I had more than 2 exams per class this semester. In my upper levels, I don't. Actually, I think I might have 3 exams in one class, but really; that's it.

Two chances to get an A, or to seriously screw up my GPA.

Off to read.

First Run

Well, having been to all of my classes at least once so far (not bad for day 2), it looks like this semester will be interesting, to say the least. It's a huge help that I know someone in every single class; in one class alone I'm in there with 4 people I have taken classes with before. I love that about UPB. I remember going to classes at the school that I transferred from (a looong time ago) and having class in an auditorium with 200 other people. I'll definitely miss my tiny 30-person classes.

I ended up getting the unabridged audiobook for Uncle Tom's Cabin, which I listen to while I read the book. It makes the "gullah" dialect SO much easier to understand and read.

Constitutional Law class has a great new adjunct who is just hilarious. Definitely makes the class livelier, and since there are 8 or 9 aspiring attorneys in class, he is running it like Law School Light. We're writing case notes, discussing issues, doing a load of reading, and arguing a case in front of a mock Supreme Court (where everyone has a role!)

Two of my classes have group projects, which are okay, but gives me a fair amount of anxiety that everyone isn't going to pull their weight and the others have to suffer for it grade-wise. I'm hopeful that my group people will want to get an A on the projects at hand.

So far, my snooziest class is World Regional Geography, but I've only had one class. I've started the term project assignment, so I'm 1/10th the way finished with that.

On the homefront, I have plans for spring break, mostly involving visiting Widener Law and Dickenson Law, then spending a couple of days in DC hitting museums with Nanne (and maybe another law school. ssh.)

Uncle Tom's Cabin

I'm finding this an extremely frustrating book to read. It takes me forever to figure out what the slave characters are saying, then I have to read it all over again so that I can put it in proper context.

Grr!

Another term bites the dust!

Grades are all in and I still made the Dean's List, and my overall GPA is still in honors. Not too bad for missing almost 3 weeks of class thanks to the flu.

I emailed my professors regarding next term's booklists; I'm getting a head start on the reading with Uncle Tom's Cabin for Civil War and Reconstruction.

Definitely on my January buying list is a microcassette recorder. My carpal tunnel is killing me of late.

Winding Down...

The last week of classes is always a whirlwind of (usually) hurried activity, for nearly everyone I know. In addition to "regular" coursework, I'm wrapping up papers, getting essays written and memorized for 18th C., figuring out my presentation in Criminal Law, and trying to absorb the information that I learned from Leadership Training Day.

I'm currently listening to Motivational Monday (once again, part of the Society of Leadership and Success... and yes, I am fully away it happens to be Tuesday).

Dr. Thomas is away in Germany for the rest of the week (Godspeed!) and that means we don't have class for the rest of the week. This works out for me in a great way, since I can finish up my extra credit paper for his class.

I have a schedule for the week, and will be busting my hind end to get it all finished and read and studied for. If anyone else out there is struggling, my best advice would be to make a schedule you can adhere to, put in some time to blow off stress (snow angels anyone?) and forge ahead! The semester is almost over!!!

Breathing Room...

It's Thanksgiving, which is good. Three days off of class is always good.

I'm not big on turkey, and the kids are not spending this holiday with me, so I'm hanging out writing papers. Well, writing *a* paper, and doing some research on an extra credit paper for 18th Century, since I have a B in there, and I really need to pull an A. Kind of difficult to explain to law school admissions why you can't seem to pull an A in a freshman-level class.

I am also considering pushing back my graduation date to spring of 2011, since I won't be taking summer classes, as I had originally planned. Overall, I just need to have some time to think out a plan... but not this break. Maybe after finals. Well, I have much reading to get done for my criminal law paper.

Enjoy the holiday!

Nuttin but WOW.

Sooo... last night I went to see Nuttin but Stringz at the Bromley Theatre (at UPB).

Oh. My.

A violin is nothing but some wood, strings, a few bits of metal... but last night they were magic. I'm still reeling from the way that Damien and Tourie played. I grew up going to the free concerts at the Hatch Shell in Boston. I've seen countless symphonies play. The fusion that NbS created of hip-hop, classical, and... well... their own personal style just leaves me breathless.

...Except for the Charlie Daniels part, which you had to be there to truly understand. I'm not from Bradford (though I've been here for 5 years now, with one more to go), but I think NbS and I shared a kindred "are you kidding me?" moment when the crowd started clapping when "radio guy" played a clip of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" so that NbS could hear what that was all about, since they were unfamiliar with the song.

Lastly, when I heard Nuttin but Stringz was coming to do a show in B'ford, I got really excited until I saw ticket prices on BPAC's website. I was pretty bummed, because I really do love their music. Imagine my surprise when I got an email to the student body on behalf of Dr. Alexander (the university President) offering tickets to students for FREE. I got one (obviously). What I didn't expect was to have such great seats... third row, center. I thought I'd be in the nosebleed section (which at UPB, doesn't exist... but you get the reference). Once again, I love this place!

I had some serious fun last night, and got to listen to the kind of music that makes you believe that there are limitless possibilities within each of us.

Surrender...

I would really just like the plague to end. It seems, with 3 kids in 3 different schools, plus the incubating viral spawn of 2,000 uni students... we have managed to cycle through several illnesses. Thanks to H1N1, I cannot send a child to school with a fever or other symptoms of illness.

We have all missed an unprecedented amount of school. I've managed to tenaciously hang onto an A in a couple of classes, but my goals for the most part have languished to B-status.

I hate missing class.

Studying, studying, studying... and not.

I have two exams this week; one I took last night in Criminal Law... the next is tomorrow. Today, however, I have to finish reading Undaunted Courage for Early American (in 90 minutes). I'm nearly at the end... studying for exams took precedence this week.

On Tuesday night, I attended The Great American Auto Race of 1908: New York to Paris presented by Jeff Mahr, as part of the History/PoliSci Club. It was beyond interesting and fun. If it happens to be in your area, I'd highly recommend it. To find more information, go here. I'm not into cars, or racing, or anything of the sort.. but this was like the Lewis & Clark expedition of the Automobile age. Imagine.. no highways, no snow plows (they left in February!), no auto parts stores in Siberia, no gas stations... It really was fantastic.

Okay, back to the books. 85 more minutes before class.

And so it goes...

We are full-on in the swing of it. I'm still attempting to get caught up with my reading after having had 2 weeks of the flu (ick). I'm midway into the first round of tests; already had one in International Relations and in Law & the Courts... I don't have grades on either, so I'm a bit anxious to see how they turned out. This coming week, I have a test in Drugs & Society, then the following week, in Criminal Law. I know I'll be having a test in 18th C, since we got essay questions already (oh my).

I'm not going to go into the papers. There are a few of them. I'm already working on them. I should be in the library right now, but it's my weekend with the kids.

It is Alumni and Family weekend, so we might stop in to check that out. Maybe. I might decide to read instead.

It is also almost time to register for spring classes again. I hate the balancing of trying to make sure that class times don't overlap and making sure I'm home in time to get the kids off of the bus, and making sure classes don't start until they're at school. It's a narrow window... doesn't sound like it, but it is. Nothing before 9 am, nothing after 3 pm... and preferably no more than 1 night class a semester... though, that usually runs into 2 night classes.

I love the fact that we have adjunct professors who take time out of their real life to teach college students. How lucky is it that I have a district attorney teaching me criminal law and a judge teaching me law & the courts? It's flipping awesome.. I just wish I didn't have to get a sitter twice a week.

Okay, I'm off. Going to listen to Dr. Soriano's class lecture from this past week.

Bring out your Dead...

I don't care how much we're told that the flu shot doesn't make you sick. Almost three hours from the moment I got one, I contracted the plague. I feel absolutely horrid.

Class news: Dropped Chem lab, picked up Law & the Courts.

I've got kids to put on the school bus, then I'm coming home and taking a nap. At some point, I have to clean up the blanket that some stray shredded all over my patio.