"We Are Not Amused!"

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Feeling Groovy. I chose the name because the colors were mildly reminiscent of the '60's and the 'Flower Power' culture.

And boy, do I need some cheering up! My present course, while it has information that aspiring entrepreneurs need to know, has NOT been as well handled as it needs to be. The instructor's syllabus lacked a large amount of essential data- and when I asked her about it, she brushed me off. When I told her that I found her syllabus confusing, she told me, "I don't find it confusing." Well- She wouldn't because she knows what she means. But I am not the only one who has had difficulty decoding the lady's intention; I've noted similar reports from a sizable fraction of the class. A lot of us have taken hits to our grades because of this lack of clarity and detail. To be fair, she did talk a lot about APA formatting, and that is something I've noticed people need help with in some of my past courses. In fact, APA formatting is one of my banes. Sometimes I think that the people who create these 'guidelines' are deliberately trying to change the rules, similar to how a little kid tries to change the rules of a game he is losing. As it was, I lost three days that I needed to study this week's material. I'm trying to remain upbeat because walking around with a long face doesn't accomplish anything. But I am not a happy camper.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Update

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Next Tree. One day, I was experimenting with a number of Tree-based images. This is one of the results.

I do have an update for you. My father is feeling better, though he's still not all the way up to snuff. The doctors STILL don't know what he has, or had. Considering some of the scary symptoms, though, improvement is good! It may be a while before he returns to work. I do hope that his workplace decides to behave ethically and keep its promise to him!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

::Fret, Fret::

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Green Energy. It's not what I was originally looking for. However, right now I could stand a little soothing.

I just learned that my father had to be taken to the emergency room. I'm not surprised, given his health history and what the family learned about his heart- but he's not really pleased about it either. How fortunate that my husband and I haven't activated some of our future plans yet that involve moving!

Please send good energy his way, Gentle Readers.

Until We Meet...

Cookbooks and Warm Weather

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Blowing Flames. It isn't quite what I was trying for when I made it; I was thinking the flames would follow more of a circular pattern when I finished the image. That didn't exactly happen, but I found the results pleasing anyway so I kept it as you see.

It may not be officially spring yet, but it is so warm and sunny outside that I opened a window- Much to the delight of the Kitty Contingent. I even shed my socks. Considering how my toes don't like cold, you can imagine what that means.

You may remember some time ago how I talked of gathering family recipes to publish in a book titled Cooking for Real People. I think I have enough recipes gathered to make a respectable-sized book now, though a few more are still trickling in. I will want to check and make sure none of the recipes constitute copyright violations, but most of them are very much original. Wish us luck!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Caught up?

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Golden Glow, and it is one of my more recent attempts at creating halos. As you can see, it worked rather well- though it still didn't quite do as planned.

When I logged in to try to see what some of my friends were blogging about, I ran into an error message in the link to the list of blogs I follow. Talk about annoying! I guess I'll just have to poke around and find out the hard way- Unless the error was generated by maintenance work, as sometimes happens.

I did get most of the reading I had to do done last night. That, I am grateful for! I still have a fair bit to do today, but I have a fighting chance of catching up now. Once I do that, I'll start reading ahead and working on my individual papers. This business of having to wait until the last instant because of household emergencies is for the birds!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Scary New Course

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Tree And Heart. I made this the same time I made the previous heart image, and for the same reason. Of the two, I like this one better. I may try for yet another in the series later.

I got a look at my new course yesterday. I have only one word: Eep! I'm going to have to do a lot of reading and noting before I can even think of answering the questions, as well as listening to material that I can only access via the student web site. One good thing came out of this: I figured out how to finish setting up my student e-mail account. It may seem a simple thing at first, but I was not easy about some of the hoops I had to jump through before. The only reason I finished is because the instructor insisted, and she seems to be a stickler for detail.

I don't blame her altogether; From the tone of some of her postings, she has had students in the past who have no idea how to write, though they can text until the cows come home. Too, I have seen students in a few of my other classes whom I am surprised got in; The errors in some of the writings they presented I would have been ashamed of in fifth grade. I didn't say anything to them about it; It wasn't my place, and after all, they were trying to learn and were probably berating themselves for not learning before. I wish them luck.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Spring Cleaning?

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is a rerun of one you saw about six months ago titled Time On My Hands. For those who have not already done so, it is a reminder to reset your clocks.

The cats, at least, are pleased with this time change; It means they will have to wait an hour less to get their meals! The female in especial needs to lose weight, but I do feel sorry for them having to be put on diets like they have been.

Talk about a busy morning! I spent it moving stuff around and giving the place a spring cleaning. By the time I decided that enough was enough, I was quite tuckered out. I did have an idea, though, for an exercise program for the people who consider themselves too busy to work out and who don't have the money to spring for one of the multitude of exercise machines advertised on television. Indeed, while those machines are nice, they aren't really necessary; One can get quite a workout by climbing ladders and stretching and lifting to wipe down dust and cobwebs, I even cleared off the top of a few surfaces that haven't been touched in some time. All that cleaning must have worked; I'm not sneezing as much as usual.

Things that make one go hmm...

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Abroad, and at Home

Good Evening, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Heart In Light. I made it yesterday when the earthquakes hit Japan, thinking that they might appreciate the symbolism.

It will take more than symbolism to help the people effected by the quakes and the tsunami. I saw some footage of the water washing away large vehicles- including a few that looked like they had people trapped in them- and even carrying buildings clear off their foundations. It was scary. I imagine it would be worse for the people who were there to experience it.

On the home front, things aren't quite as scary; While I do have one more item to post for this class, it's an item that won't take long to attend to. Meanwhile, I did take the final exam for the class. Much to my surprise, I missed only 4 questions out of the whole lot. That's not bad, considering how I had only 5 weeks to take the whole course in!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

What a Night!

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Light On Tree. I made it while trying to create another tree image- the last one I presented to you, in fact. One thing I was concerned about was how to blend the disparate colors so there wouldn't be a sharp division between one section and the next. What I came up with here didn't quite work as hoped, but I found it pleasing in its own right. Thus, you get to see it now.

What a night! I spent it noting the last chapter of my textbook. I was only supposed to study part of it, but electronic texts don't lend themselves to paging through as easily as the more traditional books do. I don't consider it time wasted; I might need everything else I took notes on in the future, after all. I was right about how much of that last section would be just a review. Much of that whole chapter, in fact, was a repeat of things I had read in an earlier course. However, there was enough difference that I made sure to pay attention. Now, I just have to turn in a report and take an exam, and I'll be done!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Busy Week!

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Figment- as in figment of the imagination. I didn't exactly intend to use that shade of green, but it is what happened.

I did manage to get part of my team project turned in yesterday. Today, I need to finish my note-taking then finish the second part. With luck, I'll get the final exam done too. I'm not even counting my final paper! I don't think that will be too hard, though, considering how I will be able to choose the organization I want to research and write about.

Wish me luck!

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

Last Week

Good Afternoon, Gentle Readers!

Today's image is titled Laced2, largely to differentiate it from the original Laced. I confess, I was a bit startled to see the hot pink become yellow where it passed through the green, bug I decided I liked it.

This is the last week of the second course in my Bachelor's Program. I confess to a certain amount of nervousness; The work load has been incredible. In theory, I probably could get this week's receivables done in two days- But I would have to burn a lot of midnight oil, and meanwhile I would never be sure I learned everything that I was supposed to. Still, the work won't go away by itself. So- Tally Ho! At first glance, the last chapter of the text seems to be a review of earlier material. That should help considerably.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...

A Tale of Two Plumbers

Good Morning, Gentle Readers!

As you may have noticed, I've been on hiatus for a few days. The school schedule has been extremely demanding, but I managed to find a few minutes to write to you today.

Today's image is called Lotus. Of course, it doesn't really look like a lotus flower, but the grace of the curves calls that blossom to mind, so I used the name.

You may be wondering why the title of today's post. Well- a couple of weeks ago, the hot water heater died. It happens to be wedged in the closet right next to my computer desk, so you can imagine how badly that cut into my studying time as well, while my husband and I were trying to get it fixed! We first bought a pair of heating elements, and that did fix one problem. The trouble was that it fixed the problem a bit too well, and the hot water went from cold to scalding. Not only that, the heat broke a seal. We called one plumber, and he agreed to come out. However- Mr. Scott of Scott's Plumbing not only failed to make it- which would have been understandable if he had a project going on that took longer than anticipated- he failed to even contact us to let us know he couldn't make it. Needless to say, Scott's Plumbing is one business that has lost a customer.

Next, we contacted Just Plumbing, a considerably better-organized business. A gentleman from there arrived that day to fix the water heater. It did take a lot of hard work, and briefly he worried that he might have to cut a pipe out to get at a part that needed to be replaced. Fortunately, it didn't come to that. My husband and I have been in something of a celebratory mood since then.

Until We Meet, Gentle Readers...