Yes, it is possible to be both at the same time.
Chuffed because two people at work have commented today on my weight loss (my size 14 trousers are getting a bit loose now, hurrah!). One noticed it in my face which is nice because my face shape has changed for the worse since I was in my early twenties. Those chipmunk cheeks and the double chin are shrinking!
Horrifed because S320 exam day is two weeks tomorrow! SD329 exam day was 2 weeks yesterday. My potential revision days are being gobbled up by unexpected arrangements like trip to paediatrics for son, shopping trip for special night out this weekend, and my mum's birthday. Not that I resent any of these, I just wish the world could stop for the next two weeks so that I can revise in peace!
I've just spent almost 2 hours revising the HIV virus and feel quite happy that I've mastered the most important bits like the immune response, how HIV replicates and evades control by the immune system. This course is so interesting that I am toying with the idea of SXN390 so that I can go off and research more stuff to do with infectious diseases (also has the benefit of no exam).
On the other hand yesterday I attempted to revise vision and perception and feel like I know nothing.
I can feel my stomach getting in knots. I am really tired, go to bed really late thinking I will fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, but can't sleep soundly, I'm eating and eating and eating (and forgetting to drink my water) and it's affecting my work. I'm not on the ball when approaching exams are in my mind and I don't give my best. I'm teaching tomorrow morning and have to be on the ball.
The sensible thing to do would be to toddle off to bed right now, perhaps with a Baileys as a night-cap? I'll try it. It might just work. G'night all.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Not a nice feeling
Have you ever been 99% sure that you'll fail an exam? Not a nice feeling. I have been looking at some past exam papers and would be lucky to get 30%. With just 8 revision days (if I'm lucky) and 9 blocks to revise before the 11th I am starting to get slightly stressed. It's not that I am revising everything and making it hard work, I am only revising according to the learning objectives, but still SD329 continues to baffle me.
The more I struggle with it the more I hate it. The more I worry about it the more grumpy I am with my kids, and that's not fair. This isn't meant to impact their lives! They are very tolerant but they shouldn't have to be. I'm their mum first and foremost.
For the first time ever I am seriously considering not turning up at that exam (so the OU loses funding and I waste a couple of hundred quid, but I retain my sanity if I decide to do this sooner rather than later). Means I don't get my BSc by Xmas, but I don't need it now that I've decided I don't want to become a 'real' teacher. It was just something I wanted to prove that I could do. Because I should have done it when I was 18, when I had no real commitments.
If I do take the exam and fail I won't resit it, so is it worth trying?
Cast your votes (and reasons!) now please? I'll go with the majority 'cos I don't seem able to make the decision myself, quitting goes against my nature, but it is getting very tempting.
The more I struggle with it the more I hate it. The more I worry about it the more grumpy I am with my kids, and that's not fair. This isn't meant to impact their lives! They are very tolerant but they shouldn't have to be. I'm their mum first and foremost.
For the first time ever I am seriously considering not turning up at that exam (so the OU loses funding and I waste a couple of hundred quid, but I retain my sanity if I decide to do this sooner rather than later). Means I don't get my BSc by Xmas, but I don't need it now that I've decided I don't want to become a 'real' teacher. It was just something I wanted to prove that I could do. Because I should have done it when I was 18, when I had no real commitments.
If I do take the exam and fail I won't resit it, so is it worth trying?
Cast your votes (and reasons!) now please? I'll go with the majority 'cos I don't seem able to make the decision myself, quitting goes against my nature, but it is getting very tempting.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Next best thing to fossil hunting is...
...retail therapy, and I got me some today :o)
It was only good ol' Primark but they do some decent trousers for work (black, wide pin stripes) and loads of trendy gear for Katie (9 going on 14). Sam wouldn't dream of wearing anything from there! Managed to get him red, green and royal blue T shirts with the Nike logo on the front, he liked them.
That was my reward for, let's see, 18 hours revision in 10 days. Doesn't sound alot but when I think most of it is squeezed into 3 days in the week that's some revising!
Today it was cell-mediated and antibody-mediated immune responses, pathogen adaptations, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, cytokines and immunosuppression for S320.
Plus a quick recap of the structure of the ear on the school run for SD329. Tonight is more on the ear, all the in-depth tricky stuff. In fact it's a bloomin' amazing body part!
Having eaten three-quarters of a Morrison's tub of flapjacks since yesterday morning I really ought to dust off the treadmill and give it a pounding for 20 minutes. Two pounds on since I came back from holidays, that's what revision does for you (I thought it was what holidays were supposed to do to you too!)
Time to clear away dinner and wake hub up for another night of shift work.
If you know anyone who's thinking of shift working, don't let them do it! It really isn't good for them, mind, body or soul. Lee's put up with it for 19 years and it gets harder for him by the year. He has just 4 hours sleep (want more, but can't seem to sleep longer) and feels like a zombie for the other 20 hours in a day.
It was only good ol' Primark but they do some decent trousers for work (black, wide pin stripes) and loads of trendy gear for Katie (9 going on 14). Sam wouldn't dream of wearing anything from there! Managed to get him red, green and royal blue T shirts with the Nike logo on the front, he liked them.
That was my reward for, let's see, 18 hours revision in 10 days. Doesn't sound alot but when I think most of it is squeezed into 3 days in the week that's some revising!
Today it was cell-mediated and antibody-mediated immune responses, pathogen adaptations, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, cytokines and immunosuppression for S320.
Plus a quick recap of the structure of the ear on the school run for SD329. Tonight is more on the ear, all the in-depth tricky stuff. In fact it's a bloomin' amazing body part!
Having eaten three-quarters of a Morrison's tub of flapjacks since yesterday morning I really ought to dust off the treadmill and give it a pounding for 20 minutes. Two pounds on since I came back from holidays, that's what revision does for you (I thought it was what holidays were supposed to do to you too!)
Time to clear away dinner and wake hub up for another night of shift work.
If you know anyone who's thinking of shift working, don't let them do it! It really isn't good for them, mind, body or soul. Lee's put up with it for 19 years and it gets harder for him by the year. He has just 4 hours sleep (want more, but can't seem to sleep longer) and feels like a zombie for the other 20 hours in a day.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Fossil hunting.
We used to go to Charmouth in our campervan during October half term, so I could blow away the cobwebs on the beach and do a spot of fossil hunting, which I find incredibly relaxing and good for the soul.
Not possessing a campervan anymore, and it being too cold for a tent I decided to look online for a cottage or static caravan. Not only were they rather expensive (compared to where we stay in Spain) but hub reminded me that he has no holiday left and that his long weekend between shifts won't coincide with the kids and me being off school. Rats. Time to look closer to home. Haven't had any luck finding anything much at Folkestone, not a sausage at Herne Bay nor St Margarets Bay. I do recall someone saying that there were fossils to be had on the Isle of Sheppey. Definitely need a good reason to go there, perhaps this is it!
Not possessing a campervan anymore, and it being too cold for a tent I decided to look online for a cottage or static caravan. Not only were they rather expensive (compared to where we stay in Spain) but hub reminded me that he has no holiday left and that his long weekend between shifts won't coincide with the kids and me being off school. Rats. Time to look closer to home. Haven't had any luck finding anything much at Folkestone, not a sausage at Herne Bay nor St Margarets Bay. I do recall someone saying that there were fossils to be had on the Isle of Sheppey. Definitely need a good reason to go there, perhaps this is it!
What I've been doing this week.
(in no particular order)
Work. Laying down class rules, reinforcing them, reinforcing them, reinforcing them! No rule-following, no treats! Patience, patience, patience!!
Ate...far too much junk, Put on 2 pounds since I started revising.
Revised, loads. Exhausted. Ready to sleep at 8pm last night, to hub's disgust.
Wondered repeatedly whether I can face/hub can tolerate another year of study to hopefully turn a BSc into a BScHons that I don't actually need.
Planted grass seed in the garden. Woo, exciting!
Talked to hub about my dream of touring the US in an RV and actually got as far as pricing a trip. Yikes, $6000 for 3 weeks hire of an RV, then there's the flights and spending money!
Nagged offspring to keep on top of their homework.
Wished I hadn't made my hair appointment for the end of the month. Why does it grow so fast in the summer? Why do grey hairs seem more noticeable when it's ages til your next colour?!
Bought 3 flash memory pens.
Backed up all important stuff from PC and lappie. Deleted a load of 'stuff', defragged both, but cross to find both are still being tempremental (sp?)
Ebayed more 'stuff'.
Wished I was in Spain.
Wished the nights wouldn't draw in so quickly.
Work. Laying down class rules, reinforcing them, reinforcing them, reinforcing them! No rule-following, no treats! Patience, patience, patience!!
Ate...far too much junk, Put on 2 pounds since I started revising.
Revised, loads. Exhausted. Ready to sleep at 8pm last night, to hub's disgust.
Wondered repeatedly whether I can face/hub can tolerate another year of study to hopefully turn a BSc into a BScHons that I don't actually need.
Planted grass seed in the garden. Woo, exciting!
Talked to hub about my dream of touring the US in an RV and actually got as far as pricing a trip. Yikes, $6000 for 3 weeks hire of an RV, then there's the flights and spending money!
Nagged offspring to keep on top of their homework.
Wished I hadn't made my hair appointment for the end of the month. Why does it grow so fast in the summer? Why do grey hairs seem more noticeable when it's ages til your next colour?!
Bought 3 flash memory pens.
Backed up all important stuff from PC and lappie. Deleted a load of 'stuff', defragged both, but cross to find both are still being tempremental (sp?)
Ebayed more 'stuff'.
Wished I was in Spain.
Wished the nights wouldn't draw in so quickly.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Well earned break!
After 4 hours of revision I think I deserve a little blogging time :o) Hope my fave bloggers have all updated theirs as I'm off to do a bit of blog reading as well as posting on my own!
Just sent a few holiday photos to hub at work so he can print them. I do like my digital camera, but I miss having an album-full of photos (my printer is rubbish so I don't tend to print any off).
Here's a selection of my faves:
Ojen viewpoint.
Happy times :o)
Just sent a few holiday photos to hub at work so he can print them. I do like my digital camera, but I miss having an album-full of photos (my printer is rubbish so I don't tend to print any off).
Here's a selection of my faves:
Ojen viewpoint.
Happy times :o)
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Holiday 2007
Not being able to afford where I really want to travel to, I have just booked a villa in Alhaurin el Grande (Andalucia, Spain). We're sharing this with my in-laws for 10 days in April because the kids enjoyed having their nan and grandad on holiday with them for 4 days this year.
Take a look at what it's got...
lounge
Studio
for the in-laws
sun room
bedroom 1
bedroom 2
kitchen
outside space
Should be very nice, and only a short walk from the restaurants, shops and our friends. Not to mention the perfect place to practice my Spanish for LXZ194!
Take a look at what it's got...
lounge
Studio
for the in-laws
sun room
bedroom 1
bedroom 2
kitchen
outside space
Should be very nice, and only a short walk from the restaurants, shops and our friends. Not to mention the perfect place to practice my Spanish for LXZ194!
Talking of food..
It was our 14th wedding anniversary yesterday and last Saturday hub announced that he'd booked the two of us into a hotel for one night. We stayed here.
It was very nice (the photos of the room in the above link must have been executive rooms 'cos ours, although nice enough, wasn't that posh!
The best bit was the food. For our evening meal we could choose from fish, prawns, fruit, salad for starter, lasagne, chicken in a white sauce with green peppers, roast turkey, roast potatoes, potato wedges, and mixed veg for the main course, and the most deeelicious desserts (cheesecakes, gateaux, fresh fruits, would have been Profiteroles only someone had beaten us to it!). Breakfast was enoormous! There was (sorry, am I making your mouth water?!) fresh fruits, toasts, uncut granary bread, malt loaf, pastries, cereals, hash browns, mushrooms, bacon, fried and scrambled egg, and baked beans, with hot drinks or a variety of juices.
Of course, if you make a complete hog of yourself you could always take a leaf out of hub's romantic book and bring along a box of choccies, miniature bottles of wine and Baileys to enjoy late into the evening 'cos the rooms have a little fridge.
I can highly recommend the hotel/the surprise booking for you and your partner if you are ever in the Rochester/Chatham area.
It was very nice (the photos of the room in the above link must have been executive rooms 'cos ours, although nice enough, wasn't that posh!
The best bit was the food. For our evening meal we could choose from fish, prawns, fruit, salad for starter, lasagne, chicken in a white sauce with green peppers, roast turkey, roast potatoes, potato wedges, and mixed veg for the main course, and the most deeelicious desserts (cheesecakes, gateaux, fresh fruits, would have been Profiteroles only someone had beaten us to it!). Breakfast was enoormous! There was (sorry, am I making your mouth water?!) fresh fruits, toasts, uncut granary bread, malt loaf, pastries, cereals, hash browns, mushrooms, bacon, fried and scrambled egg, and baked beans, with hot drinks or a variety of juices.
Of course, if you make a complete hog of yourself you could always take a leaf out of hub's romantic book and bring along a box of choccies, miniature bottles of wine and Baileys to enjoy late into the evening 'cos the rooms have a little fridge.
I can highly recommend the hotel/the surprise booking for you and your partner if you are ever in the Rochester/Chatham area.
Revision, am I ready?
Someone, somewhere out there posted a link to this site.
This is what it recommends for revision:
Revision and Lifestyle...
Use student/athlete analogy: aim to peak at the right time and train properly: ok, I can do this...
Get into revision routine, work in short manageable bursts. nothing other than extremely short looks likely until the weekend!
Avoid getting over-tired. when do I ever feel under-tired?!
Avoid working very early in the morning (leads to anxiety oh dear, somethingelse to worry about..) or late in the evenings (leads to over-tiredness, insomnia and clogged memory. I can relate to that..... Only trouble is, late evenings and early mornings are usually my only 'me'/study time lately. I don't think I told you about my 3000 word research assignment finally got finished after a 2pm-3.30am marathon assignment-typing session last week. Only 2 nights ago I got back out of bed at 11.30pm and worked on another assignment until 1.30am...insomnia you see, knew there was work to be done and couldn't switch off.
Turn off frequently I honestly hadn' written my last comment before I read this!, do something quite different. what a perfect excuse to keep on bloggin' this month!
Key Areas:
Exercise ah well, I was going to go jogging in the evenings with hub, only he's back on night shifts again. Ho hum.
Aim for minimum 20 mins aerobic-type exercise (i.e. anything which makes your heart beat faster and your breathing rate increase) 3 times a week. Brief exercise (preferably outdoors) before revision periods and exams, improves concentration and intellectual performance. Ah, ok, so instead of waking up at 5.30am to revise I could wake up at 5am for a swift jog round the block....yeah right!!
Sleep
Regular periods of sleep at regular times.sigh This helps your body clock to function well. Get lots of daylight.
Study
Study in a well-lit room, or near a window. Get outdoors often. Best times: between approx. 9.00 and 12.00 amno good, am surrounded by 26 little learners at this time of the day, and they've got alot more to learn than me :O), and 4.00 & 6.00 pmah well, that's tea time and my kiddie time. Worst times: after lunch (1.00 to 3.00 pm - body clock set for sluggish not an option, more little learners left, right and centre.) and at night (body clock set for sleep!if I'm lucky!) Best to have a short nap after lunch. Don't think this'd go down to well in the staffroom.
Diet
Keep intake of sugar down - too much sugar lowers your blood sugar level, makes you sleepy, and makes you need more! 'Energy' sweets are especially bad for this. Cut down on caffeine - in short term caffeine makes you feel more alert, but large doses lead to insomnia and increased tension/anxiety. But don't give up caffeine right now - withdrawal symptoms (headaches, etc.) can be severe. Sources of caffeine: coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate. Know all this, but those cravings are mighty powerful!
Avoid too many carbohydrates (from potatoes, pasta, rice, bread) just before busy revision spell or exams, as these food make you sleepy. not a problem, can resist these.
Note: Starving yourself does not enhance intellectual performance. definitely not a problem, I like to eat :o)
There's a number of other useful links, but that'd be procrastinating. I just need to get on with it!
If you're looking for a good book, check this out. I bought it a few years ago and it was worth every penny.
This is what it recommends for revision:
Revision and Lifestyle...
Use student/athlete analogy: aim to peak at the right time and train properly: ok, I can do this...
Get into revision routine, work in short manageable bursts. nothing other than extremely short looks likely until the weekend!
Avoid getting over-tired. when do I ever feel under-tired?!
Avoid working very early in the morning (leads to anxiety oh dear, somethingelse to worry about..) or late in the evenings (leads to over-tiredness, insomnia and clogged memory. I can relate to that..... Only trouble is, late evenings and early mornings are usually my only 'me'/study time lately. I don't think I told you about my 3000 word research assignment finally got finished after a 2pm-3.30am marathon assignment-typing session last week. Only 2 nights ago I got back out of bed at 11.30pm and worked on another assignment until 1.30am...insomnia you see, knew there was work to be done and couldn't switch off.
Turn off frequently I honestly hadn' written my last comment before I read this!, do something quite different. what a perfect excuse to keep on bloggin' this month!
Key Areas:
Exercise ah well, I was going to go jogging in the evenings with hub, only he's back on night shifts again. Ho hum.
Aim for minimum 20 mins aerobic-type exercise (i.e. anything which makes your heart beat faster and your breathing rate increase) 3 times a week. Brief exercise (preferably outdoors) before revision periods and exams, improves concentration and intellectual performance. Ah, ok, so instead of waking up at 5.30am to revise I could wake up at 5am for a swift jog round the block....yeah right!!
Sleep
Regular periods of sleep at regular times.sigh This helps your body clock to function well. Get lots of daylight.
Study
Study in a well-lit room, or near a window. Get outdoors often. Best times: between approx. 9.00 and 12.00 amno good, am surrounded by 26 little learners at this time of the day, and they've got alot more to learn than me :O), and 4.00 & 6.00 pmah well, that's tea time and my kiddie time. Worst times: after lunch (1.00 to 3.00 pm - body clock set for sluggish not an option, more little learners left, right and centre.) and at night (body clock set for sleep!if I'm lucky!) Best to have a short nap after lunch. Don't think this'd go down to well in the staffroom.
Diet
Keep intake of sugar down - too much sugar lowers your blood sugar level, makes you sleepy, and makes you need more! 'Energy' sweets are especially bad for this. Cut down on caffeine - in short term caffeine makes you feel more alert, but large doses lead to insomnia and increased tension/anxiety. But don't give up caffeine right now - withdrawal symptoms (headaches, etc.) can be severe. Sources of caffeine: coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate. Know all this, but those cravings are mighty powerful!
Avoid too many carbohydrates (from potatoes, pasta, rice, bread) just before busy revision spell or exams, as these food make you sleepy. not a problem, can resist these.
Note: Starving yourself does not enhance intellectual performance. definitely not a problem, I like to eat :o)
There's a number of other useful links, but that'd be procrastinating. I just need to get on with it!
If you're looking for a good book, check this out. I bought it a few years ago and it was worth every penny.
Revision time
Time for one of those time tracker thingies I think, to spur me into some revision for my 2 exams.
So far I've avoided reading the last 2 books of each course (having got bogged down in a 3000 word research TMA... and skipping off to Spain for a long break of course!) and avoided thinking about just how I am going to remember everything to get me a couple of good passes. Things aren't looking good for SD329 (The Senses). Not only have I not really grasped alot of it (chemistry and physics) but I'm rather behind, with half of one TMA still to either complete, or send off partially done.
Plan 1 I concentrate most of my effort on S320 (infectious Diseases), a whopper of a course but alot more interesting and somewhat easier than SD329.
Plan 2 (for 2007) if I fail SD329 (and thus not get my BSC at the end of the year) I am going to take U316 (Environmental Web) next year. Alot of it is done online (TMAs, group discussions, ECA report) and I don't mind that one bit now that I've got my lappie set up to work wirelessly.
I still need another 30 points at level 3 to make it a BSc Hons, so I'm going to do SXG390 (Geohazards project) in 2007 too. Ok, so that's alot of work, but in two very interesting areas. Researching a volcano won't seem like study, it'll just be an extension of one of my interests.
Now, I know I said I'd be posting my holiday photos, but I think that may have to wait.
BTW I only gained one pound on holiday. All that swimming must've helped burn off the icecreams and crisps! Have a sneaky feeling that I may have gained more since I've been home. I reverting to bad habits of snacking on whatever I fancy whenever I fancied it. But I'm back at work now and that means no snacking, and a healthy packed lunch. All I need to do now is overcome the craving for biscuits and coffee when I revise!
So far I've avoided reading the last 2 books of each course (having got bogged down in a 3000 word research TMA... and skipping off to Spain for a long break of course!) and avoided thinking about just how I am going to remember everything to get me a couple of good passes. Things aren't looking good for SD329 (The Senses). Not only have I not really grasped alot of it (chemistry and physics) but I'm rather behind, with half of one TMA still to either complete, or send off partially done.
Plan 1 I concentrate most of my effort on S320 (infectious Diseases), a whopper of a course but alot more interesting and somewhat easier than SD329.
Plan 2 (for 2007) if I fail SD329 (and thus not get my BSC at the end of the year) I am going to take U316 (Environmental Web) next year. Alot of it is done online (TMAs, group discussions, ECA report) and I don't mind that one bit now that I've got my lappie set up to work wirelessly.
I still need another 30 points at level 3 to make it a BSc Hons, so I'm going to do SXG390 (Geohazards project) in 2007 too. Ok, so that's alot of work, but in two very interesting areas. Researching a volcano won't seem like study, it'll just be an extension of one of my interests.
Now, I know I said I'd be posting my holiday photos, but I think that may have to wait.
BTW I only gained one pound on holiday. All that swimming must've helped burn off the icecreams and crisps! Have a sneaky feeling that I may have gained more since I've been home. I reverting to bad habits of snacking on whatever I fancy whenever I fancied it. But I'm back at work now and that means no snacking, and a healthy packed lunch. All I need to do now is overcome the craving for biscuits and coffee when I revise!
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