Mt. St. Helens continues to rumble. One report yesterday had the volcanologist speculating that with the presence of magma we possibly would see something on the scale of the 1980 eruption. Shortly after that (I’m wondering if it was to avoid panic?) all reports claimed that there would NOT be anything on the scale of the 1980 eruption. Either way the area immediately surrounding the mountain was evacuated.
I’ve got my final tomorrow night, so I’ve been finishing up all the homework for the chapter and putting together my notes. I’m trying to give myself occasional breaks to avoid the writers cramping I’ve had for the past two tests. It would be so much easier if I had a printer that could accommodate the paper I use for my notes and if I could just print them off. However, the notes need to be hand written or my instructor does not allow them, but I can live with that. Writing them out helps to solidify my grasp on the material a bit more.
I am finding though, that I pretty much dislike finding the length of a curve in space. Yep, definitely not one of my favorite activities! I actually find that I have something of a love-hate relationship with calculus. I enjoy solving the problems once I get comfortable with how to do it. I just don’t feel comfortable since not much time is spent on each area. While it would take forever to get through the course, I think I would prefer a math course in which an entire quarter was spent on each chapter. I would be much more comfortable with this stuff if it was taken more slowly and much more detail was given to it. The idea of it taking 10 quarters to get through calculus is nauseating, so I suspect that the current method is better as far as scholastic morale goes. If this were something I would actually be using in the career I’m going into, I might not mind it.
OK, maybe I would mind it. What I don’t mind is spending more time on this stuff so I understand it better.
Things with #3 are going well. He has had fantastic behavior, and enjoying spending one of one time with his mom. While I may be making him a chore slave, it is still a reward for him to be able to stay home with me during the day, even if he is doing kennel duty, cleaning toilets, sweeping/vacuuming floors and any other chore I can find for him to do. He has the undivided attention of me or his dad (Hubby took him to work for a couple hours Friday so I could get more homework done). What more could any kid want?
Hubby did find out that the big to do going on at his work won’t actually start until Tuesday. While they will be hustling tomorrow to recover from working all weekend and getting ready for Tuesday, I think I will still strongly suggest, beg, plead and bribe him to take #3 to work with him tomorrow. I’ll put together enough things in a backpack to keep #3 busy for the day, but it would still be a load off my mind to be able to disappear to the library for the day and focus without diversion on my studying.
After tomorrow night… the celebration starts. Whether I pass or not, the celebration starts. I will be celebrating by canning apples! Doesn’t that sound fun? OK, maybe not. Still, it is something I’ve been wanting to do for several weeks now, but have not wanted to divert my attention from getting through this math class. I also need to go sign up for next term. Classes start on October 18, and I don’t know if I’m going to only be taking a computer class, or if I will be taking this class over also. I kind of suspect I’ll be taking it over, but I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it.
Admittedly I won’t mind too much if I have to take the class over. While I want it to be done, this instructor is my favorite and I don’t mind the idea of spending another quarter under her instruction. She doesn’t teach any of the other math classes I need; otherwise I would try to get into her other classes. No such luck though!
I had hoped for the class I need to take next term to be during the day while the kids are at school, but it is only offered twice. I have the choice of Tuesday/Thursday early evening or Saturday from 8 – 1:30. I really don’t want a Saturday class. With Hubby’s work schedule I would be leaving the kids home alone for some of the classes, and I want to avoid doing that at all costs! I’ll be going with the evening class then, which will put Hubby and the kids flying solo for dinner two nights a week. Usually Hubby does a “do it yourself night” on those nights, so I need to be sure to always have lots of leftovers in the fridge for those nights. I will likely make a big pot of spaghetti before classes start and freeze a good portion of it to be used by Hubby and the twins for some of the nights. Since #3 doesn’t care for anything with any type of tomato sauce on it (with the exception of pizza) he will likely be making himself macaroni and cheese for those nights.
OK, I’ve rambled enough, and spent enough time away from my homework for this break. Time to get back to the books! I may need to make a chocolate detour on the way there though…