After sweating literally buckets of blood over Linguistics 101, I am thrilled beyond measure to report that my final grade - drumroll, please! - is an earthshattering C! Thank you, Jesus...it's a great load off my mind to know that I will NEVER ever have to take that class again...!!!! Whew!
And the best news of all? My grade in Elementary German 101 is...are you ready for this?!? An A!! God is so good...He does help those who help themselves!
I studied hard in both classes - but German was where I really clicked. I'm so looking forward to next semester! I'm privileged to have Frau W again as my Professorin and I know at least four of the students in the class already. We're planning to work together on the group project, if there is one.
So now I can truly relax and enjoy the next 5 weeks of peace and joy...Froehliche Weihnachten, y'all!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Perhaps Some Explanation Is Necessary...
I just gave the link for my blog to my German professor - who I like a lot (and I am not just saying that to get a good grade, meine Frau W...wirklich!) and so I thought that perhaps I should explain the etymology of the title.
Some years ago a woman wrote a book called "I'm Running As Fast As I Can!" in which she detailed the story of her life and her struggles with either prescription drugs and/or alcohol, amidst the stresses and struggles of her life. It was an extraordinary book and has remained with me to this day.
So how did I get from there to my blog? Well, at divers times my life has closely resembled a three-ring circus, one in which the ringmaster is juggling hand grenades....with the pins pulled out! As most people know, it is generally considered inadvisable to hold onto a hand grenade after one has removed the pin, as it will in most cases explode...hence the need to juggle the grenades, so as to keep as many in the air at the same time as possible, whilst looking for somewhere to throw them and thus deal with the potential for explosion. The hand grenades, quite simply, are a metaphor for the stresses and demands one's life makes of one...and the trick is to get through it with most of your body parts (and your mind!) intact....and if I can help someone else to avoid some of my pitfalls, so much the better - hence the blog.
Also, I seem to have a rather strong need to write as I get older...I wonder why that is...?
Shalom!
Some years ago a woman wrote a book called "I'm Running As Fast As I Can!" in which she detailed the story of her life and her struggles with either prescription drugs and/or alcohol, amidst the stresses and struggles of her life. It was an extraordinary book and has remained with me to this day.
So how did I get from there to my blog? Well, at divers times my life has closely resembled a three-ring circus, one in which the ringmaster is juggling hand grenades....with the pins pulled out! As most people know, it is generally considered inadvisable to hold onto a hand grenade after one has removed the pin, as it will in most cases explode...hence the need to juggle the grenades, so as to keep as many in the air at the same time as possible, whilst looking for somewhere to throw them and thus deal with the potential for explosion. The hand grenades, quite simply, are a metaphor for the stresses and demands one's life makes of one...and the trick is to get through it with most of your body parts (and your mind!) intact....and if I can help someone else to avoid some of my pitfalls, so much the better - hence the blog.
Also, I seem to have a rather strong need to write as I get older...I wonder why that is...?
Shalom!
Some Fun Things to Consider
I'm a big fan of the concept in marketing that's known as word of mouth...when I had a transcription business, 100% of my clients came to me via WOM. And it follows that in the world of the Internet, the same is true. So I would like to share with you all some links that have been a blessing in my life in the last few years:
First, I have to give thanks for HebrewOnline and their business, ETeacher. This is a phenomenal language school, teaching (among others) the language of Modern Hebrew and Biblical Hebrew. Check them out at www.ETeacher.co.il. You will not be disappointed!
Another link that I have to share with you is that of CoboCards. This is a website founded by three young men in Germany. I believe they originally started the site as a senior thesis at their university. It's a phenomenal tool and I have come to view Ali Yildirm, one of the co-founders, as a friend. Here it is: www.cobocards.com. This is a free service, at the basic level, but if you want to use the full features, there is a fee, which in my opinion is rather modest in nature.
Well, that's all for now. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
First, I have to give thanks for HebrewOnline and their business, ETeacher. This is a phenomenal language school, teaching (among others) the language of Modern Hebrew and Biblical Hebrew. Check them out at www.ETeacher.co.il. You will not be disappointed!
Another link that I have to share with you is that of CoboCards. This is a website founded by three young men in Germany. I believe they originally started the site as a senior thesis at their university. It's a phenomenal tool and I have come to view Ali Yildirm, one of the co-founders, as a friend. Here it is: www.cobocards.com. This is a free service, at the basic level, but if you want to use the full features, there is a fee, which in my opinion is rather modest in nature.
Well, that's all for now. Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
And I Thank You...Thank You, Lord!
As we head to Thanksgiving, I have tried every day (when I remember!) to post to Facebook at least one thing for which I am thankful. By and large my thanks are to my Lord and my God, the Master of the Universe!
In my life there have been many things, which seemed at the outset to be insurmountable obstacles or problems for which I could see no solutions. When I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in 1988, I had no way of knowing that her autism would both challenge and bless me, but such has indeed been the case. Our daughter is now 22 and a student at our local university. Far from just barely making it through the educational system, she has excelled in many ways - for example, in Algebra. You have to understand: I am what is charitably termed "math impaired" and it is a source of constant wonder to me that my child can do equations with aplomb! Well, strictly speaking, she uses a calculator, but you get my meaning.
And we have a son who is now 18 and preparing to graduate high school. He is a kind, sensitive young man with a heart on fire for Jesus Christ. He is deeply loyal and cares a great deal about his fellow man. He makes us very proud. He isn't sure what course he wants to pursue in higher education, but we have always told our children that higher education is the minimum requirement for success in this world which we inhabit, so he will start at our local university in the fall of 2011.
Last but by no means least, there is my husband, who completes our nuclear family unit. He is my strength and comfort and I love him very much indeed. We've been married 24 years now and nothing ever seems to really faze him, which may be one big reason why our marriage has lasted this long! I tend to react to everything and my husband calmly assesses the situation, and then proceeds to just deal with it. What can I say? I'm blessed indeed.
In my life there have been many things, which seemed at the outset to be insurmountable obstacles or problems for which I could see no solutions. When I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in 1988, I had no way of knowing that her autism would both challenge and bless me, but such has indeed been the case. Our daughter is now 22 and a student at our local university. Far from just barely making it through the educational system, she has excelled in many ways - for example, in Algebra. You have to understand: I am what is charitably termed "math impaired" and it is a source of constant wonder to me that my child can do equations with aplomb! Well, strictly speaking, she uses a calculator, but you get my meaning.
And we have a son who is now 18 and preparing to graduate high school. He is a kind, sensitive young man with a heart on fire for Jesus Christ. He is deeply loyal and cares a great deal about his fellow man. He makes us very proud. He isn't sure what course he wants to pursue in higher education, but we have always told our children that higher education is the minimum requirement for success in this world which we inhabit, so he will start at our local university in the fall of 2011.
Last but by no means least, there is my husband, who completes our nuclear family unit. He is my strength and comfort and I love him very much indeed. We've been married 24 years now and nothing ever seems to really faze him, which may be one big reason why our marriage has lasted this long! I tend to react to everything and my husband calmly assesses the situation, and then proceeds to just deal with it. What can I say? I'm blessed indeed.
Friday, November 19, 2010
What HAVE I Done?
Having survived thus far (we are at T minus 5 class sessions and counting!) I find myself in a panic because I have one paper that is due by December 6 at 3:45 and it covers material that makes absolutely NO sense to me, whatsoever. I read this stuff and no matter how often I read it, find myself scratching my head and saying, "What..huh?"
I have to say, folks, that never in all my days as a student - and I am talking about all the way back to my first day in kindergarten! - have I felt as stupid as I have this semester, just in this one particular class.
Try as I might, I cannot make heads or tails of the material. The book is unbelievably BORING and the professor never teaches from it, which leads one to ask the question: Why in the world did the professor assign the text? I am not a proponent of book burning, but I have to tell you, this is one occasion in which I will cheerfully make an exception.
The instant this class is over, I am headed to my backyard, where, far from any structure or other flammable materiel, I am going to RIP up the textbook and I am going to BURN IT. And then I am going to spit on the ashes.
Have a nice weekend!
I have to say, folks, that never in all my days as a student - and I am talking about all the way back to my first day in kindergarten! - have I felt as stupid as I have this semester, just in this one particular class.
Try as I might, I cannot make heads or tails of the material. The book is unbelievably BORING and the professor never teaches from it, which leads one to ask the question: Why in the world did the professor assign the text? I am not a proponent of book burning, but I have to tell you, this is one occasion in which I will cheerfully make an exception.
The instant this class is over, I am headed to my backyard, where, far from any structure or other flammable materiel, I am going to RIP up the textbook and I am going to BURN IT. And then I am going to spit on the ashes.
Have a nice weekend!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Well, Well, Well...
Guess what? After all my advice about not letting anything get in the way of finishing your degree, I found myself once again dropping out of college. This time, however, I know that the time interval will be short, and I will be back in classes again in the fall of 2010.
What else could I do? My best friend called me to tell me that she was dying and needed my help to wrap up her affairs. She had no one else who either could or would help, So off my daughter and I went to Salt Lake City for 40 long and difficult days.
What else could I do? My best friend called me to tell me that she was dying and needed my help to wrap up her affairs. She had no one else who either could or would help, So off my daughter and I went to Salt Lake City for 40 long and difficult days.
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