Y'all.

This came in the mail today. I'm so fancy!

This came in the mail today. I'm so fancy!

Y'all, it's only the 2nd week into school and...

Y'all, it's only the 2nd week into school and we (math / CS students) have already gotten 3 emails about jobs / internships. I'm not ready for that yet because I want to focus on school, but if you are considering a career change I can't recommend math or computer science enough.  I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but math is SO interesting if you give it a chance and there is so much more to computer science than just programming.  I know I'm not done with my degrees yet, but don't forget that I made a D in high school algebra and started college in remedial math (Math 098).  It is never too late to learn and grow!

My mind is just blown...

My mind is just blown by the fact that I have somehow overlooked (in the 10 years that we've been together) that Shaun's birthday is the same as Michael Jackson's.  Like, how did that even happen?  To make things even weirder, he died on Shaun's dad's birthday.  😲😲😲  I knew about the coincidence with Shaun's dad's birthday because Shaun and I were already together when that happened, but I just heard on the radio this morning that it was MJ's birthday.  If you didn't put it together through all of my babbling, it is Shaun's birthday.  Today.  LOL

Happy Birthday, my love. May our lives always be this interesting.  ❤

Friends: If I'm slow...

Trying to do homework.

Trying to do homework. Bastian said solving a matrix isn't as important as him getting some attention. Shaun has ruined this cat. He's so spoiled! 😂😂😂

Was out earlier and saw a white truck...

Someone is sleeping hard!

Someone is sleeping hard! Shaun put a package on him and he didn't budge. I stood up a few minutes later to find Nom climbing on his head. Oh, to sleep that soundly! 😂😂😂

I made it through the first week back to school.

I made it through the first week back to school.  Even though I wasn't ready, I survived and I think this semester will be ok.  😊

I'm already less intimidated by Linear Algebra.  I don't want to be speaking too soon because it IS the very first week and we haven't gotten into anything hard yet, but I'm following along better than the first time.  I'm sure there are many different reasons for that, but in any case I am relieved.  In class I even had a good question - I wasn't sure if there was a difference between the Reduced Row Echelon Form of a matrix and the Identity Matrix.  Spoiler Alert:  There is, but it's not apparent until you have a matrix that isn't a square.  😉   She said we'd be learning more about that later.

In my Computer Organization and Architecture class I'm also learning a bit about Boolean Algebra which is cool, but very confusing.  For one, "+" means "or" and "•" means "and" in this algebra.  You still work it using order of operations, but you're not looking for a number with this algebra (so far, there are very few numbers in it at all) - you're looking for a true or false value.  These true and false values are what operate the switches on the circuits.  Or something like that.  🤣🤣🤣  It's all pretty new.

In Software Engineering we learned A LOT about using Git today and running it from the command prompt.  I never really had much experience with the whole command prompt thing and when I was having trouble running a program over the summer I even had to get help from Meia.  So we learned a whole lot about that and it's actually pretty cool.  Oh, and I think Git might be the best thing I've ever heard of.  We learned today about how it helps with managing version control of the programs you are writing and I feel like I love it so much already despite my limited use of it so far.

And even though I'm not OFFICIALLY taking Java I learned a lot in that class, too.  Professor Snellen is SO THOROUGH.  I mean, my heart got a little bit scared because of all the things we hadn't learned in that class which is a pre-req for basically everything else I'm taking.  We'll be digging into the actual programming part of the course very soon and for that I am grateful, but I was just kind of panic-stricken today after that class.

Anyway.  I have a small project to do for Data Structures and Algorithms.  I have a good bit of homework / things I'd like to do for school this weekend.  The math society is having a meeting at JSU right now and I kind of want to go, but also kind of just want to do my homework.  I surely have enough to do before I feel organized / that my head is clear.  I think I will probably just stay home this time because I'm already here and my tortoise is out walking.  Parking is so hard at JSU right now that I think for next meeting I'll just hang out at the school until it's time for the meeting.  I totally forgot about it or else I would have done that today.  Anyway, I'm off.  Later, friends!  I hope you had a good week, too!  ❤

My left arm is KILLING ME right now.

My left arm is KILLING ME right now. It hurts from my shoulder down to the palm of my hand. 😨 What is this evil?

My day turned out ok...

My day turned out ok despite the fact that this parking mess I encountered this morning made me late for my first class. The white truck is a construction vehicle, which we're all having to work around. But this car with the tag I scribbled out isn't in a parking space at all and is blocking traffic in such a way that there is no way out of this side of the parking lot unless you back out, but that's impossible to do with a stream of cars pulling in behind you. I got lucky and was able to park because one of the cars already occupying a space was leaving and was able to pull straight through forward out of his space, but I honestly don't know what any of the cars behind me did. I 100% understand wanting to park close to your building for a shorter walk or to not be late, but this was uncalled for and probably started several people's day off on the wrong foot. I hope whoever did this gets a ticket.

In other news, Dinorah didn't allow me to be a piece of crap and nap yesterday. I texted her that I felt bad and was laying down, and she was just like "Nope. Take something for your head and come to yoga." So I did. I really needed that - the motivation and the yoga. I felt a ton better by the time I got home.

Also, after our Software Engineering class I asked my professor if he was teaching Java this semester. He is, right after our class. Even though we got credit for taking Java last semester Dinorah and I still don't feel good about it, so he's letting us audit his class. He's been teaching it for a while and his teaching style seems a lot different than our previous professor, so maybe that will help us a lot. It surely can't hurt for us to be exposed to it more.

Anyway, I have to go organize my binder and put some stuff on my computer. I guess I'm slowly but surely getting back into school mode. Woo. 😛

JSU is a mess.

JSU is a mess. Parking is hard because many of the lots are housing dumpsters, construction vehicles, and supplies (I saw one parking lot half full of pallets of shingles); some entrances / exits of buildings are blocked off, and students who would normally be in other buildings have been rerouted to the buildings that were spared by the tornadoes so their classes can meet. It's very crowded and chaotic. I thought summer semester was rough due to construction, but this is next level. 🙁

I know this is an adjustment and you get through a hard time the best you can, but it was not a fun day. It helps nothing that depression is creeping up on me, I was tired, AND I had a headache for most of the day. It was nice to see some friendly and familiar faces, though. Today my classes were Data Structures and Algorithms with Dr. Trifas and Computer Organization and Architecture with Dr. KP. Tomorrow I have Software Engineering I with Professor Snellen and Linear Algebra (again - wish me better luck this time!) with Mrs. Dr. Kim.

I'm hoping things ease up and we all have a successful semester. ❤️❤️❤️ And with that I'm off to yoga or to take a nap. I know what I SHOULD do, but that doesn't mean I have the willpower to do it. Go me. 😕

I am not in a good headspace for going back to school.

I am not in a good headspace for going back to school. I desperately don't want to. I'm not ready.

Booka seems to be going through his "2nd puppyhood."

It's been forever since I've been on this Instagram account.

It's been forever since I've been on this Instagram account. I was planning to post all of my beautiful companions here, but I've lost so many recently that my heart was too broken to try. I'm down four dogs, three cats, and several smaller creatures in the last two years. I'm still grateful to wake up to these old farts, though:  my last two remaining dogs, Faith and Scruffy. I sleep in a loft bed. They get the twin bed that rolls out of the bottom. I guess little Boo Bear (Scruffy) decided to sleep on my rug last night.

Oh, ok.

Blegh. I'm having a bad hand day.

Blegh. I'm having a bad hand day. I'm trying to spray paint and re-hang some doors, and my hands keep crapping out. Boo!

On a whim, just logged into Blackboard.

Currently...

Just my luck...

Just my luck. Spent hours painting the hall, and I hate it. 😂😂😂😭😭😭

It's been a while since I posted an update.

It's been a while since I posted an update. I'm doing ok - just really busy. We've been cleaning and purging and organizing and painting and repairing the houses. Things are coming along. I really wanted to have everything done before school starts back on the 20th. I think it's do-able, but we'll see.

While cleaning out my bedroom I found a stun gun, a dagger, two hand guns, two hatchets, and a machete. Like, I knew it was all there, but I'm not used to seeing it all together. 😂😂😂 Gotta be prepared, I suppose.

One other thing:  You know what I'm currently appreciating? That I don't have to deal with shopping for school supplies or getting kids ready to go back to school. That was always so stressful. I saw the school supplies being put out in Wal-Mart a while back and thought to myself "Haha! Not me!" Before any of you think I'm the worst parent ever, I'm probably not. I'm just excited that the kids have passed that milestone and are on to whatever they decide comes next. While it might not be the usual "mom" reaction, it's mine and I'm pretty sure it's valid. 

Anyway, how are you all doing? Asking because I really want to know. Talk to me! I got used to having at least some social interaction with a couple of girlfriends, but that was put on hold the last few weeks so we could get stuff done. I'm planning to get back to "normal" this week. At least resuming yoga with Dinorah and probably bugging Meia at some point. 😜

And with that I'm off until later. I've got more work to do. Fun!

This amazing guy reminds me of a certain someone I love. 😊😊😊

This amazing guy reminds me of a certain someone I love. 😊😊😊