Sparky's Timetable, Term 1

Hey all! Here it is, my actual, honest-to-god schedual for SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER ONLY. Sort of. Issues and notes are at the bottom, but this is what I have confirmed:

Monday
8.30am-10.30am - Multiculturalism in Canada
11.30am-12.30pm - Interviewing I

Tuesday
8.30am-10.30am - History and Philosophy of Social Work
11.30am-12.30pm - Intro. Sociology I
1.30pm-2.30pm - Substance Abuse I
2.30pm-3.30pm - Student Success in Human Services

Wednesday
1.30pm-2.30pm - "Human Service Methodology" aka Group Studies/Group aka "HUM"

Thursday
9.30am-11.30am - Social Work Methods: Community Organization (actually a second year course)
12.30pm-2.30pm - Intro Sociology I
2.30pm-4.30pm - Interviewing I

Friday
8.30am-10.30am - Computers for Human Services
10.30am-12.30pm - Group Studies
1.30pm-3.30pm - Substance Abuse I

So: Issues/Exceptions/Stuff:

• Computers is aparently a course you can do in the lab or at home, and aparently there's an option to fast track through it. I may need help from some of you l33t html-ers out there, but I might be able to get it done before December.
• Group Studies is actually done in November. Our Final Exam appears to be NOVEMBER 17TH. The reason for this is:
• November 1st (Wed.), 2nd (Thurs.), and 3rd (Fri.) Are some sort of Workshop days. On these days, I'll be at the Voyager Inn from 9AM - 4PM, NOT in my normal classes.

• I'm still short a class. I'm going to try and find something to fill the gap by the end of next week, but if I don't, whatev. Mental Health and Addictions is totally full, but aparently there are courses in General Arts and... elsewhere where I might be able to pick something up that will help me along the way. If I manage to find something, I'll re-post the above with the new course highlighted.

So, that's pretty much the news to date. Early classes, but this way, come Christmas time, I might be able to find employment after school, or something. I don't get my schedual for term 2 until... well, term 2, aparently. And in term 2, I'll be doing a 2 week placement. Plus, I should be able to pick up some "Term 4" (term 2, year 2) courses next term to make up for the 2 I'll still be exempted from. So, more lines. Yay. Not.

I got my OSAP all filed and sorted out, which is good. I haven't bought any more books yet, which is ok, for now, and a quick browse through WorkopolisCampus brought up a couple of dead-simple jobs that I want AND will fit my schedual, AND may fatten up my SSW-oriented resume (working at the student food bank would be human service). So yeah! Good Stuff, I say.

But now, to get dry laundry, then to bed. Because 8am comes real freakin early, and it's gonna be another long day...

The Final Word.

Here's the deal. I have a response to the anonymous comment from my last post, and then I want all of this shit done and left behind.

First off, I don't appreciate being called a "fucking little redhead who thinks she's a princess..." for any reason. Both because I don't think I'm a princess, and because...well, I'm not a red head. *ba-Zing*. Seriously, that's just immature. If you really knew anything about me, you'd know that the last thing I see myself as is a princess.

Addressing the roumer issue: it's not a roumer if you hear it from first hand sources. And, seeing as Melissa did nothing to provide me with her version of the story (there were 4 days between the incident and the time Dave finally told me what the truth was, and she was on my MSN messenger, and could have at least apolguised in that time), I got the facts from people in DIRECT contact with Melissa that day: Dave (who was told by Ana, because he was in Parry Sound, but it's his apartment, and he has no reason to lie), and Sarah, who saw her on the bus, heading to Wendy's to see Ana, and spoke to Melissa Directly. So, it's not like I heard from Sarah who heard it from Heather who heard it from Drabble-Lacey who heard it from a friend... And whether she knew she had to work or not, she didn't have to tell me some bollocks story about being in Barrie... THAT was the obvious lie. So calling me a liar, makes her the kettle. Black.

Finally, I would really like to know who Anonymous is. First, because I'd like to know, so we don't experiance the "liz" phenomina over again (everyone saying it's someone else... all that jazz), and because I want to know who wants me to "Rot in hell". So I can tell them that the feeling is mutual. Or, at least so I know who I can take off my Christmas Card list. Stamps are expensive.

Oh, and one more thing. If I am burning bridges, to say, Melissa, or Ana, or whomever, I'm cool with that. They're bridges to places I'm sick of going anyways. Besides, my REAL friends' bridges are built of cement. Even if they singe, they will never fall.

So that's the last word on the situation. I've washed my hands of it, partly because nothing good can come of it (If she hasn't apologuised by now, she's not going to). The other thing is, I've got too much else to deal with.

Meaghan and I are ok: I kinda lost my cool with her the other night. Granted, it felt good at the time, but I've felt awful about it ever since. So, I've apologuised to her. I'm not sure what I should say to Craig, because he thought I was speaking on behalf of Steve. I still think him actually getting on a bus and going home was a little excessive, but whatever... I did the same.

I'm still feeling a bit... it's just an internal icky feeling. Some things have come to light in recent days, and I'm not sure who I can actually trust. Obviously, some people have shown their colours, but there are others that I'm not sure of.

Next year is going to be refreshing, I think. I'll be at a different school (sort of), meeting people in my field, and I'll have a different focus: I've decided that next year, I'm going to steer clear of SoS if I can. I need a change. I took a year off of band in High School, and that gave me a lot to think about itself. I want to be an observer of the finished product, not just the process.

That said, my focus will be turned entierly to SIAD. I want to see us travel to grade 7&8 classes, as well as high schools, both in North Bay and hopefully elsewhere. A few days ago, I saw an article in the Nugget about a mother who's son (a student in a North Bay high school) comitted suicide a year ago. She said that she, and others want to see programs about suicide awareness, as well as helping students learn coping skills without having to see guidance counicllers. She said that students shouldn't be expected to go to guidance councillers for these kinds of things, because either they won't out of pride, or it's too late by the time they do. Which, I admit, is sad, but it's true.

Also, police officers in the region have been talking to public school kids about something called the "Choking Game". Kids are actually strangling eachother to the point of passing out in order to experiance a high from oxygen deprivation... I'd say a SIAD type program is needed more than ever.

This is getting really long, eh? Ah, well. Here is the traditional list of what's due when, inspired by the lists on many other blogs...

1)Blood Relations: March 17 (7pm), 18 (2 & 7pm), 19(2pm)
I have to go so I can write my play review. I'll most likely go to the March 17, 7pm show, just to get it out of the way. Not that I don't want to see it, but I have other things needin' attention.

2)Mtg. with Angela: March 20, 9am
Self Explanitory, if you've been reading for a while.

3)Dr. Cochran: March 20, 12pm
This is the one I've been waiting on. Yup, I'm finally heading to the Psych hospital. Some will say that it's none too soon. Thing is, the issues have gotten... bigger since I made the appointment. I'm glad I didn't cancel it.

4)Philosophy Essay: March 21, 12.30pm
I can't remember what I wanted to do my essay on... Oh, well... I'll come up with something. It is a research paper though... Interesting.

5)Learning Presentation: March 22, 3.30pm
Blah, Blah, Blah...

6)Play Review: March 22, 6pm
Review of Blood Relations.

7)HOMEWARD BOUND!!!: March 23
Sparky's headed home for the weekend! Yay! Northland a-go-go! I need to get out of town, and that's the only weekend I can do it. I'll be leaving sometime Thursday, and returning Sunday.

8)Last Day to hand in Drama Essay: March 29
Though, I can hand it in sooner and get commentary from the prof, but whatever. I'll be doing mine of Blood Relations and Medea: Societal Pressures, The Perfect Woman and The Final Stance. Basically, how the pressure by men on the heroines of the respective plays forces the women to commit violent acts in order to be freed from the expectations placed upon them and their counterparts by society. Trippy, no?

9)Psych of Ed Test #3: April 3
I always wind up kicking my own ass on this one. I never study enough, I never feel prepared, and this is my last chance to pick up my grades. Massive studying will be done for this one.

10)Philosophy In-Class Exam: April 4
Again, massive studying of the basic stuff will be involved here: heteronormativity, M. Butterfly, monogamy and other stuff will be discussed, probably... There's an exam review class, but it's going to be cut short because we're behind.

11)Kid Lit Essay Due: April 6
I think Katy and Larkin and I are going to be working together on this one... Might have to. I'm not quite sure what I want to do, as none of the topics are terribly appealing.

12)Drama Exam: April 10th
SparksNotes.com, here I come... Aparently, the prof copy/pastes her lectures from there...

13)Amanda's Wedding: April 14-16
Nathan and I will be heading to Ajax for this one: my cousin's wedding. It should be fun, and I'll get to see Nathan all gussied up! :)

14) Kid Lit Exam: April 22
Blah, Blah, Mothers. Blah, Blah, religious alegory. Blah, Blah, Bildouns Romane... Blah, Blah, crap that I don't care about. I really wasn't impressed with this class.

15) Learning Exam: April 27
This one's going to be the Biggie. See, the Midterm was a mess. Aparently, the class average was between a 50 and 55%, so he had to give up 7 gift marks to get us where we should be (it put me at a 70%, so I was happy). But, yeah, HUGE studying on this one.

After that, Mom and I will be vanishing for a week to the cottage. After getting tattoos, of course. And maybe a navel piercing, if I can afford it.

Wow... 2 hours later...
Supper time! I'll come up with something thought provoking for tomorrow.

Wanted: Small Doses.

Why can't things happen one at a time???

Why is it that when one thing blows up, it can't just be that one problem, it's gotta be six billion other things at the same damned time??

I mean, take tomorrow: Why can't I just have a midterm that day? why do I have to have another class after it? And why, oh why, do I have to work 7-2pm before it?

Snarf.

Meaghan and Craig are back together. Yay, I guess. I mean, I'm happy for them, but I have my concerns about what both of them want from the relationship, and what they are going to find. But that's just me.

Sarah and Steve are duking it out over dishes now. I seem to recall something from earlier in the year... Myself saying something about how the exec living together this year wasn't the best idea... But they're going to work on it like Mature Adults. They're going to get things sorted out. Whether they want to or not...

And then, tonight at rehersal (we ran the play about 2.25 times tonight...), Steve gives us the lowdown of the new show dates. Are ya'll ready for this one?

Monday, Feb 20th: 9.30am show
Tuesday, Feb. 21st: 9.30am show
Wednesday, Feb 22nd: 9.30am show
Thursday, Feb 23rd: 9.30am show, AND 12.30pm show.
Friday, Feb 24th: We're leaving for MATTAWA (about an hour and a half south) at 8.30am in a rented VAN, for a morning and afternoon show. We should be back in town by dinner.

Sweet. Monkey. Jeebus.

I figured there would be 3-4 shows. That made sense. But 7?? and 2 of them in a different location?? BLARG. So much for catching up over reading week...

And lastly, in this train-wrek of an update I have going on: Nathan needs to find a new place to live. His Aunt Patricia has been stationed in Edmonton, so they're moving. They'll know at the end of the month when they'll be going for sure, but either way, they're leaving, and Nathan's room in their house is leaving with them. So, assuming the military gives Patricia a few months to get her affairs in order, Nathan has to apartment hunt, scrounge up first and last, and possibly find a roomate! Not to mention packing up the stuff he does have at Uncle Mikes, and finding a home for it...

Finding the apartment is going to be the first big issue... Housing up here ain't cheap, especially when you have to pay first and last, and OSAP is taking money off every paycheque...

I've been scouring the online classifieds, but haven't found much yet. Luckily, we're entering the season where students start planning for accomidations for next year, so I'm hoping some apartments are going to be coming available. I feel bad, because I'm not sure I'm ready to move in with him, so I can't say "I'll go in with you on a 1 or two bedroom, roomie!" That, and I'm comfortable here now. I'm starting to get into the groove of things (I think...er...hope?), and I would rather move in with him once I have a steady job and some solid footing in the Bay, than while I'm still back and forth between here and home.

So, if anyone is in need of a roomate, or is ditching a fairly cheap apartment, please, let me know. He'll smoke outside, and if we can't get Shinobe or Aberdeen (the cat's we're planning to get) now, that's ok! He doesn't even have a computer, so no high-speed to worry about, and I'm sure he can live without cable! He's even housebroken! (Sorry, hun... I'm not making fun of you, I promise. *grin*)

Arg. I feel better now... the knot in my head is gone. So, back to studying I go.

Wheeeeeeeeeeee...

Something's gotta give

Hate to be a downer, so I'll try and keep this bit short:

I slept through 2 classes yesterday, and left the last one early so I could come home and sleep. I took today off of classes, but am still compleatly exhausted. My room is chaos, the car's at Canadian Tire (belt came off, coolant was low and there's something's losing pressure = $106.91 that I don't have...), and the paycheque I will finally get on Friday is already gone. All this, and I've misplaced my work schedule. BLARG.

BUT...

I have a man who loves me unconditionally and who would give anything for me, whom I love in return and am willing to fight for, I have friends who help me in so many ways, from buying me lunch to just talking, I have a home with two boys who are excessivly patient with me, I am able to attend a recognized, if not highly corrupt, University in a good town.

But still, something's gotta give, and it CAN"T be me.

I had plans for today: I was going to sleep in, watch a couple of episodes of Angel, then clean up my room enough that it doesn't reflect the chaos of when I am here. Instead, though I did sleep in, I got up later than I planned, watched a few episodes of Angel AND all the special features with Nathan (who came over to visit before work), then went to rehersal. Now I'm home and exausted, with no money to buy the Advil that will kill the pounding, throbbing, swolen pain in my head.

So, my room is still a mess, I'm still tired, I'm still poor... But at least I feel that I've accomplished some things this week, like writing an article for National Self-Injury Awareness Day for Ducky for the Hibou. And I've almost caught up on my readings for Learning (I'm about 2 chapters behind), so then I can start on my catch-up for Psych of Ed and PSL. I haven't finished Little Women, but I've got a chapter left on Glengarry School Days, and I've read almost all the other books for this term.

(I found my schedual!! Yay!!)
K, so here it is...

Tomorrow (Wednesday): Learning 3.30-5pm, NSIAD meeting, 5ish-6.30, Drama 6.30-9.30pm
Thursday: Cleaning of all sorts, then Kid Lit 6.30-8.30, rehersal 8.30 to probably 10.30pm
Friday: (here's the tricky bit...) Work 6-2pm, go to Canadian Tire, pick up car, Go to Bank, deposit remaining cash for Rent/Internet bill, Go to Vagina Monologues rehersal @ 3-6.30pm
Saturday: Work 4-7 pm
Sunday: Laundry to no end.

Over the next couple of days, I want to start posting a bit more about things I've found, things I'm greatful for and things I've accomplished. I feel like I've gotten back into the habit of using this only to vent, whine and be tragic.

Really, life isn't that bad.

...huh?

My plant is on it's death bed. Again. I'll try to save it. Again.

My Psych prof went on an almost compleatly random rant about Tomatoes, followed by 2 minutes of course content, then a half hour rant about the decline of the Atlantic fishing industry from the 1970's to now. I'm still not sure what that had to do with the Gesault principle...

I slept through learning.

I feel somewhere between wanting to be constructive and wanting to play.

I definatly want company. Which is kinda odd for me.

I want to play D&D again. Heather and I yip-yapped about it before class, and I realized just how much I miss it.

I still feel unfulfilled. Probably because I work my ass off at the Lucky, and have only gathered more debt. Though, Julie and Ray loaned me $40 to get that course pack, which was awsome of them.

My head feels like it's split in two: half over-cafeinated, the other half lonely and bored. Hence the unfulfilled feeling I guess. I think I need feedback.

Or, you know, maybe a sandwich.

Edited to add: I just realized I haven't posted my work schedual for the week. So, here it is:
Monday: 2-6
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: off (YAY AND A HALF!!!)
Thursday: 12-4
Friday: 6-2
Saturday: 8-4

Sundays are now permanantly off.

Take 3

Ok, so this looks to be the final draft of my daily routine. A couple of things have changed because of time issues and conversations I've had in the last few days, but I see that as a good thing. This schedual does not take my work schedual into account, because that is impossible to judge right now, but I'll post my work schedual when I have it.

Sunday: Laundry (because Wednesday was impossible),Re-typing notes, 1/2 hour cleaning, pick up room, Readings

Monday:
Wake-up Call: 8.30am
Cleaning, Reading, Assignment prep and the like: 8.30-2pm
Learning: 3.30-5pm
Treadmill: 5-6pm, when available.
Psych of Ed: 6.30-9.30pm
Garbage to curb: Before Bed (whenever I get home)

Tuesday:
Wake-up Call: 8.30am
1/2 hour cleaning: 8.30-9am
Kid Lit Seminar: 10.30-11.30am
Readings/Running around: 11.30-12.30pm
Philosophy of Sex and Love: 12.30-3.30pm
Grocery Shopping (if needed): 4-6pm
Rehersal for Wierd Kid: 7-whenever pm.
Remaining time before bed: Readings, Assignments
In bed: 10pm at latest

Wednesday:
Wake-up Call, 8.30 am
Readings, Cleaning: 8.30-2pm
Learning: 3.30-5pm
Treadmill: 5-6pm, if available
Drama: 6.30-9.30pm
In bed: 11pm at latest

Thursday:
Wake-up Call: 8.30 am
Organize/Re-type Notes, Assignments: 8.30-4pm
Treadmill: 5-6pm, if available
Kid Lit: 6.30-8.30pm
Rehersal for Wierd Kid: 8.30-whenever pm
In bed: 11pm at latest

Friday:
Wake-up call: 8.30 am
Assignments: 8.30-2pm
Rehersal for Vagina Monologues: 3pm-probably 7pm
Cleaning: Until Nathan comes over
In bed: 12am at latest

Saturday:
Whatever happens, happens!
-Finish anything I didn't/couldn't do in the week
-cooking/baking/foodstuffs for the week

I know it seems rigid, but I think I need that rigidity to keep me going right now. And to remind myself that, though I'd like to, XForums and the SOS forums can't be my life. Plus, scheduling sleep may help me stop ODing on coffee, which caused my crash earlier today. And scheduling Exercise is defiantly going to be a big thing for me: if I can't get a treadmill, I'll just have to start... I don't know... doing laps of the parking lots or something.

Anyways, I'm off to bed. I've got to work tomorrow at 7am, which means I need to be up at about 5am so I have time to chip the ice off my car.

Stupid January thaw...

So, Yeah...

Nothing really new and exciting to report right now. Except that my schedual needs some serious revision.

One of the girls who just got trained at the Lucky (she was being trained in the kitchen while I was on holidays), is leaving as of... Thursday, I think. Either way, it's this week. And another of our newer employees is leaving soon because her other job is starting to provide more hours. So, Caroline went in to drop off a resume, and they told her that they were looking for someone to work mostly 7am-3pm ish shifts.

Well, guess what shifts I've been getting. Go Figure.

So, assuming that I should be expecting mostly those 6-2 type shifts for the next little while, I need to start making adjustments. First of all, Wednesday is my Laundry Day, as set out through the "Happy Mike" agreement. That's fine, but it looks like I'll be working 6-2 those mornings, then having class from 3.30-5pm, then class from 6.30-9.30pm. By the time I get home on the bus (I've been driving as little as possible), it's about 10pm. Throw in a load of laundry, and by the time it's out of the dryer, it's after midnight, and it's appearning as I'll be working Thursdays 6am-2pm as well. That makes for a very tired Sparky, since I have rehersal's Tuesdays from 7 to... I don't know, 9.30 ish? And Rehersals Thursday nights after my 6.30-8.30 class until about 10pm or later. Throw in an early Friday shift, and I'm dead by the weekend.

So, we re-organize.

Mondays and Tuesdays I appear to have off from work. So, if I throw most of the housework into Saturday-Tuesday, I can focus on school and work Wednesday-Friday. So, it looks a little something like (after including doing dishes in the 1/2 hour cleaning block):

As Needed: Shovel Driveway, steps (they're all ice at the moment, but they're forcasting 10 cm soon...)

Sunday: Readings, Rehersals, Re-typing notes, 1/2 hour cleaning, pick up room.
Monday: Garbage to curb, 1/2 hour cleaning, reading, begin assignments for next week
Tuesday: Grocery Shopping when needed, Readings (if any are left), complete assignments for next week (if possible), 1/2 hour cleaning
Wednesday: Laundry, readings (if necessary), organize 1 drawer (just to keep myself awake.)
Thursday: clear paperwork from tops of desk, dresser. Sleep.
Friday: (Vagina Monologue rehersals will likley be in here somewhere) Organize the week's notes, 1/2 hour cleaning
Saturday: prep food for the week, 1/2 hour cleaning, finish anything I didn't get done in the week.

So, I'll try this for a week or two and see what happens. I'm actually ok on my readings right now, with the exception of Learning, because I don't have the text yet. Everything else is still in catch-up mode, but hopefully by the time reading week stumbles around, I'll be in a space where I can knock a few of those "Reading"s off my schedule and have more room to play.

Or, you know, sleep.

Day One

Don't you just hate it when you rush and panic to get to class in time, only to find out when you get there that said class is cancelled?

Stupid Kid Lit lab...

Anyways, yeah, so, This whole "schedual" thing is already meaning a lot of late nights for me. I mean, it's 12.30am now, and I have to be up tomorrow at 6am in order to get to the school and file my OSAP. Already today I was falling asleep in PSL (which is bizarre for me...), and tomorrow I will be working before class, through lunch. Blarg.

I have my relativly solid schedual for the next few days. So if you need me, here's where I am:

WEDNESDAY:
6am(...I'm actually allowing for one snooze...) - up, into shower, find work shirt.
7am - Clear back steps (Nathan nearly killed himself on them twice tonight...)
7.50am - Catch Lakeshore to Nipissing, stand in line, FILE OSAP
**any time between now and 11.30am, you may find me in the library with a textbook in my lap and an IV coffee drip**
11.15(ish...) - Catch Marshall to Lucky 13
12-3 pm - WORK
3.15 (I hope) - Catch bus from Rez to school
3.30-5pm - LEARNING
5pm-6.30pm - Reading in Library
6.30pm-9.15ish - DRAMA
9.30ish - Run ONE LOAD of laundry, even if I have to stay up to 3am..., reherse for Vagina Monologues Audition, clean laundry room/bedroom, dishes if needed.

THURSDAY
9am - Up, shower
10.25am - Catch Lakeshore to Nipissing
11am - Appointment with Dr. Gooderam
11.30 - Catch ANY bus at least as far as Rez, walk to Lucky 13
12-5pm - WORK
5.15pm - Catch bus to Nipissing, reherse for Audition
5.45pm - Audition for Vagina Monologues
6pm-6.30pm - in Library reading Little Women
6.30pm-8.30pm - KID LIT
8.30pm-?? - Wierd Kid Rehersal
When I get Home - clean out closet or at least one drawer

FRIDAY
5am - Up, Shower
5.35am - Drive to Lucky 13
6am-2pm - WORK
2.20pm-3pm - Clean out/gut closet
3pm-?? - Dishes
then - Organize notes
then - Readings

SATURDAY
7am - Up, shower
7.35am - Drive to Lucky 13
8am-4pm - WORK
4.15pm-probably 6 or 7pm - dismantle and re-arrange room furniture with Nathan
6 or 7pm - Possible Magic the Gathering Gathering, or continue with room

...Yep. That's it so far. I work 26 hours this week, and according to Julie, I'll be working close to 30 hours next week too. I've made up containers of Mom's Mix (see recepie below) and a big container of leftover cereal mix so that I have something to nibble on, and I bought a bunch of veggies for salads, 2 cheap Lean Cuisines and the like for Quick Dinners, so I won't starve. It's keeping my energy and alertness up that makes me nervy. I'll have to up my coffee intake, or start electricuting myself on a daily basis; that'd wake anyone up!

ZZZzzzzzzzap!