Not an Unqualified Success

The semester is over (for me), and though I'm waiting for grades, I suspect (hoped) I earned a B+ in the class I took. (I actually took two classes, but one was a pass/fail and I earned a 90%).

I earned plenty of Bs and worse in college, but none in library school. This B is a combination of mediocre effort and absence of a natural affinity for the subject. My library school grades didn't always involve my best effort, but library school is pretty easy, and there was perhaps some natural talent involved.

One remedy for my lingering unease is to say, "I'll try harder next time," but I've decided to sit out next semester and rethink the entire Master's of Public Health plan. So if I don't go back, I'm left with a sour taste in my mouth. I realize a B is a perfectly acceptable grade--I think it's the mediocre effort that has me feeling dissatisfied. I'm happy to be done, but wish I could also be happy I'd done a good job.

Too much self-recrimination?

Student Life

Taking the day off of work to cram for tomorrow's midterm, recover from a mostly sleepless night, and get some vitamin D.

In Mourning; or, Good, Better, Best

I'm grieving over the loss of my seemingly last bit of free time. I gave up most TV watching, even my beloved British period dramas and police shows from Netflix, a few months ago. That means I also gave up knitting, though I still have hopes of finishing Baby J's stocking before Christmas (it's doable, maybe with a Closer/Major Crimes/Downton Abbey marathon after finals?). So now it's down to the last comfort. Yes, recreational reading. It's basically gone.

I marvel at the many busy women (and men) who manage to read despite all the other things they accomplish, but I apparently need more sleep than they do. I'm sadly about to return the latest Laurie R. King to the library unread, and I've borrowed the latest Mma Ramotswe book three times without finishing it.

On the other hand, I've been more consistent in my scripture reading lately, and for several weeks I've been walking two to three miles a few times a week. I'd also like to say my house is a bit cleaner these days, but that may be my imagination. And, if I stick with the school thing, I'll have another degree one of these days and perhaps be in a position to better my employment.

So, I'm trying to be positive and think about the blessings that come when we choose better things over good things. Still, please be kind if you see me shed a tear or two.

Easy and Hard, the Public Health Edition

Hard: Understanding biostatistical principles. It sort of makes sense when I read about it, but I can't repeat or reproduce anything I read. I may have to hire a tutor to make it through an actual biostatistics class.

Easy: Homework about locating public health statistics on the Internet (I got 100%) and identifying electronic journals that focus on some aspect of public health (I'd better get 100%). It's nice when two areas of your life converge.

The Good and the Bad, the Back to School Edition

Bad: Waking up at 5 am wondering if any assignments are due today.
Good: Checking D2L from my phone without leaving the comfort of my bed.
Better: Finding out nothing is due for the next week.
Best: Following it up with some reading on the Book of Mormon app.

First Day of School; or, Another Shoe Story

No more sandals every day of the week for this librarian.

The Good and the Bad

I've skimmed both syllabi and the news is, no papers to write this semester! Reading reactions, quizzes, exams, and a journal article critique. I think the most difficult part will be the long Mondays (full work day and three hours of class online) and finding someplace to have my two exams proctored.

The sad thing is that I don't have a new first day of school dress and no one is making me pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.

Who Knew?

I just read the first few items I posted over six years ago. Some make me cringe, but I think it would be fun to read back over everything--I've never done that. One of my first posts was, interestingly, a bit of foreshadowing: What's an Agar Plate?

I was reading Emerging Infectious Diseases then (I'm sure I Googled something or used a library database to find that one article) and now I'm reading an epidemiology textbook to prepare for the first semester of public health classes!