I spent all weekend studying. It wouldn't have been quite so intense if I had been better about studying prior to this weekend, but when you hate studying and when you are a procrastinator, that's what happens. I did go to visit my sister and B-I-L (and some other friends who were at thier house), but I also took my flash cards with me. I made it all the way through the study book (from Chap. 4 on Friday through Chapter 12 an hour ago), but I can tell you're supposed to have studied a few other items, like the actual contracts and the ADA requirements.
I just finished taking a mock exam and got about 70% right. Unfortunately, that's not significantly higher than the mock exam (different source, different wording, definitely different difficulty level) I took on Sat. and got 67%ish. I'm going to guess the mock exam I just took is a pretty good indicator of how I'll do, so I'm going to hope to hell that 70% is enough to pass. The reason I'm gritting my teeth is that I just went through all the questions I got wrong and some of them are so frustratingly contradictory! I tried to come up with an example, but it's too long and complicated for this time of night. Suffice to say, there are going to be questions I'm going to get wrong because these questions are asking for some very specific knowledge or judgement on a very subjective and wide ranging subject. So phooey to them. As long as I pass.
Maybe the next exams will be better. This IS Construction Documents and Services, which is, by definition, laden with stupid legalese. Grrr!
11.11.2007
11.09.2007
Office Breakfast
Occasionally I mention in this blog an office tradition/routine called "Donut Day" in which everyone in the office rotates the responsibility of bringing in breakfast for the rest of the office. This means that every 6 months or so, I cook breakfast for the office. 
My routine is (and has been since the beginning) to make three fritattas the morning of and supplement with sweets, tamales, and/or bagels. I really enjoy doing it, even though it's more expensive to do that than buy a couple dozen doughnuts, because my breakfast day has become something to look forward to. (An Aside: I really like looking forward to things, since it's almost as fun as actually getting/doing the thing itself, plus it extends my pleasure over a much longer period of time. Unfortunately, there are some things I just don't get to look forward to yet.)
To the left, you will see the three fritattas I made this morning: an asparagus, tomato, and mushroom with Swiss cheese; potato and chorizo; and ham and cheddar. If I have a friend at work who has particular dietary needs, I'll often make a mini-fritatta. This time, it was making a no-cholesterol version of the ham and cheddar with Eggbeaters and olive oil. I also bought some yummy tamales from a local tamale place. This is because I'm never sure if the three fritattas are going to be enough, but making four just takes too darn long in the morning.
And finally, not content to just do that, I did a sweet offering -- Apple Pecan Caramel Cake.Needless to say, I got lots of compliments in return. I soaked 'em up and stored them for the next six months. :)
11.08.2007
Wonderful "Jumper"
I just ran across a link to a blogger who knitted a sweater that looks like the Wonder Woman costume. She designed it herself and did a wonderful job! Seeing such rampant creativity tickled me pink. The photos are delightfully exuberant.
11.07.2007
Mmmm... Writing
Both today and yesterday I had about half an hour to do something and both times so far, I've picked writing. That means I'm up to 1388 words in my little journal and I'm having lots of fun writing it. :) It also means I haven't progressed as much as I'd like to with studying. I think I know what other things to blame for that. I'm looking at you, Miss Procrastinator. (Who me?)
I don't regret my choice. Half an hour of writing actually yields something, while half an hour of studying is just reminding yourself where you left off.
I don't regret my choice. Half an hour of writing actually yields something, while half an hour of studying is just reminding yourself where you left off.
11.06.2007
Doldrums (or Gettin' The Oars Out)
I'm not feeling very successful today. I did OK at work, and I got a household chore done that needed doing, but I haven't written in my NaNo Journal, nor have I studied much today.
I guess I'll go do one of those two things until bedtime.
By the way, despite my unsuccessful attempts at complete efficiency, I am feeling quite happy today. I don't know why. I'll just take what I can get, I suppose. ;)
Back to the grindstone!
I guess I'll go do one of those two things until bedtime.
By the way, despite my unsuccessful attempts at complete efficiency, I am feeling quite happy today. I don't know why. I'll just take what I can get, I suppose. ;)
Back to the grindstone!
11.04.2007
Weekend of Friends
Studying? Not so much.
Let's see... where to begin?
Friday night, I went to a birthday party with the Girls' Night In Group. We had a good time, of course. We always do. The guest of honor is a vegetarian, so I brought leftover roasted vegetables and steamed broccoli and yellow cauliflower with melted cheese on top. There was also a gluten-free chocolate cake, roast pork, a really yummy bean dip, gluten-free pumpkin spice muffins, and assorted appetizers.
Saturday, I met Stacey for breakfast at a little cafe here on Tennyson that I've been wanting to try. The vegetarian Eggs Benedict were pretty darn good. The cute little kid that kept coming up to say hello was really sweet too.
Then, I went up to the mountains where some good friends of mine had rented a cabin to get away for a long weekend. They had invited several friends up to join them. The friends covered the full spectrum of family hood - one couple had older kids, 9 & 7 (nice kids, well behaved); they have younger kids, 3 & 1 (two sweet little boys); another couple were expecting their first baby; and a fourth couple didn't have any kids at all; and then there were me and Matt, both single. Fortunately, they did not try and set us up. The kids were fun to play with, and there were enough willing adults there to take care of them so that no one person had to get too tired out. Speaking of adults and kids, I had a very strange realization while I was watching the kids and some of the adults sledding: I was at a family vacation and I was one of the adults, not one of the kids. Hmm. Getting older, I guess. The excursion would have been a wee bit better if I had remembered to bring my swimsuit so I could go in the hot tub.
I left in the morning, planning to go see another friend, only to get a voicemail from said friend cancelling the visit. I'm going to assume it was (at least, in part) meant to help me, since, in theory, I wouldn't have to leave the other gathering, but I already had. I was a bit disappointed, but I ended up not going back, since I had already taken leave of everyone and it was at a reasonable juncture (after breakfast had been cleaned up, just as kids were going out to play), so I headed back home. I can always find something that needs doing. I studied some (and will do more, once I get off the computer) and cleaned up the leaves in the yard. I picked 'em up with a lawnmower a friend lent me. I used fewer leaf bags, 'cause all the leaves were chopped up, but there was a bunch of "leaf dust" left over. I guess it'll turn into soil quicker. It was more convenient, I admit.
Oh, and the cats are really happy I'm back. Goof balls.
Let's see... where to begin?
Friday night, I went to a birthday party with the Girls' Night In Group. We had a good time, of course. We always do. The guest of honor is a vegetarian, so I brought leftover roasted vegetables and steamed broccoli and yellow cauliflower with melted cheese on top. There was also a gluten-free chocolate cake, roast pork, a really yummy bean dip, gluten-free pumpkin spice muffins, and assorted appetizers.
Saturday, I met Stacey for breakfast at a little cafe here on Tennyson that I've been wanting to try. The vegetarian Eggs Benedict were pretty darn good. The cute little kid that kept coming up to say hello was really sweet too.
Then, I went up to the mountains where some good friends of mine had rented a cabin to get away for a long weekend. They had invited several friends up to join them. The friends covered the full spectrum of family hood - one couple had older kids, 9 & 7 (nice kids, well behaved); they have younger kids, 3 & 1 (two sweet little boys); another couple were expecting their first baby; and a fourth couple didn't have any kids at all; and then there were me and Matt, both single. Fortunately, they did not try and set us up. The kids were fun to play with, and there were enough willing adults there to take care of them so that no one person had to get too tired out. Speaking of adults and kids, I had a very strange realization while I was watching the kids and some of the adults sledding: I was at a family vacation and I was one of the adults, not one of the kids. Hmm. Getting older, I guess. The excursion would have been a wee bit better if I had remembered to bring my swimsuit so I could go in the hot tub.
I left in the morning, planning to go see another friend, only to get a voicemail from said friend cancelling the visit. I'm going to assume it was (at least, in part) meant to help me, since, in theory, I wouldn't have to leave the other gathering, but I already had. I was a bit disappointed, but I ended up not going back, since I had already taken leave of everyone and it was at a reasonable juncture (after breakfast had been cleaned up, just as kids were going out to play), so I headed back home. I can always find something that needs doing. I studied some (and will do more, once I get off the computer) and cleaned up the leaves in the yard. I picked 'em up with a lawnmower a friend lent me. I used fewer leaf bags, 'cause all the leaves were chopped up, but there was a bunch of "leaf dust" left over. I guess it'll turn into soil quicker. It was more convenient, I admit.
Oh, and the cats are really happy I'm back. Goof balls.
11.02.2007
Travel Blogs
I've stumbled across a couple fascinating and well-written travel blogs (or "travelblog," like "travelogue") lately. Three, actually, but one was given to me personally (rather than just being out there to find) so it's not really mine to put forward as reading material. The other two, however, are fair game.
A Long Ride (by Dusty Davis) - is a travelblog by an American who decided to get reacquainted with his native country/continent via motorcycle. Subtitled: journal of long distance motorcycle trips. It's got great photos. I found it via a link on Roadtrip America when I was doing research on roadtripping.
el Loco & el Lobo (by Mike and Bondi) - is a travelbog of an Aussie and his Malamute travelling around Europe. He's in Scotland right now. It's also got great photos. Mike posted something funny on another blog I frequent, and I checked out the blog associated with his post.
The third one is a friend of a friend who is travelling in Asia. He's in the Himalayas right now.
I'm planning on reading them all more thoroughly (though when in the oodles of time I have that'll happen, I don't know) but I thought you'd all enjoy them too. It's strange to have found them all in such a short span of time and at the same time that I'm writing a fictional travelogue myself. I must have travelling on my mind a lot lately.
A Long Ride (by Dusty Davis) - is a travelblog by an American who decided to get reacquainted with his native country/continent via motorcycle. Subtitled: journal of long distance motorcycle trips. It's got great photos. I found it via a link on Roadtrip America when I was doing research on roadtripping.
el Loco & el Lobo (by Mike and Bondi) - is a travelbog of an Aussie and his Malamute travelling around Europe. He's in Scotland right now. It's also got great photos. Mike posted something funny on another blog I frequent, and I checked out the blog associated with his post.
The third one is a friend of a friend who is travelling in Asia. He's in the Himalayas right now.
I'm planning on reading them all more thoroughly (though when in the oodles of time I have that'll happen, I don't know) but I thought you'd all enjoy them too. It's strange to have found them all in such a short span of time and at the same time that I'm writing a fictional travelogue myself. I must have travelling on my mind a lot lately.
11.01.2007
Good Start
Started my fictional travel journal this afternoon. I've got about 500 handwritten words and a good start. (Got my idea chatting with a co-worker today.) My protagonist just set off for Mexico on a motorcycle. Heh.
Later: Arrgh. Supposed to be studying, instead I researched online for the next two legs of my fictional road trip. Not a good sign. Fun to plan though! ;)
Later: Arrgh. Supposed to be studying, instead I researched online for the next two legs of my fictional road trip. Not a good sign. Fun to plan though! ;)
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