2007 in review

It's been a busy year and is hard to believe that 2007 is almost over. I got married, moved to a new apartment, had surgery and finished my business management degree. Brittany has changed so much over this year. She is growing up so fast. When I decided to get my hair highlighted I asked her what color she thought would be good. Initially she said orange(her favorite color). Then to my relief she said...if you really want to ...blonde streaks will look good. :-) I went with blonde and am very pleased.

Thanksgiving is almost here

Wow..what a busy month. Between my classes, Brittany's schooling and regular household chores I've barely had time to catch my breath. I'm loving my new desktop. Finally something that doesn't move at turtle speed. Brittany loves it too since she gets my old desktop minus the programs that slowed it down. We ordered a new sound card for Jim's but are returning it for another since the tech that recommended it told us it would work in Jim's Dell Dimension. It doesn't. It's PCI Express and won't fit in the PCI slots. At any rate when I install the new one we will get to hear the full effect of the new surround sound speakers I got him. Can't wait to see the family on Thanksgiving.

Happy Halloween

Have been studying nonstop. Four test between Monday & Tuesday of next week. Brittany dressed up as a black cat for Halloween. She is so cute. Less than 2 months and I'll have my degree. :-)

WorldCat

I just love the WorldCat site. I spent most of the morning adding my book list

Town Politics

Have been extremely busy with school and life in general. My weekends are spent trying to catch up on housework, study for upcoming tests, watching a little football and if there is any time left over...I relax. The deadline for filing for graduation this semester is Oct 5(got to take care of that). I'm trying to decide whether to go back and work towards a 2nd associate degree or try for a certification in genealogy. Hanceville has been in the news alot lately. Our Mayor and Fire Dept. are having issues. My opinion is that there is too much politics and not enough people who have the town's best interest in mind doing their job to make it a better place. That has been the case long before this latest incident. Personally I'd like to see a revival of the downtown area here in Hanceville. Renovating the buildings and drawing businesses into the area would be a step in the right direction and perhaps a small farmers market.

First week of on-campus classes

I finished reading Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks last night. What a wonderful book. If you haven't read this book, please do. Make sure you have a box of tissue nearby. After finishing the Nicholas Sparks book I started reading the first few pages of Sophie Kinsella's Can You Keep A Secret? Truly, a good book is a great way to relax.

The first week of my Fall semester is behind me. Things are going well. I enjoy my on-campus classes and feel I have an understanding of the text we are studying. That, of course is subject to change. I also enjoy my three online classes but I need to get a routine going for those classes. I hate checking every few hours each day to see if there are assignments. I think I need to make myself a schedule of when to check and stick to that.

Brittany is doing pretty well in school. She seems to be enjoying it more this year. Several of her textbooks have materials available online and we have been taking advantage of that. She is such a great artist. She seemed really excited about the books I got her yesterday while I was out. It was a nice variety of books, Arthur, Scooby-Doo, Larry Boy, Magic School Bus and of course a Joke book.

Jim seems to be doing better but these extreme temperatures have us all drained.

Tinkering with C++

I have been reading a bit(no pun intended) about programming and found the following links useful. I will add more as I go...

• The Dev-C++ Resource Site
• C Programming.com
• C++ Language Tutorial
• Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days
• How to think like a Computer Scientist

My Summer Semester Ends, Brittany's School yr begins...

We have really been busy. Now that it's too hot to do much I can catch up on blogging. I got my grades back for my summer semester classes. I made A's in both of the classes(Advertising & Sales Promotion, Office Graphics & Presentation). I got my books for the fall semester and won't have anything to be done before classes begin on Aug 17th. Brittany's classes start tomorrow. I went to her open house last night and met her teachers. She will be changing classes so she has about 4 different teachers. She also has a locker this year so I wrote a check for that and got that taken care of. They will assign them tomorrow. Her bus will be the same as last year at least the same route and driver however they got a new bus and bus #. She seems pretty excited about school. Also one of the girls who was in her Kindergarten class is in her room this year. I've been working with my resume and looking at jobs so I should have that down pretty good by the time I graduate in December.

Fall Semester Registration

I registered for the fall semester at WSCC last night shortly after midnight. $1350 worth of credit hrs.(15) I have just enough left over for my books for each of the classes. I priced the books at the bookstore and should be able to get them with the $800 remaining. Four of them total $600 so unless the 5th book is $200 I should be ok.

Classes---------Course Name-----Instructor

• BUS 263I--------Legal/Socal Env-MCGRIFF-WALDROP
• BUS 271---------Bus. Stats------CROW
• BUS 275I--------Prin. Mgt-------MCGRIFF-WALDROP
• CIS 196E--------MS Excel--------MANNING
• ECO 231---------Prin. Macro-----PERSALL

Fall Semester Registration

Working on my schedule for the Fall Semester. Not sure if I am exempt from Orientation requirement or not. I've been attending since '95 and this is my last semester before graduation so I don't see the logic.

Business Management and Supervision
Associate in Applied Science Degree
GENERAL REQUIRED COURSES

• ORI 101 Orient to College------------1 ?
• ENG 101 English Composition I-----3 x
• SPH 106 Speech-----------------------3 x
• HUM 101 Humanities or Arts---------3 x
• MTH 100 Inter. College Algebra-----3 x
• CIS 146 Microcomputer Applics-----3 x
• CIS 196 Computer science Excel---3 fall semester
• PSY 200 Soc/Behav Science--------3 x
• ECO 231 Princ of Macroecon-------3 fall semester
• Section Sub Total --------------------25

MAJOR REQUIRED COURSES

• BUS 100 Intro to Business-----------3 x
• BUS 241 Principles of Accting I ----3 x
• BUS 275 Principles of Mgmt---------3 fall semester
• BUS 285 Principles of Mkting-------3 x
• ECO 232 Principles of Microecon--3 x
• Section Sub Total --------------------15

OPTION IV - Entrepreneurship
Specialized Courses

• BUS 178 Purchasing------------------3 x
• BUS 242 Princ of Accting II-----------3 x
• BUS 263 Legal/Social of Bus--------3 fall semester
• BUS 271 Bus Stats I-------------------3 fall semester
• BUS 277 Mgmt Seminar--------------3 x
• BUS 279 Sm Bus Mgmt---------------3 x
• MKT 220 Ad & Sales Promo---------3 x(currently enrolled)
• BUS 215 Bus Commun---------------3 x
• OAD 246 Office Graphics------------3 x(currently enrolled)
• Section Sub Total--------------------27
• TOTAL HOURS ----------------------67

Smoothies

Ok. I've been on a smoothies kick since I had my surgery. Here are a few sites that have some good recipes.

• http://www.flowercarole.com/
• http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Drinks/Smoothies/ViewAll.asp
• http://www.smoothie-recipe.com/

Also a few lists of ingredients for smoothies which can be mixed and matched to come up with your own recipes. Obviously some of these just shouldn't mix...but here goes.

• Vanilla Low Fat Frozen Yogurt(or Choc. to use for coffee smoothies)
• Cups of Flavored Yogurts(Strawberry & Strawberry Banana are my favs)
• Bananas(you can cut up and freeze these...be careful they overpower other fruits)
• Strawberries(Frozen or Fresh)
• Orange Juice
• Peaches(Frozen)
• Cherries
• Apple Sauce
• Cinnamon
• Instant Coffee
• Chocolate Syrup
• Coconut
• Milk
• Pineapple(canned)
• Granola or cereal

More later......

Good report from the Dr.

Had a good visit at the Dr. yesterday. Everything seems to be healing and so far no problems. He started me on HRT. Brittany is doing very well. She's had a few problems with sinus and strep infections but she took her meds like a trooper. Her appetite has been great lately too. She had to get another tooth crowned and has a tooth coming in on a baby tooth that has a crown on it. That will be taken care of her next visit in August. I go back to my Dr. July 9th. I need to remember to take my vitamins and calcium tablets. I am getting my strength back daily. Tomorrow I have an on campus meeting for my Office Graphics class.

Jim is doing well. Most of his problems are with muscle cramps caused by the heat. Taking a potassium pill daily seems to really help. It's really nice since we got moved into Apt. 1.

My next Dr. Appt is Monday the 11th. He didn't put me on hormones at my last appointment but will do that Monday. I don't think I've really experienced any symptoms of being hurled into menopause so far. If I have...I haven't recognized it and no one around me has been brave enough to tell me ;-) School is coming along pretty well. I have a test coming up on the 13th as well as a meeting of the Office Graphics class. My Mom came down from TN to help me after my surgery. I don't know what I would have done without her. I'm still not back up to full speed and I guess it will take awhile but I'm well enough that she is able to go back home. Today is her birthday.

Surgery Etc.

Today was a good day. Got the results back from the biopsy they did during my surgery. Great News!! No abnormal cells in new areas :-) I am doing well. It has been a week since the surgery. Tomorrow I have a Dr. Appt and he will check my incision and give me a prescription to keep menopause from kicking my butt. Brittany's awards ceremony went well. Her last day of school was today. It is hard to believe that she starts the 4th Grade this fall. I started my Summer Semester classes Tuesday. I only have 4 on campus meetings left after yesterday's meeting--One Hybrid class and one totally online class.

Brittany's Dance Recital

Brittany's Dance Recital went well. She did a great job. We got her Orange Lillies and Grandpa & Nana Beckman got her a beautiful rose. Afterwards as is tradition we went to Dairy Queen. Brittany was exhausted from her busy day and week. I am so proud of my girl. She wasn't the only one who was exhausted. Today is Mother's day and I will be taking it easy. Monday I hope to be able to set a date for my surgery. Don't know how soon that will be.

Grades

Received my Spring Semester grades yesterday. I made an A in all four of my courses which means I made the President's list.

Summer semester starts on May 25th

My Birthday

 

Had a great birthday yesterday. Brittany took this pic before we went to the park for a picnic and then in search of some more flowers to plant in our flowerbed. It was a really nice day. Alan and Diane brought cupcakes and they along with Brittany and Jim sang Happy Birthday to me.

Online registration starts Monday morning at a minute after midnight. I have a project due Tuesday so will be working most of the weekend to get that done. Two other projects due by May 3 and the Accting II package and this semester will be finished. Summer classes start the end of May. The results of my Workkeys should be in around the 2nd week in May.

I should get the results of my biopsy around the first of May. Hopefully good news.

Brittany's 10th Birthday

     

Spring has sprung!!

My yearly test came back atypical so I have to have a colpo. Not looking forward to that but am looking forward to getting it over with. It's scheduled for April 2nd. Brittany and I went to the park Saturday. She fed the ducks and played on the swings there. A boy that is in her class was also there fishing with his mom and we spent some time talking to them. Her Birthday is coming up soon. Jim and I fixed landscaping timbers around the flowerbeds at Apt 1. Still need to secure the timbers better but is a vast improvement. I will try to post some pics on my garden blog. The Summer class schedule is online at WSCC and I've decided which classes I need to take. They will both be online classes. I am hoping the budget will allow me to take them so I won't have such a load in the fall(when I hope to graduate).

New Year--New News

We had a pretty good weekend. Brittany and I went to a birthday party for her friend Meagan. Brittany really enjoyed herself. Saturday and Sunday's weather was wonderful. Temps were around 70s though the wind was a bit cool if you weren't standing in the sun. Saturday and Sunday the playoffs were on the tube. I watched some of the games with Jim. Brittany and I are both out of school Monday and Tuesday. I plan to do a little studying. I still have to come up with an idea for my Small Business Management Class on what business to write a business plan for....I am leaning towards a Genealogy Research/Document retrieval kind of service. I'd really like to see if there is a market and it seems like the perfect excuse to check that one out. Brittany has dance class on Tuesday. She is really excited about dance....and going to Burger King afterward for that matter. My shows should be new soon. American Idol will be back on soon ....also hope The Shield will start back up soon. My other favs are Friday Night Lights and Standoff. I haven't got to see several of the last Standoff episodes because it was on the same time as FNL(I think that was the show that was on at the conflicting time) I need to try and take one or two classes this spring to insure that I can graduate this fall. Only problem is I will have to pay for that out of my pocket and my funds are pretty much nothing.