Thanks to everyone who wished me good health after my, frankly. terribly self-indulgent post on Monday. Whatever virus had struck was murdered by a high temperature and severe sweating on Monday night and I woke up human again on Tuesday. Don't you just love the immune system? Of course it's also my immune system that's causing all the allergy symptoms but hey - I'd still rather have it than not and I'm very aware that one month of sneezy-misery is very little to put up with in the grand scheme of things so I'm shutting up now (although I'm reserving the right to moan occasionally when I feel like a bag of shite!)
I spent Tuesday reading a book instead of writing my assignments. This is me all over. Call it what you will - procrastination, displacement activities, laziness .... but if there's a job that needs doing and a deadline looming I have to push that envelope to ripping point before I can get my head in the game. I had three pieces to write. The deadline was today. It was recommended that we submitted on Thursday because we have to do it online and they wanted any incompatibility issues to be flagged before the deadline. Sensible enough. I had a schedule planned out.
Monday. Finish reading the Block 2 and do activities designed to focus mind for writing Assessment pieces.
Tuesday. Write part 1
Wednesday. Write part 2
Thursday. Write part 3. Check over all three parts. Submit.
I think as schedules go that worked well. Everything's covered, I have paced myself well and left lots of time for other activities like parenting, dog walking, cleaning, eating and sneezing.
What actually happened was closer to this......
Monday. Wake up at 4 am to pack daughter off to France. Start feeling a bit rough. By actual getting up time I feel like death on sticks. Blog about it (because that's what normal people do). Try sitting at computer to work but give up. Print off the entire Block 2 and take it up to bed - using pen and paper instead of electronic media. Do as much as I can whilst alternatively shivering and sweating. Drink a lot of tea.
Tuesday. Wake up feeling great. Promise myself that I will definitely get all my reading done today. The postman comes and delivers the third book in the Twilight saga, Eclipse. Try hard to ignore it. Only 3 days and I can read it. Try to finish block 2. Make cup of tea then go to my room and submerge myself in Edward, Bella and Jacob and all the goings on in the land of teenage vampire/human/werewolf relationships. (Well I did promise myself I'd get my reading done today). Blissfully ignore my course.
Wednesday. Finish Eclipse. Mourn finishing Eclipse. Have Small Son's friend and his Mum around for a visit till 4.15 pm. Totally forget to pick up Big Son from Eco Club till reminded by Hubby on Skype that he should've been home by now. Mad dash to school. (In my defence with daughter away I didn't even know what day of the week it was and he does normally get the bus home). Only 20 minutes late - he was cool. Finally sit down to finish Block 2 after dinner. Fall asleep writing.
Thursday. Write Parts 1, 2 and 3 and submit. Go to bed with headache.
Were they any good? - No idea whatsoever! I did amaze myself by how focussed I was though.
7 comments:
I am always comforted by the company of other procrastinators!! Especially if they are reading instead of staying on-task!!
I only had about 2 hours of free, unscheduled time this week (crazy week) and I spent it skimming the Claire Tomalin biography of Jane Austen to see how closely it lined up with "Miss Austen Regrets." Needless to say, this was not -- perhaps -- a top priority.
You are the second blogger I've seen refer to Meyer's Twilight trilogy. My 14 yo has LOVED the first two books. Did you get Eclipse from Amazon? Is it in bookstores yet? Must look into that . . .
Hope you are feeling better, btw.
Poor Janey! I'm glad you are better!
I've heard of Skype! I need to look into it, huh?
I am Procrastinator extraordinaire, and it works quite well. In grad school, one class's grade consisted only of a paper. I'd spent all semester researching, writing, etc. Joylessly, because I didn't really like the topic.
The NIGHT before I went to the library, pulled together whatever resources they had on hand, changed the topic, wrote the paper, handed it in at 9AM and got an A+. Bad reinforcement of the habit, but...oh well.
What do you think of the 3rd Meyers book? After the 2nd, I was feeling like I was on a sugar high - just grossly sweet and heavy. I will read the 4th one, of course, but I'm not as excited about it as I was about the 2nd. Oh, well.
Glad you feeling better- apologies for lack of comments- my ex has cut off my broadband at home (great) so I very rarely get to spend much time on t'internet, but I am still here reading and enjoying your whittering on!
x
Hi Bee - crazy week indeed. I don't like being the only parent on duty - not because of the extra work - I miss the other parent!
As for The Twilight Series - I have to say I love it. The writing isn't necessarily great (can be repetitive - very) but it does draw you in. It's rather compulsive! New Moon was a bit of a filler - necessary for the overall story, but not the best book but I thought Eclipse was better. This is not an opinion shared by some reviewers though. It's out now in Hardback on Amazon but be careful if ordering because Amazon seem to pull up the Spanish version as first option in the search engine. The last of the series Breaking Dawn is out in August as is the first book told from Edward's point of view Midnight Sun.
Ello - Skype is fab. I can either speak, see (if webcam's working) or text anywhere in the world for the price of a local call. There's a bit of a delay from China but it's nice to be able to see Hubby every day.
Aerin - I have had the exact same experience with acing tests by cramming at the last minute. I have also failed abysmally. It's taught me nothing!!
Re Eclipse - As I said to Bee, I can see why people aren't so glowing about it but I can see where she's going - at least I think I can - and I think the finale should be good!
Cathy - thank God for the NHS! I've been dropping in on you too but my own phone line's been on the blink as well. ;0)
I can't stand the procrastination side of me. It's driving me crazy. Perhaps to the point of change???
And...what is skype?
Barrie - Skype is a program that allows you to use your computer to make calls, text communications or do video conferencing. Check out Wikipedia's explanation here. It's invaluable when you have a family member who travels a lot!
Post a Comment