Math class is almost over.
I am so sick of working with numbers I could scream. I am tired of working to find the difference between the cube root of seven and the cube root of sixteen. I am tired of working six hours a day on nothing but NUMBERS. Shakespeare, where are you when I need you?
Class ends on Wednesday. Today is Thursday. Less than a week and I am done with remedial math.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
A word from my second math class.
My first math class has ended and I passed. Whew. How did I do it? Notice I said, "I passed." That means I worked very, very hard and got a C. I am proud of that C. I have not had math in many years and it never was my best class. To get a passing grade in a remedial course I really have no apptitude for is something. I stand a little taller and walk a little prouder because of that C. Way to go!
I have started the second remedial math class. It is nothing but more algebra. I get home after class and get started around 2 pm with my homework. I work until I can't think any more. I suppose the important thing is I am learning. I refer not to learning algebra but to learning how to deal with a very linear process in a meticulus way. (I am too laid back to be meticulus, and am NOT a linear thinker.) I use colored pencils to organize the equations, take my time and double check my work. I use my calculator for even the most basic of problems and found it helps to circle the positive and negative signs to keep everything straight. I also find it helps to write big. Since June, I have used up three legal pads and at least one hundred pages of filler paper. I keep thinking the batteries in my calculator are going to die and need replacing.
One thing that keeps me going is thinking of my Shakespeare class when I was a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I think of Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and All's Well That Ends Well. I think of five acts and conflict, Queen Elizabeth I and guys in drag on stage. But most of all, I think of Shakespeare's incredible use and command of language. I think of words, and somehow get through tedius algebra.
Tomorrow is Monday and it is back to math class.
My first math class has ended and I passed. Whew. How did I do it? Notice I said, "I passed." That means I worked very, very hard and got a C. I am proud of that C. I have not had math in many years and it never was my best class. To get a passing grade in a remedial course I really have no apptitude for is something. I stand a little taller and walk a little prouder because of that C. Way to go!
I have started the second remedial math class. It is nothing but more algebra. I get home after class and get started around 2 pm with my homework. I work until I can't think any more. I suppose the important thing is I am learning. I refer not to learning algebra but to learning how to deal with a very linear process in a meticulus way. (I am too laid back to be meticulus, and am NOT a linear thinker.) I use colored pencils to organize the equations, take my time and double check my work. I use my calculator for even the most basic of problems and found it helps to circle the positive and negative signs to keep everything straight. I also find it helps to write big. Since June, I have used up three legal pads and at least one hundred pages of filler paper. I keep thinking the batteries in my calculator are going to die and need replacing.
One thing that keeps me going is thinking of my Shakespeare class when I was a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I think of Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and All's Well That Ends Well. I think of five acts and conflict, Queen Elizabeth I and guys in drag on stage. But most of all, I think of Shakespeare's incredible use and command of language. I think of words, and somehow get through tedius algebra.
Tomorrow is Monday and it is back to math class.
Monday, July 16, 2012
I was right!
Yes, I was right. I was not prepared for last Monday's exam. The amount of work required for the course was more than I anticipated. I have not had algebra since high school, and what little I learned I long ago forgot. Algebra seems to be one of the classes that, while required, has almost no practical value unless you are a chemist, an engineer, or want to know when two speeding trains will collide. I think high schools should require practical math skills of every student and put less emphasis on the algebra.
But I am back in algebra class and have worked hard to keep up. I spent at least 5 hours every night on my homework and was able to keep my nose above water, so to speak, until we did quadratic equations. I don't remember doing those in high school at all. As I said before, I am slow in math and the quadratics required lots of practice. It got to the point I couldn't keep up and got very far behind. There was no way I could get a decent grade on the exam, and I didn't.
We had the final on Thursday, and I wasn't prepared for that, either. I did the best I could, though, and somehow managed to pass the course. My next math class started this morning. It is a continuation of the one I just took, so I am sure I will put in lots more hours into the review and study of algebra. I am sick of math, but if it makes chemistry that much easier in the fall, it is full steam ahead.
Yes, I was right. I was not prepared for last Monday's exam. The amount of work required for the course was more than I anticipated. I have not had algebra since high school, and what little I learned I long ago forgot. Algebra seems to be one of the classes that, while required, has almost no practical value unless you are a chemist, an engineer, or want to know when two speeding trains will collide. I think high schools should require practical math skills of every student and put less emphasis on the algebra.
But I am back in algebra class and have worked hard to keep up. I spent at least 5 hours every night on my homework and was able to keep my nose above water, so to speak, until we did quadratic equations. I don't remember doing those in high school at all. As I said before, I am slow in math and the quadratics required lots of practice. It got to the point I couldn't keep up and got very far behind. There was no way I could get a decent grade on the exam, and I didn't.
We had the final on Thursday, and I wasn't prepared for that, either. I did the best I could, though, and somehow managed to pass the course. My next math class started this morning. It is a continuation of the one I just took, so I am sure I will put in lots more hours into the review and study of algebra. I am sick of math, but if it makes chemistry that much easier in the fall, it is full steam ahead.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Back to school and ready to write
My blog is now about going back to school, so let's jump right in. What is it like to return to school when one is old enough to be a grandmother?
First, it is scary. I lost my job two years ago and my unemployment has run out. That means the money has to come from somewhere. Going back to school means making the financial commitment to pay the rent, food, insurance, whatever, and of course school and tuition expenses. There are many times when I ask myself, "How can I do this?" The answer is I don't know. At times it seems like I am pulling money out of thin air. But I have no choice. I have to do this. I am trained as a librarian, but despite being a darn good one don't want to return to the field. Library-ville doesn't challenge me. I have spent 10 years teaching composition. I loved that job but am burned out from correcting papers. I need a new job and a new direction; let's see where learning about the body takes me.
Returning to school re-defines you. I love college and love learning, so I have been in school on and off for various degrees over the years. You would think I would have defined myself a long time ago. Not so. I find I am, as I study something I was always afraid to study, more than I ever thought I was. Science (and now mathematics in summer school) is allowing me to see myself in ways that astound me. I am walking with more assurance, standing taller and looking people in the eye more because something I was always afraid to study is before me and I am tackling it.
I will conclude shortly. I have an exam tomorrow morning and I am not prepared for it. I am taking a remedial math class which is an incredible amount of work for me. I have not had this stuff since high school and to keep up means about 5-6 hours of work every night. I am slow in math and the course condenses an entire semester into a month. I have learned a great deal, but it is very difficult for me to do math. I am off to bed, and so I say good night.
My blog is now about going back to school, so let's jump right in. What is it like to return to school when one is old enough to be a grandmother?
First, it is scary. I lost my job two years ago and my unemployment has run out. That means the money has to come from somewhere. Going back to school means making the financial commitment to pay the rent, food, insurance, whatever, and of course school and tuition expenses. There are many times when I ask myself, "How can I do this?" The answer is I don't know. At times it seems like I am pulling money out of thin air. But I have no choice. I have to do this. I am trained as a librarian, but despite being a darn good one don't want to return to the field. Library-ville doesn't challenge me. I have spent 10 years teaching composition. I loved that job but am burned out from correcting papers. I need a new job and a new direction; let's see where learning about the body takes me.
Returning to school re-defines you. I love college and love learning, so I have been in school on and off for various degrees over the years. You would think I would have defined myself a long time ago. Not so. I find I am, as I study something I was always afraid to study, more than I ever thought I was. Science (and now mathematics in summer school) is allowing me to see myself in ways that astound me. I am walking with more assurance, standing taller and looking people in the eye more because something I was always afraid to study is before me and I am tackling it.
I will conclude shortly. I have an exam tomorrow morning and I am not prepared for it. I am taking a remedial math class which is an incredible amount of work for me. I have not had this stuff since high school and to keep up means about 5-6 hours of work every night. I am slow in math and the course condenses an entire semester into a month. I have learned a great deal, but it is very difficult for me to do math. I am off to bed, and so I say good night.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Time for a change
Many years ago, I graduated from college as an English major. Majoring in English can be a very good thing. English majors know how to read, write, critique, interpret and evaluate. That is what we spent four years doing, and for the most part we are very good at it. I am proud to be an English major.
It can be hard to find a job with a degree in English, but over the years I have been very fortunate. I have had some interesting (but never lucrative) jobs: I worked in a law office, several libraries, and taught at both the high school and college level. I was laid off from my last teaching job in 2010, and took some time to decide which direction to go next. I don't want to work in a library again; I wasn't challenged enough with library life and did not like what I saw on the management level. I refuse to work in a law office again. I loved teaching, but I could not correct another paper for thrice my salary (as an English major, I am proud to be able to use "thrice" in a sentence.) I want to step out and do something I have never done before.
My first attempt was massage therapy school. That did not work for various reasons, but it did open an unexpected door. As an English major, I avoided the sciences like poison. I took the easiest science class I could find to meet my requirements, an overview kind of course with no lab. It was rather dull. There is quite a bit of science in massage therapy, and it was with trepidation that I approached my studies. To my delight, I enjoyed the sciences involved with massage. I loved anatomy and nutrition, and I was fascinated with the physics and wanted to learn more. I dropped out of massage school after only a few months and this past January went back to school at Edinboro University with an undeclared major. During my first semester, I took human biology, human sexuality, and a chemistry class. I didn't work as hard in graduate school as I did this past semester. School took up all most all of my time. I loved every minute of it.
This brings me to the blog. A good friend has suggested I re-evaluate the purpose of my blog, and perhaps he is right. My orginal intent was to write about the various things to do in Erie County, and I am proud of what I have done with this blog. I have gone places and done things that have made me feel like I'm part of the world, a part of this place on Lake Erie I call home. It is a good feeling.
With the start of school comes change in my life and in the blog. I don't have the time to just be a reporter of things to do in Erie. I now have homework and tests to study for. My friend said, "Why don't you blog about school, in addition to going places?"
"That would mean changing the blog's purpose," I protested.
"Then change it."
Ok. Consider the purpose of the blog changed. I will continue to write about things to do in Erie County, but hereby expand my scope to write about doings outside of Erie County and my life as a student. My life has expanded in the past few months. It seems only right that the blog expand, too.
Many years ago, I graduated from college as an English major. Majoring in English can be a very good thing. English majors know how to read, write, critique, interpret and evaluate. That is what we spent four years doing, and for the most part we are very good at it. I am proud to be an English major.
It can be hard to find a job with a degree in English, but over the years I have been very fortunate. I have had some interesting (but never lucrative) jobs: I worked in a law office, several libraries, and taught at both the high school and college level. I was laid off from my last teaching job in 2010, and took some time to decide which direction to go next. I don't want to work in a library again; I wasn't challenged enough with library life and did not like what I saw on the management level. I refuse to work in a law office again. I loved teaching, but I could not correct another paper for thrice my salary (as an English major, I am proud to be able to use "thrice" in a sentence.) I want to step out and do something I have never done before.
My first attempt was massage therapy school. That did not work for various reasons, but it did open an unexpected door. As an English major, I avoided the sciences like poison. I took the easiest science class I could find to meet my requirements, an overview kind of course with no lab. It was rather dull. There is quite a bit of science in massage therapy, and it was with trepidation that I approached my studies. To my delight, I enjoyed the sciences involved with massage. I loved anatomy and nutrition, and I was fascinated with the physics and wanted to learn more. I dropped out of massage school after only a few months and this past January went back to school at Edinboro University with an undeclared major. During my first semester, I took human biology, human sexuality, and a chemistry class. I didn't work as hard in graduate school as I did this past semester. School took up all most all of my time. I loved every minute of it.
This brings me to the blog. A good friend has suggested I re-evaluate the purpose of my blog, and perhaps he is right. My orginal intent was to write about the various things to do in Erie County, and I am proud of what I have done with this blog. I have gone places and done things that have made me feel like I'm part of the world, a part of this place on Lake Erie I call home. It is a good feeling.
With the start of school comes change in my life and in the blog. I don't have the time to just be a reporter of things to do in Erie. I now have homework and tests to study for. My friend said, "Why don't you blog about school, in addition to going places?"
"That would mean changing the blog's purpose," I protested.
"Then change it."
Ok. Consider the purpose of the blog changed. I will continue to write about things to do in Erie County, but hereby expand my scope to write about doings outside of Erie County and my life as a student. My life has expanded in the past few months. It seems only right that the blog expand, too.
Monday, March 19, 2012
International Gannon University
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Gannon University, Waldron Campus Center
Last week Wednesday, Kim and I went to the alumni luncheon at Gannon University. This year's theme was, "It's a small world: International Gannon."
The luncheon included foods from China, Saudi Arabia, and India. The food was good, especially the vegetables on the India table. After lunch, we enjoyed the program which included five or six international students who spoke about their experiences and adventures at Gannon. The students were from Pakistan, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, China and India. I came away very impressed. These students are very intelligent and articulate, and seemed to have a good attitude about living and studying so far from home. I enjoyed the luncheon very much.
After lunch, Kim and I walked to the parking ramp where we were both parked. For about an hour we sat and talked on the top level of the ramp, enjoying the company and the sunshine. When we were ready to go, we discovered Kim's car battery was dead. I pulled my car close to hers while Kim searched her trunk for jumper cables. We connected the cables, and twenty minutes later we were both on our way. A little thing like a dead battery can't stop two intrepid and resourceful women like us.
Gannon University, Waldron Campus Center
Last week Wednesday, Kim and I went to the alumni luncheon at Gannon University. This year's theme was, "It's a small world: International Gannon."
The luncheon included foods from China, Saudi Arabia, and India. The food was good, especially the vegetables on the India table. After lunch, we enjoyed the program which included five or six international students who spoke about their experiences and adventures at Gannon. The students were from Pakistan, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, China and India. I came away very impressed. These students are very intelligent and articulate, and seemed to have a good attitude about living and studying so far from home. I enjoyed the luncheon very much.
After lunch, Kim and I walked to the parking ramp where we were both parked. For about an hour we sat and talked on the top level of the ramp, enjoying the company and the sunshine. When we were ready to go, we discovered Kim's car battery was dead. I pulled my car close to hers while Kim searched her trunk for jumper cables. We connected the cables, and twenty minutes later we were both on our way. A little thing like a dead battery can't stop two intrepid and resourceful women like us.
Zoo season opens. Sunday, February 26, 2012
One of my favorite places to go is the Erie Zoo. For the past several years, the Zoo has closed during the winter. When they reopen in the spring, the Zoo is fortunate to have funding to have free admission or a very low admission cost. One year the Zoo charged the daily temperature as admission, and I think I paid thirty-five cents to get in. There was free admission this year, and the crowd responded to the opportunity to see tigers, lions, penguins and llamas, to name a few.
Several baby animals were born over the winter, and the crowds were thick around the orangutans to see the adorable little one who stayed so close to her mother. The primates had climbed to a high platform where they could see and be seen, and yet feel safe.
Another popular place to be was at the gorilla exhibit to see Samantha, our lone gorilla. In mid-February, the Zoo staff had decided Samantha needed a companion and found a small black and white rabbit named Panda. Samantha and Panda share the same enclosure and are quite happy. It is heart warming to see the two of them together.
My favorite exhibit was in the barn. Amidst the stalls for horses and pigs is a glassed enclosure where a small, bright green and yellow parrot lives. The parrot sat quite close to the glass to get a better glimpse of all who walked by. A little girl in her grandmother's arms peered at the parrot and brought a finger up to the glass. The parrot tried to reach the child's finger (which of course was impossible). The child shrieked with laughter as she pulled her finger away. Again and again she brought her finger to the glass; again and again the parrot reached for her finger. The little girl's laughter filled the barn. It was good to hear that, and nice to see people interacting with the animals.
When the little girl and her grandmother moved on, I stepped up to the glass and brought my finger up so the parrot could see it. The parrot made no move for my finger. I was a bit put out. The parrot would not play with me.
Several baby animals were born over the winter, and the crowds were thick around the orangutans to see the adorable little one who stayed so close to her mother. The primates had climbed to a high platform where they could see and be seen, and yet feel safe.
Another popular place to be was at the gorilla exhibit to see Samantha, our lone gorilla. In mid-February, the Zoo staff had decided Samantha needed a companion and found a small black and white rabbit named Panda. Samantha and Panda share the same enclosure and are quite happy. It is heart warming to see the two of them together.
My favorite exhibit was in the barn. Amidst the stalls for horses and pigs is a glassed enclosure where a small, bright green and yellow parrot lives. The parrot sat quite close to the glass to get a better glimpse of all who walked by. A little girl in her grandmother's arms peered at the parrot and brought a finger up to the glass. The parrot tried to reach the child's finger (which of course was impossible). The child shrieked with laughter as she pulled her finger away. Again and again she brought her finger to the glass; again and again the parrot reached for her finger. The little girl's laughter filled the barn. It was good to hear that, and nice to see people interacting with the animals.
When the little girl and her grandmother moved on, I stepped up to the glass and brought my finger up so the parrot could see it. The parrot made no move for my finger. I was a bit put out. The parrot would not play with me.
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