Halloween!

Halloween weekend was frightening and marvelous, all at once!  Thursday, 10/28, I worked from 7:30 AM to 4 PM, then came home to a 3 and a half hour Anatomy test.  I was afraid that if I didn't take it before the weekend, I might be in no state to take it after, given the fact that we were spending Saturday night at my brother's house in Sarasota, about 40 miles south of St. Pete.  I started the test at 4:45, hoping I hadn't made a mistake by testing early in the last week.  My husband ran out for subs for dinner, and I could smell it waiting for me.... but I was not swayed!  I left it sit, a kind of reward for finishing.  I made it through the allotted time with little to spare (about 10 minutes left, I think!), despairing that I didn't have as much time as I would like to review, but nonetheless finished.  My final grade was an 87%, but it was enough to keep me in honors because of my other course grades.  Whew!  I even had time to watch the bulk of "the big Bang Theory" while eating my sub!  I would like to have done a bit better, but I am satisfied.

Friday, after work, my husband and I ran to the grocery store so I could get a veggie tray and fixings for potato salad to take to my brother's house on Saturday.  I ran home and started boiling potatoes, then colored my hair (lol) and dressed for my son's concert (mosh pit band!) at 7 PM.  We left about 6:15 to pick up a friend on the way.  Of course, the band didn't start playing until almost 8:00, but it was great to see them as a 4-piece rather than a 5-piece, since one of the guitarists dropped out.  My son plays lead guitar, and we could hear him so well!!  What a treat!  After they played, we joined some of the band members at a Thai restaurant, and I had my first sushi experience.  I am in LOVE with sushi!  Now I can't wait to do it again!

Saturday morning I "slept in" until 9:00, but had to be at the library at 10:00 to read with my gifted "reading buddy".  He read to me about battleships of World War II.  He is 7 years old and reads like a junior high kid!  Afterward, I still had to dig out my Halloween costume and pack a bag, so I had no time to make potato salad.  I bagged up all the stuff to prepare it in Sarasota, and we were off. 

As soon as we arrived in Sarasota, hubby helped the guys finish the decorating while the girls ran to pick up subs, wings and supplies.  I made potato salad eventually (lol), then we all dressed for a costume party.  I was Mimi from the Drew Carey Show.  They had set up a graveyard and had styrofoam tombstones available for us to fill out our own headstone.  We ate, drank, and played cards into the wee hours, and I don't even remember helping clean the kitchen before retiring for the night!

Sunday morning I had such an aching head that I could only congratulate myself for having taken the test Thursday and having it behind me.  It was a great weekend, and a wonderful way for me to celebrate the end of the term! 

Wow! What a Term!!

•         What advice would you now give to someone writing his/her first scientific paper?
First, I would say READ, READ, READ up on your topic.  Find as much information as you can on your subject and become well-acquainted with it.  Keep a list of all your resources so you can go back to them as needed.  Follow the guidelines you learned in Composition classes, and don't forget to check your citations and references for format.

•         What areas do you feel you strengthened in the past 10 weeks?
I definitely strengthened my skills in APA formatting, expanding on an idea in the paper, and transitioning.  The editing tool "Paramedic Method" was great for taking out some of the excess words and helped with flow.

•         What areas do you feel still need improvement in regards to writing?
When working on my draft, I go into a kind of "brain death" from looking over my paper time and again.  I would like to be able to write the draft early enough to be able to put it away for a couple of days before doing my final edit.  I just tend to keep picking at it.

•         Any final thoughts or statements to make before we wrap up?

I enjoyed this term very much, and hope to hear from all of you! 

Just Plain Tired, But Love to Write

Well, my paper IS almost done, and I feel just plain tired!  Doing two research papers at once has been an incredible brain drain, and I am looking forward eagerly to the week off.  My Anatomy paper has gone extremely well, while I feel my Composition paper has suffered, and I have suffered along with it.  I can generally write easily, but I have struggled with this particular paper.  I really feel that my subject is not heart-felt enough, and that's bad.  If I am having trouble getting into my own paper, how can I expect my reader to feel?  However, I am determined to use my new tools to work through this and make it the paper I will be proud to submit!

I have gotten my feedback from the Writing Center, and most of what they pointed out I already knew, in my heart.  This weekend I will be going over my paper and its critique in detail.  What I expect to do is to rearrange some information that appears to be out of place in one paragraph by modeling it again with the post-draft outline.  I will work on my transitions and add some more detail where it is lacking, and reword some of my in-text citing.  Overall, I hope to get a better flow for my readers. 

I have always written.  I will always write.  Whether I am writing song lyrics, or office memos, or research papers, the tools I now have will help me with all of those.

I think the most interesting topic for me in this course was the paramedic method.  It was all new to me, but it works so well, I don't know how I ever lived without it! 

Good luck to all, and I hope you will continue to blog!

Jogging Means Run, Blogging Means Fun!

It's finally cooling off a bit down here in sunny Florida, and that means it's time for me to get out the jogging shoes and get a bit more active.  It's kind of like spring up north.  You do your outside activities when it's comfortable.  Since school began last January, I have found myself sitting at the computer day and night, as I have a desk job at work.  My poor tushy is screaming, "Get up!  Get up!"   I have been missing my walks and runs, and it's time for me to get serious about it once again. My heart and lungs will appreciate it,  although my knees and ankles will beg for mercy!

Blogging is just like an exercise habit.  I imagine it's much easier to keep up with your blog when it is mandatory, but it's still fun.  It's a little disappointing not to get comments, because you are never sure whether anyone has even read your work.  Then again, I think it would be very exciting to be writing my own blog, outside of class, and actually have some followers.  This seems to give purpose to the exercise of writing on a regular basis, a goal similar to weight loss due to jogging. 

I have started a second blog about spices, and I am glad to be doing it, as I am discovering interesting facts about and uses for some of the spices on my shelf.   I don't intend to continue that blog once I have exhausted my spice rack, but who knows?  I would, however, enjoy blogging in the future if the occasion arises and the subject is something about which I can passionately write.

I do hope to see you all in the blogging world after the cuorse is finished!  

That "Peer Review" Thing

Many of us are writing about how it feels to be reviewed and to review our classmates' papers.  I think it is the most obvious and emotional subject of the week.  While looking forward to hearing what you have to say about my paper with great enthusiasm, I feel nervous about making comments on your papers because I fear you will think I am an idiot (lol) or a meanie.  We are all on both ends of the stick this week, reviewing and being reviewed.  It is a difficult thing to take criticism.  Just imagine actors reading newspaper reviews.  You have to pick and choose and be comfortable with yourself, ignoring what you feel is incorrect and embracing helpful hints.  We need to be open-minded abut reviews.  I truly wish you all the best on your final projects! 

Six Weeks in Retrospective

It's been a full six weeks!  The Dow Jones is up a bit.  Tony curtis passed away, as did Gloria Stuart (the old woman from "Titanic"), and Eddie Fisher.  The Pope visited the UK.  Pakistan remains flooded, as does a portion of the East Coast of the U.S. at this time.  And, the Chilean miners are still underground.

Given these facts, my last six weeks have personally been dull.  No deaths, no storms, no tragedies (unless you consider the theft of some of my son's band equipment!).  However, it's been a full six-weeks of head-in-the-book weekends as I deal with my most difficullt class to date, A&P II.  Given that and the fact that I seem to have so many papers to write this term, I feel like a real book nerd.  I do miss the beach, but that will come along, as the weather is cooling a bit.  I am anxious to finish this term and look forward to the holidays! 

How Do I Write? With a Pen, Of Course!

When I have to write a paper for school, my first thoughts are about topic.  I list three or four things I want to write about, and I consider which ones I already know something about.  I pick the one that interests me first, and begin looking for information on the internet to see how much info is out there.  If my choices are scanty, I select another and do the same.  When I find the one that has a decent amount of data, and is somewhat interesting, I print 3 or 4 of the resources and read through them to see if I can find 3 key points.  Once this is done, I can develop my thesis statement and list 3 references.  I use free writing often to get some ideas on paper so I don't forget something.

The next step is to start my outline.  I lay out my paper this way:  1)  Introduction; 2) Thesis statement; 3) First key point; 4) Second key point; 5) Third key point; 6) Conclusion.  Then I start filling in the blanks.  I can begin using my references and my knowledge to fill in the key point paragraphs.  Then I go back to fill in the intro and conclusion. 

As I am developing my paragraphs, I immediately list my references at the bottom of the page in proper APA format, adding new ones as I add in-text citations.  By the time I finish, I have a first draft, complete with references.  I add a title page and set up the reference page, and I am ready to tweak the body of the paper so it flows.  At this point I like to send it to the Writing Center for comments, so I will have feedback to realign the paper. 

I hope there is something here that will help you!

Update on Elmo

Poor Elmo!  The new Lmo (lawnmower) has expired.  After about 2 hours of use, my husband started having trouble with it, and hearing little pieces of something inside the engine, like plastic pieces.  He changed the oil, the gas and the spark plug and cleaned the air filter (after only 2 hours of use!!) and nothing helped.  We were within the 30 day warranty, so poor Elmo was given a proper burial at Lowe's credit department.  We have decided to purchase a used one this time... sigh!  Sometimes, new isn't best.

Plagiarism - A Crime in Writing

The Meriam-Webster Online Dictionary describes plagiraism as literary theft (Plagiarism.org, 2010). It is the use of the ideas or works of another without giving them due credit.  U.S. Law considers this to be theft of intellectual property, a fraudulent act which is a violation of copyright law.

The copyright page of the U.S. Government ( http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html#501) suggests legal action as penalty for infringing on someone else's property.  An injured party can claim damages such as loss of profit and court fees, but this can also be a criminal charge with fines and imprisonment.  This is the law that covers downloading, copying and selling illegal music and movies, among other things.  This iact s not taken lightly.  Recall how Napster, the file-sharing site, was taken to court for sharing copyrighted information.  This also happens with Domain names and company names. 

However, many schools find non-criminal ways to punish a student for plagiarism, such as expulsion or withdrawal of academic credits.  Sharon Stoerger provides us with a wealth of articles involving plagiarism that she prepared for the University of Illinois (2009).  There is a case of a large number of students failling a course for buying term papers.  Browsing through this site will show you the breadth of the issue.

If someone were to copy my work, I would be inclined to inform the boss or the teacher of the incident.  However, I also write lyrics as a hobby.  If I found that someone had published my lyrics, I would take legal action, as my works are copyrighted. 

To keep yourself free of these charges, be sure to use quotations when quoting directly, and always cite your sources.

References:

Copyright Infringement (n.d.). U.S. Government. Retrieved September 16, 2010 from http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html#501.

Plagiarism.org (2010). What is plagiarism? Retrieved September 16, 2010 from http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_what_is_plagiarism.html.

Stoerger (2009). Plagiarism. Retrieved September 16, 2010 from http://web-miner.com/plagiarism.

Things Happen for a Reason

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason.  What goes around, comes around.  For example, years ago I was a temporary worker at a metal shop, for about 4 months.  When I moved to Florida, I applied for a job at a metal shop as bookkeeper, and lo and behold I am now their employee.  The knowledge I learned on the temp job got my feet wet in the metal industry and made it much easier for my present job.

The reason I bring this up is because I volunteer with the local library as a reading buddy to a gifted 7-year-old, Daniel.  He reads at about a 10th grade level, and he is a real Civil War/American Revolution buff.  His knowledge on that subject astounds me.  While we were moving last month, I came across an old book called Civil War Collector's Encycolpedia which describes all kinds of memorabilia, such as uniforms, weapons, camps, etc. in great detail with pictures and illustrations.  I believe this was a book we got from my father-in-law before he passed away.  This morning I presented it to Daniel, and he was awestruck.  I am sure he will benefit from the book much more than I ever would.  I can't wait to hear about his explorations!

9/11

In memory of those who died in the tragic events of September 11, 2001, I ask you all to say a prayer today to honor the fallen.  May they rest in peace, and may we never forget.

Mosh Pit Memoirs

Well, my son is lead guitarist in a local rock band.  I love to go watch them perform, because they are quite good.  Besides, I have come to find the mosh pit to be quite entertaining.  There are some regulars who are always there, so it's kind of like a big happy family now.  I have come to know the following things about the mosh pit from watching this "dance" :

You are either in or you're out. You may think you are out, but the only way to be sure is to step outside (lol). If you are near the band, you are DEFINITELY in. If you are "near" the pit, it is your sworn duty to be a buffer for those who get shoved. If someone falls, you help them back up, even if they punch you.  If there is one particular idiot in the bunch, gang warfare is sure to ensue. Drink lots of water and stay well-oiled. You have not been a successful mosher if you do not ache in the morning. And finally, new rock is as good as classic rock - it's just more painful!

This comes from the wise mother of a band member who knows just where to stand to get the best pictures....

Blogging With the Best of Them! (or, at least, the rest of them!)

I love the idea of being part of a larger blogging community.  I once aspired to write magazine articles, a profession that I never pursued because everyday life was too busy and I didn't have the discipline at the time.  Blogging is similar to that, but actually much easier.  You can write about anything at any time.  The average Joe certainly has some things to get off his chest, or some ideas that others may find useful or entertaining.  Blogging is the perfect media for expressing oneself.  In a themed blog, a writer can post on a thread of interest for as long as he/she likes.  My feeling is that if you write something good, your audience will find you, locally or globally.  I hope to find ways to introduce my writing to the blogging world.

Besides this blog for school, I have started a second blog called Spice Up Your Life.  The premise is to learn for myself how to use several spices in my spice rack for which I currently have no use.  I don't have a clue what to do with them!  I hope to research what they are and how they are used, and I hope to get suggestions from others for recipes to enrich my culinary abilities and curiosities.  The link follows:

http://spiceupyourlifeblogspotcom.blogspot.com/

I hope you all find blogging to be enriching and fun!

COMPANY SLOGAN

I work for a metal fabrication shop.  We make or repair items made of metal, large or small.  When the new owner took over a few years ago, he was asking if anyone had ideas for a slogan we would use for the business.  I suggested the following:  "You give us the business - we'll fix your wagon."  He was not amused....

Blood

In A&P II this week, the subject is blood.  This wonderful substance pulsing through our veins provides life-sustaining elements and characteristics that boggle the mind.  The in-depth knowledge of its crucialities, however, cause me to ponder the poor vampire and his need for blood.  What is it that blood provides to the wanton blood-sucker?  Perhaps he has a need for erythrocytes, red blood cells, to carry more oxygen in, or more carbon dioxide out; perhaps he is anemic.  It is possible that his white blood cell count is low or high, or that phagocytosis is too active in his system.  He must have no clotting problem, because he cannot die.  And yet, what happens if he ingests an incompatible blood type?  My guess is that the vampire is a universal recipient.....

Elmo for Belmo

My husband sent me a text the other day:  "Lmo died".  What does Lmo mean?  Who died?  Elmo? Was this a typo?  I pondered for a few moments before I concluded that Lmo must be his abbreviation for LAWN MOWER, which had recently been sputtering and gasping for breath with each use.  I called him to express my sympathies, and he already had a new one scoped out.  We were so excited!  This would be our first real NEW lawn mower!   And to top it off, Lowe's gave my husband a military veteran discount of 10%.  We are now the proud owners of a brand new Troy-Bilt pushmower that starts on the first pull and runs wonderfully.  It's name is Elmo... my husband wrote it on the mower with a Sharpie.  Lmo lives!

Flying by the seat of my pants!

It's a new term at Kaplan, arriving just in time to catch me in the middle of a full-blown cold!  While this might seem to excuse my recent air-head comments and blonde moments, you can rest assured that when the cold is gone, I intend to remain as ditzy as ever.  I am, however, looking forward to the ability to concentrate again... :)