I feel like one of those people who says "Good News! Oh no not really."
At least I feel like that's what's being told to ME.
So the good news is that my tuition for this term is totally paid off and I have a little extra money for rent and food.
The bad news is that now I have to redo my Foodstamp form and declare the Pell Grant I received. Good thing I didn't send it. But it does mean I have to print out a new one. Do you have any idea how LONG those are? O.o Also it's going to be a pain getting to Dallas, cause I don't understand the bus system too much and it's a little spendy...I guess you mail in your form and then you make an appointment. FUN.
More bad news: I haven't gotten my loan. I have absolutely NO idea what is going on with it. I signed the Master Promissory note, it went through: I checked. I did the Loan Counseling and passed the quiz.
What more must I do?
Well I went into the Financial Aid Office (I should put a reserved sign on one of their chairs) and demanded to know what was going on. And the blasted woman gave me cow eyes and told me to sign the Promissory note. So I asked her "Well, I did that. The same bloody day I did the Loan Counseling."
She smiled, finally able to give me something. "We got your Loan Counseling, but not your Master Promissory Note. Are you sure that you signed it?"
I swear I almost leaped across the desk to strangle her.
So she sent me off to check and make sure that the information was correct. Apparently, if the info on the Promissory note doesn't exactly match what the Financial Aid office has in records then it won't match up with my file.
I've checked the note: It's ALL CORRECT.
So now I'm pissed.
Mostly because I was super proud to give Miki a check for $300 for this months rent (which is still hanging on the fridge, to my consternation) and then she immediately sat down to calculate everything else I owe her. How am I supposed to say "Hey! You should be proud I'm contributing at all! I am! I got us a couch! And t.v.! And a desk! And Food! And dishes! And pots and pans! Isn't one month a start?!"
But how am I supposed to say that? I couldn't.
So I'm waiting on pins and needles for my blasted loans so that Miki doesn't jump me when I don't have the money and makes me feel ashamed of myself. I hate that feeling. She puts up with me, supports me when I'm down, and she won't be there forever.
I want to be there and help too!
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
P.S. Will the System NEVER stop making me jump through hoops? O.o
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Perfect Recipe Can Always Go Wrong
So I got it in my head to cook today.
Yes, me.
Now excuse me while I go off on a tangent....
UPS came banging on my door this afternoon. A bit after 4, I believe. Miki had just left so Evan was on his way out the door and low and behold someone knocked. (No one ever knocks. Because there is no one.) He had two boxes. For me! I can't remember the last time I signed one of those neato clipboards of theirs (which never picks up my awesome signature) but I can tell you that it certainly wasn't for me. We used to get UPS at the family business and I'd always sign for the packages.
But there were two boxes, right?
You know how someone always looks at a package and says "Oh look you got a (blank)!" Because that's what's on the box, but they're wrong?
Evan pointed and said "Look you got a mattress!" And you know what? He was right.
As soon as I saw who the boxes were from, My Aunt Jackie, I knew exactly what was in them. An air mattress, pump, and it's special fitted sheets. Boo ya!
I opened them after he left and discovered many other things though. Like a SHIT LOAD of towels (not sure they'll fit in the closet, to be honest) and a glass cooking pan (my first) and a matching kitchen towel set that had hot pads in it too. They are cute.
So moving on.
When Evan and I showed up, Miki was on her way out the door to a class that she really shouldn't be taking. It's bad enough she's out till 8 on Monday and Wednesday, She doesn't need to do it on Thursday too. Specially since she stays up so late working on papers, and since we don't have net at the house (tomorrow we will) staying up till 1 working on a paper is dangerous, and way too much for her.
So she was a dead man walking on her way out so I asked her what she wanted for dinner. She was so exhausted that she was like "....food?"
I bet she didn't even eat lunch.
So I said I'd take care of it.
As soon as Evan left I got prepared. I wanted to make something good. Something that took time and was tasty. Something that kept me occupied for a few hours.
I decided chicken noodle soup. I'm sure your thinking "Oh yeah! She's got lots of cans in the cupboard!" But as I was ruminating on this and peering into the fridge I reach up to grab some popcorn....And met the wine in my cupboard.
Hello. How are you? Nice to meet you, you blushing wine you.
So I snatched the pinkish thing out of the cupboard (somehow I ended up with two packs of those little tiny bottle of wine), some chicken broth from the cupboard, Boullion cubes, flower, chicken from the freezer, noodles from the cupboard, onions, garlic, and carrots.
I'm a genius.
I've also discovered that there is such thing as too much butter. Yes, I know: It's a long time coming. But I LIKE butter!
So I started sauteeing the onions in the biggest pan I had with a half a brick of butter (I know, I know) and when the butter was almost gone and started to smoke and burn I remembered the garlic.
Oh crap!
I'm multitasking like mad, here. I'm not the recipe type, and I'm not the prepared type either. The garlic was in the fridge, same with the carrots. I was chopping the onions while my butter was burning....
But while I'm crushing garlic and trying to save the onions and butter I'm rescuing the chicken from the sink water and trying to chop it too. Luckily I remember to flip the cutting board over and switch knives. Thank the Gods for moms and advice: chicken really is easier to slice if it's still partway frozen.
I toss the little chunks into flour that I've mixed pepper and salt into and try to keep the onions from congealing at the same time.
Luckily I succeed.
I scrape the onions out and toss in the chicken and some of that blush wine. Of course, this is the moment that my smoke detector decides to inform me that I had forgotten to turn on the fan and that it did not appreciate my lack of courtesy.
For extra good measures I opened the window as well.
Damn that alarm is loud though! My cat about shot through the roof when it went off!
Poor Ryou >.<;;;
So why the chicken is popping and hissing (or maybe that's the wine?) in the pan I'm trying to figure out what comes next. Namely the carrots I have to chop. Which I did not manage to swith knives for, more pepper, the broth can that needed opening, oh what the heck: let's add more wine.
I think I used the whole (little) bottle. But then I did have a few swigs for me too :)
This is where it gets fuzzy: I remember this part being complicated but looking back on it, it doesn't seem full of that many things.
I poured in the broth, 3 cans of water, more wine, and a boullion cube, added the onions and garlic back in, tossed in a bit of flower for thickening, and finally all of the carrots.
And more flour just for kicks. It wasn't thickening enough for me.
So it took a while. I was working from like 4 somethin until 6 somethin on this bloody thing. And though okay I'll let it simmer and add noodles when Miki gets home.
But then I thought...don't noodles soak up more and get softer the longer they are in the soup?
So i added more water, another boullion cube and some pepper, and tossed in a bunch of fettucine noodles while bringing it up to a boil. I kept a close eye on it until it was done and then shut the burner off: I have an electric stove so I wasn't worried about it having enough heat.
And then I sat down to wait.
And wait. and wait.
I watched a movie, ate popcorn....So then I decidd to have the soup. The bad thing about an electric stove and a large full pot is that it takes forever to reheat. Also? If you mak this recipe....don't add so much flour. It thickened like mad by the time 8:30 rolled around. Most of the water was gone and everything. So I tried added more water and heating it up so that it would be warm for Miki and I but I was starving and it was taking to long.
So I said screw it and dished up a cold bowl.
Never again. It was too good. It was rich, and thick, not too chicken brothy or salty, and had a good flavor from the wine, and the chicken was soooo tender. *drools*
But it sank into my belly like something cold, dead, and slimy. I couldn't drink the broth, the chicken tasted like ash. It sucked. It sucked so bad. I know I did good, I know it tastes good. I dunno whether it was because it was cold, or because I hurt all over, or whether I ruined my appetite from popcorn and waiting so long for dinner....
Or whether it was just because I was eating alone.
That's how it always happens. No one ever witnesses my great masterpieces. I always make them alone, and eat them alone. It sucks. Once, I made myself a really nice dinner (in a cold empty house. The grandparents were in Texas for 5 months and my mum was in Hawaii) with place settings and the nice silver and real tea (loose leaves) and desert, and candles.
And had a date with myself while I cried. It felt like that. Cept I knew where my certain little Japanese girl was, so I went to hunt her down. So here I am, in this blasted computer lab next to Mikiko with a souring soup filled belly trying to convince her to go home to eat.
Did I mention that it smells REALLY good and that I totally scalded my tongue on a hot piece of delicious chicken?
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
Yes, me.
Now excuse me while I go off on a tangent....
UPS came banging on my door this afternoon. A bit after 4, I believe. Miki had just left so Evan was on his way out the door and low and behold someone knocked. (No one ever knocks. Because there is no one.) He had two boxes. For me! I can't remember the last time I signed one of those neato clipboards of theirs (which never picks up my awesome signature) but I can tell you that it certainly wasn't for me. We used to get UPS at the family business and I'd always sign for the packages.
But there were two boxes, right?
You know how someone always looks at a package and says "Oh look you got a (blank)!" Because that's what's on the box, but they're wrong?
Evan pointed and said "Look you got a mattress!" And you know what? He was right.
As soon as I saw who the boxes were from, My Aunt Jackie, I knew exactly what was in them. An air mattress, pump, and it's special fitted sheets. Boo ya!
I opened them after he left and discovered many other things though. Like a SHIT LOAD of towels (not sure they'll fit in the closet, to be honest) and a glass cooking pan (my first) and a matching kitchen towel set that had hot pads in it too. They are cute.
So moving on.
When Evan and I showed up, Miki was on her way out the door to a class that she really shouldn't be taking. It's bad enough she's out till 8 on Monday and Wednesday, She doesn't need to do it on Thursday too. Specially since she stays up so late working on papers, and since we don't have net at the house (tomorrow we will) staying up till 1 working on a paper is dangerous, and way too much for her.
So she was a dead man walking on her way out so I asked her what she wanted for dinner. She was so exhausted that she was like "....food?"
I bet she didn't even eat lunch.
So I said I'd take care of it.
As soon as Evan left I got prepared. I wanted to make something good. Something that took time and was tasty. Something that kept me occupied for a few hours.
I decided chicken noodle soup. I'm sure your thinking "Oh yeah! She's got lots of cans in the cupboard!" But as I was ruminating on this and peering into the fridge I reach up to grab some popcorn....And met the wine in my cupboard.
Hello. How are you? Nice to meet you, you blushing wine you.
So I snatched the pinkish thing out of the cupboard (somehow I ended up with two packs of those little tiny bottle of wine), some chicken broth from the cupboard, Boullion cubes, flower, chicken from the freezer, noodles from the cupboard, onions, garlic, and carrots.
I'm a genius.
I've also discovered that there is such thing as too much butter. Yes, I know: It's a long time coming. But I LIKE butter!
So I started sauteeing the onions in the biggest pan I had with a half a brick of butter (I know, I know) and when the butter was almost gone and started to smoke and burn I remembered the garlic.
Oh crap!
I'm multitasking like mad, here. I'm not the recipe type, and I'm not the prepared type either. The garlic was in the fridge, same with the carrots. I was chopping the onions while my butter was burning....
But while I'm crushing garlic and trying to save the onions and butter I'm rescuing the chicken from the sink water and trying to chop it too. Luckily I remember to flip the cutting board over and switch knives. Thank the Gods for moms and advice: chicken really is easier to slice if it's still partway frozen.
I toss the little chunks into flour that I've mixed pepper and salt into and try to keep the onions from congealing at the same time.
Luckily I succeed.
I scrape the onions out and toss in the chicken and some of that blush wine. Of course, this is the moment that my smoke detector decides to inform me that I had forgotten to turn on the fan and that it did not appreciate my lack of courtesy.
For extra good measures I opened the window as well.
Damn that alarm is loud though! My cat about shot through the roof when it went off!
Poor Ryou >.<;;;
So why the chicken is popping and hissing (or maybe that's the wine?) in the pan I'm trying to figure out what comes next. Namely the carrots I have to chop. Which I did not manage to swith knives for, more pepper, the broth can that needed opening, oh what the heck: let's add more wine.
I think I used the whole (little) bottle. But then I did have a few swigs for me too :)
This is where it gets fuzzy: I remember this part being complicated but looking back on it, it doesn't seem full of that many things.
I poured in the broth, 3 cans of water, more wine, and a boullion cube, added the onions and garlic back in, tossed in a bit of flower for thickening, and finally all of the carrots.
And more flour just for kicks. It wasn't thickening enough for me.
So it took a while. I was working from like 4 somethin until 6 somethin on this bloody thing. And though okay I'll let it simmer and add noodles when Miki gets home.
But then I thought...don't noodles soak up more and get softer the longer they are in the soup?
So i added more water, another boullion cube and some pepper, and tossed in a bunch of fettucine noodles while bringing it up to a boil. I kept a close eye on it until it was done and then shut the burner off: I have an electric stove so I wasn't worried about it having enough heat.
And then I sat down to wait.
And wait. and wait.
I watched a movie, ate popcorn....So then I decidd to have the soup. The bad thing about an electric stove and a large full pot is that it takes forever to reheat. Also? If you mak this recipe....don't add so much flour. It thickened like mad by the time 8:30 rolled around. Most of the water was gone and everything. So I tried added more water and heating it up so that it would be warm for Miki and I but I was starving and it was taking to long.
So I said screw it and dished up a cold bowl.
Never again. It was too good. It was rich, and thick, not too chicken brothy or salty, and had a good flavor from the wine, and the chicken was soooo tender. *drools*
But it sank into my belly like something cold, dead, and slimy. I couldn't drink the broth, the chicken tasted like ash. It sucked. It sucked so bad. I know I did good, I know it tastes good. I dunno whether it was because it was cold, or because I hurt all over, or whether I ruined my appetite from popcorn and waiting so long for dinner....
Or whether it was just because I was eating alone.
That's how it always happens. No one ever witnesses my great masterpieces. I always make them alone, and eat them alone. It sucks. Once, I made myself a really nice dinner (in a cold empty house. The grandparents were in Texas for 5 months and my mum was in Hawaii) with place settings and the nice silver and real tea (loose leaves) and desert, and candles.
And had a date with myself while I cried. It felt like that. Cept I knew where my certain little Japanese girl was, so I went to hunt her down. So here I am, in this blasted computer lab next to Mikiko with a souring soup filled belly trying to convince her to go home to eat.
Did I mention that it smells REALLY good and that I totally scalded my tongue on a hot piece of delicious chicken?
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
I Think I've Sunk to a New Low
I've officially spent almost a half an hour listening to an old radio interview of an English teacher of mine from High School because I miss her.
How sad is that?
Especially since I fall so short in conversations with her and feel like I'm constantly missing something and that she always has one up on me or something >.<
I'm contemplating self-flagellation right about now.
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
How sad is that?
Especially since I fall so short in conversations with her and feel like I'm constantly missing something and that she always has one up on me or something >.<
I'm contemplating self-flagellation right about now.
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
I Am NOT Amused
So I went to the Financial Aid office today.
That sounds foreboding all on it's own, doesn't it?
But I got my Award's letter last week. Can't recall whether it was Friday or Thursday...But I got it last week :)
Read over it (several times) with myself, and then read it aloud to my mum on Sunday. Btw she came over this weekend :)
Decided that the PLUS loan was really not applicable. Sure, it'd pay off all of Fall term, but all of my subsequent terms cost about $2,000 less and with the loans you have to have an equal amount per term....so it just seemed worthless.
So I'm getting about $1,750 per term in free money (Pell grant, surprise surprise), $1,800 per term of a subsidized loan per term (the government pays the interest as long as I'm still in school), and like a $800 dollar un-subsidized loan. You can figure out the reciprocal bit, I think.
Not bad. bout $4,000 per term. That should square my tuition AND my room and board. And if I pull my head out of my arse I might even get my foodstamp form sent in sometime this week.
Is it a crime if I claim I don't have any CDs? :D Mum says that since they are less than $2,000 they don't need to know about them, technically.....lol
I love my mum.
So I get there fully expecting that I have to see a Loan Counselor, you know? Cause they put all over the paper-work (and the bloody walls of every building as well) that Loan Counseling is mandatory after signing your awards letter......
Turns out it's an ONLINE thingy. So I got pushed into signing a copy of my award letter there at the office and then was shoved out with a thingamabobber that gave me online stuff. Like my Master Promissory Note.
And the Online Loan Counseling. You have to score 12/15 on the quiz to get the money....I got 14 :)
I'm ridiculously proud of myself. Specially since I got 15/30 on a quiz in Spanish last Friday (and I even STUDIED!) and 50% on a Writing Quiz today >.< I'm certainly on a roll here. Oh, and I also spent my "lunch hour" reading Benjamin Franklin's autobiography when that bloody class was CANCELED today.
What the heck.
So I was pretty proud I passed that silly quiz first try.
Just got an email. The Pell Grant went to my bill. I officially hate how the bills and things are laid out online: I can't read them. Not if you paid me to do it. They make no sense. And have silly numbers all over the place. and how the $1,750 from my grant covered a $3,500 bill with $650 extra is BEYOND ME.
The Loans didn't show up on there, that's for sure.
There is one thing I think I understood from the email though. I can't pick up my refund check until one business day after the money has gone to my tuition. Which means tomorrow.
Darn.
=.=
The good news is....I'll be able to pay rent and all that! *cheers*
It's impossible to find a job around here. And other than the "clean the litter box once a week" New Years Resolution it's probably the only resolution I'm going to fail at. Finding a job, I mean.
So Miki has internet set up to be installed on the 22nd....I'm starting to get far too comfortable with waking up at 2 in the morning and going to the 24 hour lab down the street, so I'm thinking this is good.
Oh, and btw? Even though she was crying over Margarine....It turns out that Miki put a COOKIE in the microwave for 4 minutes. She's mostly distressed that she put it in longer than she wanted, which was 4 minutes, and she thinks THAT's the problem.
I can't convince her that 4 minutes would've annihilated that poor cookie just fine and that 30 seconds would have been MUCH more proper.
But there WAS margarine in it (a word I just recently learned how to spell). They were butter cookies, you know, like what you buy in those gigantic blue tins from the Boyscouts every year? Except she made them with margarine.
I've yet to figure out why. But I won't argue: She made me one special in the shape of the cutest cat head (including whiskers) that I've EVER seen.
So I've finished the FAFSA and I'm still being pulled through hoops....Wish me luck :)
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
That sounds foreboding all on it's own, doesn't it?
But I got my Award's letter last week. Can't recall whether it was Friday or Thursday...But I got it last week :)
Read over it (several times) with myself, and then read it aloud to my mum on Sunday. Btw she came over this weekend :)
Decided that the PLUS loan was really not applicable. Sure, it'd pay off all of Fall term, but all of my subsequent terms cost about $2,000 less and with the loans you have to have an equal amount per term....so it just seemed worthless.
So I'm getting about $1,750 per term in free money (Pell grant, surprise surprise), $1,800 per term of a subsidized loan per term (the government pays the interest as long as I'm still in school), and like a $800 dollar un-subsidized loan. You can figure out the reciprocal bit, I think.
Not bad. bout $4,000 per term. That should square my tuition AND my room and board. And if I pull my head out of my arse I might even get my foodstamp form sent in sometime this week.
Is it a crime if I claim I don't have any CDs? :D Mum says that since they are less than $2,000 they don't need to know about them, technically.....lol
I love my mum.
So I get there fully expecting that I have to see a Loan Counselor, you know? Cause they put all over the paper-work (and the bloody walls of every building as well) that Loan Counseling is mandatory after signing your awards letter......
Turns out it's an ONLINE thingy. So I got pushed into signing a copy of my award letter there at the office and then was shoved out with a thingamabobber that gave me online stuff. Like my Master Promissory Note.
And the Online Loan Counseling. You have to score 12/15 on the quiz to get the money....I got 14 :)
I'm ridiculously proud of myself. Specially since I got 15/30 on a quiz in Spanish last Friday (and I even STUDIED!) and 50% on a Writing Quiz today >.< I'm certainly on a roll here. Oh, and I also spent my "lunch hour" reading Benjamin Franklin's autobiography when that bloody class was CANCELED today.
What the heck.
So I was pretty proud I passed that silly quiz first try.
Just got an email. The Pell Grant went to my bill. I officially hate how the bills and things are laid out online: I can't read them. Not if you paid me to do it. They make no sense. And have silly numbers all over the place. and how the $1,750 from my grant covered a $3,500 bill with $650 extra is BEYOND ME.
The Loans didn't show up on there, that's for sure.
There is one thing I think I understood from the email though. I can't pick up my refund check until one business day after the money has gone to my tuition. Which means tomorrow.
Darn.
=.=
The good news is....I'll be able to pay rent and all that! *cheers*
It's impossible to find a job around here. And other than the "clean the litter box once a week" New Years Resolution it's probably the only resolution I'm going to fail at. Finding a job, I mean.
So Miki has internet set up to be installed on the 22nd....I'm starting to get far too comfortable with waking up at 2 in the morning and going to the 24 hour lab down the street, so I'm thinking this is good.
Oh, and btw? Even though she was crying over Margarine....It turns out that Miki put a COOKIE in the microwave for 4 minutes. She's mostly distressed that she put it in longer than she wanted, which was 4 minutes, and she thinks THAT's the problem.
I can't convince her that 4 minutes would've annihilated that poor cookie just fine and that 30 seconds would have been MUCH more proper.
But there WAS margarine in it (a word I just recently learned how to spell). They were butter cookies, you know, like what you buy in those gigantic blue tins from the Boyscouts every year? Except she made them with margarine.
I've yet to figure out why. But I won't argue: She made me one special in the shape of the cutest cat head (including whiskers) that I've EVER seen.
So I've finished the FAFSA and I'm still being pulled through hoops....Wish me luck :)
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
Monday, January 18, 2010
Almost There. To Purgatory I Mean
Mikiko almost burned down the house this morning.
And when I say this morning? I mean somewhere around midnight.
And when I say almost....Well I'm still not entirely sure what happened :)
I went to bed fairly early, actually. Spent yesterday doing lots of things that I'll bring up soon, promise. And then Mikiko had two girls over for curry, which I helped her cook. And a movie, Pirates of the Caribbean. It was an odd night: no matter how much curry we added it wasn't spicy, and the picture kept shutting off on the t.v. (that someone gave me) until I shoved a popcorn box under the cords in the back :)
The movie was over round 9 and after a call with John and my Mum, I went to bed.
I woke to the most awful sound.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
It went in threes. And I could hear a distressed female sound downstairs, a voice. Words maybe?
I listened for a minute or two and drifted off. When I finally woke up the beeping was done but there was this smoky smell that was getting stronger and stronger in my room. It was terribly and awful!
So I sprang from my bed (doesn't that sound like "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"?) and pounded down the stairs.
I got to the kitchen and if I didn't know better I would've though Miki was crying over a lump of something in the sink.
The microwave was open, so was the balcony door so I picked up my cat to keep her from escaping. The kitchen window's drapes were billowing and Miki was making constant distressed noises.
I peered into the smelly microwave and saw a wonderfully charred circle (reminds me of when Mum busted the microwave by putting a non-microwavable bowl in it...).
Miki wasn't too terribly coherent, I'm thinking. All I got was "Margarine, forgot it, I'm so sorry."
All I could do was close my eyes, say it was okay, and take the cat back upstairs.
I slept well, for having the wretched smell of burnt margarine in my nostrils.
Who knew that vegetable oil was dangerous?
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
And when I say this morning? I mean somewhere around midnight.
And when I say almost....Well I'm still not entirely sure what happened :)
I went to bed fairly early, actually. Spent yesterday doing lots of things that I'll bring up soon, promise. And then Mikiko had two girls over for curry, which I helped her cook. And a movie, Pirates of the Caribbean. It was an odd night: no matter how much curry we added it wasn't spicy, and the picture kept shutting off on the t.v. (that someone gave me) until I shoved a popcorn box under the cords in the back :)
The movie was over round 9 and after a call with John and my Mum, I went to bed.
I woke to the most awful sound.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
It went in threes. And I could hear a distressed female sound downstairs, a voice. Words maybe?
I listened for a minute or two and drifted off. When I finally woke up the beeping was done but there was this smoky smell that was getting stronger and stronger in my room. It was terribly and awful!
So I sprang from my bed (doesn't that sound like "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"?) and pounded down the stairs.
I got to the kitchen and if I didn't know better I would've though Miki was crying over a lump of something in the sink.
The microwave was open, so was the balcony door so I picked up my cat to keep her from escaping. The kitchen window's drapes were billowing and Miki was making constant distressed noises.
I peered into the smelly microwave and saw a wonderfully charred circle (reminds me of when Mum busted the microwave by putting a non-microwavable bowl in it...).
Miki wasn't too terribly coherent, I'm thinking. All I got was "Margarine, forgot it, I'm so sorry."
All I could do was close my eyes, say it was okay, and take the cat back upstairs.
I slept well, for having the wretched smell of burnt margarine in my nostrils.
Who knew that vegetable oil was dangerous?
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Start of a Good Day
So I'm extremely pleased with myself right now. I managed to wake up when my alarm went off at 8 (surprise surprise. It helps that I kinda was roused when Miki left at 7:20 this morning). And even though I got distracted by the net (as per usual) I managed to get all of my Business Writing Homework done!
You have no idea how happy I am with myself right now.
It was a resume and job application packet. I will confess that I was rather lazy about the resume part, but that's because I already had an activities resume left over from my graduation portfolio from High School. I did revamp it. I think the only reason why I used it is because it's physically impossible to find Word 2003 around here (the program I did extensive training on >.<) and I can't figure out how to do formatting on 2007 to save my life.
Microsoft Works and Word 2003 are different, but at least compatible with buttons and things.
2007? It's like Greek >.< So I used the old one for a resume and spiffed it up. I even ended up doing a little this morning because I had completely forgotten the fact that I was a Girl Scout and therefore had non-profit organization experiance, and was a treasurer for the student ASB so had worked with P.O.'s and Invoices and paperwork and money shuffling. Petty cash and the likes.
So I deleted the sports and added those. Goodness knows why I didn't have them on there in the first place. Oh yeah! It was because even though you couldn't graduate without a complex and full binder for your senior portfolio....no one ever looked at it.
BLEH
I'm just lucky I had copies of all the stuff I wrote for it squirreled away on the server at Clatsop (and errand I ran on the day I forgot to get my fencing gear), and that even though I haven't been a student for ages they haven't deleted a single smidgeon of any of my files :)
I betcha it will all be there for years.
I get a kick out of that idea.
So I wrote a resume. And a gleaming cover letter. It was a little longer than I wanted it to be, almost a page. And it didn't....my personality didn't shine through too terribly well since I mostly listed qualities and all that. I am well aware that isn't the best thing to do, but I needed to give them pertinent information and if I wrote myself my own glowing recommendation, I would've failed to do that.
OH SHIT! I forgot to write my References.
Well that was brilliant.
And here I contacted an old teacher to give me advice on who to put for my references. And with the criteria she gave me I could only think of 2 ppl...One I haven't seen in ages. Which is a shame: She's Tosha's mum, my former friend.
I miss her.
But moving on. I just looked at the criteria for the resume and stuff and nowhere did it specifically call for references. I know that that's usually left unsaid...But still. I have a good argument :)
But I had it done on time, and all the papers I needed were there, and I even showed up to class on time! *cheers*
Now if only I can get my American Lit. reading homework done between 12 and 2. Sooooooo gonna happen :)
Well as long as I manage not to fall asleep in class (I succeeded on Tuesday with that endeavor) I will be happy.
And I even got to read a poem! I can read early American Literature out loud pretty well, but I'm not too good at poetry inflections, which sucks. I read it all in iambic pentameter, pretty much, with an upwards lilt at the end of each phrase >.<
So even though he complimented me on my diction (amazing since I can't read regular English aloud to save my life), he reread it it properly and made me quite jealous.
It was quite a witty poem, though. And I liked reading it aloud cause my fried Evan (also in that class) enjoyed it so much.
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
You have no idea how happy I am with myself right now.
It was a resume and job application packet. I will confess that I was rather lazy about the resume part, but that's because I already had an activities resume left over from my graduation portfolio from High School. I did revamp it. I think the only reason why I used it is because it's physically impossible to find Word 2003 around here (the program I did extensive training on >.<) and I can't figure out how to do formatting on 2007 to save my life.
Microsoft Works and Word 2003 are different, but at least compatible with buttons and things.
2007? It's like Greek >.< So I used the old one for a resume and spiffed it up. I even ended up doing a little this morning because I had completely forgotten the fact that I was a Girl Scout and therefore had non-profit organization experiance, and was a treasurer for the student ASB so had worked with P.O.'s and Invoices and paperwork and money shuffling. Petty cash and the likes.
So I deleted the sports and added those. Goodness knows why I didn't have them on there in the first place. Oh yeah! It was because even though you couldn't graduate without a complex and full binder for your senior portfolio....no one ever looked at it.
BLEH
I'm just lucky I had copies of all the stuff I wrote for it squirreled away on the server at Clatsop (and errand I ran on the day I forgot to get my fencing gear), and that even though I haven't been a student for ages they haven't deleted a single smidgeon of any of my files :)
I betcha it will all be there for years.
I get a kick out of that idea.
So I wrote a resume. And a gleaming cover letter. It was a little longer than I wanted it to be, almost a page. And it didn't....my personality didn't shine through too terribly well since I mostly listed qualities and all that. I am well aware that isn't the best thing to do, but I needed to give them pertinent information and if I wrote myself my own glowing recommendation, I would've failed to do that.
OH SHIT! I forgot to write my References.
Well that was brilliant.
And here I contacted an old teacher to give me advice on who to put for my references. And with the criteria she gave me I could only think of 2 ppl...One I haven't seen in ages. Which is a shame: She's Tosha's mum, my former friend.
I miss her.
But moving on. I just looked at the criteria for the resume and stuff and nowhere did it specifically call for references. I know that that's usually left unsaid...But still. I have a good argument :)
But I had it done on time, and all the papers I needed were there, and I even showed up to class on time! *cheers*
Now if only I can get my American Lit. reading homework done between 12 and 2. Sooooooo gonna happen :)
Well as long as I manage not to fall asleep in class (I succeeded on Tuesday with that endeavor) I will be happy.
And I even got to read a poem! I can read early American Literature out loud pretty well, but I'm not too good at poetry inflections, which sucks. I read it all in iambic pentameter, pretty much, with an upwards lilt at the end of each phrase >.<
So even though he complimented me on my diction (amazing since I can't read regular English aloud to save my life), he reread it it properly and made me quite jealous.
It was quite a witty poem, though. And I liked reading it aloud cause my fried Evan (also in that class) enjoyed it so much.
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
Monday, January 11, 2010
Getting Paid
So I went and saw that counselor last Tuesday. It was actually a lot of fun.
If you discount the fact that it caused me to skip out on Spanish.
I didn't do it on purpose, I swear!
What happened was that I made the appointment on Monday and I could only remember two classes for Tuesday. Writing at 10, and Literature at 2. No big deal, yeah? I wanted an appointment at 8, so they gave me one at 9.
Go figure.
So I woke up at 7:30, ate a leisurely breakfast, got going slowly...And still managed to show up at counseling early. Did the whole meeting thingy, and left for Writing.
The next morning when I showed up for Spanish everyone else had all these worksheets and it dawned on me that the only day we DON'T have Spanish is on Thursday...Bravo Monica.
Bravo.
So I used up one of my three skip for free days by bloody accident. Good show.
So the counselor was fun. If you count being told that it's likely you have ADD is fun. Well duh. I think everyone found THAT out years ago. Although I've always denied the possibility. But hey: If I wasn't diagnosed as a kid, why bother with it now? I'm 19 years old!
An old teacher recommends that I not take medication. I can roll with that. I actually have something against doctors, to be honest. So I will have no problems giving them Hell :)]
Re-filed the FAFSA. Got an email over the weekend from the loud lady saying that she had gotten it and had corrected some things (Whaaat?) and that instead of mailing my Awards Letter to me that I'd be getting an email this week to come and pick it up personally sometime this week. Well big deal: I live 3 blocks from the college. Not like the Postal System would take that long. :)
So I get my letter, and likely do loan counseling (since I can't find a job to save my life) sometime this week....
But I have other good news! I did a photoshoot this weekend and the Photographer paid me $200!
But I feel so indebted to Miki that I'm giving it to her. I'm not naive enough to think it'll cover all that I owe her. But it should at least cover my part of the Post Box (it cost $40 to get the key), this month's electricity, and maybe even a bit of the internet she's getting set up.
Gramma sent me $200 in the mail. Which I thought I needed to pay off that fee from last term before I got a deferment, but now I'm afraid to pay that fee for fear that it will cancel my deferment or something.
I have to wait to use that money anyways. My bank is giving me grief. Apparently with a new account they will put a hold on checks you try to cash. Super new it's 9 days, under three months it's 2 business days. Which means that although I tried to cash said $200 check on Friday I don't get the last $100 until this Tuesday. Which makes no sense.
My math might be rusty....But if I got a bank account on the 28th of September, wouldn't it be 3 months by now? O.o
So the check that the photog gave me is going to have a delay as well, which is annoying...And I kinda wish I could use that money to get a desk or something. Maybe furniture.
*shrugs* But I think Miki deserves it more, yeah?
Regards from Purgatory,
The ADD freak Monica
If you discount the fact that it caused me to skip out on Spanish.
I didn't do it on purpose, I swear!
What happened was that I made the appointment on Monday and I could only remember two classes for Tuesday. Writing at 10, and Literature at 2. No big deal, yeah? I wanted an appointment at 8, so they gave me one at 9.
Go figure.
So I woke up at 7:30, ate a leisurely breakfast, got going slowly...And still managed to show up at counseling early. Did the whole meeting thingy, and left for Writing.
The next morning when I showed up for Spanish everyone else had all these worksheets and it dawned on me that the only day we DON'T have Spanish is on Thursday...Bravo Monica.
Bravo.
So I used up one of my three skip for free days by bloody accident. Good show.
So the counselor was fun. If you count being told that it's likely you have ADD is fun. Well duh. I think everyone found THAT out years ago. Although I've always denied the possibility. But hey: If I wasn't diagnosed as a kid, why bother with it now? I'm 19 years old!
An old teacher recommends that I not take medication. I can roll with that. I actually have something against doctors, to be honest. So I will have no problems giving them Hell :)]
Re-filed the FAFSA. Got an email over the weekend from the loud lady saying that she had gotten it and had corrected some things (Whaaat?) and that instead of mailing my Awards Letter to me that I'd be getting an email this week to come and pick it up personally sometime this week. Well big deal: I live 3 blocks from the college. Not like the Postal System would take that long. :)
So I get my letter, and likely do loan counseling (since I can't find a job to save my life) sometime this week....
But I have other good news! I did a photoshoot this weekend and the Photographer paid me $200!
But I feel so indebted to Miki that I'm giving it to her. I'm not naive enough to think it'll cover all that I owe her. But it should at least cover my part of the Post Box (it cost $40 to get the key), this month's electricity, and maybe even a bit of the internet she's getting set up.
Gramma sent me $200 in the mail. Which I thought I needed to pay off that fee from last term before I got a deferment, but now I'm afraid to pay that fee for fear that it will cancel my deferment or something.
I have to wait to use that money anyways. My bank is giving me grief. Apparently with a new account they will put a hold on checks you try to cash. Super new it's 9 days, under three months it's 2 business days. Which means that although I tried to cash said $200 check on Friday I don't get the last $100 until this Tuesday. Which makes no sense.
My math might be rusty....But if I got a bank account on the 28th of September, wouldn't it be 3 months by now? O.o
So the check that the photog gave me is going to have a delay as well, which is annoying...And I kinda wish I could use that money to get a desk or something. Maybe furniture.
*shrugs* But I think Miki deserves it more, yeah?
Regards from Purgatory,
The ADD freak Monica
Monday, January 4, 2010
What am I, A Trick Poodle?
So I lost my temper and stomped my way to Financial Aid today. Big Mistake.
I irritably handed over my i.d. card at the desk and said that I wanted to know what the heck was going on. And the blasted lady looked at me in confusion and asked sweetly "You're check wasn't downstairs, sweetie?"
And looked quite shocked when I said I didn't even have my awards letter yet. Of course she did, she herself had told me that I was supposed to get it over a month ago.
So she called someone. Who hauled me into her office and very loudly told me that I needed to do the darned thing all over again. From new.
What The Hell? O.o
So I explained to her how the first letter I had received said that and that the second said something totally different and she pulled out her copies and concurred. I guess the fifteen minutes I spent in the hall waiting for her to call me in she..."looked in on my situation".
Makes me feel like a juvenile delinquent.
But she said that the first letter was the one that was correct. Also that no matter how many times I corrected the blasted forms my social security number was still popping up wrong in odd places. It wasn't my fault anymore: there was a glitch with my information.
So they want it all new.
So she handed me copies of all the information I need, tax stuff you know? cause I said that I had given it all to the office (true) and that I had to do all the paperwork myself.
Loudly she told me to contact my mum to use her pin number to save the form. Softly she informed me that I was the second young lady in that same day with the exact same situation and that she used her mum's pin and tax info too.
That made me feel better.
After all that I had to go hunt down the business offices (literally) and get another deferment. I don't know whether the lady who gave it to me just didn't notice I owed stuff from last term, or what. But she gave me a deferment no problem. But when I asked for bookstore credit to buy my books....She called the financial aid office.
And talked to the lady who helped me, I guess. But I didn't like sitting there as she cooed "Yes? Yes? Oooooh! Pooor thing! The poor deary! Really? Oh well that's a shame."
Made it sound like someone's puppy had died, not that I had bloody well put my social security number down wrong 4 months ago.
jeez.
I have no idea why she needed confirmation. Sounded more like she was looking for gossip, really. The last guy who helped me didn't do that. He acted like he was sharing a secret and gave me $500 credit out of the goodness in his heart.
She only gave me $400. I thought that'd be enough, you know? A good dictionary for Spanish (I have a falling apart one and a children's one), The Norton Anthology ($60 something brand new), a book for linguistics (grammar book, $100 USED), and then I thought I'd get the Spanish book, you know?
I survived without it last term because I was too lazy to even try buying it. And I didn't need all the bells and whistles: just the book. But while the college is footing the bill (even if I have to pay it off later) I thought I'd get it, you know?
$360.
No fudging WAY!
So I ditched the Spanish book idea. It's only like $60 to buy just the book online, but I don't have the money either way.
I didn't buy the book for writing because I conveniently forgot which teacher I have >.< But I'm sure there'll be a copy there for me tomorrow after I have the class.
Wish me luck with counseling. I have a feeling I need it.
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica (financial aid ppl must DIE!)
I irritably handed over my i.d. card at the desk and said that I wanted to know what the heck was going on. And the blasted lady looked at me in confusion and asked sweetly "You're check wasn't downstairs, sweetie?"
And looked quite shocked when I said I didn't even have my awards letter yet. Of course she did, she herself had told me that I was supposed to get it over a month ago.
So she called someone. Who hauled me into her office and very loudly told me that I needed to do the darned thing all over again. From new.
What The Hell? O.o
So I explained to her how the first letter I had received said that and that the second said something totally different and she pulled out her copies and concurred. I guess the fifteen minutes I spent in the hall waiting for her to call me in she..."looked in on my situation".
Makes me feel like a juvenile delinquent.
But she said that the first letter was the one that was correct. Also that no matter how many times I corrected the blasted forms my social security number was still popping up wrong in odd places. It wasn't my fault anymore: there was a glitch with my information.
So they want it all new.
So she handed me copies of all the information I need, tax stuff you know? cause I said that I had given it all to the office (true) and that I had to do all the paperwork myself.
Loudly she told me to contact my mum to use her pin number to save the form. Softly she informed me that I was the second young lady in that same day with the exact same situation and that she used her mum's pin and tax info too.
That made me feel better.
After all that I had to go hunt down the business offices (literally) and get another deferment. I don't know whether the lady who gave it to me just didn't notice I owed stuff from last term, or what. But she gave me a deferment no problem. But when I asked for bookstore credit to buy my books....She called the financial aid office.
And talked to the lady who helped me, I guess. But I didn't like sitting there as she cooed "Yes? Yes? Oooooh! Pooor thing! The poor deary! Really? Oh well that's a shame."
Made it sound like someone's puppy had died, not that I had bloody well put my social security number down wrong 4 months ago.
jeez.
I have no idea why she needed confirmation. Sounded more like she was looking for gossip, really. The last guy who helped me didn't do that. He acted like he was sharing a secret and gave me $500 credit out of the goodness in his heart.
She only gave me $400. I thought that'd be enough, you know? A good dictionary for Spanish (I have a falling apart one and a children's one), The Norton Anthology ($60 something brand new), a book for linguistics (grammar book, $100 USED), and then I thought I'd get the Spanish book, you know?
I survived without it last term because I was too lazy to even try buying it. And I didn't need all the bells and whistles: just the book. But while the college is footing the bill (even if I have to pay it off later) I thought I'd get it, you know?
$360.
No fudging WAY!
So I ditched the Spanish book idea. It's only like $60 to buy just the book online, but I don't have the money either way.
I didn't buy the book for writing because I conveniently forgot which teacher I have >.< But I'm sure there'll be a copy there for me tomorrow after I have the class.
Wish me luck with counseling. I have a feeling I need it.
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica (financial aid ppl must DIE!)
Winter Term Starts...Now!
So I'm still working on more posts about break: they are coming.
But here's a quick (ha) update for now.
I'm on academic probation.
Yeah, you heard me. All those grades I was so scared about? Well I did a bit better in Literature than I though I would. I fully expected a D, I got a C (thank goodness).
But I got a D in both Spanish and Linguistics. Linguistics was a tiny surprise. I did all the homework, studied, did most of the reading. Did pretty poorly the first test, but I was pretty confident on the second. Heck, it was exactly the same as the study sheet! Which I had done. But nooo.....I got a D. Therefore I got lower than a 2.0 which means....
They are now watching me.
*shudders*
If I do it again it means I'll be on probation. According the the adviser I was required to see (because of my warning) that means I could lose financial aid. *Laughs hysterically* What financial aid?
Lit. Studies I was hoping for a B. But oddly enough he gave me my best grade on my worst paper: unfinished, tacky, all around terrible. I worked for ages on my last paper, it was my best out of all 4? 5 papers?
I got a bloody D on the blasted thing. I worked really hard! I don't understand at all. So I added a bit of flair to it. That happens. But all of the classmates and assorted people I asked to read it said it was written well. He didn't mind when I added flair to the other papers. I thought that was what critiquing was about! *grumbles*
So I got a C in Lit. Studies. Which was a disappointment. It's not bad...But it would've kept my GPA up higher if I hadn't have done so horridly on the paper.
So I went and saw a terribly apathetic adviser who spent half of our extremely short session (in and out of the advising offices in 10 minutes, I swear) berating me for not having been in there before. And the other half doing absolutely nothing to convince me as to WHY I should be there, or should visit in the future.
In other words: I wasted time on an absolutely useless meeting just because I could be suspended if I didn't.
He did listen to my problems (I'd have beef if he didn't) and how it was mostly test taking and yes I prepared, and yes I studied, and isn't it embarrassing that I failed the same class I tutored someone in and helped THEM pass?
So he eyed me over my folder (that he was clutching like the bible, I swear), stated that I seemed pretty darn prepared to him and that a tutor would likely do me no good if I studied that much, and sent me to the Health Center.
No joke, an academic adviser sent me to the doctor.
Toto? We're not in Kansas anymore.
So I went. Just for kicks, you know? I figured it couldn't hurt. Heck, I'd decided to go for counseling during Fall Term, just cause. And never got around to it. Now's as good of a time as any.
Sides, the adviser (with the unpronounceable Spanish name) seemed to think that the counseling center good give me help/tips on testing.
But when I get there the receptionist stares at me blankly and summons a counselor. Who smiles and says yes i am at the right place and yes please make an appointment and by the way we will be testing you for Learning Disabilities and ADHD nothing to worry about.
WHAAAT? O.o
So you're saying that if I have problems testing (I didn't give them anymore information that the fact I draw blanks during tests) I have a disability? What a load of crap! I certainly hope that this is a normal thing, something they do for intake for anyone else in my position.
Otherwise I'll have a nice little temper tantrum.
For some odd reason, the idea of a learning disability scares the crap out of me. I couldn't tell you why, to be honest.
Something that I usually shove to the back of my mind, but was unearthed after the adviser shoved pamphlets at me this morning....I'm a kinetic learner. If I remember correctly that means I learn better from hands on things, and while moving. It's probably why I tap my feet and swing around while reading or doing homework on the computer.
I don't like to think about it because there's not much I can do to accommodate my odd quirks in a lecture class. Believe me, there isn't.
They recommend that we give ourselves lots of room to move in a testing environment, and to take lab classes. Well that's fine and dandy. Cept there aren't lab classes for an English major and if you haven't learned too well int he class there's no way moving around during the test is going to help you.
I'm pretty good at multiple choice. And essay's are always fun. Short answers usually aren't a problem for me either. But Linguistics and Spanish offered two ways for me to fail (obviously).
One, Spanish: The good old we expect you to memorize specific words and fill in the blank. I can repeat and study those words until I'm saying them in my sleep; I'll still forget them as soon as I glance at the test.
Better yet, I'll sit there and second guess my instincts and dig myself a deeper hole.
Linguistics offered a brand new torture. She did Short answers AND memorizing/fill in the blank. Sorta. It was all short answer on her tests....But she wanted you to answer in specific ways. It didn't matter if your content was the same, if you didn't use the words she wanted you too she'd mark it as wrong. She wanted us to sound like real linguistics.
So of course as soon as we were required to memorize certain phrases and the like they went straight out of my mind.
No idea what happened on the last test in that class. Heck, I wrote stuff from my study sheet that I got straight from the book!
So, update:
I'm poor. I owe money to the college from last term because of THEIR mess up. I owe interest (lovely). No idea what my financial aid is doing. Got two notices in the mail. The first said to redo everything. The second made more sense: It threatened me for not complying (nice school, yeah?) and asked me to do a corrections form. Not redo the FAFSA.
Thanks for communicating well the first time, guys. Thanks.
Did all that. No more notices. It's been almost a month. In fact? No more ANYTHING. So I can't get a loan until I get financial aid. And I can't get a deferment to stave off interest until the loan goes through until I pay the money they forgot to charge me for until AFTER I paid last term.
And I can't pay that money until I get the loan.
Oh, and I can't get my text books either. Usually if you're waiting for your financial aid you can get a deferment and they'll give you a slip to charge books onto your account....But I'm without options. Sucky, huh?
Oh, and I got my first electric bill!
For $10.
I was excited until I read that it was only for Dec 10th-15th.
>.<
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
p.s. I has a mailbox now! And Miki is the only one with mail in it >.< time to go hunt down my letters, yeah?
But here's a quick (ha) update for now.
I'm on academic probation.
Yeah, you heard me. All those grades I was so scared about? Well I did a bit better in Literature than I though I would. I fully expected a D, I got a C (thank goodness).
But I got a D in both Spanish and Linguistics. Linguistics was a tiny surprise. I did all the homework, studied, did most of the reading. Did pretty poorly the first test, but I was pretty confident on the second. Heck, it was exactly the same as the study sheet! Which I had done. But nooo.....I got a D. Therefore I got lower than a 2.0 which means....
They are now watching me.
*shudders*
If I do it again it means I'll be on probation. According the the adviser I was required to see (because of my warning) that means I could lose financial aid. *Laughs hysterically* What financial aid?
Lit. Studies I was hoping for a B. But oddly enough he gave me my best grade on my worst paper: unfinished, tacky, all around terrible. I worked for ages on my last paper, it was my best out of all 4? 5 papers?
I got a bloody D on the blasted thing. I worked really hard! I don't understand at all. So I added a bit of flair to it. That happens. But all of the classmates and assorted people I asked to read it said it was written well. He didn't mind when I added flair to the other papers. I thought that was what critiquing was about! *grumbles*
So I got a C in Lit. Studies. Which was a disappointment. It's not bad...But it would've kept my GPA up higher if I hadn't have done so horridly on the paper.
So I went and saw a terribly apathetic adviser who spent half of our extremely short session (in and out of the advising offices in 10 minutes, I swear) berating me for not having been in there before. And the other half doing absolutely nothing to convince me as to WHY I should be there, or should visit in the future.
In other words: I wasted time on an absolutely useless meeting just because I could be suspended if I didn't.
He did listen to my problems (I'd have beef if he didn't) and how it was mostly test taking and yes I prepared, and yes I studied, and isn't it embarrassing that I failed the same class I tutored someone in and helped THEM pass?
So he eyed me over my folder (that he was clutching like the bible, I swear), stated that I seemed pretty darn prepared to him and that a tutor would likely do me no good if I studied that much, and sent me to the Health Center.
No joke, an academic adviser sent me to the doctor.
Toto? We're not in Kansas anymore.
So I went. Just for kicks, you know? I figured it couldn't hurt. Heck, I'd decided to go for counseling during Fall Term, just cause. And never got around to it. Now's as good of a time as any.
Sides, the adviser (with the unpronounceable Spanish name) seemed to think that the counseling center good give me help/tips on testing.
But when I get there the receptionist stares at me blankly and summons a counselor. Who smiles and says yes i am at the right place and yes please make an appointment and by the way we will be testing you for Learning Disabilities and ADHD nothing to worry about.
WHAAAT? O.o
So you're saying that if I have problems testing (I didn't give them anymore information that the fact I draw blanks during tests) I have a disability? What a load of crap! I certainly hope that this is a normal thing, something they do for intake for anyone else in my position.
Otherwise I'll have a nice little temper tantrum.
For some odd reason, the idea of a learning disability scares the crap out of me. I couldn't tell you why, to be honest.
Something that I usually shove to the back of my mind, but was unearthed after the adviser shoved pamphlets at me this morning....I'm a kinetic learner. If I remember correctly that means I learn better from hands on things, and while moving. It's probably why I tap my feet and swing around while reading or doing homework on the computer.
I don't like to think about it because there's not much I can do to accommodate my odd quirks in a lecture class. Believe me, there isn't.
They recommend that we give ourselves lots of room to move in a testing environment, and to take lab classes. Well that's fine and dandy. Cept there aren't lab classes for an English major and if you haven't learned too well int he class there's no way moving around during the test is going to help you.
I'm pretty good at multiple choice. And essay's are always fun. Short answers usually aren't a problem for me either. But Linguistics and Spanish offered two ways for me to fail (obviously).
One, Spanish: The good old we expect you to memorize specific words and fill in the blank. I can repeat and study those words until I'm saying them in my sleep; I'll still forget them as soon as I glance at the test.
Better yet, I'll sit there and second guess my instincts and dig myself a deeper hole.
Linguistics offered a brand new torture. She did Short answers AND memorizing/fill in the blank. Sorta. It was all short answer on her tests....But she wanted you to answer in specific ways. It didn't matter if your content was the same, if you didn't use the words she wanted you too she'd mark it as wrong. She wanted us to sound like real linguistics.
So of course as soon as we were required to memorize certain phrases and the like they went straight out of my mind.
No idea what happened on the last test in that class. Heck, I wrote stuff from my study sheet that I got straight from the book!
So, update:
I'm poor. I owe money to the college from last term because of THEIR mess up. I owe interest (lovely). No idea what my financial aid is doing. Got two notices in the mail. The first said to redo everything. The second made more sense: It threatened me for not complying (nice school, yeah?) and asked me to do a corrections form. Not redo the FAFSA.
Thanks for communicating well the first time, guys. Thanks.
Did all that. No more notices. It's been almost a month. In fact? No more ANYTHING. So I can't get a loan until I get financial aid. And I can't get a deferment to stave off interest until the loan goes through until I pay the money they forgot to charge me for until AFTER I paid last term.
And I can't pay that money until I get the loan.
Oh, and I can't get my text books either. Usually if you're waiting for your financial aid you can get a deferment and they'll give you a slip to charge books onto your account....But I'm without options. Sucky, huh?
Oh, and I got my first electric bill!
For $10.
I was excited until I read that it was only for Dec 10th-15th.
>.<
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica
p.s. I has a mailbox now! And Miki is the only one with mail in it >.< time to go hunt down my letters, yeah?
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