Looks the same to me as it always has.
What made me happy today?
- Thread starter big soft moose
- Start date
Made some absolutely fantastic ravioli for dinner. Didn't feel like bothering folks at the store after I left work, so I decided to make my own pasta dough and it was a resounding success. I made enough to try some, and then I'm testing to see if they freeze okay after being boiled.
I still have a ton of dough and filling, but I'm going out in a bit so I ran out of time. But I'm excited for next dinner.
I still have a ton of dough and filling, but I'm going out in a bit so I ran out of time. But I'm excited for next dinner.
Louanne Learning
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What did you put in it?
I used some Impossible burger and sausage, and I made a cashew ricotta. Added some mozzarella, too. I browned some butter to drizzle on top after toasting them in the pan. Simple things, but joyful things.
Merry Xmas!
First day of winter break. I don't have to be back to my full-time job until April. Still got a bunch of essays to grade, but on my schedule. No alarm clocks 
No alarm clocks
This may be the singlemost best thing about retirement from day jobs in favor of taking up the life of a writer. I am not a rise and shine sort of person, especially when rising involves alarms going off on the bedside table. I try not to schedule anything in life earlier than 10:00 a.m., and that's pushing it.
Some very good news arrived late on Christmas: PayPal closed the case I filed over the scam cover art in my favor and issued a full refund! Apparently the seller just…never answered them? So it was the private arbitration equivalent of a default judgement.
Finally... I finished with all the coursework for the semester. I was supposed to finish this Monday but things just didn't go as planned. Lots of issues and obstacles along the way.
Finalizing everything to have the winter break free was really, really hard. My university claims that the workload is doable in 12 weeks (so you can have three weeks free after Christmas) but this wasn't my experience. I've had to stay up really late every single day these past few weeks to achieve this. A big part of the dissertation to write (3k+ literature review), the dissertation project to define and outline, three large 2k word reports, a big React project, a genetic algorithm to write (along with a lot of math code and some supporting object code) and a couple of formative documents.
The Literature review was the worst. I just don't like academic articles. They are written by academics for academics, and an academic I will never, ever be. I am a practical person.
The React project was enjoyable enough because I do like React. It was huge though and we only started it at week 5, so things got overwhelming pretty much instantly.
Don't get me started on genetic algorithms. I really liked the concept but the assignment had a great deal of issues, which the MT thankfully acknowledged (but did nothing about). The issues wasted a significant chunk of my time.
Oh well. That's all in the past now. I'm going to use this break to reset, which I am very happy and thankful for! I didn't get this break last year at all for different reasons.
Finalizing everything to have the winter break free was really, really hard. My university claims that the workload is doable in 12 weeks (so you can have three weeks free after Christmas) but this wasn't my experience. I've had to stay up really late every single day these past few weeks to achieve this. A big part of the dissertation to write (3k+ literature review), the dissertation project to define and outline, three large 2k word reports, a big React project, a genetic algorithm to write (along with a lot of math code and some supporting object code) and a couple of formative documents.
The Literature review was the worst. I just don't like academic articles. They are written by academics for academics, and an academic I will never, ever be. I am a practical person.
The React project was enjoyable enough because I do like React. It was huge though and we only started it at week 5, so things got overwhelming pretty much instantly.
Don't get me started on genetic algorithms. I really liked the concept but the assignment had a great deal of issues, which the MT thankfully acknowledged (but did nothing about). The issues wasted a significant chunk of my time.
Oh well. That's all in the past now. I'm going to use this break to reset, which I am very happy and thankful for! I didn't get this break last year at all for different reasons.
Haha. Yeah. I discovered this as well when I explored history PhD programs back in another life. I was like, wait, you want me to do what for seven years? Hell to the no.
I wanted to go for a Masters in literature, but I have a similar problem in that I don't want to write for academia. I want to talk about the things I read, absolutely, but writing for the purpose of other academics to read it always left me feeling like the world was dry enough.
Congratulations on finishing your work, though! That has to be a big relief.
I wanted to pursue a Master's in history, but I was turned off my the politics of academia. You have to kiss asses and get recommendations and stuff to even get into the program. That, and I decided I already had enough student debt to work off.
What's made me happy of late is that I've sold 7 books this week, 5 of which went to complete strangers. Two of them were from the UK, the rest, Canada. Three came from clicking Amazon ads.
Are those rookie numbers? Absolutely. But - I am doing what most self-published authors don't manage to do - generate sales from the general public rather than purely from friends & family. And that kicks ass.
What's made me happy of late is that I've sold 7 books this week, 5 of which went to complete strangers. Two of them were from the UK, the rest, Canada. Three came from clicking Amazon ads.
Are those rookie numbers? Absolutely. But - I am doing what most self-published authors don't manage to do - generate sales from the general public rather than purely from friends & family. And that kicks ass.
One of the uk purchases was me btw
I was a year and a half into my master's program when I got ill. I survived the fall semester by the skin of my teeth and the aid of two very dear classmates, may all the gods bring blessings on their heads. Recovery time cut well into the spring semester, so when I was up and around, I found a temporary fulltime job. All of a sudden, I had free time. I had money. I wasn't spending every waking hour poring over schoolwork. I wasn't constantly fighting bias in a male-dominated field. I had no idea a life of relative freedom was possible. After that, I never looked back at academia.
I like academia.... if money wasnt an issue, i'd probably go back for another degree. Art Therapy was my first undergrad major, but i wasnt ready for the therapy part. The counseling classes and the tough situations I had to learn about really scared me. And I didnt think i could go into the counseling profession because of my stutter, so I dropped the major.
But working with the public and the interactions i've had (and meeting other people who stutter that have various degrees and careers in counseling, teaching, medicine, etc)... I feel like i'm ready to retake those counseling classes.
-sighs-
but money.....
But working with the public and the interactions i've had (and meeting other people who stutter that have various degrees and careers in counseling, teaching, medicine, etc)... I feel like i'm ready to retake those counseling classes.
-sighs-
but money.....
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When I was 36 I decided to go to law school, got accepted by the only school I applied to, and, for the first time in my life, devoted myself to academia. Twelve-hour study days, and got a couple awards, almost won the moot-court competition, made the law review and had an article published, graduated cum laude. Became someone I didn't know I could be. Proudly graduated, and became a federal law clerk, the guy who sits up there beside the judge (and does most of the research and writing of opinions). My intellectual life was good.
But my marriage collapsed. And I have been years recovering.
Was it worth it?
Won't know until life's final reckoning.
But my marriage collapsed. And I have been years recovering.
Was it worth it?
Won't know until life's final reckoning.
When I was around 40, I returned to community college for a legal assistant certificate before taking the national certification exam. I enjoyed the first two semesters, but by the third, I was over preparing for mock trials at school since I was getting ready for real trials at work. I used to study in my favorite chair in the living room with books spread out all around me. As long as the kids could see me, they were happy to "parallel play" with me. Worked as a civil litigation CLA for over eleven years. Don't regret it but wouldn't go back to it. I chose the field because it was something I could do and still be home every night, which wasn't true of being a field biologist.
Happy moment for today: cleaning out computer files.
Happy moment for today: cleaning out computer files.
Louanne Learning
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My turn.
I graduated with a degree in Politics and Economics in 1982. I spent the 1980s working for a bank, working my way up to Investment Officer. But it got boring, so at the age of 30, I quit my job and went back to university to take Biology and Chemistry credits, and then to teacher's college. Best decision I ever made. Really found my niche.
I graduated with a degree in Politics and Economics in 1982. I spent the 1980s working for a bank, working my way up to Investment Officer. But it got boring, so at the age of 30, I quit my job and went back to university to take Biology and Chemistry credits, and then to teacher's college. Best decision I ever made. Really found my niche.
My lovebird.
Lately he's become obsessed with shredding paper. He does a very neat job of it, working his way down the edge, like eating corn on the cob, making perfectly straight long strips, as precise as a paper shredder. Okay as long as it's newspaper the floor of his cage, or even a free calendar hanging on the wall, but he also has his eye on one poster in my office. He had already done considerable damage by the time I realized what he was doing, and now I work to keep him from doing any more. And that's what amuses me -- he will fly over and perch right next to it and look back at me. I will say, "No, don't do it." And he'll look away from the poster, maybe even turn around, but as soon as he realizes (or thinks) I'm not looking he turns back to it. I'll say no, and he'll stop and look at me. Just like a toddler who's testing his limits. I'm pleasantly surprised that he understands my demand, and amused at the way he tries to outwait me (or maybe outwit me).
Until one of us gives up, and he either gets involved with something else, or I put him back in his cage. Inter-spetial fun and games.
Lately he's become obsessed with shredding paper. He does a very neat job of it, working his way down the edge, like eating corn on the cob, making perfectly straight long strips, as precise as a paper shredder. Okay as long as it's newspaper the floor of his cage, or even a free calendar hanging on the wall, but he also has his eye on one poster in my office. He had already done considerable damage by the time I realized what he was doing, and now I work to keep him from doing any more. And that's what amuses me -- he will fly over and perch right next to it and look back at me. I will say, "No, don't do it." And he'll look away from the poster, maybe even turn around, but as soon as he realizes (or thinks) I'm not looking he turns back to it. I'll say no, and he'll stop and look at me. Just like a toddler who's testing his limits. I'm pleasantly surprised that he understands my demand, and amused at the way he tries to outwait me (or maybe outwit me).
Until one of us gives up, and he either gets involved with something else, or I put him back in his cage. Inter-spetial fun and games.
