I’m in the middle of finishing my last final exam (it was a take-home exam that was decided last minute by the professor, woohoo!) but here I am, getting distracted by not only plasma mounts but surfing for other things that I really shouldn’t be doing right now.  Had a final this morning and had every intention of buckling down someplace quiet to make sure my evening would be free to work on another paper, but my head started pounding right after I took my final.  Change of plans ~ ended up at home, in bed.  Information overload, you think?

Lovely how I wait last minute on things when I could have easily done this last final last week (when it was distributed).  Old habits are indeed hard to break.  Christmas shopping?  Who?  Are you kidding me–not one person.  I plan to do all that when I get to Vegas as I’ll have less than a week to go before our Christmas party.  3 more days and we’re outta hea!

It is so brrrrr outside.  Bet it would be great to have heated mattress pads.  Especially since it seems my body is having a hard time trying to shake off this bug that wants to invade my system.  My voice isn’t quite back to normal yet and I have this constant itchy throat.  Been drinking ginger/lemon/honey tea for the past week and religiously downing my vitamins but this bug just doesn’t want to take a hint.  Getting sick right now is the last thing I need.  I think whatever I have all started when I was drowning in stress over some writing assignments that I procrastinated on last minute (I had since the beginning of the semester to complete my work but instead, I waited til last minute — gee, so typical of me).  It also doesn’t help that it is just so flippin’ cold.

Looking forward to heading to Vegas for a holiday break.  But before that happens, I have a major paper to write, some chapters to reread in time for my final essay exam and more studying.  Still luckier than most because I’m only taking 2 classes this semester.  Christmas shopping will have to take a backseat for now.  Keeping house and being mommy and wifey on top of school is enough for me to handle right now.

Fingers crossed my body doesn’t shut down.  Afterall, us mommies don’t have a call-in-sick option.

No school today.  No kid.  No hubby.  Just silence.  Well, except for the pork that’s boiling for sinigang.  It’s sooo cold out there, there’s nothing like hot and sour soup to rescue the day.  Heh, funny how I’m talking about how cold it is — I’m in California, for crying out loud.

Anyways.

Since I had some time on my hand, thought I’d research this online university called Western Governors University (WGU).  It was founded by the governors of 19 U.S. States and offers nationally and regionally accredited online bachelor’s and master’s degrees for busy adults like you and me.  I love the flexibility of an online education but wonder if my lack of discipline would hurt me in the end.  I guess I won’t know ’til I try, eh?  Graduate school is definitely a part of my plans — just not sure which direction I’d like to go, whether that’s to stick with education (I want to follow my kid around, see *lol*) or pursue an online mba.

Don’t worry,  WGU is nationally, regionally, NCATE, and CCNE accredited.  Tuition is very affordable — they don’t charge you per course or per credit, only a flat rate every term.  Need financial aid?  Not to worry, the Department of Education has approved WGU in offering financial aid assistance to its students.  That’s music to my ears — I’ve got bad enough loans from my undergrad work as it is!

I had to step on the scale and see that I’d gained over 7 pounds before waking up and realizing I had to stop this crazy eating or else.  Yes, a 7-pound gain.  And it’s not even Christmas yet!  School and having family over must have done it to me.  Even though I realized I was feeding myself a little too much, I didn’t quite have the willpower to stop because there was always tomorrow.  Gotta love that.  And while most people would just wait ’til after the holidays to start their weight loss goals, I decided to be different.  Yes, oh yes, I am faithfully back on my Weight Watchers program which I realize I’ve missed because the whole year of 2009, I didn’t lose a single pound.  Nope, not even an ounce.  For some reason, I somehow had myself believe I deserved to lay off the “dieting” because I’d done so well in 2008.  Slacker!  But enough is enough.  All that is the past and I want to welcome the new year already stronger and ready to face my blubber head on.  I plan to let go of at least 4 pounds before the new year so help me God.

And no, I will not accomplish this by starving myself or taking an appetite suppressant.  It excites me that if I can at least lose the amount I lost in 2008, I’ll finally, finally, finally, finally (finally!!!!!!) be at my pre-pregnancy weight.  Gaad, it’s been what.. almost 5 years since giving birth and I’m still trying to achieve my pre-pregnancy weight.

Yep, it’s time to get jiggy with it.

So how’d you guys fare?  Get any good stuff?  I didn’t participate much; stayed on the sideline and window-shopped online.  Kudos to the hubby for actually getting up after only 3 hours of sleep to brave the crowds at 4 in the morning.  Even my mom got up and bought a couple boxes of down comforters in the wee hours of the morning.  Decided to get out of the house during the evening and headed to the mall.  Saw some UGG Classic Short boots that looked enticing, but beyond that, there was really nothing that caught my eye.  In fact, I thought the deals online were better.  But then again, we’re talking evening hours.

Off to class!

I am such a dingaling.  For a while, I couldn’t even remember my password and username to get this entry going.  Granted it’s been a month since I’ve logged in and attempted an entry, could this memory loss really be attributed to childbirth?  I have used that excuse so many times, I’m beginning to wonder if maybe there’s really something wrong with me.  Surely it’s not old age — I still feel like I’m in my 20′s.  Ha.

Have a few minutes to spare before I head off to class.  Trying to be as productive as possible these last two weeks of school (yes, I think this is being productive haha!) — yep yep, two more weeks and I’ll be able to kiss another semester goodbye.  So far, I’ve only enrolled in one class for next semester and with Erynne in school half of the day everyday of the week, I just may find a job.  Of course, nothing full-time.  Just something that will match Erynne’s schedule at school.  While being at home all these years has been nice and sweet, I realized I am a better person when I’m a part of society — not that I’m discrediting how important my job is to Erynne, oh no.  But she’s growing and not having another child to care for, I don’t mind being out there again.  I miss it actually.  Plus, I smile a lot more when I’m doing something for myself — and I can’t tell you how much the husband likes that .