Summer Days

Hi everyone, It has been a few months since I wrote my blog.  Have had some surprises, as often happens in life.  Still working toward my Health Administration degree.  I have been down to visit my son, once with my daught for five days, then by myself for eight days.  It is wonderful to go and stay with them.  I love seeing them so happy and working on their lives together.  My son just got his second car ever, a suburu, which he has wanted forever.  He doesn't let anyone sit in the driver's seat.  He really appreciates the car. It isn't brand new, still, it is new to him! :-) 
I am preparing for surgery this coming week, and all is ok, except for this cold I came home with, after going for pretesting for the surgery.  May have to postpone.  I will leave you all with a quote;
"People often say that motivation doesn't last.  Well neither does bathing---that's why we recommend it daily."  Zig Ziglar

My Son has moved out!

With the wedding 13 days away, my son has moved into their new apartment.  Never in a million years did I think I would be one of those moms that cried.  I held it together while moving and remembering things when he was young.  Now I have a test in health administration and two DB(discussion boards) to do and I keep tearing up!!  Our dogs keep walking around where his new furniture was downstairs and walking in and out of his bedroom.  Funny, how emotions work.  I would have sworn I was ready for him to be on his own at 22.  Hate when these emotions fool you and sneak up on you.  Seriously, the wedding is going to be so much fun.  I'm the mother of the groom!

Wedding Day Fast Approaching

My son's wedding day is fast approaching.  It is a bitter sweet time.  I am gaining a daughter and my son is moving hours away.  Funny how things go, it seemed so far away, now it seems too close.  His new father-in-law to be has just passed away, and that certainly is unpleasant and sad.  Ashley's mom will be doing everything to stay busy.  They will be close by her, so they can help her through this difficult transition.  Life must go on, because we are all still living and have responsibilities.  Feels like "muddle through"  describes the day to day process, right now.  School is hard this term with the emotional roller coaster I am on.  My son, my only boy between two girls.  I remember when he was born, it seems like yesterday.  Our wedding dance song we have chosen is, "In My Life", by the Beatles.  The words speak volumes of emotion and feeling and we both chose that one out of all of the choices.  He is packed and moving as I write this.  I love him and want the very best for him always.  Love you Dylan and Ashley, my new daughter.  Enjoy the adventure and appreciate all the little things that add up to your life together. 

Helping others learn!

From doing a scientific paper, the advice I would give is , start with setting up a time line and really work hard to follow it as closely as possible.  This will definitely help in completing the paper with as little difficulty and stress as possible.  Also, be sure to pick your topic and start looking for sources and information for that topic as soon as possible.  Even if you make changes, getting a thought in your mind and meditating on it will help you work through to get a firm decision on the topic and sources. 
I feel that I am getting better at APA citing everytime I have to do a paper!.  I know that I will be using my writing skills frequently in the Health Administration field, so I would really like to get my skills of clear communication toned and ready to use.  In the beginning I did not understand why we needed Composition 1 & 2 .  Now I am so glad and appreciative for everything I have learned and will continue to learn.  Thanks for all the comments on the discussion board.  My hope is for everyone to succed in all your endeavors and dreams. It was fun and I hope to see everyone in other classes.  Stay safe, healthy, and happy.  I will leave with a quote, "You may not be able to control the events that occur during the day, especially those events that are unexpected and challenging.  But, you definitely have a choice whether you are going to allow these events to ruin your day, and how you are going to face these challenges."  ~Barry Gottlieb~

Parting is such sweet sorrow!!

We are at the end of my third term, and it is bitter sweet for me.  I have loved my professors and the learning process.  Everytime another term starts, I sigh and think about getting the work done well, and on time.  With my sons wedding coming quickly, March 4, 2011, I am stressing about completing my work.  I remember to stop and think, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." ~Theodore Roosevelt.  I have done well through out my adventure at Kaplan and know that I will continue to do well with hard work and focus.  Thanks to all the new people I have met and talked with through the discussion boards and blogging.  My hope is for all to accomplish your dreams and to pursue yur goals to the best of your abilities. Until we meet again, Be happy, safe, and prosperous.  Skie

"To blog or "not to blog"

I have to say, that when we first started the blogging process I was hesitant and not sure I even wanted to do it.  I forced myself to, just push forward with it as it was required to maintain my grades.  I find it hard to converse openly with people I do not know, except through writing.  I appreciate the words of Thomas Jefferson, "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."  That is how I have felt this last semester with blogging and writing.  I also feel that Zig Ziglar hit the mark when he said, "Failure is an event, not a person.  So regardless of what happens to you along the way, you must keep on going and doing the right thing in the right way.  Then the event becomes a reality of a changed life."  This helps me to keep on putting one foot in front of the other to finish this journey I have started with Kaplan.  I think that I may keep blogging after we  are done with this term to help me keep growing.  Everything I have learned and have done on this journey has made me a better person. 

Peer Reviews

Peer reviews make me more nervous when I am giving them than when I am receiving them.  I appreciate any and all suggestions others may have.  I find peer review very helpful in helping me improve and produce a better, more informative, orderly paper.  Any peer reviews I have received from classmtes, the wring center, or professors, have been extremely helpful in assisting me to improve in my writing.  I have never felt bad yet, about any reviews I have received to date.  Peer reviews are meant to help ones improve on their development of their paper along with their grammar and organizational skills.  I usually read and reread my papers outloud, numerous times, and still need to make revisions.  Usually, after a review, I reread my paper outloud, going over the suggestions, and find that to be an "Aha" moment, and thinking, "Why did I not catch that?"  I usually laugh at myself, make adjustments, and know that no one is perfect, no matter how hard we try to be.  My research paper on nutrition and nutrients, before and after surgery, has been very enlightening.  I never realized the different forms nutrition can take in the process of giving them to a person.  Such as by food, vitamins, liquid, through different avenues, with various results.  When you think of nutrition and nutrients, a picture of good health comes to mind, and yet it can cause issues and be detrimental to a body as well.  I appreciate learning and taking all this knowledge, from writing to health and application in our everyday life.