NEW BLOG

For the 2012-2013 school year, our BLOG has moved to ROGORACING.BLOGSPOT.COM.  See you there!!!!

Gettting Ready for THE FIRST DAY!

You have one more parts-of-speech booklet to make. Look at the post below this one for directions on creating a mini-booklet, then follow the format Yanelys provided here in this link:  https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7vANNZKV7HcSGdiNDBmcV9EWXM/edit  You are going to fill in the information in your booklet the same as she typed it. Yours, however, must be handwritten.

There are no quizzes online for grammar, but you will have one on the first day of class.  You MUST bring in your two parts-of-speech booklets ON THE FIRST DAY! We will likely allow you to use your booklets.

In addition, you must print out your TAoRitR assignments.  You will create a booklet of the four assignments.  They must be bound in a folder of some sort (not a binder), along with a cover page.  Your cover page should have a title you create, a graphic that reflects the book or title, your name, AICE English Language, and the date.  BRING THIS ON THE FIRST DAY AS WELL!

You will have a vocab quiz on all the summer words on the 27th or 28th!!!!!  BE READY!

Can't wait to see you all!  YOUR CAMBRIDGE SCORES WERE FABULOUS!  We will share scores and celebrate when you return!

Class News for the Week of July 30th

USING THE LINKS BELOW, YOU ARE GOING TO CREATE A MINI-BOOKLET ON THREE PARTS OF SPEECH (there are eight, but we are working on these three first):

Click HERE to access your PARTS OF SPEECH CHART (You only need to print the the first four pages)
Click HERE to access the PRONOUN CASE CHART.
Click HERE to access directions on HOW TO MAKE A MINI-BOOKLET
Click HERE to access a video on HOW TO MAKE A MINI-BOOKLET

Front page - Title (Parts of Speech: Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives); Your Name
Pg 1 (Inside front page) - Title this page "Nouns," then provide the definition of a noun, the different types of nouns, and examples for each (Use the Parts of Speech Chart link above)
Pg 2 - Drawing of two different nouns (have to be two different types, they must be labeled, and they must relate to TAoRitR)
Pg 3 - Title this page "Pronouns" then provide the definition of a pronoun, the different types of pronouns, and an extensive list of examples for each. (Use the Parts of Speech Chart link above)
Page 4 - Write two different sentences using pronouns (have to be two different types of pronouns, they must be labeled, and they must relate to TAoRitR)
Page 5 - Write out rules for Pronoun Case (see the Pronoun Case link above).
Page 6 - Title this page "Adjectives" then provide the definition of an adjective, what adjectives describe, and a list for each.  (Use the Parts of Speech Chart link above)
Page 7 - Draw two pictures that relate to TAoRitR and write sentences that describe the picture using adjectives.

Save this booklet, as you will need it for your quiz and for the first day of class.  Check back on Friday for a quiz on Quia, as well as your next Parts of Speech lesson. 

WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER FACE-TO-FACE SESSION THIS THURSDAY from noon to 2 p.m. in our classroom.  Bring your first mini-booklet with you, as well as a pen.  Your attendance this week exempts you from the online quiz for NEXT week (only the people who attended last week are exempt from this week's quiz).
.
See you then :)  

Weekly News

Hi, all!

We just wanted to touch base to let you know that we will beginning our grammar unit next week (we will not be reading another book).  In the meantime, be sure you are caught up on all  TAoRitR quizzes!  They will still be available for another week, so get on there and get it done. Yes, you will just receive a late grade, but it is better than a zero.  Remember, these quizzes are in lieu of the TWO school-wide summer novels and projects that the regular and honor students do.  THESE AICE QUIZZES, LIKE THE TWO SCHOOL-WIDE READING PROJECTS FOR OTHER STUDENTS, WILL BE PART OF YOUR FIRST QUARTER GRADE.  This could very well affect your GPA, NHS membership (current and prospective members), as well as some other extra-curricular activities.  GET ON THE BALL!

Check back THIS Friday for your first grammar lesson.  Ms. Gonzalez (Curbelo) and I are meeting tomorrow to organize our upcoming lessons.  We will have a F2F session on Tuesday, 7/24, in lieu of the grammar quiz for that week!  More news will be forthcoming.

See you soon.  We hope you are enjoying your summer :)  Miss you all!

OUR NEXT F2F SESSION:  Thursday, July 12th from NOON  to 2:30.  You need to stay for the entire time.  If you cannot, you need to notify us ahead of time by email.   Remember that if you come prepared with your book and your work completed, and stay for the entire time, you will not be responsible for the last quiz. Please leave a comment if you plan to attend.

YOUR FINAL QUIZ:  This is due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, July 13th.  All the other quizzes are up in case you had not completed them.  You will receive a late grade, but at least it won't be a zero.

OUR SAT/ACT PREP CLASS: We still need about 50 students to sign-up.  Please do so today!  See the post below (and click on the announcement) to obtain info about this opportunity.  We also trying to get you an AICE credit for this particular course, which will get you one step closer to earning that AICE Diploma!

Love you all.  Please try and be there on Thursday! 

NEWS for the WEEK OF JULY 2nd

FIRST, CHECK YOUR EMAIL ABOUT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE MC2R'S COLLEGE READINESS CLASS, or CLICK HERE TO SEE THE MESSAGE!  Remember to check your Spam, too...just in case!!!!

We had our second face-to-face (F2F) session yesterday, which was wonderful (especially the second half).  There was a ton of sharing, insightful comments, laughter, a-ha moments, the whole nine.  Thank you to those who attended.

We are having another F2F session on Thursday, July 13th at NOON (be mindful of the time, as many of yesterday's folks arrived at 12:30).  It will also end at 2:30.  YOU ARE EXPECTED TO STAY THE ENTIRE TIME.  If you cannot, you need to notify us ahead of time.  Why is this so important?  You are our responsibility during those hours.  If you arrive late, or leave early, we cannot account for where you are during those times.  Since we do not get paid, and are not on the clock for these sessions, WE are liable...not Dade Schools.  It's a slippery slope, you see!   Remember that if you come prepared with your book and your work completed, and stay for the entire time, you will not be responsible for the last quiz. Please leave a comment if you plan to attend. 

Please note that the test dates have been modified (emailed it this past weekend).  You are expected to submit your quizzes ON TIME.  You can submit them late, but you will receive a late grade (15% off).  Remember, your participation will not only affect your first quarter grade, but also the field trips and activities we have planned for you all.  (As a side note, Gonzi and I reflected on and recognized that we were a little soft in letting people go on field trips.  THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN THIS YEAR, WE CAN PROMISE YOU! And it won't matter how much we love you, it is what it is.  You make the choice, you WILL live with it.)

Please read the feedback on your quizzes.  IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU READ ALL COMMENTS!!!!!  We don't want you to keep getting marked off for the same mistakes!

Happy Fourth of July!  Our FREEDOM is a blessing!  Enjoy your families, the BBQs, the beach, whatever.  Just relax and bask in your liberty!

LOVE YOU ALL!

QUIZ INFO & NEW MEETING DATE

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE POSTS PRIOR TO TODAY'S DATE, DO SO NOW THEN WORK YOUR WAY BACK UP.

Many of you completed the first quiz - THANK YOU.  It's going to take us some time to grade because there are 85 of you who completed the quiz, and we have 18 questions to grade per student.  You can do the math!  LOL!  We are trying to give feedback for a few of your questions in each person's quiz, so please read the post below this one to see how to view your grade and the comments we provide.  Until we grade your quiz, you will see that you only got 5% (or so) correct.  We promise that will change once we grade the short answer questions.  Be patient with us.  I have a four-day workshop, pretty much from 8-5, and then I have minor surgery on Friday (which may or may not afford me time to grade).  Curbi is also teaching summer school.  However, you are still a PRIORITY FOR US, and we are trying to grade these as expeditiously as possible. :)  I can assure you, the first quiz will be graded by Monday at the latest.

For those of you who attended last week's class session, you are off the hook for this week's quiz.  JUST SO YOU KNOW - WE HAVE ANOTHER CLASS SESSION ON CH. 30-45 on MONDAY, 7/2 from NOON to 2:30.  We expect to see more of you!!!!  For those planning of attending, you will need to bring your book AND your responses COMPLETED for those chapters.  You will be exempt from this quiz as well if you attend.   Please leave a comment if you're going to participate, so we can make arrangements for a bigger room if need be.

See you then!  We miss you terribly....

“You should shine with all of your light all the time.”  ~ Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain

Chapters 15-29 - UPDATED - Please Read This Post to the End!

First, thank you to the kids who came out yesterday to meet with us about The Art of Racing. We had a great discussion. Y'all missed it!  We plan to do another soon.  Next time, however, you will be required to bring in your assignment typed up, as some students had not finished reading the sections we discussed.  We are also disappointed that we did not get to discuss heroes and their flaws. Next time....

The quiz is up for these chapters (15-29), as well the third set of chapters (30-45).  We will finish the fourth today (only have to add in the vocab), so it should be ready soon.  There are links to the left for all the quizzes.

Once we grade your quizzes, you can see our feedback by signing into Quia. CLICK HERE for the sign-in screen.   We highly recommend that you view our comments because it will help you with subsequent quizzes.  Many of you are using POOR GPS, and we are taking off points.  Another area of concern is your literary response questions (you know - the ones with lit tools, syntax, word choice, etc.).  You are not elaborating enough, nor are you telling us WHY the author employs certain devices, nor WHAT he is trying to teach us by presenting his ideas this way.  CLICK HERE for a sample we typed up for the class yesterday.  It's color-coded so you can see how we organized our ideas.  Follow this model for your lit tools questions on your future quizzes.

REMEMBER,  YOU MUST FINISH THE FIRST QUIZ BY MONDAY (should have been done on the 20th), and the second quiz is due THIS Wednesday!!!!!!!  Get on the ball!

WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR STUDENTS (DOUBLE POINTS FOR YOU IF THEY EMAIL US BY MONDAY MORNING!).  THEY WILL BE REMOVED FROM OUR ROSTER ON MONDAY, SO PLEASE HELP THEM OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alejandro F, Angel A, Brenda B, Brian V, Bryan F, Carlos P, Chris C, Davil A, Janet E, Josue R, Lissy P, Liz R, Paola D,  Richard G, Stephanie Cook, Stephanie F, Stephanie M-D, Steven L, Tatiana R, Yanet A

They need to email theROGOforce@gmail.com to let us know whether or not they are interested in being in our class next year!!!! We need to know by Monday morning, as we are solidifying our roster THIS Tuesday!!!!!

We love and miss you,
MC2R

PS.  Thanks for your texts and emails about how much you're enjoying the book!  We love it, too!  You can also leave comments here for others to see if you choose.

Change for Friday

Sorry, guys - it's 12:30-2:30 for our class discussion on Friday for chapters 15-29.  See the post below if you do not know what we are talking about!!!!

Oh, you will get the ID and password email a couple more times.  Each time I add a group of students, it sends them again...to the whole class :(

Love you all....

Clarification

FIRST AND FOREMOST, be sure you have read all posts back until 6/11, or none of this will make sense.

OK, since some of you have had a late start, you have until the 25th to finish the first quiz.  Be advised, however, that the second quiz is STILL due on 6/27. 

We see that the first set of questions is a little long (didn't notice it when creating it), but the others will be shorter.  Sorry.  Remember that you only do ONE question for each CHOOSE ONE section.  You must do all of the MUST DO questions.  As basic as this sounds, we are still getting questions about what CHOOSE ONE means.  LOL!

In addition, we plan to have a face-to-face session THIS Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in 3219.  If you come in, you should bring your book with your notes inside, as well as a rough draft of your responses for Ch.15-29. (We'll go over the vocab, and lit tools...though you should have annotated your book with lit devices already.)  You will also have to take part in our discussion. YOU WILL BE EXEMPT FROM THE ONLINE QUIZ FOR CH. 15-29 IF YOU COME IN THAT DAY! 

We hope to see you then!   If you plan to attend, please leave a comment under this post, so we know if we need a bigger room.

Smile :)

Really????

If you are checking the blog for the first time since school let out, be sure to go back to the post from June 11th, and work your way up!  For those of you "in the know" already, read on:


I've been grading some quizzes, and I came across a few that have mentioned that they're embracing this assignment (which is great)...while others are complaining.  REALLY???????????  I thought we were beyond that.


Here are your options:
A.  Don't read, take the F for the summer, get a C the first quarter, don't go on our first couple field trips that deal with this book (and, possibly, our second book). Once you choose this, don't complain - you ALONE chose this option


B.  Don't read, drop the AICE class.  Take honors, and be done with it.  Don't complain about this option either.  You have a way out - congrats!   WE REFUSE TO FIGHT YOU!  Don't want to, don't need to, don't care to.  We can't make you do something you don't want to do.


C.  Embrace the book(s) and the lessons they're going to offer, do the reading, do the work, don't complain, TRUST US! 


NOTICE there is no choice D: to complain, nag, bash us for giving summer work, complain some more, whatever.  You are getting DOUBLE bonus points for your GPA!!!!  We teachers don't get a cent to do what we do over the summer.  Regardless, you HAVE to do summer reading...even the intensive students have to read two books.  They also have assignments that accompany the summer reading, so suck it up!  Remember, an IDLE BRAIN IS THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP!  We are trying to keep you up there among the stars, shining brightly!  Remember, stars don't complain - they just shine...ALL THE TIME...even in the darkness...remember?!?!?!


Besides, it's an enjoyable book, the assignments are to help you with SAT/ACT, the AICE exam next May, and with college.  It's not mindless, pointless, BS work.  It's meant to HELP YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Why not make a change this summer and EMBRACE CHANGE?  Do it the Enzo and Denny way!


Love you all....

Your FIRST Quiz and Your NEXT Reading Assignment

Once you are done typing up your responses, you are NOT going to email us.  Instead, you will take a quiz using your responses!  Most of it is copy-and-paste...except the vocab.  You CAN use the definitions you typed out in your entry for the vocab section of the quiz (wink-wink, Bryan).  You will copy the responses from your journal document then paste them in the box with the appropriate questions.  REMEMBER to save your journal response documents each week, as you will print them all to turn in the first day of class (as a journal of your summer work).  You should have already created a special folder on your computer at home. (I would also copy it to a flash drive in case your computer has a glitch.)

Here is the link for the FIRST assignment/quiz: http://www.quia.com/quiz/3730492.html.  It will only be accessible until the 25th, so you need to hurry.  Your user names and passwords have already been emailed from Quia to the email address of your "GOT IT" message.  If you email us after this post, I will send it to you when I can. BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER WITH QUIA as the sender.

Once you submit your answers, it will take us some time to grade them (about a week), and you will be able to see your scores then.  It will only grade the vocab section in real-time, but the essay portions will need to be graded by us since there are so many possible correct answers.  PLEASE WATCH YOUR G.P.S. (grammar, punctuation, and spelling)!!!!  There is no excuse for misspelled words, improper mechanics, etc.  Get it together :)

The next set of questions are available already.  Once you are finished, let us know (thanks, Kellen and Ashely) because we will post the next set of questions and the quiz link.  If you want to read ahead, you can.  I already have the questions ready because I created them (and the vocab list) as I read.  Trust me, I know some of you are reading ahead because you're into it...while others are reading ahead to get it done so you can play.  ANYWAY, for chapters 15-29, CLICK HERE.  Remember to save each of your documents and put them in a folder on your computer!

We really hope you are enjoying the book!  I finished yesterday and felt a wave (and a variety) of emotions!  Feel free to leave your comments here about the book, or you can share some of your responses from your journals (preferably the personal ones...not the academic-type questions).  Who knows, there may be some extra credit (EC) when you do share.  Anything is possible!

Speaking of EC, you have your FIRST EC opportunity for the 2012-2013 school year.  I have a list of students who've not responded to my/your tweets OR our blog (shame, shame).  CLICK HERE to access the list of students MISSING IN ACTION.  For each student on that list who responds because you told them to, we will award you EC points.  They need to read the post from Monday, respond according to the directions...except they need to add YOUR name after "Got It" in the subject line, so we can give YOU credit and add THEM to our list!

OK, enough for today!  Love you and miss you all!  We have 66 days until we see each other again!

Copies of the Book

Call Barnes & Noble before you go to make sure the book is there (954-437-7078).  Even though I ordered the copies on Saturday and was told it would take three days, they apparently didn't place the order until Monday and won't be there until Thursday or Friday. 

FYI - there are online PDF copies for free if you want to read until you can get your copy.  Sashalie will post the link, or you can always Google it.  I found a couple with the stroke of a few keys!

YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THE BOOK!  I've cried, laughed, smiled, been inspired, gotten angry, really angry...and that's only up to Ch. 33.  LOL! 

Love you all!

PS.  Be sure to check the post below for the info about this assignment!

Summer Reading for Cambridge (AICE) English Language

Hello!  Happy Summer!

Ms. Curbelo and I selected our two summer reading books for our Cambridge students.  You WILL NOT do the ones assigned by the school...unless you're not in our Cambridge class for next year.  If you are on this list (CLICK HERE TO ACCESS IT), you ARE in Cambridge A.S. English Language (ASEL) and will read what's in this post.  If you are NOT on the list (or you've decided you DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE PROGRAM), you will do the Summer Reading listed in the top, right-hand column of our blog.  If you do not want to be in the program, email me at TheROGOForce@gmail.com with your rationale. Be warned: There's no guarantee we will let you out....

SO...IF YOU ARE ON THE CLASS LIST AND PLAN TO STAY IN THE PROGRAM, THIS IS FOR YOU:

1.  You need to get the word out!!!!!!  Do it via Twitter, FB, email, text, whatever.  If you see your friends' names on the list, be a GREAT FRIEND and let them know NOW!!!!!!

2.  Once you read this post, you are going to email TheROGOForce@gmail.com.  In the subject, include your first and last name, then "Got it!"  For example, I would put in the subject line: "Christine Rodriguez GOT IT!"  Make sure that email address is one you check frequently, as we will assign you access to our class folder via this email. 

3.  Our first book is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.  We reserved 40+ copies at Barnes and Noble in Pembroke Gardens.  Ask the customer service folks; they're under my name.  You can buy your copy anywhere, but at least you know there are some copies there.  YOU NEED TO DO THIS NOW!   Your first assignment is due on 6/20!  

(We are not going to release both books at one time.  Once you have completed the first, and its accompanying activities, then you will find out about the second book.  We are only doing this so you won't cram two books into a couple days before school starts.)

4.  Be sure to download the study questions for the first set of chapters by CLICKING HERE. Follow the directions to a T!

If you have any questions, feel free to comment here.

We love and miss you...and we look forward to seeing your smiling faces in 68 days!

PS.  Check the blog EVERY OTHER DAY!  Set your alarms now!!!!!

Bye...But Not For Long

Needless to say, Curbi and I already miss you!!!!   I am already counting down: 73 days until we meet again!

We just wanted to remind you to check back in to view your summer work. We will post it before Tuesday! 

As far as grades go, don't expect to see them done until tomorrow afternoon.  If you find there is an issue then, let us know via e-mail.  We can always fill out a grade change form if need be.

KNOW WE LOVE YOU...terribly!

Periods 3 & 5 Roaring Twenties' Party

OK, so I forgot to mention this:

We are having a Roaring Twenties' Party tomorrow (for third period) and Wednesday (for fifth period)!  You need to dress up AND bring something for the party.  Respond to this post by stating what you plan to bring.  Name it after a concept, theme, or character from the novel! 

For ideas on how to dress, CLICK HERE.  Be sure to follow dress code :)

If you need to bring your items to my room in the morning, that's fine :)  Bring your book to turn in, or your money to replace it...and be ready for your quiz!

See you then.

Field Trip

If you failed two or more quizzes (or had to sit out for 2 or more because you did not read), it's safe to say you are not going on the field trip.  Won't be able to access the list until tomorrow a.m. because it's on our hard drive there...not here...sorry.

We will be in our room early to collect $ and forms, and finalize our roster. 

See you then!

(See below for more information)

All Classes - Read Here!

Periods 3 & 5 - Be sure to bring your "You're a Star" necklace and your bandana wristband for your Cambridge exam on Thursday.  We will replenish the other items on test day :)  There is a post after this one that has your HW in it!  Be sure you see it!!!!

Periods 1, 2, 4, and 6 - For our field trip on Wednesday, you will need to do the following:

1.  Bring $3!  We did not know the museum charges.  If you can't make this happen, please let us know ahead of time; we can help.  We are bringing you bagged lunches, so you will not need money for food...unless you want something in the museum's cafe'.

2.    Our gentlemen need to wear dress pants, a collared shirt, tie, and dress shoes.  Our young ladies need to wear either dress pants, a dress shirt, and a dressy pair of shoes.  If you wear a dress, it cannot be short.  Anything two inches above the knee is not allowed.   You cannot wear tank tops or spaghetti straps.  Your shoes should be comfortable because we are doing a lot of walking.

3. Bring some type of camera or your phone, as your assignment requires you take photos!  Remember, you cannot use your phone for calls or texts while at the museum or memorial!

4.  We need your field trip form! Bring it signed by your parents, please.

5.   Check back on Monday night to see if you are on our list to attend.  We are going through the list Monday morning (yes, on our day off) to see who's eligible to attend.

Now for your HW:  You need to do your enjambment poem ( a minimum of 8 lines).  CLICK HERE for a sample (one of my favorite poems).  You will see the lines aren't complete thoughts; in the middle of a phrase or sentence, e.e. cummings goes to the next line (so it's jammed up).  You will also notice he takes some liberties with his punctuation and grammar GPS.  (Finally, you can use a lowercase "i" for the pronoun "I.")  Have fun with this!   This is due on Tuesday for first period, and our even day students have to turn it in on Wednesday before we leave on our trip. 


We are looking forward to our last two weeks together!  Remember that we love you!

Periods 3 & 5 HW

Click HERE to access the document you will need to analyze and comment on for HW.  Don't take more than 10 minutes reading and annotating, and take no more than 1 hour to respond to both prompts (one is the commentary, and the other is the review).  Use the sample we did in class today as a guide.  Go paragraph by paragraph if that makes it easier for you.

SMILE!

NEW DAY!

First, be sure to read the post under this one about making up ZEROS!  That is vital, and I didn't want you to miss it!

OK, here goes:

Are you feeling a little weary?  Frustrated?  Burned out?  Well, TODAY IS A NEW DAY! 

After much thought and in taking pen to paper, I have decided to CHANGE! (Thank you, Bryan! Muah!)  I have to be at my best for each of you (and my beautiful and AMAZING Curbi), and no one has to tell me I've been slipping - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  I blame it on me, and I am going to take the steps to fix it before it's too late (we still have three weeks of school left).

I certainly cannot control my circumstances, but I can alter the way I plan and go about my day. Here's the plan (and I'm expecting you all to hold me to it):

I can't change that I have to read TWO novels for our classes, so I promise to read ahead of time, not wait until the night before.  I will have WAW read one night in advance, and TGG will be done the DAY before I meet with you 11th graders. 'Nough said!

In doing that alone, I know I will sleep more. Even still, I promise to give my body (and mind) at least 6 hours of rest a night (but I will truly aim for 7).   I'm also not drinking enough water (which might explain the dizziness, nausea, and heart palpitations yesterday...along with fatigue), so I promise to drink 90 oz. per day.  Eating is an issue, too (not doing it enough and not eating enough), so it's back to peanut butter at 9-ish (that table in first period is just going to have to deal with it), and an apple (or orange) around 1!  And with that said, I promise to cook at least two nights a week (until summer...then it's 5 times), and I will exercise at least 3 times a week.

The good news is that if I take care of the aforementioned issues, it is likely I will feel emotionally and spiritually stronger too!  I am a little loca, and much of that will never change, but I promise to be better.  More than anything, I need to kick Fear's butt.  Too much fear is never good.  I haven't even felt like going back to school (my Doctorate) because I fear I won't be good enough.  Don't say, "Awwww, poor C-Rod!"  In my heart and in the deepest parts of my being, I KNOW "I GOT THIS"!  But for whatever reason, my mind is playing tricks on me.  I'm going to fix that.  I promise to be in that Doctoral regalia at 2014's graduation.  God knows I will beaming with pride watching you strut across that stage, but I want you to be able to look up on stage and see me all decked out and know we made it TOGETHER.   Therefore, I will register for my Fall classes MONDAY (they're my last two), and I will work on my dissertation (and study for my qualifying exam) at least six hours a week beginning June 11th!

OK, so now this is where you come in.  I want you to create a list of changes you want to make so you can be a better you (if you feel there is room for improvement).  However, you must be specific!  Don't just say, "I will get more rest."  Say, "I will sleep 7 hours a night."  Don't say, "I want to earn a 'A'."  Say, "I vow to do EVERY homework assignment."   In addition, create some short-term and long-term goals.  Feel free to post your goals here, and we will hold each other to it!  Today is a NEW DAY, so let's do it!  Just think - how amazing is it that God makes everything anew each morning, and allows us to end it the way we choose?  Crazy crap is going to happen, but if our minds, bodies and spirits are at their prime, we will be able to handle it better!!!!!!  Remember, life is 10% of what happens to you, and 90% how you deal with it.

Love you all, and thank you for being so patient with me.  I, too, am still evolving as a human being (and, truthfully, it never stops).

As always, SMILE :)

Don't forget to read the post under this one about making up ZEROS!  I don't want you to miss it!