Home Sweet Home

Where I spend 6 hours a day Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Possibly for the rest of my life :-P

Good Weekend :)

On Friday, I passed my speed test, thus enabling me to (officially) move on to the next level. Which I had been (unofficially) practicing at for a month anyway :)

On Saturday, I ran a 10K in St. Pete Beach in 59:06, which is a 3.5 minute PR and the first time I've ever broken an hour. Just a year ago, I was running 1:12-1:14 at that distance.

I had to work at the Hellhole all day today, but it's all good--I'm still slightly giddy from the good stuff ;)

Failed Spectacularly

Guess yesterday just wasn't my day. Oh well. There's Tuesday. And Thursday. And Friday. And the same next week. I'm bound to hit two of them :-D

Testing, Testing

After missing one test by five words (FIVE WORDS! AARGH!!!) two weeks ago and then completely train-wrecking one the next day, I am testing again tomorrow. And I will pass. If I do not, I will post my Goodbye-Cruel-World missive here tomorrow afternoon ;)

All positive vibes/crossed fingers/whatever it is you do for good luck will be greatly appreciated!

DONE!!

Since tomorrow is the end of the quinmester (and I'm ditching,) that means--I am FINISHED with the pain in the ass medical testimony class that has been the bane of my existence for the past nine weeks!! Maybe now I can stress a little less and worry more about my speed progression. I didn't pass my speed this quin, but I think I can make it within the next two weeks or so. God (and fingers) willing.

While I detested the medical class, I did really well in it. My instructor even wrote a note on one of my transcripts that medical testimony specialization may be in my future. Frankly, at this point, I'd rather take a stick to the eye, but I'm not completely ruling it out for the future. Never say never.

Random music note: This is my new favorite underplayed song on the radio. I wish the radio stations around here played some of the more underrated country artists rather than All-Kenny-and-Carrie-All-the-Time. As much as I love Keith Urban (and most of y'all know I do,) I really don't want to hear him three times an hour :-P

Happiness

It's Mallomar season again, with all its chocolatey, marshmallowy goodness :) It's been a long summer without them. (And yes, I got into them before I even left the Publix parking lot.) Is it sad that something this small makes me stupid-happy??

Speaking of which, I've decided to go into my shift at the Hellhole with a good attitude today. I'll smile and mean it, make small-talk with the customers, and be nice (and not in a condescending way like usual) to Sparky the Ass Clown. I'm probably going to be stuck there for a little while(that's not to say I'm not sending my resume to a temp agency when I get back from MDI; that's still my plan,) so I may as well make the best of it.

The whole "power of positive thinking" thing actually worked for me yesterday. Melanie, who is working on her 225s, gave me some advice to practice more efficiently. I practiced a 2-1/2 minute dictation at 180 wpm, which is 20 wpm higher than what I've been working on. Even though it was complete slop at the beginning and the speed made me want to curl up in the fetal position under my desk and cry, I decided that wasn't going to get me anywhere, so I kept doing it. Lo and behold, the more I did it, the more words I could make out. After a while, when I slowed it down to 160, I only dropped a few words. Before that, I was tanking 150s. I stand in awe of Mel and her fantastic advice :)

Hopes and dreams for the future: BACK ON!!

All better now

So I had a bit of a meltdown this morning that had me seriously considering quitting CR school after three years, despite the finish line being in sight. (It's down a ways, but I can make it out...)A big Thanks! to my friends, both in person and online, for talking me off the ledge :) This is quite literally THE single most frustrating thing I have ever done. I mean, if I take a dictation, transcribe it, and capture 94% of it, including proper punctuation, that is a big fat FAILURE. 94% - No Pass. I have missed so many tests by, like, five words. EXTREME frustration, I can't even tell you. And then you pass, finally!! And you're elated for about ten minutes before it sinks in that you have to do it all over again, only 20 words per minute faster. And then you need a drink.

So between this frustration, the BS at work, picking up my cat's ashes yesterday, and some other random life things that haven't gone quite the way I would have hoped, it all came to a head this morning. A Perfect Storm of self-pity, if you will ;)

Of course, I'm not actually quitting. As usual, sitting there stewing about it just pissed me off and made me more determined to work even harder. More friggin' finger drills and speed ladders :-P

Holy. Mother. of. God.

My afternoon class is Medical Q&A. I have to stenotype words like antihypertensive, thrombophlebitis, atheromatous, costophrenic. Crap. I'm having enough trouble with, "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, a crime is a violation of a statute of this state."

:-O

My friend Melanie took this class a couple of terms ago. I've already offered her $20 per transcript ;)

Summer Break!!

"School's out, the night rolls in
Man, just like a long-lost friend
You ain't seen in a while
You can't help but smile
And it's two bare feet on the dashboard
Young love in an old Ford
Cheap shades and a tattoo and a Yoohoo bottle rolling on the floorboard
Perfect song on the radio
Sing along 'cuz it's one we know
It's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine
It's summertime, sweet summertime"

--"Summertime," Kenny Chesney

One solid month of not having to get up at 5 AM and fight the friggin' traffic 42 miles ONE WAY into Tampa. Hello, morning marathon and tri training!

Now I just need to stick to the schedule I made for myself so that I don't blow it by staying up all night reading and watching movies :-/