Room to Breath

Yesterday was rough, but as of 3:00pm today and entered into a period of free time which I am very much enjoying. For once, nothing huge is due tomorrow and I don't have to get up till 8:00.
I was randomly selected in my planning law class to give a briefing report of one of the cases we were supposed to have read. Basically it works like this: You prepare a briefing, if you are selected you can chose to pass or you can read your briefing to the class. The prof questions you while reading the brief and then questions you more after you finish about your thoughts on the case. Then it's opened to class discussion. Giving briefs is about 20% of your grade and you do it 2-3 times during the semester.

Kinda scary. But I did it, and I think I did all right. It felt really good. Yay for a little bit of relief. I don't have to worry about giving another briefing for a little while now.

My goal for tonight is to finish Chapter 5 of my book. This is an ambitious goal. But if I don't achieve it, it's not the end of the world. I have some time.

Phew.

This Can't be Healthy

A brief moment to vent:

Sunday afternoon is spent compiling information on my site for studio.
Sunday evening/night is spent finishing the draft of Chapter 4 in my book.
By 8:45 this morning I'm in the Mission District of SF for a class walking tour.
By 12:30 I'm back home and reading cases for my planning law class
By 1:30 I'm in studio and I work there until 6:00pm.
From 7:00 to 8:00 I eat dinner.

I'm now faced with writing seven case briefs for planning law.

By 9:00am tomorrow I have to be at Strada to meet with my planning law study group.
From 9:30am to 11:00am I'm in planning law.
From 11:00 to 2:00pm I'm doing a site visit for my planning methods class
From 2 to 3 I have swimming PE (at least it's pseudo-free time)
3:00 I have to start research for studio again
Once that's done, I should work on the book until I get too sleepy.

And so it goes, and goes, and goes. And goes and goes and goes.

Of course, you've got throw procrastination gaps in there every once and while or else I would just curl up in the fetal position and fall asleep on my bedroom floor. This makes 9 to 5 sound like cake.

Eat Bird

Morgan likes birds as much as I like* Mountain View history:

Nap98: cooking a bird you saw today?
Nap98: ba-dum-ching
tarquin99: you're bad
tarquin99: :P
tarquin99: I saw a new bird today!!!
tarquin99: and a really rare one!!
Nap98: oh!
Nap98: what?
tarquin99: and!
Nap98: there's more?
Nap98: hehe
tarquin99: I can positively say that I was the last one EVER to see it!!
tarquin99: because I saw it get eaten!!
Nap98: LOL

...it's the little things in life....

*I still like Mountain View history, despite my complaints about el libro.

A Good Sign

Just a few minutes ago while walking home from Planning Law class (not _that_ bad) I saw something perhaps more weird and out of place on Parker Street than the wild turkey's of last November....Triangle Man. I haven't seen Triangle Man in quite some time, perhaps because I'm not in that part of campus anymore, perhaps because I do not go to the RSF enough, or perhaps Triangle Man has finally moved on and is only here to visit.

But I take his random appearance on Parker and Hillegass, in all his bizarre Trianglely-Manness as a good omen. I do not know why I'm taking this is a good omen, I can't think of any symbolism or deeper meaning to it. But I'm running with the feeling.

Because this week....oh boy...this week was hell week. I'm used to having a hell week once or twice every semester, usually towards the end or during midterms. But this early hell week caught me off guard. All my stresses swirled into one big yucky storm that was way way out of season---way too early. Made me feel like if it's this bad now, how am I going to survive the rest of it?

But I've decided that things aren't going to get worse, they're going to get better. By the simple fact that the book will be done, my load will lighten as the semester progresses, or at least I'll be under less pressure.

And now it is the weekend. And the weekend is mine. To do with it what I please. Much of that will be work-work-work. But at least that will be my choice and I can temporarily get off the speeding treadmill that was this past week.

I have a new answer for when people ask me how grad school is....if it's the same as undergrad.

It's harder. A damn lot harder. Not so much because of the courses, but because of what's expected of you and what you expect from yourself. But, as so many of you have been kind enough to patiently remind me....I will get things done and survive.

To myself:

Waking up at 8 or 7 isn't that bad. Get used to it. Go to bed earlier.

You like Urban Design, and even if it isn't the field you end up sticking with.....these will be good skills to have regardless.

Money is a problem, but loans are always an option for next year.

On a similar note, stop spending money on alchohol. Just go to lots of parties instead.

The book will get done. You're making good progress. Just step things up a bit this week.

Yeah, you're schedule is a mess. Yeah it won't be easy. You've been there before and suceeded with flying colors. Don't worry.

Other things will work out in good time. Patience.

Calm down. You'll be fine. And you have a gazillion people who are there for you.

Go to bed. You need more sleep.

.....Weird. That made me feel a lot better.

Too much on my plate...

...and I'm full.

Spring break can't come soon enough.

Every IM Conversation for the Last Month:

x: hey
me: heya
x: how you doing?
me: all right, you?
x: good. how's the book coming along?

Major Life Decision

Should it be:

Images of America: Mountain View, California
By Nick Perry

OR!

Images of America: Mountain View, California
By Nicholas Perry

OR!

Images of America: Mountain View, California
By Nicholas A. Perry

Please submit your votes ;-)

(I should be writing captions)