The Do, Or Do Not, There Is No Try Edition

Confucius wrote: "Our greatest glory is not in never falling but rising every time we fall." I have to be honest with you...if I somehow passed my Egyptology final it's because elves switched my grade with someone smarter. I failed miserably. It's simply the worst test I've ever taken. I'd take the SATs naked in the pouring rain 5 times in a day before I'd take that test again. When I got the exam and turned it over to begin, it was as if it had been written in sanskrit, but considering it was an ancient Egypt test I thought an exam written in the dead Hindu language would have been a misfire. So I sallied forth into the abyss. Now I don't mean to pat myself on the back, but I'm a reasonably intelligent person and in the past I've received very good marks in all (or most) of my schooling (there was the senior year in high school that my brain took an unexpected hiatus but that had more to do with laziness, boredom, depression, and the occasional Michelob- yes I now out my teenage drinking to my parents and will be forthwith grounded retroactively I'm sure). My point is that I'm generally a good student. But for some reason all the frustration I've had with this course, which I never really wanted to take to begin and is out of my focus and interest, came out in the blinding flash that was the sudden realization that I was not only in way over my head, but sucking the last breath I had at the bottom of a vast sea. I gave it my best shot, but, as Homer J would say, it sucked more than anything that has ever sucked before in the history of things that suck. They'll need to invent a new alphabet for the grade they'll give me. So afterward, Shelley greeted me and I slumped in the chair in Lash Miller's Chem Lab leather oasis of a lounge area. I sat. I sulked. I probably cried. I was sickened to my stomach. As we eventually got up to leave, my ego stayed behind to keep my wounded soul company. I was a ghost figure driving back home. Shell tried to cheer me up- to encourage me that all was not lost, but it really was more like the last rites of the condemned. Dead GPA Walking. I still couldn't shake it as I read through my notes for my Espionage final. Shelley went out of her way to make sure that I was bucked up as much as she could muster and when I got into town today she just kept giving me encouragement as I droped her off at Les' house and drove to class. I did very well on this one. But really this was in my wheel house so I should have smoked it over the fence anyway. I hope I get an A, but since people get an A at Toronto like they find gold in the parking lots I'll probably get a B and count myself blessed. Even if I did get an A, and lots of others in the future, I'll never fully shake this ridiculous one semester Egyptology class. But its over now I suppose. I have an entire month off before I go back. Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and my exam will be like the season of Dallas where Bobby was dead and it was all a dream, a horrible dream...but probably not. It felt real enough. (but I keep checking the shower for Patrick Duffy nonetheless) Still it's on to Christmas and hopefully some happiness, joy, yule ti...aww crap...nope not working...stupid Egypt. If anyone needs me I'll be in the bathroom...on the floor...weeping. Okay wait...I have to snap out of it. Must remember Confucius. So yeah Christmas, rah rah. I've nearly finished Christmas shopping, I've done almost all the Christmas cards, the tree is up but undecorated as of yet. The house needs a thorough holiday cleaning and I'll be working on that AND in a few days I'll cautiously start working on my spring Espionage paper to try and get a jump start. I have a long list of things to do, people to see, stuff to mail, places to go. And with a bit of luck I'll even forget this horrible exam...no I won't. Yes I will!! not really Cake or death? [some people are laughing about now..a few are phoning the authorities] So to keep them busy I'll post pictures... My little doodle bug lounging in her jammies... This week Gracie earned a new nickname- Fish I was changing her and she was rather covered in well...there's just no way to say it gingerly..POOP! I was holding her legs aloft trying to make sure she didn't squirm around too much in it and she started to really thrash like a hooked marlin. I kept lifting her higher and higher in an effort to keep her clean AND keep her from sliding off the change table when, still with her feet in my hand, she became airborne, dangling there like the little floppy fish she is. It was funny and scary all at the same time...but mostly funny...except for her mother who slapped me when I told her the story...no she didn't. yes she did no not really. She's such a little flirty girl...14 years, I'm buying a shotgun. We went to Maria's birthday party this week and everyone loved Gracie. Big old blue eyes... sleepy girl... doing yoga with Dixie... give us a kiss... after a long hard day, mommy gets some sleepy love... hanging out with daddy... in the comfy chair making faces... a kiss on the hand from Willow...awww.... That's pretty much all for now. As a word of warning, if you should find a large number of strangely out-of-sorts type people in the near future, and you think that perhaps there's been a rash of insanity sweeping the land...it means I've probably summoned a queller demon from season 5 of Buffy, so just forgive me in advance...and call the slayer, STAT! Until next time Cheers