Mundane Life of Term Papers

I just lifted a huge weight that has been hanging over my head all semester. I wrote the first draft of my Carnivore Class research paper for Todd. In February, I gathered articles and fretted over an outline approach. In March, I ignored the whole thing, always knowing it was a daunting task ready to crush and stress me. In April, I complained to my friends that I lacked any time. Today I wrote 8 pages. The target was ten, but at least I have SOMETHING (if only a draft). And, it all came about in a surprising way….after me taking ME time, not struggling to study study study. Friday night, last minute, Anna called me up to go salamander hunting. I was the only person she could think of who might be interested in standing in the mud on a rainy, cold, dreary night. She was right. So, off we drove into the fog – only to get lost. We eventually caught up with the crew…and they were all 1st and 2nd grade children! Not at all what we expected, but it turned out for the better because we were turned on by their enthusiasm: Mom! Mom—I can HEAR them crawling! And shouts of “there’s one! There’s one! (while they were looking at an empty log) echoed across the pond. But, we did glimpse a few spotted salamanders and wood frogs. Fun and I got dirty! Good way to relax and up this morning at 8am, exercised, studied Thai, threw in a load of laundry, and sat down for an afternoon with dholes.