11 pages
26 paragraphs
248 lines
3027 words
Total Editing Time: 358 minutes.
6 hours of actual writing time to knock out 3000 words. Not too bad. It’s still a bit of a piece of crap, but it’s done and hopefully the next paper I’ve got, I’ll figure out a better topic.
A feature I absolutely love in Microsoft Word. It’s nice to be able to see that I’ve managed to get over 85% of the paper written in a mere 5 hours. About 4 more paragraphs and then all I have left to do is make sure I’ve got the Works Cited done right and it’s finished.
Mainly I’m doing BS filler at this point. I’d feel bad about that, but it’s a long standing academic tradition.
Don’t think it would have mattered when I’d started the paper, I’d still be wrestling it to the ground at this point anyway cause it’s such a crap topic.
It’s still like pulling teeth to get words to paper, but the paper is coming along, if a bit slowly. I suspect I’ll get on more of a roll later this evening.
I’ve at least gotten a good chunk of it organized in my head - brief history of the two agencies, previous examples of joint efforts, previous examples of overlap or gaps, then justifications for combining the two, the end.
I am so glad this is the last big assignment.
Not that I ever really abandoned them, but it’s been a while since I was up until near 5AM. (2:30 is usually my max.) This resulted in my sleeping ridiculously late* today, which isn’t exactly going to help with getting to bed at a terribly reasonable hour this evening.
The upside is that I do my best and most prolific writing at night, and I just happen to have a few more pages of convincing BS to kick out, so that works out well. I can get back on a more normal schedule next week.
Figure I should be able to finish off the content of the paper tomorrow, and Friday I can polish and edit at my leisure.
*Let’s put it this way - Donald was up, and out and about and back before I woke up. Given that he’s even more of a night owl than I am, that’s saying something.
Cause it’s freaking late and it’s hard to see straight. Granted, I’m on a bit of a roll, but it won’t make any sense in the morning if I keep this up - even if at the current rate I could be finished by 8AM tomorrow.
I think I’d rather have the sleep. And I’ve got plenty of time.
I’ve been struggling with this paper from the get-go, just trying to come up with a topic to start with. (Which was way too broad, but I finally got it narrowed down after a while, but it just hasn’t given me much of a “spark”.)
Well, I’m coming up on the deadline, and frankly, it’s just time to go completely into BS mode. It’s not like I have to actually believe what I’m writing or particularly care, just be choerent and have the sources that support it.
This particular class has been really hard to get into. It’s not that the base subject is boring (History of US Intel) but I think it’s just the reading materials for this particular class aren’t that great.
Now that I’ve finally gotten my brain into “just churn it out” mode, I can’t help but think I’ll have it knocked out with time to spare and probably well over the required length. Basically, I just have to stop caring too much about it, which has what has tripped me up so far.
Tomorrow’s quickie horoscope - sounds good to me: Your mind is extremely sharp today, and you are eager to discover some new ideas.
Despite the barbecues and sales, I do genuinely beleive that the vast majority of Americans do understand the real reason for the long weekend.
Frankly, I’m not sure how you couldn’t understand - when every other day you turn on the news and there is another picture of a soldier in his dress uniform who has been killed in action, you know why we stop and remember the fallen. It may look like many are using the weekend as an escape, but when you’re near constantly reminded of the ultimate sacrifice made by so many, it starts to feel like every day is a Memorial day.
It might not always look like it, but people do take the time to remember.
So, I actually got up early enough AND thought about it and headed over to the Farmer’s Market in Burke. (Usually I think about it in the afternoon and they close up at noon, so…) It’s really pretty small and parking is a touch of a challenge, but a nice way to spend a half hour.
Just wandered around, only picked up some chive cheddar cheese from Fields of Grace farms. Fair amount of nice produce, but all I could do was look and think, “Oooh, it all looks good.” but couldn’t come up with any particular thing to make with any of it. (I am a horrible cook that way - I would fail on Iron Chef.) But, this next week I’ll have to ponder things that need fresh green onions, radishes, mixed greens, fresh dill (OMG it smelled SO good) or new potatoes.
Couple places had good prices on strawberries, too, but I need a whole quart of strawberries like I need a hole in the head.
But, the best was the discovery of two potential local meat suppliers! ** Smith Family Farms does Angus Beef, Grass-Fed Chicken & Free Range Pork. Cibola Farms also does Free Range Pork and Buffalo. More expensive than the market, but I’ll have to give them a whirl sometime - they may very well be that much better, and I’d rather support small local farmers over the grocery store any day of the week. I’m definitely interested in how the pork is over what I can get from the grocery store.
** This is a big deal cause I got word that the slaughterhouse/butcher I had gone to before is no longer doing their own slaughtering, but bringing in frozen items. Bummer.
Good Moms let you lick the beaters when they make cake.
Great Moms turn the mixer off first.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Small Earthquake Felt in DC and NoVA
I felt it - and couldn’t figure out what it was - first thing I did was look outside expecting a large truck to be going by.
So, locals, if you felt your house shake a bit, or heard the windows rattle and couldn’t figure out what it was, it was an earthquake.
Having been in larger earthquakes in Japan, this was definitely a little one - so little I certainly didn’t recognize it for what it was.
It was the pilot light on the hot water heater.
But, now I know where the pilot light is, and how to relight it.
(Yeah, you’d think I would have known where it was, but I didn’t.)
We get to buy a new hot water heater!! (Or maybe repair the existing one. Or maybe it’s just the pilot light and I’ll look like an idiot.) Either way, no hot water round these parts…
I seem to recall that hot water heaters have a lifespan of 10-15 years, and this one is about 12-13 years old, so I suppose it was time. Extra annoying cauyse the outside looks so nice and shiny - I just can’t help but look at it and think, “But it LOOKS fine!”
It is a gas hot water heater, so I don’t know if we’ll have to coordinate between the plumber and gas company, or if the plumbers can just handle it on their own. (It does have it’s own gas shutoff valve, so I would think the plumbers could do it on their own - never had a gas hot water heater before.)
I’m just glad I discovered this before I attempted to take a shower and not halfway through a shower.
I’m torn between Eight Belles and Gallego. She’s the only filly in the race, and he’s the horse of owners to got out of Cuba before it all went to hell in a handbasket.
I need a horseracing icon.
OJ and Champagne in the fridge.*
Hot crab dip in the oven.
Just need to find a hat.
And watching Bobby Flay get his ass kicked by a Louisville local in an omlette making competition.
*Just not big on mint juleps.
Got a letter from the IRS letting me know that they didn’t have a 1040 for tax year 2006 for my Mom. Well, that’s because a 1041 was filed instead.
I’m going to be optimistic - I will call on Monday and I think this can be cleared up with a simple phone call.
We shall see.
ETA: And I even have a copy of the 1041. Go me.
No fate but the fate you make for yourself.
