Master Master

I am now totally done with school--and it feels weird. This semester I had to complete the last requirement, which was creating an electronic portfolio. The portfolio had to include fourteen sections based on the program's learning outcomes; for each section I had to write a short essay describing my understanding of the topic and provide examples of my learning from assignments I'd completed. It was both harder and easier than I had anticipated. Once I did a few sections it really became easier to write the rest of them, but the writing and revising took a long time to do. I'm so happy to be done, and yet it's taking a while to sink in. I think that's because I don't really change my routine much--it's not like I was actually going to class or anything. However, over the last two weeks I've really felt a burden lifting off my shoulders. I no longer have to fit homework in during my free time or worry about completing assignments. It's amazing to realize how much brain space was being taken up by school now that I don't have to worry about it anymore.

Now I need to find some new hobbies and ways to fill my time. I've gotten in the habit of spending too much time on the computer, because with online school it's really important to log on every day. However, I also spent a lot of time online avoiding my homework and now I'm used to sitting down to the computer first thing every night after the kids are in bed. Since I spend most of the day on the computer at work, it's time for some new routines at home.

I think I'm going to wait to start any big changes until the new year because this coming Thursday I'm having surgery to get my gall bladder out. I've been feeling gross off and on for several months, and about two months ago I began having pain right under my ribs on the right side. It's never gotten excruciating, but it's been steady and annoying. I've slowly lost my appetite as well, since I tend to feel yucky after eating. Finally, about two weeks ago I made an appointment to talk with my doctor--she thought it sounded like my gallbladder, we confirmed it with an ultrasound the next day, and then I had an appointment with a surgeon earlier this week. It was a rather quick process, and to be honest I was a little surprised that there really was something wrong with me. The surgery is same-day and laparoscopic, and I've talked to a number of people who've had it and said their recovery was fairly easy. It can't be as bad as recovering from a c-section. So, later this week I'm having surgery and taking a week off work to lie around and watch TV. Then I'll take it easy through December and hopefully by January I can start exercising and doing some other things to get in better shape.