Let’s just say (ha,) the foot of the bed is not always a bad thing… It really depends on what you make of it. Let’s just.. let’s not, rather next I’ll say that Soulless is well adapting “life on the farm”, for as far as that analogy can go for a dog growing up on a small city lot.
He seems to have a better circadian rhythm that I do and perhaps a better sense of timing. I recently learned that dogs can do that by their sense of smell. If they expect you to be gone for two hours, or four or six, whatever they’re used to or expecting that time you left, they can remember what it smells like when you’re scent is that far faded. Also, being a puppy, he sleeps a bit more than I do.
Not long after his last meal dispersement (a measured four and one third cups, given in six increments,) it doesn’t take long for him to cuddle into my lap in my chair (while he wrestles for position to get his head in viewing angle of the windows behind the chair.) Shortly after (a little longer if I open that window,) he jump down and toil with a toy or two then wander over to the step and put his front paws up on the first step or two.
[trying something]
Tonight he added something new. As I had ignored him briefly, in my opinion. Yet apparently for too long in his. He laid his head down on the carpeted step. As he peered at me through the balusters. The look on his face was quiet resign, no bark, no dispute. He sullenly accepted his fate of having to spend the night sleeping on the stairs. Just barely past nine tonight and I knew he wasn’t really tired yet. We’ve developed a night time routine. And he is much better at sticking to it than I am.
[back to normal]
Is it really better to use more periods? I use them when I’ve talked long enough or said enough of what I have to say to pause long enough for another person to begin to insert a comment if need be. What else would they before? If you haven’t reached the period, the point of the sentence has not yet been fully concluded. Yes, some paragraphs are only one sentence. Maybe I just use the enter key too much and I should have much bigger paragraphs containing multiple run-on sentences in series?
More likely, it may be wise of me to increase my consciousness of long sentences as I write (think?) Talk? Hmm, there is something to think about. Perhaps I should use periods more often when I talk?
(Short paragraph for dramatic effect, not an over-use of the enter key… I don’t think… Warning: IANAET… I am not an English teacher.)
Okay, the dog. We come upstairs, and I undress as he lays down and plays on the floor. He’s pretty good and self entertaining at this point at I dawdle around the room, wallet here, tray there, walk to the bathroom, etc. I can sit on the bed doing this or that and he stays where he’s at undistracted. However, the moment I turn slash spin and extend my body horizontally into bed he launches up to join me, usually with a toy already in his mouth.
There is one small tug toy that stays upstairs and he always wants to get rowdy before bed time. It’s a good thing he likes to sleep more than I do, as the timing works out great. We play for twenty minutes or so, more or less and eventually I’ll flip on the TV as wrestles alone with his toy trying to provoke further play. If I smoke or if I’m trying to distract him from his provocations, I open the window on the side of my bed. He really likes windows, especially open windows, most especially an open window with pillows at the foot of my bed. Five, maybe ten minutes later he’s rolled off his pillowed perch and drifted off into never never land.
Like I said the foot of the bed is not always a bad thing. Well, also, it’s not like he’s limited. That’s where he starts the night. I’m proudly still the master of my bed, as I’ll freely shove him as needed to rearrange him through the night. He starts at the foot, yet right now as I type I this now, I know he’ll be up on the pillow next to me, likely by the end of the movie I plan to watch after finishing this post.
Onward with that. Today is Monday, Week 15, status report: ENG-132 is complete with a 3.5. Now, I could have easily bumped that up with a modicum of more effort, as all three papers of the semester can be revised for the final portfolio project, however I choose to submit my original work– I may be more proud that my raw work can score a 3.5 than to know a proofread product can score a 4.0.
PLS-141 is complete with a 3.5. Now, I could have easily bumped that up to a 4.0 and I have an intent to make that still possible with another writing project I have in mind, yet that is work for another day. As I said, it is complete and I can walk with the 3.5… yet, there may be a greater opportunity to add context to my upcoming review of American National Government, as taught at Jackson College.
Four classes outstanding. Humanities has an exam and we’ve prepped for it (Jeopardy today, very fun!) Yet the teacher was put on the spot when asked the worth of the final exam. It doesn’t appear as a coming activity on the Canvas grades page. The syllabus doesn’t mention the exam. Without the exam I’ll pass with a 2.5 (using my previous mentioned plan.. the class already had a large weight project.) One student mentioned (incorrectly, as I later went to verify,) that the syllabus stated a weight of 40%. The teacher seemed to go along with the suggestion, as it does seem to be a valid answer for a final exam weight, I might suppose.
I think that student knows how to play the numbers. The question came after today’s jeopardy game where all the test questions and answers were revealed. We’re also allowed a full page of notes. Everyone should ace this test, zero excuses. Assuming this other student missed a few of the assignments (as did I with my technique,) a high value easy test is a big pay off. I was quick to second his supposition and the class seemed to rally the teacher into agreement. That should be enough to move my 2.5 to a 3, maybe a 3.5, I’d have to check the numbers again.
HPF- Phys Ed. I was on the edge of taking this class at all, yet through the waxes and wanes of the semester, not only am I extremely glad I took the class, I plan to triple up next semester. This was a one credit online class – accountability. Next semester I’m taking a 3 credit HPF class, in person: Weightlifting. That should work wonders over 15 weeks. Though I’ve consistent done my stretches and exercises every day, I haven’t always done the required two or three “workouts”, as defined by a continuous forty minute period of medium to high intensity workouts.
I have kept an eye on the numbers, and with the benefit of two comparative large weight assignments (20 points each, to the weekly 8 points for the required uploaded workout log,) I should pull a 2.5. However, I did have a few weeks with extra workouts that the teacher had commented would be ‘saved and added on later’, so maybe that will bump up to a 3.0 too.
PSY. Oh, PSY. How I love thee. Shall I always be torn to come this close? No, if I don’t pass PSY this time, I can gaurantee I will on the next go round. I’ll walk into the class with all the work-nearly, just barely under 2.0 level- completed. Polish up and embellish a few more paragraphs as needed according to this person in charge of grading my papers… Then have them all ready to upload and submit on the first day of the class next semester. Then I could sit back and enjoy the lectures all semester.
However, I could also enjoy that teacher all next semester teaching me Social Psychology, instead of seeing how well she could teach the intro class. There are five more PSY classes on my list to take… and I can take none of them if I don’t squeak out this third attempt with at least a 2.0.
Hmm, I wonder if I could talk the PSY teacher into offering our class an optional final exam worth half our grade with a no fall back clause. That way, anyone could keep their current final grade… or opt in to take whatever test he can whip up for a chance to add some positive weight if they can score higher on the exam than their current grade…. hmm… hmm..
Finally, Intro to Film. Easily my favorite class. There might have otherwise been a four-way tie, yet the clear winner is the class that has provided me with a lifetime supply of free popcorn at the Michigan Theater. I honestly feel like I’ve already won the class, I have learned so much more about not just film, yet rather a more full appreciation of both the arts- and the critical thought required to thoroughly discuss them. As a person that loves movies, there is nothing better than an ending when you first think “Oh, that was…”, and then have the opportunity to share that next thought with two dozen (and six active conversationalist in the group,) other people that just watched the same movie with you.
And, such an easy class, only three papers. Oh, and I’m currently failing.
Hovering around a 90% after the first two papers, the third is quickly coming to its deadline. 48 hours (plus a few minutes, it’s 11:36pm.) It is most certainly time for me to choose a movie and analyze its theme in light of all I’ve learned this year. Two thousand words, and little or no synopsis. I have to remember that part. And the periods. (Same teacher I was passive aggressively taunting with my period practice above.) No final paper, I’ll end with 60%; if I submit something equal to the previous work I should end with a 90%, another 3.5.
I’m okay with a 3.5 for the degree of effort I’m putting in. I don’t see a problem putting out 2k about a movie, that’s on the list for tomorrow.
Then, back to PSY. Did I mention (ha, I know I didn’t, that’s why I’m mentioning now,) when I first talked (haha, “I gotta talk to you…”,) to the PSY teacher, I criticized him heavily on a number of counts. To his merit, he has respond well and has displayed some marked improvement (or it’s all in my mind, and he coincidentally got better on many things I pointed out, naturally by his own accord.) One of the items on that list, was that he had not read a paper I’d submitted, that accidentally was blank of any answers, and received full points. Another was his failure to provide any commentary on graded assignments (I mentioned, to paint the picture of him saving time by not reading assignments.) Well, again on both measures he has improved.
On Saturday, when I last posted, I stated I needed to do ten assignments. Well, that was the right (highest value,) ten. However, not all of those were ‘available’ (there due dates had passed and had not yet been reopened by him.) So, I did the ten that were available and submitted them in about three hours time. He read them, graded them, and commented. Overall, he scored me with only half the possible points. Granted, it’s safe for anyone reading to assume those ten assignments were completed by me in short order- his scores were truly not unfair. At that point, I didn’t think he’d be reading and I’d get top marks. Nope, he’s reading. Okay, let’s do it.
Two quizzes and nine lab assignments, all needing to be done at the top of my ability for full marks with the newly activated grading system, as now I’ll need the vast majority of those points to pull up the final score to 72%. If that is what is required for a 2.0 in his class, I don’t know. It’s not on the syllabus. There is no syllabus.
Maybe there will be an exam, worth half our score, optional available to those that desire it. Maybe I’ll just write a hella good film paper? Tuesday is my day off. Then Wednesday is the last Humanities class with its exam, then home for rest of the day. Maybe I’ve got time for all those labs… idk, it’s starting to sound like a lot of typing.
ttg