This Roller Coaster Ride

Oh my gosh! My world is so flipped upside down, I don't know whether I'm coming or going. Some good, some bad, some crazy, all coming fast and furious...what a way to live! This week I had two nights with 6 hours of sleep, and felt like I was in paradise; the others were all 4-5 hours. Racing against deadlines in two different jobs and my full-time load at school has meant I've had to carry my thoughts around in a tape recorder in my pocket as there is not room for them in my brain. I've done some of my best and some of my worst work this month. While I thrive on the rush of a last-minute effort in some areas, I sink like a rock in other areas. But I can see a light at the end of the tunnel--I get a nice, long break in just three more weeks that will carry me into January, when I start all over again for one last push. I entered my application for graduation in May this morning. Can you believe it? After all these years and all these hours in school, I'm actually going to get a diploma to hang on the wall. I'm still hoping to go right into a Master's Program at UT in May, but won't be sure about that prospect until February. This semester, my goal was to bring home A's in all five classes. When work started getting really hectic for me, about 3 weeks ago, I had to abandon that plan. I fully expect to make A's in three classes (subject to change), but don't think I'll be able to pull it off in the other two. Still, if you could see "a day in the life of", I think you'd be amazed I've made it this far. These next three weeks are going to be at the same breakneck speed, but I've got the support of friends and family, and I'm on that last lap that has me grabbing for my second wind. I've had a blast at school this semester with interesting classes, excellent instructors, and a lot of really interesting young people that don't seem to mind that I'm older than many of their parents. What a rush to be able to interact with so many different kinds of people every day! Leo's doing well, even though he's had to take the brunt of my moodiness these last few weeks. He's a real trooper and up for almost anything. I just don't know what I'd do without him. I miss Jess, miss home, miss fishing, and miss sitting down now and then to do nothing more than just breathe. But then again, I'm having a blast interacting with my new workmates, classmates, and stretching myself to add some new skills and experiences to my "portfolio". It's been a long time since I was able to write, so I thought I'd take a minute and let everyone know I'm still alive and still careening through life. But now the caffeine and sugar in my system are waning, and I'm thinking I might be able to wind down enough to get some sleep in. So...I believe I'll say good-night now so I can get some rest and be ready for tomorrow's adventures.