Elementary Algebra

I want to take the CLEP exam for Calculus to minimize the pre-pharm coursework I will need to do when I enroll at the University.  It's been forever since I've taken a math class, so I am currently re-teaching myself.

Here are my goals right now:

July - Learn Elementary Algebra

August - Learn Intermediate Algebra

September - Learn Pre-Calculus

October & November - Learn Calculus

December - Prepare specifically for the Calculus CLEP (practice exams, etc)

End of December - TEST!

Today I finished Chapter 1 of 10 of my Elementary Algebra textbook!  I spent basically the entirety of today working on math.  I'm going to have to be spending pretty much all my free-time on math because I want to score as HIGH as possible when I take that CLEP exam.  99 percentile, Baby!

Like a bolt from the blue

I have had a lot of tugging at me lately.  I want to stay in Phoenix, I want to go back to Montana.  I want a job that makes me happier, I don't want to lose the security and paycheck of my current job.  I want to continue my education, I am just not interested in Psychology.

A little background for those who do not know me well.

I got my Bachelor's degree from the University of Montana.  I started out in the Fine Arts department but... the Fine Arts department and I had differing definitions of quality and so I changed over to Psychology.  I really enjoyed some of my psychology classes, like Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, but found that most of it was such soft science as to border on touchy-feely nonsense. Sorry psychology.

By the time I realized that I really wanted to be in a more traditional science, I felt like it was too late, so I finished my degree in Psychology.  I figured there wasn't much call for someone with a degree in Biology anyway, and if there was it didn't pay well. (Mind you, this wasn't backed up by any real research, but was mostly my way of convincing myself that it was okay to stagnate.)

Fast forward 6-odd years.  I'm fortunate in my job that I can pursue a Master's degree with a steep discount, but the psychology classes I took just couldn't keep my interest.  My grades slipped and my motivation slipped faster.  I felt stuck.  I felt like I couldn't change programs and even if I could, none of the ones I had access to were any more interesting than Psychology.

Then my lovely friend gave me a pep-talk.  She told me how I didn't need to limit myself to what I had access to through work and that I needed to find what really sparked new hope and motivation in me, something I would be really happy doing, rather than getting a degree for the sake of having a degree.  Like what about Pharmacy?  It's in demand, pays great, and it's all chemistry and sciencey stuff.

Oh my god it pissed me off.

What did she know about me?  What did she know about my situation and the cold, hard facts of the real world anyway???

I resolved to put it out of my mind.  Get back to work.  Figure out a realistic plan... but it kept ticking away in the back of my mind.  Limiting myself.  What I really wanted to do.  Pharmacy... Pharmacy... Pharmacy...

To prove to myself that it was a stupid idea, I looked up the pharmacy program at my alma mater, back home where I intended to move soon anyway.  The list of classes made my little heart beat with excitement.  The program length, requirements and cost... all were mildly worrisome but definitely overcome-able.

Before I realized it, I was convinced.  Apparently my friend knows me pretty danged well after all.

So here's where I am now.

I'm planning to move back to Montana in January.

I plan to stay in Montana a year to get my in-state tuition again.

Then I will enter into the pre-pharm program, which is listed at 2 years but which I think I can shorten to a year between my transfer credits and some classes I intend to test out of during the break.  Also during the break, I will self-study for the PCAT and the other classes I have to take so that I will be able to earn a good, strong GPA and be a good candidate to get into the Pharm-D program.

Four years in Pharm-D and I'm set.

So now I'm sitting in the library, taking a short break from my algebra textbook.

I have to re-learn algebra so I can teach myself pre-calc so I can teach myself Calculus so I can test out of that course.

homigosh.

Books, books, books...

I've been doing a lot of reading lately.

Since I barely use this poor blog, I thought I'd at least record my book adventures here.

I recently reread

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind

This is... perhaps my tenth time reading this book. I enjoy it for a good light read.  (Light read at 848 pages...)  I like it because the main characters are less people and more avatars of good, justice and wisdom.  They make mistakes, but their intentions are always pure and when they screw up, they acknowledge it and work to fix it.  A lot of people complain about this series for that exact reason, but I find it appealing.  It's like reading about super heroes only in fantasy.  Yeah, they're over-powered in some ways, but in the end I'm reading about someone I think I'd like to be like.  A lot of characters in modern fantasy literature kind of make me feel a little slimy and I certainly don't want to be them.

That said, I now skip over all the torture scenes.  Too much.

On that same note, I'm currently reading

Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind (982 p)

The sequel to Wizard's First Rule and also a book I've read many times.  I'm sort of easing my way through this series when I have some downtime away from the computer.  I'm about halfway done.

When I'm at the computer, I'm reading

Abraham & Mary Lincoln by Kenneth Winkle (162 p)

The school where I work has a very nice library online.  There are tons and tons of books on history and science and religion and whatnot.  I'm just in hog heaven browsing through the titles!  I'm about 1/3 of the way through this one but I'm eating it up.

Cartoonified

I've been having a lot of fun drawing recently.  I think I was a tiny bit burned out on doing images in my typical stamp style.  They're fun in their own way, but I needed a change-up.

I've been stretching my wings a bit lately by doing some images in a more cartoony style.  Expect to see some stamps in the shop soon.  I'm having a lot of fun with them!  They're very playful.

I hope you will like them, when I get them posted!

New Neighbor

We've recently had a Great Horned Owl move into the neighborhood.

Picture from here

I've seen him a few times and I've listened to him call just about every night this week.  Very relaxing.

Plus, I haven't been woken to the raucous noise of a cat-fight outside my window since he arrived.

Delightful.

Neglected

Wow....

This place is so neglected.

I don't really have anything to update right now.  I've been spending the majority of my days feeling miserable at work or at home in bed.  I've been doing a lot of reading.  Picked up the Dragonriders of Pern.  I've read a couple of the books in the past (Dragonsinger is one of my favorite books ever), but now I'm really trying to sink my teeth into the series.

Not much else to say, so I'll leave you with a music video of my current favorite band.  Seriously though, check them out.

http://youtu.be/ojYK6CW8gdw

More birthday

Last night I had plans to have dinner and then go to a basketball game with my friend, Julie.  My manager at work has season tickets to the Suns here and gave everyone a couple tickets to random games for Hanukkah.  I just happened to draw the tickets that were during the time I'd taken off for my birthday, so that was convenient.

I met Julie and Ben, her husband, at Cornish Pasty.  While I do love Cornish Pasty, I'll admit I don't normally have it twice in the same week, but whatevs, it was delicious.

Did that stop me from getting Banoffee Pie again?  Oh heck no.

Ben and Julie are awesome.  They have this magical ability wherein you can hang out with them and NOT feel like a third wheel.  Fabulous.

Anyway, long story short, we were running late and I seriously was not looking forward to driving around downtown Phoenix and neither Julie nor I really care for basketball all that much...

...so we ditched and the three of us went and played mini-golf instead!

It was a lot of fun.  We all sucked royally but there was much laughing and goofballery.

Thanks to Ben and Julie for a wonderful evening!

Surprise!

My best friend is amazing.

And wicked.

But mostly amazing.

Our simple day of lunch and errands suddenly took a turn when her sister and mom showed up at Cornish Pasty (one of my favorite restaurants in the valley) with presents for my surprise early birthday party!

After a yummy dinner we went to a movie (Breaking Dawn pt 2- no, I hadn't seen it yet).

Plus I even got a banoffee pie for dessert!

Excellent start to 30.

Heart

Yesterday was a bad day.

Things at work were rough and I was feeling very grumpy and depressed.  (Not to mention the woman I share a cube with came in and shared her lovely flu germs with me.  Not cool.)

But today that has completely and totally turned around.  Why?  

Because of you!  All of you amazing folks who never fail to provide a kind word or a spark of inspiration.  You are such a wonderfully caring and friendly group of people.  

I adore you all and thank the stars for the good luck of happening to wonder, "If I made digital stamps, would anyone like them?"

<3

(Also listening to Largo al Factotum from the Barber of Seville always perks me up!)

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

David Bowie releases a new single and announces a new album!!!

I cannot put into words how excited I am!!

That Moment...

When you go to the restroom at work and flush the toilet and as you're standing there, buttoning your trousers, the flushing toilet, with an almost supernatural accuracy, spits out a single drop of water that flies up, up, up...

...onto your lips.

 

Lunch Time

I am sitting here in my office on my lunch break today and my mind is full of numbers.  Not job-related numbers, thank goodness, but points.  That's right, it's that time of year and so I've rejoined Weight Watchers.  Anyone else out there in the same boat?

I think I'm just a little to willing to be love myself as I am.  I know that's supposed to be a good quality but at the same time it prevents one from getting really motivated to change.  Sure, I've got junk in my trunk, but I have good qualities that make up for it, right?

LOL, I need to hire some skinny teenagers to follow me around and judge me like in that commercial... I don't even remember what the commercial was for.

Quick, someone call me a lard-butt!

Happy New Year!

My New Year's Resolution this year is to make MayzyArt as fun and interactive as possible.  As part of that, I want to put myself, Mayzy the person, out there a little more.  With that in mind, I'm starting this personal blog for anyone who is interested.

This is me:

(I'm on the right, that's my Momma on the left)

Yep, I'm chubby and I like dorky things like Renn Faires.  Whatchu gonna do about it?

Right now I'm reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green.

Nerdfighter?

Yes.

I used to read like a voracious mule, but things have slowed down as I'm spending much more time on art and the shop now.  It makes me a little sad.  On the other hand, I've never been this artistically productive and it hasn't gotten boring yet, so that makes me very happy.

Now I'm going to go get myself some supper and spend the rest of my New Year's Day working on MayzyArt.

Huzzah!

(Side note: This blog is formatted bad and I should feel bad.  I'll work on it when I have some time.  In the meantime, I apologize for the eye assault.)

Current music: Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major II. Adagio