Jemsweb

First day back at university today. As is typical, biology was interesting but kind of waffly, and chemistry was a full-on barrage of incredibly complicated formulae which one’s brain struggled to comprehend. But having said that, I have got my results from Trimester 1 back and I can’t really complain. Say no more! Nice to be back on my scooter and the weather even cooperated with a perfect winter’s scooter-ridin’ day.

We took Archie back to have his dressing removed from his thumb today, and the good news is that it has all healed very well! He now just has to have a little bit of tape over it to give it stability, but he can have baths again and most importantly has his hand back. I think he was getting sick of being Stumpy.

I went to see Over the Hedge with the boys yesterday and thought it was excellent. That Steve Carell really is a comic genius.

Yay! I am a free woman! No reading to do, no assignments, no study – at least for two weeks until Semester 2 starts. I was fairly happy with the exams – chemistry could have been better but I am feeling very positive about biology – and am certain I passed both at the very least.

Now of course I have heaps of work on that I’ve been putting off due to study commitments. Also I’m heading up to Hamilton with my Dad this weekend to see my grandmother and help with the sorting out of her house (she has gone into a rest home). Also next week Archie is having a scan done of his thyroid, and they are going to knock him out for it (chances of him lying there perfectly still for an hour – zero). Still I’m certain to get some World of Warcraft played and maybe even update this blog! Hurrah.

Once again I have proved to myself that if I don’t blog every day, I will fall by the side of the information superhighway in a pile of unmotivated goo. So once again I am resolved to take up the baton of bloggliness and put up a post every day, even if it is a boring link or You Tube video – but SOMETHING. Despite all the madness life is throwing at me at the moment, the blog must take priority!!

So, a quick update:

Me
Busybusybusy. So busy. The kind of busy where you’re almost hoping you have a heart attack or a nervous breakdown becuase then at least you’re be lying down. But that’s a natural consequence of doing two papers, having two toddlers and having tons of work on I suppose. Oh, and also I have a chemistry exam tonight but am succesfully blocking that from my mind, as I haven’t had any time to study for it.

Jan
Busy being a “solo” mother while I work. Bringing up our offspring brilliantly. Doesn’t have anyone to play World of Warcraft with any more.

Archie
He’s had a horrible lurgy the last week with a rash and hoarse throat. But back at kindy today for the first time in ages. Hooray! Is currently obsessed with Madagascar and (still) Hi-5.

Harry
Cute but evil. Charming yet strongwilled. Many many tantrums interspersed with incredibly cute chattering. He has invented some new words including “hopalop” (lollipop) and “oranjinin” (orange).

At my chemistry tutorial last night, we made a start on organic chemistry. It is the area of chemistry that deals purely with carbon molecules. It was fascinating! We got to play with those little plastic models with spheres and rods, and learned all about the very rigid naming conventions for carbon molecules. And about “aromatic compounds” and all sorts of cool stuff. Our tutor is an organic chemist so she was really enthusiastic and I think it rubbed off on me. Perhaps if I am really crap at biology (soon to be tested) I can become a organic chemist instead.

Our lab week begins on 20th Feb and my opportunities to permanently scar myself with some particularly dangerous chemical will begin!

I had a great time at my Chemistry class last night. I’m really into it now, and actually enjoying the whole process of learning. Still haven’t quite memorised the damn periodic table though!

Now I’m thinking about possible future careers… all still a pipe dream but we’ll see what happens.

I’ve been swotting up on chemistry a little and I found a good resource at about.com. It includes some chemistry safety recommendations:

Dress Appropriately (for chemistry lab, not fashion or the weather)
No sandals, no clothes you love more than life, no contact lenses, and long pants are preferable to shorts or short skirts. Tie long hair back. Wear safety goggles and a lab coat. Even if you aren’t clumsy, someone else in the lab probably is. If you take even a few chemistry courses you will probably see people set themselves on fire, spill acid on themselves, others, or notes, splash themselves in the eye, etc. Don’t be the bad example to others, remembered for all time for something stupid!

Don’t Play Mad Scientist
Don’t haphazardly mix chemicals! Pay attention to the order in which chemicals are to be added to each other and do not deviate from the instructions.

Perhaps chemistry is not the best discipline for me as I have a formidable reputation for clumsiness, or as Lucy Lawless once put it, “I’m an unko”. As does my darling sister.