Sunday 31 August 2014

Basket Case? And a return to the Old Normal.

Ok - state of the Washing Basket - empty.

State of the TMA - progressing too slowly.

State of my brain cells - eroding too quickly.

I'm hitting that state of mid-assignment, mid everything else, pre-exam panic.  To which the only solution is wresting control in the only place I can manage it - the Washing Basket.  And obsessing over tidying silly things in the house that have lived happily in cupboards or drawers for years, why do they need to come out and play now?  The house may thank me but the studies won't.

The long commute is soon to be a thing of the past as I return to a much closer office, though to do what is not yet quite established, as I have applied for a temporary promotion opportunity back there too.  I'm hoping to have news on that quite soon.

So it will be a return to 'Old Normal' - the 'New Normal' never did quite settle in, it's been more a case of chaos and shoving in study wherever I could for the last 7 months.  But hopefully the change back might make enough difference at the right time to help fit in some decent revision time and get me out the other side of the exam with enough marks to pass.  Somehow I very much doubt that this is the course where I achieve that elusive Distinction.

(I hasten to add that blogging tonight was done after as much TMA work as I could stomach for the evening, lest the Procrastination Fairy get her wings too firmly established on the desk).


Friday 22 August 2014

Hobbies, obsessions and the Washing Basket

On the way home from a quilting evening last night, I had time to ponder on my many hobbies, and to question myself even more than usual on my OU journey.

I have what can only be honestly known as an obsessive personality. Whatever (old or new) hobby I am currently busy with is usually my focus to the exclusion of many other things. When I am sewing the rest of the crafts take a back seat, when I am gardening it's from dawn till dusk.

Which leads me to wondering when I stopped feeling that way about my OU journey?  It seems that the closer to the goal I get, the less enthusiasm I have for the task. Studying is currently feeling akin to the washing basket, a task that needs to be coped with or got through.

I would dearly like to rekindle some of that earlier enthusiasm. I still love the learning but am taking less joy from the journey to get there.

But there still lies that feeling of how sad it would be to get so close and then stop. And so onwards I go again.

Someone please give me back that spring in my steps on the road to knowledge?