December 4, 1999
The Calm or the Storm?

It has been a long time since I last sat down and wrote an entry to add to my Internet diary and I must apologize for that. The funny thing is that the font I usually use on Microsoft word looks strange to me now since I haven’t used it for at least two weeks. I tried to write an entry last Sunday when I got back to Gainesville from Thanksgiving break, but I never finished it and it was worthless to post the way it was. So much has happened since November 20, the last time I had a chance to update my webpage, so I will try and catch everyone up. My life is a big whirlwind of activity right now, but I can’t decide whether I am in the middle of the calm or the storm. I suppose today is calmer than most have been recently, but one storm has passed and another is going to break on Monday. Maybe my life is like a hurricane and the eye is passing overhead this weekend. In any case I am glad to have a few minutes to myself to sit at my computer and write about my many joys and worries.

Thanksgiving in Tallahassee was uneventful. My mom and I braved the mall the day after Thanksgiving to do a little shopping. In larger cities the malls are almost unbearable o the biggest shopping day of the year, but in Tallahassee it never gets that bad. I did a lot of schoolwork while I was home for those few days. The week after the Thanksgiving break was a stressful one and I had to spend my vacation from classes doing homework nonetheless. Speaking of last week, here is roughly the way it went.

MONDAY (Nov 29) – I got an A on my last fluid mechanics exam (!), Alpha Chi Omega chapter meeting (that I skipped to work on a space systems design project)
TUESDAY (Nov 30) – Rehearsal for “The Planets” with the orchestra (it went badly and I skipped a two-hour intermediate engineering analysis class to go to this, but I found out I got an A on my last test), worked on space systems project until really late
WEDNESDAY (Dec 1) – Space systems design project due, AIAA meeting (free pizza), studied for my dynamics exam until I literally fell asleep on top of my books
THURSDAY (Dec 2) – Performance of “The Planets” at 8 PM (we pulled it off), studied for my dynamics exam until 3:30 AM
FRIDAY (Dec 3) – Took a dynamics exam first thing in the morning (afterwards I realized that I did the entire thing wrong and now I don’t expect to get a passing grade on it), Sounds of the Season rehearsal from 4-6 PM

That brings us to today. This morning I had another Sounds of the Season (the music department’s holiday concert) rehearsal this morning from 10 AM to 1 PM. The whole program is starting to come together and I think it is going to be a good performance. I loved being able to sing this semester. One of my required aerospace classes next semester is keeping me from signing up for Women’s Chorale again, but I hope to be a part of the group again next fall. I have a lot of work to do this weekend, plus two Sounds of the Season concerts tomorrow (one at 3 PM and the other at 6 PM). I somehow have to have most of that work done before 1:30 PM tomorrow when I have to be ready to rehearse before the performance. If anyone in Gainesville happens to read this entry, please come to the concert if you are interested! I am told University Auditorium is packed for this event and I would love to see some familiar faces in the audience. My family was planning to come down to Gainesville for the performance, but when I found out how much work I have to do this weekend they suggested they cancel the trip. That’s what ended up happening and now the only person I know who is coming to the concert is my wonderful boyfriend, Stuart. He is a doll.

Since I don’t expect to have much time to write entries this week here is an overview of what is going to be happening so far.

MONDAY – Space systems design extra credit exam due (I need some grade resuscitation), fluid mechanics homework due, party in chorus class (free pizza)
TUESDAY – Intermediate engineering analysis homework due, Society of Women Engineers meeting (free pizza)
WEDNESDAY – Last day of classes for the semester
THURSDAY – Alpha Chi Omega holiday party, first day to study for finals
FRIDAY - Second day to study for finals

My exam schedule is as follows: On Monday, December 13 I have the space systems design (EGM 4530) exam from 5:30 - 7:30 PM. On Tuesday I get to study a lot. On Wednesday, December 15 I have exams for fluid mechanics (EGN 3353C) and dynamics (EGM 3401) from 3 – 7:30 PM (one is right after the other). On Thursday I get to study a lot more. On Friday, December 17 I have the intermediate engineering analysis (EGM 4313) exam from 12:30 – 2:30 PM. After that I am free to leave Gainesville for three weeks. That one week longer than out usual breaks between the semesters. I know I will be ready to come back when that time is up. I won’t be excited about another killer semester, but I will be ready to be busy again. Also, I am going to miss Stuart like crazy.

I am going to get to work on some homework now. This entry is a lot longer than I expected it to be! I hope you feel informed about my life now – isn’t it crazy? Back to the craziness.