Positive Thoughts!

Well, it's two days into the semester and I'm still hopeful..... LOL My classes this semester include:

Theatre History - 1550 to 1875: I have to say I really like the theatre history classes. There is so much to learn. After this class is finished, I'll have satisfied my four required classes, but there is one more and I still might take that class next Spring. I'll have to see how I'm feeling about my workload. This semester we will be covering a wide variety of periods, from the Italian Renaissance to English Restoration to the 18th Century. There is one large group project, as usual, but this time the Professor is adding some "smaller" group projects. Bad news is that I'm in a group with someone that DRIVES ME CRAZY! She doesn't ever pull her weight and when she does it's a half-ass effort. This will be the 4th time I've had her in a group (She's been in many of my classes). UGH! The good news is that I believe this is the only class that I'll have a group project in this semester. Whew!

Introduction to Financial Accounting: I think this class is going to be a piece of cake. I've had a couple of semesters of Accounting "back in the day" when working on computer programming degree. Granted that was over 20 years ago. heehee I think it also helps that I've been involved in budgets and finances in my "previous life." The interesting part of this class will be the use of a clicker. I have to buy a clicker ($45 new) to use during class. It is about the size of a credit card and it has numbers and letters on it. At certain times when the professor asks a question, the whole class needs to respond using their clicker. A graph of some sort will appear on the computer screen, which is projected on the wall, and it will show the number of students that answered A, B, C, etc. It kind of reminds of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? when the contestant polls the audience for one of their lifelines. Each clicker is registered to an individual student, so the professor will be able to see which students are answering correctly and which ones needs more work. I'm not sure how I feel about using it. My first step is to purchase one. ;^) I have until next week to get it.

Principles of Public Relations: This my online class. While it's online and I can work on it when it's convenient, it is not self-paced. There are deadlines for homework, essays, quizzes, and exams. This will definitely prevent me from waiting until the end of the semester as I've done in the past. LOL

Issues in Arts Management: This is the last of my "arts management" classes. It only meets one a week and will have speakers from the Wisconsin arts management arena and we will have discussions on the different issues. I've been assured by the instructor that there will be no group projects in this class. We meet for the first time tomorrow afternoon, so I'll find out for sure then and perhaps find out more specifically what issues we'll be discussing.

Lastly I have two practicums to finish up this semesters - one is 40 hours in the scene shop and the other is costume running crew for the dance concert. I've gotten a jump on the scene shop hours and have them scheduled for the first two and a half weeks of the semester so I'll be finished on February 7th. Yeah!

Well, enough about my classes. It's time for me to start the homework......

Hello??? Is anyone out there?

Wow … It’s been three months since I last wrote in this blog! Hard to believe – the time had gone by so quickly. I managed to finish the semester even though at times it was pretty hairy and I wasn’t quite sure about my grades. But I managed all A’s, except for a B in Marketing. That class was the worst and I could write a book on the horrors, but I squeaked by with a B so I’ll let it go. The children’s tour was successful, along with the Halloween Party for the kids being a hit. I had a GREAT group project experience in my arts marketing class and worked with a team that was fired up and more motivated than me. We developed a marketing plan for Summerfest, which they want to actually present to the Summerfest Board of Directors in hopes of getting internships this summer. More power to them - I have enough on my plate! :^D

The spring semester starts on the 22nd of this month and time is going by quickly. I’ve been working full-time in the Dean’s office, along with bartending at Hammer’s and the bowling alley. No rest for the wicked.

My goal for next semester is to be less frenzied and to post regularly in this blog. I’m doomed if I let my life be so crazy for the next year and a half. The just-in-time delivery method didn’t work the greatest this past semester regarding homework. I got it done, but with lots and lots of stress. New semester, new outlook! Bring it on!