Where in the World is Sheri?

If you have been trying to play the “Where in the World is Sheri” game and have not been able to find me, I apologize.  I haven’t blogged since August of 2015, which is a long time. I’ve had a few big life changes, some of which I’ll write about here. I also encourage you to follow me on my other social media accounts which can be found on the side bar, or below.  Keep in touch, and check back here soon – I am going to start blogging again very soon!

Graduation!

In May of last year, I graduated from Nursing School with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. It was very hard work, and I’m proud of this degree tremendously. Yes, I have another one in Criminal Justice, but it was not very useful for me. This one however, is a true passion and I am very glad I decided to do it. I made some amazing nursing friends and also learned more than I thought possible.

I Fell... and Broke Stuff

Right after graduation, I fell. It was a long, tiring day, without much food or liquids (not even a drop of alcohol). When I got home, I was turning around to grab something else out of the car, and I fell down the steps on the porch onto cement. Let me tell you, it was the worst pain of my life. A true 10/10 on the pain scale. I broke part of my foot, sprained both ankles, messed up the tendons, and bruised my wrist, lots of scratches, and bruising really. I had this very ortho-fashionable boot to wear for a month. By the way, nurses make terrible patients.

NCLEX

The NCLEX is the dreaded test that all of those who pass nursing school have to take in order to become a licensed, registered nurse. You know, to be able to say that you are an actual RN and get to sign your name RN after it. It was a month of studying after graduation and tons of partial breakdowns, but I passed the first time I took it. Whew!

I Fell… for a Guy

Okay, so I didn’t literally fall. This is Will and I actually met him while I was still recovering from the very hurtful fall. I was single for awhile, because I wanted to focus on school, and to be honest, I’m quite picky. This one though, is a keeper. Sorry ladies, he is mine!

Sheri, RN – Job # 1

I started my first job as a nurse in June. I thought night shift would work out fine for me, so I decided to do that as my first job. I liked the hospital I precepted at in Med-Surg, so I went there. However, I soon came to learn that it was very much not for me. Especially after I moved in with Will who lived about an hour and fifteen minutes away from that hospital. Yes, it was rough going back and forth to work on those nights and mornings.

Sheri the Rodan + Fields Independent Consultant

In December I decided to join the R+F team my friend had just signed up for. I knew I needed two regimens (Soothe and Reverse) so I just signed up as consultant to save money and get the other tools I wanted, too. I didn’t take it too seriously until I could see results for myself, which I started to see as early as February. I had my first R+F party in March, and am very excited about this business opportunity. If you want to know more, please let me know! To see my Rodan and Fields site to take the consultation tool to see what works for you and to shop, go to: https://sherinewton.myrandf.com/Pages/OurProducts/GetAdvice/SolutionsTool

Sheri, RN – Job # 2

Remember how I said I was driving so much on that first job? Well, I couldn’t keep doing it physically and work 12-13 hour shifts. So, I applied at jobs closer to my new home and was actually recruited by the place I ended up. It is a rehab hospital which is only about 30 minutes away. Not too bad! I just started it this month in March, but I like it so far.

…Keep in Touch

As I said, I’m going to be blogging more again and I have a TON of book reviews to catch up on. However, please add me or follow me on the social networks I use.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/sheri.newton

Twitter – https://twitter.com/sherinewton

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/sherinewton311/

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/sherinewton311/

Polyvore – http://starry943.polyvore.com/

3rd Semester of Nursing School – Finished!

Sorry for not posting many updates or reviews lately. I have been extremely busy with my 3^rd semester of nursing school since January. I always try to post and do as much with this as I can during the school year, but sometimes (like this semester) was just really hard to do.

At my school, 3^rd semester includes: Maternity Nursing (aka “OB”), Pediatric Nursing, and Leadership. I had clinical days each week for OB and Peds. For peds we were sent out all over the place doing hospital days, kid checks, health fairs, etc. For OB, we were at the hospital and one day we went to the health department. For 90% of these clinical days I also had to wake up at around 4:30 AM (I am not a morning person). Each week we also are on campus for 2 days, and we have more tests than you can imagine.

I learned so much this semester and had a lot of opportunities to improve my nursing skills. It kept all of us busy and stressed out to say the least.

Final exams are finally over, and I earned my B in each course. Now, I have some time off to relax, study (take a ton of NCLEX type questions), and do what I want (including sleeping in) until 4^th semester starts. I have a class this summer, but it isn’t that big of a deal (I hope).

Oh, in case you were wondering, no this is not our 3^rd total semester in college. Nursing school is what comes after all of the pre-req courses (which is about 2 years of that). My university that means 5 semesters of “nursing school” and we say which semester we are in. My program is a BSN degree and it takes 2.5 years of just the nursing school portion. I had to clarify on this because some people (and articles) make people think nurses only go to school for 2 years and that is a huge laugh.

So, expect for me to post more frequently and share some great reviews with you soon!

Review of “The Sims 3: University Life”

The Sims 3: University Life expansion pack brings more fun to The Sims 3 game that focuses on the “young adult” stage of life. If you have wanted to send your Sims to a university, this is an expansion pack you won’t want to miss out on!

Game Description

“Are your Sims ready for the time of their lives? Heading off to university opens up new opportunities, from social connections to career growth. From class activities to major-specific objects, your Sim will find new ways to learn! And university isn’t just about hitting the books. Join a protest, flirt at a bonfire party—there’s a lot to explore outside of lectures at the student union. With new locations like the bowling alley and SimBurger to visit, and new activities like juice pong and spray painting murals to enjoy, your Sims are sure to have the time of their lives!

KEY FEATURES

o     Achieve Academic Excellence. Learning is more fun than ever with new major-specific objects, from broadcasting your own radio show as a Communications student to boning up on anatomy using the skeleton as a Science and Medicine major. Your Sims can also learn through class activities, lectures at the student union, and joining in social activities.

o     Get Ready to Party! Text books and study groups are a big part of university, but sometimes Sims just need to party! From hosting bonfires by the lake to doing juice keg stands at a dorm party, there are lots of ways to have a great time at university.

o     Make Connections and Network. Grow your social networking skill through texting, blogging, and streaming video. This builds your affiliation with the three social groups on campus—the nerds, the rebels, and the jocks.  Building your cred with these groups offers unique advantages, from earning dream jobs to a coveted extra trait.

o     Actions Matter. Just like in real life, your Sims’ decisions are deeply interconnected. For example, a Fine Arts student benefits from the Avant Garde trait, develops their Street Art skill and cred with the Rebels by tagging and spray painting. Just don’t get caught by the cops!

o     Reap Benefits After University too! Reach the top job in your career path more easily with faster promotions and a higher entry-level job for university grads. If your Sim becomes a legend with their social group, they may even land a dream job as an art appraiser, sports agent, or video game developer!

o     Explore the Campus and Town. From striking out at the bowling alley to flirting with the barista at the Roasted Toasted Beans to browsing comic books at Keith’s Komics, there’s a whole new town and campus full of places to explore.”– The Sims 3: University Life

My Thoughts

As a “University” student myself, I really love being able to send my Sims to the University, too. This is the area of the Young Adult lifestage that was really missing in the game, so I am very happy that it was added to the game.

The new campus town is where Sims that attends the university goes. It is beautifully created, and the buildings in it are fabulous for university life. I like to have my Sims live in a dorm because they can meet new people faster, and there are always people around to have fun with. If you buy stuff for the dorm though, it stays there, unless you take it with you when you leave.

The “Social Network” addition is also something that is actually really cool. Sims can use it when they aren’t in the university, too. If your Sims like to play games, they should join the Nerd group. In that group, they can also play video games online and get jobs in the video gaming industry. The Jock social group is for Sims who play sports, enjoy a good game of “juice pong” and party. There is also a Rebel social networking group that includes Sims who like to protest, push social boundaries, and spray paint buildings.

Sims that go to the university also have the chance to go to some fun parties that they can remember forever (if they take a picture for their scrapbook that is). Your Sims can now go to bonfire parties, keggers, and toga parties! If you are feeling really creative, you can always create your own type of party as well.

Overall, I think this expansion pack added a lot to the game, and is well worth adding to you’re the Sims 3 game. It adds a lot of new content and makes the game more fun. Who doesn’t love the whole university experience anyways? I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Sims 3: University Life, Electronic Arts, and Gamers Gate for providing me with a digital copy of this game and allowing me to review it. All experiences and opinions expressed are my own.

Nursing School : Semester One

Finals week is finally over, and I can update everyone on what has been going on with me. As many of you know, I am in Nursing School and it quite honesty is as hard as everyone says it is.

Before I started, I heard many people talk (or write) about how hard and time consuming it was. I never had to study too hard for many subjects before, so I secretly thought “Sure, it was hard for you, but it won’t be for me!” Ha! It is hard. It is very time consuming. It will take away your social life. It will be everything you think about for the next five semesters (or however long your program is). You will see your classmates more than you see your family and friends, and they will become your new friends and family. Luckily, I have some amazing fellow classmates, and I’m happy we are all so supportive of one another and truly want everyone to succeed in it.

Nursing school had many ups and downs for me the first semester. I thought I was going to have a panic attack during finals week because they wouldn’t tell us how we did on them until Friday, after we took the last final exam. I think this caused more harm than good for me, but I managed to pass them all, and all of the classes.

I have one class to take this summer, and then I’m on to second semester in the Fall. We have two clinical days per week in second semester, which I am kind of worried about, but hopefully it will be a good experience. I actually enjoyed the clinical day at the nursing home this semester, so I think I will like it at the hospital, too.

For now, I have a bit of a break and can do more things that don’t involve studying. So, look for some reviews and random bits of interesting things posted by me soon.

Posts and Reviews on Hold Until Finals are Over

I hope everyone can understand, but I don’t have enough time right now to make posts or do reviews until Final Exams are over. I’m in nursing school and it is just kicking me right now. I’ll be back to normal posting in about 2 weeks.

Water Leaks and Final Exams – Not a Good Combo

Last week (on Friday to be exact) a water pipe burst behind the wall in my bathroom. I live in a 2 story house, and the bathroom is on the 2^nd floor. This means that the water was coming out everywhere upstairs by it and then falling down from the ceiling on the first floor. It was literally raining from the ceiling in the hallway and parts of the living room. Talk about scary!

Of course I was home alone when this all happened, and I have never had this happen before, so I wasn’t really sure what to do. Also, the new “electronic” meter was installed for the water line and there was no way I could shut the water off. I even called the water company and they told me I couldn’t do anything and not to mess with the electronic meter thing (not that I could pry it open anyways). If it was so electronic, why can’t they just turn it off from their end “electronically”? Sometimes the new technology forced upon us is in fact much worse than it was before.

So I was filling up trash cans and plastic bins, trying to soak up areas with towels and moving things away from the water for almost an hour before someone was able to come out and turn the water off “electronically.” I was in water up to my ankles in places and water was pouring from the light fixture in the hallway like it was a faucet! I was seriously afraid of being electrocuted.

Sure, now it sounds like a funny episode of “The Middle” or something, but it was really scary.

Our insurance agent lady sent out people from ServPro to come help get rid of the water and dry up everything. It was a huge mess. It took like 5 days to dry out the carpet and drywalls. Bad damage overall and all of our carpet is being replaced, with hopefully the hardwood laminate. I hate carpet and honestly if this ever happens again, carpet is terrible to have to get dry. I never want carpet in my life again.

As with all home repairs and insurance issues, things take time and as of right now, nothing is set for the actual repairs. We’ve packed up some rooms, moved things, found damaged items, etc. Hopefully it gets started soon because living in all of this chaos is not fun.

Last week was also final exams for me. I had 3 to take and even though I didn’t really have to do super great on them to keep my A’s, I still always try my best. Studying while fans are blowing loudly and everything is crazy isn’t easy.

So far 2 of the 3 grades are posted, and I did make A’s in those classes. I’m also quite sure that I got an A in the 3^rd, but that professor takes longer than most to actually grade papers, so I didn’t really think that the final exam would be much different. It’s okay though because I am sure I did very well on the test.

I’m taking 2 classes this summer and then I’ll be completely finished with all of the pre-requisite courses needed for nursing at the university I’m going to. This means I’ll be going to actual nursing school (finally) in Spring of next year. Yay!

Chemistry Results

The summer semester is finally over for me. I could jump and sing and dance I’m so glad it is over!

I really didn’t want to take Chemistry at all. I took a pre-course to it when I went to UCF and I hated it. I only made a C. It was taught in an auditorium classroom which meant there were around 300 students in my class. Yes, three-hundred. Not a typo!

So, when I realized I had to take a “real” Chemistry course for the B.S. Nursing degree I’m going to enroll in, I wasn’t happy. I dreaded it. I tried keeping a positive attitude about it though and even tried comparing it to “Harry Potter” and the Potions class the students at Hogwarts had to take. Though fun to think about it, it didn’t work.

I had an A average the whole time, but it was a low A. It wasn’t an easy course for me and the tests were insane (150+ questions on each one). So, I was rather concerned about taking the final exam yesterday.

Sure, I studied quite a bit for it and I did prepare for it. I just wasn’t quite sure how I’d do.

So, when I was listening to “Coast 2 Coast AM” I heard one of the guests that was on the show mention praying to Saint Joseph of Cupertino to help with exams. I figured I could give it a try. So I found the prayer, printed it out and said it before the exam.

Did it work?

Yes! Somehow I made an A and that means I also have an A for the final grade! I’m really proud of myself and still in a bit of shock.

Part of the prayer to Saint Joseph of Cupertino requires me to spread the word about it working, so that is what I’m doing now. If you have a big exam you need some saintly help with, give it a try and see if it works for you too!

Chemistry isn’t as fun as Potions Class

This summer I am taking Chemistry. It is the main reason I haven’t blogged much. With that and work I’ve been really busy and haven’t had that much time to read for reviews or post anything interesting. Sorry about that! I will be out of chemistry hell in mid-August and I’m taking a semester off.

I went into the class with a positive attitude. I kept telling myself that Chemistry will be fun and I tried relating it to Harry Potter’s Potions class. Well, we have done nothing cool in the lab and the tests are quite awful. I’d relate it to drinking the polyjuice potion of someone you hate and having to look like them for a week. Not cool!

Maybe I hate it so much because I dislike math. My teacher makes the class more math oriented than actual chemistry it seems. Again, I know… verbal eyeroll right? Plus, it is an intro course and I highly doubt anyone in the class will ever take anything else in chemistry after this. Yet the teacher thinks we should understand it as well as she does.

So, it is official chemistry (at least for me) is nowhere near as cool as a potions class in the world of Harry Potter would have been. Why was I born a mere muggle? Potions class would have been much more fun!

By the way, have any of you seen the new Harry Potter movie? I plan on seeing it sometime next week. I can’t wait!

How to Pay for College – A Library How-To Handbook

How to Pay for College by the Editors of the American Library Association is a good reference for figuring out how to pay for a college education. If you or your kids want to go to college, this is a must-read for information very relevant towards paying for a very expensive education.

Book Description
“Whether you're a high school student, already in college, a parent, or an adult returning to school, this guide can help you thoroughly and easily research all available financial aid options, narrow your search to those that are a good fit for you, and make the best attempt possible at applying for them. Within these pages, find ways to plan and save for the high cost of college tuition; how to look for schools that are less expensive yet offer everything an expensive school might; when and how to fill out forms for loans, grants, and scholarships; how to get the government to help you; tips on applications and essays; and much more. This unique guide emphasizes the help that your local library can be in this process, using its reference materials, the Internet, and the advice of experienced researchers. This is a book that can help change your life.” – How to Pay for College


My Thoughts
How to Pay for College is something that all high school seniors and their parents should read. It is really directed more towards this group rather than those already in college or adults who have already earned a degree of some sort.

The knowledge included in the book is basic and gives references for more information on subjects. That doesn’t make it a bad reference book though, because it does give good information. It just isn’t going to give any big secrets away for being able to find money out of nowhere to go to somewhere like Harvard.

If you already have a Bachelor’s degree you are quite excluded on both learning anything from the book and finding out how to pay for college for another degree, unless of course you need information on taking out student loans. Therefore, if you fit into this category, I would not recommend the book to you.

Overall though, I think this is a very good reference book for high school seniors or juniors who don’t know anything at all about paying for college. The parents would also benefit from reading it because they could learn that their kids could receive grants or other type of scholarships to help them pursue a higher education.



* Thank you to the publisher of How to Pay for College, Skyhorse Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Like a G6

Wow! It has been awhile since I have gotten a chance to write an update style Blog post about what is going on with me lately. Sorry about that.

I’ve been studying more so than usual, which is paying off. I’ve made 97, 98, and 85 on my recent exams. So, I have to say I’m feeling really good about that. I have about a month left for the semester, so I’ll probably still be working hard until the end of the term.

I’ve bought a few really cute things from Overstock.com and Target’s Liberty of London collection. Such cute things, I love when they have the big names design a collection (and then it goes on clearance for even better savings). I’d love to buy a ton of other things too of course, but with paying for school and saving up for nursing school limits my budget on things I don’t really “need.”

Anyone else love this song? It reminds me of my Bloggy friend Andhari. Don't know her? Check out her Blog, she is awesome, I promise!

“Like a G6” by Far East Movement…. Enjoy!

Weekly Freak Out

This week I don’t have a lovelist, and to be quite honest I haven’t had one for quite a bit now. Maybe I’ll have one again in the (hopefully soon) future. For now though, this week… I’m freaking out.

I have TWO exams in Anatomy and Physiology 2 this week. One is tonight, and the next one is on Wednesday night. I’m not excited. No. I’m freaking out. It isn’t like I haven’t been studying, I have. Honest. I had an exam in this class already and made a B (barely). It was the hardest exam I’ve ever taken in my life though. It was multiple choice and short answer, and short answer was a HUGE portion of it. This test will be much the same. A lot of the students in the class failed, but a lot made a B or an A on the last one too. Regardless though, I’m freaking out.

The exam on Wednesday is the lab midterm. We have to know everything on the heart and other random things. Freaking out here. I knew the muscles and bones from A&P 1 but for the test somehow I lose what I know and get confused on areas.

Maybe this is not the right path for me. Maybe I’m really just freaking out and will do fine.

On a positive note though, I scored an 89 on my Microbiology exam a week or so ago. I actually quite like that class and find it much more interesting than A&P.

Weekly Lovelist

What a few weeks this has been for me! Sorry I didn’t update this lovelist sooner. School is kicking my @$$. Speaking of…

College
My psychology course is over. I have a 104 average. I’m pretty happy about it. The teacher was awesome and even let us have some extra credit chances (which I always take advantage of, no matter how hard/easy it is).

Anatomy and Physiology is not as easy. I have a solid B. My A average is pretty much unreachable after these last two exams (killer hard) unless I pull a 100+ on this final, which I honestly do not see happening. However, a 87-89 average in this course is really good. Hopefully I do just as well next semester in A&P II.


Writing
Between school work and other various things, I’ve also been really busy reading. I love to do book, video games, beauty products, and any review really. So, I’ve been busy doing those if you hadn’t noticed. I’m also working on a few more beauty best-of articles for Associated Content. Have any ideas for organic products I should try that I haven’t reviewed already?

I’ve been trying to write more often for Bright Hub, and lately I’ve been published with these articles about The Sims 3:

Guide to Life Fruit in The Sims 3 – http://www.brighthub.com/video-games/pc/articles/80283.aspx

Nude Mod for The Sims 3 - http://www.brighthub.com/video-games/pc/articles/80285.aspx

The Sims 3 Teen Pregnant Mod and More - http://www.brighthub.com/video-games/pc/articles/80429.aspx

I have to say that I love writing for their Gaming channel because it allows me to play video games and write (two of my loves) and get paid for it. So, please check out those articles.


Awards
I’ve been bad at posting awards won. I love to get them, so please don’t stop awarding me with them. I’ll try to be a better blogger and post them sooner.

Here are some of the ones I’ve been awarded with lately from Carina and Little Tiara. Thanks so much!

Lovelist for a few Weeks

I have been slacking on this post. Partly because I am really busy with school and writing jobs. However, I also am finding it hard to find many things to “love” the past few weeks. I won’t write about life’s annoyances on this post though, as it is my lovelist. Hope you enjoy what I came up with and have a great week!

4th of July
I hope all those in America celebrated the 4th of July and had a great weekend. My Aunt and Uncle visited from North Carolina. We had a fun time while they were here.

The family party I went to was on the 3rd, we had drunk chicken. Take a look…


My Uncle in Texas calls it “beer butt chicken” so I guess either way works.

I wasn’t able to go out on the boat and look at fireworks though because my dog was having seizures again that day, and well I had to stay home with her and my Aunt and Uncle’s dogs too. Dogs do not like fireworks. It was really hectic for me watching them all – especially after mine had another seizure. She is doing okay right now though, so hopefully she gets better again for awhile.


Exams
Not sure if this should be on the lovelist, as it has made me nuts the past bit, so I’ll just post my recent grades:

Anatomy & Physiology: 95, 80, and a lab midterm is tomorrow. I really need to get an A again on that to keep my average of an A. ::fingers crossed::

Human Growth & Development: 100, and an exam this week too. I’m not overly worried about this one though.

I hope next semester isn’t as stressful as this summer term has been.


New Layouts & More to Come!
I used blogger’s new template for my portfolio and my blog to make them over. Have you noticed? The one on my blog isn’t really very noticeable yet. I just changed it over to make it a little easier on me now before I completely re-do it.

I’m hiring 2 fantastic artists I found from Deviant Art to commission something for me. One is going to be on here, which I am really excited for and the other may be a future layout, or for my portfolio, and will also maybe end up as artwork in my room. I’m really excited! They are fantastic ladies, and I can’t wait for you to see what they can do too.


New Giveaway
I love getting to host giveaways, and in case you haven’t yet entered to win Self Confidence by Paul McGee, go do so before the 20th for a chance to win this great book!

The Day I Saw a Dead Body

I’m taking Anatomy and Physiology, and with that comes the option of going to the “cadaver lab” throughout the semester. My school has a male and a female cadaver which we can go in and look at. More advanced courses gets to even take samples and such. I’m not there yet. I may take that course later though.

Today we learned about skin cancers and took some final notes before we have an exam on Tuesday. After that, we had the option to go to the cadaver lab. Anyone else see the irony in discussing skin cancers (during summer months no less) and then going to see a real dead body?

I was in the first group that got to go see it this morning. We were warned not to touch the sides of the cart because apparently formaldehyde stays with you for a long time and smells, oh yeah, and we were warned of the smell of that and fabric softener. They use that to keep the body moist. Interesting, huh?

So, we go in (my group was all girls) and none of us ran back to the door or passed out. Apparently, some people in the past have just walked right back out. We all made it to the end, so I guess we’ll make it in the respective fields we seek in that sense. Did you know some people going into these fields can’t stand the sight of blood? Seriously! How could you be a nurse and unable to stand the sight of blood? Something tells me they don’t last long as a nurse…

We get to go in again later in the semester when we discuss muscles in more depth.

The test on Tuesday is going to be on different tissues and skin. Then in about 3 weeks we have a mid-term on the lab stuff. This is what I’m stressing out about because it is so much information; I really don’t know how I can memorize it all in such a short amount of time (ontop of everything else). Wish me luck!


*P.S. – I didn’t post a picture with this post because well, I didn’t think many of you would want to see what I saw. If you want an idea of it though, type “Gross Anatomy Lab Pictures” into Google under image search.

Weekly Lovelist

I think I would like to start a weekly Lovelist. I am getting the idea from a fabulous bloggy friend, Andhari, who if you do not know (and I greatly suggest going to give her a visit) is a super smart, sexy and talented woman over in Indonesia.

I think the idea of having a post each week (if I can remember to do so) about what I loved that week is a good idea, don’t you? It can allow me to enter in random info about things I liked that week and share with all of you.

Starting off with last week….

My Dog!
My dog was doing really badly the past few weeks. She was getting seizures and would walk around the room for hours, bumping into things and just walking the perimeter of the room. She is old, and can’t see and hear as well as she used to. It was really scary for about 4 days with her – we almost thought she was going to pass away soon. She would hardly leave her bed, and was very unstable when walking, and wouldn’t eat much at all.

Luckily though, she got her spunk back and is acting pretty normal again. Sure, she doesn’t run around like a puppy anymore (but she hasn’t for years). She is able to walk much better, is eating and begging, and doing well. I’m soo relieved and truly thankful she is still with us.

True Blood
Season 3 of True Blood is fangtastic! You know it is my favorite series on TV, and I keep all episodes saved on my DVR until they are released on DVD. Yes, laugh all you want, but I love it. The first episode we got to see Eric Northman (played by Alexander Skarsgard) practically naked (well the backside anyways), so hot? Yes! This season it looks like we will be seeing much more of Eric, and I for one have absolutely no objection to that! Also, it looks like they are going to rush the whole Jason turning into a Werepanther sooner than I thought. At least they are going to have Tara hook up with a vampire like she did in the book series (it probably won’t go well in the TV series for her either). I wonder if they will also be introducing her fairy cousins this season?

True Blood - Eric Poster
I have a new poster of Eric hanging in my bedroom – right over my TV. It hurts so good – but, I like it. I can see how some of you may think I am really odd for having a vampire with blood dripping down his chin stare at me while sleeping. Honestly, it doesn’t bother me. I would invite Eric into my house any day (or um, night).

Getting Good Grades
Studying hard and making good grades is always the goal, but let’s face it – sometimes that just doesn’t work out like it should. Last week I had 2 exams, and did awesome. I made a 94 in Anatomy and Physiology and I made a 96 in Psychology: Human Development. Neither were “easy” exams either. Just because a course is in the summer does NOT make it easier to pass – quite the opposite really.

Fixing My Crashed PC
Somehow I managed to fix my old PC that crashed on me a few months ago. It died horrendously due to some awful malware and I was unable to recover it. However, after thinking about possible solutions for a few months, I decided to test some out – and it worked! It isn’t as good as the laptop though, and quite honestly I do still need a new and updated one. It is at least good enough for browsing the web and such. Running is better than being crashed into a PC graveyard though.

Shop Therapy
This weekend I really wasn’t expecting to buy anything at the mall. I went in looking for a new bathing suit and ended up with 2 sets of gold over sterling silver smoky quartz stud earrings (severely discounted) and an amazing pajama set for $50. I tried finding a picture of it at the store’s website, but apparently it is too new to be on there. I have a perfect silk kimono style brown robe to go with it too. It reminds me of New Orleans. Love it!

Surviving Father’s Day
I would love to know of a family that doesn’t have any family drama. Mine certainly has its fair share (and probably some of the dose of those lucky families that have none), so having Father’s Day go off without an argument or anything was quite nice. I even chatted with some family members more than usual, and it was quite nice and genuine (or at least I thought so). Hopefully events will continue like that, if not better.

More Reviews
I love writing reviews, so getting more reviews (even some I didn’t even have to request) really makes me happy. Thank you so much to all of the publishers and press people who make my dream of being a reviewer come true!

Giveaways!
I love when I am able to host a giveaway, such as the one that ends today for Babushka’s Beauty Secrets (seriously, go enter it – it is a fabulous book)! I also won something this week – a build-a-bear panda (or leopard)! Yay!

So, how did you like my lovelist? I hope you enjoyed it, and if you liked it, please let me know so I will continue to do this, if Andhari doesn't mind I'm using the lovelist idea. :)

Sometimes I Surprise Myself

Maybe I am just one of those people who doubts themselves, but most of the time after I take an exam I have no idea how I did on it - and then start to think I did badly on it. Usually this dissipates when I see I actually did pass, and usually end up making an A or B (though sometimes a C).

However, science is just a little bit different for me. It is something I really have to study and because I’m planning on going into the nursing field, I really need to do well on the pre-requisite courses. This semester I’m in Anatomy and Physiology I. I also have another Psychology course, but I’m not too worried about that one.

Today I took my first exam in Anatomy and Physiology. I studied like crazy this weekend and last night, so I was really hoping I’d do well. While I was taking the test, by question 28 or so, I was thinking to myself, “Wow, I’m awesome.” Why? Because I knew every answer with no second guesses. Near question 30 though they got a little harder. I still knew most of them though, and was really confident I got an A by the end of the exam, or at least a high B.

I was even the first one finished!

The professor said he’d have the exam grades posted by this afternoon, so I go into our online area and check to see if they are indeed posted yet…

I scored 94/100!

Sometimes I do surprise myself.

I just hope that the rest are this easy for me.


Oh, if you haven’t already entered my giveaway for Babushka’s Beauty Secrets, enter here until June 21, 2010. I get to give away 3 copies with this book!

Fake Fashion Show, Random Updates & Awards

Fake Fashion Show
I guess I will start with last weekend. If you follow me on Twitter, perhaps you noticed I won tickets to a fashion show in Atlanta, GA last Saturday. I won them from our local ABC station.

It was at a very nice hotel in Atlanta, on a roof-top lounge. Ever watch The Bachelor? (I hate that show) The lounge looked like a place they’d go on one of their group dates. So the big draw to get people there I guess was saying it was a fashion show for one of the guys from Project Runway.

Well, the event, called “Cocktails & Couture” was supposed to be from 7-9pm. We waited around and finally the guy shows up at like 8:45 and he gets some award from the hotel or something and then takes pictures with the mob of people around him. No fashion show. So, we left.

Really disappointing, but we still had fun people watching, having some drinks and some free fancy/expensive food that I would never buy otherwise (most was not very good).

I would post a picture, but the angles the couches are at, the bad lighting, etc makes for really lousy pictures apparently and most didn’t turn out at all.

Overall, it was a major fail.


School
I’ve gotten a few questions about how I did in school for Spring semester. I thought I posted about it (or maybe I just tweeted it). Anyways, I ended up making an A in Psychology and a B in Biology. :) I’m pretty happy about it. Of course I would have loved to have gotten both As, but I will take the B (that teacher was crazy hard).


Feng Shui
I’m usually a really organized person. However, the past few months/year I’ve let things slide a bit more than I normally would have. I’ve been reading a Feng Shui book (will do review soon) and have completely reorganized my closets. I found stuff in there I completely forgot I had, and really it is like shopping for free! Love it!

Also will be working on the rest of my room and the house. Major undertaking.


Awards
Lucy – Thank you so much for giving me these awards! I love getting awards and try posting them on here when I get them, even if I don’t end up doing all the rules and such (like today).

If you don’t already read and follow Lucy, I suggest all who are reading this go read her now – she is funny, very real and I think you’ll love reading all her posts too.

Psychology, Biology, and One Large Headache

Just wanted to update about my school adventures.

The semester is officially over for my Psychology course, and I managed to get a 104 average. Oh yeah! I have to take another course this summer, hopefully I do just as well.

I have one last exam for my Biology course for this semester. I did really well by making an 85 on my last exam. I suspect mostly everyone got in the Cs or Ds that is still left (about half the class already dropped out). Remember, the first exam in this class I made a 91 and the class average was a 53? Yeah. Not easy! I’ll be extremely happy if I make a B overall. Wish me luck!

I signed up for my summer courses, and sparing you the boring financial aid details and stuff, I am glad I have a credit card to pay for it with ahead of time – because their financial aid department is just not all together. If I had waited, I would have been kicked out of the classes I pre-registered for. So not cool.

I’m kind of scared about the Anatomy and Physiology I class. I have a professor at least that ratemyprofessor.com says is hot and the easier one to have. Cramming it all into the summer though is scary, especially when it is a lot to remember.

I also seem to have a headache that isn’t going away. Maybe I should take a migraine pill, but those make me unable to focus well. Then again, migraines do the same. Eh, lose-lose huh?

Have a great weekend everyone and if you are looking for more blog followers, check out my previous post about the Friday Follow thing.

LSD not LCD!

No, I haven’t taken any LSD if that is what you’re thinking.

However – getting up at 5AM when I am really not a morning person to go take a Psychology exam at 7AM is not fun. Add in the fact I only got a few hours of sleep and well it feels like everything I studied for the past week is jumbled up in my brain.

Some parts of the test were about drugs. I know plenty about drugs. I have a Criminal Justice B.S. and minor in Sociology. I’ve taken 3 courses about drugs at UCF. Anyways…

I think I put LCD instead of LSD on the exam this morning. Stupid mistake if I did and now I’m worrying about it. I mean, that was one section I knew from long-term memory! I really needed to get those questions right ya know?

Hopefully the score will be up soon so I can stop worrying about it. I really shouldn’t be worrying too much though even if I didn’t get an A on this one, I still scored 102, 108 on the previous 2 tests, so I’m good. I just hate not doing well on something I know.

Tomorrow I have an exam in Biology which I’m just not getting. Hopefully I can pull a B, but probably more like a C at this rate. Ugh!

Busy, Busy!

This week I had another psychology exam. The grades are posted, and I made a 108! Pretty awesome if I do say so myself. I wish I could transfer some of those extra points to my Biology exam which I didn’t do so hot in (still passed of course though). School is going pretty well, and I’m glad I have time to better concentrate on it all now too.

Today I went to the Cottontail’s Arts and Crafts show with my Mom. She was really excited to go to it, and we had a fun time. I actually didn’t buy anything though, crazy huh? I did write an article about it though, so please check it out:

Cottontail's Arts, Crafts & Gifts Show at the BJCC in Birmingham, AL March 5-7, 2010.

Here are some pictures of my favorite booths from the event:





What can I say? I want to be a fairy that can make cool bubbles with a magic wand. Who doesn’t want that?

I’ve also been trying to write more articles and finish up some reviews I still need to read and write about. Hopefully I can get one of those up this weekend. I just finished the first 3 books in The Vampire Chronicles, so I'll hopefully have that one up next. Any good suggestions on future ones for me to review? Please let me know!

I hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoys the warm weather (if you are lucky enough to be getting some this weekend).