School

I finally think as though I am getting a feel for the way of things in this program. (Don’t hold me to that though…) The demands are pretty epic.. hours of reading a day, a lot of information to quickly retain all at once and mastering a variety of skills on a weekly basis. It is intense, and I have to add that this is the first time in my life I feel as though I really am being pushed to my academic limits.

I’ve survived the gauntlet of the first few tests in 2 of my classes. Did stellar in one class and average in the other. Received my first C+. Then went to console myself with a lovely cup of gingerbread hot cocoa. (I love Starbucks).

Pharmacology/Pathology: I still like it, though, I’m sure this will be my most difficult class. I’m aiming for a B+ in the class, ideally. But more importantly, I am aiming to memorize a veritable cornucopia of drugs.

Nursing Skills: I seem to be getting the gist of things in lab and then subjecting my poor friends to such things as getting their blood pressure taken. Such good sports. Did well on my first exam. A bright light.

Nursing History: Sometimes it is difficult to focus in this class… Friday morning with a laidback teacher does not equal attentiveness. Just saying.

Nursing Essentials: Dreading my first exam Thursday. I didn’t realize just how much we’ve covered in 3 weeks. Tons of theory from modes of caring to how health insurance works. Eek.

Health & Wellness

No real news here. I’ve been making an attempt at yoga. Slow going though.

Employment & Finance

Still poor. Jus applied for more loans. Not pretty, but I have few options… and I can’t seem to kick this eating habit of mine.

Personal Practice

Trying to be more deliberate and aware. I’m going to try an experiment this week and cut back on frivolous noise and thinking. Try to not get caught up in my emotions so much.

Social Life

Organized a class get together this past Thursday, which was a success. Despite the snow, 20 some-odd people made it out. We had a few drinks and actually got to know each other’s names. Good times.

Planning on participating in class elections… not sure what position(s) I want though.

Bits & Bobs

Trying to cook from scratch again… healthier and saves money.

Namaste all.

School

This time next week I will have taken the GRE.

This time next week I’ll have had my orientation for the MCPHS Nursing Program.

Need to buy my textbooks today… which is only possibly because I own a credit card. I don’t get my dispersement until mid-February. Who designed this system? Because I am not a fan.

Courses I’ll be taking this term:

Nursing History, Nursing Skills and Technologies, Nursing Essentials, Pathology & Pharmacology.

Health & Wellness

Back has been none to pleased with me lately. I’m anxiously awaiting my appointment on the 13^th with the surgeon, hoping this will all be resolved soon. Doctor prescribed me a muscle relaxant for my bad days, but I’m having to use it more than I’d like.

Oh, and unsurprisingly I gained a few pounds over the holidays. They will be easy to lose now that the cookies are gone.

Employment & Finance

My money situation is a bit of a worry at the moment. The bar has not been needing me at all, and my unemployment will more than likely be disappearing within a week or two because I will longer be in an approved training program. So… I need some sort of job. This would ideally be sitting, two days a week (ideally, Fri and Sat nights) where I could pull in about $150 after taxes. I don’t need to make a mint, just enough to feed myself and pay bills and gas money. So if anyone is struck with a brilliant idea, let me know.

Personal Practice

Formal practice has been postponed until I can move properly. I have been working on mindful speech and consumption though.

Artistic Endeavors

Possible opportunity to be a club photographer… more on that to come.

Social Life

Lots of socializing with friends old and new. Saw the majority of my close relations from both my mom’s side and my dad’s side. Chilled with a good friend I rarely have the chance to see. Went to quite a few holiday parties and took some incriminating photos… just kidding. (I think. )

Bits & Bobs

Nothing of note really. So…

Namaste all.

 

Been a long while since anupdate, nearly two months actually, since a real update. Anyway. The semester is over and my short lived academic career at Worcester State College is over. Heading into the holidays and that’s always fun.

School

Finals are over and done with, and so I can give you the expected results of each class. I’ll be posting separate reviews of each class on the blog for future students.

Anatomy & Physiology 2… Can’t imagine I didn’t get an A in this class. I had a 103 average going into the final, which took the pressure off. It was a fun class if absurd. It’s a pity such a brilliant man can’t teach.

Chemistry… Didn’t do so great on the final, B+. Makes me a little sad just to type the letter. But in the bigger picture my GPA should only go down to 3.9. Still very much scholarship material. Have to say, this class was a little bit of torture every Saturday (all day…) My other chemistry teacher at FSC made it appealing enough that I looked forward to my homework, this instructor just made it seem like drudgery. This class was a lesson in how class timing and an instructor can make or break an A.

Stats… haven’t gotten the grade back, but almost absolutely sure I got an A. This class was far more simple that I thought, even with the math. Funny, I actually was good enough to tutor folks. Who knew?

Microbiology… A on the final, A in the class. Really, really enjoyed this class. There was some foolish rote memorization asked of us, but generally, we just got to learn about neat things. The experiments were a blast.

GRE: Trying to study at least 4-5 hours a day until I take the test on January 6^th.

MCPHS Nursing Program: Can’t get an advance on loans for my supplies, so hopefully Santa wants to give me textbooks for Christmas, or this will all be going on a credit card until my disbursement in mid-February.

Health & Wellness

PT is done and over with. SI seems to be in alignment consistently, but my piriformis are still a constant issue making it difficult to walk. Contacted the Doc and had an MRI. What we found made me thankful I could still walk. (If you want a peek check out my FB profile) I have a large centrally herniated disk on L4/L5. I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon in mid-January. My money is on me needing surgery, but I can always hope for the really long and ugly steroid shot.

Employment & Finance

I got an extension on unemployment, but I am switching academic programs, so that may be going away. As will my decent healthcare coverage.

The bar is good when I am there. But I don’t think one night is sufficient. I need another ½ day a week job that will give me $100 a week. That’s what I need to survive. If anyone has any brilliant, mostly legal ideas… I’d love your thoughts.

Personal Practice

Has been horrible. This is me judging myself here. Completely been neglecting sitting. I’m coming to the conclusion, that I am more invested and transformed by yoga. But yoga classes take cash. *sigh* Once I figure out what I can and can’t do with my back in this state, I am going to try and take up yoga seriously again.

Artistic Endeavors

None currently. But I just finished my brother’s wedding album. I’m pleased with how it came out and I am thinking of making myself available on craigslist as a pro-amateur photographer for hire.

Social Life

The last few weeks, there has been no social life to speak of. Lots of isolation of me in my room… with books and notecards... and diagrams of viscera. Do I know how to have a good time or what?

Bits & Bobs

My pet rat, Wimbly, is turning out not to be that friendly. I go to feed him and he snaps at me. He lets me pick him up without biting (unless is smell of food) but that dashes to be somewhere else. He seems to be eating a great deal (5-6 lab pellets) or if not, loses weight. I’m doing my best to care for him, but I feel little emotional attachement right now.

Baking cookies. I’m baking lots of cookies, which is lovely and dangerous business. Batter is just so tempting.

And that’s it…. Or everything that occurs to me to be important. (to me anyway).

Namaste all.

Tests! Lots of them this week -  one in each subject actually. I kinda like the stress though. I know I’m weird, like Hermione weird. Looking forward to my birthday in under two weeks. 28. Not sure what that supposed to feel like, but I’m ok with it. Have a new friend,Winbly the rat! Someone to keep me company while I study. And in  general, I’m really happy with life, there are some rough patches, sure, but I have a good balance right now.

School

Anatomy & Physiology 2… Lecture test on lymph and immune systems coming up on Monday. Had a lab practical this past Monday. Pretty sure I did alright. This upcoming test seems more reasonable with the slight exception of the B/T cell interaction.

Chemistry… did pretty well on the first test: A- But my lab scores average around an A, which is good.  Have the test on Saturday, which I may purposely miss so I have more time to study.

Stats… I did well enough on this last quiz, trying to keep my average at a 95, so that I can get only an 80 on the final and still have an A. Good plan – we’ll see if I can make it happen. Think I ace’d the last quiz and next weeks is almost the same material... so happily less studying, so I can focus on all my other subject tests.

Microbiology… have another test this week on Friday. (Yes, that puts me at 4 exams this week – one per class). This one is both complicated and tedious, the genetics is pretty in-depth and then there is the ba-jillion individual bacteria and their characteristics to memorize. Whee.

MCPHS Nursing Program: Got my booklist and uniform/stethoscope requirements. Eek! Hope I can get an advance on my loans!

Health & Wellness

Had another PT evaluation today. Apparently, my SI is still not stabilized. So I was given different exercises and some thera-bands. The PT would like t see me in an SI belt while doing any standing, walking or asymmetrical movements. I think this could be for the best. I’m really done with this whole legs giving out, butt ache thing. Plus I start practical’s in January and its important for nursing to be able to stand, so I hear.

Employment & Finance

$200 left of training compensation. So there’s that. But I picked up another night at the Playhouse Bar, and I’m hoping that compensates. I’d like to keep some small amount of savings in case my car blows up, or I need to flee the country.

Personal Practice

Back with 20 minute meditation sessions in the morning. Really pleased about that. Also keeping up with nightly spiritual readings and daily zen emails. Try to make more of a practice out of eating and walking.

Artistic Endeavors

Not really. Have a plot to make a costume…maybe over Thanksgiving break? It might serve me well in the Holidays.

Planning Halloween/Birthday costumes. Might even involve some real makeup work… yay!

Social Life

Working at the bar constitutes being social for me… lots of chill folks to chat with there when its slow.

Game night as usual, assuming I don’t have any upcoming tests. So that’s a no go this week.

Bits & Bobs

Most importantly… I have a pet! He’s a rat named Wimbly, that I adopted from someone through faire who could no longer keep him. Hes a bit skittish still but doesn’t bit or anything. I try and hold him for at least 30 every day.. usually more like an hour. He chills with me on the bed (read: hides under the pillows) when I’m studying there. Loves bananas. He has a bit of a musk thing going on, which is normal, but I think it may be a bit out of hand, so I’m trying to brush him and feed him flaxseed oil (good for his coat).

Did some gigs and have another one coming up tomorrow – medieval murder mystery. Should be a blast. Love getting to play with people. Good stuff.

Namaste all.

 

 

Lots of stress. You know - that type of residual stress that eeks into everyday life, affecting silly little things such as concentration and sleep… I’m working on finding ways to let it go but my default: running/ cardio exercise, isn’t really an option at the moment. So I’m nurturing myself as best I can. I went for a walk and meditated in the woods, I baked… I’ve been less stringent with my food choices… but this behavior has slid downhill into some pretty significant gluttonous behavior. So this week is working out a balance and trying to turn to something other than sugary carbohydrates for that sense of grounding I desire.
I had a lovely weekend with friends. Details below of course.

 0.964g of a sugar (CH2O) is dissolved in 150.0g of H2O. The freezing point becomes -0.0651*C. Kf of the water is 1.86*C/molal.
Whats the molecular weight of the sugar? Whats its molecular formula?

Part 1:

Tf = Tf solvent - Tf solution)

Tf = 0*C - (-0,0651*C) = 0.0651*C

Tf = Kf(m)(i) or (m)(i) = Tf/Kf

m = 0.0651*C (1.86*C/molal) = 0.035 molal

m = 0.035 molal = 0.035 mol sugar/kg water

mol sugar = (0.035 mol sugar/kg water)(.150kg water) = 5.25x10^-3

Part 2

n = molecular weight / empirical form. weight
CH2O = 30.03 g/mol

n = 5.061x10^-3 / 30.03 
n = 0.000169   <--- doesn't seem correct

Thoughts?

I think I got the process down but the numbers are coming out strangely...

Part 1

A mystery gas has a rms velocity of 393.39 m/s at a temp of 0*C (273K). O2 has a rms of 461.29 m/s at 273K
Whats the molar mass of the mystery gas?

My work:

rms=sqrt of 3RT/mm

So for O2, I have

461.29 m/s = sqrt of 3(8.314)(273)/.032kg 
And that comes out fine.

So now on to mystery gas: x = molar mass

393.39m/s = sqrt of 3(8.314)(273)/x
-> 393.39m/s squared = (6809.17/x)squared
-> 154755.7m/s = 46364796.1/x squared
-> x squared = 46364796.1/154755.7
-> x squared = 299.6
-> x = 17.31 kg 

17.31 seems to make sense if it was in grams... but its not. 1731.0 g/mol is not any element known to this planet anyway.

For part 2:

If 8.20g of mystery gas mixed with 20.25g of O2 in a 10.0L tank whats the pressure of mystery gas?
(Now this doesn't mention temp... so I was assuming 0*C... or is there a way to figure this out without that assumption?)


I used the ideal gas law to determine total pressure of the gas assuming 273K, and 17.31g/mol of mystery gas.

P=gRT/Vmm

I determined the mole factors for each gas

mole factor of O2 = moles O2/ total moles etc....

then did the partial pressure

P of mystery gas = mole factor of mystery gas (total gas pressure)

__________________

This makes sense right?

School

Bit of a stressful week, this week. Overlap of tests in my two most difficult subjects: A&P – because the teacher doesn’t actually teach the material, and Chemistry 2 – because it involves math, my not so strong point.

In other news, I didn’t get the internship. Looks like it was first come – first served. Might be for the best, I have little enough time as it is.

Anatomy & Physiology 2… struggling to memorize the circulatory system this week. But I think I’ll be ok.

Chemistry… Working on my problems this week, two a day. Hopefully, I struggle a bit less with this set.

Stats… is tonight. Got an A on my first quiz and thinking tonight’s should be much the same. Its not a difficult class if you read and do the homework.

Microbiology… is great as usual. Counting colonies in the lab today. I got an 98/A on my first test, which proves that my study methods match up with the demands of the class. Very straightforward.

Health & Wellness

Back/Hips still really bothersome. I’m going to try to take yoga back up at the gym this week. I also, might be in the market for a chiropractor.

Employment & Finance

Unemployment is still going. Cutting down to 1 day a week at the bar is making things a bit tight. But I’ll get by.

I’m excited about a paying gig this Thursday night. Hopefully some pictures to come.

Personal Practice

Non-traditional as of late, reading, walking, eating mindfully. Hoping to return to formal sitting soon.

Artistic Endeavors

Dress for CTRF finished. Halloween costume ideas on the back burner until my tests are completed this week.

Social Life

CTRF opened this weekend and I got to see all my friends. I had a fabulous time despite the rain, but I may need to waterproof my shoes. I love my character, such fun! I hope to see you all down there!

Chill night with Sean and gaming night need to be skipped this week, due to studying. *sigh* School always comes first.

Bits & Bobs

Car didn’t happen. Too bad really, it was perfect. But it might be good to have the backup money in my account. I’ll just leave it there and keep my eye out for something in my price range that’s fuel-efficient. Hopefully my boat of a car stays together long enough to see that through.

Cleaned my room and rearranged furniture. Its feeling much more spacious now.

Finally bought the external hard drive to back up my computer. What a relief. One day when I have time, I’ll try and find those missing pictures of mine.

Still hoping to find time to go apple/pumpkin picking. Perhaps on a Saturday afternoon after I get out of Chemistry. I think waiting for faire to be over might be too late in the season.

I realized recently, that I really have a wonderful life. I’m healthy (for the most part) surrounded by fantastic people, doing well in my academic pursuits, and not having to worry overmuch about money. I know nothing is permanent, but I’m pleased that I can relish the moment while I’m still in it.

Namaste all. 

 

I'm performing at CT Renaissance Faire this weekend (just Sunday, but don't let that stop you from coming whenever you'd like). You should be there. You know you want to see me as the loony village oddball.

School

Biggest, best-est news yet… I got officially accepted to Mass. College of Pharmacy and Health Science’s (MCPHS) accelerated BSN program starting this January. I’m elated.

More mundane, the semester is well and truly started.

I am loving Microbiology and I am going out for an internship with Department of Public Health in Worcester for pandemic preparations and response. Hope I get it, as it seems like a really interesting way to spend a few hours a week and right in line with the kind of nursing I want to do.

Anatomy & Physiology 2… is interesting. The professor is a brilliant and zany man who spent the first few lectures discussing the evils of modified corn syrup (with which I generally agree) but did not really lecture on the anatomy of the heart at all. Well, now we’ve touched upon and it and I’m worried – he doesn’t stick to his notes and lectures a million miles a minute. I really don’t want to have to teach myself the material. I’m a touch nervous as to what he is actually going to cover on his tests.

Chemistry… I actually need to do my problems this morning before class. It is the same material I covered this summer but with more meaning and depth. I think I should be good on this front, but these problems do have me thinking.

Stats… is tedious and painfully slow moving. Its not difficult material and I really really wish I could have done it this summer as an accelerated class. Now its like pulling teeth.

Overall, I prefer summer class format – the onslaught of new information and the high demands/quick deadlines make me happy. Dragging the information out over several sessions just seems like a waste of time. But that said, I still adore being in school. Yay nerd-dom!

Health & Wellness

Physical therapy is slow going. I’ve started doing the elliptical and some painful stretching, but all will be well eventually.

I’ve had some sort of sick for a few days this last week, nothing dire, just cough and a bit of a sore throat that gets worse near bedtime. Doing what I can – resting, liquids, echineasia, vitamin c, neti pot. Should be over soon.

Employment & Finance

Unemployment is now training stipend and that’s cool… especially since I’m going out for a paid internship at the Department of Public Health in Worcester dealing with pandemics. Really excited about that.

Personal Practice

Restricted lately to spiritual reading and reflection… but that’s still something.

Artistic Endeavors

Working on a dress for CTRF. Having sleeve issues. There will be pictures when its finished.

Social Life

CTRF rocks. Will be opening in 2 weeks and I fully expect everyone to come out for it… I’ll just be there Sunday due to class schedule. But I’d love to see folks. Ask me if you need details.

There is a birthday party in the works. Email invites will be out soon. But save 11/7!

Bits & Bobs

Still waiting on car stuff. Hoping something will come about soon-ish.

Sad news. My Fiji dad passed away some time ago. He was a wonderful man who took me in as a daughter when he had no reason to. I’m very thankful for having met him and shared the time that we did together.

Loving the fall weather... I need to plan my apple/pumpkin picking trips soon-ish. Who’s in?

Namaste all.