They did such a great job.  I now have to grade them.  There are five books about 30 pages.... Hmmmm so can't work on my final corrections to my work.  Hmmm it will come. 

We had a really good faculty meeting last night.  Talking about where our program is goins.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

I FINISHED THE REVISIONS TO MY CONCLUSION, YESTERDAY!  I am reticent because I still have to read it over and make the final edit of the last half of my dissertation, but I think I am mostly, almost, completely.... done.... I think I will sent the conclusion to Cindy to edit my English.  I know I have tense problems... I am talking about what I found in the past, what I think about it in the present and what they need to do about it in the future... hmmm no wonder I might have tense problems. 

Had dinner at Sandi's last night it was fun.  There was three of us and we had a really great time...  We watched Music and Lyr*cs again... they seemed to enjoy it as much as I did.   I got home at 10:45.  

Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Well after resting yesterday, I am ready to work today. 

This morning, I dreamed that my first day teaching at some school was really crazy... I needed a guide to find the class and the teachers lived in a dorm... they weirdest dorm I have ever seen... Kathy St*udacher (she doesn't even teach) and I were teaching and lived in a dorm room together with random beds and no closets.... Teachers randomly all over the dorm that had random rooms so of like H*rry Potter with a lot more daylight and no Gothic look.  I was glad to wake up and really happy I didn't have this dream before school started... It would have made me really nervous.  

Hope your day is good.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

I now have confirmed that I am getting more headaches than before because of the body work I am getting.  Yesterday my chiropractor cracked my neck... and I forgot to drink plenty of water yesterday... ta ta headache today.  I slept most of the day on the sofa.... not a bad thing... my body taking care of itself.... Now at least I know what is causing them... I need to remember to drink more water after chiropractor and massage...

Had a dream this morning that I was shopping naked.  In the dream I was going.... ya know usually when I am naked I am dreaming... but this is not a dream.... I wish it was a dream... which went on for quite a while... I found some clothes to put on in the dream... and then I woke up very relieved... Ha...

Love and kisses, Marilyn

I edit... Love and kisses, Marilyn

This Saturday I switched with Hannah for SC*D Days were we tour the building and talk to perspective students about our school and program.  Hannah was scheduled for the ID*C weekend so we switched.  That gives me all day Friday and Saturday to work on my dissertation.  I am hoping that I will be able to pretty much wrap it up.  I will still need to read it over, but I think I may almost, maybe, be almost  done... hmmmmm........  I was going to say that I am so ready for this to be over, but the perseverance that has kept we industriously working over the summer, still has me in its sway.  If I have to do some more editing I can do it... The really hard things in life you are never really ready for it to be over, because I will be working on these issues for the rest of my life.  Hmmmm

I cannot believe that we are a fifth of the way through classes... at the end of today.  This term is flying and I am liking it in Savannah much better.   Maybe I am getting used to the traffic and noise... hmmmm

Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Yesterday when I re-read some of the stuff I wrote in April for my conclusion, I think I can still use some of it... so I am rolling right along.  I just need to add a few sections and knit the whole thing together.  I now have Friday and Saturday off this week and hope to get this mostly together by then. Hmmmmm Love and kisses, Marilyn

When I got up yesterday morning my muse was still with me... I have 45 minutes to write before heading to school.  I wrote for an hours an started the day not late, because I usually give my self 45 minutes to get to school, park and organize for class... I only had 10 minutes to get organized for class.  So felt behind....  My students did great presentations of their research topic.  so things are going well at home and at school.

Carole I watched D*ncing with the St*rs last night.  What a fun show.  I loved Clor*s Leachm*n but don't think she or the guy after her will be there long.   The football player was amazing for such a big guy.

Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn 

I graded in the morning and then started working on my conclusion in the afternoon.  I struggled for a while, talked to Elizabeth to clear my head and struggled for a while longer.  I went for a walk... had to stop at 2 miles because of rain... ate dinner, watched a little tv and decided to take a bath... in the bath the muse sat on my shoulder and I wrote three sections of my conclusion in the tub... got out and typed it up!!!!  Yes... thank you Lord to helping me to arrange my thoughts.  Think I am about half done with the conclusion.  Love and kisses, Marilyn 

I hope to get one project graded and then start back on my editing today.  Hope your day is grand.  Marilyn

Hmmm today I am going to go to S*m's Club hopefully with Matt.  Then I am coming back to clean my house and at 4:00 our group is getting together for a walk at the canal site and dinner at six at my house.  It will be nice to spend time together.  We are bound and determined to not talk about work.  Last year we complained a lot about the things that were so different for other places that we have taught.  I am so over that.  My horoscope is amazing because it kind of reflects my attitude.  I want to fill my life with positive energy.

My horoscope:  You may have a hard time relating to people in social situations, dear Gemini. Perhaps you are frustrated by hearing the same shallow conversations over and over again. While you stand there mingling with dozens of different people, all you can think of is how nice it would be if you could just be home alone on your own couch in front of the TV. Your best plan of attack is to simply avoid situations that you know you won't enjoy. There is no sense in torturing yourself.

Yesterday we had faculty meetings all day.  Our program meeting I really enjoyed.  The problems of last spring seem to be gone... not solved but explained more...  I am, in my usual way, going to try to bridge the newbies with the older guard.  Sam and I had a really good conversation the night before, which was echoed in the lecturer that the school brought in.  We talked about the blow up last spring and apoligised/explained our parts in it.  We then talked about the direction of the program.  I explained some of my realizations from my dissertation and they coinsided what she was thinking.  So hopefully things will work out.  I feel more optimistic.

When I got home I had my rejection letter from the conference, that I did a presentation for last summer.  Two people hated my proposal... well they thought the it was relevant, that my communication was clear, I expressed the knowledge of the literature, but I was not strong in theory or anaylsis, was not innovative, creative or orginal in content.  They did not think it would result in fostering an exchange in my presentation.  Hmmmm The last person was my savior and Hannah's comments earlier in the week.  She said that sometimes the reviewers reject something and it will be accepted later.  It all breaks down to the reviewer.  The last person said in her comments... "Very good initial discussion, unique viewpoint, which is welcome."  Then... "Please check grammar and sentence structure."... again maybe my bad writing is hurting the acceptance of my work. 

Of course I believe this last person!!!!  I need Hannah to revise my work for grammar and sentence struction. 

The other thing that was amazing is that Linda, one of the people I visited with in Michigan... called and wanted me to tell the CIDER board about my research.  So I did ten minute presentation about my dissertation... and it rocked the house.  They want me to do a CEU in Detroit to tell other designers what I am up to and come and even talk to the Woman's Caucas in the Senate.  After my rejections it is wonderful to have positive feed back from my colleagues. I is wonderful to have other people understand how important my work is.  I am not sure the educators are ready to hear this... but the practitioner is ... I need to figure out how to structure this into something that benefits me and my school...  

Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn 

The whole faculty meets this morning, our department and then our program this afternoon.  I might write something when I get back.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Getting organized for the term.  I am still hunting examples of student work and lectures about information the students need to know.  For example yesterday we were going over the deliveralbes for the class and it was very confusing... We had different terminology used on the different parts of the assignments.  One place it says part one the other says phase one... and there is no clear list of what is expected for the notebook in the deliveralbes.   So I said I would re-due the due dates with a list of what was due.  Hopefully I will get organized soon and be able to get back to my revisions each morning.  It always takes a lot of thought and energy to get the class going in the correct direction. 

Love and kisses, Mairlyn

So I have had all of my classes once.  I really like my students, again.  My rendering students were wondering about the home work... is this all you want us to do?  I like that attitude.  Sets a good tone for the class.

I was able to work a little on my dissertation yesterday before class.  Once I get things well underway, I am sure I will be able to finish my conclusion in the mornings and weekends. 

I really wanted to come to Virginia next weekend, but they scheduled a meeting on Sept 26 and on Sept 27 I am doing SC*D Days where we give tours to prospective students... I knew this was going to be the schedule before school started but... I still would love to see my friends.  Anyway I will not be able to get there before the second weekend in October. 

Maybe because I spent so much time seeing friends in Michigan in August I feel a little lonely down in Savannah.... hmmmmm  It is not like I don't have friends here, but they are all work related and not the same as friends you have have a long time...  In addition, I am struggleing with the inpetus to finish my dissertation and feel as if I need my cheering squad (who have been through this final push to the end) to say you can do this.  It will be okay...  I don't know, I feel wistful today.

Last night when I got home after I had dinner, I was hoping to pay some bills and balance my checkbook... but was too tired.  I did go for a walk after dark, but laid down on the sofa after checking my e-mail.  Hmmm I watched a show on Andr*w Jacks*n on PB*S.   It was really good.  What a study in contradictions he was.

Tonight my friends and I are going to dinner and then they are going to a comedy club... I think I will just come home and relax on the sofa.  

Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Some of the quizs on Facebo*k are so silly there is no answer that works for me... Like what is my favorite way to relax, getting drunk, going dancing all night or sky diving... how about going for a walk in nature or hiking, reading a good book or visiting with friends??? 

You will be very happy to know that when I was organizing upstairs this weekend I found the two things that I thought I had lost in my move.  I found my cantilevers for my systems furniture and the bed throw I used in Virginia.  I know that you were worried about my having lost them.  I even called the mover about the cantilevers.  They turned out to be in a plastic box with my old stationary. 

So now my Herman Miller work surface is hung off of the panels the way it is supposed to be in my home office and my desk is supported by it's base and not two TV tables... hmmmmm It is much more sturdy with the correct base under it... and now I can add a pencil drawer at my knees, if I want. 

The first day of class went well.  I like my students so far.  It is funny I had one student complain about my rendering class last year and I think that it was this student and she is in this class.  I would have thought she would have moved to Kathy's section, if she didn't think I was a good teacher.  She still rolls her eyes about my stories... oh well.  I am sure it will be a great class. 

My chiropractor readjusted my neck and put it back where it wasn't so painful.  Hmmmmm  Opps

Tomorrow night, Kathy, Matt, Scott, Alexsis and Julie and I are going to dinner and maybe to some kind of event at SC*Ds theater.     

I have not worked on my dissertation for five days, I wanted to be rested and focused this year when classes started.  So soon I am going to have to get back on it and finish it up.  I think I am resisting a little because once it is done, it is up for judgment of my peers... also once it is done, I have to get on to other stuff... I have been so focused on this one thing for five years... it will be hard to give it up and move on.

I did a proposal for the ID*C regional conference and did not get accepted.  Hmmm I guess I now have to learn how to write proposals.  Oh well better luck next time.  The question is do I go to the conference anyway or not?  I still have to make up time if I miss classes.

The moon was absolutely gorgous last night and the night before.  My back yard was a magical place as I was falling asleep last night.  The moon woke me up this morning and yesterday morning, shining on my pillow.  I loved it!!!

Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

I did this in Facebook.  I guess it is good I am an interior designer because I took the architect test and I would not make a good architect these days.  This is what they said about me... I guess the fact that I have a masters in Art History specializing in ancient art and architecture gets put in as a negative.

Compared to the other three kind of architects you are the best.  HUH!?!  You are stable not very trendy, not very classical, not very victim.  I guess I an not much of anything... Your favourite movie is The Fountainhead. Thats not true... Your personality is above all.  Does that mean I am snootie... You are not a good architect. It is lucky that I am not an architect.  Actually, you are average, as Architecture nowadays. "Know thyself" ancient Greeks used to say and don't forget to use that knowledge.  I like Know myself.  Architectural community waits a lot from you and nothing as well, but i 'm afraid, you will remain rising.  What the heck does that mean. 

Ha... Obviously I am not sold on this test or any others.

Well after this last month mostly relaxing and getting organized, I think I am ready for school to start.  Emotionally and physically in a much better place than I was last year.  My dissertation still needs some work, but the last four days I took care of me.  My headache is mostly gone.  I go to the chiropractor tonight... I think she miss adjusted my neck....

I need to get my parking pass, mail my gift to Kathy and Harvey and I will teach and then go swimming.  I am really happy about my schedule this term.  Hope to get a lot done in the mornings before I go teach.  Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn 

Well today I woke up with a headache... this time I know it was from the body work we did yesterday morning.  I had a deep tissue massage on my neck and upper shoulders and I paid for it today.  I slept most of the day on the sofa... not a bad way to spend my last day before school starts..  I think I am actually looking forward to school starting.

This was my horoscope for today... it is sort of the way I lived my life in Virginia... and here... I sometimes share my insecurities with you in my blog... it is what makes us human.

Come out of your shell and be proud of your sensitive side, dear Gemini. Although you may feel vulnerable when it comes to love and romance, this does not mean that you have to hide this fact. You may think that everyone else has it together in this department of life, but don't be fooled by their facade. They are just as insecure as you are! Go ahead and let this side of your personality shine. Admitting your vulnerability is actually wonderfully strengthening and attractive.

Hope your day is grand.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

I have spent the afternoon in my bonus room organizing flat files from six years of doing interior design without organizing my files.  Hmmmm
I was sweating and spilled my soda... grehhh  Got organized down stairs yesterday... up stairs today. 

Hope your day is good.  Love and kisses, Marilyn

Hmmm I am trying to get things ready for school starting Monday, while glued to the We*ther Ch*nnel.  Ike outer edge is coming into shore... hmmmm I did my faculty data sheet, re-typed the supply list for my rendering classes.  Kathy and I have talked twice about out Studio III class.  She is correcting the programing document. 

I need to do my tax stuff for my business from last year... I forgot to do the unemployment form when I did the rest of the taxes... hmmmm  Once I get all of this done, I may go back to my dissertaion. 

Hope your day is great. Love and kisses, Marilyn