And the walls come tumbling down.........

The demolition of the library building really started about a week ago.  It is providing entertainment to students and staff as they move around that part of the campus.  The most amazing machine to me is the power jack-hammer and "jaws" on a giant articulated machine.  The jack-hammer punched holes in the sides of the building and the jaws grab on to the edges of the holes and pull the building apart.  All the while, there are hoses shooting giant streams of water at the working end of the machine in an attempt to control the dust .  Sometimes it looks almost like the dust falling from the Twin Towers.  Of course, not even close to the amount. 

On the classroom front, things are going slower than I would like.  It's taking my brain a long time to get accustomed to learning again. Growing older is sooo much fun and such a challenge all the way around.  After sitting around for nine months, I can finally climb all the stairs to the classroom with gasping for breath when I get there, although I'm still a little out of breath.  Reading and retaining what I've read is taking a little longer to master, but I'm sure it'll come.  I just have to remember to read everything twice.  That has worked before, so I'm trying it again.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.  I'll post more as the demolition continues.

 

   

   

 

A new semester..................

has started and my brain and body are in culture shock!!  This semester I am taking JavaScript, which is the alternative requirement replacing the class I dropped last winter (I still shudder just thinking about that one.) and is a programming language that I have some experience with. 

The construction (or deconstruction) has started on the library building in the top picture.  So sad to see it naked.  It is still intact on the outside, but it is gutted.  Next week I will post a picture of the poor naked former library.  The construction company is using several parking lots as the base/storage for their equipment 24/7.  Parking has always been at a premium anyway and now students are having to park on the one street that runs through the campus and walking to their classes.  In some cases, the walk is about half a mile - all uphill.  The campus sits on top of a hill about halfway between Redlands and Yucaipa. Besides the  Crafton Hill Road, there is only the main, high-speed street that goes over the hills to Yucaipa.  Fortunately, I have an excellent, and very willing, chauffer who takes me to school, does errands, then picks me up afterward.  He is truly a husband beyond compare!!!!

First Step

Today I took the first step towards going back to school after two semesters off - spring and summer.  You already know about me withdrawing from the spring semester class (not enough math knowledge/too long since I took an algebra class) and I didn't register for a summer class because all were four day a week, six week classes.  I decided at the beginning of this adventure not to take 4 day a week classes and want to stick to it, although I did give a summer class some thought.  I still believe it's the right choice for me.  Now I have a deadline for completing all the projects I had on my list.  Maybe I will actually get some of them done by August 16th.  I've always worked better under a deadline, much to my family's disgust. 

I will be taking "JavaScript", another computer programming language that will count towards my degree and emphasis program.  I had a sampling of it in one of my other programming classes and am somewhat familiar with it.  There is also a free online tutorial I could use to brush up on it.  I certainly hope that helps, just in case my brains have fried from an overdose of reading novels.  I don't know how many I have read - didn't even count them, but I enjoyed every one!

On to those projects, and some new ones I thought of!!  Hope your spring and summer has been as relaxing as mine has been.

A little longer break.

I have actually learned a few things since I dropped that horrid class.  First of all, I miss school - the interaction with other students and instructors as well as the challenge of learning new things;  but Ithe biggest thing I miss is having some structure to my days.  Now, I'm never quite sure what day it is, much less the date.  Every once in a while, I'll have 3 days that all seem like Saturday, or Friday, or pick-a-day. 

I have kept busy reading and playing on my computer as well as completing a few projects that I had neglected. There are still a few projects on my to-do list which is a good thing because, due to state budget cuts, there's only one class being offered this summer that I need .  However, it is a 4-day a week class and I don't want to go to school 4 days a week for several reasons.  Primarily, it's a matter of economics and the cost of gasoline these days.

So, I'll just take another semester off and wait until the fall semester (which usually starts in August, which doesn't make much sense to me) and take a class then.  I was never in a hurry, anyway.  Why should I be after 50+ years? I'll just drag out some another unfinished or "unstarted" projects (Add that to your new-age dictionary.  If reporters can do it, so can I).  Maybe I'll accomplish a lot before August.

The "Grammy Brain" is alive and well.

The ups and downs of going to college have hit home this semester.  As I have said, the C++ class I have been taking is really taxing my poor old brain.  Last week I discovered why:  the department chair I talked to about my problems told me that I should be working on a minor in mathematics to be in that class!!!  I had already checked out some symbols and terminology that I didn't have a clue about and discovered that algebra has changed a whole lot in the last 50+ years and that some of the terms were actually from statistics, which I have never had.  It turns out the problem wasn't my brain after all, but my educational background.  It never occurred to me that algebra would change that much since I took it way back when they were chipping "a=c+b/10" on rocks.

The result of all these discoveries is that I have dropped the class and, since no other classes that I need were still open, I am spending this semester completing projects here at home, reading books I have stacked in waiting, and catching up with myself.  Needless to say, I am already enjoying the resulting drop in my stress level.  I was really feeling like a complete dunce until I started researching the symbols and terms I had never seen before, much less understoond.  What a relief!!!  My "grammy brain" is not totally gone.  I am looking forward to taking a computer class I do need in the fall and maybe a Gen. Ed. one this summer.  Thanks for the continued support and kind words.

I am the student Grammy with a Grammy-Brain

As a Grammy, I have discovered a big difference from the first time I went to college.  Before Grammy-hood, I studied, took in the information, processed it and sent it back out as test answers, exercise results, etc.  Now that I have entered Grammy-hood (several years ago, as a matter of fact) I study, take in the information, assume I process it only to find out it doesn't want to come back out.  That is a very frustrating to me.  I don't know why it hasn't hit me before in my other classes.  Maybe the other classes were easier, but I don't think so.  I suspect it's because most of the my classes have involved graphics in some way and they are easier for me to spit back out.  There are NO graphics in C++.  Maybe I'll discover them later on.  I doubt it, though.  The concepts aren't anything I haven't encountered before in lots of classes, both computer and academic, and I understand the concepts and the syntax of C++ but the results just don't want to come out when I need them to.  I guess my days of studying with background noise has come to an end and I will have to concentrate more on what I am taking in.  Hmmmmmm, that's a bit  more than I bargained for, but not impossible if I decide it isn't.  I can only say to myself, "Onward, student Grammy.  You can do this and be successful at it!".  I know that it'll all be worth the effort in the end.

Oops! Rats! and #%$%%%^(

I may have discovered one reason I procrastinate.  I turned in my assignment on Monday because there was a chance I wouldn't be in class on Wednesday.  She gave it right back to me...........................wrong assignment!!!!  At least I still had time to do the right one, but I didn't.  I didn't even play the "should" game.  I just accepted that, at the point in time, my husband needed me more than I needed to hit the panic button and push to finish the right assignment.  It was only worth 40 points anyway.  Hopefully, I'll do well on the rest of the assignments that those 40 points won't be a problem.  I think being an older, more mature (hah!)  student means finding  more balance between school work and home life, no matter what instructors think you should do.  Oh, well - on to the next assignment.
I have learned one thing this programming language is used for.  It's used to put mathematic/algebraic formulas into a format that computers can use for large computations like banks and businesses do.  At least, that's what it looks like right now.  Anyone taking bets whether or not I'm right?

Geekdom

I'm am now in the mysterious land of Geekdom with all it's secrets, rituals, and intense testosterone.  First of all, it's an intense programming class, the uses for which is one of the mysteries.  Secondly, is the 9 a.m. start time with an instructor who is a stickler for punctuality and "proper" instruction.  To define "proper" instruction I have to tell you what I have become used to over the last 4 semesters.  The instructor I have had has an "occupational credential" that allows him to teach only his subject (Computer Information) and he does not have a background in education.  Very laid back, takes roll and gives any tests on the computer, and knows more about the computer world than anyone should know.  This semester's teacher takes oral roll call, wants all assignments turned in on paper (not on a school website) and will give tests and quizzes on paper.  AACCKK!!!  Reality check!!!  I'll cope but the stress level will no doubt go up a zillion notches when test time comes. I am now 1 of 3 females in a class of about 25 which is a little intimidating, but, now that I think about it, actually fairly normal for computer programming classes.  Ten days ago there were 4 or 5 females and the class was full at 30 students.  One big difference is that almost all of the students are under 30.  I will stick with this class, but I think there will be some real challenges along the way - like finding out what this programming language is used for.  A boost to my ego came on Wed. when I understood something a youngster didn't.  Hurrah! for the senior citizen!
I have, accidentally, found a quick cure for the procrastination problem - mistake the date to turn in an assignment by a week.  I am now, at least temporarily, ahead of schedule.  I thought an assignment was due last Wed., but it's actually due next Wed.  One giant point for me.  Now the task will be to keep it up.  Hmmmmmmmmm, doesn't sound like me at all, but definitely worth a try.
For the record, I am enjoying this class and beginning to understand the vocabulary it uses. Each programming language uses it's own terminology even though the general premise is the same.  Once you learn that terminology, the rest usually follows fairly easily.  I sure hope this one does.

Decision made

I finally made my decision about the Honors Program and, with input from my husband, friends, and my educated family, I have asked for an application.  I haven't heard anything yet and have no idea about their timeline.  My natural anxiety has kicked in a little and I'm concerned that I won't be accepted. I have developed the attitude that my future plans don't include a 4 year college, it doesn't make a lot of difference. (Except to my ego.)  My son and daughter keep telling me all the ways I could use my degree and the benefits of having the Honors Program on my resume.  I keep telling them I'm not sure I want to do anything with my degree and Web Master certificate.  I'm retired, after all.  I will admit that I enjoy creating and developing websites and working with photography, all of which would keep me from getting bored and be a break from reading books.  I also know that keeping my mind active and learning is very, very good for me in so many, many ways - especially keeping me feeling younger most days. 
I've already started reading the textbook for this semester's class.  It even makes sense from based on my previous programming classes.  It just uses different terminology which, hopefully, won't be hard to learn.  My first class will be on Wednesday and I'll have a better feel for it then.