And this it begins.

This semester is going to kill me. Literally.

I started class on Wednesday, and as I previously mentioned, I had this brilliant idea to have both of my classes on one day.

Dumb.

Ok, in the sense of, I only have to drive out to school one time a week (an hour each way) that works out well. And to save gas $$...of course.

To save sanity? Not so much.

I wake up @ 4:30...leave for work by 5:30...(there's a 15 minute bout of warming up my car since it was f*ing 15 below out for TWO DAYS this week...) and start work at 6. I'm out of work by 2:30, get to school around 3:40ish...make a mad dash for the bathroom (I learned an important lesson my first day: don't stop to use a bathroom at a gas station in the city of Chicago. Just don't.) and then take a few minutes to collect my thoughts before searching for my classroom. Upon entering, I always have to to a thorough review of the seats in the room, hoping and praying for one that's big enough that I can sit comfortably for 3 hours.

Yeah, didn't get so lucky this time. My classes are in the science building, and the seats (I'm talking old school desk built into chair) are circa 1970...when most women were skinny from their coke habits. And I'm not talking cola. Luckily there was one regular table and chair (reserved for the wheel chair bound...but since there weren't any wheel chair bound students in the class) which I claimed. It's in the front row of the room, which I DESPISE sitting in, but for lack of any better choices, I took. The prof for this class seems cool. She's from NY (the Bronx, I believe she said) and talks 90 mph, but cool nonetheless. After our lame-o introductions, she immediately jumped into the syllabus, and filled us in on EVERYTHING we'd have to do for the semester.

Shoot me now. 20 hours of classroom observation required. That means taking off work. Yippee. 1/2 way through the class she gave us a two minute break (two minutes? Gee, thanks. That's just enough time to pee AND wash my hands.) After the break, we resumed class, going full on into the first lesson. Oh boy. LOTS of material. Lots.

She let us out 5 minutes early, which gave me 15 minutes in which to pee (again. Yes, I drink a lot of water.) Call J and have a quick smoke. (Lectures not necessary, thank you.)

Class #2. 1/2 of my first class was in the 2nd class, so most of us were familiar with one another, which was cool. Female prof again...this one was much younger...maybe 30. She's one of those cool chicks that wears combat boots, has multi-colored hair and crazy ear piercings. This chick knows her stuff though...you can just tell. Anybody that uses the word "pedagogy" on the first day is definitely in the know. (Yeah, I had to look it up.) She let us out 45 mins early (Thank God!) So I was home by 10. The rest of the semester, it'll be closer to 11.

Like I said, it's gonna be tough. I thought last semester was hard? Please. It was a cakewalk compared to what I know I have in store for me now. But, I'll manage. Somehow.

So I have to drive out to school today to purchase the rest of my books, which the damned bookstore didn't have on Weds. Ugh. What a hassle. And the idiots in the financial aid office have yet to apply my loan to my account, so I can't even purchase my books with a book waiver. Thank god for Discover card, I suppose.

In other news, it's 17 days into the new year, and my weight has ultimately stayed the same. I'm not off to a very good start, which I can say I'm a bit disappointed in myself. I've found myself night eating A LOT...more so than normal. If only there was a bathroom next to my bedroom, all would be well. I really need to make a more conscious effort to quit scamming for candy in the afternoons at work, and only eat dinner when I get home. I wish I could find the root cause (eww, a work term) of my insane sugar addiction, and murder it. (It's the boy...meaning my brother. This week he made cinnamon raisin bread and chocolate chip cookies. Note to self: kill the boy.)

Well, I need to start my day. A sinkful of dishes are waiting. Need to hit the gym. Have lots of reading to do. Have to write two papers. Oh yeah, and go buy those pesky books.

Ed McMahon, I'm still waiting for the check...