Rain, Rain, Go Away

I have not seen it rain this much for the whole six years I've lived in Los Angeles. It's crazy, really. I thought this was a desert.

I have been driving to school 5 days a week now and other than the horrible rainy commute, it's been going well. I've gotten a lot of work done. As I mentioned last week, I've been sitting in what they call a "push" class (it's faster than a goal speed.) I transcribed a 150 wpm 4-voice test and a 160 wpm congressional test, both of which I got over 75% of! That's a big deal to me considering I haven't even passed a 140 wpm test in either of those subjects. On the 150 4-voice, I didn't miss a single speaker! The story is a little different with my "goal" tests. I'm not that close, but I do feel that I'm improving. I think some of it is nerves, but some of it is my lack of skills.

The rain is effecting my performance a little. My fingers get cold and then they don't move as fast as they normally do. I wonder if working reporters run into this problem while on the job. It's frustrating for sure. My brain says, "do it", but my fingers just can't. I wish I could wear gloves, but I think they would just slow me down even more.

I worked so hard this week, I'm feeling lazy right now. Would it be really bad for me to just leave and go watch a movie? I think I'm gonna. Shh, don't tell on me. I'll be right back in the lab working extra hard first thing Monday morning to make up for this lack of enthusiasm today.

Another drop in the bucket

My teacher gave us the analogy of having a bucket in your brain. Every time you practice or show up to class, you put a drop in the bucket. Eventually, as the bucket fills you start to say, "I THINK I can do this". Then, that bucket will fill up and overflow and then the water starts to drip into another bucket in your heart, as that buckets fills, you start to say "I BELIEVE I can do this". After this bucket fills, it over flows into a third bucket in your gut, after that third bucket fills you start to say, "I KNOW I can do this" and that's ultimately where you need to be.

Today, I got up early, drove the 30 miles to school, practiced before class, and then attended class. I'd say that's worth a few drops; wouldn't you? I'm even staying at school after class for a little while to do a little more practicing.

I THINK I can do this!!

Back in the saddle again

School started up again this week. It's always hard to get back into the routine. Getting up early has never been and easy thing for me. I'm gonna really have to work on it. My cats have been trying to help me get up, but I usually just push them away. I think I need a louder alarm or something. Any suggestions?

This semester the department separated 140 wpm and 150 wpm. What does that mean? Well, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday the school offers class from 60 wpm all the way to 140 wpm. Then on Tuesday and Thursday, they offer 150 wpm all the way to qualifiers at 200 wpm. The problem for me is that I have now passed a 140 jury charge test but I still have two more 140s to go, but I want to try to pass the 150 jury charge too, which means that in order to get all the tests I need I'm forced to come to school five days a week. I live 30 miles away from campus so I now have to drive an extra 120 miles a week! Apparently, I am the only one in the situation. I'm not sure why no other students are at the same speed as me, but they aren't so I had to go talk to the teachers and work out a deal so that I can be allowed to sit in the extra class without being enrolled in it. I quit working during the week so that I can really focus on school.

I have a new teacher in the 140wpm class and I'm feeling really good about her. She seems like she really wants us to improve. I have a good feeling about this semester and I know I'm really gonna rock. Coming five days a week is going to force me to practice every day and hopefully, I'll reap the benefits of it. I'll keep you all posted on how this new schedule works out. My prediction is: it's either gonna make me so much faster or it's gonna kill me. I'm sure it's one or the other. We'll see.