First step of many

Journaling is one way of getting the whirling thoughts out of my head and on paper. Trouble is, I don't always have paper at hand so the thoughts whirl around and then eventually come out some other opening on my body. Sometimes I just vocalize (while in the car) to process, and well, honestly, sometimes I just drive myself nuts with the internal whirl of processing.

So I'm trying something new - blogging through a process, aka: the comprehensive exam (comps). SIGH! My heart is pounding as I write this as I've just come out of the courseroom after reading the expectations and the details of what is about to happen. This still doesn't seem real. I know it's not like any other "course" I've taken, and in fact I know it is NOT a course, but has the structure of the courseroom environment I'm used to. No worries - I'll resolve this odd feeling.

(pause)

Okay - I just screamed - man, that felt good! The neighbors might be wondering what is going on, but that's okay too.

As is my usual routine of entering a course I have checked out (1) who the other learners are in my section, (2) read and responded to the expectations, (3) the content of the "learning units", and (4) updated my profile. I've also signed up for the date when I will receive my questions. WHOA! (Maybe that's why my gut is violently communicating with me.) There is a list of dates for receiving the exam and a specific number of how many people can get their questions on those dates. So now I'm set (at least on my calendar) for Monday, July 21. (Thank you, Daniel, for the sign up tip!)

Time for a break! Really - I just needed that initial cruise to get me oriented. Now I can take a break, as in breakfast, watch some tennis, and then come back for a detailed (and calmer) run-through later.

Surprisingly there are eleven of us in the section (I know I was section-balanced out of section 1 - totally fine - in fact now I know the feeling of that act) and I'm only familiar with four other learners. That's kind of a bummer, but in the end, that's okay too. Time to get to know some other folks and I'll just need to be in contact with my buds in the other section through email.

Well, off for a little break!