Well, we've hit the mid point of this quarters classes. This quarter is flying by.

I feel like I have found my niche... I really love learning about anatomy and physiology. I love the concrete -ness of this is how the body works. I'm really wishing we were allowed to dissect, or even just get a hands on look at something that has been dissected. This whole looking at pictures and talking about it isn't giving me the full immersion that I'm craving. Still not hot on the instructor though.

Nutrition. Well, this class is more in depth than I anticipated. Still not hard, but harder than I anticipated. Having my biology instructor makes it worth it. Having the top grade in the class is amusing. I could probably score higher in this class if I was to devote the study time to this class that I do for my others. Basically, I ignore that this class exists until about 8 pm Friday night. I spend some time getting my notes ready for the test and print off the power points for the lecture. And then I spend 4 1/2 hours in class on Saturday and I'm free again until Friday night. To be fair, it really helps that a lot of the more in depth ideas that are being taught I've already been exposed to in at least one other class, sometimes as much as three times before. So things like cellular respiration just doesn't require a lot of thought on my part this time around.

I register for my Spring classes next week. I can hardly believe that I'm getting ready to start my final quarter of pre-reqs. I hope nursing school goes by just as quickly.

In the mail this weekend was a letter addressed to me from Columbia University in New York. Puzzled, I opened the letter, and became somewhat more confused. It seems this school would like to offer me a spot to further my education, due to my academic excellence. Washington to New York, that would be quite the commute. I guess it's an honor to have colleges interested in me, it's just taken me a bit by surprise. Is this because I am on the Dean's list? And if so, why weren't the interested in me while I was on the Presidents list?

I did much better than I anticipated on my first A&P 2 exam, no thanks to the boob of an instructor. Should anyone out there be heading to Pierce College in Wa, I would be happy to share the boobs name so you can avoid the ridiculousness I am experiencing.

Nutrition is going great. Maybe not quite as much of a slacker class as I was anticipating. Certainly nothing near the level of instesity of all the other science classes I have passed through. If nothing else, I am getting the opportunity to view some movies that I had been interested in seeing, just never got around to before. So far we have watched Fast Food Nation, an interesting and at times funny movie, though it would be easy to drive a mack truck through his "study". This week we started Lorenzo's Oil. Another movie I have heard great things about. We only watched the first half, and I came home eager to see if it happened to be playing on any of the channels we receive. As luck would have it, it is playing this week, but on a channel we don't receive. I guess I'll be waiting for next Saturday.

Now that Cameron is attending his second semester of campus childcare I feel that I can give a fair review of our experience there. First, the cost is great, and they accept child care assistance and offer small scholarships to families that don't receive child care assistance. They feed them several times a day, and parents are encouraged to drop in betwee classes to eat with their child, on the schools dime. They try very hard to maintain a family friendly environment, and also have a study area for parents to hand out between classes. In the study area you will find comfortable chairs and tables, wireless internet for those with laptops, and computers for those without. Snacks and beverages are also provided. there are children attending the center with severe food allergies so no one is allowed to bring in any food or drink. The staff is wonderful, very warm and caring to the kids. They take the time to really get to know each child and make sure they are having a good time. My one complaint is that the staff is supplemented with various students as work study positions. Some of these parents have been less than stellar. Huge plus to the staff, when I have brought up concerns arising from the work study people, the staff has been right on top of it. I love that they take pictures and fill out a folder letting me know about special things my child did while I was in class. The kids go outside every day, no matter the weather, and are often taken outside the play yard to go on nature walks. Another great feature of the child care center is that they plan monthly activities for families to participate in, usually free or very low cost. We have participated in a family gymnastics night, including free pizza and drinks and very cheap tickets to Northwest Trek. Next month there is going to be something at the Seattle Science Center, this month they had a family movie night that included a craft, popcorn and drinks and a new release movie. Your campus Child Care Center is your friend, at least it is at Pierce.