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Christine Selby

The last few weeks

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Hey all, 

Its been a while since I posted and what a whirlwind few weeks it has been. 
Went to work, kids in school, I finally factored in time to get my arse into a training schedule - all normal right? Then suddenly...childcare closed, nursery school closed due to the Covid virus rearing its ugly head within our community. I had to stay home with the youngest so no work and then Covid entered our school - and so close to Christmas too. After much discussion and pondering we decided to take the boys out of school until the New Year. With sports cancelling training until the new year too - there was no way I was going to risk the boys bringing anything home and ruining the one day we are looking forward to after the shitty year we have had. 

Some may say I'm stupid, some may say I'm taking care of our family  - in my mind it is simply daft to risk being put into self isolation if a case comes out in my class. I'm on second week of isolation as it is with youngest and I cannot afford another 14 days again on top of that. The down side to this is that I was advised to get my eldest tested as I have taken him out of school and considering he seems to have developed a cold of some sort I'm starting to think (hoping and praying he doesn't) has a possibility of testing positive. 
However, today saw the beginning of the vaccine roll out. The swiftly made and tested vaccine... hmmm! Do I trust it? 50/50

50% trust the scientists and their ability behind it and I totally believe that is is possible to create a vaccine so quick
50%  I don't trust the companies and government. They are greedy, self obsessed, careless and have no sympathy for anyone. They have spent the whole of this pandemic making rules for others and not even following them themselves. That frustrates me!!!
Anyway, I'm not going down the line of talking politics.

This week marks the 10th week into my degree and the submission of my second TMA. Due the 10th Dec - but submitted 7th Dec. Being off work last week actually was a bit of a godsend in relation to my course work as I got the TMA done, checked and sent in good time. Rest of this week is now to chill. 

Reflection week next week before Christmas break and then the beginning of Part 2.  
Half way through my first year already.  
Lots of revision now to brush up maths before attempting iCMA. 

So my training is stuffed, my work is probably done until the new year, my course work is pretty much done now so all I have left is to kick back and relax and try and entertain the kids for the next few weeks. Roll on Christmas. !


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Christine Selby

Light at the end of the tunnel

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Leading into my final weeks now and I'm collecting and working on my TMA02. Fallen a bit behind these last couple of weeks and could do with xmas break now to just type up some notes and relax a little. But first TMA time. T - 12 days. 

Mathematical problem is making my head spin and thinking and rethinking which formula to use to solve the problem. I know I know it but I just keep doubting myself. 

First, day school today and that helped a lot with getting to grips with algebra. Fingers crossed I'm making a breakthrough. 
I don't know what I'm going to do when I get exams...It is clear I can't seem to prosses and work out the maths quick enough. So slow. I read and re read, answer then doubt the answer, change it, change it back - argh! 
Need more confidence from somewhere. 

This week has been quiet. Covid cases have shot up, school stayed closed for 2 days as a precaution while the LA worked their way through contact tracing. Football and rugby cancelled. However, the eldest managed to get to his first swimming lesson since March. At last he is back in the pool if only for a few weeks. After all the fuss that he didn't want to go - he came away beaming and cant wait to go back. 

Changes are looming in work with unions wanting schools to revert to online learning for the last week of term (welcome to my world kids) to allow for potential positive cases to be identified or those needing to self isolate to do so before Christmas break. Not a bad idea. Last week of school before xmas term is pretty quiet and chilled anyway in schools. BUT, no xmas concert and no xmas party. This is so sad for staff and kids. But what will be will be for the coming months in the hope we can get out of these tough times safely and soon. 



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Christine Selby

Growing confidence

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Edited by Christine Selby, Wednesday, 11 Nov 2020, 19:33

Feeling relieved and happy this evening. 

A few weeks back I was getting so frustrated with my inability to reach my iCMA target score of 90% and that the maths just wasn’t sinking in. 

This evening, my last attempt before the cut off date tomorrow I got it! I got it! 😁 

15 out of 16 achieving 94% 

So relieved I can now concentrate on my second TMA now. 

I have noticed that weeks seem to by flying by leading up to Christmas. Feeling so excited for Christmas already - possibly because not only do I love this time of year but also it is something to look forward to. Family time, hubby having a day or 2 off and the kids and of course Christmas Break from uni work. Ha ha like hell...I be busting my ass to get ahead a few weeks more and revising between festivities and games and baking. 

My youngest has officially started pre school and he loves it. Phew! Coming home with lots of stories and has clearly been very busy. Hope this keeps up. 




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Christine Selby

TMA01 Results are in!

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SHOCKED! 

TMA01 mark - 95

Cannot believe I managed to achieve this with all the doubts and panics. OK so that damned maths question let me down - that one I was pondering on and over thinking about way too much. 
But to get this mark... I will take it!
However, the down side - I may have set the bar too high!

Had a day off following the result - a well earned day off too. Stress levels were building too much leading up to the feedback.  
Nothing exciting really I could have done seeing as we are in LOCKDOWN! 
One more week to go then restrictions will lift again - in time for me to finish my Christmas shopping hopefully. Then that will be it - no need for shopping trips for the rest of the year. 

We have really missed not going away at all this year - would have had a few trips in the camper over summer and by now we would have been planning our trip away for Christmas winter wonderland, shopping and getting in the mood for it all. I can only hope we will have a near normal Christmas gathering. But first, we have a little problem - mine, my husband and our 2 boys all have birthdays before even thinking of Christmas. 

Trying not to think what else is on (or not on) in my life and continue studying the best I can. Learning more about myself each week and delving into the past to discover why I failed so miserably to get a decent education. Was it the teachers, the system, peer pressure or just me and my attitude towards it all. 
Time will tell as this course is going to push me way, way ,way out of my comfort zone and challenge me beyond anything I have ever faced before. 

Physical activities have once again this week been near non existent, with no rugby training and the fear that the season will be cancelled really put a dampener on things. The weather hasn't helped either. Even for the kids things may not start back up again after lockdown. Nice to see the end to the awful six nations that Wales had. Really need to sort it out - gutted that W.Gatland left - wishing we would have stayed forever. Felt a bit sad for A.W.Jones on his record breaking cap and no fans to celebrate with. But we are Welsh and we will return and make that comeback that we know we are capable of. 

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