Another week of school down, and 5 1/2 more to go. Another week of cleaning house, making dinners, driving the kids to school and picking them up, and whatever else pops up to fill my day. I'm actually, for the first time in a long time, running ahead of schedule. I love that feeling when I'm on track or ahead, it gives me that sense of accomplishment. All the discouragment I feel goes right out the door. However, as much as I love being home with all my babies, I do miss working. I went to my old job at Second Harvest Food Bank to visit some of my coworkers and friends. While this was not the highest paying or best job I have ever had, it was by far the one I loved the most. I truly believe that finding a job you love is higher paying than having a job that pays top dollar that you hate. I miss being on the forklift and loading and unloading the 53 footers and doing the inventory for the warehouse. I miss the people I worked with. There were only about 25 employees in the whole warehouse, and to my amazement, with the exception of one employee, the rest of us all got along. WOW!!!! I was completely shocked when I had walked in, not only of the changes, but after going to the receiving area of the warehouse, I was shocked to see the system they were using to inventory. It was mine!!!!! When I was working there I developed my own little system on the most efficient and time saving way, for me anyway, to inventory a 28 pallet load. I had taken it to my supervisor many times, but she didn't really like the system because it required her to learn and use the computer more than she was used to. It turns out, after I quit, she took my sytem to the Director of Operations and he liked it. So much in fact, they ordered three more laptops and put it into full effect. As I read our reading material for the week, plagiarism, I thought about this. In a way, this is really plagiarism. My old supervisor took an idea or thought that was mine, and portrayed it as her own when the time was right. While it made me mad, at the same time I wasn't as mad, because I knew that everyone else there pretty much knew that's how I did it. Besides, I'm not working there anymore, so I don't need the credit. It's just upsetting that when presented to her, she didn't "like" the idea, but then took it to the boss as her idea. I'm pretty sure though, that even the boss knows it was mine. Afterall, I was the only one doing it that way when I was there. I think plariarism plays a role in all our lives even when we don't really think about or realize it. Think about when a "catch phrase" catches on. Everytime one of us uses it withour citing the source it's technically plagiarism, however, not to the same degree as doing research and presenting the information as our own. This is where APA plays an important role. I hate APA, but I have learned that I need to love it, learn to use it, and not be afraid of it. My formatting is not always proper, but I'm learning I'm going to get it, eventually.

Well, I think I have finally decided on a topic for my research paper. I have chosen to do my research on the use of polygraph tests in law enforcement. I guess the reason I really chose this particular topic is a very personal one for me. Four years ago my husband and brother in law were murdered. To do this day, no suspect has been taken into custody. It is very frustrating for our family because we do have a suspect that has failed not only one, but two polygraph tests. We have two eyewitnesses that have both passed polygraph tests, but these are not at all submissible as evidence in a court of law, not in California anyway. I really want to research why they are used if they are not allowed as any typed of evidence. What purpose do they otherwise serve, how accurate are they, and how do they work? Why are they not allowed to be used if there is another piece of evidence that can be used to validate its accuracy? I've often thought about starting a petition to the the State Attorney General about allowing this type of evidence with another piece of validating evidence, and now after my research, I will have a more informational approach to move forward with. I don't know how easy this research will be, but I'm excited to gather information and learn more about it.

Wow! This week has been an especially trying week for me. So much has been going on and I'm trying to keep up, and although I'm managing, it's not easy. I did get out of pulling weeds in the backyard considering my son got grounded and that became his punishment. LOL I think it was his grounding that was so trying. It amazes me to watch my children grow. To see the things they do and especially to have them arguing back with me now. While it is not right, it is still a sign of how my children are maturing and growing and becoming a person all their own. At the same time, it makes me sad to then realize that this is something their dad will never get to see. Sometimes it even makes me angry. It's not fair that I have to deal with all of this by myself; he should have to deal with this, too. Still, I am thankful. I am thankful that I get to experience all of these things with my children and that I get to watch them grow. Not only grow, but mature, even though their actions at times seem so immature. It's these immature actions that stress me out so bad. I got so stressed by my oldest son, Chance, that I completely forgot I had class on Saturday. Then come an hour after it was over it hit me. I hate that feeling, and I hate doing Option 2 for seminar even more, but I am determined to get an "A" in Comp this term. I missed it last term by less than 10 points. Darn it!!! Luckily this term I only have two classes instead of three. It will be a bit of a break for me, although my other class in an Honors class. I'm just about halfway through my program at Kaplan University and I can't wait until I'm through. Even more exciting, I get to start my first term of clinicals in July. I can't wait to actually get to start working in a healthcare environment. I never would have thought at 33 I would be back in school, but I am so glad I am. I'm finally making something of myself, and I'm proud!

Well, here I am, another term at Kaplan University. Sometimes it gets frustrating and discouraging, but still I push on. I have to, this is hardly the biggest challenge I have faced. My life has been full of great challenges, and even when young, I have always overcome. My biggest challenge came four years ago when my husband and brother in law were murdered, and in an instant I became a single mom of 3. It took time for me to come out of the depression and realize I had to keep moving for the sake of my children. 3 years after his death, I decided I wanted something better and decided to show my children you are never too old to go after your dreams, and I enrolled in Kaplan University. Though the challenges of going back to school have been great, I have been on Dean's List and have become a student of the Honors program. I have hit many challenges along the way, including almost having to withdraw or request a leave of absence last term when new developments arose in our murder case. Yet, I have pressed on and am now in my fourth term and I am maintaining my GPA to reamain an Honors student. I feel great reasons to be proud of myself.