Where does the time go?!

August is more than half over guys! How did that happen? I'm nearly done with my July recap (two books to go) but I'm not really feeling that post right now. If there is one thing I learned in college, it's to not force it. Trying to write when the words aren't flowing usually has less than desirable results.

I tried to be a good student, I really did. I always intended to space my work out: take notes, write outlines, work on drafts, etc. But, more often than not (and my mom can attest to this), I ended up heading to the computer lab somewhere between 9:00 and 10:00 pm with my stack of heretofore unopened source materials. Somewhere over the course of the next 8 hours, between instant messages, emails, pepsi breaks, and viewing the sunrise, my paper would get written. Which reminds me of a set of instructions that was floating around the internet a while back:

How To Write a Paper

1. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
2. Check your email.
3. Read over the assignment carefully, to make certain you understand it.
4. Walk down to the vending machines and buy some coffee to help you concentrate.
5. Check your email.
6. Stop off at another floor on the way back and visit with your friend from class. If your friend hasn't started the paper yet either, you can both walk to McDonalds and buy a hamburger to help you concentrate. If your friend shows you her paper, typed, double-spaced, and bound in one of those irritating see through plastic folers, drop her.
7. When you get back to your room, sit in a straight, comfortable chair in clean, well-lighted place with plenty of sharpened pencils.
8. Read over the assignment again to make absolutely certain you understand it.
9. Check your email.
10. You know, you haven't written to that kid you met at camp since fourth grade. You'd better write that letter now and get it out of the way so you can concentrate.
11. Look at your teeth in the bathroom mirror.
12. Listen to one side of your favorite tape and that's it. I mean it, as soon as it's over you are going to start that paper.
13. Listen to the other side.
14. check your email.
15. Rearrange all of your CDs into alphabetical order.
16. Phone your friend on the other floor and ask if she's started writing yet. Exchange derogatory remarks about your teacher, the course, athe college and the world at large.
17. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
18. Read over the assignment again; roll the words across your tongue; savor its special flavor.
19. Check your email.
20. Check the newspaper listings to make sure you aren't missing something truly worthwhile on TV. NOTE: When you have a paper due in less than 12 hours, anything on TV from Masterpiece Theater to Sgt. Preston of the Yukon is truly worthwhile, with these exceptions:a.) Pro Bowlers Tourb.)Any movie starring Don Ameche
21. Catch the last hour of Soul Brother of Kung Fu on Chennel 26
22. Phone your friend on the third floor to see if he was watching. Discuss the finer points of the plot.
23. Check your email.
24. Look at your tongue in the bathroom mirror.
25. Look through your roommate's book of pictures from home. Ask who everyone is.
26. Sit down and do some serious thinking about your plans for the future.
27. Open your door and check to see if there are any mysterious, trench coated strangers lurking in your hall.
28. Check your email.
29. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
30. read over the assignment one more time, just for the heck of it.
31. Scoot your chair across the room to the windo and watch the sunrise.
32. Lie face down on the floor and moan.
33. Check your email.
34. Leap up and write the paper.
35. Type the paper, and while you're at it, check your email.
36. Complain to everyone that you didn't get any sleep because you had to write that darn paper.

True Story.