Track down this murderer! He must be found!!

Studying at home is much better. I didn't believe it was at first and I felt like I wasn't getting all I could from my sessions, but after the coffee shop nightmare, I'm much happier at home. I've spent the entire weekend inside with books and music. When James isn't home I can listen to whatever I want on the main system and when he is home, I have my iPod set up at my desk.
My musical selections have been primarily musicals. They're songs that I know and could sing in my sleep, as well they have that orchestra behind them to give me a boost. I even put on Handel and Wagner after Kate's recommendation. Phantom of the Opera and Showboat are still my front-runners though. I wish I had more of my favourite musicals on CD. So many are still on cassette and I couldn't locate a cassette player in the house to save my soul.

One of the final songs from Phantom has been in my head all day...."Go, swear to me never to tell...the secret you know of the angel in hell!!"

I don't know what has happened, but things have come together in Greek. And in my understanding of grammar overall. I reread the textbook from the beginning, taking notes and going over points until they made sense and, thankfully, things are clicking that weren't before. I feel a lot more confident about my ability to grasp and deal with language study now, but I've got the feeling it's all a bit too late for this semester. My books are coming home with me over Christmas and I'm going to start the semester running in January. I can't give up and I can make it through this one year.

Studying is always hard to do.

I will never study in a coffee shop ever again. Pure hell.

I hit a slump in my motivation and studying drive and was pondering this when Kate called. Kate is, in my mind, the model of academic drive and success. I find her focus and determination so intimidating - I wish I had half the goal-oriented mentality that she possesses. I was actually considering calling her to ask how she maintains her motivation when she called here. I felt so silly asking her that I brushed it aside, but as soon as I heard she was in a library, it lit a fire under me. That was totally awesome and much needed.

Since I didn't feel up to a library trip I ventured to the Starbucks with my books and notes and took up at a bar stool. In retrospect, having my iPod would have made a difference. It would have helped me drown out the other patrons and their drivelling conversations. One guy was the embodiment of tactless. And then, of course, the requisite creepy guy managed to snag the seat beside me. G-reat.

Now, I'm not saying that these things aren't going to happen at the library (creepy guy, possible conversations), but at least I can have my own little cubicle and zone out. I should have stuck with the library idea, and will do so in the future.

I'm systematically taking the Greek vocabulary apart to make managing it a bit easier. Here's hoping this works out for me. I'm going to make conjugation posters for rooms in the house that I visit when not studying.