Thursday, March 15, 2007

We survived!




Now we just wait for our grades.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Fotos final (Almost)



¡PRINT MOTHER EFFER!




¡YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY THEY ARE BOUND!

PS That fugly photo of us at Kinkos was taken last night at 230 a.m.

SO DUNZ-O!

Peace out SASHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


Introduction
INITIAL QUESTION: Should the State Department of Hawaii raise the minimum wage in order to fight the problem of homelessness?
FINAL QUESTION: Should the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development be granted more money from the federal government in order to eradicate the homeless epidemic?
When I first began this class, I could already predict what my term would look like. Endless nights filled with coffee, cries and constant frustration. I had heard all the nasty rumors of Info Hell and was dreading the upcoming weeks. After my first discussion section, I sat myself down at a computer and told myself that I would get started right away. I directed myself towards the library Blackboard link for J202 (which was quite helpful) and started to launch my research. I had no idea of the magnitude of this project and this class. I knew I wouldn’t slack off and that I would need to stay on top of things especially working 25+ hours a week.
My experience with this class has directly shown with the way my body is feeling. I have never valued a nap more in my life and a cup of coffee was a necessity every morning and evening. I had constant headaches and I have apologized numerous times to my roommates for the 3 a.m. typing and printing sounds and the constant whines.
Some of the best research strategies happened just through random hours searching in the library. I felt like I lived there and sometimes wondered if they would let people sleep there. I would research at home starting with Google and library searches, making a list and then spend the next day hunting sources and looking to see if they were worth annotating. It saved me time because once I got to the library I didn’t have to sit and search, I already had things in front of me. Another great research strategy was once I was familiar with my topic, I knew where my sources would be found in the library. I found that many of my books were found in the HV section of the library. When I went back to that section to look for a book, I sat and scanned the shelves for other things. I found at least five more sources, if not more, by just pulling things off the shelf and looking them over. Some of the things I found didn’t even come up on my search engines and this was a great find for me. I pulled three or four things and would sit on the floor and look them over.
My friend Nate and I started a blog in week five to get out our frustrations and to look over it later and remember our Info Hell experience. It was appropriately titled, “While I’m in Hell, I’ll Interview Satan.” It was quite entertaining and another way to vent when it was the wee hours and no one in my house was awake.
My advice to the next person would firstly be to not procrastinate and fool yourself into thinking that you can do this entire project in the last three weeks. It’s not going to happen. I thought I could have a somewhat normal life and still get my work done, but it literally needs one hundred percent all the time. Work on it every day. I went to the library every morning and for the last four weeks was there every morning until my first class at noon and there after I got off work at 8 and worked until the library closed at midnight. It was terrible, but I did it. It is such a great feeling to know you’ve worked so hard. I felt like this was my first big test in college and I did it. So, to the next Info Hellian, plan to do some each day and if you have other classes that demand your time one weekend, you better believe that you should spend your entire Sunday in the library catching up on Info. Take deep breaths, listen to music as you write, nap often and don’t forget to eat! You are now initiated into the Info Hellian club.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Introduction (a.k.a. The End)

INITIAL QUESTION: Should the federal government pass legislation allowing same-sex couples to adopt?
FINAL QUESTION: Should the US Congress pass legislation prohibiting discrimination against potential adoptive parents based on sexual orientation in order to help more children find permanent homes?


When I began this project I didn’t know much about gay adoption. My original question simply asked if same-sex couples should be allowed to adopt, but I hadn’t realized that wasn’t the whole picture. I was sad to learn there are so many children in out-of-home care and I find it ridiculous that gays and lesbians aren’t able to adopt in some states. My final question reflects what I found in my research—gays and lesbians can help those children find permanent homes.
This course was definitely nothing I’ve ever experienced. My whole body became sore around week five and for the first time I developed bags under my eyes. Not only were there bags, but my eyes constantly burned from staring at the computer screen for hours on end. I made friends with the Knight Library and spent every waking moment there if I wasn’t sleeping or at work. After the library closed I would sit at my dining room table in a creaky, uncomfortable chair researching and annotating until 1 or 2 a.m. I don’t think I went to bed before 12 a.m. all term, hence the bags under my eyes.
The lowest point of the term was when I finally became a monster. I was so touchy and it was as if I were on an emotional roller coaster. One minute I would be fine, and then somebody would mention watching T.V. or taking a nap. I would immediately become grumpy and snap back with, “I don’t have time for that! I have Info Hell!” Five minutes later I’d be in a good mood again. It was crazy. I’m surprised everyone didn’t hate me halfway through the term. Or if they did, they were good enough friends to put up with it.
The resources on the Libraries website helped my project tremendously. Without it, I don’t think I could have found more than half of my sources. Those sources eventually led me to others as well. The government documents were the hardest for me to find. I spent so much time searching Google with pages ending in “.gov” to only find useless documents, or those that weren’t actually government. It was very frustrating.
Something that helped me get through this term was creating an Info Hell blog. My friend Jordan and I would write whatever we were thinking at the time so that we can reflect at the end of the term. Unfortunately I didn’t come up with the idea until week six, so I don’t remember what I was thinking the first half of the term. We’d post pictures and thoughts from the day such as, “It’s not a book!” “I’m the walking dead,” “I still need two sources!” and “What is going on with my third subissue?” It’s entertaining.
My advice to the students that take Info Hell in the future is to start early. If I would have began my outline in week two, my life would have been SO much less stressful. Once we turned it in week seven, everything began to fall into place. I was able to focus my last few sources to where I had holes in the outline. I also suggest learning how to do all five parts of the annotations at the beginning of the term. Only knowing how to do the first few parts halfway through the term was a HUGE waste of time. I would have finished earlier if I could have avoided going back and adding to old annotations. Also, keep a journal or blog. Even if you never read it again, it is somewhere to get your aggression out.
The project is due in two days. I’ve spent more than $100 dollars at Starbucks, consumed hundreds of ounces of coffee and lost uncountable hours of sleep. My body still hurts, my eyes still burn, and I can’t wait for a massage.

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH X2

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

I JUST FINISHED MY ESSAY!!!!!!!!

EDITED AND EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

NOW I JUST HAVE TO EDIT 35 ANNOTATIONS...



WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sunday, March 11, 2007

....

It cut me off.

Now all i have to do is edit that slut and bind her up and slap Sasha in the ass with it.

Peace out Prof Campbell.. i want my damn button and a shot of vodka.

NATE. FINISH. NOW. DRINKS. ASAP.

UM...

WTF YAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYAYYAYAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA BITCHESSSSSS! I finished that grotsky little beeyotch, back stabbing slut faced ho-bag , life-ruiner of a paper today. 96 pages YOU DUMB SLUT BITCH NASTY WHORES IN THE J-SCHOOL. This is the greatest feeling in my life since christmas.

Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrunnchhhh Time

This is my thought process right now:


largkjdfkgbdkjfgbkjdgkdsjghkdghkadjng khjh gerg j homeless sljfshksjkgjsfgkjfnk jnfs "bums" skjksgsjdfjsdf mental illness sdjfnksjbksjd homeless kjsfksjglks homeless skjfksjdbfk;jsbgf p pwejrowgo wrgn.

I swear I've written that word about 600 times! OMG page 14 ..I am so damn close!

I cannot waiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit until Info Hell drunk fest 2007 yesssssssssssssssss

Deja Vu

Uh-oh. The vom tummy returns!

Tonight may be my all-nighter. Gross.

8ish? HA

It's 11 and I'm just now starting again. I don't really know what happened. I just remember hitting my alarm several times.

Cocoa Puffs are delicious.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

8 pages in

I just completed my 8th full page of the essay. It felt good until I realized I only have 1.5 pages of outline left to fill up 7 more pages. WTF?! I am going to have to quickly figure out how to fluff it up. Ugh.

I think I might retire for the evening. I will wake up at 8ish tomorrow and start working on it again. That way I can start fresh with a rested brain.


Goodnight.

I couldn't have done it without U

This is my forever gratefullness to Nate for pretty much not letting me quit last night. I just got pissed off and really upset about everything. Cut & paste is the greatest thing ever invented on a computer and I am forever grateful. Sooo.. muchas gracias, merci beaucoup and a million Kudos to Nate for the endless "shut up, bitch" "just do it" and "you'll be okay's" I've heard all term.

Luv ya bitch. Thx 4 ev-re-thang:)

I am about to go write a 20 page essay .. woot!

We can do this

I was listening to "Bullet and the Bullseye" by the Distillers this morning and it inspired me. While not every verse fits into the Info Hell experience and there is a lot of profanity, I think some of it works.


I am the bullet, you [info hell] are the bullseye
And when I hit, there's nothing left


We will kick this project's ass. Keep going.

Whoops

I got a little too excited to be done with my annotations and I let it get to my head.

"The rest is easy. I just have to throw my outline together and the essay will be cake."

Well, sure, it's not that difficult, but that doesn't mean I should have spent 7 hours doing nothing today. Now it's 12:40 a.m. and I haven't started my essay. I am going to have to get up early and finish my outline and start writing.


TO BED!

ugh.

Friday, March 9, 2007

I fail at life

I broke my streak today. I'm a myspace whore. Only went 5 days.. pretty pathetic. I was bored after I got out of the shower and was so excited to be done with class today at 10:30 that I just went through my rituals of facebook, Pink, email.. and got on myspace after I saw my roommate browsing through pages on her computer. Oh well... sorry Nate.

I'm having a little mini freakout as we speak. Migraine and tears included. Real cool. NOT. I just want it to be over. I am tired of being tired, and my legs hurting and not having time to eat, or workout, or sleep, or be a good student in other classes. I am so close but I feel like I just have so much left to do.

That's all the EMO I got for tonight so I am going to go eat some cookie dough that is chillin in the fridge.
XOXO

YOU CHEATER!

JORDAN GOT ON MYSPACE TODAY! YOU WHORE!

Thursday, March 8, 2007

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

Bye bye annotating!!!!!!

YAYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAY

I cannot express the extreme amount of happiness that I am feeling now. Probably the first time all year. Thank gawwwwwwwwwwwwwwd!

Pic of the day




Don't need that reminder anymore.

I never thought I would say this

I am sick of looking at a computer screen. I've spent almost every waking moment for the last 4 weeks staring at my computer typing and researching. When this term is over I will probably let my computer rest as much as possible. Poor Barry hasn't been shut down all term. He needs a break.


Back it up!

DUNZO WITH ANNOTATIONS!

I AM DUNZO WITH ALL 35 ANNOTATIONS!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY

TONIGHT:
OUTLINE
START ESSAY

I also got Monday off work to finish my shit. My boss asked me to go in if I was done by then. I will, but only if I am 100% done.


YAY

ZOM.com

Literally the walking dead this morning. In bed around 2:10, actually sleeping...closer to 3. EW. I don't even go to bed this late when i am drunk. This is ridiculous. My triple shot coffee better work this morning!
I am skipping ANTH for about the 86th time. Shh... don't tell Alexis. Lol.


What day is it again?

2 a.m. and 2 to go...

Annotations: 33 down and 2 to go.

This has been the longest week of my life. This is both good and bad.

Bed. Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

A little behind, but not too bad

My goal for today was to be 100% done with all 35 annotations.

A couple problems:
1. I am still missing 2 sources. I am about ready to take the first thing I can find.
2. I guess there isn't a number 2.

I am going to get up early tomorrow and finish this shit up. I have to find and completely annotate 2 sources. Then I have to finish parts 4 and 5 on 5 annotations. That will take me probably 5 minutes each.

Once I'm done with all of that I can perfect my outline and hopefully start my essay tomorrow. YAY!

Should I skip Anth tomorrow to work on this? She is supposed to talk about homosexuality. Maybe I'll just read the lecture. She pretty much just reads it too. IDK.

Time for bed. 2 a.m. Delightful.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

5..whatcha waitin..4..if you wanna..3..2..1.. let's do it.

I am going to be done with this thing in 5 days. Hopefully ready to bind..
BAHAHAHAH OLFHOHGOIRHT)($HT)#($HT)RIG)RNG)ER(GEKNGLDKFNG)(RNHOPRIENGEFGLDFJBDIFGNLSKDNFORHT)(E*$R(*$(jfgiUSgkjerngoiewrgoeirg94938h4ylKJGOIRH)*W$HT)@P$N

Holy shit. I am so close.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

TOMORROW=ANNOTATION NATION

"I AM SO MAD RIGHT NOW I COULD JUST SPIT!"

That is a quote you might hear out of my mother's mouth every once and a while. Dustin and I like to mock her when she says it.

Anyway, that is how I feel right now. All I got done today was 2 annotations. I thought I found my 34th source, but no. It was kinda crap. Tomorrow's goal has been revised:

8 annotations (to cover from my slackiness today)
WTF IS GOING ON WITH MY THIRD SUBISSUE?

I must go to bed or I will die. I don't think my brain will function any more tonight. I am leaving the lib. I don't want to wash my hair tonight.

I better fall asleep the second I hit the pillow.

Je suis tres fatigue

Jordan+no sleep+working out:)+ INFOHELLSUXXXX= very sleepy. I ran on the treadmill like mad which was a good stress reliever but now I have noodle legs.I am excited that I am so close to being done but so scared because it is coming insanely fast. I am working on Annotation #3 of the night so that's kind of exciting and in a new location tonight. Me Casa. I keep thinking about French every once in awhile and when in the hell I am going to do a whole portfolio and just leisurely watch 2 movies and write a summary. I wonder if I can read sub-titles and annotate simultaneously? Hmmm..


NATE.... ANNOTATE! AHORA!!

This is an ad from a page about gay adoption




WTF? It cheered me up a little, though.

I'm missing a Biker Ghouls ride tonight to do this shit.

I did my third interview today. I am so glad to be done with them.

Moving on...

I still need 2 sources. I also decided what I was going to do for my third subissue, then didn't write it down and forgot. How lame, I know.

Goal for the rest of tonight:
4 more annotations
Third subtopic

Goal for Wednesday:
Final 5 annotations
Finish all parts of all other annotations. Some are only parts 4 and 5, some include 3 too. Hopefully that won't take too long.

Thursday:
Edit and perfect outline
Start Essay

Friday:
Write, write, write, write, write, write, write, write. Bust that shit out.

Saturday:
Back to work. Hopefully be done with paper. If so, ask Jem to edit. If not, work that night.

Sunday:
Write, edit, edit, edit, edit, edit.

Monday:
Print, prepare to get bound.

Tuesday:
Bind if haven't already.

Wednesday:
Turn in. Sleep.

I changed my mind

F optimism. I just realized my third subissue is more of a discussion topic, something that's not necessarily debated by others. WTF am I going to do? I don't know if I'm going to be able to pull it off. I might have to BS my way through the third one. Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit.



UGH

Be optimistic, don't you be a grumpy. When the road gets bumpy just smile, smile, smile, get happy!

I tried to find a video of Natalie Portman singing the song in the title of this post, but failed. It's from Anywhere But Here.

I've been pretty good about being optimistic. However, when I just thought about how I have to cold call for my third interview I started to feel the stress stomach ache. I need to write out my questions, call Lambda Legal help desk and HOPE that somebody there can answer some questions and give me good info. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!


Just a side note, I've been good about avoiding the internet, like Facebook. Unlike some people...jk jk jk. It's okay to take a break sometimes.

Goal to have annotations done by end of tomorrow!


GO!

PS today in Anth we're talking about masturbation, yeah!

Debbie Downer Syndrome

Sorry Nate, for being a beast.

I am so dunzo with this shit.

4 more annotations to go today.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Awesome, oh wow, like totally freak me out, I mean right on!

I got another 4 annotations done today. By 4:30 too! Can you believe it? I can't. I actually have been following my goals. Oh, it's because I'm not working this week. Now I know what it's like to not have a job and be halfway done with your essay already (except I'm not even close to starting my essay).

Goals for tomorrow:
Morning- Spanish homework, write out interview questions
5 more annotations
Do some fill-ins

I found a gov't doc today! It was from Wikipedia. Don't tell Prof. Campbell.


Time to go home. Goodnight.

Perma-ache

I have another puke stomach again. Eww. Is that stress or a poisonous granola bar Nate fed me an hour ago? I want to go home. And sleep till Friday. Nate is the calm one tonight, whore.

Scary Spice up your Life

Nate is listening to Spice Girls and when I went on a little bathroom break and looked in the mirror I realized that I have that awful red spot in the corner of my eye. It looks so nasty. No pictures until March 14. I need some Clear Eyes ;(

Total Count of nights in the Lib till midnight:
2 down, 7 more to go. Plus like 2 all-nighters.UGH BITCH.

VOM.com

I literally feel like I am on the verge of barfing. I hate how info hell consumes my every thought. I was thinking on the car ride on the way here, realistically, how many nights I can handle staying up in a row or until like 3 ish. It's seriously the only way I might finish. No gym, no T.V. Work and home. Oh yeah, this morning I realized I have a week less to write a whole bunch of french shit that I thought I could take my time with after Info. Nope, it's due the 12th.

Parfait.

This is how Jordan feels now.


Sometimes I feel like I'll vom, sometimes I don't.

I just did an annotation. I wonder how many I can spit out today if I keep it up. I also wonder how long my attention span will last. I have class in a half hour. That will be a good break. Then it's back to the lib for more.

It's a nice day again. We're in the library. Ugh. I am SO glad we didn't take this Spring term. Thank you Jordan for forcing me to go in and ask for a spot in the class this term.

Turn-in is in 9 days.

GO!

Goodbye, MySpace. Hello, annotations

We've officially given up MySpace. Tonight Jordan and I changed each other's passwords so it is impossible to distract ourselves there. While there are other ways to distract ourselves, that is step one (well, step two after turning off AIM) in realizing that we really only have a few days left to finish this entire project.

I did 4 full annotations today, yay! That brings my total of annotations with at least 2 parts done to 21. From now on all annotations will be parts 1-5, then I am going to complete the rest as I go from 1-35 editing all of them.

Goal: Be complete by Wednesday or Thursday.

We can do it!

Bed! (aka shower, then bed)

Sunday, March 4, 2007

I'm in the ZONE, Brit

I am in a typing frenzy .. for only probably the second or third time all term. I am in the Z-O-N-E and getting shit done, finally. I haven't even thought of getting on the internet. It's progress. But I am hungry too. I don't want to break my streak....

Two posts in a row Nate.. HOLLER.

zfghkdjglkjdfgkjadnfgkrhieagnljngfkjn&#*&$(*(%(#_Q

It's Week 9.

SHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bye friends and life. Hah, oh wait. That already happened.

This makes post #8 in a row

Jordache where are you? Post!

I'm going to the lib with Alexis tonight from 7-9.

I still need 3 sources. Instead of searching and searching on Google, I've decided to do some annotations and hopefully they'll pop up somewhere. Damn government.

Today is Sunday. My goal was to have all (or at least some/most parts of all) done by the end of Wednesday.

That means I need to do 18 more.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday=4
18/4=4.5 annotations a day

I think I can do it. Especially since I'm not working. I just wish I also didn't have to go to class.

The question is...do I cut myself off from everyone to finish? That might be the best idea. No AIM, no MySpace, no Facebook. I just searched for something that will allow me to block those websites on my computer but stopped. I just need self control, as I needed all term but didn't really try to have.

I just signed off AIM. Step 1.

Friday, March 2, 2007

Goodbye iPod Charger

Today I was riding with Jordan to school and I smelled something burning. She thought it might be the heat or something so she turned it off. The smell didn't go away. We got to school and it started to smell fishy. Then Jordan looks around and finds this:



Looks like it shorted or something then melted. Yellow goo came out of it. Delightful.

Shitfire

I feel like crying. Today our annotation list is due and I only have 32 sources. Who knows if all of those sources are even good enough. I'm getting more and more frustrated as time goes on. I only have 2 more days of work, but I don't even want to go. I just want to go home and annotate. Oh, and figure out what the hell to do with my 3rd subissue.

Ugh! I hate this!

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Week 8 is almost over! AHHHHHHHHH

I completed my second interview today. The lady had a lot of information about adoption. It went pretty well. There was this other girl who also wanted to interview her, so we did a group interview. It was kind of weird. Her public policy question is "Should Oregon ban gay adoption?" and she mentioned one of her subissues is religion. Ouch I would never write about religion. There are too many of them to focus on it.

Anyway the interview lasted about an hour and then I came to the library to do my interview summary sheet and annotation. My computer just ran out of battery power so I moved to the third floor to find somewhere to plug in. I moved a table closer to an outlet and who is sitting at the table across from mine? Peter Pan! I just have to look up and there he is! Ugh. He's not wearing his PP hat, unfortunately.


So I have to get back to annotating. I don't know what my third subissue is anymore. All 35 sources are due tomorrow, FABULOUS!

I'm dying.