this is from Saturday and Sunday...

I am posting this up. This is what I was working on when I kept getting interrupted and then it turned into a video game discussion! this is a work in progress................................................... I got to sleep VERY late last night and then I woke up too damn early. I couldn't seem to fall back asleep so I decided to meditate. I sat for an hour and a half this morning. My mind drifted in and out and I brought my awareness back to my breath and body. I really am getting into a nice routine here. And you know, it does seem to help in daily life. I am by no means slowing down the thoughts and mental distractions. I'm just happy that I'm not getting judgmental about them. I got up and started the day. I got onto the GCU learning site and noticed all the emails and posts. I haven't even checked the GCU emails. I know there are so many to sort through. So you understand, for class each week we have to write 4-6 papers based on books and videos that we watch. It might be entire books that are suggested that we read plus chapters from another. One week we have scheduled a 4 1/2 hour video to watch plus read some chapters plus a book for one class. After we submit the papers and assignments, then we have to read a minimum of 2 papers from each of the ones we submit and give feedback or comments. Plus we have to respond to the comments that we receive. The teachers also read and make comments. So, just when I think I'm done I remember that I am really not done just because I read so much and then wrote 6 1200+ word papers! Now I have to read 8-12 1200+ papers and comment on them. Then a veritable discussion ensues from the comments and the dialogue never really ends until mid-week of the next week when the next week's submissions begin. Perhaps I'm writing all of this to elicit some sympathy... :-) I'm writing this because this is a current challenge I have. I have had the experience of 15-week semesters at my school and the time got split in half to 7.5 weeks. I have the comparison of what the 15-week semester's workload looks like. The 7.5 week classes have become double the work in half the time. This is the analytical side of my brain that is trying to process and understand it. From the mindfulness perspective, I realize I have to find a place of acceptance for this. It should be easy but in my analytical mind, I somehow think that I can ask to not have this extra workload of the commenting so I can keep focusing on my work. OR I'd like to go back to the 15-week semesters and have 2 weeks to get in papers and then comment on other people's work. This is the first week of classes and it's already rushed. Each semester is now like a summer semester where things are crammed in and studying is frenetic, fast and with very little time to absorb and learn. So this is my dilemma. This is what I need to figure out how to get past so that I am not in a state of suffering each time I set out to do the reading and commenting each and every week for other people's work...