losing my damn mind

So, maybe I should't have put off starting this paper until a week before it was due.

The major problem I'm having, besides balancing on the brink of seriously fucking losing it, is that I didn't do enough research or gather any sources prior to actually writing the damn thing. So as I've been writing I've been scrambling through books, folders, course blackboard sites and notebooks to try and back up some of these crazy ideas I have. The thing is that I can absorb a lot of ideas and information, but I don't always remember where I got this stuff from... so tracking it down is tricky. Especially when I'm simultaneously writing the paper that is due in less than seven days. So far I've written four pages of repetitive, unfocused ramblings. I don't even want to go back and reread what I've written, it's that bad. (any volunteers for that horrible task?)

The good news is I got comments back on the other draft I handed in at the beginning of September and they were overall very positive ("This is a strong paper, with thoughtful discussions in every section"). I hope she is not expecting that much from this next paper, because it is not looking too good right now. At least I know I did a good job on the first one so if/when this next one is complete crap I won't feel like a total failure.

Leave some love and encouragement in the comments?

motivation fail

I haven't posted here in a while and if you're wondering why (who reads this) that's because I haven't done shit for this portfolio since I sent in the first draft of my conceptual territories paper. It's not like I'm incredibly busy with very important things to the point that I can't write a 1-2 page reflection on something-or-other. I just don't want to.

My selected questions were approved by my advisor. Want to know what they are? Too bad, I'm going to write them down here anyway:

1) How can we connect students' out-of-school literacy practices with school literacies? what knowledge/practices are transferable (in either direction)?

2) What is/ should be the role of out-of-school and non-school programs related to literacy?

At least that's what I sent to my advisor. I'm sure I will come up with more questions when I eventually start writing the thing and that these questions will evolve and change somewhat. I have all kinds of grand ideas for this paper, but I have yet to write anything down, open a book, or do a damn thing besides think about it occasionally. The first draft is due in 9 days, so I should probably, um, get started.