I’ve had a really lazy week, this week. Haven’t really been able to put my mind to anything in particular.  My intentions were good on Monday – new week, all that – but I went too hard on the treadmill and gave myself exercise-induced asthma and the week went downhill from there. I hadn’t actually been on the treadmill for a couple of weeks. Anyway, more stints on Tuesday and Wednesday saw me  do my five treadmill circuit laps (2kms) at a sedate pace. As long as I stay under the 6kms per hour, I’m fine. I missed today.

Healthy eating – not been good, either. I won’t go into that. Probably why I feel like crappy.

Fronted up to the doctors on Monday, to get my 24 hour urine result – pleased to report that both antimony and arsenic fall within normal levels. Actually, I did go to the doctors the Monday before, too, a week early, by accident.

Writing – again drawn a blank, but at least I have opened up the writing program a few times this week, and thought seriously about my next step.  I’ve put myself off by chopping out those 3,000 or so words and now I want to put them back – make these pesky characters do what I want, for a change. They’ll be bored from hanging around by now, keen to get back to work. I’m questioning myself on the ‘take home value’ of my novel and think: shit, what ‘take home value’? Is there any? Does there have to be?  Maybe I just better get on and write and worry about things like that later. Without a finished product, the questions are irrelevant, anyway.

Online learning – grading is still in progress for my failed Effective Writing course at Coursera. I am LOVING the Learn How to Learn course I mentioned recently. The video lectures are easy to understand. I’ve even drafted my first assignment due in a few days.  I’m yet to tackle the Pomodoro method to overcome my procrastination – a timed 25 minutes of intense focus on the activity you want to avoid, followed by a reward. Apparently procrastination triggers the pain recognition section in the brain, and the initial reluctance is only overcome if  you get stuck into it. So, here I am, procrastinating about tackling procrastination!

I’ve made my online learning blog private.  I became aware that using bits of the class questions and assignments in my run-downs are not allowed. It’s for my amusement, somewhere to collate my experience, and I would rather use class references when I want, than have to cut them out.

Another thing I learned: brain cells regenerate when you sleep – and new synapses form, helping you learn. Toxins flush away and that promotes clearer thinking. Maybe I ought to start Nana naps. Anyway, I’m already forming better sleep habits.

At FutureLearn, I’ve finished England In the Time of King Richard III, this week. I really enjoyed that and brought my knowledge up out of the early Middle Ages where it had stuck.  I didn’t have to submit written assignments. I ended up with 94%, that’s 82/87 in the weekly quizzes. I hope they don’t grade me on discussion participation. I did make a few posts, but not many. My next course with FutureLearn begins on 8th September: Psychology and Mental Health: Beyond Nature and Nurture – needs about 3 hours a week.  (I’ve dropped a few, too, only so much time.)

In two days, I begin a new class on Coursera: Climate Change. I must wrap my head around this topic. It’s run by the University of Melbourne. 9 weeks at 6-8 hours a week. I think I might just audit this one. Apparently that is the term when you turn up, but not take part in the assignments.

I can’t think of anything else just now. I have to work on my Supercoach Fantasy AFL team before I pop out to work. It’s the first week of our fantasy finals this week. I’m playing Mr R. in one league and he is always on top. But I beat him a few weeks ago, so I may be in with a show. A few of his top players are injured.  He works on his team from the end of the season before. I knock up my teams in an afternoon and don’t spend much time on it – but still manage to get into the top 35%. I can’t help it if I absorb his side of the conversation when he’s chatting to his son about football.  😀