There's a word for them!

Studying for the GRE is driving me bonkers! I don't get it. The English language has billions of words, and I need to know all of them if I'm going to truly be prepared for this test. The other day I took a practice test and scored a 680. Yesterday, I took a practice test and scored a 530. It just depends on the words they test me on. Supposedly, the test is "adaptive," but if that's the case, then why is there such a difference between my two scores? I'd like present my perspective on this test during the analytical writing section!

I'm just freaking out because so much hangs in balance on this test. I need to do well on it! Going to graduate school to study English--rhetoric, literature, theory, teaching--is the only thing I want to do with my life. I would do well in graduate school and I'm nervous because my fate isn't left up to me; it's left to the admissions committee. I know I did poorly the first time around in undergraduate studies, but that's why I returned to school this semester to show my dedication and ability to make A's.

So, last night, I was looking up all the words I missed on the test. One of the words, GADFLY, is a gem!

GADFLY--figurative: an annoying person, esp. one who provokes others into action by criticism.

Suprise!

What Have I Been Doing Since I Last Blogged:

1. Finishing this semester. My last final (in tech editing) is today form 10:15-12:15.
2. Finished reading Anna Karenina. It's a good book but quite laborious. The relationships are fun to read about, but the political/religious/philosophical talk is somewhat "burdensome."
3. Started studying for the GRE, which I take on Dec. 28th. SOOO nervous!
4. Worked on my grad school application and got letters of recommendations from my professors.
5. Had Brad's family in for Thanksgiving. It was really, really nice to see them. We went to the TN Valley Winery, rode the Foothills Parkway, went shopping, watched Lord of the Rings, and had a Thanksgiving Feast.
6. Met Brad's mom's fiance at Thanksgiving. We're glad she seems happy.
7. My grandfather passed away the Friday after Thanksgiving. It was my grandmother's birthday. Brad and I went down for the funeral. We were expecting it, but it still hurts quite a bit.
8. Saw the movie Borat. It's hilarious!

Yeah, so, I guess I haven't really done much outside of school for the past month. I've written quite a few papers and studied for the GRE. I'm super, super nervous about getting into graduate school since my previous grades aren't so hot. The GRE is making me nervous too. I am trying to build my command of vocabulary, but it's slow going. I will probably be on a social hiatus until after Dec. 28th. I have one social engagement this Friday night with Brad's work, but I'll probably retreat from society for a while. It's easier to remember vocabulary when you don't have to think about anything else--like carrying on a conversation. ;o)