And it's my best score yet!

For a change, I got my TMA 06 results back within a week, so it was a huge surprise for me, to see the email informing me that I could upload my marked essay. To add to the surprise, when I got to the relevant place, I saw that I'd managed to score a whopping 80% for this final TMA!


After only having two weeks to read all the relevant chapters, work through the various assignments on each chapter, and then write my TMA, it really was a shock for me to get such a high mark - especially as I posted it, thinking that I'd be really happy with just a pass mark :)


As usual, my tutor wrote in depth where I hadn't expanded the information that was needed, or I'd missed the opportunity to write about this subject, or that one and, as usual, I wondered where I could fit in all she asked of me, with the limited word count we had - and that's without the fact of her being lucky that I remembered enough of the facts to write anything at all!


I'm really pleased with my result, albeit puzzled as to how I could get such a high mark when I can't remember what I'd written, at least, not without having it in front of me! But, as I go about getting everything together, ready to begin writing my EMA (End-of-Module-Assignment), I can't help feeling relieved that the torture that is this module, is soon to be over and done with! 


As usual for this stage of my writing an essay, my mind is a total blank, and so I'm, once again, having to trawl through all of the course books and study guides, along with watching and listening to the CD-ROMs, in the hopes that something will spark an idea for me to write about.


I really do feel that every TMA I've written for this module, has been a rehash of the one before and, with the instructions given for this final essay, it looks to me to be exactly the same kind of thing again :/


One of my fellow students got it very right when she said that E301: The art of English, can be likened to Marmite - you either love it, or you hate it. I'm afraid, unlike Marmite, which I've always loved, this module is definitely on my hate list!


But, provided that I can get a 70% pass rate for the EMA, by August, I should be the proud possessor of my degree and, as the OU have kindly renamed my degree to reflect the work I've put into it, I'll be awarded a BA (Hons) Literature with Creative Writing :)


It has taken me 6 long years to get to this point, and there have been a lot of ups and downs along the way but, all-in-all, I'm so very glad I started studying with the Open University. It has opened up my whole life in many ways but , more especially, it has enabled me to be in contact with like-minded people from across the UK, and even Europe. This has been vital to me, as I live my life stuck between four walls, a prisoner of my own body. But, with the aid of my trusty laptop - another gift from the O.U - I am able to roam all across the world in my search for knowledge, and the companionship of others in the same position as myself.


When I weigh it all up, I have to admit that I wouldn't have changed this experience for the world - but it is definitely time for me to move on, and for me to start to use all the things I've been taught!

My Life Travels :)

I've just been sent this by my Cuz, and couldn't resist posting it here, as it is just so me at the moment! Lol

I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots.

Apparently, you can't go alone. 

You have to be in Cahoots with someone else.

 

I've also never been in Cognito. 

I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. 

They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there. 

I have made several trips there, thanks to my 

friends, family and work. 

I live close, so it's only a short drive.

 

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt. 

That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

 

Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm getting older.

 

One of my favourite places to be is in Suspense! 

It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! 

At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!

And, sometimes I think I am in Vincible but life shows me I am not.

People keep telling me I'm in Denial but I'm positive I've never been there before!

I have been in Deepoo many times; the older I get, the easier it is to get there. 

I actually kind of enjoy it there.

So far, I haven't been in Continent; but my doctor says I'll be going soon.

Yay! 78%, and nearly at the end!

I was both shocked, and delighted, when my score came in for TMA 05. I managed to get a score of 78%, the highest score so far for this course!


I'm both delighted, and very nervous now, as this raises expectations for the next, and final, TMA, which I know I won't be able to match :(


Not only am I 2 weeks behind with this next one, but I won't be able to have an extension to catch up, as that would eat into my End of Module Assessment, and there's definitely no extension's allowed for that!


So I'm going to have to skim-read a couple of weeks work, and hope I absorb enough to be able to write at least a coherent TMA 06. But, whatever happens with it, at least I would have tried! :)

____________________________________________

I've also had some great news from my daughter, who is a professional stilt-walker, based in Bristol. 


She's had the chance of getting to the 2012 Burning Man festival, in the USA, as she's teamed up with the Fireworks Collective, a group of around 40 performers who use fire in their acts, and who go out there regularly to perform.


They've just launched an appeal for funding, which will pay for developing and building the props they'll be using, the cost of fuel and safety equipment both here in the UK while they practise their routines, and in the USA for the performances, the costumes for the performers, and the cost of transporting the props and gear to the USA, and back again.


All of the performers will be paying their own fares and living costs, so the money raised will be going just for the above. 


I've already donated my bit towards it all, and am looking forward to receiving a sticker designed by a top London Graffiti artist as a gift for my contribution :)


The link for their site is:


http://igg.me/p/96902?a=574885


Hope you go to the site, and see the wonderful photos already posted, and you'll be able to read up all about what's happening so far - and see how awesome it's going to be! :)

Getting there, once again . . .

Well, I've managed to get back up to 2,717!


Not as far forward as I'd hoped, due to fighting the usual bad health :(  
But I'm really pleased with it, as I've also managed to tighten up my writing, to add even more details to the essay, so that's an improvement for me :)


I've now got until 26th April, 10 more days, to get it finished and posted off to be marked, but I'm really hoping to have it done before this week is out, as TMA06, and the EMA, are looming horribly on the horizon :(


As there's no substitution on 05, I really need to get as high a mark as is possible for me so that, if 06 is disrupted by my health problems, I can then have the substitution marking used for that one.


I just need to get the energy together and, really soon, I'll be free of the whole course!


Yay!