I've really enjoyed having a week off work this past week.

I had high hopes... I had hoped to get my sleep schedule back on track (it didn't happen... Monday was yet again a ZERO SLEEP NIGHT. I've found, however, that with this new medication I'm on... if my alarm clock doesn't go off, I can sleep almost NINE HOURS without waking up at all. So I'm going to make an effort now... every night, WITHOUT FAIL, I'll be in bed by 10pm. And then I can sleep until 6:00am and get my sleep. I really think that once I'm sleeping properly night after night... I'm going to be a lot better.

This past week, I had hopes of TOTALLY cleaning my apartment (it had been months). I got over 90% of that done... a lot of sorting and organizing, throwing things out, taking stuff to the second hand store that are still in working order that I don't need (like my old phone and answering machine, a door bell...) boxing up books on my bookshelfs that I don't need (like seminary textbooks from a year or more ago)...

And then there's the question of seminary. I was weeks behind on my reading. I had a paper due on February 5. I hadn't even started it. I have another one due this coming Tuesday, February 26. I don't even have the foggiest idea of HOW to do it, no matter how much the professor explained what she's looking for. People in the class just kept asking questions, not understanding the assignment (so at least I wasn't alone).

So... I e-mailed the professor this morning (Friday). I'm dropping out of the class. I'll lose almost 50% of the fee, but she's willing to give me a "W" (withdraw) on the course as opposed to an "F" (fail).

I went up to Tyndale Seminary in person this afternoon and filled out the "Add/Drop" form. I've dropped the class.

Even with the new boundaries I set for myself with Scrabble (no studying once I get home from work -- and I've been very strict with myself with that and have obeyed them)... and the new timer and filter that are installed on my computer (which SEVERELY RESTRICTS THE AMOUNT OF TIME I CAN SPEND ON THE INTERNET) I just need time to refocus and get back to normal.

Now that I don't have my class anymore, I can just RELAX in the evenings... get to bed earlier... heck, I'll even have time to do laundry, go grocery shopping, and things like that in the middle of the week instead of cramming it all into weekends.

Now, on weekends, I can actually RELAX THEN too, and get chores and errands done (and even Quackle my Scrabble games!).

I'm also seriously thinking of moving to a new church (I've visited there the last three weeks), and I'd like to be involved with things there (which I can't right now)... (more on that another time)

It's a difficult decision to drop out my class... but right now, it's the right decision. I need rest. I need sleep. I needed to have A LOT less stress in my life and I think this will do it.

I already feel better for having done this... so what, I've lost $500. In the big picture, my mental, psychological, and spiritual health are more important than a night class.