Today has been a roller coaster day.

It started this morning when I stopped at Starbucks for some morning coffee.  As is the custom, on November 1st (today!) they begin using their winter cups.  The first week or so that the red cups with snow-scenes on them are used, it puts a smile on my face and some excitement in me for winter (if only because the faster we get through winter, the faster we get to summer again).  So as I walked into the building I work in on campus today, holding my red cup full of caffeine, I thought to myself “I am going to spend today appreciating the little things in life.  I am going to have a good day because I am going to actively seek out positive, happy little thoughts.”

Now, last night I had spent some time thinking about the complex analysis assignment that was due today (I’m not normally such a procrastinator, but I’ve been very busy with a lot of back-to-back due dates so I haven’t been able to do much in advance and I’ve been doing basically everything last minute for the past week or two, which is stressing me out).  I felt that I was close to solutions to two of the problems, so I went to bed, figuring I could spend the few hours I’d be in my office this morning before class finishing up.  But, when I got to my office this morning and actually tried to work out the problems, I hit a wall and couldn’t do ANYTHING.  I wrote down a bunch of completely random and disconnected thoughts and couldn’t get anything resembling actual solutions.  I started to panic.  I basically convinced myself that I was going to fail the class and get kicked out of the program.  But then I regrouped and tried to find someone around to help me get un-stuck on the problems.  By the time I found someone, I actually solved one of the two problems myself and then I got enough help with the other that I could piece together the rest of the solution.  All that panic for nothing.  But it felt so real at the time!

So, then I turned in the assignment and sat through my classes.  Nothing that exciting happened…

After class I came home, and was a little annoyed that I had to do dishes because my kitchen is driving me crazy.  But once I started, I was actually kind of enjoying how great the clean kitchen looked.  I enjoyed it so much that I just kept on cleaning!  I dusted the whole apartment.  Then I got out my computer.  I paid my November bills and backed up my smartphone and my iPod and my data on my laptop.  I installed some updates on my computer I’ve been putting off (because I wanted to back up my data before I installed any major updates).  Next I am planning on doing all my mail filing that I’ve been putting off, and I’m going to vacuum the apartment.  Then I’m going to work on my algebra presentation I have to do within the next week, and write some lectures.  I already feel accomplished and I haven’t really lost any of my drive to keep going!

For some reason I just feel really energized.  I think it’s because I’m finally through the terrible-ness that was October and this morning.  All my major assignments and deadlines that have been hanging over my head have passed.  Aside from watching Steeler games, I only have 3 non-school things on my calendar this month.  And the only school things on the schedule for this month are basic problem sets.  Things have calmed down as much as they’re going to in graduate school and I am finally breathing easy.  I knew November would feel a lot better than October, but I didn’t realize it would basically be an instantaneous transition from insanity to happiness/contentment.

Anyway, before I lose my momentum I’m going to stop talking and start doing.  Hope everyone else is enjoying this new month as much as I am.