My brain hurts

I swore I would get a full night's sleep before my board exam, after late nights and interruptions all week, so I would be in top form.  As I continued to study (and not move as quickly through the material as I'd planned) that got revised to getting in bed by midnight.  Then 2 am.  Then...

The exam was at 8 am yesterday; I had to be there by 7:30.  I slept one hour ("power nap") on my couch in the wee hours of the morning before being awoken by the alarm on my cell phone and returning to the books.

I just don't handle all-nighters like I used to.

I fortified myself (instant "cappuccino" and my little yellow buddy the caffeine pill) and then sat through a grueling 4 hours solid of physics calculations.  I only got one bathroom break, and that was "unscheduled" so it counted against my test time.  That was rough.  I'd been hoping for some kind of intermission.

Overall it went...well, it went.  I don't know how I feel about it.  I don't feel like I bombed it, but I'm not full of confidence that I passed it, either.  OTOH, it's a board exam, and historically all the people I know who've taken them feel like crap afterward, even if they ultimately pass.  We'll see in 4 weeks or so.

Until then, my brain needs a few days of R&R.  I was so exhausted I fell asleep on the couch last night and woke up about 30 minutes ago.  We're heading out to DH's hometown later today.  Little Boy spent the weekend with Grandpa, and then my MIL is having a family get-together for my BIL's birthday.  I'm off tomorrow, to make up for working last Saturday, and I plan to sleep in and not do much of anything. 

I do need to get caught up on the revisions workshop.

For now, I'm going to haul the laptop downstairs and play with my new iPod Touch.  I love it.  It was the coolest gadget in the house for all of 24 hours, before DH got his new iPhone last night.  *sigh*

Radio Silence

I am still here.

 

Life (as usual) has been hectic, but I have not forgotten the book or this blog.  I have actually been working on the book - maybe not as much as I'd hoped, but I am making steady progress.  The blog, unfortunately, has come under the knife of my extremely limited internet/computer time.  When it comes down to either writing or blogging, I've chosen writing.

 

But!  Things are looking up.  We're FINALLY about to hire another physicist, so even though I'll still have a lot to do at work, it won't be so overwhelming and draining.  And my hours might actually regulate a little.

 

The big thing that's been keeping me away lately is the board exam I've got hanging over my head.  That's Saturday.  Yes, this Saturday.  It's the second of three parts I have to pass in order to gain my certification, a raise, and the legal right to perform some duties without supervision.  The third (and hardest) part will be an oral exam next May, assuming I pass this written test two days from now.  For the insatiably curious among you, I'm taking the Part 2 - Therapeutic Radiologic Physics exam from the American Board of Radiology.  (Here are some sample questions.) 

 

I actually took today and tomorrow off from work to study, since I haven't really had a chance up till now.  All my books and notes are in my office, so that's where I am, but I'm in jeans and t-shirt and off the clock.  With that said, I'm going to sign off and go bury my nose in radiation dosimetry and shielding calculations.  Joy.

 

Look for the following in the near future:

 

Revisions/Workshop Updates

Book Reviews

General Life

New Ideas/Future Goals

 

And give a shout out in the comments if you're still around and haven't forgotten me!  I miss everyone.  Hope to "see" you all again soon.