i just bought my weight in textbooks.

It's for real. I'm officially a Cougar.

No, not a past-her-prime woman who prowls on unsuspecting younger men. A Cleveland State Community College Cougar. Class started today, and I'm just coming out of my mini freakout session. I didn't just buy a textbook for my Anatomy & Physiology class. I bought a "packet." This packet includes 12 pieces of literature: my textbook, lab manual, Atlas of the Human Body (not quite as fun as it sounds), Applications Manual, Get Ready for A&P (no kidding!), Practice Anatomy Lab interactive DVDs, Interactive Physiology (not just one DVD, but a "10-system suite"), Mastering A&P tutorial set (maybe I should start there), and four quick study guides.

I could barely carry all of this to my car, by the way. My textbook has more pages than my Holy Bible. No kidding. So many pages that even the publisher got tired of numbering them all and stopped about 3/4 of the way through.

I was going to start studying tonight, which both my lab instructor and lecture professor strongly encouraged—no, vehemently exhorted—me to do, but I was so shell-shocked by the amount of material (and amount of purchase: $280 for one class is a record for me) that I had to stop and take pictures of the monstrosity. (Of course. What else would a creative-type be expected to do?) It took a while, seeing as how I had to arrange all 12 pieces on the floor in an aesthetically pleasing way. Then I had to text the picture to all my friends for their reactions. After I got a few responses, I felt a blog post coming on. And, here I am. Haven't read a word in the book yet.

Get this: I have to dissect not only a cat, but a human! I passed out the first time I got contacts; how am I going to manage dismembering a formaldehyde-soaked organism?

The upside of my day? I knew one of the answers on the pre-test we took today simply because of my time spent in the rehab gym on Saturday. It had something to do with the word "plantar," and I remembered talking about foot flexions (sp?) with the Baylor PTA. So, that's something.

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this...