You want to know WHAT???

I picked up the questions. And I have not thrown up yet. I am very proud of myself, as this is my normal nervous/scared reaction. Thankfully, I am a worrier, so usually, by the time something scary comes up, I've already thought of every possible scenario, usually including, but not limited to, space aliens and/or vampires. Therefore, I don't really throw up much. (Actually, the last time I remember throwing up from stress and not alcohol or illness, was when I got divorced (eight years ago) and the church elder came over to tell me that even though my husband was abusive (actually, he said I was lying about that), I should stay married to him. I threw up on him. I don't feel bad about it either. Even my parents seemed pleased.) Anyway. There were no huge surprises on the questions. But, I wish I had read more (how can I say that? You all have seen what I've read). Anyway, I started writing at 8:30 this morning, answering this question:
Historians frequently refer to the "decline" of the domestic system in the early twentieth century. What does this notion of "decline" mean exactly, and what factors are seen as contributing to it? How did women resist the domestic imperative in this period, and how were they encouraged to do so by their social, economic and political milieu?

By 1:00p I had ten pages, some crappy, some not so crappy. I'm going to "fix" it tomorrow and get it down to 7 pages, because it's too long. These answers are only supposed to be 5 pages, but look at that question, how do you do that? I completely neglected the working class in my paper and still felt like I only brushed the surface for the middle class. Oh well, I only have 14 days.

I have started my second question. It is: "The emancipation of European Jewry (circa 1648-1919) was an unmitigated failure. At its best, it was good for the Jews but was bad for Judaism. At its worst, it undermined the basis of Jewish communal life without offering either material or spiritual advantage. Through its abolition of the autonomous community emancipation brought the end of coherent Jewish life in Europe." You may answer this question for all of Europe, or by focusing on a particular country or group of countries.

I'm focusing on a group of countries: mostly Germany, but also Poland/Lithuania, England and France. In five pages. (yeah, right) My other Jewish question focuses on Russia and we're not supposed to do overlapping answers, and besides, Russian Jews were not emancipated until 1917. I'm sure you all find this fascinating and are glued to your computer screens. But this is what I've studied for, for, well, it seems like forever. This is my eleventh year at some sort of university, my seventh as a graduate student. These questions and answer will determine my future. Whether all those student loans were in vain. Whether I will be able to achieve my life-long dream of being a professor. It all boils down to these seven little questions in fourteen days. Ok, now I have to throw up.

Ok, if that weren't stressful enough, Wes is at sea. And he doesn't have internet access. And he can't call me. So, I talked to him on Sunday, and I'll talk to him again, probably on Saturday, but maybe on Friday. I hope I'll be able to tell him I'm already working on question five. I sure do miss him. And, this is his schedule from now until June. The navy sucks.

Back to the emancipation of the Jews. Oh, that previously mentioned student. He has not picked up his paper yet, which means he skipped lecture. Again. I don't feel bad giving him that F.