This week has been of the utmost of challenges to me. I've been slapped left and right with countless taunts of temptations and irritations. I'm almost at my wits end. Yet, throughout this semester; I've constantly felt a little more relieved over how I handled assignments as they come; taking one step at a time. Although the horrible habit of procrastination hasn't yet left me; I still feel that I've progressed a couple of steps forward by 

easing and loosening up over work. 

Still, that puts me in my current situation; having finished a law presentation yesterday and faced with THE presentations of presentations tomorrow. Lord, give us all strength and prepare us for cynical insults and the occasional vulgar comment. I am terrified for tomorrow morning's presentation frankly because I know that we are unprepared. 

When I say "we", I mean a certain number of people who haven't been contributing a damned thing to this massive project the entire semester. Having to put up with people you didn't get to choose to work with is already a nightmare; the size of this nightmare is just colossal. 

Yet, I have bouts of little joys here and there. Yesterday started off horrible wrong, with a foul-mouthed friend's neighbor slamming his palm on my car window demanding I "move forward" (even though I reserve the legal right to not do so) and stressing over not having our packaging details completed. Still, once we made it past 1pm, we found ourselves having a hard time trying to keep a straight face, seated comfortably spectating a debate several of our friends were participating in. 

When 2.30 rolled in, we were on stage and ready to present. Shaking with fear, lack of confidence and a brevity the size of a pinky's nail; we got through our presentation. When she called us over to her table once we were finished, I felt my heart sinking beneath its pit. 

"That was just...............so close to perfect." was all I needed to hear before I almost broke down crying. I was elated, believe me. It's just that when you've been holding in too much for weeks and having to constantly reject and refuse temptation; especially when most of your friends participate in it. Add in the stress from having to bear a burden of 5 and additional pressures. 

Things just have an odd way of turning out.