Hey Carolina! I’d suggest 2/3-ing all of the ingredients if you don’t want to make a three-layer cake (so cut all of the ingredients by 2/3, and then bake in 2 pans instead of 3). Otherwise, all of the instructions should remain the same. Hope that helps!

John, that is probably the soundest advice I have heard in a long time. Thanks so much for the reminder and kind words–I will definitely try harder to take my work in stride. As of today, I’ve called active Facebook surfing on hiatus, and will most likely use that time to chat with friends, which is a relief already.

Thank you SO much for your kind words, Edie–you don’t know how much they mean, especially now. My family and friends are some of the best support I have, and thankfully I’m in a position where I know we’ll all be taking good care of each other. As I mentioned, it has actually been more difficult to face the idea that concentration hasn’t been an issue, even though I both know and feel the loss–but having acknowledged the fact that I will continue to use studying as a focal rather than distraction point has definitely helped. Thank you again for taking the time to read, and for the perspective; it is so appreciated.

My sympathies to you and your family and friends. You’re in shock right now from the loss. It’s very difficult to lose one person you love, let alone two at the same time. You might find it hard to concentrate and you might have intrusive thoughts. In this respect, I think studying might actually be a good thing, because it will keep you on your regular routine and keep you busy. You’ll process the grief in your own time, at your own pace. Everyone experiences it differently. However, I will say this: make sure you take care of yourself – eat, sleep, see friends and family, and try to continue with your life as normally as possible.

I’m so sorry for your loss.