We now have 7 girls in our Girl Scout troop and I've started to come to a realization after our wonderful meeting yesterday, with only 4 girls, one of whom had to leave before we'd really done anything.

I came into being a troop leader with the assumption that we could do anything, travel, earn gold awards, etc. After a dose of reality of running the troop with my co-leader since late January, that is still a goal, but a very long-term goal. It's all we can do to get all our girls at the meeting any given week, or attending one of our field trips.

If we end up providing the girls a safe place, and help them become more focused and understand how to work in a group, we'll have done a good job. Opening up different opportunities for them too is a huge plus, like our idea of bringing in a person to talk to the group from each of the different areas in which they want to work. We have three future vets!

I am feeling oddly positive after our recent meeting despite my realization that my goals to start should be smaller. Perhaps I'm just learning the reasoning behind why SMART goals are important!

Let it Snow!

The veggie sushi at the beginning of March with Adam and Stephanie was better than I could have ever imagined! Evenings like that make it easy to be vegetarian.

Visiting the family at home does not make it easy. They tempted me with corned beef and Swedish meatballs... epic fail on my part, except that I'm really mostly doing this for health which I think allows a few digressions. My other big reason is consistency and avoiding hypocrisy. If I'm going to be a meat eater, I want to eat everything (tendons, skin, etc), which I'm utterly incapable of doing. I just feel so wasteful. So, the meat went and 90% of the time I manage to avoid meat. It's visiting the family that becomes hard, because on my own I really have no problem.

We're in the middle of a typical spring blizzard here. I LOVE it! I'm not surprisingly one of the only ones. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to the spring weather, but I think I can tolerate the snow we get in the spring because they are so epic typically and because we have such balmy days in between (especially this year). Plus, there's just something about a huge snowstorm that makes me so happy! Perhaps I feel this way because I don't have something uber important tomorrow. But even last Friday when we had the huge snowstorm and I was planning to travel home, I felt perfectly fine. I even have to be careful of my work computer now and cover it with a plastic bag and move it out of the corner now and I still love this heavy, wet, deluge of snow! (turns out for all the benefits of moving into my lovely new office, it's in the leaky corner of the building, so whenever we get heavy wet snow it starts dripping through the roof!)

I can't believe how quickly the year is going. Already we're towards the end of March! This week I start another Guide Training class (my third!), and next weekend is an Easter weekend trip with Laura!

GS and work update

Luckily for me this last month has passed very quickly, because it has been full of moving stress at work as nearly everyone in our department packed up and moved to a new desk. The library, which I am responsible for, also moved, and that was a task to get done, believe me!

Girl Scouts has been going very well! Slowly our troop is growing, and now we have 4 total girls, though one is not super reliable if she's going to be at the meetings or not. My co-leader and I finally decided we needed to lay down some ground rules, which I am kinda glad that we didn't do that right away. Hopefully the girls have had enough fun so far that they want to stick around, and Bobbi and I were very honest about it all too. We made a group agreement that Bobbi and I agreed to as well, and then our next meeting will be a parent's meeting to share the group agreement with, and a court of awards ceremony, though I'm not completely sure that we've actually earned any tri-its yet.

I hope it's OK that we're making our juniors earn tri-its for the rest of this year. It's just easier to keep them as one grade level. Since we have 3rd graders and 5th graders who with the old model would have been a troup together we thought it would be OK. Our 3rd graders seem advanced and our 5th graders seem less so. Next year will be juniors and probably the year after unless we need to just bridge the older girls to Cadettes. It seems like it might be easier to do what the older girls need and find a way to fit the junior badges into the interest patches. And hopefully the journeys will align well enough that it's not like having two separate troops trying to accurately meet the needs of our girls.

As a trainer with Girl Scouts I always thought that I'd be the by-the book leader... HA! We're doing good by our girls as best we can, even if we technically aren't a troop yet (we need 5 girls I believe) or even if our 5th graders are doing brownie-level work. I think these girls really need us because their families seem a little bit less stable then what I grew up with. It doesn't seem like any of these girls have very many friends at school, which is so surprising. They seem like such sweet, nice kids. :(

On the whole I'm very much enjoying doing Girl Scouts as a leader. It's such a new experience from training and from being a leader. I'm starting to look forward to doing some more training since I'm getting an idea of how to actually lead now!

OK, off to work! Then veggie sushi with Adam and Stephanie for dinner!

Maybe another try?

I've started thinking again that perhaps I do have something noteworthy to share. We'll see. Perhaps this blog will become a story about my journey with Girl Scouts or working at a Zoo.

Right now I'll just say that I was so inspired and feel so reassured after hearing the State of the Union last night. Granted, I'm young, but I've never heard a politician speak before that talks about politics the way I've always thought it should be. I've heard things come out of President Obama's mouth that I myself have said (except that little bit about expanding nuclear power and offshore oil exploration!). A good friend of mine said it well, however. It was inspiring and frustrating, because after Obama is out of the office in another 3 or hopefully 7 years, who comes next? Will she or he be as inspiring? Will she or he be as frightening to me as Mike Huckabee was when he was a presidential contender?

I also find it frustrating how the general feeling is that nothing is getting done and that Obama isn't keeping his election promises, yet Massachusetts voted to replace a Democratic senator with a Republican senator. Now I'm all for a diverse Congress, but folks, if you're going to complain, vote a Congress in that is one-sided! Sheesh... I mean really!

As to Girl Scouts, I'm very excited to be so close to finally working with a troop. For the last year and a half I've been training adults at the Zoo and training leaders for Girl Scouts... kids always seem easier to work with... though I'll probably eat my words within the next few months. Next Wednesday I will meet with the troop leader and the (apparently) two girls in the troop thus far. Guess we can't be legal yet... yikes!

so it's been a little while, and I'm actually in CO. PC didn't work out for me at this time in my life. I guess it was a gut reaction. I did spend some time in Paraguay. It was nice, and fortunately it wasn't incredibly hot while I was there.

So I don't know how much longer I'll continue this journaling. Maybe, maybe not. I already keep my own hard copy journal, and I just don't use this much any more to keep in touch with people.

Meh...

Well I have about two and a half weeks till I leave the country for two years. That's right, I leave for Paraguay (by way of Miami for a few days) on Sept. 24th.

And today is the day I finish writing my thesis. After today, it's all just editing! That's exciting. Unfortunately for me, it is also the beginning of the day, so that means that I have all day to moan and groan about finishing this up. But if I do a good job then my thesis defense on the 14th will go beautifully and if I do a really good job today I might not have many edits to fix before turning the thesis in, all in my last week before leaving town. WOO!

I live an interesting life.

I have been invited!

I woke up this morning and checked my mail as ususal. I had an application status update notification and when I got to my application online it said I had been nominated. Now all I have to do is wait for freaking ever (or so I've heard) for the invitation packet to get to me so I can actually know where I'm going.

I'm fairly impressed. I got an email yesterday morning from someone in the placement office asking about my "romantic involvement" and asking to get a transcript. I called back as soon as I got the email that same day and told them what they needed to hear. And now I'm invited the next day. I didn't think things worked that quickly with the Peace Corps... but then again I did receive my dental clearance the day after they received all my medical packets.

OK. I'm off to go on a bike ride. Did I mention I'm training for a triathalon? Aug. 5th the Tri-For-A-Cure triathalon. It's all women competing and the proceeds go to breast cancer research. Perfect!

Medically Cleared!

I'm medically cleared... just heard today. That was so easy! It sounds like for most people that it takes numerous back and forth episodes to get cleared. All the additional info they wanted from me was proof of a new polio booster. Wow! So next step (and hopefully coming soon) is hearing where I get to go!

Just a quick update for friends who live far away from me at the moment... I've got to get out on my bike/run before it gets too late in the morning so I can still get to church and shower before that!

I'm not finishing the thesis by the previously stated deadline. Now the deadline is... freeform. I'm also having trouble actually getting a lot done on the thesis.

That leads to a reason why I've been less productive than normal. For aproximately two weeks (since 6/10) I've been single. The approaching 2 years gone in the Peace Corps were too much for Logan. So last week I was a total slob and laid around pretty much every day except for managing to get in to work. But this week I pulled myself into full recovery mode and managed to get my triathalong training (Aug 5th!) back on track (mostly) and worked quite a bit as well as 6 (a rather measly number, but something) hours on my thesis.
Next week will be even better... but we're going to forget that yesterday's goal of 6+ hours of thesising didn't actually happen.

So, I'm off for a bike and then a run. I did a swim then run brick workout on Wednesday and totally accomplished it with flying colors which I didn't expect at all. So, today should be just as good:) Then church (yay!) and visiting my sister and seeing her new house.

Oh yeah, and the week of June 3-10 I was in Tucson, AZ as one adult leader of the senior high mission trip to work with Humane Borders. We put water in the desert for undocumented migrants. WOO! We didn't break any laws but it sure felt like we were defying authorities:)

still thesising. realization came today that I have a month (technically 5 weeks, but I have to subtract the week for the mission trip I'm helping out with in June) until my thesis is due to my comittee. Whoa, a little freaked I have to admit. I'm not even done with my data analysis, much less done translating the data!
However, my revision of the first three chapters (Introduction... way too long, Methods and the Literature Review) of my thesis are progressing nicely though slowly. Had a good discussion with my friend Elliott about actually sitting down to "do" which has helped, and Mother's day weekend, though nice didn't help. My consolation is that most people go through this with a thesis or dissertation. Thank goodness for that.

Lots of my friends are buying houses these days. And getting married. Two folks from my family are getting married. WIERD. My cousin Matt who is a month older than I is in July and then Molly, his cousin (but not mine) is getting married in June. I found out that I don't get to go to her wedding (during the mission trip) and don't get to go to Jamie's (Matt's fiancee) bridal shower for the same reason. Poo. I love events that serve cake as an integral part to their existance.
Actually, all events that serve food are must-dos to this Graduate student. Especially since I'm cutting down my hours this summer while finishing the thesis. 10hr/week. YIKES! It will barely support my rent/food/toiletries needs, but it means I have more time to thesis and the best part of working where I do is that I am able to raise it back up to 20/week after I'm finished thesising.

This summer I'm filming a couple professors solving physics problems on a whiteboard to post for physics students as examples of how to solve problems. VERY stimulating, let me tell you. We've already done two practice shoots, which have been ridiculously essential. Have you ever though of having to 'storyboard' your physics problems? Well neither of the professors ever had til this summer! I'll also be doing some cool stuff like filming clouds forming in time-lapse for the cloud show, but mainly physics problem solving. WOOO!

Anyways. OH! Another wedding: my best friend's brother. I'm going with her because her fiancee is in Iraq. I'm debating wearing my super fancy dress because I can and because Laura is a brides made so will be all pretty to match. It doesn't quite fit though, and I have to find an appropriate bra.

PS- In case you are wondering I miss my brain. It's been in thesis mode for way too long and thus some of this randomness. Other associated symptoms have been extreme forgetfullness and general ditziness.

As I continue to go about my daily life I've noticed that every once and a while I'll think: "It's lucky I'm already doing _____, it might make my transition easier." Of course, I'm referring to the Peace Corps. Things that I've recently had this thought about are that I have to wash all my dishes by hand (sadly I have no dishwasher), or that I am already having to get around sans car. And I feel like I do pretty well despite lacking some of the modern conveniences that I used to take for granted.

The of course I've also had thoughts to temper these previous thoughts. For instance, I might be used to washing my dishes by hand, but water comes so easily here and I might have to haul water from a distance to wash my clothes or dishes or to boil to drink. I might have to wait for the rains to come to take that bath I've wanted to take for a while. I can get around really easily on my own two feet and with my bike here, and I'm used to it taking a bit longer to get places. But I feel safe traveling on my own in Fort Collins, I can bike or walk home at night and not have to worry overly much about being mugged or worse.

I'm feeling fairly isolated currently, what with this whole "thesis" thing going on in my life. I'm going to have to get used to asking people to walk home with me at night from a late community meeting. I'll have to get used to the idea that even if I do have a bike down there that doesn't mean I'm more immune from personal attacks just because I can go faster than someone running after me.

I heard a story third or fourth hand the other day of a Peace Corps volunteer who took a taxi cab home and because it was dark paid extra to have the driver take her directly to her house. Then later that night the guy came back and raped her. This was the story that gave me pause, because it sounds like she did something to be safe, but yet still ended up getting harmed. At least it is always good to know that this sort of thing can happen here too, but still, it was an intimidating story to hear. Who knows if it's true, I heard it on the internet. :)

In any case, perhaps I will be a bit more prepared than most for living without modern conveniences but I don't know that anyone can ever be truly prepared for everthing they may encounter living in a foreign country with the Peace Corps.

Well, another day well spent. I've been hard at work on pretty much everything. Not as much as yesterday after Easter with the padres, but none the less, hard at work.

I sent out 20+ emails (all composed yesterday) to break the week-long abstinence from emailing people down in Central America bugging them for interviews. The reason I had a week off from this? Well, one person mentioned that it was infact Semana Santa, which meant everyone down there in CA get's a week long vacation. Well, not wanting to take any chances of people not being around, I figured I would work on something else for the time being and wait till TODAY to send the emails out en-masse.

So far so good. People have been responding pretty quickly. About 5 of the 20 I sent out this (late) afternoon have already responded. People in Tourism seem to have pretty long hours down there, or their work/personal emails combine. Anyways, things look good there. I also have some new contacts for Panama, which is great since I have no data from that country yet.

So my date for my defense is set. June 28th, which means I have to have a completed paper on June 22nd. OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!! That is coming up super fast. And I don't have all my data. So, hopefully I get the rest of it in two weeks, which gives me till the end of April/beg of May to analyze the data (here's hoping for two - three weeks of analysis TOPS). And then I can start writing the thesis in May. I have a week that I'll be gone in June, but I also drop down to 15 hours/week at work.

Oh my friends, please think nice thoughts at me.

And I'll do my part by trying... no, staying incredibly on top of everything and not slacking off. Sound like a deal?

Shouldn't I be in Latin America?

I didn't think I would see this today, especially since I'm not in Central/South America yet. My wandering attention was caught by a strange noise just now. I looked out my window, which faces a small expanse of lawn, then a ditch and then a large apartment complex. A younger man was hacking at some of the ditch vegetation with a machete. A machete. I haven't ever seen one of these in the US, only in Panama. I had the impression that we had much more "advanced" technology here in the US (especially in Fort Collins!). I'm guessing this fellow is an employee of the apartment complex and was told to go out and get rid of certain plants... however I get the impression that employee or not, he had no idea what he was doing and was just hacking at stuff for fun... and throwing the knife around like it was a toy. Boy am I glad I am on this side of the ditch, and not his.... :)

So I was right! My third cholesterol test done by my actual doctor and not in rapid-screen format came back and it's fabulous! Despite some slightly elevated numbers (which the doctors weren't even concerned about) everything was great. WOOO!

Theisising progressed a bit this week, which also happens to be Spring Break. Despite only having one class to go to, it's been a relief not to go into class this week... also really nice is not going into work, so in reality I gained like, 23 hours in my schedule. In reality too, I have done more TV watching and laying around than I would otherwise, and despite not getting as much done as I would have liked, that's ok with me. I'll get it all done... I've got a knack for it.

And anyways, if I had been in OKC this week, nothing would have gotten done.

Logan is off buying supplies for breakfast! Yum:)

So, I guess not much else is going on. In all my laying around I did find out that there is a Gilmore Girls episode on at 9am, a fabulous discovery except for the fact that I am never home at 9am on a normal weekday.
Also great is that I've seriously started training for a 10K again! My body is super sore because the training program I have includes some strength training. I'm going to need that strength training for the swimming portion of the triathalon I hope to do this summer, so I'm glad it's there, and the plan aslo includes some cross training, which I'll do in eather biking or swimming.

And I guess finally this summer Logan and I will likely be heading to either coast (San Francisco or New York) to make some committment rings for ourselves. Logan's middle brother (who I'm not that fond of) lives in NYC, so potentially we'll end up there. I'm just excited that after our initial realization that what we wanted to do was too expensive we've come up with something else cool... and it's this workshop that seems pretty inexpensive that we could actually make our rings!

OK, time for some quality reading time!

OK... so sorry for the laps between posts.

I'm almost done typing up my interviews from this December. Thank goodness. I need to be more motivated in general because when it comes down to it, I have about 4 more months to get this whole "thesis" thing done with.

Spanish has increased in difficulty this semester, potentially because of the teacher, but also potentially be cause it could be a "weeder" class... a class meant to weed out those unfortunate students who can't hack it in the next level up... 300 level spanish... So wow... four years ago I was at that level, and now, back to hoping I don't get weeded out!

My new roommate is great. She and I get a long really well, both enjoy our Gilmore Girls on Tuesday and is vegetarian. No, I haven't returned to complete vegetarianism, but it is still a possibility, especially since about two weeks ago I found out that I have incredibly high cholesterol. Which is partly why I visit the doctor tomorrow. One, to get a second test, because I'm not convinced that in 6 months (!!) my cholesterol went up over one hundred points. Not convinced. But I'm also headed there to figure out my last little bit of medical before sending all the forms into the PC HQ. For some reason, despite having gotten the vaccination years ago, I am apparently not immune to Hep. A. Crazy!

OK, work at LSOP tomorrow, so I've got to get to bed. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow!
(oh, and we had LSOP Open House on Saturday and it went FANTASTIC!)

wonderful wonderful!

Logan and I did go dancing last night, and sadly my coordination has dissapeared over the months we didn't go, but it was a lot of fun, and I even got that margarita I've been wanting!

I've started transcribing my interviews. This one I've started with is super difficult because there are two people and the female is not well miked. A challenge, but that's ok.

I'm going to take a break in just a bit for some Gilmore Girls and then back to my thesis!

back to school, though I don't have much to do by way of classes this semester. I'm in one Spanish class, and 7 hours of thesis credit. I don't know what I have to do to get those thesis credits fulfilled, aside from completing a thesis... but I guess I'll find out.

My trip to Mexico was overall successful. It had me wondering about my decision to join the Peace Corps for a while, but now I'm feeling back to normal.

What's going to be tough about this semester is not the overwhelming amount of work to do for classes, but rather getting myself motivated to complete the thesis, and staying motivated througout the semester. I'm pretty sure that I will be graudating this summer, not this year. I might apply for graudation anyways, just in case I do get my act together and come up with a thesis and defense before mid-April. However, my goal is mainly to enjoy my last 9 or so months in the States, finish a thesis... get my M.S., spend time with my friends and family and Logan, and enjoy myself. I hope to find myself again. Graduate school I feel has made me into someone slightly different that I was when I graduated from KU... someone more absent-minded and more confused about life, someone more stressed. In any case, life has treated me well the past year and a half, but I hope to make it even better.

Logan sadly will be working close to full-time and also only taking 3 classes, so will be super busy. I'm hoping we can keep our weekly date going, especially if we can make it to Salsa dancing on Tuesdays, but I have to wait and see.

I'm also re-invigorating my desire to run a triathalon... starting with getting the 5K and 10K races down! I want to run the Bolder Boulder in the spring (10K)! And then hopefully this summer a sprint-distance triathalon! I wanted to do this ages ago, but the running held me back (because I used to hate it) but now that I acually have hope of running more than 2 miles at a time, I figure no time like the present to get myself in shape for this. It can only but help as I transition to life in Latin America with no personal vehicle.

Speaking of vehicles... about 2 weeks ago I said farewell to my car as it traveled with my sister to Greeley, and I depositied a nice sum of moola into my bank account (yay paid off debt!!!!!!!). So since then (and because of the incredible amounts of snow we've been getting here weekly) I've found myself reliant on friends for transportation (and Logan) as well as the busses and my own two sturdy legs. Today I got done early with an appointment at the dentist, and decided that since it was about an hour till the next bus came that I needed, I would just walk home, which took about an hour anyways (with a detour to the rec center, which was sadly closed).
I'm really liking this new pedestrian-friendly life, but not liking the businesses and homes who continue to not shovel their sidewalks! Seriously people, there are some of us who don't have cars!

I'm forming a new appreciation for the car-less. (and also for the fortunate people with cars and time to drive me places!)

I guess that's it for now. I should spend my time more usefully, ideally in reading about ecotourism (I present on this topic to my church Sunday) or in transcribing my interviews from mexico... but in all likelihood I will be making hot chocolate and watching TV. It is the last day of break, afterall!=

So about time to write another post...

Currently I'm working on my thesis... not right this minute, but I hope to do more work this evening (with what little I have left after skiing all day). This week and the next two are finalizing weeks, but especially this one. I have to get my methodologies down, write my research questions (mostly all written) and double check them, start the application process for Human Subjects approval, and then December 5th I travel to Tulum, Mexico! Que fantastico! I'm scared like none other... it's so huge, traveling on my own to a foreign country, doing research at this conference, having to do the majority of it in Spanish (yikes! guess what I'll be doing over Thanksgiving) and all this for my master's project! I feel incredibly grown-up.

I sure hope I can pull this off. Human Subjects Review takes about a week to get through (or longer) and I have to have their approval before I can do the research... unfortunately I don't know much about my sample population yet, and I won't know if I can actually do research at the conference till the 20th or so (which I need a letter saying I can do research from a conference organizer to get HSR approval)... and so much of this is going to happen more last minute than this! Sheesh.

Beyond that I have my 4 classes to get through as well. I am basically missing the last week before finals for my trip, so I have to get a bunch done before I leave, and then take a test when I come back. I've made a list of everything I need to do to finish out the semester, and it's long, but luckily listing it makes me feel better... now I won't forget to do anything!

I think I'm going to work on my project for Environmental Education tonight... It's due Wednesday. I also hope to type all my research questions. OH! and I should email professors about being gone in Mexico.

Phew! But good news is, I have new skis, and got to try them today! It was a rough start but by the end of the day I'd gotten used to the skis, luckily!

Tomorrow... my first two fillings EVER. :( ah well, I guess it happens to almost everyone!

Well, I had my birthday, it was a really good day. The following day wasn't as good... being nervous about my committee meeting wasn't cool, but it went ok.

Now I have to go buy a ticket to Mexico, and they're double the price than last week when I looked. GRRRRR!

But, I did have a nice sunday school today, we started talking about the mission trip with the senior high kids (and 8th grader this year) and it sounds really neat, and on top of that, a few of the kids requested that I do come on the trip with them. Yay!

We'll be doing work with Humane Borders, which sounds really neat. Providing water to Mexicans trying to cross the desert into the US. Etc...

Now today I'm going to do some studying, then go to Church again for a halloween party:)

working on the thesis proposal with the intent to email it to my professors in 2 hours... it's probably not going to be super complete, but I need to move on to something else for at least a day.

Laura was in town almost this whole week, so I got to see her yesterday after classes in the evening. We couldn't really decide what to do, but then she suggested bingo, so we said awesome! After dinner and a drink at the Trailhead we headed over to Bingo, and two hours later, on the last game of the night, the last call of the night, I won! And if it weren't for two other people having valid bingos, I would have won 500 dollars. As it was, I got 166:) Laura and I split the cash, and she went home. It was some of the most profitable and fun spontaneous time I'd ever had!

Back to the thesis...

yay me, I finished the philosophy midterm and held my own in discussion of them last night. I even made a comment without being called on! I guess silly to be happy about that, but my goal is to at the least have one a week... it's a tough class.

Now I get to work on my thesis again, finally. I think other school work will be placed on hold for the time being.

And it's Friday! Taizé tonight at the student center... I'm going with YUCCA (the Young UCC Adults) and with our Senior High Youth Group. Taizé brothers travel once a year to three places in the world, and this year they're in Fort Collins! So I couldn't resist the opportunity to experience Taizé with them!
http://www.taize.fr/en
Have a good weekend!

Are you ready for this?

I'm quitting one of my jobs (the I-House one) and that makes me sad. However now I will have a bit more time to focus on school and my thesis, which, in about 3 weeks I should be having my first committee meeting to discuss the revised proposal and my research interview quetions, in 4 weeks I should have compiled my Human Subjects Review and will be turning that in and simultaneously figuring out if I can do research at a conference in Mexico early December. Early December I go to the conference, ideally collect all the data I need, and then start transcribing after finals are done. After that, writing the thesis hopefully to get it done and my defense done by early April. Luckily next semester all I enroll in is 6-7 Thesis credits (which is really just writing the thesis... no class involved here) and (of course) a Spanish class because I like to torture myself with doing more than I have to. It sounds sooo ridiculously simple, and even Stu, my advisor, said it's pretty simple from here on out... I have all my background research done, basically. But I can't believe that it is really that simple.
Chalk that up to the 4 classes THIS semseter on top of trying to get my thesis research started!
Chalk it up to the idea that I might not get all of my research done at this conference!
Chalk it up to the fact that the conference might be entirely in Spanish!

But, at least I have a timeline and a basic gameplan.

Now, instead of beginning this process, I have to go back and continue to study and write for my philosophy midterm due Thursday. Once I start it, I know it will flow, but I still have a bit of reading to go!

ps-I'm still incredibly happy at the speed of my computer! It works, and it works well, and it is a functional, happy computer now. No sad macs here (Sex in the City reference!)... to think I almost broke down and just bought a new tower, it would have been at least double what I spent to fix my problema. Happy Happy Happy!

YAY! I can finally post (though I don't have the time to!) becuase I finally got new memory for my computer, and now it actually runs (as opposed to running SOOOOOOO slowly). So, I'm rejoycing this morning in the beauty that is a computer that runs faster. Though I do have to go in and chat with my advisor about my thesis at 10:15... kida intimidating, but it should help get me on task.

Dinner with Xinhua and Angela this afternoon then studying and tea with Logan.

Well a brief update...

end of the summer involved a trip to the boyfriend's family reunion for about 4.5 days straight, and it ended up being fun most of the time (not to disregard the few more difficult times). I got to the Renaissance festival with my sister, my best friend and her significant other (who is now a fiancee).
I moved apartments... the day I got back from the family reunion.
It didn't involve any additional hiking sadly, but did involve some stress at the coming school year and how I could possibly fit work x2, classes x4 and boyfriend and fun and thesis research into one 7x24 hour schedule.

School started halfway through August and I still haven't done any additional concrete research for my thesis, but have managed to forget about my reading assignments for Environmental Education as well as the paper due Monday. Spanish has been good but difficult and I don't know that I'll ever take another graduate-level philosophy seminar class in the evening (7-10pm!). Work with the new folk took getting used to, but is good and I wish I could do that 40 hours a week instead of school.
New people at job numero 2 as well, management staff is taking a while to get used to... such a different dynamic now with two men.

This recent time in my life has also been characterized by a loss in the amount of sleep I've been getting, a loss in quality time with the boyfriend (none till last night/today since 2 weeks ago and maybe more), a decline in the 5K run training with the roomie, but a recent push to keep it up in time for an October race.

Also a nice (except for the couple of day-long headaches) visit last weekend to Houston & Beaumont/Nederland/Port Arthur & Galveston to visit good friends.

So, now to go finish up my Spanish for tomorrow morning (8am!) before midnight after getting off of class today at 10pm!
Love to you all!

Thoughts:

I'm not a drinker... half a cup of beer gives me a nice relaxed buzzy feeling...

I am beginning to enjoy studying again... or at least the reading of interesting and relevant material to my thesis...

I really like editing video... but more often than not it's like drugery and is annoying... but when you get a comment from your boss that you have an eye for it, it makes it all worthwhile!

Trying to teach a man so salsa and merengue who is somewhat too independent to learn the basic steps (but very important stuff) before trying the Pretzle is annoying, but very adorable.

Tomorrow am runnig with Amy! I'm really liking this... some things you just can't do yourself when your brain gets in the way:)

aaaaarrrrggggg little brothers! grrr

in other news, apparently my cousin is now engaged and he and his fiance will be married next July.

I am the happiest I've ever been right now.

Back to work and thesis work. I need to kick my butt in gear with this one, it's already July, which means a month and a half till school starts, basically.

Saw some neat model airplanes yesterday up North of Wellington. Some model airplane club gave an airshow. It was complete with an awesome jet-turbine powered helicoper model and a professional modeler who did a show with his plane to the Stars and Stripes Forever. Totally good! I also got myself a fantastic sunburn... I forgot to apply sunscreen one place... one place! I've also learned that I really don't think I can wear anything but SPF 50 for more than daily walking around. Grr.

I don't think that in the summertime there is anything better than an outdoor swimming pool or a nice long cool bike ride along the Poudre River.

It's especially nice when there is no longer a good adult (as in, not a kiddie pool) oudoor public pool in town, and you end up getting into the Country Club pool for free because the "Munozs' are big in pools" lol.

A good weekend is planned. A hike to Horsetooth Rock tomorrow with my sister, then taking out dad finally for a movie and dinner. Sunday is church and teaching Xinhua (my roommate) how to make cookies!

Good news!

My advisor approved of my research proposal, so with bunches more work to clarify the research, and getting ready for the actual interviews, I'll be started on my research. It's still in the beginning phases, and I suppose there is so much that could go wrong and end up throwing me off track, but there is beginning to be a light at the end of the tunnel! I have a deadline... if I want to graduate this Spring, I need to be done in April, early April.

And the great thing is, if I'm not done then, I have a second chance... to graduate by the summer I have till the beginning of July.

I'm going to try and work as hard as I can to get this research going and off the ground. Tomorrow I'll do a few hours after work and before I go to exercise with a friend. Then I think I'll come back and keep organizing my room/organizing my existing sources for my paper.

Tried out the new huge slides at City Park Pool today... or tried out one, but with the lifeguards telling Logan (who is a fellow lifeguard for the City) that you have to be careful not to fly out of the twisty slide on corners... I left that one out for the time being...

I suppose everyone has days when they are more self-aware than normal, right? Times when that cute bathing suit ends up not looking so great?

The trip to Michigan was really nice. We wanted to go to Niagara Falls, but didn't bring the right paperwork to get back into the US, so instead visited the Thumb of Michigan and Frankenmuth... a day that was ok, and full of driving.

Sunday Sam and I were invited to join the Father's Day celebrations of my Aunt and Uncle and so celebrated the first Funcle's Day ever. A very good time. Sam and I are going to take out our actual dad sometime soon for a movie and dinner.

This weekend should be my first pedicure ever:) Sam owes me one from my birthday last year.

Just continuing to work on the playground science instructional video otherwise. We'll probably be doing some filming Friday morning so I can have more material to work with when Brian leaves town again.

And, I am thinking that life is really good, but graduate school still kind of scares me. But, I think I'll be ok next semester even if I take more classes. I at least know what to expect this time. So I'm resting up and getting prepared for more studying. I suppose I should be studying now, but I barely have the gumption to get some exercise in. Lol. June is almost done, I hope July is more productive!

Another weekend and only a few more days before the entire family (except Matt, I guess) heads out to Michigan for Pat's high school graduation. It's a 2 day drive out there so we'll arrive Friday evening/afternoon (we're leaving Wednesday evening). I'm glad to be going out again, it's been a while since we've been out, and I don't think the Loveland Crandalls have ever been out there. Sadly it's going to be basically an extended weekend since the drive is so long and Sam and I wanted to get home for work so are coming home Tuesday evening. So blocking out Saturday (graduation) and Sunday (graduation party... in their invite... we're the attraction!) it only leaves Monday to go to the zoo. It would be awesome if we could go! A zoo I've never been to.

Maybe I can get Logan to the Denver Zoo at some point.

After this trip, I believe I'll be around Fort Collins for good this summer.

Tomorrow the church votes on whether or not to spend the capital campaign money on building part of the master plan. My guess is, the vote will go through. What is proposed so far seems ok to me, bu tthere are some people who just now decided that they should speak up that they don't like the master plan. huy! congregationalists...

Well, I'm off to start my day!

Laura moves to Colorado Springs tomorrow. I'm kind of sad, even if it is only a 2 hour journey from here. I don't like driving to the Springs in the summer, it is an incredibly hot drive, especially the bit through Denver. I help her move and pack the rest of her boxes and then have church Sunday. I believe the family may be going up to Estes Park for Memorial Day food of some sort, dinner or lunch, I don't know.

Took some video at a shoot yesterday for an instructional video about educational playgrounds this woman designs. Brian is just not meant to be on camera when there is only one.. he moves so fast and I just know this thing is going to be so hard to edit. If I have learned one thing this year, I have learned that I do not have the intuition to be a good cameraman without training like I can with editing. So, luckily I am a good editor and very instinctual. Maybe I can make a video that passes inspection (and gets us paid) and makes sense out of a mockery of a video shoot yesterday. Also, 25 3rd graders are ridiculously hard to film and get to listen to you and not block the camera.

Saw X-Men 3 tonight with Logan and a bunch of his friends and their friends. We took up practically a whole row at the theatre. A good flick, fun and fairly good plot and CGI. A film that should definetly be seen in the theatre on the big screen, though I wouldn't take it as far as seeing it on an IMax.

The Peace Corps interview I had today is done, driving around downtown Denver was successfully accomplished, and was actually kind of fun! AND, it looks like I'll be nominated! I don't know where or what yet because I can't leave till May/June next year, and they don't have concrete details on any of the programs that leave July/August/Sept 07 yet. And I can't be nominated for the previous 3 month departure date because they don't know specific times during it, and I'm not available before mid-May. So the next step is getting my medial forms done (at the end of summer or in September so I don't have to do them again later) and double checking on the PCMI stuff at CSU.

WOO!

I also had to fill out a relationship form because of my new romance... I have some new questions to discuss with Logan... but on the whole I'm not to worried, if we last, we'll last, and if not, I can't regret anything, not dating him, not going into the PC and breaking up... etc.

SO, more laundry today, doing some I-House work, and catching up with Laura later on this afternoon.

Woo!

Kansas here I come!

I'm done with my first year of graduate school. I feel a great pressure just lifted off my life almost. Especially because I think I've made a decision about this summer too. The paper I turned in today was the longest I've ever written, I believe. Even my thesis for honors in biology wasn't 30 pages (26 or 27 excluding references). The cool thing was, I didn't write all those 30 pages in one sitting. I wrote part of it for a different paper due last week, and that paper was based on a revision of a paper I wrote last December. Today and yesterday I wrote about 15 pages.

So now, I work, I try to get my thesis going (!!!) and relax.

Tonight is the 5 month anniversary... we won't be together on our 6th, but that's not why we're getting together... more a celebration of finals and the ability to go Salsa dancing again. The anniversary just kinda made today more special. So I'm going to make some dinner and then we'll go over and (I'm going to for sure!) have some drinks and dance.

So I'm going to head to Kansas next week/weekend for graduation and to visit friends! The non-exciting part about it is that there is an outbreak of a mutated form of mumps going around at KU... it affects people who have had the shot. That is so crazy. Lol.

To finishing a full year of graduate school and surviving extremely well!

It has been a lovely weekend. Now, over because I'm preparing a presentation for class tomorrow morning. I'm hoping it won't take me too long. Then I'm sleeping!

Sam is home, and so far we've seen each other all three days she's been here. I'm so glad to have summer so close. We played some games yesterday and listened to Garrison Kielor's show... we did mainly because it's good, but also because one of the local groups that played on his show yesterday are a family (the Greenes) we know from church. And then today in senior high sunday school (which I am now helping Bill with, and next year too) Josh, the eldest Greene came in, so it was fun listening to what he had to say about performing on A Prairie Home Companion yesterday. Sam and I really wanted Garrison to talk to the family, especially because Jonah, their youngest (11 years) who plays the drums would have been hilarious.
Check out their website: http://www.freewebs.com/thegreenesband/

Then today later in the afternoon Sam and I went swimming at EPIC and enjoyed ourselves.

Ontology... an interesting word. Something I have to consider for my presentation tomorrow and subsequent paper due Thursday. Ontology: the study of being, the word about the essence of things, the word about being. Madeleine L'Engle calls a blueberry bush ontological, it doesn't have the opportunity to be prideful or selfish, a bush just is, humans on the other hand have to work to just be.

"I go to the brook because I get out of being, out of the essential. So I'm not like the bush, then. I put all my prickliness, selfishness, in-turnedness, onto my isness; we all tend to, and when we burn, this part of us is consumed. When I go past the tallest blueberry bush, where my twine is tied to one of the branches, I think that the part of us that has to be burned away is something like the deadwood on the bush; it has to go, to be burned in the terrible fire of reality, until there is nothing left but our ontological selves; what we are meant to be." pg. 7 "A Circle of Quiet"

The semester is wrapping up quickly

This week hasn't been as horrible as I was expecting it to perhaps be. I had a presentation Tuesday and got the one today changed to Monday, and then I had a paper due today for my theory class. The paper wasn't so bad, and actually was at its heart a revision of the research proposal I wrote last semester, and so I actually liked what I was writing for the first 2/3rds of the paper (till I got to the methods section and the last half of the literature review... and also cause it was 2:30am!).

Next up is a paper due Friday at noon, which is going to be the hardest one of the three I have/had to do. It's about the norm activation model proposed by Schwartz (a norm is what people percieve as what "should or ought to be" and there are personal and social norms... they can predict behavior and are activated by different concepts, of which I studied Awareness of Consequences and Ascription of Responsibility) and trying to apply it to visitor behaviors at archaeological sites in Jordan. The data was done by someone else and already in the statistics program, but I had to choose what analyses to run and now have to write a paper on it. I still don't completely understand the concepts, but, I'll wing it:)

I have a new roommate, her name is Xinhua and she's from China. So far she's quiet and keeps to herself for the most part. She is really nice, and we've had some exchanges mainly related to hooking up her tv in her room and about how the microwave sparks. But, its dead week (week before finals) and soon finals week, so we're busy. I hope we can get to know each other well.

In terms of Stanford, they do not pay for housing, so I honestly don't know if I can go and do this internship. And I kinda just want a break. I got a scholarship (!!!) which now means I have to stay as a full time student when I had been planning on only taking 6 credits and relaxing a bit. I'm going to take Spanish though, so it will be more relaxing than three full time graduate or upper level classes. And I am getting excited about the idea of maybe having come up with my own project, actually doing my own research, that I think will be incredibly beneficial and add to the literature (which is such a huge requirement) on community based ecotourism. So, we'll see if I even get offered it!

So, I'm going to see what I can do with this Friday paper tonight so I am not up again super late tomorrow.

Grwarrrrr!
I'm way to up and down, even in a single day, for my own good.

well, I was called out and am a computer un-nerd. comment moderation, didn't know what that was and thanks to dear Naomi I discovered a backlog of comments! WOOHOO! So thanks to everyone for their comments. Erika, I hope you enjoy TA Barron... I started with 'The Merlin Effect" fyi. Lindsay, yup, I have a blog, and isn't it nice? I hope the vertigo hasn't come back. Naomi, you will always be far more technologically superior than I... and yeah, further away, but still a fun place to visit.

I was looking at a map last night and discovered that if I end up in Stanford I could visit the cities I was born and spend the first few months of my life in (Oakland and Walnut Creek, CA)! But then I also realized that if I want to visit San Francisco in my car, I should probably psych myself up for the massive hills.

And the best thing is, yesterday evening after I let Logan know the good news, he surprised me by coming over and congratulating me! It's good to know that he's not clingy, I guess, and that he is so supportive! Did I ever say it? I'm in love! :)

Naomi! I guess you're pretty busy... here I've got this great website you can post on now and not a word from you! (just giving you a hard time!).

So last Wednesday I mailed in my internship application to Stanford (which is in Palo Alto, CA apparently) and received this email today:

"Heather,
We were very impressed by your credentials, and we have short-listed you for the upcoming internship opportunity at CESD-Stanford. As such, I would very much like to conduct a phone interview with you sometime during the next few days.
Please let me know your availability during business hours for the following dates: Friday, April 28; Monday, May 1; and Tuesday, May 2. And, please submit a phone number where you can be reached during those times. With this information, I will arrange to speak with you for twenty minutes.
I will then notify you by Friday, May 5 as to whether or not you have beenawarded the internship position.
I look forward to talking with you soon.

Best,
Geraldine
Stanford Coordinator
Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development"

It's really exciting, provided that if I get it I can pay for housing this summer. A great opportunity, but really, whether I get it or not, they are impressed with my credentials, with ME! Stanford!

So, I'm beginning to wonder when I will stop coming across these really great opportunities that test my independence as a woman and committment to getting my degree.

I found out on Monday about this amazing sounding internship in Stanford at the Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development. It is an internship that focuses mainly on research the entire summer about community based ecotourism in Central America, AND when I emailed the lady accepting applications, she said I could use what I do during the internship for my Masters project. So.... I applied and shipped it overnight to Stanford yesterday morning. If I get this that means a temporary vacate from my apartment for the summer (so I can come back, but don't have to pay rent) finding an apartment in Stanford, carting enough of my stuff there in my very small car to make the new apartment liveable, working straight through the summer for 10 weeks, 40 hours a week (UHG, I need a break!!) doing almost nothing but reading, and probably coming back the week after school starts here, unless I miss my cousin's high school graduation in June and go out earlier to Stanford.

So, great opportunity, and I am sure I'd enjoy it, and it would be the first summer I've ever spent outside of Colorado (a good thing to experience I think) but I wouldn't get to do all these things I'd been planning on for the summer. I wanted to hike some 14ers and spend time with my sister and go on a road trip with Laura and work at LSOP and spend time with Logan. But... I hope I get it, I really really hope I do. Life would be easier, and I might actually be able to get out of the MS program in 2 years. WOW. So, right now everything is up in the air till I start hearing back from all these opportunities. But keep it in mind, I may be in Stanford this summer. :)

Did I ever say? I went to a Guster concert a few weeks ago and it was amazing. I really had a good time despite some sweaty tall drunk guys who were being jerks for about a half hour. But it was fun! I'm going to try getting to more concerts more often, because the music is just so different when you hear it live.

Happy Easter!

Had good family time this weekend, and my aunt is going to frame my diploma from KU for me, so I can't wait till I get it back and can hang it up for everyone to see. I still sometimes forget that I actually have a degree... still being in school and all that.

I will be having a new roommate move in May 1st. She's originally from China. And then sometime this summer, perhaps in August before school starts again, I'll move in with Amy L., my current co-worker (and technically boss... she's the manager, I'm the manager's assistant...) and friend once she's no longer the manager and therefore no longer entitled to the two person room with just her in it. I took her some cookies today and we had a nice chat, along with her neighbor, Chris from England, from across the hallway. I wish I could move in with her earlier, but it sounds like it is not to be. I'm looking forward to my new roommate, but am not sure how to manuver my things so that I feel like it is still my apartment, but so that she feels that she can add a personal touch to it as well.

So, I'm back to studying. I actually did quite a good job today of that, despite starting later than I should have and watching more TV than I should have. Meh.

so unless I get offered a Biology Lab TA position (which pays for my tution as well as a stipend) then I'll be working at Little Shop again next year. We'll see... I am pretty darn sure that I'm going to get the biology position with my experience, but who knows. That would make life easier, by far easier, I could work faster on paying of my car repair debt and wouldn't be adding any additional loans for next year. So the current plan is to work like there is no tomorrow to get research started and then graduate next May and go into the Peace Corps.

I'm looking forward to the summer!

I just got offered a job... or at least requested to apply to a job through the office of Service Learning and Civic Engagement as the graduate coordinator for Americorps at CSU for next year. Dilemma. It sounds like a really great opportunity, I'd be working 20 hours a week (so not all that much, meaning I can still go to school/class) and I'd be earning significantly more than I currently do... and I still don't know about that GTA biology lab TA bit (which would earn a ton more than either LSOP or the Americorps position). So, a really great sounding job, working with people in the Americorps and in a coordinator type role... something I know I would be good at, my brain just works like that. The only catch is, it's a year long position, and the second is, it starts this summer, and I've already kinda decided I'd be working LSOP this summer (really, for lack of a better job) and I had plans for a lot of travel this summer too. I don't know what to do.

On top of that, I just had an idea for an actual research project not affiliated with the Peace Corps in any way... actual research... and something I might do anyways because it would help me if I enter the PC and it's just something I think needs to be done... basically a study of a number of Latin American community-based projects (hopefully they exist... I think they do) to analyze the strategies they use and overall what they view as the difficulties and benefits of such projects. The literature seems to me missing just such a study. Oh my God... I think I finally became a graduate student.

UHG! Well, maybe I express interest, and hope to hear from the PC recruiter soon so I get more of an idea of when I might be scheduled for departure... really, I feel like maybe if I got my act together, especially this summer and next fall, I may only have to push PC back one semester, and I could graduate with my MS in the Spring next year then enter the Peace Corps?

Also, I should talk to Stu about this.

Crap...I didn't really want an opportunity or an idea like this to come my way... I know I was saying if I found a good job I might just quit graduate school and put this whole bit on hold because it's hard and I didn't know what I was doing in terms of research... but I didn't expect to get a job offered to me in the context of school and simulaneously (I mean, I thought of this idea THIS MORNING) come up with a potential research project.

Whoa.

Friday night turned out to be the best date for what I needed. I guess I get easily freaked out because my mind is always working double time in the thinking department... and unfortunately not in the school department, like I wish... and for the past few times we'd seen each other, we'd stayed in and for whatever reason hadn't talked that much. So Friday at the Cherry Blossom FAC we had time to talk, and quite a bit of it, and then his friends invited us to a movie so we went and saw Inside Man (a Spike Lee movie you should see... it's trippy... a movie hasn't confused me like that since Mission Impossible). So it was good all around... we talked, we actually went out instead of renting a movie or having tea at my place, and I got more "face-time" with some of his friends, whom I have still yet to meet most of (though I'm sure I'll recognize them cause many are from high school).

So yeah, life's back to being good. And can I say, I believe I'm finally falling incredibly hard for Logan? I think I held back a little bit because of PC off in the future but for whatever reason, I've started falling for him even more than I already had. Yikes!

In other news, I've not gotten quite used to the homework and schoolwork routine yet after my Spring Break in Panama. So that's going to mean some hard core working on school stuff tonight... meh. School has kinda stopped bothering me. I'm more ambivalent about it... perhaps it is because already, my coursework is almost over (one more semester!) and maybe it's because I'm realizing if I don't want to do this, I don't have to and I can quit. I'm going to stick it out though.
I'm also going to see Guster in concert this Saturday! WOO! I'm super excited, especially because I don't have to leave Fort Collins to see them as they're playing the Aggie Theatre. I invited Ryan up to see them with me cause he likes Guster and introduced me to them last year. SO... my second concert ever:) and it's going to be great!

panama wrapup

me gusta Panama! Such a lovely place... so green and humid and warm. We met only nice, welcoming people. Now I feel like I've got some new aunts and uncles, as well as un mas abuelita.
I'm still processing the trip. It's caused me to question much more about my future, which while frustrating will end up being a good think in the end whatever happens with Peace Corps.
I'm looking forward to seeing Logan... drat busy schedules, I can't see him till Thursday.

To bed, b/c I'm super tired... it's 2 hours later in Panama!

Woohoo! Spring Break:) I'm so glad that it is finally here... we can all use the break. I leave for the airport Sunday at 7:30am. The flight leaves at 11am and by 10pm (Pacific Time) we are in Panama City! We spend the night there and then Monday we drive across Panama following the Canal and have lunch in the outskirts of Colon. The next 6 days or so we spend half the day building a birdwatching platform for the community, and the other half we spend in cultural tourism.
I'll talk to you all after break!

Snow.... I don't know if I'm happy or not... I like snow, but I also was really enjoying our 60 degree weather. Well, maybe if it stays cold and snowy when I get down to Panama on Sunday night, the hot and humid weather will feel nice by comparison rather than stiflingly hot.

I cut my hair off yesterday. Yay! And it was free, which is always nice. I wish I knew how many inches it was... at least 5 I'd say.
Ok, I'm off to class and work... wish me luck leading discussion in recreation behavior theory today!

I'm back from a day of inspiring Girl Scout leaders to be the best they can be and from a night of watching the Oscar nominated short documentary films. If I had been less tired, the films would have been more enjoyable... but I'm glad I went. The place I went I just discovered, and it makes my heart sing! The Denver Film Society has a place in Denver that shows international and independent films and things such as the Oscar nominated short documentaries and short fiction films. WOO!
I'm super excited too that they will be showing CSA: Confederate States of America. This film I saw maybe 2 or 3 years ago in Lawrence. It was directed by Kevin Wilmott... the first film teacher I ever had. He took it to Sundance along with the co-producer (I believe) Matt Jacobson, who I took my video production class from, and it was picked up for distribution by Spike Lee.
SWEET!!!
So, whenever it starts playing, be expecting me (if you live in CO) to be dragging you to see it... it's a part of my history, and the film means a lot to me in the sense that it was made in Lawrence, by people I know and respect, and I got to see the film at the Kansas premiere... so, I want to share that part of my life with my Colorado friends!
http://denverfilm.org/scheduledetail.cfm?MOVIEID=1024775
whoa... it's playing the 10th through the 16th... so that means this will be a really soon thing...

Current mood... yuck. Current face condition, still completely sunburnt. The only good thing about this week is that is it is almost over and that I did get to go skiing.

Currently Listening
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
By Sarah Mclachlan

this is a busy week, phew. Little Shop of Physics has the annual Open House this Saturday 10-6pm (for those of you in town...) and we have lots of prep going on for that, and I have a number of assignments coming due... as well as a new roommate who potentially will be moving in this weekend??? Maybe, that's totally a guess, but the custodial does come tomorrow to clean the apartment for her...


I love where I work, so much, so much. It makes my life so enjoyable. Why don't I just quit school and do this? Because maybe I'm meant to create something this cool somewhere else and I'm not there yet? Because I really do enjoy learning and school? Because because because...
Sometimes I try to stop trying to explain things. I can do this with God... I don't need explanations, I have faith. I try to have faith in my everyday life... faith in myself that I can do what I set for myself to do, faith in my relationships, that they are good and faith in my friends and family that they are good people... it comes and goes, that faith. I think God wants me to be more faithful in my everyday life. Is it strange that for me I much easier have faith in God than in things that surround me? Perhaps it is because things surrounding me technically should have explanations... God doesn't need any?


So, random musings for the day. I'm getting some work done, cleaning some dishes and going to a Panama Spring Break meeting. Tonight we get our packng lists. I love packing lists!

ps. for those of who who are discovering this blog for the first time, I'm still updating it from my old blog... might as well, right? So keep checking back for more as the semester continues. Just make sure to look at the date of the post... the posts are currently from a year ago!

Currently Reading

Studies in Outdoor Recreation: Search and Research for Satisfaction

By Robert E. Manning


I'm just working on some homework in preparation for a test Monday. Then I have to get my move on with a survey I need to design for another class assignment due Tuesday.

Heard back from the radiologist... no breaks, fractures or dislocations! Just a plain old sprain. Logan's dying his hair red next... he said he didn't want to get hurt at the rock concert he's going to in a few weeks should he show up with pink (now turning orangeish) hair. Sheesh! heheheNext Saturday (the 25th) at LSOP Open House, I'll be meeting Logan's Aunt, Uncle and two young cousins. Oh, and we were almost discovered today at work... I was showing someone the pictures I took on the walk in to school this morning (beautiful snow!) and had forgotten that Valentine's Day pictures were also on there. Oops.Today after work I actually made it to the rec center with Laura and we got our work-out on. Man, I miss swimming. I'm asking the doctor tomorrow when I can swim!


Ya'll take care my friends. Have a happy weekend!



It is fun to have confetti and chaos every now and again.=)Mmmm, swimming! I'm taking an HSES class and it makes me smile- forced swimming twice a week!
Posted 2/17/2006 5:44 PM by Shannona

Yay!!!

So last night I made white chocolate macadamia nut cookies for Logan and took them over to him. He seemed surprised... he said it threw him off. hehe. Tonight he's making me dinner!


Today I'm trying a new wrap for my wrist... I've worn this before for my cyst, so I'm hoping that overall it will still support my hand but not feel like I'm cutting off circulation and make it feel worse:)

Add to that list of stupid things I've done... riding my bike on an icy morning. The result? A fall and a sprained wrist. First ever. But, I'm doing ok! Happy Weekend!



Oh my! Hope that got better over the weekend. BE CAREFUL!
Posted 2/12/2006 4:41 PM by steph421

Man, I was really productive tonight! Granted, it wasn't that I did a whole lot of stuff... but what I said I wanted to do, I've accopmlished for the most part. All that is left is to prepare briefly for my class I teach tomorrow. It will be interesting trying to get there with enough time to prepare as we just got a bunch of beautiful snow... finally!!!!!!!!!!!!


I mean, I even made and ate a fantastic dinner tonight, and there are tons of leftovers. Also good, saw Logan, he was able to eat some of my food (he had Japanese Bowl for 2.5 hours tonight.. yikes!) since he hadn't been home for dinner yet anyways. And, Natalie is moving out this weekend. I feel bad that I'm glad to be rid of her... she's had a hard semester thus far... she's back with no money trying to make school work so she can get her PhD... but she's annoying, incredibly annoying. If she'd listen to my advice, I'd give it more often, but she just constantly refutes it or say she already knows that. She makes huge assumptions and should I begin to talk to her about anything it will last at least a good half hour or more. Oh man, I don't know.


Anyways, time to move on to my last task for the night. And then it's Friday! happy happy day! And tomorrow night I get to see Citizen Kane and a French New Wave film for only $3.50!

I should be in bed right now, but because I had to use the bathroom before doing so...
The door wouldn't open! I found myself trapped in my own room! I've been studying with the door closed because otherwise my roommate just keeps talking to me... not bad in certain circumstances... but tonight I had to type up a paper for class tomorrow at 8am. Anyways, I went to go to the bathroom, and the bedroom door wouldn't open! And it wasn't locked either... cause of course it would be quite easy to solve if that were the case. I pulled out my handy toolkit and found some things to play around with and try to make the door open, but it started to take longer than expected, and I was really starting to worry that I'd have to climb out my window and run around to the front door of my apartment (thank goodness now for the first floor apartment!) but luckily I jimmied it open after maybe 10 minutes.


That was one of the strangest things that has happened to me ever. I don't know that I'll be closing my door again for a while, so it's lucky that the roomie is moving out this weekend.
:)

the pink hair glows in the dark room.


He died it pink because he got called in to train at work on Saturday which he had planned to go skiing during and was probably the best day of skiing this season so far. So, he felt a little ornry (sp?).


I'm dropping one of my classes, and it feels really good. Especially cause I can still possibly take an independent study with that teacher over that subject this summer! Now maybe life will be a little more relaxing.

Currently Listening

Demon Days

By Gorillaz



I just spent some great time with Laura tonight crafting and watching movies. Course, Natalie was in the room the entire time and commenting on the movies and making a general nusiance of herself. But whatever. It was Laura-Heather time and was needed. She's in love, my childhood best friend. She's in love with a man who is good, and a man who will be in Iraq next October, and who is in training in Georgia now. She's taking it well, so well, especially considering the fact that here I am with my amazing new relationship wanting to talk about it and she does, and she's happy for me and she's happy herself (though sometimes lonely, I get the impression). To bed!


oh, and Logan's dyeing his hair pink... tonight I heard the first stage - bleaching - was almost complete. I'm trying hard to be open-minded, but really, in general I find it hilarious. I told my dad... a warning of sorts today should we have dinner with my parents while it's still pink, and all Dad said was, "it's not my hair." Dad's a good man, and Logan... he's just crazy:)

Currently Listening

Garden State

By Various Artists


Go see the film Munich. But don't go see it at any showing later than 9pm, because it is three hours and all you want to do is cry afterwards and that's not conducive to sleep. It is a brilliant film. I highly recommend it. Many "oh!" moments for the cinematography and a solid A+ for the portrayal of the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. I'll leave it at that. Course, I am extremely fascinated by the subject anyways... but it's a Spielberg, and some of his best are the ones that deal with sticky issues and history.

Thank goodness for a life that has calmed down a bit more in recent days. I feel like I can breath again! And I can't help but like Wednesday evenings. Soup Night always puts a smile on my face, and it isn't just because of the free dinner. I get to chat with friends and enjoy good food and amazing conversation. Onto studying and a staff meeting!

P.S.: I am in love!

Just had a wonderful day that isn't over yet. I spent the day at the Abbey of St. Walburga with my college youth group (YUCCA - Young UCC Adults) and we planned the service we're leading Feb. 26th. Then I came home for a bit of family time and had not that tasty Chinese (not the highlight of the day) and now Logan is coming over to pick me up.


Tomorrow is the day of massive studying with Amy about Comm. Based Natural Resource Management. Her thesis for her minor in conservation biology is, coincidentally, the same as my proposal

Can I just give a shout out in thankfulness for relationships that are open in their communication!? WOO-HOO!


I'm tired today, but going to bed early and waking up in 8 hours ideally refreshed and ready for some studying before school.

"There can be no doubt that the desire lovers have for each other is not so very different from friendship - you might say it was friendship gone mad."Seneca, Letters from a Stoic

Currently Listening

Demon Days

By Gorillaz




I'm tired already and school is only 2 days in! This semester is going to be challenging:)

I had a brief period of not wanting school to start up again (and iterations of it all leading to Logan and I having to break up should we last that long, when I head to the Peace Corps assignment next January... sooo horrible and far reaching of me, I know... but I couldn't help it the thought came unbidden) but now I'm looking forward to it. I went to collect some textbooks today fully expecting one or two only, like last semester. nope. I have one text for one class, none for two classes, and seven texts for my community based natural resource management class. Books with these titles:
-Communities and the Environment: Ethnicity, Gender and the State in Community-Based Conservation-Working through Environmental Conflict: The Collaborative Learning Approach-Collaborative Environmental Management: What Roles for Government?-Bowling Alone-Groundwork for Community-Based Conservation: Strategies for Social Research-Swimming Upstream: Collaborative Approaches to Watershed Management& -Making Collaboration Work: Lessons from Innovation in Natural Resource Management

So looking at all these books makes me wish I had more money, but mainly makes me excited for this class and this semester and for the Peace Corps again. This is what I want to work in. All along I knew there should be a field that combined biological knowledge with working with people so they can begin to learn the importance of conservation, getting people involved in the process and excited about it. Involvement so they can see the benefits of conservation and the risks of utilitarianism and ubermanagement. Yay! Also it's very positive to see so many books, now that I think about it. I am so tired of reading articles. I know it won't stop, but it's nice to have some books that have to at least have some semblence of interest to readers beyond just the scholars of the world. Easier language so it becomes a faster read.

My roommate might be moving out. I hope this isn't God's way of letting me know to appreciate her despite her talkative nature and messy habits by giving me a new roommate next month who smokes and drinks and steals and is a pig etc.... Or cooks smelly food with my pots.
I'm in the process of hopefully reformatting my computer and clearing the drive and having a fresh start for the upcoming year. I hope to get rid of some viruses I have and finally eliminate Windows Millenium from the computer and completely switch to XP. Today I pulled all my music off my computer and archived it for the time being. Tomorrow I'm hoping to back up most everything else and go through the steps to rid myself of the viruses.

I've also decided that the second week of school I'm going to take my car in to have the ball joints replaced like was recommended. As I said before, I learned that it is a safety hazard to leave it un-fixed because a wheel could pop off. Logan mentioned his concern, which was sweet, and I had been thinking that I won't ever have the money for it, so might as well do it sooner. It ends up being under 500 dollars, which I don't thing is too bad.

Now, to bed! Church tomorrow and more getting ready for the new school year. Also some swimming if I can manage it.:)

Yesterday was hilarious in the sense that it ended up being just Logan, Natalie and I on the trip. Througout we were dropping hints like it was nobody's business because it was fun and I think because the day was a slow one (Nat's learning snowboard still, and we're both better than her). She was utterly clueless, despite the fact that she found out Logan got me free skis, we went skiing together last week, and he carried my skis (how sweet!) for me back to the car. Clueless, amazingly clueless. hehe

Otherwise things are uneventful. Classes start Tuesday as does the amazing busy life that I call mine. I'm doing a Girl Scout training in Greeley on Wednesday (stupidly signing up for it before checking my class schedule... I'll have to miss half of my last class that day) with my mom, which should be fun. I think she's aready super nervous, and I'll end up being lead trainer. Woo!

I'm off to finish some stuff up before heading to bed. I'm getting back to my school schedule for sleeping (except for tomorrow evening).

Currently Listening
Our Little Corner of the World: Music From Gilmore Girls
By Various Artists

More skiing tomorrow. This time I get to try out these nice Demo Pro skis. Having a boyfriend who works at Christy Sports rocks. This time it will be Natalie, Logan and I on the slopes, and potentially (and hopefully!) Kevin and Stephanie, should they decide to come.
School starts a week from tomorrow....

oh! and today I managed to make myself a (very makeshift) bookshelf out of my TV box and duct tape. Now I don't have books and movies lying around on the floor. Maybe once I get it completely structurally sound I'll cover it with fabric or paint it.

Currently Listening
Fijacion Oral vol. 1
By Shakira


Things are good, despite finding out that if a ball joint does break my tire could just fall off. lol. I guess I'll have to go get those replaced.

Dancing with Logan at Suite 152 on Thursday night. His first time was not that bad, but hopefully I can get him to some lessons. There is nothing better than dancing with a man who knows how to lead and can dance well (unless he can cook... it is a close tie).

Today I'm off to a craft day with my Panama Spring Break group so we can make bunches of cool stuff to hopefully sell at the Flea Market when school starts up again. (The Flea Market is actually a place in the Student Center where people can sit and sell stuff.)

And tomorrow is a historic day in my life. I will be attending the National Western Stock Show, which I have never done before. I'm both looking forward to it, and also a little bit dreading it since I do have to be there all day. Little Shop of Physics was requested to come down and have a booth there tomorrow to represent CSU (as we are the ag/land grant school). So whoohoo for being one of the only people wearing tie-die there!

I'm off to work again today after a few days of fun with friends and family. The application packet for Amazing Race was probably sent off by Dad yesterday. It feels really wierd to call myself one of those people who applies to reality tv shows, but it certainly was funny to do so (the video is good!). So, wish us luck. Either way, if we get it, or if we don't, it will be good. If we get it, we get to go around the world! And might win some money. If we don't get it, that's a whole lot of time I don't have to worry about taking off from work or school.

Went skiing yesteday with Logan and his younger brother Ian. Ian went off to do his own thing and Logan was nice enough to stay with me all day (which I guess should be expected) despite being much better than me (and I haven't been for at least two years).
Sam's making dinner tonight for the family, so I'll be home tonight.

And an update about the roomate. I think as we live together we're beginning to understand each other. It isn't so bad right now. Natalie turned 24 yesterday and I made it home, took a shower, and still had time to hang out in the living room with her and her friends from I-House to help celebrate her birthday. So that was good. I don't feel like such a bad roommate for leaving on her birthday.

Oh, yes, yes yes yes. 2006 has started remarkably well... just as 2005 ended remarkably well. Steph, you and Ben may well be right about your comment about mixing boys and vegetarianism... however I will have it known that I already have become more of a vegetarian for health rather than any obscure moral reason...

Happy New Year my friends! YAY!

Hey amigos, I need your help. My dad and I are applying to The Amazing Race to be filmed in June 2006, we figured, why not. We could see the world, possibly win a million dollars and get to spend time together. Anyways, one of the application questions is "What famous person reminds you of yourself?" and I'm pretty much stuck. I was thinking Audrey Tautou as Amelie... but that's a character not a famous person. So, do you have any suggeststions? lol. the questions they ask are all pretty interesting. We're also trying to come up with an idea for our three minute audition tape too.
Oh, this is funny!
Gracias!

That is awesome!!! oh my gosh, it'd be so cool if you guys got on there. I love that show! You'd be my first friend-turned-reality-show-contestant! As far as the questions go, that's tough. You kinda remind me of Eleanor Roosevelt- very humanitarian and wise. Or think of someone funny. You gotta stand out, of course. They want TV drama. Sound super competitive. Good luck and let us know what you end up doing on the tape!
Posted 12/29/2005 9:46 AM by steph421

Thank you, and Happy New Year's as well!!! You know, I watched the first season of the Amazing Race but haven't watched it for a long time. I would totally make time to watch if you made it on - that would be so cool!! Haha! And you definitely wouldn't be one of those fighting teams! I'm not sure if I can help you with the question, though. Have you decided on anything yet?
Posted 12/30/2005 2:42 PM by uruka

I am happy! Life, despite my car being in the repair shop, and being incredibly behind at one of my jobs, is good. I'm looking forward to a new year and a new semester and the challenges that it will present. I'm looking forward to this new relationship that, for the first time ever, is actually something good that might just last a bit longer than the last relationship (wait, it already did... lol). I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with my family tomorrow before work starts up again Monday. I'm looking forward to life. Even the car bit, I've learned a bit more about cars and what you do when the car breaks down and you have to get it towed somewhere. I've learned not to work three jobs during the same week and much less, during the same freaking day, especially the week before Christmas. Last night Logan and I went to a caroling party thrown by a friend of mine from high school. It was actually, really nice and I got to see tons of people I hadn't seen for years, including one long-lost friend from 9th grade and part of 10th who has been in Croatia for the last year and a half. Then we went to my apartment and watched the Skeleton Key and basically, it was good... it was all good.

God Bless you all and Merry Christmas!

Hanging out ended up being picking Logan's younger brother, Ian, up from the airport last night. It was nice though. On the way down we just talked, I met Ian, and then on the way back was more chatting and comfortable silences. That's pretty rare, the only person I've ever had comfortable silences with is my Dad... maybe Mom and I'm sure a friend or two. Tomorrow night we're going Salsa dancing and then probably watching the Skeleton Key.

I'm ready for a break. I know it is break, but I can't wait until this week is over because then there will be just less in general for me to cram into each day. The new job working on vacates for I-House is going well, but I'm behind. I don't think that matters though. Especially because yesterday I went in to talk with the office manager and she found a bunch of vacates that weren't done by one of the managers that I now add to my growing pile. I wish I'd said no to this job, it's kinda ongoing and something I should take an hour each day to do, but can't necessarily. After Christmas it will get better however.

I'm off to LSOP to work and then the library to work and then some vacates and then a staff meeting at I-House.

**edit** I passed all my classes with As and A-s (apparently in grad school A- is not a 4.00, though) and that's super exciting!

Woo, back at home for the next week or so. The roomie doesn't seem bad so far, but she is slightly messier it seems, but not bad. And the room smells different, but she is a different person than Karin blah blah. I feel kinda bad leaving her there while I'm home with family for Christmas when I could be getting to know her. But it was her decision to come back here right when everyone else will be out of town. I don't know why she did that. Do Armenians celebrate Christmas? I should ask when I next see her.

I'm just glad to be off of school, whatever I end up doing during the days during my vacation. Even the trying to manage multiple jobs isn't bad considering I don't have to worry about having to read anything or do any homework. I needed the break so bad. And now I'm crafting myself to death, which I like. Though knitting is a bit harder than I thought, I really messed up something on my sister's scarf today and after taking out 5 rows still didn't figure out what I had done, but somehow fixed it. lol

I'm also going to be reading alot. I really wanted to pick up the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but found, to my dismay, that I packed it away when I was back in my parents' house in September because I just had too many books to fit on the shelf. Why did I think it was one that I wouldn't read again in the near future? Curses. Tomorrow perhaps I'll find a copy at the library, but I doubt it (stinkin movie).

Tomorrow night I am also going to be heading for coffee with Logan, and then just general "hanging out." Any clues as to what this might mean to a guy? In any case, it will be nice.
'night and Merry Christmas to everyone!


Yay for being back home! I feel the same way about jobs- I'd rather manage odd jobs full time over break than be in school. School is stinky! And yay for another date or get-together, whatever, with Logan. You'll have to let me know how that goes!
Posted 12/20/2005 9:34 PM by steph421

I'm done! And Karin moved out tonight, which was sad. As the semester went on we ended up talking a lot more and I like her, she was just so different from anyone I know, but cool. So my new roommate, Natalya from Armenia moves in Saturday, which means that tomorrow the custodial staff will be cleaning the apartment all day. Ugh. The funny thing is, Natalya is the same girl who moved out from my room in September so I could move in, and now she is back.
I've heard horror stories about the dishes she leave in the sink forever, and the food she leaves uncovered in the fridge and lets mold, and this dish she cooks that smells bad... but I've also heard that she is very nice. So, I'm hoping for the best, and stocking up on plastic wrap and remembering that nothing can be as bad as Sophmore year (despite the good friendship formed!)

Good point. Why would someone lie about a thing like that! Lol! Best of luck with the new roommate. Maybe you can lay some ground rules together at the beginning so that things don't get tense later on? Grossness should not be tolerated!
Posted 12/16/2005 10:23 PM by uruka

Test? Completed! Left? Two smallish papers for my Ecotourism class. My goal is to have them done by Thursday afternoon.

Today starts my Christmas Break work-athon, or what ends up looking like one anyways. Suddenly I find myself with four jobs, and also advertising to the Mom's Club that I will be babysitting over the break. That on top of all the reading I'd like to do and the craft-making I'm doing for Panama fundraising along with craft-making for Christmas presents and just other things I'd like to do, like hanging out with friends, going out with Logan (though apparently he'll be working a ton too) and being with my family.

I think I can manage it:) And I'm excited to be working all these different jobs.
My passport is supposed to come tomorrow, which is super exciting!

Tonight I got to participate in some package wrapping at the new Barnes and Noble in Loveland with Clayton, the director of service learning at CSU. He's going with us on the Panama trip because he knows Spanish. He's such a neat guy, and we had just wonderful conversation the past two hours. I met him before Panama because he came to chat with my research methods class about service learning and involving the community in your research etc. And then I met up with him after that to just discuss how my project will be different becuase I'm going into the Peace Corps.
So tonight was great because we just had lots of conversation about how the country is treating change towards being more inclusive of different cultures and how we deal with the change, and how it isn't inclusive and stuff about indigenous cultures and how people alienate themselves and then come back to the culture depending on what is more beneficial. Anyways, incredibly interesting. So during this 2 hour period I came along alot further in my thinking about grades verses just having great life experiences. I have an awful statistics test tomorrow morning, but I would rather have had this conversation tonight than an A on my final and in my class. I feel much better about life if I have these experiences, rather than focusing so much on my studies. Maybe it's a handy way to excuse myself from the studying that needs to be done, but so far my life experiences haven't gotten in the way of anything I want to do academically.

So now, I do continue to study:)

haha, I think I called you back like right after you entered this post! I like to disrupt people's studying! You better watch out or you're gonna like two boys :) Heather's such a guy magnet.
Posted 12/12/2005 10:10 PM by steph421

Oh Kansas and evolution...Grades are sooooo overrated.
Posted 12/13/2005 11:32 AM by Shannona

Currently Listening
Rent (1996 Original Broadway Cast)
By Jonathan Larson, Jeff Potter, Anthony Jackson, Daniel A. Weiss, Ira Siegel, Kenny Brescia, Steve Skinner, Adam Pascal, Aiko Nakasone, Anthony Rapp, Byron Utley, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Fredi Walker, Gilles Chiasson, Gwen Stewart, Idina Menzel, Jesse L. Martin, Kristen Lee Kelly, Rodney Hicks, Stevie Wonder, Taye Diggs, Timothy Britten Parker, Wilson Jermaine Heredia

What I'm so excited about and thankful for:
1) Good movies
2) Amazing dates!
3) Long lost friends suddenly calling you!
4) Being invited Christmas caroling with old friends
5) Getting that 4th job (the Manager's Assistant)
6) Holding hands:)
7) Samantha, Laura and Amy who listen and are happy when I'm happy!
8) The prospect of calling good friends with good news
9) Getting Christmas cards out on time
10) The (almost) end of the semester

I'm feeling pretty good right now... most of the above (ie: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9) happened today too:)


Awwww! Yay! So many good things! I'm glad tonight went well! ; )
Yes!!!! I thought Aslan was wonderful. Some of the other cgi characters were good, but every time he was "on screen" I was so impressed! Haha! I just wrote more about the movie in another post....guess I really enjoyed it! Happy almost-end-of-the-semester to you as well! (too many exclamation points!)
Posted 12/11/2005 11:22 PM by uruka

Currently Listening
Our Little Corner of the World: Music From Gilmore Girls
By Various Artists

The proposal is done and turned in! Another good thing about today... I learned that I don't have hallucinations when I'm stressed.

earlier...

I've decided that I really hate the APA 5th edition style of formatting and citing papers. The citations are not that bad or hard, but for someone who was trained many years ago that two spaces go between sentences, and now they have to write an entire proposal with only one space between sentences, you begin to hate the space bar. It might be because it is late also, but I don't think so. I think it's just the stupid APA. Why do they do this to us students? It's just so they can make some money, sell this stupid style manual to the dopes who decided that their discipline would use this style manual over one of the millions of others. I'm still working on my proposal. I should be done relatively soon, especially since the lit review portion is the longest/hardest and it is about half done and then all that is left is the methods. I may actually get a tad bit of sleep tonight... that is if I start working again.

Next semester... I'm not doing this to myself again.

ps-just so you know, I'm actually quite happy and content with life, things get out of proportion when you have a proposal due tomorrow and a guy who asked you out a week ago but never did call again and who you have to ask about that tomorrow with little to no sleep in your system. yah, that tends to make one a bit grumpy... ;)

Aww, Heather, sounds like you are overwhelmed. Good luck on finishing your proposal and with the guy. Perhaps he's just as overwhelmed as you and that's why he hasn't had a chance to call you? I dunno, just a thought. He could also just suck and not be worth your time, but I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt first :)
Posted 12/8/2005 10:32 AM by steph421

OK, so now onto the proposal itself. The presentation turned out good, really good in fact. I got a 49/50 on it, and compliments as well. If only they all knew that what they took 2 weeks to prepare I prepared in a day. I feel like I'm cheating. I think it's because I do most of my work (before I ever sit down to type anything up) in my head. I've always been this way, I have to think about it a long time before anything coherent will come out on the page. It makes for long nights usually, but it works, I guess. I do need to change though...

Tonight I have an interview for the manager's assistant job I'd like to have the rest of the school year. I hope it goes well, because it would be a great way to be more involved in the apartment!

Good luck on your interview!
Posted 12/7/2005 11:20 AM by BluesOn22s

Good job on the presentation!! And good luck with the interview. I will post more sometime, but you're right, it is about the car.
Posted 12/7/2005 7:30 PM by steph421

Working on my proposal presentation for tomorrow... something I present on but I haven't even written the proposal yet (due Thursday). Oh fun. The background is done and I have maybe 10 more slides to go, but they're the hard ones... stuff like what theories I'll be using and my needs statement/problem statement. YUCK! I can't wait for this to be over.

My favorite thing is waking up in the morning and looking outside to discover the first snow of the season!


Sooo jealous!
Posted 12/3/2005 8:53 AM by uruka

Thank you so much for your comment, Heather. I guess I just never expected my parents to get older, as silly as that sounds!
Posted 12/4/2005 1:47 PM by uruka -

Happy December! I gave blood today and it didn't hurt much at all, and she stuck me in the middle of my arm unlike normally when they stick me further to the side! I knew it could happen!

I'm on to working on my proposal. Did I ever say what I hope to study? That is, if I get a favorable Peace Corps placement. I want to study Community Based Natural Resource Management in Latin America. WOO!

Yay Panama! Tuesday was a day for filling out a plethora of forms for the trip.