results = eh

It was a decent first day as first days go. I am very glad I didn’t have to work, but then I always try to take the first day of school off. I find it makes me feel less stressed. If I were to go to work, then I would mostly be worrying about setting things up for school. It also allows for emergencies (paper work, ugh) and long lines. I got all my ducks in a row yesterday, talked to the assistant director for advice, said hello to other faculty I know, and made lots of notes to myself. Things are a little uncertain still with my advisor, but I have plans to talk to Dr. Estrata this week so that I have someone else to see. I have been getting the feeling that grants are not very plentiful in the sociology department which is not something I am used to. A spot in my head is starting to send out a ‘look for a job’ signal. Maybe I’ll take a peek. The universe has always provided me an income source when I need it.

I need to choose an elective class, but I cannot decide. My choices are Environment and Society or Teaching Sociology. I have a side interest in environmentalism and the green movement, but the course has several books and presentations. The teaching class will be more hands on and has no book. I was leaning towards environment, but it will be heavy discussion which leads into my problem with graduate courses in general. I like discussions, but I am not a night person. I get home, have dinner, and used to do homework before going to bed at a decent hour. I avoided night classes as an undergrad because I fall asleep in them. I can’t sit still without nodding off. I can’t have caffeine because then I cannot sleep. What am I supposed to do? All of the grad classes are at night!

I got that last thought out and now my brain has run off. Too much thinking the past two days. I can still feel little half thoughts trying to buzz, but they aren’t connecting. So I’m going to play Cake Mania 2 which only involves tapping little icons.

it is nigh

It has been very busy around here trying to get things in order for the start of the semester. Dylan was asked at last minute to teach a new section of a class that was overflowing. He spent most of Friday running around filling out paperwork. He’s very nervous about it, partially because he has such little time to prepare. Did I mention the class is brand new? Never offered before at the university? I would be nervous too. I know Dylan can do it, my only concern is if he has the time or if he makes the time where it will come from. . .

Other events are minimal and the normal mundane activities. Evan, the birthday boy, came by late yesterday to hang out and help christen the new HD television. We decided to name it Shiggy, for Shigeru. Of course the boys wanted to play Super Smash Bros. I even played a little. I felt like with the large screen size I could actually see the characters, but that didn’t help my three year old level fighting skills. Since Evan is twenty-one now, we played the winner takes a shot of brandy. Brandy only because it has been sitting around for awhile. After I stopped playing I took half shot penalties. The only thing I don’t like about having people over is I talk to them to long. I got so tired I was nodding off, but topics kept coming up. In the end Evan left about 2 am and I didn’t wake up until noon.

Dylan and I escaped from the world to see Tropic Thunder. I thought it was really funny, not a perfect movie, but funny. I liked the mix of fiction with reality, all the references. The cast worked together so well. I felt guilty for loving Tom Cruise, but he wasn’t his usual self. I won’t say any more. I hate to spoil things.

I would love to stay and think out some of the brief theories mentioned, however there is a mountain of laundry calling my name to be folded. So Super Folder signs out to do battle.

the other side of the mountain

Ow. Dang it. F***. Those are some of the words that are almost continuously running through my head. Yesterday I fell going down the stairs. I blame Fay . . . and the sandals I was wearing. Nothing broke, but I am rather bruised. The worst ones are my elbow and the upper right side of my back. My back didn’t feel bad yesterday, but today I can feel the strain in every movement causing the words I began with.

I had orientation today for my new Masters degree program. It was ok, just an overview of the program and a little tour of the department. It was a little boring, but worth hearing from some one’s mouth than just reading online (no paper!). I found out why I haven’t heard from my advisor. Unfortunately, she had a family emergency and it is uncertain if she will be back this semester. Just my luck. I will have to pick a temporary advisor. Good news: there is another professor who does similar work. Bad news: I may not be able to do grant work. I really hope that I can short term grant work with the temporary advisor because otherwise I will have to find a short term job. My current internship is ending. Ack!

Not much else to say right now because the majority of my day’s activities will be tonight at a friend’s birthday party. It’s being held at a local pizza parlor. I don’t know most of the people going which means I get to wear my socialite mask and pretend I am an amazingly outgoing person until I get home and collapse on the couch to watch more of the Olympics.

oh rainy day

Ha ha ha. More unexpected family has found me on Facebook! I am very grateful to live in this internet connected world. So much is only a click away and I am not a good pen pal, in snail mail form that is. I feel very sorry for the postal system. I wonder if they knew or expected email, the spawn of satan (in their eyes). I am not a big Trekkie, but I have watched a fair bit of it and I think it has several great ideas. Will ever become the Federation? Probably not, but I do hope and believe we can become a more peaceful, balanced world. Email and the interwebs seem like a step in the right direction.

On another note, Tropical Storm Fay hit Florida today. I didn’t think it would be anything more than a lot of wind and rain. My only concern was it might bring down some trees and power lines for a few hours. So far that hasn’t happened. People will complain about kids missing a day or two of school but the schools were right to close. I don’t think they could have really guaranteed the safety of kids getting to and from school. In the process, I got a day off work. I got a little more cleaning done and relaxed. It has been like a weekend in the middle of the week. If there is ever a vote for four day weeks, I will be all for it! I have several theories about why four day weeks are better, but that can wait for another time. I have stuff to get ready for tomorrow.
Have some fun and relax!

a surprisingly good week

I had good feelings about last week and it followed my assumptions delightfully well. My parent’s health insurance company is being changed, so I can get back on the plan! This left me with $1200 that I had not expected to have. What to do with it then? Buy a brand spanking new laptop.

I know this sounds rather impulsive but it’s not. My laptop hasn’t worked in nearly eight months and the desktop I used alternatively stopped working about a month ago. I have proof that it was fated too. After I decided that I should use the extra money to buy a laptop, I discovered the one I wanted was on sale with bonus offers. When I went in the store to look at it, an acquaintance was there working and showed me a better deal. The universe just seems to have put everything in order for me to get Flo (yes, from Diner Dash), my new Gateway laptop that I’m writing this on.

Other good things: one of my cousins that lives in Virginia joined Facebook and found me. Do you have a family member that you click with so well, you almost consider them more of a friend? Noah is like that. The sad part is we live several hundred miles apart, so we rarely see each other. Every time we do see each other, it’s like we were never apart. Now that he’s old enough to be more online, I anticipate many virtual conversations.

Excellent weekend: A going away party (for good reasons), a night of Munchkin, and a family dinner. Though all of this equals too much sugar from the desserts at everything. The vibe all weekend was fantastic. I was even productive and rearranged some furniture. All in all this should set up for a nice start for the school year.