Patience is a virtue

I've decided in the last three weeks that the process of filling out applications for graduate school is nothing compared to the process of waiting to get an answer from those graduate schools. I reached a point yesterday where I decided that I'm fine with whatever answer I get, I just want to know so that if I need to make alternate plans I can do that. So, if I haven't heard something by the first of April I'm just going to start looking for a job and a place to live - then I'm going to hope that I don't get accepted somewhere after I sign a lease.

BLEH, PLEH . . .

Huh, that's help spelled backwards, how appropriate. I have to write a paper for one of my classes, it's okay because I actually want to write on this topic. Part of this paper assignment is presenting it in front of the class . . . that sucks. I hate talking in front of people, I've made it through several classes with an A without saying a word in class let alone giving a presentation. Yeah, my life sucks at the moment!

France or Bust . . .

I have decided this semester that I really want to go to France. I'm in French 1 at the moment and I have to take French 2 this summer in order to graduate. My professor is from France and she is awesome - I love the class, though I thought I would hate it, and I'm actually learning alot. So now I have this thought running in my head that it would be a waste to not go there and actually use what I've learned and expand on it. I've heard that language immersion is the best way to go and I would love to live overseas, at least for awhile - who knows, I may end up staying if I found an amazing career there. I figure now is the best time since I don't have anyone or anything keeping me tied down to any one location.

Really?

Why do perfectly capable people use the handicapped button on doors? You have both arms, your legs, you can see - why do you need to use the button? I see people all the time who walk up to the door and push the button then get mad when it doesn't work, then they'll go push the other button and when it still doesn't work they mumble under their breath and open the door with one of their perfectly good hands. I would think it would be easier to just open the damn door and walk in or out of the building. It's even better when I'm walking behind someone and they will stop dead in their tracks to wait for the door to slowly open and they get annoyed that it's slow - uh, hello, if it swung open it would slam into the handicap person who actually needs to use that function on the door. So, really, the door is made to assist the handicapped, not to assist in perfectly capable people's perpetual laziness.

I can't feel my fingers . . .

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. This is my fourth semester, not including summer, here at UCO and my first semester taking a class with Dr. Rice. I'm taking "Uncle Milty" as we call him and it's HARD! Dr. Rice is hilarious and class flies by, Milton was some kind of unbelievable genius who is not funny at all! I took my first test yesterday, the numbness is fading and my vision is clearing but I think I will be forever changed.

So over it!

I hate Valentine's Day. It's over rated and used as yet another marketing tool to get people to spend, spend, spend! Valentine's Day has been commercialized to the extreme - Wal-mart has had the visually assaulting "red" aisle packed with stuffed animals, candies, and packs of children's valentine's for over a month. I can't wait until the day is over. What aisle is next? I think Easter but honestly can't remember at the moment if it's that or St. Patrick's Day - ahhhh, now that's a holiday, who doesn't like green beer? Interesting fact I didn't know until last night when I was in my French class is that children don't celebrate Valentine's Day in France. Professor Huzieff talked about how children there do not pass out little cards to each other, the holiday is meant for lovers not children. Makes sense.

Anyway, found this pic and thought it was funny. I had another one but I wasn't sure that it would be appropriate.

Almost there

I'm almost done with the application packet for Tulane University! It's been a long, sometimes frustrating process, but I know it will pay off in the end - if I get accepted! I'm a little concerned, Tulane's definately a competitive school. I think I'm more scared of getting in than anything else. If I get in then I actually have to prove myself worthy of being accepted and show that I can do the work and make the changes I want to accomplish. Everyone around me has all this confidence in my abilities and maybe I'm just nervous about the change but I don't always see what they see. So, the anxiety over filling everything out is almost over and now comes the anxiety of waiting to get the final decision. This could make for a stressful semester!

I want to live in a flood plain?

I recently decided to add Tulane University to my list of grad schools and began the application process. I wanted to go there after I completed my associate's degree but that happened in May 2006 and Katrina happened August 2005 so I wasn't prepared to make that trip, plus everything was paid for if I stayed in Oklahoma. Now, I'm on my own no matter where I go so I really want to get out of Oklahoma - it's been a long 4 1/2 years and I'm read to start a new adventure. But do I really want to live in a flood plain? I've heard some refer to it as a sinking city - that's encouraging! New Orleans is a place I've always wanted to visit and experience, and grad school would only be a two year committment; so, I'm taking the gamble, if I get accepted, and heading to the Big Easy and hopefully don't experience a Katrina replay during hurricane season. Below are some pics of TU; the first is of the School of Social Work, the pic at the top is after the water had receded, and one at the bottom is Tulane under water.

Mental Health Day Needed

Do you ever feel like you need a mental health day? I've been feeling pretty every day this semester. It's bad, I know. The morning drive to work, all 2 minutes, is torture! I smoke a cigarette and have a broken record playing in my head - "I don't want to go, I don't want to go" - over and over, all the way to my office and even while I turn on the television and check the voicemail. My job really isn't bad, I get downtime to study, my boss is fairly cool and laidback - doesn't mind me doing homework as long as office work is caught up. So what is my problem? I've decided I need a mental health day ASAP, go somewhere fun, not worry about homework, know where I'm going after graduation, know that I got into a graduate school, yada yada.

Grad School

So the Grad school process is making me nuts. I want to go and then I don't. The application process for each school is insane and each school has their own specific requirements and procedure - some allow you to submit transcripts with the application, others don't even want my hands touching the envelope the transcripts are placed in. Trying to keep everything in order is near impossible, not to mention having to count on schools to actually send the transcripts that were requested. FYI: If you apply to grad school, request your transcripts ASAP because it takes schools like three attempts before they actually get them sent. At the moment I'm just trying to figure out what is going to be more difficult - applying to grad school or getting a real job. Whichever is easier is the one I'm going for!

Tore up from the floor up

Taken to the hospital again? How can no one in her family see there's a problem? Why would the state continue to release her? She has no semblance of being anywhere near okay! This picture is actually good compared to the ones taken recently. She looks drugged out of her mind, not even aware of her surroundings - does she even remember she has two children? According to yahoo.com she is apparently getting help and is on a mental evaluation hold. Just take the pills!!!!

They're here for the next 10 months

So, I saw my first commercial related to the presidential election yesterday. It was for Hillary Clinton which was exciting because I'm a big fan. Whether you like her or not, I would think one could appreciate the steps that have been taken to get to a stage in our society where the two leading nominees are a woman and an African-American. This is huge and it will be ground-breaking if one of them is elected; ideally they will become runningmates after the primary election.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3xepwid_sY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB-Xqi_dcDY

Graduation

I've had on ongoing debate in my head for the last year or so about my impending graduation this may. I don't really want to walk. I feel like I'll be done and moving on to either grad school or following a career path. I don't see the need for me to walk. I didn't walk for my associate's degree and I don't regret that decision, but I have people telling me that I will regret my decision to not walk for my bachelor's degree. Part of my decision rests on the fact that none of my family will be here to watch and I would only do it for them; I know I completed my degree so I don't see a need to walk in front of a bunch of people I don't know. Besides they don't hand you your degree there that day, it takes something like 3 or 4 months to get your diploma in the mail. I probably won't decide until the last minute possible because I'm an indecisive person in many areas.

I'm already done . . .

. . . and ready to graduate! I've decided that May will never get here and this is the semester that will never end. My schedule mainly consists of the classes I didn't want to take and now have to take in order to gain freedom in May. But is there really freedom come May? Not really, because I then have to enter the world of full time employment and a salary paycheck - the world where I will be at the bottom of the totem pole and even though I get paid for 40 hours a week, I will most likely work 60. I'm still ready for it. I'm ready to make more than $500 a month for 80 hours of work - that's crazy to think about it that way. I work 20 hours a week, so 80 hours a month @ $7/hour - after taxes, 80 hours of my life is only worth $500. I really want to go to grad school but I'm just not sure I'm prepared for another 2 years of school and at a more difficult level. I really want at least a year or two of having some kind of financial security and health benefits. Graduation can't get here soon enough and I feel like this semester will never end and its barely begun.

He eats wood, carpet, wires, etc.

I have an 8 month old chihuahua and I love him to death. He's about 4 pounds and I've had him since he was 3 months and 1.7 pounds. Overall, he's a great dog; but let's just say the honeymoon phase is over. Potty training went out the window awhile ago - I think he only goes on the potty pads because he thinks it's something he's not supposed to go on, and he doesn't go on them very often. When I catch him going on the carpet I put him on the potty pad and he just shakes and stares at me until I walk away - then he runs to the hallway and finishes what he started; I'm about to put him in diapers! He finds random pieces of wood and chews on them, I don't really care about that except I'm concerned that it could hurt him since he's so small. Wires are a new thing - my roommate was the victim as Max decided to not just chew but shred through wires to a speaker system. I'm sure he's only alive because they weren't plugged in. The one that I'm completely baffled by is the carpeting - a patch probably 4" by 5" not just shredded, but completely gone. How does a 4 pound dog do this? Really, any advice would be helpful because he's about to buy a one-way ticket to anywhere but where he currently is.