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.