Phew...

The last few days/week? have been hectic. But fun. Today was my 2nd interview for a summer internship with an online marketing firm, and tonight they offered me the job! Whoo-hoo. They also asked for a writing sample, so I pointed out my blog...so if you offered me a job today and are reading this, hello, and thanks!!

I also went to Chicago last week to help my dad with the NCA candy show. I started going to candy shows with him when I was about 10. They used to have kids programs, so I would walk the show floor a while to get candy, and then spend the rest of the time at amusement parks and children's museums. Oh, and taking cabs all by myself in Washington, DC, as a 10-year-old (true story). I would never let my proverbial children do what my dad let us do at those shows.

But Chicago was awesome. I helped to set up the booth, and then helped the marketing folks get some press for the new mascot, Mr. Eiffel Bon Bons.


I even got to BE Mr. Eiffel BonBons, which was fun. Strangely enough, I got to be him at Soldier Field, where I had to ask what teams and/or sports played there. Good times.


I also helped hand out samples and do random other things at the booth, and I managed to get myself some press. First I got into the daily magazine of the show (I have no idea why I look like I'm tipping over...I think I was trying to look like I was hugging Mr. Eiffel Bonbons. I've learned my lesson).


The local Chicago news also did a story on the show, and I (or at least my hair) made it to the video.

I also had dinner and beer at the Hopleaf with Grant and Kristin, and then sat out on the pier to enjoy the Chicago skyline. (Sidenote: Heels are most innapropriate footwear for the beach)


I arrived home Friday at about 1 pm, mowed my lawn and procured paint for the summer house painting, and left for Okoboji. And realized, upon arriving in Okoboji, that I had forgotten to feed the cats. DOH! I am eternally grateful for friends from my new church for saving me from discovering kitty carcasses when I came home Monday night.

The lake was awesome, as usual. The boys got a new "park," and my one nephew helped my brother level it out to add sand. He's a crazy hard worker, and always wants to talk about work (You workin'? You goin' to work? What do you do at work? Not now, I'm workin')


Of course, we also spent some time out on the boat, and I only got slighltly burnt. Quite an accomplishment for my first time out in the sun this season, I think. Oh, and we only let the kids drive part of the time.


So now, 2 more days at home, and then I'm off to California for Annabelle's baptism. Or christening...I'm not sure if there's a difference, but I really like the sound of the word "christening." Busy, but all good stuff.

Scenes from Tuesday

As you already know, these kitties talk to my nephew. Mostly with interjections and requests to go golfing. He still loves them.

He also really seemed to like the Mr. Potato Head I picked up at the dollar store. He told me that he's a funny man, and wanted to picnic with us. But, he could only picnic with us sans hat and shoes. Which made it a little hard for Mr. Potato Head to balance well enough to drink his juice box.

My nephew, however, had no such problems with the juice box. Picnic, accomplished.

*All pictures taken with my new Lightscoop! A whole new level of nerdiness.

I'm hanging out with my nephew this afternoon (he's napping at the moment), and he asked about the kitties at my house. I told him a little about them, and then he told me "I have kitties at my house. They talk to me." I asked him what they say, and he said "They say yeeeaaaahhh and, um, hey, let's go golfing, okay."

Hilarious.

Kitties and Spectrograms

Today Cow went to the groomer, and got a modified Lion Cut. The last time I bathed her I waited too long to brush her, and she had a few mats, so this was a good (and fun!) solution. Well, fun to look at. Maybe not so fun to get done, but I think she'll be more comfortable.

This is not a picture of my cat. It is a spectrogram of my name, given to me by a professor. We had just studied spectrograms and acoustics, and the professor made each of us in the class (about 40 people) one, and gave them to us tonight after the exam. That was so nice of her, and fun for nerdy people!

Even More Procrastinating with PhotoBooth

Can you believe it? I'm procrastinating with PhotoBooth...crazy, huh?

Well, it's true. I've been sitting alternately at my desk and outside in the sun since 1 PM, attempting to study. Reading through my hearing science notes make me feel a little nuts,

and somewhat disinterested.

The topics, applied to real life, are interesting, but in boring old memorization form, not so much. Although one of the last test's topics did show up on NPR. Now if only I could do all of my studying by reading NPR stories, that would be awesome, and with better writing.

General Updates

I haven't felt much inspired to write lately, so bland is the order of the day. Of the weekend really, since I am supposed to be studying for exams. I'm finding it difficult, but pressing on. Today I got mostly through respiration and phonation, and made a muscle chart with the irritating abbductor/adductor/tensor/relaxor/intrinsic/extrinsic/suprahyoid/infrahyoid distinctions. Seriously, if you really need to know if a muscle is an adductor or a tensor during therapy, you'll look it up.

I'm putting off studying for the GRE (to be taken on Thursday) until the Mon. and Tues. exams are done, and I'm trying to put off looking for a job until after that, to hopefully increase focus. But I get sucked in sometimes...the lack of options makes me feel like I need to look extra hard, even when I should be reviewing minute sections of bone like the lesser cornu of the hyoid bone.

A bright spot in the weekend was church. I've been going to a new church for the past few weeks, and I like it. As an INTJ, social activities like this, particularly new-to-me ones, take so much energy...but it's been worth it. I've met some really great people, and I think I might stick around for a while. After having lived here almost 2 years now, and having met only the people I used to work with, it's time for a social scene. I like to keep to myself, but not that much...

Let's see, other news...not much....the cat may be shaved like a lion soon, due to mats and my general desire to see her shaved like a lion...I hope to make some more hummus and tabouli this week...I'm making my own lattes and made it to milk Monday (cheaper milk!) without having to restock...yeah, all in all, a rather uninteresting bit here. Unless of course you find inner hair cell damage and formants interesting. In that case, I'm the most interesting person you know.

Newport Beach!

Here's me, in Newport Beach, so happy to be in CA with Jason and Amanda! Oh, and did I mention the sunshine? Exclamation points all around!

It was a super quick weekend, just Friday through Sunday, but fun-filled. I got to go to all my favorite places, shopping, and otherwise, and spent some time with my parents and their friends. I also got to spend the day with Jason and Amanda, and their kitteh Cheetoh.

The day included a farmer's market trip, seeing Jason act, Amanda cooking a kick-ass lasagna, a visit to the most amazing resort I've ever been to (and a Bellini), and then some gin and tonic to wind down the day.

I need California weekends more often. :)

Precious

Now, I love the Dixie Chicks. And I love cats...but these Humane Society videos continue to be weird to me. Weird, but entertaining.

WTF????

Okay, so now I'm just confused. A little background...in this summer job search, there was always an old standby: the call center. And there was this big bank in town, who seems to be doing alright despite the current economy. And they're the only ones with ads in the paper. But, the jobs might be...well, less than savory. Selling people banking products they don't really need, collections, and least morally objective, customer service.

So after finding out that I didn't get the job I wanted today, I thought heck, I'm there...I might as well apply with this bank. Let's call them Bitty. That's not their real name, but you can probably figure it out. Need a hint? It's not Schmells Bargo. Think of another big bank.

I applied with them when I first moved here, though I didn't quite know I was applying. I went to an "information session," which was really testing. And, let's just say I was definitely one of the sharper tacks in the room. I passed the tests.

So tonight I jumped on their website, figuring eh, no big deal. I filled out the application, accurately, despite annoying fields that only took their specific answers in regards to the "function" of a particular job. And...

I was rejected. WHAT??? According to them, I did not "qualify on the assessment." Although I can fill it out again in 90 days. Ugh...

Here's what I can figure. The assessment was questions about how you would handle coworkers, work situations, and what your feelings are about work environments. I think I was too honest. There were a bunch of questions about whether or not you would want to stay at a job that was boring and un-challenging. Uh, no. (I was supposed to say yes??) And questions about whether you would tell your boss that a coworker was bugging you (no), whether or not you should tell customers you'll only talk to them if they stop yelling (no), and whether or not you should point out customer's faults (um, no!).

So now I'm just really confused...If they asked me "Could you endure a job you hated for 3 months so that you could make some money in between school semesters," the answer totally would have been yes.

I take back everything I said about this job search being better than the last. It still sucks. I did not get the job I was hoping for, and have heard nada from all the other places I applied.

Other things that happened today:

• I was supposed to go and observe a couple of hearing evaluations at school, but they got cancelled.
• So, instead, I decided to go to some rummage sales in town. I got a car seat (for the nephews), and a book about canning (Putting Food By). Pretty decent.
• I was at Shopko, and saw a woman being detained for shoplifting. It was odd--a female employee was walking the woman toward the office, with a male employee on the other side of her. But, while they were walking, the female employee was asking what seemed like stern questions, but was doing it in a very conversational tone. It didn't quite fit. She asked the woman if she had shoplifted before as if she was asking her if she'd ever visited the store before...odd.
• I saw a neighbor lady lead an animal control officer to another neighbor's house. The animal control lady came out with a cat in a cage. My neighbors are all dog people, to be sure, but I can't figure out what would make you call animal control on a stray cat. I haven't ever seen it around the neighborhood before, and it didn't seem to be bothering anyone. It just seemed mean. Meanwhile, there's a horrible dog that lives behind me which yaps day and night, and no one seems to care.
  

Patience...

This is not only my sick of studying face, it's also my exasperated while waiting to hear about a part-time job face. I had an interview last week for what seems like a great part-time job. I am now, not so patiently, waiting to hear their decision. They said I was a great candidate, but they may want more hours than I can give them during school. Boo.

Double boo because the other jobs available include daycare, and the zoo.

Procrastinating...again

This is me, studying. As you can see, it's not going well. So I'm taking a break from studying, otherwise known as procrastinating. I'm currently reviewing for a test on neuroanatomy, and it's not easy. It'd be one thing if it were just the structures, but then they all do something, and have things that can go wrong, etc. etc. I need some flashcards.

Easter in PA

We went to PA over Easter to see my grandfather

and my grandmother.

We also went to my mom's cousin's farm, where my nephew fed the goats,

got to see all the big machinery,

put his right hand right in a pile of grease,

got a "little bit dirty," and

was just generally cute.

One of the things my grandmother does is makes stockings. She makes a new one for each grandchild, great-grandchild, and many others. They're pretty awesome. (And if anyone knows my mom, that's her picture in the background with her siblings. She's on the far left)

While we were there my nephew got a play chainsaw, and terrorized everyone with it all weekend, in a good way.

My aunt and uncle who are totally into cars brought up their grandson's pedal car for the boys to play with.

And the retirement community provided their own entertainment through flags that marked utilities. Our apologies to the people who come and try to figure out where the utilities are based on where the flags used to be.

There's probably more that I could say, and there are definitely more things we did, but seriously, how much more of this cuteness could you take?

Airport, with Kitty

Monday

I started the job hunt again today. The last job hunt was a long, tiring exercise in self-reflection and doubt. This one is different. As a full-time student who is also seeking a job, I don't feel nearly the desperation I did the first time. This one is still important, but also a whole lot more fun.

Still un-fun though is paper applications. Seriously...I haven't used my pencil-holding muscles for years. Regardless, I filled out applications today at temp agencies, a bookstore, a hotel, and then thankfully a few online apps.

Speaking of writing, I saw an old teacher from high school today. He asked me all of the demographic questions about family and jobs, and then he asked me what I was doing with my writing. My writing? He said he remembered me being a very good writer in high school (there are good writers in high school?), and he hoped I was doing something with it.

Um...well...I mumbled an answer about using it in school...but it got me to thinking about it. A friend once suggested I write more as well. So I'm thinking about it, about starting some sort of ongoing writing project to keep myself at it. But I'm not sure what. And I'm taking suggestions. We'll see what comes of it.

A Horse of a Different Color

This week in one of my classes we've been studying neurologically based speech disorders, including strokes. One possible consequence of a stroke is aphasia, featured in this video. If you're at all interested in strokes, etc. you should check it out. And just to set your expectations--it's not funny at all, it's sad.

Perceptual Mismatch

So, you know how sometimes things just don't seem to go together? Um, yeah...I think I saw the ultimate in perceptual mismatching today in my intro. to communication disorders class today.

Imagine you were seeing a video of a medical procedure, one where a doctor was paralyzing a vocal cord in order to enable to person to produce better vocal sounds. What kind of music would you imagine?

This?



How about a saline nasal flush?



I don't really know what this one is all about, buy hey, who wouldn't pair the Nutracker with a saline nasal flush?

Hilarious.

My Favorite April Fools Jokes from Today

Organic Air from Whole Foods

Flight to Mars from Expedia

Guardian Switching to Twitter Only

(Sorry if the links don't work after 4/1).

I'd like to add Google's, but I just didn't think it was that funny this year.

Are there other good ones out there that I missed?

Good to Know

A few months ago, Linens n' Things shut down, and closed their store here. It was sad, but also kind of exciting to think about getting an awesome deal. I had my eye on a new ironing board, since mine is only flat with a Psalter Hymnal under one of the legs (the gray version). Apparently, I was so intent on getting this ironing board, I asked my mom to stop to look it while I was doped up after being put out for some dental work.

But I went in there a few times at the beginning the clearance, and was confused. First, it was rather misleading. Their sign said "up to 40% off," and of course, most everything was only 10% off at first. And I noticed something...I was looking at something in the gadgets section, a melon baller I think, and the price tag was on there, and had been blacked out. There was a new sticker near the bottom, with a price higher than what was blacked out on the tag. And I began to wonder if they'd marked up the prices...

And I waited, and waited, and of course by the time it was decently marked off, the ironing board was gone.

There's another store here going out of business, Sportsmen's Warehouse, which I have actually never been in. Until tonight--I can't resist a sale. But it was the same deal...10% off, and there were new price tags. All the signs in the store matched the ones that were in Linens n' Things...

And it all made sense after I listened to Scenes from a Recession from This American Life. That's what liquidation companies do, and it works. People buy the marked up stuff, and think they're getting an awesome deal. When LNT was going out of business, I saw tons of people buying the 10% and 20% off stuff. And I'm sure it's not illegal, maybe not even immoral, but I think it's pretty crappy.

TV

I'm watching TV again. Yes, I know, it's not Easter yet. It's still lent. But, giving up TV definitely became more about seeing if I could do it than it was about lent. And yes, I could do it. I haven't watch television for over a month...

And I still like TV very much. Granted I also like silence very much, but I like silence before I gave up TV too. It's all about balance, right?

I heard David Plotz, editor of Slate, on the radio again today, discussing his new book, The Good Book. I've heard bits and pieces of this piece before, but heard a larger chunk of it today. And it's good. I guess he had a blog on Slate.com, about reading through the Bible. I found it really interesting, because he contrasts the Sunday School Bible, with what he coins "The Messy Bible." What I found interesting about it is that he says the Messy Bible is full of doubters, sinners, and otherwise messed up people, along with beauty and war, etc, and he found this surprising.

If you have a chance, you should listen...he has interesting things to say, and is also quite a good speaker. I'll definitely be picking up the book when either 1) the library gets a copy or 2) the price for the Kindle edition comes down a bit.

In other news, I'm studying for a test, and I'm a bit pissed about it. Only because I'm reading through my notes, having not really understood a whole lot from this section, because the teacher didn't teach it. Reading the PPT slides out loud is not teaching. And I'm dreading getting a test back tomorrow from another class. That teacher is really good, but I'm afraid I just didn't spend enough time with the material. It could be the B- dream coming true.

What's Going On

Well, I'm still 30. And it's starting to sound okay. I've discovered that most of those things where you check your age go from either 24 or 29-35. So at least I don't have to change brackets yet.

School is still going pretty well. I have a rough draft of a paper due on Wed., and right now it's being peer reviewed, which is the stupidest thing in the world. It's funny, because as a student I see how ridiculous it is to assume that if 2 students read each others' papers, they will both come away with useful criticism. That's not usually the case. But, as a teacher, I really like it because I think it gives my students other feedback on their writing, and a chance to see other styles, etc.

But right now I'm a student and think it sucks. Especially when you're the oldest person in class and have to find a "peer review partner."

We're right around midterms, and in the next few weeks I should be in the clear with getting the grades I want. Not that I'll stop studying, because I find this stuff really interesting, but I'll maybe worry a little less about it, and about getting into the graduate program. One of my professors suggested to me on Facebook that I list cake decorating as a skill, so we'll see if that helps.

I've been thinking lately that maybe developmental disabilities will be my area of expertise. Of course, that changes every time we start a new unit and talk about something new. But autism has been an interest of mine for a while, and is just really fascinating.

I'm also doing some observations this week which should illuminate things a bit further. Tomorrow morning I'm going to an elementary school, next week a hospital and school for children, and hopefully after that one of the local hospitals. I'm really excited to see what SLP looks like in those different settings.

Unfortunately I don't have anything as interesting as the larynx to share tonight. We're mostly talking about articulators, particularly muscles of the face and tongue. Today we also talked about the soft palate, and the hangy ball in the back of your throat (the uvula). When we started talking about it I turned to the guy next to me and asked him if he watched Full House. He said no, but that he was aware of what it was...guess we're of a different generation. I had to explain to him that if you listened to Full House, you'd know that that is where you keep your courage. Come on people, you know what I'm talking about.

I'm 30!

30, with cats. And weird arm positions due to cleavage issues and trying to distract the cats.

Procrastinating

I should be writing a research paper right now. It's an interesting topic, and I like to write, but getting started is always the hardest for me. It just requires so much....immersion. So instead, here are pictures I meant to post but couldn't because of a dead camera battery and an awol battery charger. Oh, and the cake I made for my nephew's b-day party tonight (another reason to get the paper done).

Bob, sans clothing

Bob, all dressed.

Bird taggie blanket for my goddaughter

Elephants taggie blanket for my goddaughter

Old gift card holder

New gift card holder!

New gift card holder, again!

You can see the birthday cake I made for me and Donna, along with my goddaughter and the taggie, over at Donna's blog.

Here are 2 things I would like people to stop bitching about:

1) The AIG bonuses

So here's why I think you should stop bitching about this. If the bonuses were in the executives' contracts, they should be paid. But, you say, this is taxpayer money. Yes, which we, through our government, GAVE to AIG. Apparently there were not any "no big bonus" stipulations with the money, which seems a little asinine, but there it is. So if these people were promised bonuses in their contracts, and the gov't gave them money to use with no strings attached, then we're really getting what we asked for. Maybe next time there will be a little more thought put into what kinds of demands go with the money....but for now, quit bitching about it!

2) The new Facebook layout

Seriously people, you adjusted the last time they changed the format, didn't you? Do you miss anything from that? Do you even rememeber the old format? Give it a week, and you won't even miss it. All your stuff is still there, you can do everything you used to do. And now everyone is taking a poll about how much they hate the new layout? Change happens, people. Get used to it, and quit bitching.

I'm home. Here are the highlights: sunshine, goddaughter, friends, coffee, a kick-ass 30th birthday party, and getting carded on the plane.

Lowlights: waking up at 6 AM this morning with a 2 hour time change. I learned nothing at school today.

And this makes me laugh.

The Perfect Seat

I just checked in for my flight tomorrow to SJC, and I would like to tell you that I got the perfect seats. The perfect seat, apart from the ones in front of the blue curtain, is the farthest back exit row, aisle, on the left side of the plane.

Let me explain. First, the aisle is awesome because you can get up and move about the cabin at your leisure, without having to bother anyone or crawl over anyone. You can go to the restroom when you please, and if you're traveling with others you're free to get up and go visit them without stepping on anyone's toes or tapping them on the shoulder while they're sleeping.

And the exit row? Well, there are so many reasons to love the exit row. First, it's one of the few "premium" seats that Northwest does not charge me for. That's cool. Also, you get WAY more room for your legs, which is great on a 4 hour flight. Now, why the farthest back exit row? This only pertains to larger planes, but if there is more than one exit row, the one in front will NOT recline, so that it couldn't block the exit in an emergency. The not reclining bit is one reason not to sit there. And it's also incentive to sit in the row behind that--no one will be reclining into your space, but you can still recline your seat (into the regular row behind you).

As to why I like the left side....couldn't tell you. Just weird, I guess. :)

Updates

***I'm annoyed. Again. I wrote this post earlier today, but didn't post it because I realized I hadn't yet downloaded the photos I wanted, because my camera battery was dead. Tonight I realized that I can't find the battery charger...I think I may have left it in Turks and Caicos over Christmas. No idea where it is....so here is the post, sans pictures)***

I'm sitting at the car place right now, and I have to say I'm a little pissed. I was here last week because my car wasn't wanting to start. I could still make it, but only with coaxing, and only if I used it at least once a day. So I was afraid if I let it sit at the airport when I'm in CA, I'd come home to a completely dead car.

Well, after all was said and done, it was $180 for a new battery. (Gulp) And then the check engine light came on. Oh, how I despise thee, check engine light. So I'm back today (grateful to have the free time at least), and the air intake sensor needs to be replaced for $250. Argh! I like oil changes--it makes me feel responsible, but these stupid things make me crazy. And my car seems to have a lot of them.

So I'm pissed, but I'm going to try to talk about other things. Like craftiness. This weekend I was crafty. I made a few presents for my goddaughter, which I will post after I give them to her. I don't know that she, at 5 months or so, reads blogs...but just in case I'll wait until after I get home from CA. Which I'm incredibly excited about!

One thing I did make was this:

(It's a fabric envelope--a white/green/purple print, pictured at the very left of this photo. It has a small green button on it, a little darker than the green of the fabric, and a velcro closure.)


It's a fabric envelope, which I'm using for gift cards in my purse. My dad gives us gift cards each Christmas as our gift, and thus far there hasn't been a good way to keep them handy.

Here is my former gift card holder:

(Picture a crumpled, worn out ziploc bag with a big rip down one side)

You can see that either it gets holes in the corners, or it's hanging wide open, and either way the gift cards still end up all over and you end up standing in line in front of 10 angry people, wading your way through receipts and purse lint to find them.


Also, I am still not watching TV, and it's just become, well, kind of boring...Alas, I will continue. It really can't be hurting me.

Stuff on my Cat Submission

Curly Hair!

My sister-in-law cut and colored my hair for me tonight, and made it curly for me! I don't think my hair has been curly (or wavy, whatever you'd like to label it) since I had a spiral perm in 6th grade. I kind of like it!

Post-Painting

I was going to wait to take pictures until the furniture was put back, but I want to let the paint dry totally before I do that. So here is the weekend project.

Before...

After.

After again. (I think this is a better representation of the color than the above)

And now I have to decide if I should paint the entryway pink wallpaper too...It may have been easier to do it all at once, but the entryway has another wall (unseen in this picture, but to the right) that is very tall and would require the high ladder. The high ladder requires two people to haul it in from the garage and maneuver it through the doorways.

So, any opinions? Keep or paint over the pink entryway?

The Dreaded B Minus

I had a dream the other night that I got a B- on a test. And then I passed out, because I was devastated.

So far I haven't recieved a B- on anything, but I found out today that it really wouldn't be overreacting to pass out if I do. You see, I found out today that 120 people applied to get into about 15-20 slots in the MA program I am planning to apply to. 120 people....15 or 20 slots. I suck at math, but I know those are not super odds.

I don't really have a backup plan or school here, people, so this is scary news. I met with my advisor today to discuss which classes I'll take next semester, and asked her what I could do to improve my odds, and she said just getting good grades. And that my GPA from undergrad. and grad. school the first time will help, but sheesh...And I thought taking the GRE again was just a formality. Apparently not so.

Thankfully I have been applying myself thus far, and this is a good kick in the pants to keep doing so. Yikes.

On a lighter note, here are the classes I'll take next semester: Phonetics, Language Development, Introduction to Audiology, Clinical Methods for Communication Disorders, and American Sign Language I. Should be fun!

Pre-Painting

Let me preface this by saying my house, and the previous owner, are both a little funny. And not funny ha-ha. In the year and a half I've lived here, I've discovered some bizarre facts. Like there is no ventilation over a large, commercial-style gas stove. Or in the bathroom...

Also, the door handles appeared to be somehow permanently attached. And one row of ceiling lights in the kitchen appears to have no switch or way to turn it on, and I haven't even dared to investigate the chimney yet.

All that to say that the idea of taking down wallpaper is more than a little scary. I took down the curtains in my bedroom and found a giant 2X4 holding them up with giant nails (is that normal?). The curtains in the living room were nailed to the wall, nary a curtain rod in sight. So, when I decided that the pink wallpaper had to go in the living room, I thought better of it and revised my statement--the pink in the living room has to go.

So today I'm taping it off, and tomorrow will likely be the day of reckoning. I'm planning to paint over the wallpaper, much to the dismay of many clerks in paint departments who have already looked at me disapprovingly and scolded. But, I like the texture in the wallpaper, and it really seems like it could be the least destructive route.

The pink wall tonight. Hopefully there will be a subtle but beautiful yellow wall to post tomorrow.

Cow, clearly dismayed by the blue painter's tape. I think she was worried it might interfere with her food.

No TV Day 3

I just read a comment on my last post, and it got me thinking about the rules I've created for myself for lent, and some ulterior motives.

Let me first say that I've thought about giving up TV a few other times, for other reasons. When I decided to go back to school, I thought about giving up cable for financial reasons. So I turned the TV off for a day to see what it would be like, and ended up just turning it back on. And every time I read something about how wise and educated and otherwise people are who don't watch television (slightly tongue-in-cheek), it crosses my mind.

So giving it up for lent isn't really all about lent. And it's probably Christian guilt, or wanting to make systems and rules up for something that really should be about something else entirely, I'd like it to be about just one thing, wholeheartedly. It's not.

And really, it's not even that big of a deal. At least I feel like it shouldn't be...seriously, a bunch of posts about what happens when I stop watching TV? It seems a little melodramatic when I look at it that way. And then I remember that none of you is being forced to read this, and I do feel like writing about it, so yeah, here it is.

Anyway, it's day 3 without tv, and my house is remarkably silent, in a good way. I haven't found some massive amount of extra time yet, but it does feel like some degree of freedom. And I did sit down and actually read the Bible yesterday, so there's that. Overall, I'm guessing at the end of it that I'll be proud of myself (warranted or not) for having done it, but I won't cancel the cable. Perhaps I'll come out of it just a little more moderate.

Ashes

So it's Ash Wednesday, and I have the cross in ashes on my forehead. Actually, by now it's more of a round smudge of ashes, but that's what happens when you have bangs. My church had a combined Ash Wed. service with other area Presbyterian churches, and let's just say the imposition of ashes and communion took a while. It might have been that there were nearly 400 people there, plus some confused pastors, and a choice of intinction or tiny plastic cup. The elderly lady next to me made me laugh. After the row in front of us was re-routed from the front to the back, while the usher made wild arm motions for them to return to the pew from the side, the woman leaned over to me and said "Well now, those Catholics can sure do this fast, but with us Prestbyterians it takes forever." And indeed, it did. The service was a little over an hour and a half, even with skipping another forever long bell choir song and the prayers of the people.

And now it's lent. I've never given up anything before for lent, and I'm thinking it's because it's not a strong tradition in the Christian Reformed Church. But for this year it seemed like a good idea to me, for a bunch of reasons. So, as of tonight the plan is to give up TV for lent. It's something I've thought about for a while, and this seemed like a good impetus. So I'm not sure if that dilutes the lent-ness of it, but there you go. Also possibly diluting the lent-ness of it is the fact that I've made rules about it. It's only an at-home tv ban, so as not to impose it on others, and I'm exempting TV I watch while using the elliptical trainer. Otherwise I'd be giving up both exercise and TV, since I really can't bring myself to work out unless my mind can also be occupied. I'm also still watching Netflix, be it movies or TV programs. Just because.

My reaction to it so far is weird, if you can evaluate your own reactions to things. This morning and afternoon while I was thinking about it, I kept racking my brain to see if there was something coming up where I would NEED my TV. And then I thought how strange that was...what would constitute a TV emergency? I couldn't really think of anything. And already tonight I realize how often I reach for the remote without really thinking about it. I'm going to have to move it or I'll just accidentally turn it on. And one of the reasons I think I often turn the TV on is that living alone I sometimes get this eery feeling that everyone else on earth has ceased to exist if I don't hear, talk to, or see someone for a while. Thankfully there is still radio and internet to assure myself that indeed there is still life on planet earth other than me and the kitties.

So yes, I will probably be blogging more in the next 40 days, at least if I can continue to give up TV. We'll see. In the meantime, I'm making a list of alternate activities, some of which include actually reading the Bible daily, something I mean to do but don't, cooking more often, a few crafty/sewing projects, reading, cleaning out closets and getting some clothes to the thrift store, painting a pink wall in my living room, and we'll see what else I can come up with.

Although some of this post probably sounds flippant, I'm interested to see what taking lent more seriously might do. On the bulletin for tonight's service was the phrase "worship devoutly," and I like that idea. Maybe lent is a good time to try to make that happen.

Cow's first attempt at PhotoBooth

Interested...

Not so interested...Neither is Princess, who is sleeping in the background.

Away From Her

I just finished watching Away From Her, and wow... I was kind of dreading it. I picked it, I did, but it wasn't really something I felt like watching tonight. So instead I put in August Evening, the other DVD that Netflix quickly and efficiently mailed me this week (this is a new thing here in the boondocks of the Midwest).

But it sucked. The description had intrigued me--an undocumented worker (good), tragedy (good), and a touching portrait of love and loss (good). However, I put it in and it was just slow and boring. And the camera was shaky. I'm not sure if they were trying to be artistic or what, but I get motion sickness quite easily, and paired with a boring first 15 or 20 minutes, I turned it off.

And then there was nothing on tv, and nothing good TiVo'd, and it was only 7:45. So, dragging my feet, I stuck Away From Her in. I was hooked instantly, and on the verge of tears throughout nearly the whole movie. It was good, very good. More about love and loss than August Evening could ever be.

Things One Can Enjoy

Crazy clowns...my latest creation at cake-decorating class. They lack what all my crafting lacks--precision. I like the idea of being crafty, and I like the process, and even sometimes the end product, but the precision is not my thing. So you might get a crooked blanket, a knitted something with holes, or a wonky clown cupcake. Just know it was made with love, and I had fun making it for you.

Here are some other things I've been enjoying lately:

• The Current from Minnesota Public Radio. I've been working from home two days a week, and the Current has been my companion. Good stuff.
• New music from the Current--particularly Let It Be Me and Turn Your Pretty Name Around.
• Big Love--I started watching it before, and I think I stopped when it was taking forever to get the discs. But now there is a Netflix shipping facility in my city, so we are back on good terms.
• The First 48. I am more than slightly addicted.
• The Larynx. Seriously, it's awesome. Vocal folds in action are an amazing bodily function. If you don't believe me, check out the animation.
• Podcasts. Since I drive an hour to and from school 3 days a week, podcasts are necessary and seem somewhat indulgent. I don't particularly love Disney, but some of my friends do Mousetalgia, and it's interesting even for non Disney devotees.

I guess that turned into a media list. That's okay. I wish I could add some books, but I haven't read much for fun since vacation. Then I read Animal, Vegetable, Mineral; Cane River, and A Thousand Splendid Suns. This week I picked up The View from Garden City from the "new fiction" section of the library. There's something about a book with an exotic location and women in headscarves to lure me. I'll let you know how it is.

As of Late

So school is still fun. Mostly. I really am enjoying the classes, but let's just say it's no Monterey Institute. I really miss the atmosphere there, especially the professionalism and the unique relationship between faculty and students.

And I think being a teacher is making me more irritated by small things at school. Particularly in one class. We do online quizzes in that class probably once a week or so, and the professor chooses the nit-pickey-est things to ask about. And since it's online, you can't really ask for clarification, or write something extra to explain your answer. For example, this week she asked us a true/false question about whether a hearing loss can be classified as one of three types: conductive, sensorineural, or combination. Well, in class we talked about conductive, sensorineural, and mixed. Since I couldn't ask her, and therefore went with the knowledge that "combination" is a synonym of "mixed," I said true. And I got it wrong. Which changed my grade on the stupid quiz from a B to an A. And when I asked her why it was wrong, if it was just the word "combination" instead of "mixed," she said that it was, and if I said "combination loss" to an audiologist, they wouldn't know what I was talking about.

First, I would give an audiologist more credit than that, and assume they could figure out the meaning of the sentence despite the lexical choice. Second, I normally would be annoyed but maybe not quite so anal, except that my acceptance to and funding for the grad. program will be decided by my grades this semester. I cannot get a B in the introductory course to the field I'm studying, particularly if it's because of picky little things that don't really matter. Of course, that's my opinion.

So there's that. And then there's my anatomy and physiology course, which I'm thoroughly enjoying. Last week we made a larynx out of an empty soda carton, and it was pretty cool. The teacher really goes out of her way to make the content comprehensible, which is greatly appreciated. My hearing science class is less deadly than I thought, and we have our first test tomorrow, we'll see how that goes. I did get a "Great!" on my research paper proposal, examining the effect of auditory integration therapy (AIT) on children with autism. I have no idea what AIT is, but I'm excited to find out.

I've also done a few observations for school, which have been REALLY interesting to me. I saw one of a kid with autism who has echolalia. Randomly during the therapy session he would repeat lines from movies or books, or things his teacher said in school. I also saw an auditory brain stem response test on an 18 month old, some pretty cool stuff.

Apart from school, I'm taking a cake decorating class. It's...interesting. I think the teacher is definitely in it for the money though. During our last class she never got up off her chair, but watched us practice, and then looked at our cakes and said they looked good. Oh, and she told us all about how one of her best friends is cheating on her husband, and now the husband found out and she's supposed to go out with the friend for a flauta after cake class. Which explains why she hurried us along...I forgot to take a picture of my cake, but it was just okay. I'm pretty sure I can improve though from just practicing a bit. I think this week we make crazy clown cupcakes, which may be more picture-worthy.

So, I will go now and review the formulas I need for tomorrow's test. I think I have them all...T=1/f (time or period equals 1 divided by frequency); f=1/t (same deal, reversed, or inversed or whatever), and wavelength=c/f (wavelength equals the speed of sound divided by frequency). Wish me luck!

PS The scary formulas from the hearing science textbook have not yet shown up in class. I'm hoping it will stay that way. My teacher has mentioned that she's bad at math a number of times, so I'm crossing my fingers that we'll skip most of the math and just get the "concept."

There haven't been many posts lately, but there isn't much to say. Unless you're intersted in hearing about the membranes and cartilages of the larynx. Actually, that might be a good learning tool for me.

I suppose there is stuff to talk about, I just don't really have the time at the moment. I'm studying the larynx, of course. And today I did 3 interesting observations (interesting to me), which I may write more about later.

Basically right now I'm in school and enjoying it, and it's kind of taken over my mind space. In the past 2 weeks, I've left my flat iron on twice, something I can't remember ever having done before. I'm attributing it to the fact that I'm always thinking about school...in a good way.

More later. Until then, seriously, check out cakewrecks. And my particular favorite-naked mohawk baby carrot jockeys. Oh, and pray I don't burn my house down with the flat iron.

Have you seen this?

Have you seen this?

cakewrecks

Wanna See a Larynx?

One of my professors shared a link with us today in class, and I think it's pretty cool:

The Larynx

You have to click on start, then choose a view of the larynx. It doesn't really matter which one you choose. The cool part is the video--way on the lower right. It's actual footage of someone's vocal folds as they speak. My professor told us that the left vocal fold is paralyzed, which accounts for some of the strange speech sounds. Pretty cool, in a nerdy kind of way.

So my department at school has a student lounge for students who are majoring in DCOM (communication disorders). It's nice because it's close to my classes, and has a microwave, computers, etc, so I spend a bit of time there inbetween my classes. But there's this group of really loud girls in there someday, who seem to have nothing academically-related to do, and therefore talk about getting wasted on tequila shots and how much they hate being in school (one of my pet peeves).

And today, I had to seriously stifle myself so I didn't laugh out loud. They must be in their final semesters, because they were talking about moving up to Sioux Falls. One girl must already have an apartment because she was telling another girl that she should rent a condo near the first girl. But the second girl didn't want to--she wants to rent a loft downtown Sioux Falls. And here is what she said about it: "I just want to live in a loft in downtown. It makes me feel like I'm in New York City!"

Um, wow. It almost sounds like a Redneck joke...You know you're a redneck if...

Here's what I did tonight--babysat! We mostly watched movies in our pajamas, but we also threw a football into a laundry basked for a very long time. It was fun, as evidenced by the smiley picture of me and my nephew. Not so fun? He has stitches. I am eternally grateful it didn't happen at my house, but he jumped off of the couch at his house and hit his eye on the corner of a coffee table. You can kind of see the stitches way on the right side of the photo. Ouch!

Hmm...

Yesterday was not a great day. It wasn't horrible compared with cancer, famine, etc., but compared to the other days this week, it wasn't great.

I had it planned to drive down to Vermillion to observe an evaluation for central auditory processing disorder. It's something I encountered a little bit as a teacher, and I was really excited to learn more about it. But I got there, and it was cancelled. So I drove 2 hours on a day I didn't have class for nothing.

When I came home, I started working on the dinner I was preparing for friends who were coming over that night. It was baked potato soup, and I thought that by peeling the potatoes before baking them, I would save myself some time. Now I'll stop here to say that I'm good at improving in some settings...public speaking, on tests, etc. Home and garden? Not so much. The peeled potatoes turned into rocks, and I had to go get more.

I also baked a cake. Lately I've been praised prodigiously for my cakes. And since the metal 9X13 was dirty, I used the glass pan. Oops. It took way too long to get the middle cooked, and the sides were chewy, and generally not so good.

But, the best was yet to come...as the soup was coming to a simmer, I went to use the bathroom. And there was a horrible stench coming from the bathroom...kind of like someone getting a perm, but grosser. And there was food coming out of the shower drain, covering the shower floor. And guests were coming in like 15 minutes...and this was my only shower...

Let's just say having friends over was the saving grace. We had a lovely dinner, a field trip to the hardware store for stuff to pour down the drain, and some just okay cake. And today I called my new friend, Mr. Roto Rooter, and then went out and bought a trap to catch hair before it goes down the drain, and I vowed not to put any more potato peelings down the garbage disposal.

Random

I was messing around with PhotoBooth tonight, and realized after taking a few photos that the T-shirt I'm wearing is the dorm t-shirt from my freshman year at Dordt--East Hall 97-98. I'm not sure why I bought the t-shirt, as I spent very little time there, and moved after 1 semester, but I have to say that it's one fine t-shirt to have lasted 11-12 years.

I thought it was just the diaphram, a pair of lungs, and an air tube!

So I believe this is probably going to turn into a school blog. You know, just like it turns into a baby blog when you have kids. So if you're cool with that, stick around. If not, well, you can request a topic and we'll see...

Tonight I started reading my textbook for next week's speech science classes--basically anatomy and physiology. And after about a half hour or 45 minutes I decided to peak at where the end of the chapter was, and it kept going and going...it's 84 pages. Seriously, I knew there were a few parts, but I was thinking probably 5-10 parts. Whoops. But in most ways I do like the challenge. I like having something concrete to learn because at the end I can say that I know all the ribs, all the types of vertebrae, parts of the lungs, and a bunch of stuff I haven't read about yet. It's easier to define than say, reading a great novel and saying what you've learned. Though I still love to read...

But yeah, being back in school brings up a bunch of anxieties that always happen at the beginning of a semester. Like the speech science class I'm reading for--last week the professor put up an outline for the previous chapter. That's the material we went through in class, and it was in less detail and breadth than what is in the textbook. So I'm thinking that we'll be tested on what she went over in class, or will we? But I really don't want to ask her either, for fear of looking like I'm trying to get out of work or being lazy.

Speaking of which...I forgot to mention in my last post that I am shocked at the behavior of some of the other students in my classes. For example, in my speech science class we were doing a partner activity, and being the old lady, I didn't have a partner. I turned around to see if there was anyone else partner-less, and there was a girl behind me who had her headphones on...during class. Seriously? This isn't a general ed. requirement...what was she doing there?

Then later in the day in my Intro. to DCOM (Comm. Disorders) class there was a girl behind me snapping her gum. Loudly. The whole time. As any of my students can attest to, I'm very distracted by sounds. I can hear a phone vibrating in someone's backpack across the room. So I was annoyed. And again we had to "talk to a partner" about the reasons we use speech. She was the only one left, and so I smiled and looked at her and said asked her what she thought. She gave me the look of death and said "I don't know." Come on! This is basically a question with a billion right answers. So I offered something, I think I said to get needs met, like when babies cry. Or to ask a question. She sort of said "yeah," and looked at the floor.

It was a pet peeve of mine when I was in college that there were people who didn't want to be there, and I find it all the more annoying now that I'm older. But I'm trying to be graceful, thinking about what else might be going on in their lives right now. I don't remember the exact reference, or much about where I heard it, but once I heard or saw a quote that said be kind to those you meet, for all are in the midst of a great crisis. Maybe these girls were, who knows. Or maybe they were just being bitchy on purpose. Who knows.

So yeah, I'm loving school, but as always trying not to show it too much. I'll save that for the MA program.

Day 2

It is day 2 of once again being a student. And what a day it has been. Good, mostly.

My professors are all pretty cool, and I think (think) my feeling of imminent demise due to my hearing science may have been premature. The professor doesn't seem too disturbed that I haven't taken the prerequisite, and when I asked if there was anything more I could do to be prepared, she said I should come and see her often. That's pretty cool...she seems very into helping students.

In my speech science class we played with play-dough to practice orientation and planes of the body. That was pretty fun, and it meant that I got to talk to a few people. I am definitely still an outlier though, as I was the only person without a partner for the play dough activity. I ended up working with 1/3 of a threesome, and it worked out well.

It turns out all of my classes have 40-50 students in them, which surprised me. Some of the other students said this is abnormal, but who knows.

I'm still trying to master the campus...finding my way without a map is not my strong suit. And, there is a vast shortage of microwaves on campus for commuter students. So far I've found only 1, on the opposite end of campus from all of my classes. It may have to be sandwiches and cold items for lunch from now on.

Oh, and apparently I can also not read my schedule. I found the room for my hearing science class, and sat down in the front row. I was the first one there, but people trickled in. Something didn't feel right though. For one thing, there were too many guys. DCOM (Comm. Disorders) is almost all women, and while I sat there waiting, 3 guys came in. Then, a girl sat down next to me and pulled out a political science booklet. We figured out I was an hour early for my class. Oh well, better early than late. I think I'll have it down by Monday.

And as much as being at class an hour away by 8 am sucks, the parking was great.

Frustrated

I'm frustrated right now. I just found out that student health doesn't cover birth control. Sorry if that's TMI for anyone, but seriously...a student health insurance plan doesn't cover birth control pills? Is there another group of people who need to consider contraception more strongly?

Oh, and it also doesn't cover well woman exams. I guess preventative medicine is just too expensive. Or women are too expensive, one or the other...

And why is it that the less money you make, the more you have to pay for things? I understand that my employer was kicking in for my health insurance, but still...I'm getting quite shitty coverage as a student, and still paying probably 1/3 to 1/2 of what it cost for the kick-ass plan I had that covered medical, dental, and vision.

Just a little rant...on health insurance. Exciting, no?

There was an old lady who...

So I just finished my first day of class. It was great, and fun, and weird. I sort of forgot that I needed a binder and paper until last night, so I made the trek out into the subzero to OfficeMax, and stumped the 19 year old working there when I asked for loose leaf paper. He looked at me, said "loose leaf paper?" as if I had just asked him where they kept the helper monkeys, and then mumbled into his walkie talkie "Do we have, um, loose leaf paper or something?" Of course they did...but then I found it for half-price at Target.

I got my binder together, and was deciding on what bag to make my school bag. Not really a big deal, but I do love all the accoutrements that go with school. I couldn't decide between a messenger bag, or a backpack. A messenger seems more my age, and professional, but in the end the backpack won because all of my books will fit into it, and the messenger will likely remain stuffed with work stuff since I'm still doing that part-time.

Arriving early, I searched for a parking spot. I had a moment of joy earlier this week when I got my shiny new parking pass in the mail...like I said, it's all about the accoutrements. I easily found a spot, and had a few minutes to explore...so I found my new favorite place on campus--the library. It's three floors! And they're divided up into group work, quiet, and silent. How cool is that? But walking into the library was weird...somehow the camel-colored wool pea coat I was wearing felt out of place with a backpack, and I was sure everyone was staring and thinking I didn't belong there.

And for sure when I got to the classroom. I knew I would be older than most people there...but I didn't think I would feel that old. I did. And some of the other students were really, genuinely staring at me. I first thought I was being paranoid, but no, as soon as I would look around I saw eyes averting their gaze. Weird! Seriously, I'm not that old. I was also shocked when someone's phone vibrated during class, and instead of turning it off, the girl checked who was calling. WHAT? Seriously...

So I felt more of an affinity with the professor, and tried to keep my eyes on her. It was weird, I felt more empathy about it being her first day of class in front of all these students than I did empathy for my classmates. I laughed at her jokes and had an almost irrepresible urge to help her pass out papers. I did restrain myself, you'll be happy to note.

It was the standard go over the syllabus first class, and the class itself looks very interesting. We'll be observing SLPs and audiologists, which looks cool. And she'll drop the lowest quiz and test score, so I'm hoping this will be a high grade without a ton of effort, since my other classes will require everything I have. The weirdest part of class though was at the end. She must have made a vague reference to class being almost over (I didn't catch it), and while she was still talking, mid-sentence, students starting (loudly) putting on their coats, putting their pens and books, etc. away. I was really quite shocked! My college kids didn't do that...is that a result of a public school upbringing? (Kidding)

So school is awesome. The only dilemma I have now is this...is it cool, or strange, to friend your professors on Facebook, and does the answer change depending on your age?