Aaaaaaahhhh.
Back on my comfy sofa with a kitty making eyes at me after a whirlwind round trip to LA.
I headed North at four on Friday, miraculously missing both rain and traffic, and was letting myself in to Granny's house in time to catch a guilty pleasure called Ghost Whisperer on TV. It was odd being there on my own, Granny is staying with my Aunt while recovering from a hip replacement, and my parents were out to dinner with some people from UCLA.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Shiny face, shiny shoes
Today I bought a new pair of maryjanes for my first day of school. I have been orientated, registered for classes, paid my tuition (ouch) and received my student loan disbursement (yay).
My parents were here for the long weekend and yesterday Mum helped me fold laundry, and cleaned the bathroom while I overhauled a bookshelf to make room for new papers and text books. On Saturday, Dad came with me when I picked up my ridiculously expensive book on Health Administration, so he got to see a bit of the campus (and I bought him a new red pen for marking) the equally-overpriced-but-cheaper-online biostats text arrived last week. There's a giant pot of veggie-heavy beef chili simmering on the stove, and I'm typing this with Tali purring in my lap, using my arm as a head rest while I watch TV.
Tomorrow will be a long day: full day of work followed by my first class from 7-9.40pm, though I don't expect it to go that late, the class I took last year only went to the full scheduled time once.
My parents were here for the long weekend and yesterday Mum helped me fold laundry, and cleaned the bathroom while I overhauled a bookshelf to make room for new papers and text books. On Saturday, Dad came with me when I picked up my ridiculously expensive book on Health Administration, so he got to see a bit of the campus (and I bought him a new red pen for marking) the equally-overpriced-but-cheaper-online biostats text arrived last week. There's a giant pot of veggie-heavy beef chili simmering on the stove, and I'm typing this with Tali purring in my lap, using my arm as a head rest while I watch TV.
Tomorrow will be a long day: full day of work followed by my first class from 7-9.40pm, though I don't expect it to go that late, the class I took last year only went to the full scheduled time once.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Pretty different compared to last year, also really late as these things go
It is clear that this time last year I was determined to move on and get into graduate studies, since my brush with cancer delayed those plans. It's great to read the answers I wrote last January and realize that I did indeed take the GRE, and apply for a program, I even got in!
Looking back at that post also reminds me how up-in-the-air my job situation was from late 2006 until mid-2007. Coming back from Christmas break this year I felt very much that I was returning to the routine, that I knew where I was supposed to be and what I was supposed to be doing, pretty good indications that I've fully transitioned into the new lab.
1. Will you be looking for a new job? No! I like my job, and I do not want to be job-seeking while beginning a master's degree!
2. Will you be looking for a new relationship? No. Well, I'd like to have a new and improved relationship with my body and health. This is last year's answer, but it still applies, so it stays.
3. New house? We couldn't move if we wanted to, the market is still going backwards in our neck of the woods. Fortunately, we don't want to move, just rip out the carpet and do a bit of painting...
4. What will you do that is different in '08? I will have to have a much more organized approach to daily tasks, both at home and at work, in order to slot in the additional tasks of going to class, reading textbooks and doing homework. I think this year I will have my head down focusing on the job at hand, and spend less time thinking/fantasizing/fretting about the future.
5. New Years resolution? Maintain at least a B average in my classes, survive being a student without a negative effect on my health and/or sanity.
6. What will you not be doing in '08? Wasting time wondering if I'm good enough to get into graduate school.
7. Any trips planned? PA in the summer, maybe for the 4th of July.
8. Wedding plans? No weddings on the horizon.
9. Major thing on your calendar? Start of classes, finals, SUMMER BREAK (which may contain a pottery or belly dancing class as a reward).
10. What can't you wait for? Right now, the things I was impatient for are happening RIGHT NOW, I haven't thought of a new thing to be impatient for, I suppose I can't wait to get stuck in to my classes.
11. What would you like to see happen differently? The general election. No joke.
12. What about yourself will you be changing? The quantity of free time I have available, I think this year I will be squeezing every last drop of time out of my days.
13. What happened in 07 that you didn't think would ever happen? I went on antidepressants, and it was a really good decision. (Both seemed impossible)
14. Will you be nicer to the people you care about? I certainly plan to knit them more things.
15. Will you dress differently this year than you did in 07? Not on purpose.
16. Will you start or quit drinking? Nope. I want to change my morning coffee to tea, save coffee for the weekends and put Baileys in it!
17. Will you better your relationship with your family? My relationship with my parents gets better every year.
18. Will you do charity work? Realistically? No, I won't have the time to give. I will continue to sign petitions for causes important to me, and keep working on reducing my carbon footprint.
19. Will you go to bars? I want to go to the San Diego House of Blues sometime this year.
20. Will you be nice to people you don't know? Yes.
21. Do you expect 08 to be a good year for you? Yes. Also a very busy one.
22. How much did you change from this time last year till now? I feel a lot more stable and comfortable with my life.
23. Do you plan on having a child? Not this year!
24. Will you still be friends with the same people you are friends with now? Yes, I hope to meet some new groovy people through classes too. At least good study mates.
25. Major lifestyle changes? Becoming one of those crazies who works full time and goes to university too.
26. Will you be moving? I hope not!
27. What will you make sure doesn't happen in 08 that happened in 07? In 2007 I did not see nearly enough of my husband, I want this year to be different.
28. What are your New Years Eve plans? Two weeks ago, I fell asleep on the living room floor.
29. Will you have someone to kiss at midnight? I did. My husband. But I was asleep.
30. One wish for 08? Successful navigation of the whole work-plus-university thing.
Looking back at that post also reminds me how up-in-the-air my job situation was from late 2006 until mid-2007. Coming back from Christmas break this year I felt very much that I was returning to the routine, that I knew where I was supposed to be and what I was supposed to be doing, pretty good indications that I've fully transitioned into the new lab.
1. Will you be looking for a new job? No! I like my job, and I do not want to be job-seeking while beginning a master's degree!
2. Will you be looking for a new relationship? No. Well, I'd like to have a new and improved relationship with my body and health. This is last year's answer, but it still applies, so it stays.
3. New house? We couldn't move if we wanted to, the market is still going backwards in our neck of the woods. Fortunately, we don't want to move, just rip out the carpet and do a bit of painting...
4. What will you do that is different in '08? I will have to have a much more organized approach to daily tasks, both at home and at work, in order to slot in the additional tasks of going to class, reading textbooks and doing homework. I think this year I will have my head down focusing on the job at hand, and spend less time thinking/fantasizing/fretting about the future.
5. New Years resolution? Maintain at least a B average in my classes, survive being a student without a negative effect on my health and/or sanity.
6. What will you not be doing in '08? Wasting time wondering if I'm good enough to get into graduate school.
7. Any trips planned? PA in the summer, maybe for the 4th of July.
8. Wedding plans? No weddings on the horizon.
9. Major thing on your calendar? Start of classes, finals, SUMMER BREAK (which may contain a pottery or belly dancing class as a reward).
10. What can't you wait for? Right now, the things I was impatient for are happening RIGHT NOW, I haven't thought of a new thing to be impatient for, I suppose I can't wait to get stuck in to my classes.
11. What would you like to see happen differently? The general election. No joke.
12. What about yourself will you be changing? The quantity of free time I have available, I think this year I will be squeezing every last drop of time out of my days.
13. What happened in 07 that you didn't think would ever happen? I went on antidepressants, and it was a really good decision. (Both seemed impossible)
14. Will you be nicer to the people you care about? I certainly plan to knit them more things.
15. Will you dress differently this year than you did in 07? Not on purpose.
16. Will you start or quit drinking? Nope. I want to change my morning coffee to tea, save coffee for the weekends and put Baileys in it!
17. Will you better your relationship with your family? My relationship with my parents gets better every year.
18. Will you do charity work? Realistically? No, I won't have the time to give. I will continue to sign petitions for causes important to me, and keep working on reducing my carbon footprint.
19. Will you go to bars? I want to go to the San Diego House of Blues sometime this year.
20. Will you be nice to people you don't know? Yes.
21. Do you expect 08 to be a good year for you? Yes. Also a very busy one.
22. How much did you change from this time last year till now? I feel a lot more stable and comfortable with my life.
23. Do you plan on having a child? Not this year!
24. Will you still be friends with the same people you are friends with now? Yes, I hope to meet some new groovy people through classes too. At least good study mates.
25. Major lifestyle changes? Becoming one of those crazies who works full time and goes to university too.
26. Will you be moving? I hope not!
27. What will you make sure doesn't happen in 08 that happened in 07? In 2007 I did not see nearly enough of my husband, I want this year to be different.
28. What are your New Years Eve plans? Two weeks ago, I fell asleep on the living room floor.
29. Will you have someone to kiss at midnight? I did. My husband. But I was asleep.
30. One wish for 08? Successful navigation of the whole work-plus-university thing.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
creeeeeak
I rang in 2008 by getting a solid 12 hours of sleep.
After laughing when the neighbors asked if I was going to stay up for midnight, saying "of course, it's a big Scottish tradition!" I failed to pace myself on the bevvies, had three whiskeys, and then went to sleep on the living room floor at about 10pm. I vaguely remember making the decision to nap on the floor rather than going the extra three meters to my bed, because that way Matt would see me and know I'd decided to go to sleep, rather than wondering where I'd got to. Though his first thought was probably not that I'd made a conscious choice so much as, you know, collapsed. Heh. Logic and whiskey evidently don't coexist in one brain.
I did celebrate midnight Eastern Standard time, 9pm here, which is when all the kids got to blow their noisemakers and then go to bed. Our neighbor had set up a miniature Time Square ball, a football wrapped in fairy lights, on a flagpole, and he lowered it as we all counted down. Very cute. It's good to know I can at least keep up with all the under-8 party animals.
After laughing when the neighbors asked if I was going to stay up for midnight, saying "of course, it's a big Scottish tradition!" I failed to pace myself on the bevvies, had three whiskeys, and then went to sleep on the living room floor at about 10pm. I vaguely remember making the decision to nap on the floor rather than going the extra three meters to my bed, because that way Matt would see me and know I'd decided to go to sleep, rather than wondering where I'd got to. Though his first thought was probably not that I'd made a conscious choice so much as, you know, collapsed. Heh. Logic and whiskey evidently don't coexist in one brain.
I did celebrate midnight Eastern Standard time, 9pm here, which is when all the kids got to blow their noisemakers and then go to bed. Our neighbor had set up a miniature Time Square ball, a football wrapped in fairy lights, on a flagpole, and he lowered it as we all counted down. Very cute. It's good to know I can at least keep up with all the under-8 party animals.
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