Ever have one of these days?

Or should I say weeks? The semester is finally over for me, although I'm still finishing up some grading stuff. Almost all of my grades are posted (straight As for me!). But I'm back at work at good ol DAQ... oh, and did I mention the grading stuff? Yeah, 120 3-5 page papers to grade plus I have to compile and double check everyone's grades into an excel document emailed to the professor by Sunday. I have the excel document, and it is pretty much up-to-date, but it's that "pretty much" that is bothering me... and the papers of course. Ugh! I am so sleep deprived... I think I'll go take a nap for now and grade later. What do you think?

Maybe after some good rest I can finally give you an update. I know I have a lot to post about, but due to my state of sleep-deprived mind I can't for the life of me remember it....

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I'm a dork.

So I thought I was being all cool joining in the NaBloPoMo thing.... until I just realized that today is not the first of the month. Well, crap! I already screwed it up!! So consider this my second post of the month k???

I have a lot on my mind right now. I have group therapy on Monday nights (it's required for one of my classes), and I usually feel better leaving than when I came in. Tonight was the complete opposite. I'm trying very hard to figure out why I feel worse now when I was in such a good mood earlier. I guess part of it is that group tonight was mentally exhausting. I did A LOT of thinking; not just about things to discuss, but reasons to or not to participate. The Bestie was in an unusually bad mood today too, which may have rubbed off on me. I'm also afraid that I may have offended someone. I honestly wasn't trying to, and I think I made up for it, but I'm still unsure. So now I'm freaking out about tomorrow, wondering if the Bestie will be better, and if I will have a chance to talk to the other person. I'm also writing a paper now: my first of three due this week. I feel the stress and tension that I had lost on my weekend at Dad's slowly creeping back up my neck and shoulders! Perhaps a couple of minutes on my swing with a book will make it better??? I sure hope so.

BTW, what did you think of the song??? I'm still listening to it haha

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Wrapping up the weekend

This week is going to be super busy. Tomorrow is my first full day at my new job. I'm super nervous because there has always been someone else there to help me when I get stuck. This time is different. It is MY office, not someone else's, and it is MY job to make sure everything gets finished. I also have to buy the rest of my books tomorrow morning and babysit tomorrow night. I want to try to squeeze my Weight Watchers meeting in there too, but it isn't looking so good. I also start classes on Wednesday. Oh my! I think if I can make it through this first week, I will be ok... I hope....

Anywho, I found this picture and thought it was totally adorable. I got it from this site.


see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

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Starting Over

I apologize for my absence over the last week and a half although I'm sure you all understand. It has been an adjustment getting use to George being gone... but I'm slowly working through it and each day gets a little easier.

A couple of other things have happened over my absence.. some good, some not so good, but such is life. I had my last day at DAQ on Friday. My coworkers threw a little party for me! It was very sweet of them. They tried to make all the food healthy and low calorie for my weight loss (up to 10lbs now in 6 weeks!)...(although someone still snuck in chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles... not that I'm complaining). They all signed a card and everything. Unfortunately I was not there for the entire day as my mom was put in the hospital the night before. When it rains it pours. She is ok, but is having surgery on Tuesday to remove a huge kidney stone. I'm glad I am finished with work so I don't have to miss anything to be there with her.

On a happier note, Matthew starts classes tomorrow! Can you believe it? I made a run to Meijer with the Bestie to pick up notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, etc. as well as snacks for him to keep in his bookbag. He will be working during the day then going straight to class after work. I think it will be a total of 11 hours from start of work to end of class. I know he can do it. We have a wager going on to see who will get the most A's. Usually when we have an evening out it is full of indecisiveness with one wanting the other to decide what to do.... so for our bet, the loser has to completely plan a night out for the other! I think it is pretty good incentive, and we are both fairly competetive. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes :)

I have a ton of pictures to share, so I will try to get to those by the end of the week.

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I did it!

I am officially a college graduate!

The evening went ok for the most part. My grandmother was not able to come down, but my aunt was able to come up, so that was cool. My feet were throbbing from being in heels all day, but there was a ramp to the stage instead of stairs so no worries there. The only really negative thing was that my name wasn't in the program, and they mispronounced my name when I walked across the stage, but I can get over that. I also had to shake hands with the professor that noticed me from behind last week lol

Overall, it feels good to be finished with this part of my life. It was wonderful to spend time with my family, and when I wasn't with them I was with Amanda. We really needed eachother today! I am very excited to see what happens now, and what kind of doors will open up.

*Pictures to come later :)

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Yay!

I took my last final today, and now I'm home and officially finished with my undergraduate career! Just two days until graduation, and about four months until I get my diploma :) I have some cleaning to do before Saturday, and I have to get ready to go out tonight. The bestie and I always have some sort of get together at the end of the semester, so we are making the guys take us to the Melting Pot. Yummy!! :D

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Weird Week

I just realized that I hadn't posted since Monday. I guess I'm slacking again.... I'll just blame in on senioritis :)

This week is affectionately (...or not) known as dead week to UK students. It's the last week of classes, and we are supposed to have a very light load. Usually, though, we call it "the week you wish your dead" because there is way too much crap to take care of. Lucky for me, it was actually a decent dead week, and I didn't do much.

However, yesterday was the start of a very weird end-of-the-week. The bestie and I had a presentation on a research project we did together. I will spare you the details... it wasn't very interesting. That was fine, but afterward we were walking to the structure, when I got the double-honk-and-nod. Some guy in a white van tapped his horn, nodded at me once then drove off. I am going to assume that he thought I was someone else, because otherwise it's kind of weird. The weirdness continued today while walking to work. I was just walking, minding my own business, when I heard footsteps behind me rushing to catch up with me. I turn to see who it was, and it was one of my professors. He recognized me from behind..... I'm not sure how to respond to that. Even weirder, he walked and talked with me all the way to Kastle Hall. I guess that is normal to him. He has talked to me, gone to his office, then came back out to talk to me some more before, so this shouldn't freak me out I guess... So I don't know. What do you think? I am probably just reading too much into it, mainly because otherwise I was getting run into and ignored like I was invisible. Just a weird weird week.

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I made it

It is Thursday evening, and I have survived this horrible evil week. My papers were turned in and my tests passed. I was up until 2 this morning and got up at 6, so I'm pretty sure I could fall asleep right now. Wonder how drool resistant my keyboard is?

I found out late last night that we are running more people through that Mindfulness study I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. ( at least I think I did... can't really remember right now. oh well). It is going to be rough sending out 33 personalized emails on a day when I am away from my computer from 7am to 6pm when the emails should be sent out before 1pm. I'm sure I'll figure it out though.

I am now going to celebrate the end of this week with a nice nap and some good food. My mom's birthday is tomorrow, and we have family coming in from Chicago, so I need my rest :)

By the way... what do you think of the changes I've made to the blog? I'm just playing around with some things and wanted to know what you all thought. Be honest... I can take it :D

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Too Much

You know you are way too stressed out when you are freaking out in your sleep. I woke up this morning nauseated because I had been dreaming about all this grad school stuff and the paper I have due this morning. Getting up at 5 to write the last 2 and 1/2 pages of a four page paper due at 9 was not my most brilliant idea. I finished it, and I'm on campus now. My class doesn't start for another hour, but I need to work on my personal statement for UoL (which can't have personal stuff in it... wtc). The deadline is Sunday and I'm screaming on the inside because they still haven't gotten stuff I sent over a week ago. I'm scared to death they won't have everything on time, and my attempts at emailing someone over there failed miserably. I'm sure it will all be ok... right? I'm freaking out.....

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Bubble

So everyone has seen Finding Nemo by now, right? (if not.. go rent it because it is super cute) So you know the fish that is obsessed with bubbles? That's me.

I'm not obsessed with bubbles in a literal sense, and it really isn't bubbles in the plural.. just one bubble... mine. I don't like it when people get too close. It really creeps me out unless I know that person very well (like my bff or Matthew for example). Anyway, so I get really uncomfortable when someone enters my personal space.. my bubble.

I know you know there is a story coming... so here goes. There is this guy that I have been friends with since August. He is an ok guy, I guess, but he is super friendly. I can handle him in small doses when there is a good 6 or 7 feet between us, but any closer than that and he is obnoxious. I unfortunately have a class with him. I don't want to be mean, and dislike him, but he has been very rude and made me feel quite uncomfortable, so I feel I have a right to be mean a little bit. Whenever he talks to me, he leans in and I can smell his breath (indicator one that someone is WWWAAAYYYY too close). He also steals my armrest. The desk folds out from under the right armrest, and he always puts his left arm on it. I politely asked him if I could have my armrest back one day, and he fought with me saying that technically half of it was his. I just put the desk down and used my lap. So today I switched sides, and he kept his elbow in my ribs practically the entire time. I don't know what to do with this boy, but I know he's driving me insane. I don't want to be mean, like I said, but I'm going to have to sit somewhere else. He isn't in to me in a romantic way, and I don't think he tries to be mean, I just don't think he knows any better. I don't know what to do, because I don't want to hurt his feelings, but he shouldn't be so rude to me and make me feel so uncomfortable. Any suggestions?

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SNOW DAY!!!!

Today was my first snow day since my junior year in high school. We did not have a single snow day my senior year, so how funny is it that I would not have any in college until my senior year?

(I really like this picture for some reason...)

So Kentucky is literally a big skating rink. We are in a "state of emergency" and a lot of people don't have power. This morning, I was one of them. About 5 or 6 hours later, it was back on. Thank goodness for battery backups! It came on about 15 minutes before Matthew came home from work (yes Best Buy was open. His boss had to come pick him up because his truck hates snow)... naturally! It could have been a lot worse. My mom had to drive down to Berea to pick up my stepbrother and his roommate because Berea closed down and all the students had to be off campus by 5pm today. Absolutely insane.

(...and taking pictures of icicles apparently)

So back to the snow day, I had no intentions of going to campus today regardless of whether or not we had class. I only have lab hours and work so no big deal. Yesterday, however, should have been canceled. We were on a delay so I didn't have class until 11. They finally decided to close campus at 3:30 after someone fell and got hurt. Amanda had little spike things on her shoes, so she would break through the ice, pull me (because I was having to skate on the ice) and then take another step. It was madness. Some people seemed to enjoy it though. We watched one guy run and slide on the sidewalk a couple of times. One time he did it, he lost his balance, and tumbled forward only to quickly end up back on his feet. We laughed, but he did it to himself so we didn't feel so bad :)

So that you can enjoy the skating rink that is Kentucky, I took some pictures. Enjoy :D

More icicles of course :)
Look at all the snow on my swing!
The branches are weighed down with ice.
Hope they don't fall on my car.

There were icicles on the siding!

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Freezing!

I'm so over this cold right now. It's in the single digits, with wind chills below zero. RIDICULOUS! And of course I had to go out, even though today is my day off. Naturally, I got a text this morning from missing bookexchange girl (I'll call her MBG for short haha). MBG wanted to meet at 11 on campus. I got the text at 9:50 while snuggled up toasty warm in bed. Not a happy camper. I got up staring at MBG's text message saying "I hate you" (I'm not really a morning person, obviously). So I get myself up, throw on some layers and head out the door. At least she showed up early and I got all of the books. I then headed down to the bookstore and returned the books I had bought already for that class, and the book for the online class.

OK, now for that story. After waiting 5 days for a response to my request for an override, I get this message yesterday:

"Kirsty, I typically do not provide overrides as it is offered Spring, Summer, and Fall + there is another section of the course available. If you have a compelling reason, I will entertain it."

What... the...crap. Now, perhaps some of it is my fault for not telling her my life story in the email. She doesn't know that this is my last semester... and that the other section is a night class. But her class is a freakin online class. Surely she can fit in one more without complaint right? My tuition pays her salary... how in the world does she have the audacity to talk to me like that? "I will entertain it?" ????????? I've decided that while I do have a compelling reason, I am not responding to this message. I do not want her grading my stuff for the class. So I'm keeping my schedule, taking the writing class as pass/fail, and hoping for the best.

On to better news, I watched the little girl on Wednesday. I want to be able to talk about her, but I don't want to use her name so I'll have to think of something to call her. I'm open to suggestions! Anyway, she was an absolute doll! When her mom left she started to cry, but I sat down and held a toy up for her and she immediately stopped. It... was... amazing! She has started modeling, so she repeated a lot of the things that Matthew and I did. For one, Matthew was taking a nap on the couch. She pulled herself up to look at him, then she sat down, then laid down on the floor! She didn't fall, she did in intentionally! How cute is that? She also repeated some sounds I made while feeding her. I don't see a lot of problems except that she likes to be in the kitchen and open cabinets. I'm going to have to fix them so she can't get into anything. It's a small fix though, so I don't mind.

I plan on enjoying the rest of my friday indoors where it's nice and warm. I hope everyone has a wonderful friday and an even better weekend. Stay warm!

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Another rant... sorry

So now I am really stressed out. I despise the first week of classes because they bring nothing but pain and that horrible sound of an empty wallet. I have to get my textbooks tomorrow. This in itself is bad enough, but when you consider everything else it just keeps getting worse. To start, I want to drop one of my classes in exchange for an online course (with a much cheaper book), but the professor has yet to reply to my email asking for an override since the course is full. Honestly, how does an online course fill up??? Anyway, so now I can't decide if I should buy the books for the first class, buy the book for the online class, or just get them both and take back whichever one(s) I don't need. I want to be sure to get them used, but I'm not sure I can afford them all at the same time. AAAHHHH! Also, I have requested books off of ukbookexchange and the people have yet to get in touch with me about them. The books are super super cheap, but if the people are not going to follow through, I'll be left buying those books new from the bookstore (I can hear my debit card whimpering at the thought). I hate having to rely on total strangers for things like this, especially when they can't seem to hold up their end of the bargain.

To add to this, I found out yesterday that my cousin has picked out the dress I'm suppose to wear in her wedding this summer. This was also the time I found out that she wanted me in her wedding. I found out from my mom. My cousin has not called to ask me, she just assumed I would. Of course I will, but it's the principle. This part I don't mind, though, as much as the dress. Apparently it is pink.....and green.... in camo form! I have nothing against camo (at least when one is hunting or such), but I have never worn it in my life, and never thought the first time would be during a wedding. I'm kind of freaking out over it. I guess I will just have to deal though. If that's what she wants, then I guess that's what it will be. I'll get over it in a day or two I'm sure.

Sorry about all the ranting. It's been a long day. I hope to have a much lighter post tomorrow. On a happier note, though, I'm glad to have readers now! I was starting to feel a little crazy just typing away to myself. To all my new visitors, welcome! I hope you enjoy what you read, and feel free to stop by anytime and leave me some love :D

*update: I just got the email about the lab meeting on thursday. I'm totally shocked!

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Sneaky... very sneaky

So it's the first full week of 2009, and my last full week of winter break. It really snuck up one me... and it sucks. Classes start on the 14th, but luckily I don't have classes on mondays, wednesdays, or fridays so my semester officially starts on the 15th. It will begin with a 9am class, and end around 3pm until a lab meeting that will most likely occur at 5pm.

Have we received an email about said lab meeting? no.

Will we receive one before the end of the week? not likely.

Will we receive it around 11pm on wednesday night? probably.

Good 'ol lab. Anyway, I have sooo much to do now! I have to buy my books ($261 for three classes!) to start. I also have to write my personal statement for grad school, write my essays for my application to EKU, and fill out the applications to the universities as well as to the individual programs! Deadlines are quickly approaching and will be here before I know it! I'm so lucky to have Amanda to do all of this with. I'm not sure I could do it without her.

Instead of focusing on all of the things I need to get done, I'd rather focus on the things to look forward to. For one, I'm going to a baby shower this weekend. I have already got my gift, and although I don't know the mom, I know the dad and grandma (although it is REALLY weird thinking of her as a grandma!). Also, HOUSE returns monday night at 8pm! I am so excited for it and have totally been going through withdrawal. But now I am off to do some more onling-window-shopping. I'm trying desperately to find a Twilight calendar that won't cost me $50-$100...

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The End!

It's finally over... I took my last two finals today and I am finished with fall semester 2008 :D So now I am officially on Christmas Break although it feels more like it should be spring break outside... once again, good ol Kentucky weather. I have some things to do for grad school, but I'm not touching any of it for at least a week. I have a very busy weekend planned, starting with the end-of-semester celebration that Amanda and I have after every semester. It use to be end-of-semester celebration for non-alcoholics, but we're 21 now lol So I am going to listen to some more of Robert Pattinson (seriously... can't get enough of it!) and relax before getting ready for a night one the town :D

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Go Figure.

Last night, Lexington was covered in a beautiful blanket of snow (and a not-so-pretty layer of ice). Kentucky weather is absolutely insane because yesterday morning I was outside in a hoodie and perfectly comfortable, only to wake up this morning to two inches of snow and ice! It's crazy, but totally expected.

Anyway, all of this snow would be perfect for the week before Christmas, except for one little thing: Finals. It is finals week at good ol UK, and lucky me had one at 1 (although I feel much luckier than those that had one at 8 or 10:30 this morning). UK didn't cancel finals for today, because, well, that would just make too much sense. Instead, we get this nice little message on the website telling us to be careful and that campus and nearby sidewalks may be "hazardous." I mean, seriously? You would think that a University would want to take a little better care of its students, especially since without us there would be no money... just a thought.

Oh well....

So I left my nice warm apartment an hour and a half early to give myself time to clean off my car and make it to campus. It took me half an hour just to uncover my car! Once that was done (Thanks a lot Matthew for helping out..... I know that watching from the patio window must have been exhausting!!! lol), it took me all of 10 minutes to make it to campus. My exam only took 20 minutes, so I actually spent more time cleaning off my car than taking my exam. Of course.

So now I'm back at home. I have nothing to do for the rest of the day since all of my Frankfort activities have been rescheduled. Apparently they got it worse than we did. Good old Kentucky weather.

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Who knew?

I have spent my evening gathering information, and like this poor little cat have found myself in a fishbowl. Yes, I'm applying for grad school. It totally sucks, and is soooo much harder than applying for undergrad. It truly did look a lot simpler than it actually is. I worked for about an hour trying to print off my information for the wonderful professors writing my letters of recommendations, and hunting for deadlines and application fees. Holy crap! This stuff is expensive! I just don't know how I'm going to keep everything organized. Any suggestions? I'm open to your opinions because the deadlines are only two or three months away! AAAAAHHHH
So much for a Christmas Break... sending in applications and fees, as well as writing a personal statement. I think I may lose my mind before it's all said and done (assuming I have much of one left after finals next week...)

P.S. I promised a Twilight movie post. I will make a more juicy, Edward-obsessed one later, but for now check out my other blog for a movie review if you really want to know :)

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Sorry

I know I have many updates to make. I promise they are coming soon!

I woke up WAY too early this morning to finish a paper. What kind of professor makes a monster paper due the day before Thanksgiving break?!? Oh well, I finished it around 7 this morning, and I'm not due to campus until 9 so I'm passing the time at the moment. I will have a full post on Twilight the movie (OMG awesome!) but for now I am obsessed with the soundtrack, especially the song that Rob Pattinson (Edward) wrote, played, and sang.... totally melts me everytime!




Lyrics Rob Pattinson - Never Think lyrics

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A Not-Twilight-Related Post

Alright... so back to reality. So where do I begin?

School officially sucks right now. There are roughly 5 weeks left of this semester, and I'm feeling the burn. I have papers and tests all creeping up on me. I got up at 5am today to finish a paper! The only reason I didn't finish it last night was because my laptop overheated and shut off. Oh well. At least that is one paper done... only two more left (too bad those two are monster 10-15 page papers....).

Lab is ok. We are starting a new study, which is frustrating because things aren't getting done like they should, but whatev. Good new, though, is that the amazing grad student Ryan is letting me tag onto one of his projects. I have spent most of the evening making a survey online for the project. It is just a rough draft and is no where near close to being able to be sent out to people, but it's my little survey that I made all by myself you know? I'm very excited about this project because I get to go deeper into the world of research than just running participants. I think it is an excellent opportunity, and I am very grateful to gs Ryan :)

I spent this past weekend in Indiana. I got to spend time with my Dad, and meet the newest member of the family, Oscar. He is so freakin ugly that he is cute! He has got to be the greatest puppy in Indiana for sure lol He looks like a little Ewok off of Star Wars. I'm having problems getting pictures up, but I promise they will be up soon :)

On an end note, here is my current favorite, song-wise. Everytime I hear this song I turn the radio up and jam along (when no one is around to hear me of course.... wouldn't want to ruin anyone's hearing....)

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Pinky and The Brain

For my learning advanced lecture/lab, we are using albino rats in research to determine if rats can count. Today was a training session in handling the rats, and I loved it :) They were a lot bigger than I thought they would be, but totally adorable. I sat on the floor and the cute little thing was in my lab just sniffing away. The best thing is that he didn't even pee on me! lol So for today (and since I sadly have no crime report :( ) I thought I would share this fun little video off of youtube. Enjoy!

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