couldn't have said it better myself...

new blog

so over the summer i found all of these blogs i read on a usual basis... but since beginning grad school i hadn't found anything really interesting that could keep me involved... until THIS. it's a blog about a man from minneapolis that lives in LA. he moved there with his h.s. sweetheart, built a life, got married and she got pregnant a few years later. last march, she was put on bedrest and then finally gave birth to the baby prematurely. baby was great and the next day the mom got up to go see the baby for the first time and ended up collapsing. pulminary embolism. died that day. so here this man is... raising an infant while also grieving for his wife. sad? obviously. but he's really funny and artistic too. and has a good outlook. and the story is uplifting. if you get a chance... read a little bit of it. he writes like james frey writes in a million little pieces.

lots going on

it's funny to me that grad school is a constant roller coaster. with work, emotions, etc. one minute i'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and other times i feel so overwhelmed. oh well... such is life.

so a few things going on right now...
1. i interviewed with BYU yesterday. it went really really well. i'm hoping that the opportunity for me to work with them is granted to me. the position is a pretty general SA position, but that's great because it gives me the opportunity to work in various functional areas. love that.

2. my first professional conference begins tonight! GCPA (georgia college personnel association) is having its 40th conference right here in Athens, GA. tonight there is a gala. it will be good to get dressed up, spend some time with my professors and classmates outside of the classroom, and get that great perspective that comes with being around people who all have a common purpose.

3. i'm thinking about incorporating video into my blog... not sure how to do this yet but once i do i think it would be fun to allow you guys to see things about athens. i usually do a poor job describing things.

visitors

So I've been thinking lately... a lot of my favorite people have been showing up here in Athens, GA for a variety of reasons... but one of them has just been to visit me!  How awesome is that?  I have the best family and friends.  Here are pics of my visitors so far this year...

Mark and Abby! Mark was interviewing for the CSAA program (of which I am a part of) and Abby came along for the ride. We had a ton of fun while they were here... minus the day I had the stomach flu and Abby had to take care of both Mark and I!


And my wonderful Aunt Kaye and Uncle Steve. They were a sight for sore eyes after a particularly rough week. They make me feel so special when I see them. I can only hope that one day Seth and I will be as good to each other's kids as they have been to us!


Maggie came too! She interviewed for the CSAA program as well but we forgot to take a pic. Boo.

More to come tomorrow but right now I NEED to sleep.

xoxo.

updates

Hi, friends! I hope that all of your weeks have been fun and exciting. I know that mine hasn't exactly met those requirements... but at least the weather in GA was gorgeous. That makes a lot of impact on life for sure.

A few updates on my life...
1. I have lost 18 pounds on WW!  I am so excited about it. No one has said much about it here in GA but I think that's because I see the same people every day so they don't notice the difference.

2.  I've developed an addiction to going to movies in the theatre lately.  In the past month I've seen:  Frost/Nixon, Slumdog Millionaire, He's Just Not That Into You, and Confessions of a Shopaholic (which my mom thinks was written about me.  False.)  Of all of these my favorite was Slumdog!  It is unreal.  Life changing.  You must see it!

3.  I still have no internship.  I didn't get any interviews through NODA (orientation directors' association.)  I've applied and interviewed with Baylor University a few weeks ago.  They're checking one of my references but we'll see.  I also applied to one at Brigham Young University which would provide a seriously different perspective on student affairs.  We'll see.  I'm just throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks.

Ok... I'll post more later.  Promise.

xoxo.

fran and freeba

we all know i love a good snl skit. this was my faaaav from a few weeks ago.

philadelphia

have you seen this movie? if not.. RUN do not WALK to the nearest blockbuster/hollywood movie. i had to watch it for a disabilities class (next week i have to lead a discussion about the implications it could have for students and disability resource centers) and i had zero idea what it was about. to tell you the truth i thought it was about a man with mental health issues. i was clearly confused.

anyway... watch the trailer. it's a perspective changer for sure.

this is not a test.

So lately, as I've been reflecting on grad school, I've come to a few conclusions:

1. I've never worked this hard on academics in my entire life. While I knew that grad school was going to be difficult, I thought it would be difficult because I would be working so much at my assistantship and practicum that school would take the backseat. Reverse that and you've got what my life has come to.

2. My social life has become the exception, not the rule. I used to go out all of the time as an undergrad... just to be social. These days it rarely happens. If I do go out it's to see a movie or maybe to get dinner. What happened to all of those fun crazy memories? They're just that... memories.

3. Put 1 and 2 together and you've got a recipe for "all work and no play makes daph a dull girl." This is true. I have been going a little stir crazy. But the great thing about living in GA is that in February, it can be 65 and sunny most days. And your windows can be open. And while this may make your internal clock think that it's spring and that school's almost over... it also makes being my dull self down here a little easier.

inauguration

Inquiring minds want to know... how was Inauguration?

Only a life changing experience.

I am so incredibly proud to be part of such an amazing day in such an amazing place with such amazing people. I am so proud of our country!

A few of my fav pics:

Circa 5:30 a.m.


Julie and I giving an O-H!


The sun (finally) coming up!


So proud. :)