I haven't updated in a wicked long time. Damn. Oh well, here goes, well, everything, I guess...

Still working at the urologists office and Hallmark. Both of which I really like, though I also really like not going to work. Working on my thesis project, which is interesting, but frustrating and I feel like I'm constantly behind. Though, really, I'm still on track to finish by the end of February 2010--on time, which is good. That said, I'm really looking forward to the end of this quarter. Just one more to go and it will be focusing on my project and a class in non-profit management (since non-profits are my true love, organization wise).

I'm in full Christmas mode, even breaking my 'no Christmas music til December' rule to play the CD I just got--Christmas Cheers by Straight No Chaser. These guys are FABULOUS! Love them, I was so excited when I saw the CD at the store last night that I just had to buy it. Seriously, they are AWESOME, check them out here. Or check out their website. Okay, I'm better now. (side note--how dumb is my 'no Christmas music til December' rule? I'm the one who defends the extended play of Christmas music because it is mostly positive and happy, yet I eschew it in my own house? I think that rule is broken for good now. /side note)

Anyway, Christmas mode. I LOVE Christmas. Love it. Many gifts have been purchased, I can't wait to start wrapping and baking. Working on cards and all that fun stuff. Makes me wicked happy. And I'm excited we get to spend the holidays with family and friends this year. If only our precious kitty could come with us--we will seriously miss him as much as he'll miss us (if not more). Big guy slept curled up next to me all last night (until he woke up an hour before the alarm and made me want to hurl him across the room...but he's far too cute to do that to. So I petted him instead). But I digress--we'll be heading to PA for Christmas Eve/Christmas and a day or so after, then to Elyria for a few days, then to Columbus for New Year's Eve/New Year's. I'm really looking forward to it. We even get to spend Thanksgiving with family as Matt's PA clan is headed to NJ for the holiday and we don't have to work the day after, so we can make the trip. Awesome! We're still planning our neighborhood Thanksgiving potluck though, because I love having a houseful of people. It makes me very happy.

In other news, I'm going to be joining the church I've been attending up here. I really like it, I like the ideals and values and feel it is really where I belong. They are having a membership Sunday in December, so I'm going to take the plunge. Honestly the hardest part is going to be telling the church I grew up in that I am now a member somewhere else. Because even though I'm not attached to that church anymore, I haven't been there in years, there are people there and a history there that I am very much connected to. I must keep in perspective that those relationships won't change, and if they do they weren't as strong as I believed they were to start with.

I should get off of here and start doing something else. With Straight No Chaser in the background! :) Take care until I get around to writing again!

Wow. I guess I need to update. The past month or so has been pretty busy, but not in an exciting way. Finishing up another quarter of school and realizing that I only have 2 more quarters left. Yikes! Thesis starts this coming quarter. But I do have two weeks off to get my house and the rest of my life in order before I start the insanity of my thesis. Am I ready for it? Sort of. If I think too much about it, I freak out, I don't think I'm ready, and I'm overwhelmed by the amount of work. However, once my rational side kicks in, I know I'll be fine, that I have enough skills in my arsenal to work with and if there are skills that I lack I will be taught or at least directed on how to attain (or sharpen) them. 

Other than being almost done with school, the biggest thing has been discussing moving. We're definitely leaning towards (or at least I'm pushing towards) Columbus, OH in the summer of 2011. We need some time to save up so we don't move the way we did before (when we almost killed eachother in the process) and I want to do some internship work when I finish school to build some practical experience in the field for my resume before I start job hunting out there. Plus, for a lot of reasons, I'm just not ready to leave yet. I really love it here, much more than either of us ever thought I would. The only problem I have is that I'm too far from my family and (most of) my friends. If I could somehow wedge Vermont in between Ohio and Pennsylvania I would so I could justify staying here.

September is going to be a month of craziness--not only does school start again, but Matt's 30th birthday is rapidly approaching (9/14), my aunt is coming for a visit (I think, she hasn't confirmed yet) for a few days, my second 5k is on the 20th, we're going to see Margaret Cho in Burlington on 9/25, Denise's birthday and her wedding rehearsal are on 9/26, and she and Chris get married on 9/27. Whew! It will be awesome, though.

A quick plug: Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes are now available. Check out your local Hallmark Gold Crown store for free boxes, or email me your address and I will send you one if you're interested.

I'm currently on route to Logan Airport via the Dartmouth Coach. Love it. It was rough getting up this morning, I've only had about 5 hours of sleep because I was frantically trying to finish the last of my school work so I wouldn't have to bring books with me. I succeeded, which is great. And I managed to get the only 100% on a stats quiz that I've gotten all term. Go figure.

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Work has been great. I still love my new job, though I miss the ladies at the bank. Dee and I are trying to get our plot in the community garden together, though our seedlings look great! Soon we'll be ready to start the actual planting and give this organic community garden thing a shot. I'm excited about the prospect and I hope it goes well.

I've been so scattered that I really haven't made plans for this trip. Not past the weekend and one day of shopping with my sister. Which is kind of nice, but I do want to make sure I get to see people. Especially those I don't usually get to see (like Steph and her babies). I'm not even sure how I'm getting from Columbus to Elyria on Monday yet. That will be interesting.

5k training is going great. I'm getting nervous as race day looms near, but you know what? If Ron on the Biggest Loser can walk a marathon, I can run a 5k. For serious. Speaking of Loser, I'm glad the season is done. I need a break. It was so odd to be at the gym running at 8 p.m. on Tuesday night instead of glued to the TV (with my laptop in my lap because I can't do one thing at a time).

I need a bigger coffee. The free stuff at the bus station was good, but not very big. And I'm listening to vintage Jillian Michaels podcasts (from 2007) which is fun, but I have the same frustrations I always do--these people say 'i love you and i listen to you all the time!' but proceed to ask questions she answers EVER FREAKING WEEK! If you listened to her, you won't have bothered calling because YOU KNOW what she's going to say.

My friend Thomas J performed at the NEW! Elixir last night and was great as always. Got to catch up with people I haven't seen in awhile. Got dressed up and had a great time. Then came home and did my work and finished packing.

I feel like I'm rambling now, and just typing to type. Perhaps I'll close up the computer for a bit. Later LJ land.

Today I...

...worked 8-12
...cleared off my kitchen table (no small task)
...took the recycling downstairs
...put away the texts I don't need to finish this quarter or start next quarter
...reviewed my instructors comments on assignments for both classes (and realized it's not as bad as I thought)
...picked Dee up from school
...got iced chai with Dee after school
...emailed my stats prof with a question I have about the final project
...started minor packing for my trip
...got my Old Navy return package ready
...printed out my assignments for the week
...took a deep breath and realized it's all going to be okay.

I just have to get through this week, really. And I don't have as much to do to get my projects done as I previously believed. I've been making the stats project harder than it is supposed to be, so simplifying it in the ways my professor suggested will make it less confusing. And I emailed him about the one thing I'm just not sure about to get some guidance. So I might just be okay. Tonight I'm going to focus on the readings for this week so I can write my discussion posts during the 3 hour Biggest Loser finale tomorrow. (3 flippin' hours! I have to split it on 2 DVDs! I'm so glad the season is FINALLY over, though.) After that I can focus on the Final Projects 

The past month has been crazy. A real time of transition for me, and not just in the traditional "new year's" sense. If anything, those type of resolutions, while they have been considered, are being saved for my birthday this year because I just haven't been able to wrap my head around them. I feel like my whole life is in overhaul right now, in a good way...

( so here's what's been going on... )

So I guess that about catches us up. That's the main stuff. I have been reading everyone elses posts, I just haven't had the time (or presence of mind, really) to post myself. Something else I'll have more time for in the future!

PTL--my homework isn't due until tomorrow! I can go to sleep early! (And maybe not stay up all night hacking my lungs up.)

1. I passed my final paper with flying colors. 100%. No points off. Un-frickin-believable.

2. My BFF here in Vermont and her fiance have moved in next door with black cat. Yay!

3. We're hosting Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow for about a dozen people. I'm soooo excited to play hostess. I loves it.

4. I've lost 11.4 pounds since starting Weight Watchers. Rock.

5. I just made two pumpkin pies--from almost scratch (I didn't actually carve and mash the pumpkin). Awesome.

6. Matt fixed the cable hook-up in the kitchen so it is no longer attached to the living room. :)

I just submitted my final paper for my Business Concepts class. And I'm terrified. it's worth 25% of my grade and I just have a sinking feeling that it is a steaming load of crap. I'm sure it's not that bad, but i'm wicked nervous. Hopefully I'll know early next week and that the results will be favorable. But at least I am done. I just have one discussion response and two discussions next week to do.

So my life has been pretty busy lately and my journal has not accurately reflected it. Time to play catch-up, I suppose.

( Biggest Loser 6.3 )



( School )

( Confession )

So I guess that's my life in a nutshell, at least right now. More soon. :)

So I'm taking a break from homework before the Biggest Loser premier (which I'm still wicked excited for even though I cheated and watched the first hour online last weekend ::love::) to catch up. Basically, I love school. Love it. I'm a grad school rockstar. I know it's only 2 weeks in, but I have solid A's in both of my classes. And online school isn't as easy as people think it is--you have to be a lot more self motivated and you have HAVE to stay on top of it. I'm really enjoying it, and so far I've been able to keep just ahead of the ball for everything.

One thing I don't love? The McCain/Palin ads that are ALL OVER NBC. Which is the channel I watch the most. I never see Obama/Biden ads, and the McCain/Palin ads drive me up a tree. If you're going to show them 50,000 times a day on the same network, at least come out with a different one. Geeze, first of all, you're not Mavericks. Mavericks don't call themselves Mavericks unless they're in "Top Gun." Second of all, look up change in the dictionary because you're missing the point and you clearly don't have a clue! 

Sorry, /tirade.

At any rate, I'm so glad to be back in school. I love my new phone (the pink BlackBerry Pearl). I'm seriously thinking about a paid LJ subscription since they're on the cheap right now and I could use some more userpics and more control over the layout. More later, I'm sure I'll have something to post after BL. :)

Now that I've basically kicked The Sickness (I'm still a little snuffly, but no longer look or feel so wiped out, and I'm no longer going through a box of tissues single-handedly at work) here are my goals for tomorrow--

Work 7:45-5:30 (not really a goal, but being able to cross something off my list makes me happy)
Gym (I don't want to push too hard since I'm not at full strength, but I gots to move)
Finish my school orientation.
Bills for the week (since I get paid on Friday)
Get schedules on the calendar

I'm so excited about school. I've ordered my new books (since my schedule is changing). I've enrolled to have my loan disbursement refund put into my checking account (woo hoo for paying off credit cards! once I get my refund that is). My school bag has flair (I know I'm going to online school, but I don't plan on doing all of my work at home). I am WICKED excited about school. *bigsmile*

I ::heart:: this icon.

So yesterday I was off and I had the best day off ever. I slept in, and played online. The weather was beautiful so after lunch my friend Dee came over and we walked to the produce market. Then we went to Staples so I could get school supplies ::squee!:: and some flair for my bag (the new huge one I got from the bank for making Matt open his business account. He got one too.). Then we went separate ways long enough for me to walk to the Co-Op for a quick shopping trip (I ::heart:: the Co-Op) and met back up at the new coffee-shop for a little net-surfing and chatting over iced mochas.

I love living in town. I wish we could've moved here sooner.

I love that I live within walking distance of a produce market, the Co-Op, a grocery store (though it sucks), a pharmacy, a bagel shop, a coffee shop, a high-end vintage store, a martini bar and a second-hand clothes store. And a little further jaunt will take you to the Video-stop, the chinese place, an ice-cream stand, a diner and a whole slew of other things. Not to mention that we now live much closer to some awesome people, so I'm in walking distance of friends. :)

And I'm a huge geek. I'm mostly done with my online orientation. I just submitted my financial aid paperwork. I've bought school supplies. Ordered my books (they should be here next week). Found an awesome deal on a flash drive (which should be here in a few days). I am soooo ready. And soooo excited about school. Yay!

So....I got in. Officially, I am a graduate student of Walden University where I am pursuing my Masters in Organizational Psychology and Development. And my head is spinning. The next month is going to be a whir of financial aid and material purchases and learning to navigate my new online community. It's all happening so fast. But I'm wicked excited about it. My first day of "class" is September 2nd. I've already let them know at the store that I'm cutting down to 2 days a week. I'm trying to come up with a good schedule that I can maintain in order to make sure my work all gets done (and I still get to have a life).

And in other good news, my 13-21 day stretch was broken. Lisa was able to give me tomorrow night off of the store so I do in fact have a full day off, which is great. I have some running around I need to do and some much needed girl time with Denise. :) I promise that pics of the new place are coming soon (I keep promising my sister) but I just haven't had the time to upload them all individually (I need to re-look into my Picassa account and see if I can just upload them there and link to it).

Yeah, I'm excited. Things are good. And I'm getting back into the swing of my physical training so hopefully I'll still be able to eek out that 5k in October. :) More soon.

I realized just now that I'm applying to a graduate program in Industrial/Organizational psych I'm going from being Peter in Office Space to being the Bobs. Or at least attempting to be the Bobs.

Bob Slydell: You see, what we're actually trying to do here is, we're trying to get a feel for how people spend their day at work... so, if you would, would you walk us through a typical day, for you?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah.
Bob Slydell: Great.
Peter Gibbons: Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh heh - and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour.
Bob Porter: Da-uh? Space out?
Peter Gibbons: Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

But I don't think I will ever LIKE Michael Bolton. Amiably tolerate and absently sing along with? Yes. Celebrate his entire catalog? No.

First, an unsent relating to an experience I had at work the other day.

( unsent )

Second, here is my new grand master plan (no pun intended). I'm seriously considering doing my master's work in an online program in the area of Industrial/Organizational psychology, because I could get the bank to pay for a lot of it. Like, 1/2 to 3/4 in reimbursements. With the doctoral program I'm seriously considering at UVM (University of Vermont) it could work pretty well and I could still seguay into getting my PhD in social psych.

What do you all think?

Psyched to hear that Matt & Suzy from BL#2 are engaged. Loved both of them on the show, hope it works out for them. Wish I would've seen it, but Matt made me turn off the Today Show. Garh. Oh well. *shrugs*

I got my second rejection letter today (from the other school I applied to) but I didn't care as much about them. I didn't really expect to get in anyway. I've decided I'm going to keep my rejection letters. One day, when I'm a professor and I have a student or advisee come to me worried, concerned, frustrated, etc. about grad school/their future I will show them the letters. Tell them it can be done, to keep at it, to try again. *nods*

Still need to email Loyla and ask them the big question: what can I do to improve my chances in the future? But I think I've come up with another proactive solution to the issue--if I can find a community college near where I'm going to be in VT (and if I can afford it), I will sign up for a psych related class or two that I didn't take at BC and continue to renew my knowledge base. It can't hurt me. I love to learn. And it will give me something productive to do with my time.

Today I have cleared a trash bag and a half of stuff from my closet to put up on eBay. Hoo Ah. And I think I've decided how to use my vacation week--I just need to figure out when I can take it. (Merd, it involves you, and I will email you soon!)

I'm getting ready to take a shower and meet with my counselor. Have a swell day, all.

...is done. Finally. Submitted, gone, finito. I'll try to check with them tomorrow to make sure that it all went through okay, but other than that, I'm done. YAY!!

And since I'm off today, I'm taking some me time, which might include a trip to arabica later to update this some more. I have a lot on my mind right now, and I think it will do me good to share, but I have to sort it all out and put it into words first. So later.

Now, I'm going to go home, take a nice long, hot shower ('cause I'm stinky from the gym) and then do some window shopping. I think that sounds like a plan. Hoo ah.

More later. Hang tough kids.

Emme out.

(p.s. I don't know why I've been doing the "emme out" thing lately. I always feel vaguely like a tool doing it, but can't quite bring myself to stop. I think its funny in a really lame-ass way.)

The application bit first, since it is indeed annoying the piss out of me:

I was all set to submit. Had credit card ready, the essay was put in, and I double checked it like you're supposed to...and I find that it has decided NOT to check the box of the program I'm applying to. No biggie I figure, so I go back to that page of the app, check the information, save and then go back to reload the preview page. Still no check mark. Fine, I say, I'll do it at the library AFTER I go to the gym. So I'm here, and having used TWO DIFFERENT BROWSERS on my computer, still can't get that damn check mark to show. So the rest of the application is basically in vain. I emailed the online app people to ask them what the deal was, and told them one way or another I'm submitting it tomorrow (and it can be their problem as I have alerted them to it already).

I just want this bullshit done already. I was supposed to be free TODAY and enjoy my day off tomorrow, but now I have to wait until tomorrow.

I almost hit two squirrles today. I think they are confused by the lack of winter we've been having, they think it's springtime. They're dashing about. And one of them looked at me. Swear to God, one of them LOOKED at me as if to say "what the hell?" when HE was the one running about without looking for cars. Gar.

At least both of my boyfriends will be at work tonight.

More later, hang tough, kids.

Emme out.

...is that even a word? It is now. I wish, just once, that I could actually take a Friday off, but unfortunately, my Fridays are not free even though I don't have to go to work. *sigh* Here's today's list...

Friday things to do
-deposit check
-mail bills
-mail Loyola package
-clean apartment
-laundry
-clean bathrooms @ parent's
*work on essay
-email Larry & John re: recommendations (again)
-update this thing
-upload a picture to myspace.com
-pay my Verizon bill online
-contact magazine re: renewal mix up (I'm now getting 2 issues instead of a renewal)
*phone calls (Kelly, Drea, Eddy, Laura)
*running errands (groceries? target? laundry back to Matt's?)

The things with an asterisk are the things I haven't managed to do yet. I've been too busy doing everything else. Still, it's been a good day. I need a nap though. Kind of glad I get to stay home tonight. I think Matt and I are finally going to see "Walk the Line" tomorrow (I hope, I hope). Depends on if he gets his application shizzle together today/tomorrow or not. Snarg.

I still need to finish my essay. The good thing is that I have a limit now. I can only have 4000 characters because I already sent the rest of my snail mail things. I know that's not a lot as I can be verbose, but that helps me because it's a little bit of direction. With a topic as vague as 'tell us about your research and career aspirations' I need something to help me out. The part I have written already is about 1200 or so, so I'm well on my way. I just need to make myself do it, which sounds like a fabulous project for tonight as they will be recieving my snail mail crap on Monday and I want this done by then. (Now if I can just get Larry and John to do my freakin' recommendations--I care about this application, I want to go here, I really want them to just take the 5 minutes and copy and paste the info from the last one into this one).

Okay, I think I'm gonna post this and play around online some more before I head home for dinner. Homemade spanish rice--I'm so excited. More later, hang tough, kids.

Emme out. :o)

Didn't get anything done on my essay (yet) today, but I did clean my room very well, come up with a list of cleaning related tasks I need to start since I will be moving this year (one way or another). And I downloaded a new browser because while I was okay with Safari, it did kind of suck. Firefox is seeming much better to me already. hoo ah. Had a good workout with my sister today. The only bad thing about having someone to work out with is that I'll talk instead of focusing and getting in the zone like I do when I'm alone so I don't work quite as hard, but it's nice to not go by myself all the time and it's quality time with my sister, which is always nice.

Been searching (to no avail) for Elvis Costello's cover of "Beautiful" that was featured on "House" a few months back. If anyone happens across it, in ANY FORM, let me know, I will download it or pay for it or whatever.

I should get going soon, Matt suggested I come over around 7, and it's already 6:15. I still have to stop home to pick up some stuff, then possibly at the store to pick up dinner.

Perhaps I'll call him and put away my stuff.

More later, hang tough, kids.

Emme out. :)