"Words" for Wednesday

Summer School (1987)

Yup.  That just about sums it up.

Deep Breaths

We are more than half way through the semester and as with each time this moment comes 'round, I once again feel like my life is spiraling out of control, my sanity is in question and my brain is fried.

And like each time before, I am taking a few moments to breathe, reflect, and offer up...

The Top 10 Things I Will Do Once This Misery Is Over

in no particular order
except for the first few...

1. Party like it's 1999.
2. Sleep for 100 years.
3. Tuesday night pub runs.
4. Finally put away that pile of clothes that I've been staring at and moving between the bed and the dresser top. (because if I put it back on the bed, I will put it away eventually, right?  Theory dis-proven.)
5. I might finally claim my kitchen from the Christmas decorations that have been stored there since I moved in two years ago...
6. Have a beach weekend!  I may have mentioned it a time or two that...Dammit I'm over due!
7. Clean.  My apartment is absolutely gross and I can't take it any longer.
8. Swim Bike Run 70.3 miles.  Why?  Because it's what I do. And it's awesome. And I get to eat.  A lot.
9. Go on a REAL vacation.  No racing, just eating, drinking and being merry!
10. Contemplate grad school.  For like .02 seconds and then laugh until I pee my pants.

There you have it.  

6 more weeks.

Party on, Garth.

Momentary Freak Out

Please allow me to pause this world of positivity, motivational words, top 10 lists, prosing on about swimming, cycling and running and random musings while I have a near meltdown.

Notice of failing grades will be sent on Monday, the day we return from "spring break."  

I've had a few moments these past few days where I literally could not breathe.  I had two mid terms the week before break and I do not, I repeat DO NOT, have a good feeling about either.  No.  Not at all.  

Panic has indeed set in.

Let the freak out commence.

Dodged a bullet on that one....

I really had my doubts I could pull it off this time, but I did.  I made it through another semester, and I didn't even have to pull the one-less-organ card.

I passed!  so, guess what I did.......I SUBMITTED MY GRADUATION APPLICATION!!!!!
One semester to go folks.  One more freaking semester to go.

And just in case you were curious, as far as this list goes? I've done the 1st, 3rd, 6th and last bullet points thus far!


In other news....
I ran my "longest" post-surgery run on Sunday and only almost-died twice.  I'm calling that a WIN!

Safe to say that I'm getting back to my old shenanigans.
I do love shenanigans...

Is that light at the end of the tunnel I see? Or a deleted scene from Poltergeist.....

Here I am.  In the final push of the semester.  Just one more test and a presentation to give.  Most of the hard stuff is done so it should be smooooooth sailing from here on in, right?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA

The surgery caused me to get so far behind in one of my courses that I literally can hardly see straight.  My professor and her department really have been cooperative, understanding and forgiving with past assignments.  But, the high volume of this class has had me spinning in circles and it's been all I've been able to do to just keep up with current work, let alone trying to get past work in.  I know, I know.  Cry you a river, right?

I do have the paperwork in place to allow for me to complete all coursework due by February 2015. But that doesn't quite work.  I mean, what happens if I fail this class?  I really need to know if I have to fit in a 3rd class next semester to get all my credit hours in to graduate in May.  AND I FULLY INTEND TO GRADUATE IN MAY.

So here is my plan.  Do 1.5 months worth of coursework in 1 week.  And if that doesn't get me a "D", I plan to beg.  And if that doesn't work, I have one final card to play..........

But you HAVE to pass me.  

I lost an organ in this class!

So, what do you think,

too much?

Thank you Chas for the idea.  I might have to use it.

Or maybe I should just lead with that....

So why am I sharing this?  It's not without purpose.

I hereby nominate this excuse to be considered among the 

Top 10 Excuses Professors Hear At The End Of Semester When Final Grades Are Released. 

#enoughshenanigans

#backtowork

It's that time again

Things I will do when this semester is over

• mop the puppy prints from my floor
• master the flip turn
• catch up on Chicago Fire
• finish furnishing my apartment (hahahaha!  yeah right)
• celebrate my newly found Monday night freedom by going to sleep at 8:30 (party on, Garth)
• finish unpacking moving boxes (can you say dumpster?  if I haven't needed it in a year, I think I can get rid of it)
• evening walks to the coffee shop
• epsom salt soaks
• read a book without falling asleep after 4 sentences
• eat real meals
• read a book that has nothing to do with environmental anthropology
• go stir crazy with too much time on my hands?

Just four more weeks until winter break.

And then what?
One last semester until that final drive to campus to walk down that aisle, grab that piece of paper and run like hell before someone takes it away!

Guess what today is

Today is my first day of classes for the Fall 2014/Spring 2015 academic year, and ..........wait for it.............

MY LAST FALL SEMESTER!!!!!

That's right folks, my last fall semester.  Why you ask?

Because I am FINALLY in my last year and I can honestly call myself a senior!

Only two more semesters to go, my friends.

Cap and Gown...I'm lookin' at you.  You will be mine........eventually.

#lightattheendofthetunnel

#almostthere

#patienceisavirtue

It's Official

I've just turned in the crappiest written paper of my entire college career (that's like 6 years for people keeping track).............and I couldn't be happier!

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

THE SEMESTER IS OVER!  THE SEMESTER IS OVER!

So, the blog front has been a bit on the quiet side, my apologies friends.  These past few months, well, I've had lots going on and it's proved to be a bit of trying, scatterbrained jumble of hours, days and weeks.  So.  Here is a quick update:

• THE SEMESTER IS OVER!
• I now have some valid free time to do stuff without the homework cloud threatening to suck all the fun out of life.
• My knee and cutie nerve are well on their way to recovery.  I have a sexy new knee brace that keeps my knee cap in the middle where it should be and I just bought some calf sleeves, so I look pretty hard-core.  Key word in that sentence is 'look.'
• Okay folks, I will be swimming in the lake for my first ever open water swim. (the cool kids say OWS for short)
• Okay folks, Thelma and I are making our debut this Saturday in our first sprint triathlon, as long as I don't drown in the lake or pass out from hypothermia (please see above bullet)
• Okay folks, yes, my very first OWS will be in my 'first' sprint distance triathlon.  I will be doing a 750 meter doggie paddle, 20k bike ride (12 miles for the metric challenged like me) and a 5k run (3.1 miles).
• and did I tell you that THE SEMESTER IS OVER!!!!

A Sign of "Senioritis"....

too bad I'll be a senior for an additional (at minimum) 2 years.

.....slaps hand to forehead.....

My First Day of School

Well.  Today was not my very first day of school, but the first day of the first semester of my senior year.  Now, don't get too excited, it will still be many semesters before I graduate.  I'm on the long-term plan.

And, since it is customary to take a picture on your first day of school......

Have I taken a picture of myself on the first day before?  No.  Why now? Why not?

Now...moving on.

Crazy schedule this semester, work, school, homework, and now marathon training.  Cross your fingers that I can pull it off!  I've only had class at night, but night classes are becoming hard to come by; with the decrease in faculty and I've pretty much exhausted all the general ed courses that they teach at night.  So, this is the first semester I've taken classes during the day.

I've been going to college part-time for about five years now, and today was the first day I actually felt like a student. Weird, huh?  I mean, I know I've put in the hours, spent the money on text books, written my share of papers!  But today I was among it all.  All the hustle and bustle, busting my arse to get across campus in 10 minutes for my next class, eating a quick PB&J sandwich under a tree....

Today was a good day.

Now, just remind me of that in a few weeks when I'm stressed out of my gourd...

So, I had a pretty big night last night.

this is me.  in a dress.
all awkward-like.
don't be scared.

If you know me, you know that I don't like to draw any attention to myself.  Also, if it isn't running attire, blue fuzzy pants, jeans or t-shirts, it doesn't belong on my body.  My hair normally is kept in a pony tail and eyeliner and lipstick very rarely grace this face.  These are things that I am normally very successful and happy in maintaining,  yesterday being the exception.

It all started when I walked into work with my hair done, makeup on, a dress and boots on.  I tried really hard to fly in under the radar, just sitting at my desk hiding behind my monitors.  It didn't work. And then, the blushing only got worse from there when I had to tell people why.  No.  It wasn't an interview as my supervisor feared.  I had a special occasion to attend after work.

You see, I was being inducted into an honor society .....

Not only am I a running fiend, blogger-extraordinaire, wife, step-mom, full-time fundraising researcher; I am also a part-time student attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Go Niner Nation!).   I have been enrolled for...um, five years now?... taking one or two classes each semester.  SLOWLY chipping away at it.  Next semester, I'll be a senior.....for like three more years (sigh).

Through it all, somehow I've kept a decent GPA and was invited to join Alpha Sigma Lambda, an honor society for non-traditional students who are "First in Scholarship and Leadership".

Last night was our induction ceremony.  

And it wasn't until last night that I became kinda proud of what I'm doing.

Yea.  I'm pretty awesome.

The Semester is Over, The Semester is Over!!!

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