Remember back in the fall when I went on and on and on and on about high school football?? My old high school in particular??
Remember when I got into grad school?
Well, as you know, my classes started last week. I quickly found out I would need 30 observation hours in a high school math classroom. After a bunch of running around and pulling strings...
I am observing at my old high school.
In a classroom with 11th and 12th graders...learning algebra 2 and math models. So it's not the genius kids I'll be seeing. I can't help but wonder how many guys I'll recognize from obsessively keeping up with football in the fall.
So many times I find myself writing a blog post in my head, but then I get home or get caught up in something and I just never sit down to write. Hopefully some of you are still reading!
School has more or less taken over. It's not hard yet, but it's time consuming. I went to orientation for one of my classes last week. It was pointless. Well, it was good people watching, but horribly boring. There were more men than I thought there would be - one complete with ponytail and leather jacket! There were also more clueless people than I hoped/thought there would be. We went over every detail in the syllabus...the syllabus that I printed out over a week ago and had already read through more than once. I almost fell asleep.
Going to orientation required an over-night stay in a hotel. I got a great deal (thank you military/gov't rate!) and a nice room. About 4:30AM, the wind picked up as a cold front blew through. Well, the wind was howling through the a/c unit under the window so loudly that I couldn't sleep anymore. I was watching local news at 5AM. I waited for rush hour to be over and hit the road right after 9AM. I got home exactly 24 hours after I left. A whirlwind trip. And I get to do it all over again this week for orientation round #2!
Does anyone know who Diamond Rio is? They sang this in 1991 (yeah...that long ago...)
OMG, just watched that video and cracked up. They're a little older now. Haha! Anyway, they were performing at a telethon in town to benefit a rehab center. Dad had to go present a check to them from the runner's club and I tagged along. What else do I have going on on a Saturday night?! Plus, it was Diamond Rio!
Side Story: In middle school we had "fun nights"... We had two gyms at our middle school - one would be lit up with basketballs and other sports equipment to play with (boys congregated in there) and the other gym would be dark with a deejay and a dance going on. They were super lame and I was super shy so it wasn't ever really that great of a time. Anyway, they gave out door prizes. At one of these fun nights, many moons ago, I won a prize: a Diamond Rio cassette tape!! Heck yeah, man! So, every time I hear of Diamond Rio, I remember that tape from middle school.
Diamond Rio!
Yesterday was spent eating a lot and watching football. Neither game worked out how I wanted it to, but it was fun to watch nonetheless. Today is devoted to taking care of business. I have a to do list and already crossed quite a few things off. I'll spend this afternoon studying.
Also, it's been almost 3 months since Brian left. Wow.
I start back to school tomorrow. It has been 3 years since I've been in class. I almost forget what it's like.
I'm taking 9 hours...all online. This whole online thing is totally new to me. And totally intimidating. Luckily I'm pretty internet savvy, so I'm sure I'll figure it out.
I've been reading through all of this information about these classes...all these due dates and modules and time frames...and my mind starts spinning. It seems scarier when I don't have a class to walk into 3 days a week. It seems so...self-paced. In reality, though, it's no different than a traditional class. I have homework, and it's due on a certain day. I just don't see my professor or listen to him/her ramble on for hours every week.
Anyway, I think things are going to be a little bit crazy for me for awhile. I'm trying to get organized and I'm trying to figure out how many times I'm going to have to make the 3 hour one-way drive to campus for F2F (face-to-face, if you were wondering...it took me a whole second to figure it out when I first saw it) meetings. I'm already making the trip on Wednesday and again next Thursday. Since each F2F meeting is held at night and I don't want to drive home in the dark, I'll be staying in a hotel. On one hand, I'm looking forward to the adventure and on the other, I just wanna continue in my lazy ways.
This will all be worth it in 16 months (if all goes according to plan) when I have my master's degree in hand.
I had been feeling super overwhelmed about going back to school. I've never taken a course online, yet I'm registered for 3 next semester. I'm 3 hours away from the school, so anything that requires me to be on campus is a hassle and a burden. I also didn't know what the future held as far as my courses go. I finally emailed my advisor (and she actually answered!) and set up a meeting for Monday. Plus, I really wanted to get a feel for the campus and decide if I felt comfortable there...even if I would never be a traditional student there.
So, Monday morning, Mom and I set off. We left bright and early and arrived on campus an hour before my appointment. We, of course, hit up the bookstore. I needed a tshirt with the school's name on it, right!? After that we set out to find the building with my advisor's office. We found it without a problem.
The school is beautiful. It's about 3 times the size of the college I attended for undergrad, but it didn't feel that way. Some things seemed a bit dated, but it's a public university, it's not like they're rolling in the dough. I felt nervous walking around, but it wasn't overwhelming. It was that normal feeling of being in a new place and not feeling totally comfortable. I felt like one day I could feel comfortable there.
Now, about my meeting. My advisor was kind of intimidating at first. I think she meant to be. She didn't really smile and she got down to business right away. She wanted to know my math background which is nothing since high school. At some point, though, she started to warm up. I don't know if she sized me up and decided she liked what she saw or if she realized that I'm serious about this program...whatever it was, she was smiling by the end. The long and short of the meeting is:
I'm going to be working my @$$ off.
I need to study and pass the content test before I can...
...take 9 hours of math classes in 5 weeks this summer while living on/near campus.
If I pass that test and survive those 5 weeks, then I'll be student teaching Spring of 2012.
That means I'll graduate in May 2012...only 18 months after starting the program.
I still can't get over how quickly I can finish my Master's degree. I thought it would take me at least 2 years. Shows you what I know! I just keep throwing up little prayers that everything works out and the timeline remains the same. I ordered a study guide for the content exam last night and hope to take the test early next month. One thing at a time and I'll make it.
The timing also couldn't be more perfect. I'll get a big chunk of the program out of the way while Brian's gone. Plus, we're kinda banking while he's deployed and I'm living at home, so I should be able to get through without anymore student loan debt. Gotta love that!
So, that's the update, my friends. Not much else going on here except that it was in the mid-80s yesterday. WTF?! It's mid-December!
My beloved Cougars won the crosstown rival game!! They lead the series with an all time record of 31-18-1, but hadn't pulled off a win in 6 years. It was amazing to listen to.
The Bad
Remember grad school? The school that is in Texas? Texas being the state that I consider home and use as my state of residence on my tax return? Also the state I am moving back to within the week? Yeah, the school is trying to make me pay out-of-state tuition. Um...no. Ain't gonna happen. I won't go there before I'll pay triple the tuition.
The Ugly
My honey left early this morning. I came home to a freezing house and an uncomfortable air mattress. I just keep reminding myself that we'll be together again a year from now. Plus, there's always R&R to look forward to.
I'm officially admitted to grad school. I'm no longer just an "applicant" in their online system. I can register for classes next week. Now I just need the financial aid department to get their butts in gear and let me know how much I will owe them. I'm *crossing my fingers* for some free money. I really don't want more student loans.
The Bad
When I worked last year I had to pay into a "substitute teachers' retirement fund". I wasn't given an option. Whatever. I assumed I could just take that money with me when I moved. Well, you know what they say about assuming.... Yeah, come to find out I have to be "separated" from the school district for a year before I can take the money. Soooo not cool. I think they just want me to forget about it so they keep my money forever.
The Ugly
I ran errands early this morning and needed wanted coffee. I got my usual iced coffee at Starbucks and I think it was stronger than usual. I also didn't eat anything for breakfast so by the time I got home I was wired. I had to drink a glass of water and eat a slice of bread before I sorta started to feel better. I think my boyfriend coffee and I need to have a little break from each other. I'm not a fan of jittery me.
I read that and then look around this house and panic a little bit. There is still SO much packing to do! My goal today is to get everything off the walls and into boxes. Hopefully we can get a load or two to the storage unit this weekend as well.
It seems that Mother Nature finally got the memo that it's not summer anymore. I think it was 50 degrees this morning when I woke up. It still gets pretty warm in the afternoon, but I can keep the a/c off most of the day. I love having the window open at night and hearing all the night-time sounds when I'm reading before bed. I always sleep better when it's colder, too.
And now I'm reminded why I've sucked at blogging lately. I just can't think of anything to say. I could go on and on about moving and all that entails, but really? Who wants to listen to that?
Oh here's something: I heard back from the grad program I applied for. Since I want to teach math, I need approval from the math department before I can be offered acceptance. Since I didn't take a single math class in college, I have a feeling I'm not going to be accepted into the program. I just know that I'll have to take some leveling classes before they'll let me in. Bummer, right? I'm a little disappointed, but trying not to think about it too much. Either way I'll do what I need to do. Plus, I haven't even heard anything officially yet. Maybe they'll surprise me! A girl can dream...
I can't seem to write a decent post these days. You'll just have to settle for this:
I can't help but smile when watching/listening to songs from Glee.
I'm cheating on my Mocha Frappuccino with plain old iced coffee. It's almost half the price. And doesn't taste too bad!
It's premiere season. I'm more excited about this than I should be.
I keep thinking these sentences in Facebook status format. One of these days I'll just start talking in the 3rd person.
I officially applied for grad school. I'm hoping for January admission. I'm not sure how I'm paying for it.
Today was trash day. There are 5 more trash days before I move home. There are 4 more trash days before Brian leaves.
Eminem is everywhere, man! (...listening to Love the Way You Lie right now.) I remember listening to his first album like 10 years ago. I think it freaks Brian out a bit that I like his music.
The new Halo game came out today. It should keep Brian occupied for awhile.
I have running mental lists of moving stuff that needs to get done. Sometimes I get really overwhelmed and have to force myself to stop thinking about it.
It was 65 this morning when I got up. I thought I was ready for fall, but I'm not so sure anymore. I had flashbacks to last winter and the itchy sweaters and cold sheets at night and shivering every time Tiny had to pee. Maybe summer could stick around a while longer.
I can't figure out why Brian is still working until 5 or later everyday. Um...they're leaving in a month. Cut them a break.
That's about it I guess. I've been in a funk lately. Thus the lack of posts. I think this impending deployment is messing with me a bit.
...was ordered to stop wearing contacts so my damaged corneas have a chance to heal. I'll thank the perfect storm of allergies, all day contact use and old/dirty contacts for this fun predicament.
...ordered new glasses! This is about the only upside to the whole eye fiasco.
...got a tan.
...swam...alot! This was by far my favorite part of being here.
...drove my old car (Mustang convertible!). The pink tinge on my thighs and shoulders is from my joy ride around town today. :)
...fell in love with my mom's new Jetta. I totally want one now.
...nursed Tiny back to health after he developed some blisters on his paws from the hot ground outside. It was heartbreaking.
...cancelled our Disney World trip. I'm hoping this is a catalyst for some major change in our lives.
...bought some super cute clothes. I just love summer clothes!
...took advantage of my brother's discount. One of the only perks of him working his butt off for a poorly run clothing mega company in NYC.
...made the decision to seriously pursue graduate school.
...walked countless loops around the neighborhood with my mom.
...walked on the treadmill enough at the gym to watch Star Trek from beginning to end on my tiny iPod screen.
...watched the Lost finale with my dad.
...rented many movies from RedBox. It helps having one 2 minutes from my parents' house. I finally got to see: Dear John, Up In The Air, Crazy Heart and The Blind Side.
...saw Marmaduke on the big screen. It was totally worth the $6 just to laugh at the Great Dane -isms.
...ate. And ate. And ate. I hit up all my fav places and then some.
...made chicken and dumplings for my parents. It was delish!
...avoided anyone outside of my family. Sorry guys. I needed to hibernate.
...watched the Glee finale. Superb. Can't get "Faithfully" out of my head.
...went on a day trip to Fort Worth with Mom.
...was slapped (softly) by my mother. She was killing a gnat that had landed on my cheek. At the time, it was hilarious.
...went bowling. I broke 100 in both games!
...voluntarily washed the Mustang. She looks much prettier now.
It's back to LA tomorrow. Back to reality. Back to real life.
