*Relaxation.... mostly!
I turned it the Schoenig paper on Wednesday. I finished my Arabic final on Friday. Since then I've been leisurely grading and thinking about doing my Latin homework for tomorrow. I can't believe I have class this Monday of finals week, but I've loved Joan's class so I really don't mind.
It's felt so good to sleep in, hang out with the dog, and watch lazy episodes of American Pickers, Bones, and the Tudors in my copious free time over the last day or so. It's been nice hanging out with friends and not feeling guilty about it. Ugh, wonderful. It's not over yet, but the biggest hurdles are, so I feel ready to start feeling relaxed, done, and reflective.
This semester kicked my ass. I let the day to day busy work homework and TA work keep me so busy that I didn't invest enough time in my long-term projects over the course of the semester, and then had to crank them out at the end of the semester. I feel like my Marti in Paris paper could have been stronger... I think I spent too much time detailing all the new stuff I'd learned about the Paris situation, and took for granted the Marti info that I know so well and may not have explained fully enough for my prof. Oh well, we'll see how I do in the class. I learned a lot either way, which is good. The only great part about the paper-writing process was that Koski and Constantine were both in the same boat pulling all-nighters, so we just kept chatting on facebook or gchat for like, days, as we suffered through the paper together, exchanging pep talks and paper-writing music suggestions. It was REALLY nice, cause misery loves company, and it made the whole process so much more fun and less upsetting. I may have talked to Constantine more than Casey those two or three days... I have good friends.
To celebrate the end we've been having some fun recently. Me, Koski, Constantine, and Fr. Schoenig went out to dinner as a seminar class yesterday to chill after a great semester together and that was really nice - we hit up Berix for some top notch Bosnian food (YUM Doner Kebap!) and some humorous department stories. Can't wait to hear what sssj thinks of the last episode of Lost!
After dinner we went over to Matt's for the UFC PPV. Casey and I are thrilled that hosting UFC PPVs is becoming like, a thing among our friends! We have hosted a few, and recently we went to one over at the Constantines' place as well, and now yesterday to watch GSP (sigh, so hot!) punch Koscheck in the face a lot (so satisfying, he's such an ass!). What fun! It was a smaller crowd last night cause people were scattering for break, but still a good time. And Constantine's house was a blast. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. It feels good to cry laughing with friends.
I think it's finally dawning on me that I do have a solid group of friends here, and that feels good. I think before I was so focused on not having female friends, that I've missed out on how fun my guy friends here are and how much I enjoy them. I really miss Robert and Kendra, but love the class that came in last year and Matt this year is a nice addition to that group of guys. Plus, Ben and Constantine both have lovely women in their lives that I get to be friends with by default, which I really like. Life's good here in St. Louis!
Plus, first snow today! Charlie LOVED running around outside in the snow drifts, which was adorable.
It's felt so good to sleep in, hang out with the dog, and watch lazy episodes of American Pickers, Bones, and the Tudors in my copious free time over the last day or so. It's been nice hanging out with friends and not feeling guilty about it. Ugh, wonderful. It's not over yet, but the biggest hurdles are, so I feel ready to start feeling relaxed, done, and reflective.
This semester kicked my ass. I let the day to day busy work homework and TA work keep me so busy that I didn't invest enough time in my long-term projects over the course of the semester, and then had to crank them out at the end of the semester. I feel like my Marti in Paris paper could have been stronger... I think I spent too much time detailing all the new stuff I'd learned about the Paris situation, and took for granted the Marti info that I know so well and may not have explained fully enough for my prof. Oh well, we'll see how I do in the class. I learned a lot either way, which is good. The only great part about the paper-writing process was that Koski and Constantine were both in the same boat pulling all-nighters, so we just kept chatting on facebook or gchat for like, days, as we suffered through the paper together, exchanging pep talks and paper-writing music suggestions. It was REALLY nice, cause misery loves company, and it made the whole process so much more fun and less upsetting. I may have talked to Constantine more than Casey those two or three days... I have good friends.
To celebrate the end we've been having some fun recently. Me, Koski, Constantine, and Fr. Schoenig went out to dinner as a seminar class yesterday to chill after a great semester together and that was really nice - we hit up Berix for some top notch Bosnian food (YUM Doner Kebap!) and some humorous department stories. Can't wait to hear what sssj thinks of the last episode of Lost!
After dinner we went over to Matt's for the UFC PPV. Casey and I are thrilled that hosting UFC PPVs is becoming like, a thing among our friends! We have hosted a few, and recently we went to one over at the Constantines' place as well, and now yesterday to watch GSP (sigh, so hot!) punch Koscheck in the face a lot (so satisfying, he's such an ass!). What fun! It was a smaller crowd last night cause people were scattering for break, but still a good time. And Constantine's house was a blast. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. It feels good to cry laughing with friends.
I think it's finally dawning on me that I do have a solid group of friends here, and that feels good. I think before I was so focused on not having female friends, that I've missed out on how fun my guy friends here are and how much I enjoy them. I really miss Robert and Kendra, but love the class that came in last year and Matt this year is a nice addition to that group of guys. Plus, Ben and Constantine both have lovely women in their lives that I get to be friends with by default, which I really like. Life's good here in St. Louis!
Plus, first snow today! Charlie LOVED running around outside in the snow drifts, which was adorable.