Again...still alive
It seems to me that I do a rather pathetic job at keeping in touch with people considering how many internet "connection" sources I have available to me. It really hit home today as I was wondering through facebook asking for people's addresses for save the date cards and noticing how everyone seems to chat and keep up. Oh well. At least maybe my momentary guilt will inspire a long-overdue post on LJ if nothing else.
So...
I am in Rochester, studying at the University of Rochester's Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology department, getting a PhD in developmental psych. La di da--sounds good. In reality, it's not bad, but honestly Whitman was better. Whitman was sure harder, that's for sure. And WAY more time consuming. It's weird. A bunch of people all seem overwhelmed with all they have to do, and I can't seem to figure out how to keep myself busy. Obviously different backgrounds lead to different perceived levels of normal "everyday" stress. And in actuality, I have a lot of reading and homework. It's more that I just don't have a gazillion other activities going on everyday like I did at Whitman, so I can do 4 or 5 hours of homework and still be done by 6 after 3 hours of class in the morning. Also, once research picks up more (we're just starting some new studies) that will be somewhat more time consuming...still....
I know I should be appreciative (what I wouldn't have given time and time again at Whitman to have an evening truly "off"), but the more I have to do the more I can get done, and conversely, the less I have to do, the more time everything else seems to take. Which just leaves me feeling bluh at the end of the day.
I suppose it doesn't help that Chris is still in Seattle too (I'll join the Tri-Delt club of people waiting for long-distance relationships to stop being long-distance). Once he moves out here in January, I'll totally appreciate the evening time, since I'll be able to spend time with him. Now though (especially w/o TV), my evenings sort of drag on--and then it ends up late and I don't even know how.
On the plus side, I am making friends here and any concerns I had about lacking a social group were totally unfounded. As long as I made the effort, the people were there and willing (most of the time) to make friends. I even made a friend in my new choir--woo.
Speaking of choir--I miss Dr. Bode's direction. Whatever could be said about him, he really did know how to direct a choir and motivate people to work while still having fun. The director of the big Eastman-Rochester chorus here seems to have a rather pissy side. He also is WAY biased towards low voices--he doesn't even warm the soprano's up past high F (when we hold a Bb above the staff for almost a whole page)--what's with that!?
I got a new car when I moved to Rochester. It's a blue Honda Fit, and it's AMAZING. It CORNERS! It gets GOOD gas mileage. And it's SOOOOOO CUTE. Definitely my baby. I feel sort of bad leaving it out and exposed to the (sure to be coming soon) snow. But oh well.
I also am now officially a New York State resident, with NY driver's license, voting rights, and all that jazz.
Wedding plans are coming along (SLOWLY, so SLOWLY) and I think I've now made every fun choice possible. All that's left are the annoying, time consuming details (like gathering addresses, making final decisions about the guest list, writing out invitations, and double checking with all the vendors I booked almost a year ago (cuz I'm so crazy and on top of things/liked procrastinating on my thesis)). So that's sort of frustrating. OHH! But Chris and I booked our Honeymoon finally and we're taking a 9-day cruise of the Caribbean! I'm super excited!!
Besides those things, nothing much is going on. I keep finding recipes on Allrecipies.com and making them (sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse). I did, however, find an AWESOME recipe for chewy caramels like the kind from the Oregon Coast and tomorrow I'm going to go to the Farmer's market and buy some granny smith apples to make caramel apples for Halloween!! I've also started experimenting with making Thai food and it's not too bad. I need to get a special basket cooker thing to steam thai sticky rice though and haven't gotten around to that.
I miss the Northwest WAYY more than I expected I would (I think I'm the only one here who gets HAPPY when it becomes overcast and drizzly) and also Whitman as well. But all considered, I'm not doing too poorly and I think things will be on the up and up.
I'd love to hear back from anyone who cares to write (since I've probably been secretly stalking your life through LJ anyway). :)
So...
I am in Rochester, studying at the University of Rochester's Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology department, getting a PhD in developmental psych. La di da--sounds good. In reality, it's not bad, but honestly Whitman was better. Whitman was sure harder, that's for sure. And WAY more time consuming. It's weird. A bunch of people all seem overwhelmed with all they have to do, and I can't seem to figure out how to keep myself busy. Obviously different backgrounds lead to different perceived levels of normal "everyday" stress. And in actuality, I have a lot of reading and homework. It's more that I just don't have a gazillion other activities going on everyday like I did at Whitman, so I can do 4 or 5 hours of homework and still be done by 6 after 3 hours of class in the morning. Also, once research picks up more (we're just starting some new studies) that will be somewhat more time consuming...still....
I know I should be appreciative (what I wouldn't have given time and time again at Whitman to have an evening truly "off"), but the more I have to do the more I can get done, and conversely, the less I have to do, the more time everything else seems to take. Which just leaves me feeling bluh at the end of the day.
I suppose it doesn't help that Chris is still in Seattle too (I'll join the Tri-Delt club of people waiting for long-distance relationships to stop being long-distance). Once he moves out here in January, I'll totally appreciate the evening time, since I'll be able to spend time with him. Now though (especially w/o TV), my evenings sort of drag on--and then it ends up late and I don't even know how.
On the plus side, I am making friends here and any concerns I had about lacking a social group were totally unfounded. As long as I made the effort, the people were there and willing (most of the time) to make friends. I even made a friend in my new choir--woo.
Speaking of choir--I miss Dr. Bode's direction. Whatever could be said about him, he really did know how to direct a choir and motivate people to work while still having fun. The director of the big Eastman-Rochester chorus here seems to have a rather pissy side. He also is WAY biased towards low voices--he doesn't even warm the soprano's up past high F (when we hold a Bb above the staff for almost a whole page)--what's with that!?
I got a new car when I moved to Rochester. It's a blue Honda Fit, and it's AMAZING. It CORNERS! It gets GOOD gas mileage. And it's SOOOOOO CUTE. Definitely my baby. I feel sort of bad leaving it out and exposed to the (sure to be coming soon) snow. But oh well.
I also am now officially a New York State resident, with NY driver's license, voting rights, and all that jazz.
Wedding plans are coming along (SLOWLY, so SLOWLY) and I think I've now made every fun choice possible. All that's left are the annoying, time consuming details (like gathering addresses, making final decisions about the guest list, writing out invitations, and double checking with all the vendors I booked almost a year ago (cuz I'm so crazy and on top of things/liked procrastinating on my thesis)). So that's sort of frustrating. OHH! But Chris and I booked our Honeymoon finally and we're taking a 9-day cruise of the Caribbean! I'm super excited!!
Besides those things, nothing much is going on. I keep finding recipes on Allrecipies.com and making them (sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse). I did, however, find an AWESOME recipe for chewy caramels like the kind from the Oregon Coast and tomorrow I'm going to go to the Farmer's market and buy some granny smith apples to make caramel apples for Halloween!! I've also started experimenting with making Thai food and it's not too bad. I need to get a special basket cooker thing to steam thai sticky rice though and haven't gotten around to that.
I miss the Northwest WAYY more than I expected I would (I think I'm the only one here who gets HAPPY when it becomes overcast and drizzly) and also Whitman as well. But all considered, I'm not doing too poorly and I think things will be on the up and up.
I'd love to hear back from anyone who cares to write (since I've probably been secretly stalking your life through LJ anyway). :)