second update of the year
So...I figure that I should throw something up here.
I'm back from Iowa. Which was all sorts of awesome. I went out there fairly skeptical, expecting the worst (usual Paul), and was rewarded with close friendships, many good memories, and a close connection to my sister. The last is probably the best part of the whole summer.
I never felt that my sister and I were...bosom buddies. I suppose that I still don't, but after spending three months under the same roof with her I finally realized the most important fact about being a sibling. You might have some times when you want to hit each other, you might have times when cry with each other, you might even have times when you laugh so hard together that you pee a little bit. The most important fact is that no matter what you're going through, the other person is your family.
Family for me hasn't always been the warmest of social interactions. Which is why I don't have a problem not talking to my folks for elongated periods of time, yet I'll call my best friends twice a week. I used to lump my sister in with the rest of the family, if I talked to her, fine. If I didn't, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Whereas now, if something really good or bad happens to me, she's in the top three people I tell. I care about what she's doing, her hopes and dreams...to a lesser extent her political affiliations (we butt heads on that front), and her general well being.
Topic jump...
School is going moderately well for once. This is the first semester that I've ever been able to register for classes when I was suppose to. My advisor is still a worthless pile of crap, but we can't all be perfect. My classes are a nice mixture of fun and enjoyable to boring and bash your head into the wall repetative. I'm finally done with Anatomy and Physiology after this semester, which brings my grand total of A&P classes to 2 years worth. If you've got an anatomy question, I'll get the answer to ya.
The end result is that nice peice of paper that says, "your check cleared, here's a degree, now give us money". One more semester and I'll be working for a living. I'm not gonna lie folks, that prospect worries me a bit. My degree is not one that has a garaunteed job associated with it. The only thing that my degree entails me too is more schooling. Granted I have plenty of contacts that have opened doors for a carreer, but the job offers aren't exactly the most...glorious jobs on the market. Granted, I would rather spent 10 hours a day doing back breaking work that left you feeling acclompished for 50 years than sit behind a desk looking at various kinds of reports all day.
Lifestyle...
My lifestyle has taken a couple of twists and turns since I started writing in this journal. For instance, I don't do drugs anymore. I'm also currently working on turning over a new leaf when it comes to legal narcotics. I've stopped drinking, and chewing tobacco. Not because of what people have told me about my vices. Rather because I was ready to make a change. I knew the numbers and the reasons not to long before I even started abusing alcohol and tobacco, yet I still partook. So far I've been clean for 9 weeks, but everyday is a challenge, especially when both of my roomates are alcoholics, and one of them is a strong supporter or smokeless tobacco. I can't say that I don't miss it, my jawline feels empty without the reassuring half ounce weight of tobacco in it, and my hand is lonely when I go out with my friends. But as I said, it was time for a change.
Extracurriculars...
I joined a coaching club on campus, mostly for the brownie points and free meel twice a month. I do get something things out of it, aside from food and a resume fluffer though. There are clinics where we learn how to be better coaches, plus we get to play sports for half the meetings. Pretty much awesome in my book. I haven't told my mother of joining the club as she probably would tell me not to play with the other students, knowing my track record for getting injured.
Family...
Big Sis' is moving to New York in a few weeks which is exciting for her. Mom won some prestiguous Lutheran Schools Elementary Educator award which is exciting for her. Dad took a principalship at a new school which is exciting for him. Grandma and Grandpa are still alive which is exciting for everyone. Grandma H. is coming down for Thanksgiving which is NEW and exciting for everyone. Karen and Gary are still doing their thing which is...kind of boring for everyone. Had a cousin die a few weeks ago which was...suprisingly funny for Kate, Dad, and myself and sad for everyone else.
I think that about sums it up.
...
end rant
hack
I'm back from Iowa. Which was all sorts of awesome. I went out there fairly skeptical, expecting the worst (usual Paul), and was rewarded with close friendships, many good memories, and a close connection to my sister. The last is probably the best part of the whole summer.
I never felt that my sister and I were...bosom buddies. I suppose that I still don't, but after spending three months under the same roof with her I finally realized the most important fact about being a sibling. You might have some times when you want to hit each other, you might have times when cry with each other, you might even have times when you laugh so hard together that you pee a little bit. The most important fact is that no matter what you're going through, the other person is your family.
Family for me hasn't always been the warmest of social interactions. Which is why I don't have a problem not talking to my folks for elongated periods of time, yet I'll call my best friends twice a week. I used to lump my sister in with the rest of the family, if I talked to her, fine. If I didn't, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Whereas now, if something really good or bad happens to me, she's in the top three people I tell. I care about what she's doing, her hopes and dreams...to a lesser extent her political affiliations (we butt heads on that front), and her general well being.
Topic jump...
School is going moderately well for once. This is the first semester that I've ever been able to register for classes when I was suppose to. My advisor is still a worthless pile of crap, but we can't all be perfect. My classes are a nice mixture of fun and enjoyable to boring and bash your head into the wall repetative. I'm finally done with Anatomy and Physiology after this semester, which brings my grand total of A&P classes to 2 years worth. If you've got an anatomy question, I'll get the answer to ya.
The end result is that nice peice of paper that says, "your check cleared, here's a degree, now give us money". One more semester and I'll be working for a living. I'm not gonna lie folks, that prospect worries me a bit. My degree is not one that has a garaunteed job associated with it. The only thing that my degree entails me too is more schooling. Granted I have plenty of contacts that have opened doors for a carreer, but the job offers aren't exactly the most...glorious jobs on the market. Granted, I would rather spent 10 hours a day doing back breaking work that left you feeling acclompished for 50 years than sit behind a desk looking at various kinds of reports all day.
Lifestyle...
My lifestyle has taken a couple of twists and turns since I started writing in this journal. For instance, I don't do drugs anymore. I'm also currently working on turning over a new leaf when it comes to legal narcotics. I've stopped drinking, and chewing tobacco. Not because of what people have told me about my vices. Rather because I was ready to make a change. I knew the numbers and the reasons not to long before I even started abusing alcohol and tobacco, yet I still partook. So far I've been clean for 9 weeks, but everyday is a challenge, especially when both of my roomates are alcoholics, and one of them is a strong supporter or smokeless tobacco. I can't say that I don't miss it, my jawline feels empty without the reassuring half ounce weight of tobacco in it, and my hand is lonely when I go out with my friends. But as I said, it was time for a change.
Extracurriculars...
I joined a coaching club on campus, mostly for the brownie points and free meel twice a month. I do get something things out of it, aside from food and a resume fluffer though. There are clinics where we learn how to be better coaches, plus we get to play sports for half the meetings. Pretty much awesome in my book. I haven't told my mother of joining the club as she probably would tell me not to play with the other students, knowing my track record for getting injured.
Family...
Big Sis' is moving to New York in a few weeks which is exciting for her. Mom won some prestiguous Lutheran Schools Elementary Educator award which is exciting for her. Dad took a principalship at a new school which is exciting for him. Grandma and Grandpa are still alive which is exciting for everyone. Grandma H. is coming down for Thanksgiving which is NEW and exciting for everyone. Karen and Gary are still doing their thing which is...kind of boring for everyone. Had a cousin die a few weeks ago which was...suprisingly funny for Kate, Dad, and myself and sad for everyone else.
I think that about sums it up.
...
end rant
hack