Life Update (For those who are not in tune with my Facebook useage)
Well, here I am. Half way through my second semester of graduate school. God, I'm so glad that I jumped right into working on my Masters instead of piddling around with my thumb in my ass after receiving my Bachelors. I pulled off a very high B in my one class last semester, and I'm currently riding high As in both of my classes this semester, one of which is preening me to be a graduate teaching assistant in the fall. In other words, I will be in control of a 131 or 132 Freshman composition course. Spooky. They've got me observing the adjuncts and writing lesson plans and organizing a syllabus for each of the two courses. I'm not all too interested in teaching next semester, but if it will guarantee me a good job, or at least enhance my resume, I'm willing to give it a shot.
On the home front... OH MY GOD! I LOVE LIVING BY MYSELF! Really, I do! It's wonderful to be able to keep my apartment clean without having to constantly nag or mother someone else to do their damn share of the work. I clean every day, and I don't get chastised for it by some cave-dwelling slob who couldn't be concerned with rinsing a fork or a cup and placing it in the dishwasher located mere inches from the sink. Gah, let alone have to remind someone that the coffee table isn't the place for dirty dishes.
On a related note, I had my first house guests a couple weeks ago. I was very excited, to say the least. Jessi, Dale, and Will were in town for the HUGE February birthday bash (which was a big success!). Dale was so pleased to be staying in a *clean* place that he and Jessi rushed out and got me a Thank You jug of laundry detergent. <3 They know what makes me happy. <3
Owl is still making cozy outside of my apartment. I put a pet carrier and hand-knit blanket just outside my door for her to sleep in during the cooler nights. Now that it's getting warmer again, she likes to sleep on top of the box. Recently she appears to have been in a fight. She lost her collar, and has quite a nasty scratch on her left ear. I've been cleaning the wound every day and applying a warm tea bag to it, as I didn't want her getting Neosporin into her mouth should I have put it on her. It's healing nicely, especially after I drained a dime-sized wad of pus out of it (my apologies to those who are squeamish or eating while reading this). The other night, Dave and I also enjoyed watching her hunt down, play with, and eventually eat a little field mouse that had wandered onto my porch. We assume she was showing off her skills as a "Guard Kitty" to impress Dave and I. I was very pleased and rewarded her with dental treats and lots of brushing.
Things with Dave and I are going fantastically. We spent Valentine's Day in Houston enjoying the Houston Zoo and the Museum of Natural Science where we saw Body World 3! In my opinion, it was far better than Body World 2 (which I saw a few years back when it came through Houston). We went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Granted we had to wait about an hour and a half for a table, but I brought my laptop so we could watch cartoons (much to the delight of the Bourgeois that regularly inhabit the Galleria).
Dave and I have also started exercising together, originally beginning with walking/jogging around the stadium on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Lately, because of the warmer more humid weather, we've switched to using the machines in the Rec Center. 20-30 min on the ellipticals, and then we switch to some muscle building exercises, since muscle burns more calories than fat. I'm really starting to notice a difference in my physique, stamina, and appetite. I'm leaner and my muscles are more toned.I've actually got a bit of a 4-pack going right now. Whoo!! I can walk to class and up several flights of stairs without getting winded, even if I'm carrying a backpack and an armload of textbooks (we are being asked to choose which books we'd like to order/use for teaching next semester, so they're cleaning out the English Department shelves into our grad student arms). I'm snacking a lot less and craving healthier foods like salad. I also find that smaller portions are more filling than they once were. I'm really boosting my metabolism.
I'm in the process of planning a big summer trip, possibly to the Grand Canyon, or up to New England. Dave and I still need to sit down and figure out exactly where we want to go and what we would like to do once we're there. If we choose the Grand Canyon, I'd like to do an all day burro tour where they take you down to the bottom of the canyon on a donkey. If we decide upon New England, I'd prefer to spend more time there, exploring Salem, Mass., going to a maple syrup factory in Vermont, biking across Rhode Island, and maybe some whale watching in Maine. Oh, and I can't forget the traditional lobster dinner! Yum!
Spring Break isn't going to be much of a break for me at all this year. I've got a couple large projects due in the weeks shortly following it, so most of my "relaxing week-long vacay" will be spent with my nose in my books and notes. And at doctor appointments. I need to get my annual check-ups if I intend to be out and about this summer.
Other than all of that, there's nothing too terribly exciting going on. Like I said, I'm just trying to get through the semester so I can *finally* have a bit of a break from classes. I've been in school practically year round from Fall '07 until now (Fall 07, Spring 08, Summer I, Summer II, *Pause for Graduation*, Fall 08, Spring 09).
That's all that's going on with me. If I have failed to answer any questions to may have about the current goings on of my life... sorry. I'm pretty boring these days.
On the home front... OH MY GOD! I LOVE LIVING BY MYSELF! Really, I do! It's wonderful to be able to keep my apartment clean without having to constantly nag or mother someone else to do their damn share of the work. I clean every day, and I don't get chastised for it by some cave-dwelling slob who couldn't be concerned with rinsing a fork or a cup and placing it in the dishwasher located mere inches from the sink. Gah, let alone have to remind someone that the coffee table isn't the place for dirty dishes.
On a related note, I had my first house guests a couple weeks ago. I was very excited, to say the least. Jessi, Dale, and Will were in town for the HUGE February birthday bash (which was a big success!). Dale was so pleased to be staying in a *clean* place that he and Jessi rushed out and got me a Thank You jug of laundry detergent. <3 They know what makes me happy. <3
Owl is still making cozy outside of my apartment. I put a pet carrier and hand-knit blanket just outside my door for her to sleep in during the cooler nights. Now that it's getting warmer again, she likes to sleep on top of the box. Recently she appears to have been in a fight. She lost her collar, and has quite a nasty scratch on her left ear. I've been cleaning the wound every day and applying a warm tea bag to it, as I didn't want her getting Neosporin into her mouth should I have put it on her. It's healing nicely, especially after I drained a dime-sized wad of pus out of it (my apologies to those who are squeamish or eating while reading this). The other night, Dave and I also enjoyed watching her hunt down, play with, and eventually eat a little field mouse that had wandered onto my porch. We assume she was showing off her skills as a "Guard Kitty" to impress Dave and I. I was very pleased and rewarded her with dental treats and lots of brushing.
Things with Dave and I are going fantastically. We spent Valentine's Day in Houston enjoying the Houston Zoo and the Museum of Natural Science where we saw Body World 3! In my opinion, it was far better than Body World 2 (which I saw a few years back when it came through Houston). We went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Granted we had to wait about an hour and a half for a table, but I brought my laptop so we could watch cartoons (much to the delight of the Bourgeois that regularly inhabit the Galleria).
Dave and I have also started exercising together, originally beginning with walking/jogging around the stadium on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Lately, because of the warmer more humid weather, we've switched to using the machines in the Rec Center. 20-30 min on the ellipticals, and then we switch to some muscle building exercises, since muscle burns more calories than fat. I'm really starting to notice a difference in my physique, stamina, and appetite. I'm leaner and my muscles are more toned.I've actually got a bit of a 4-pack going right now. Whoo!! I can walk to class and up several flights of stairs without getting winded, even if I'm carrying a backpack and an armload of textbooks (we are being asked to choose which books we'd like to order/use for teaching next semester, so they're cleaning out the English Department shelves into our grad student arms). I'm snacking a lot less and craving healthier foods like salad. I also find that smaller portions are more filling than they once were. I'm really boosting my metabolism.
I'm in the process of planning a big summer trip, possibly to the Grand Canyon, or up to New England. Dave and I still need to sit down and figure out exactly where we want to go and what we would like to do once we're there. If we choose the Grand Canyon, I'd like to do an all day burro tour where they take you down to the bottom of the canyon on a donkey. If we decide upon New England, I'd prefer to spend more time there, exploring Salem, Mass., going to a maple syrup factory in Vermont, biking across Rhode Island, and maybe some whale watching in Maine. Oh, and I can't forget the traditional lobster dinner! Yum!
Spring Break isn't going to be much of a break for me at all this year. I've got a couple large projects due in the weeks shortly following it, so most of my "relaxing week-long vacay" will be spent with my nose in my books and notes. And at doctor appointments. I need to get my annual check-ups if I intend to be out and about this summer.
Other than all of that, there's nothing too terribly exciting going on. Like I said, I'm just trying to get through the semester so I can *finally* have a bit of a break from classes. I've been in school practically year round from Fall '07 until now (Fall 07, Spring 08, Summer I, Summer II, *Pause for Graduation*, Fall 08, Spring 09).
That's all that's going on with me. If I have failed to answer any questions to may have about the current goings on of my life... sorry. I'm pretty boring these days.