State of the Dommi: Now with more iPads.
Okay so that long-as-shit post I said I'd make.
I'll make a list because I like them.
1) School
School is going insanely, insanely well. I'm doing super well in all of my classes, have awesome grades, my professors all like me, not so bad for a first semester back. I'm in the downward swing of the semester now, but I do have three papers due before the end of this month. One is on Shiba Inus, one is about micro-level sociological analysis in Oakwood Dog Park, and one is about bystander effect, in particular Darley and Latane's experimentation on it. Exams are in mid-December, which I admit I'm not really looking forward to. Taking certain classes has made me change my plans a bit, and I'll be joining Wake Tech's Social Sciences club next week. I'm taking Public Speaking, Argument Based Research, Abnormal Psychology, and Intermediate Algebra (lol bad placement test scores) next semester.
2) Aforementioned changed plans
My original plan back in the 1990s was to become a psychiatrist, but I took on way too much my first semester, had a nervous breakdown, and basically dropped out. I kind of got it into my head that I was barking up the wrong tree. Which brings me to now and like...I am really brilliant at sociology and psychology. The material fascinates me, I talk a lot in class, I get it easily, and most importantly I enjoy learning it. I've spent time with both of my teachers during their office hours, and both of them told me how much they enjoy having me as a student. My sociology teacher has even offered to give me recommendation letters whenever I desire one.
There is a set program of graduate study in psychology, called social psychology. The point of this field is to research and attempt to explain and modify patterns of behavior in our society such as gender and race disparity when it comes to mental health issues. It also exists to try to help alleviate such disparity. Sociology to me is more about the patterns themselves, psychology is the science of mental processes and behavior...social psychology/psychology in the public interest is about exploring these patterns of behavior and trying to do some good about them.
So I have decided in fact that I will be majoring in psychology/minoring in sociology and design. I will be applying for graduate school straight out of my undergrad and getting a PhD in Social Psychology/Psychology in the Public Interest (depending on what school I get into, because I have three options and two offer the former while the third offers the latter. Related: fuck moving just for school.) Also if I get done with my undergrad and say "fuck this, I want to do graphic design after all," I have the minor since (around here at least) the degree is not nearly as important as the portfolio itself when getting a job. So I will continue to build that but I think I'm going to end up being a social scientist researching intriguing phenomena such as why women are three times more likely to be diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder than men. (Seriously. It's a big part of why BPD is so controversial in the psychological community. I'll grant part of it is that our society tends to place more of a stigma on men for seeking help with mental health issues than women, but that's such a huge discrepancy that I have to call some shenanigans on how it's diagnosed/who gets saddled with it, particularly as the disorder carries such a huge stigma (Hi I can't get health insurance and have BPD. These two things are related) itself. All of the social sciences were racist and sexist up until probably the late 70s/early 80s I'd say and I think this is a big lingering part of that. Holy shit I've gone off on a tangent but I think my reasoning for the major change is now obvious.
3) Work
Belk dicked me over one too many times and I was backed into a corner of quitting or being fired. So I quit and I've been out of work for almost two months now. I admit I've mostly been concentrating on school, but I really do need another part time job. I'm meeting with a financial aid advisor at Wake Tech tomorrow to see about a work study program, because I know they'd be flexible with my class schedule. Plus they can say "you can work X hours per week to keep your aid." So I have that going for me, which is nice.
4) Pets/General living
I still have three fabulous cats and a wonderful dog, and I still live with
bnharrison who just completed a novel hooray! I also now have temporary fourth cat by the name of Dinozzo aka Dizzy for my darling
timbean while she goes through her schooling in the Navy. Dizzy gets along famously with Al, tries to be like Spike, and hides from Faye and Hachi.
I still drive a BMW. I've become a beer aficionado. I'm on two medications that seem to keep me pretty positive and uh the zoloft actually helps me focus so there is that. I'm thinking about getting back into therapy, although perhaps cognitive behavioral this time instead of just talk therapy.
I went up to DC for the Rally this weekend, but mostly to hang out with
sohotrightnow/
cidercupcakes as it was entirely too long since we last saw each other. For my troubles I got bonus
ambrosia/
ryoko and
ollie/
saber_rider. And I also got to finally meet
inlovewithnight and
redbrickrose! Plus tasty chili. Mmm chili.
TV wise I still watch Glee and Gossip Girl, but Jules introduced me to Community these weekend, which I find to be delightful. "What is going on, is someone throwing that cat," and Shirley is an Admiral and holy shit I just realized Troy is one of the dudes in the "Bro Rape" video! WORLDS ARE COLLIDING.
I went to Chicago for the first time ever in October and it is a surprisingly nice city. I can see why it's touted as being windy because oh my God what the fuck. Dog friendly, too! So maybe if Northwestern gives me all of the money for grad school I'll move there or something. Although winter there would probably end me bit by bit and day by day. Maybe UCLA would be a better option.
5) Fandom
I still live, eat, breathe, and write Star Trek stuff. I'm not doing NaNo because back in February I wrote 50,000 words in ten days. I feel like I have nothing to prove, and as school is kind of intense right now I think this is for the best. Maybe I will make time to write some this weekend, who knows?
6) Family
My parents are doing fairly well, Mom's cancer is for the most part gone. She's having some liver issues currently, however, and she has to not have any alcohol for the next four months. Dad is on the wagon in a show of solidarity for her, which I think is fantastic. Mom bowls twice a week and Dad golfs twice a week.
Unfortunately, Dad's two remaining brothers are not doing so well. My oldest uncle Herman is dying of inoperable cancer pretty much as we speak, and Uncle Carl had a stroke on Saturday. He's mostly mobile and sounds fine, if a bit off-balance when he stands. Herman though...he's not getting out of the VA hospital. Dad went up to Baltimore on Saturday and is going back to Florida on Wednesday, but he's prepared to get a phone call in a week or two that Herman's passed. It sounds like it may be the best thing, as Herman is apparently quite gaunt in appearance and in a lot of pain.
I have to admit, the amount of cancer in my dad's immediately family scares the shit out of me. His father died of it, his mother had it, and this will be the third brother he's lost to it. He reassures me that he gets physicals and goes to the doctor at the smallest sign of trouble, but I still get afraid that either he or Mom won't be around to see me graduate. (For the record, my Dad is 68 and my Mom is 64. It's not an unreasonable fear for me to have.) I try to suppress those thoughts though because I inevitably end up scaring myself and crying. But, they still exist and I can't help myself sometimes.
7) iPad
I got an iPad last month. It is glorious. Like it is probably the greatest piece of technology I have ever or will ever own. It's so useful and amazing. ;_; I highly recommend them if you can spare the cash, they're great and so multi-purpose and it has NETFLIX and it's like living in the future...today!
8) ...I forget what eight was for.
The right people will get that reference.
So anyways that's what's been going on with me. Also if you haven't already done so, please go out and vote tomorrow. Lots of important things are up this year including legislature that does directly affect you. Even if you're not ready to die for any of the candidates it is still super important that you get out there and vote. After all, if only crazy people vote then only crazy people get elected. That's just science. :D
I'll make a list because I like them.
1) School
School is going insanely, insanely well. I'm doing super well in all of my classes, have awesome grades, my professors all like me, not so bad for a first semester back. I'm in the downward swing of the semester now, but I do have three papers due before the end of this month. One is on Shiba Inus, one is about micro-level sociological analysis in Oakwood Dog Park, and one is about bystander effect, in particular Darley and Latane's experimentation on it. Exams are in mid-December, which I admit I'm not really looking forward to. Taking certain classes has made me change my plans a bit, and I'll be joining Wake Tech's Social Sciences club next week. I'm taking Public Speaking, Argument Based Research, Abnormal Psychology, and Intermediate Algebra (lol bad placement test scores) next semester.
2) Aforementioned changed plans
My original plan back in the 1990s was to become a psychiatrist, but I took on way too much my first semester, had a nervous breakdown, and basically dropped out. I kind of got it into my head that I was barking up the wrong tree. Which brings me to now and like...I am really brilliant at sociology and psychology. The material fascinates me, I talk a lot in class, I get it easily, and most importantly I enjoy learning it. I've spent time with both of my teachers during their office hours, and both of them told me how much they enjoy having me as a student. My sociology teacher has even offered to give me recommendation letters whenever I desire one.
There is a set program of graduate study in psychology, called social psychology. The point of this field is to research and attempt to explain and modify patterns of behavior in our society such as gender and race disparity when it comes to mental health issues. It also exists to try to help alleviate such disparity. Sociology to me is more about the patterns themselves, psychology is the science of mental processes and behavior...social psychology/psychology in the public interest is about exploring these patterns of behavior and trying to do some good about them.
So I have decided in fact that I will be majoring in psychology/minoring in sociology and design. I will be applying for graduate school straight out of my undergrad and getting a PhD in Social Psychology/Psychology in the Public Interest (depending on what school I get into, because I have three options and two offer the former while the third offers the latter. Related: fuck moving just for school.) Also if I get done with my undergrad and say "fuck this, I want to do graphic design after all," I have the minor since (around here at least) the degree is not nearly as important as the portfolio itself when getting a job. So I will continue to build that but I think I'm going to end up being a social scientist researching intriguing phenomena such as why women are three times more likely to be diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder than men. (Seriously. It's a big part of why BPD is so controversial in the psychological community. I'll grant part of it is that our society tends to place more of a stigma on men for seeking help with mental health issues than women, but that's such a huge discrepancy that I have to call some shenanigans on how it's diagnosed/who gets saddled with it, particularly as the disorder carries such a huge stigma (Hi I can't get health insurance and have BPD. These two things are related) itself. All of the social sciences were racist and sexist up until probably the late 70s/early 80s I'd say and I think this is a big lingering part of that. Holy shit I've gone off on a tangent but I think my reasoning for the major change is now obvious.
3) Work
Belk dicked me over one too many times and I was backed into a corner of quitting or being fired. So I quit and I've been out of work for almost two months now. I admit I've mostly been concentrating on school, but I really do need another part time job. I'm meeting with a financial aid advisor at Wake Tech tomorrow to see about a work study program, because I know they'd be flexible with my class schedule. Plus they can say "you can work X hours per week to keep your aid." So I have that going for me, which is nice.
4) Pets/General living
I still have three fabulous cats and a wonderful dog, and I still live with
bnharrison who just completed a novel hooray! I also now have temporary fourth cat by the name of Dinozzo aka Dizzy for my darling
timbean while she goes through her schooling in the Navy. Dizzy gets along famously with Al, tries to be like Spike, and hides from Faye and Hachi.
I still drive a BMW. I've become a beer aficionado. I'm on two medications that seem to keep me pretty positive and uh the zoloft actually helps me focus so there is that. I'm thinking about getting back into therapy, although perhaps cognitive behavioral this time instead of just talk therapy.
I went up to DC for the Rally this weekend, but mostly to hang out with
sohotrightnow/
cidercupcakes as it was entirely too long since we last saw each other. For my troubles I got bonus
ambrosia/
ryoko and
ollie/
saber_rider. And I also got to finally meet
inlovewithnight and
redbrickrose! Plus tasty chili. Mmm chili.
TV wise I still watch Glee and Gossip Girl, but Jules introduced me to Community these weekend, which I find to be delightful. "What is going on, is someone throwing that cat," and Shirley is an Admiral and holy shit I just realized Troy is one of the dudes in the "Bro Rape" video! WORLDS ARE COLLIDING.
I went to Chicago for the first time ever in October and it is a surprisingly nice city. I can see why it's touted as being windy because oh my God what the fuck. Dog friendly, too! So maybe if Northwestern gives me all of the money for grad school I'll move there or something. Although winter there would probably end me bit by bit and day by day. Maybe UCLA would be a better option.
5) Fandom
I still live, eat, breathe, and write Star Trek stuff. I'm not doing NaNo because back in February I wrote 50,000 words in ten days. I feel like I have nothing to prove, and as school is kind of intense right now I think this is for the best. Maybe I will make time to write some this weekend, who knows?
6) Family
My parents are doing fairly well, Mom's cancer is for the most part gone. She's having some liver issues currently, however, and she has to not have any alcohol for the next four months. Dad is on the wagon in a show of solidarity for her, which I think is fantastic. Mom bowls twice a week and Dad golfs twice a week.
Unfortunately, Dad's two remaining brothers are not doing so well. My oldest uncle Herman is dying of inoperable cancer pretty much as we speak, and Uncle Carl had a stroke on Saturday. He's mostly mobile and sounds fine, if a bit off-balance when he stands. Herman though...he's not getting out of the VA hospital. Dad went up to Baltimore on Saturday and is going back to Florida on Wednesday, but he's prepared to get a phone call in a week or two that Herman's passed. It sounds like it may be the best thing, as Herman is apparently quite gaunt in appearance and in a lot of pain.
I have to admit, the amount of cancer in my dad's immediately family scares the shit out of me. His father died of it, his mother had it, and this will be the third brother he's lost to it. He reassures me that he gets physicals and goes to the doctor at the smallest sign of trouble, but I still get afraid that either he or Mom won't be around to see me graduate. (For the record, my Dad is 68 and my Mom is 64. It's not an unreasonable fear for me to have.) I try to suppress those thoughts though because I inevitably end up scaring myself and crying. But, they still exist and I can't help myself sometimes.
7) iPad
I got an iPad last month. It is glorious. Like it is probably the greatest piece of technology I have ever or will ever own. It's so useful and amazing. ;_; I highly recommend them if you can spare the cash, they're great and so multi-purpose and it has NETFLIX and it's like living in the future...today!
8) ...I forget what eight was for.
The right people will get that reference.
So anyways that's what's been going on with me. Also if you haven't already done so, please go out and vote tomorrow. Lots of important things are up this year including legislature that does directly affect you. Even if you're not ready to die for any of the candidates it is still super important that you get out there and vote. After all, if only crazy people vote then only crazy people get elected. That's just science. :D