November 29, 2007

Yesterday I took the most dreaded (and most despicable) HD 501 exam. The damn thing counted for 1/3 of my final grade on its own. Yeah. I did my best to look over my notes and try to commit the most important things to memory. There were 20 multiple choice questions, 10 short answer, and 4 essay questions, and it took me nearly 2 hours to complete. I still have a poster presentation and a research proposal due in that class, not to mention that I was also required to write weekly reaction papers, take a midterm exam, and submit an abstract of my proposal. That class was way too much busy work. I liked the prof as a person but I couldn’t stand the class. I’m just glad it’s (almost) over.

I was having a Google chat discussion w/ Scott about what I have left to do and he said, “You’re amazing. I don’t know how you do it.” It really made my day. I’m beginning to believe that I’m actually good at what I do and that I know what I’m doing. I had what some call Imposter Syndrome for awhile, and it was not pleasant. I’m just now (after a total of 6 semesters in grad school) beginning to feel like maybe I know something and that I’m doing something right. Whoever thinks that leaving the corporate world to go to grad school is the easy way out is totally kidding him/herself. I’m enjoying myself now, but it’s been an uphill battle and it’s definitely not for everyone. That said, I wouldn’t trade any of this for any amount of money.

Between today and 6PM on December 12th I have to:

• Write a 10 page research proposal for my HD 501 class
• Give a poster presentation based on my proposal to my HD class
• Write a brief research proposal for my BEP 641 class
• Finish my portfolio for my BEP 641 class (basically a journal of my insights from all the articles we’ve read)
  
• Give a presentation on articles for my BEP 641 class

But really, I’m not worried. We’re going to New Orleans this weekend to attend the wedding of two of our friends, and Scott’s kindly offered to drive so that I can get some reading/writing done. That’s about 10 hours worth of work right there I could do, and the following weekend I’m blissfully un-busy, so I can get lots of work done then, too. It works this way every semester: I initially panic at the thought of all I have to get done, but then once I get cracking, I realize it’s really nothing to be worried about.

I’m accompanying my friend Robin today to a doctor’s appointment to check her baby’s heartbeat. She’s about 5 months along and recently found out that it’s a girl! The baby is due sometime in April, and it should be exciting. I’ve had so many pregnant friends over the past few years. Maybe I’m some sort of fertility charm or something, lol. Scott and I have really been waffling lately on whether we ever want to have kids at all. It’s such a hard decision, even if it’s something we don’t have to decide right now. I told him that if we didn’t have a child by the time I was 35 (he’d be 45) that I didn’t want any at all. There’s the slight risks involved, plus he’d be 63 (!!!) when the hypothetical kid graduated from high school. There are so many compelling arguments either way, and there’s really no guarantee that I’d even be able to actually have kids (or him, for that matter). We could adopt, but that would defeat our “kids are so expensive” argument. I’m not even sure why I’m thinking about it now, so enough about that…

And I’m off to grab my lunch and microwave it before CGS gets over to the microwave.

Sweet Holy Moses November 27, 2007

If CSG doesn’t cease and desist from loudly sipping his soda, punctuating said sip with a loud “AHHHHHH,” and then slamming his can down on his desk, I’m going to have to go all Charles Whitman up in here. I can hear that shit with my headphones on. Geeesh.

November 27, 2007

Ever wanted to hit someone upside the head with a feminist philosophy book and hope that something sticks?

This and that November 20, 2007

On Saturday, I managed to replace my wiper blades. They hadn’t been replaced since Election Day, 2004. I wish I were kidding. Those suckers were so warped and disgusting (much like Election Day 2004, I might add) and my windshield was never clean as a result. I was proud enough, but then when my lovely husband admitted that he’d never changed his own wiper blades (at the ripe old age of 35), I felt even more smug. Now if only I knew how to replace the rear brake pads…I also did quite a lot of work towards cleaning out my car and making it look presentable. When you’re a busy grad student, the last thing you care about is how your car looks. I removed my Jump sticker that was peeling off, attempted to remove my faded “Fermez Le Bush” sticker to no avail, and Windexed every glass surface on both sides. Brubeck left slobber tracks all over the interior of the back windows, and I felt it was high time to take care of that.

This week will prove to be a lazy one for me. I am debating not coming to work tomorrow, simply because I don’t have classes and I know no one will be dumb enough to roll up in here the day before Thanksgiving. As great as it is to only have to work 20 hours a week and for the most part take care of my own work, I’m not too fond of the fact that it’s always about 90 degrees in here and that I have to constantly be on CGS alert. Any excuse I have to not come to work is a good one in my book.

I recently got into the blog Behind the Counter, a hilarious account of what it’s like to work at WalMart (or, “The House of Wal”). The author recently quit her his job there and is now doing a blog called 21 Minutes, which is equally hilarious and definitely worth reading.  My particular favorites from both blogs are entries about “howler monkeys” (loud, unruly children) and WOACA (Women Of A Certain Age…middle- or upper middle- class middle-aged women who just try too hard and have an inflated sense of entitlement..you know the type).

One my professors wants me to do an independent study with him next semester to do some additional work on my study and put a more cognitive/self-regulation spin on my research questions. If everything goes according to plan, by this time next year, I’ll have at least one publication. He was highly complimentary of the two presentations I’ve given in his class so far and I think he really believes in me. Sometimes I get really down about the small things in life, and then something like this happens to pick me back up again. We all need a reminder about why it is we do what we do, and this particular incident was mine.

Oh, lord! November 18, 2007

OK, without going into too much detail, our (Alabama’s) Attorney General is hell-bent on outlawing the sale of sex toys in Alabama. Yes. We have some of the worst schools in the U.S., high STD rates, rampant poverty, teen pregnancy, etc., and our leaders are worried about dildos. In-freaking-deed.

Loretta Nall started a campaign to mail sex toys to the AG’s office in protest. Here’s a link to her blog if any of you are interested (or want to participate). The premise of it is funny, and it would be even better if it ends up being effective.

Do be sure to read some of the comments on her blog from the November 12th entry…I like the guy who asked if Mr. King will have to declare the receipt of these “gifts” on his yearly Alabama Ethics statement. Now that, my friends, would be hilarious! “I received 20 sets of ben-wa balls, 38 dildos, 12 vibators, and 6 dozen cock rings.” I would pay for a copy of that!

I know this seems rather frivolous, especially given the aforementioned problems in our state. However, it’s ridiculous that he’s even bothering to attempt to regulate something so personal (and something used by adults, who are for the most part perfectly able to make decisions like that for themselves). I really don’t see how a grown-ass adult using a toy in the privacy of his/her bedroom is causing harm to the well-being and safety to the citizens of Alabama. I really don’t. Another thing that bothered me is this (from the Tuscaloosa News editorial page):

“In 1998, the Legislature passed a law banning the sale of sex toys in Alabama. Lower courts found it unconstitutional in 1999 and 2002, saying Alabama did not prove a legitimate interest in regulating sale of sex toys to adults. But the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law in 2004, claiming there is no constitutional right to sexual privacy.”

Anyone else as disturbed as I am?

Jesus Tapdancing Christ November 16, 2007

CGS felt compelled to come in here just now and inform me that the young lady who got kicked off the Southwest flight for being inappropriately dressed has now posed for Playboy.

Ugh.

Yeah, Roll Tide November 15, 2007

This makes me sad.

I can’t wait to get out of here. I don’t want to surround myself with people who believe this way, and I’ll be damned if I ever raise kids in a place like this.

Yes, there are bigots, idiots, and assholes everywhere, but in Alabama, it seems to be a way of life.

November 15, 2007

I found a dead chipmunk in the corner of my home office this morning. I think that just about sums up how I feel today. Yep.

A dash of nostalgia in a cup of LOLz November 13, 2007

For those of you (dorks) like me who read Babysitter’s Club books as a kid, I present to you this blog.

Fucking hilarious!

Oh, and don’t pretend like you didn’t read them. I know you totally did, all the while sporting a side ponytail.

November 6, 2007

I made it to yoga! Not only that, but I made it through an entire class pretty much effortlessly. I win at life! I’ll also get to go Wednesday night since I don’t have class.

Also, I may have found a student in my program even crazier than CGS (Creepy Grad Student), if such a thing can even be imagined. Granted, she hasn’t sexually harassed me, but she’s no less batshit crazy. More on that later.

It suddenly feels like November here. The winds are whipping off the river, across the golf course and against our house. It’s creepy in that Charlotte Brontë sort of way. I feel like I should be sitting here in a corset pining over some troubled dark-haired man tumbling over the moors or something, lolz. Instead, I think I’m going to take a shower and finish my coffee.