It's been a few days since I've posted, so I suppose I should begin with a quick recap.
Wednesday
I spent the morning on the phone with the insurance company, the student medical clinic, and my ophthalmologist's office. The insurance company won't cover my visit because I failed to get a referral from the student medical clinic first. Why didn't I get a referral? Because I didn't know to do it because I failed to read my policy cover to cover. I just sort of figured since they didn't have an ophthalmologist on staff (similar to how they don't have a dentist or dermatologist on staff), then I would just go straight to my own ophthalmologist...and dermatologist. Wrong-o. Even though vision isn't covered by the insurance plan, it apparently shows up somewhere under the medical services...not sure how that works...and therefore requires a referral from the medical clinic. This means I have to make an actual appointment to be seen by a physician at the university to be told, "Nope, we sure can't look at your eyes, by golly," get my grubby hands on the referral, and THEN make an appointment with a real ophthalmologist. Same goes for dental and dermatology. Interesante. The scary thing is that I didn't do this for my orthopedic visits earlier this year with all the herniated disk nonsense...my insurance appears to have cleared, but I'm just waiting for a thousand-dollar bill to waft its way into my mailbox. I hate insurance.
Wednesday didn't get much better mostly because Robert was doing so badly. Not going into details to protect the innocent, particularly before the whole ordeal is resolved this week. But the long and short of it is that Robert is unbelievably miserable in the high school classroom and has received little to no true support from his coordinating bodies. Several times Wednesday I was close to marching into one of these individual's offices and blessing her out for being such a horrible person to my fiancé. Wouldn't have helped, so I kept my mouth shut. We'll call Wednesday the low point in both our semesters. It was a very hard day.
Wednesday did perk up, though, because Robert's birthday present for me came in the mail. He got me the entire collection of Kenneth Brannagh Shakespeare films! Is Amanda ecstatic? Yes! I had mentioned it to him as a sort of wishful thing...I eventually wanted to be able to own all of the DVDs, but I hadn't imagined I'd get them all in one go! It was very exciting, and I can't wait to get into them. I haven't seen the majority of them yet, although I did get to see one in a private screening before it was released to the general public. Shakespeare conferences are fun. :) (Or BardCon, as one of my colleagues playfully calls it.)
Thursday
Ugh. Thursday was ever more of the same. Although, I did get a great deal of work done on my midterm exams (both regular and make-up), and was able to complete them and the midterm review sheet so that my students could have that in their grubby hands by Friday's class (a week before the exam).
I did go to the running class again on Thursday, which was better than Monday. Thursday we didn't walk the route (which we'll get back to this forthcoming Monday), but instead we walked laps around the gym's lake (six) until we had walked two miles. I walked faster than on Monday, and met a pretty cool older guy who kept me company (my sister had an exam that evening and had to miss class). We also had a podiatrist on site who watched us walk barefoot--I apparently have an almost "perfect" walk. This just means that when I walk, my toes and knees point forward, and that my joints don't try to come in (like I don't walk with my knees coming inward or my ankles rolling inward). I was pretty happy with that result because guess who can't afford a new pair of shoes or shiny new inserts?
Friday
Yesterday was fine. I decided not to teach, so I had the students write an in-class reading response. I graded the two o'clock bunch during the three o'clock class, and I'll grade the three o'clock bunch today. I went over the midterm review sheet with them, as well as the midterm exam format. I think they'd all agree that I'm being extremely fair and forthright in my exam; I shouldn't receive any complaints the night before...but I'm sure I will. When I got back from class, Robert was feeling much better. I think the decision we've come to is going to be good, and we just have to wait for a few meetings on Tuesday before I can officially tell people because it might not play out the way we want it to.
We're doing Beowulf on Monday, and I have a wonderful lesson plan for Monday already. It's the lesson I was observed for last Spring, so I've got all this great stuff planned for me. I love when I'm prepared, lol. Couldn't have come on a better weekend because I have way too much crap to do to be worried about a dinky ol' lesson plan.
Saturday (today)
Today is the Auburn-Tennessee game...and I'm not going. This is one of my favorite match-ups in college football because it's such a friendly game, but I can't go today because of the amount of work to do. Although I don't really have to read Beowulf again, of course I will. I have to clean the apartment in a bad way. I have to do laundry in a bad way. I have to grade those in-class reading responses as well as work on their mid-semester grade reports. I also have to work on all my thank-you notes from back in July (for the engagement party) up to this birthday. I feel horrible, but I hope that people won't be mad at me for being a few months behind schedule. I think to make my life a little bit easier, I'm going to print off address labels for my return address. We'll see how big the ones I have are and if that'd be okay-looking. And the most important thing I have to do is to read for my exams. I'm almost an entire month behind schedule at this point. I don't know if I want to read according to my schedule anymore...I kind of just want to grab a book from the pile and go for it. Maybe that'll work okay. But I need to get a few plays read today, or else. Which sounds stupid. Hm. I think Robert's planning on coming over to watch a little bit of the game with me, so I think what I'll do is get my non-game-watching homework done first (i.e. the reading), and then I can do the mindless stuff (the grading, cleaning, laundering) while the game's on. That sounds like a decent enough plan to me.
Ugh. I'm getting to a point of resentment with my program...or at least with my placement in my program. I'm tired of everything. *frown*
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
My new normal
Well, I had to have another mole biopsied yesterday at my dermatology appointment. It's a small enough mole that the biopsy pretty well removed it. We'll know in 7-10 days what's going on with that particular bunch of cells. My new dermatologist (maybe) told me that if it comes back clean, then obviously I don't have to come back for another year; if it comes back as atypical in anyway, I'll go back to make sure she got it all and left clean margins.
Most of you remember I went through this song and dance last year, having a moderately atypical mole removed in August. The mole she was referring to didn't look the same as the one I had removed last year, but it didn't look like the rest of my moles and freckles either. When she got to it, she said, "Hmm...I don't like the looks of that one. Have you noticed changes in it before?" I replied, "I haven't really noticed it before." Red flag. She recommended removing it right then and there, and how could I argue?
So, having had this done twice has left me with the decision to change up my normal. I learned last year that my father's side of the family is rife with skin cancer...but because they're a good Southern family, they've kept it under wraps. "We just don't speak about unpleasant things, you see." What bull. So, anyway, I have to change my normal routine now. After my dermatology appointment, I went to the grocery store and purchased some new facial lotion that has SPF 30; I have sunscreen for the rest of my body. I know we've always heard that we should wear sunscreen everyday, but I never really took it that seriously. Guess I have to change my normal routine around, hm?
Most of you remember I went through this song and dance last year, having a moderately atypical mole removed in August. The mole she was referring to didn't look the same as the one I had removed last year, but it didn't look like the rest of my moles and freckles either. When she got to it, she said, "Hmm...I don't like the looks of that one. Have you noticed changes in it before?" I replied, "I haven't really noticed it before." Red flag. She recommended removing it right then and there, and how could I argue?
So, having had this done twice has left me with the decision to change up my normal. I learned last year that my father's side of the family is rife with skin cancer...but because they're a good Southern family, they've kept it under wraps. "We just don't speak about unpleasant things, you see." What bull. So, anyway, I have to change my normal routine now. After my dermatology appointment, I went to the grocery store and purchased some new facial lotion that has SPF 30; I have sunscreen for the rest of my body. I know we've always heard that we should wear sunscreen everyday, but I never really took it that seriously. Guess I have to change my normal routine around, hm?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tuesday: The Results Show
I have a dermatology appointment (just a regular ol' check-up) in about an hour, so I have to make this quick. In order of their discussion yesterday:
1. My meeting with my dissertation director went well enough. We're not going to extend my exam date yet because she's concerned about squeezing the time I have on my dissertation. It's all very limited, especially because I'm what's called an "internal" grad student. Basically means I got both degrees here, so I have fewer paid graduate hours than "external" applicants have. I understand the recommendation, but I am just a little bummed about it. I could have used the peace of mind that comes with knowing my exams are a year away rather than a few months away. But she said we'd reevaluate in December to see where I am and how I feel. Even though the results weren't what I wanted, she did manage to calm me down a great deal. She always does that, though. I'm very fortunate to have the kind of relationship with my director that I have. Not many grad students have the same relationship with her or with their own directors. I certainly don't take it for granted. (Case in point: when I told two other students who are under her direction that I was going to meet with her yesterday, they both gave me a wide-eyed, fearful look and said, "Oh God, good luck.")
2. The running class wasn't so bad. We walked for two miles at a pretty good pace, so it wasn't super easy, but it wasn't super hard, either. I started to feel a little discouraged about at the half mile mark (because my sister and I were bringing up the rear and it just felt like the distance was increasing between us and the rest of the class), but at about that point this man in the group started to hang back to chat with us. Turns out he's been doing this class for the past four or five years or so (it's been going for 14 years), so he could have been in the very front with the leaders. My sister and I were very grateful for his willingness to hang with us in the back. He kept our minds off of how difficult it was and offered encouragement through the whole walk. He said that around week 2 or 3, it gets easier because you find a groove.
Well, I have to end here and get myself ready for the dermatologist.
More later, if I have time.
1. My meeting with my dissertation director went well enough. We're not going to extend my exam date yet because she's concerned about squeezing the time I have on my dissertation. It's all very limited, especially because I'm what's called an "internal" grad student. Basically means I got both degrees here, so I have fewer paid graduate hours than "external" applicants have. I understand the recommendation, but I am just a little bummed about it. I could have used the peace of mind that comes with knowing my exams are a year away rather than a few months away. But she said we'd reevaluate in December to see where I am and how I feel. Even though the results weren't what I wanted, she did manage to calm me down a great deal. She always does that, though. I'm very fortunate to have the kind of relationship with my director that I have. Not many grad students have the same relationship with her or with their own directors. I certainly don't take it for granted. (Case in point: when I told two other students who are under her direction that I was going to meet with her yesterday, they both gave me a wide-eyed, fearful look and said, "Oh God, good luck.")
2. The running class wasn't so bad. We walked for two miles at a pretty good pace, so it wasn't super easy, but it wasn't super hard, either. I started to feel a little discouraged about at the half mile mark (because my sister and I were bringing up the rear and it just felt like the distance was increasing between us and the rest of the class), but at about that point this man in the group started to hang back to chat with us. Turns out he's been doing this class for the past four or five years or so (it's been going for 14 years), so he could have been in the very front with the leaders. My sister and I were very grateful for his willingness to hang with us in the back. He kept our minds off of how difficult it was and offered encouragement through the whole walk. He said that around week 2 or 3, it gets easier because you find a groove.
Well, I have to end here and get myself ready for the dermatologist.
More later, if I have time.
Monday, September 22, 2008
The children! :D
Pictures of the children from my new Sony camera! :D I'm still playing with the camera settings and whatnot, but I think these turned out pretty well. I have the most adorable kids! ;)
Callie-cat: age, 4 years old
Beatrice (or "Baby Bea-Bea"): age, 2.5 years old
Milton: age, 4-5 years old
(Milton is Robert's dog. He's a 90-lb Chowbrador, and is just about as sweet as you could possibly imagine. I love that pup so very much. I hope he and Ms. Callie-leigh will get along...she's very skittish about dogs.)
Callie-cat: age, 4 years old
Beatrice (or "Baby Bea-Bea"): age, 2.5 years old
Milton: age, 4-5 years old
(Milton is Robert's dog. He's a 90-lb Chowbrador, and is just about as sweet as you could possibly imagine. I love that pup so very much. I hope he and Ms. Callie-leigh will get along...she's very skittish about dogs.)
Needing a strength boost to my resolve
A couple of (unrelated) things are happening today for which I have a great deal of nervous energy.
1. At 1 p.m., I'm having a meeting with my dissertation director to discuss something that I've pretty well kept under wraps from most of my family and friends. My parents don't even know about this meeting, which is something I've never done before academically (keeping them in the dark, I mean). But I came to the decision that at this stage in my academic career, as an independent student whose parents aren't providing money for the education, I'm not required to clear anything with them before making big decisions. I'll of course tell them after I have the meeting.
So, what's this mystery meeting about? I'm going to meet with my dissertation director (who also directed my Master's thesis) about the possibility of pushing my preliminary exams back to next August. Why? Because last December when we made the plans to have my exams in January/February, we didn't know that I would be diagnosed with a herniated disk and we certainly didn't know that I would have to have surgery. When all this did come about, my committee members asked if I thought I'd be okay...before the surgery. Of course, being the stubborn, ambitious woman that I am, said, "Yeah! I'll be in recovery, so I'll have lots of time to sit there and read." Yes...and be drugged up on pain killers. Robert and I did read a few plays this summer. Last night, he quizzed me on some of the finer points of these plays...and I can't remember them. This is bad. This means that even if I had been able to read more, I wouldn't have been able to remember anything and would still have to reread it all.
I'm going to basically beg for an extension on the exams because I'm so far behind. I was near tears last night when talking to Robert about it (getting my pep talk before today, actually), and I asked him if back surgery is a legitimate excuse. I said, "I couldn't avoid it, right? There's nothing I could have done about it, right? I couldn't have exercised it away or dieted it away. It just happened, and now we have to reevaluate, right?" I think he was surprised that I had to convince myself of this, but the reality is that sometimes I do feel guilty about my back because I've never been interested in making up excuses in order to avoid challenges.
Two more hours and then I meet with my dissertation director. Keep your fingers crossed for me and say some little resolve strengthening prayers...I'm faltering.
2. At 5 o'clock today, I'm starting the running class at the gym (with my sister, too). This I don't feel quite as much a sense of dread as I do about the former point, but I do have a lot of nervous energy about it. My sister's personal trainer is the instructor for this class, and she told my sister that there will be a podiatrist there to watch us walk barefoot. He'll then make recommendations based on whether we pronate or supinate while walking. I'm glad we're having a professional there to help us out, especially since I am post-op. I may have changed my walk since surgery (or even perhaps before) as a reaction.
I'm nervous because most of the response I've received from my friends and colleagues is how they hate running and could never do it...so...we'll see. I've never claimed to be a runner, but I did learn to enjoy it on the treadmill back when I was running on the treadmill...back before the herniated disk issue. I'm hoping this class will teach me to love running again. At the very least, it's a ten-week class which will get me moving and motivated. The instructor has promised dramatic results by December in most cases. I hope that's likely, and I hope I can stick to it enough to make it happen. The class meets three days a week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday). I can do Mondays and Thursdays, but I tutor on Tuesdays, which is inflexible. I e-mailed the instructor, and she told me the deal would be that I could come to class on Mondays and Thursdays, and make up the third day on my own time. I mentioned to Robert the possibility of going on Wednesday afternoons together. I think that should work out just fine. I'm a little skittish about missing the second day of class, but I think I can get my sister to sort of catch me up.
Nervous energy is good, right?
Ugh, I'm so nervous. I hope this dissipates by the time I teach this afternoon.
1. At 1 p.m., I'm having a meeting with my dissertation director to discuss something that I've pretty well kept under wraps from most of my family and friends. My parents don't even know about this meeting, which is something I've never done before academically (keeping them in the dark, I mean). But I came to the decision that at this stage in my academic career, as an independent student whose parents aren't providing money for the education, I'm not required to clear anything with them before making big decisions. I'll of course tell them after I have the meeting.
So, what's this mystery meeting about? I'm going to meet with my dissertation director (who also directed my Master's thesis) about the possibility of pushing my preliminary exams back to next August. Why? Because last December when we made the plans to have my exams in January/February, we didn't know that I would be diagnosed with a herniated disk and we certainly didn't know that I would have to have surgery. When all this did come about, my committee members asked if I thought I'd be okay...before the surgery. Of course, being the stubborn, ambitious woman that I am, said, "Yeah! I'll be in recovery, so I'll have lots of time to sit there and read." Yes...and be drugged up on pain killers. Robert and I did read a few plays this summer. Last night, he quizzed me on some of the finer points of these plays...and I can't remember them. This is bad. This means that even if I had been able to read more, I wouldn't have been able to remember anything and would still have to reread it all.
I'm going to basically beg for an extension on the exams because I'm so far behind. I was near tears last night when talking to Robert about it (getting my pep talk before today, actually), and I asked him if back surgery is a legitimate excuse. I said, "I couldn't avoid it, right? There's nothing I could have done about it, right? I couldn't have exercised it away or dieted it away. It just happened, and now we have to reevaluate, right?" I think he was surprised that I had to convince myself of this, but the reality is that sometimes I do feel guilty about my back because I've never been interested in making up excuses in order to avoid challenges.
Two more hours and then I meet with my dissertation director. Keep your fingers crossed for me and say some little resolve strengthening prayers...I'm faltering.
2. At 5 o'clock today, I'm starting the running class at the gym (with my sister, too). This I don't feel quite as much a sense of dread as I do about the former point, but I do have a lot of nervous energy about it. My sister's personal trainer is the instructor for this class, and she told my sister that there will be a podiatrist there to watch us walk barefoot. He'll then make recommendations based on whether we pronate or supinate while walking. I'm glad we're having a professional there to help us out, especially since I am post-op. I may have changed my walk since surgery (or even perhaps before) as a reaction.
I'm nervous because most of the response I've received from my friends and colleagues is how they hate running and could never do it...so...we'll see. I've never claimed to be a runner, but I did learn to enjoy it on the treadmill back when I was running on the treadmill...back before the herniated disk issue. I'm hoping this class will teach me to love running again. At the very least, it's a ten-week class which will get me moving and motivated. The instructor has promised dramatic results by December in most cases. I hope that's likely, and I hope I can stick to it enough to make it happen. The class meets three days a week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday). I can do Mondays and Thursdays, but I tutor on Tuesdays, which is inflexible. I e-mailed the instructor, and she told me the deal would be that I could come to class on Mondays and Thursdays, and make up the third day on my own time. I mentioned to Robert the possibility of going on Wednesday afternoons together. I think that should work out just fine. I'm a little skittish about missing the second day of class, but I think I can get my sister to sort of catch me up.
Nervous energy is good, right?
Ugh, I'm so nervous. I hope this dissipates by the time I teach this afternoon.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
27
I turned 27 yesterday, and I had a very good birthday. My parents came into town, Mom made a birthday cake, and we all celebrated with presents and football.
Is it weird that I still take a step back to look at my life and wind up amazed at how wonderful everything is now?
It occurs to me on occasion that when my family gets together, we're a party of six instead of four or five...we're all happily coupled up, and sometimes I sit back and wonder how I got to be so fortunate to meet Robert.
This is a strange time in my life--I'm 27 years old. Sometimes the number seems so young, and other times so much older. I'll be 30 before I know it, but my life will be remarkable by then. By the time my mom turned 27, she was almost a full month pregnant with me and had been married for five years. Granted, she and Dad got married when they were 22 and had been trying for five years to get pregnant (I'm the oldest of two kids). Robert and I decided to go on to graduate school when we were 22 (well, I think he was 23), which puts us on a different life path entirely from either of our parents. I'm grateful for graduate school for many reasons, the best of which is having been given the opportunity to meet Robert and fall in love with him. There are times I catch myself complaining about going on to graduate work, wondering aloud why I couldn't have just been satisfied with some 9-5, working for an editor or publisher or something. Robert then reminds me two things: 1. I'm a highly ambitious woman, which is one of the qualities he loves most about me, and 2. had I not gone into graduate school, we would have never met. I'm learning to be grateful for the difficulty of graduate school because I have benefited so much despite those challenges.
I drifted off topic...but that's okay.
There are many things I've learned in these 27 years, and I wanted to somehow chronicle them all. I'll figure out a way, and then I'll make time to share it with all of you.
Aside from the lessons and very thoughtful nature of my 27th birthday, I suppose I could share some of the more fun parts of yesterday. Yes, I'm sure we all know the outcome of yesterday's Auburn-LSU game...we were disappointed to lose (particularly on my birthday), but I'm not such a nut that I would let a football game ruin an otherwise wonderful day. As I said, my family got together to celebrate--all six of us together in my sister's apartment, opening presents and eating way too much food (before heading to Robert's family's tailgate...for more food, lol). The loot list is:
--a Department 56 Globe Theatre model from my sister. This is particularly special because this model has been retired since...I think the '90s or so. Of course, I didn't start my Department 56 (London) collection until a couple of years ago, and I've always been sad that the Globe Theatre is gone. My sister found it on a complete lark for much cheaper than on eBay at a thrift store this summer. She was so excited to give it to me, and had originally planned to give it to me for Christmas. I'm so glad she gave it to me for my birthday--now I can use it to decorate my apartment this Christmas! :)
--pieces for my Willow Tree nativity set from my parents: a crèche, an ox and a goat, and a metal star background. My parents had already gotten me the main pieces for the Willow Tree nativity set last Christmas, which came with the Holy Family and the Three Wisemen (plus their camel). Because I got it for Christmas last year, I haven't used my new nativity set yet. This Christmas will be the first time, and now I have a complete set! I'm so excited!! I turned to Robert after I unwrapped all this and said, "Honey, we're going to have the most darling house at Christmastime!" Lol...he rolled his eyes, but I know he'll love it. I picked up on the Christmas decorating bug that my mom has--I love love love decorating for Christmas and can't wait to put my apartment in order this year.
--a Sony Cybershot camera from my parents!! So so so so so excited about my new camera!! I've been wanting a replacement for my 2000 Olympus digital camera for most of this year, especially since I discovered that they no longer make the memory card that fits my camera. My old camera is a brick. My new camera is slim and sexy and will fit very easily in my purse! I'm so excited to get to use it--I had to charge it during the game, so it wasn't broken in then, but I'll start taking pictures of the cats and of Milton pretty soon. Eventually, Robert and I will get a professional-level camera, but this purchase will come after we're married and both have jobs. (Hehehe, so funny. I mentioned this to Robert this morning, and he froze. He said, "Wait a minute..." I laughed and said, "No! I mean after we both have jobs and real 'big' paychecks!" He sighed and responded, "Okay, good. Because I was a little worried that you were already starting to spend the money from the job I don't have yet." Lol...no, honey, not yet. ;))
So, yesterday was a very good birthday. I'm excited for Christmas and decorating! I'm a little sad, but also extremely excited, that this will be my last Christmas in this apartment. This will be Christmas number five, and I've decorated and celebrated every single year since I moved in. Every year, my decorations became less and less Wal-Mart style and increasingly grown-up style. I'm a little sad to know that I'll be leaving this place...but unbelievably excited about where I'll be next year!! Next Christmas!! Oh my word...next Christmas I'll be married to Robert! And we'll be decorating our little home together...*happy sigh* Yes, I'm "sad" that this is the end of a chapter. But I am so thrilled that the chapter I'll be starting is the one with Robert as my husband.
I am now the age I will be when I get married. I'll be married by my next birthday. Robert will be married by his next birthday. This is a beautiful place to be in. :)
Is it weird that I still take a step back to look at my life and wind up amazed at how wonderful everything is now?
It occurs to me on occasion that when my family gets together, we're a party of six instead of four or five...we're all happily coupled up, and sometimes I sit back and wonder how I got to be so fortunate to meet Robert.
This is a strange time in my life--I'm 27 years old. Sometimes the number seems so young, and other times so much older. I'll be 30 before I know it, but my life will be remarkable by then. By the time my mom turned 27, she was almost a full month pregnant with me and had been married for five years. Granted, she and Dad got married when they were 22 and had been trying for five years to get pregnant (I'm the oldest of two kids). Robert and I decided to go on to graduate school when we were 22 (well, I think he was 23), which puts us on a different life path entirely from either of our parents. I'm grateful for graduate school for many reasons, the best of which is having been given the opportunity to meet Robert and fall in love with him. There are times I catch myself complaining about going on to graduate work, wondering aloud why I couldn't have just been satisfied with some 9-5, working for an editor or publisher or something. Robert then reminds me two things: 1. I'm a highly ambitious woman, which is one of the qualities he loves most about me, and 2. had I not gone into graduate school, we would have never met. I'm learning to be grateful for the difficulty of graduate school because I have benefited so much despite those challenges.
I drifted off topic...but that's okay.
There are many things I've learned in these 27 years, and I wanted to somehow chronicle them all. I'll figure out a way, and then I'll make time to share it with all of you.
Aside from the lessons and very thoughtful nature of my 27th birthday, I suppose I could share some of the more fun parts of yesterday. Yes, I'm sure we all know the outcome of yesterday's Auburn-LSU game...we were disappointed to lose (particularly on my birthday), but I'm not such a nut that I would let a football game ruin an otherwise wonderful day. As I said, my family got together to celebrate--all six of us together in my sister's apartment, opening presents and eating way too much food (before heading to Robert's family's tailgate...for more food, lol). The loot list is:
--a Department 56 Globe Theatre model from my sister. This is particularly special because this model has been retired since...I think the '90s or so. Of course, I didn't start my Department 56 (London) collection until a couple of years ago, and I've always been sad that the Globe Theatre is gone. My sister found it on a complete lark for much cheaper than on eBay at a thrift store this summer. She was so excited to give it to me, and had originally planned to give it to me for Christmas. I'm so glad she gave it to me for my birthday--now I can use it to decorate my apartment this Christmas! :)
--pieces for my Willow Tree nativity set from my parents: a crèche, an ox and a goat, and a metal star background. My parents had already gotten me the main pieces for the Willow Tree nativity set last Christmas, which came with the Holy Family and the Three Wisemen (plus their camel). Because I got it for Christmas last year, I haven't used my new nativity set yet. This Christmas will be the first time, and now I have a complete set! I'm so excited!! I turned to Robert after I unwrapped all this and said, "Honey, we're going to have the most darling house at Christmastime!" Lol...he rolled his eyes, but I know he'll love it. I picked up on the Christmas decorating bug that my mom has--I love love love decorating for Christmas and can't wait to put my apartment in order this year.
--a Sony Cybershot camera from my parents!! So so so so so excited about my new camera!! I've been wanting a replacement for my 2000 Olympus digital camera for most of this year, especially since I discovered that they no longer make the memory card that fits my camera. My old camera is a brick. My new camera is slim and sexy and will fit very easily in my purse! I'm so excited to get to use it--I had to charge it during the game, so it wasn't broken in then, but I'll start taking pictures of the cats and of Milton pretty soon. Eventually, Robert and I will get a professional-level camera, but this purchase will come after we're married and both have jobs. (Hehehe, so funny. I mentioned this to Robert this morning, and he froze. He said, "Wait a minute..." I laughed and said, "No! I mean after we both have jobs and real 'big' paychecks!" He sighed and responded, "Okay, good. Because I was a little worried that you were already starting to spend the money from the job I don't have yet." Lol...no, honey, not yet. ;))
So, yesterday was a very good birthday. I'm excited for Christmas and decorating! I'm a little sad, but also extremely excited, that this will be my last Christmas in this apartment. This will be Christmas number five, and I've decorated and celebrated every single year since I moved in. Every year, my decorations became less and less Wal-Mart style and increasingly grown-up style. I'm a little sad to know that I'll be leaving this place...but unbelievably excited about where I'll be next year!! Next Christmas!! Oh my word...next Christmas I'll be married to Robert! And we'll be decorating our little home together...*happy sigh* Yes, I'm "sad" that this is the end of a chapter. But I am so thrilled that the chapter I'll be starting is the one with Robert as my husband.
I am now the age I will be when I get married. I'll be married by my next birthday. Robert will be married by his next birthday. This is a beautiful place to be in. :)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
I am in love.
With a couple of violinists. They're currently contenders on "America's Got Talent." They're in the top 10...last night's vote will be revealed tonight to see if they're going to be in the top 5. I believe they'll make it at least to the top 2. I hope they win because this is the kind of thing we need in the music world. They're called Nuttin' But Stringz (http://www.nuttinbutstringz.com/), and you owe it to yourself to check out their website. They have an album out already called "Struggle from the Subway to the Charts," which is available for purchase at both their website and iTunes--I chose iTunes just because I had some leftover money from old iTunes cards, hehe
I'm so SO in love with these two young men! I've always been silly about how much I love violin music, just because it's where my instrumental training began. As I've gotten older, though, I've fallen deeper and deeper in love with musicians who are able to bring violin music to a younger, more impressionable audience, which is what these two men do. They blend the classical elements of the violin with hip hop and R&B. Last night, for the Top 10 performance on "America's Got Talent," they had a drum line accompaniment...chills. I want these two young men to win so badly--Las Vegas deserves them!
Okay, that's the end of my little PSA for Nuttin' But Stringz. :) Go check them out!
I'm so SO in love with these two young men! I've always been silly about how much I love violin music, just because it's where my instrumental training began. As I've gotten older, though, I've fallen deeper and deeper in love with musicians who are able to bring violin music to a younger, more impressionable audience, which is what these two men do. They blend the classical elements of the violin with hip hop and R&B. Last night, for the Top 10 performance on "America's Got Talent," they had a drum line accompaniment...chills. I want these two young men to win so badly--Las Vegas deserves them!
Okay, that's the end of my little PSA for Nuttin' But Stringz. :) Go check them out!
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