God bless the GLBT support-group leaders who forwarded out my plea for participants for my thesis survey. Having sent out the "please forward this request for participants" e-mail last Tuesday, I, as of today, have received 23 e-mails from people who want to participate. Of course, this doesn't mean that all of them will actually complete my survey, but considering my goal is to have 30 good responses, I'd say I'm well on my way.
Research is awesome. I can't wait to write this thesis up and be done with it and have a real product.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Love/Hate Relationship
I have a love-hate relationship with my graduate program.
The other day, I was working on my thesis, and reading the (very) limited research about my topic which is, incidentally, serving the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of students who are gifted and a sexual minority (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, etc). And as I was reading an article about how there is so little research on the topic, I was thinking, "You know, I care about this topic, and I would love to be involved in something that is truly an emerging topic in the field." I was having delusions of grandeur, and thinking about publishing, and it was, frankly, pretty motivating. I really am enjoying working on this thesis, despite the sometime-drudgery.
But then I thought about how much I despise going to classes and actually being in this field which, to be frank, I don't respect a whole lot. Now, to be fair, I respect gifted education as an academic field slightly more than the wider field of just plain education, but in the grand scheme of things, I'm pretty unimpressed. It all seems so wishy-washy, and, you know, it's a social science, which automatically gives it a bad name. That, coupled with the sorry state of education in general in the United States, doesn't give me too much desire to do much with the field academically speaking.
The ironic thing is, my adviser keeps hinting to me that I should go for my Ph. D. On the one hand, I can see why she would say that. I'm good at school, I'm motivated, and I'm doing well in all her classes (and I've taken four of them with her in my two semesters here thus far). I'm not bragging, but school, especially this stupid program, is easy for me, and always has been. I have the ability and aptitude to get a Ph. D. But it frustrates and stuns me that she doesn't know me well enough to know that I hate this program and wouldn't ever ever EVER think about getting a Ph. D. in education. I would do it in a field I thought highly of (like medieval studies...oh, if only I had stuck with my Latin...).
I think the fact that she knows me so poorly rubs me the wrong way. As the person in charge of the master's in gifted ed program, she currently has only four full-time students. This ratio of adviser to advisee should, at least in my eyes, ensure that we have a good relationship and a high level of communication. We don't. I think there are personality issues at stake (I am a linear thinker and highly organized -- she is a random thinker and disorganized) which adds to my personal disregard for this whole thing. But I just don't feel like she cares about me or knows me. I asked her to help me with licensing in Vermont. She told me to call the state department and make them agree to accept my Virginia license (which I don't have...mine is from Louisiana. And I had already done that. And they said no.). She commented the other day about how it was good that I was getting back into the classroom to I could gain credibility before I go to get my Ph. D., when I told her the week before that I'm not going into the classroom again next year because I can't get aforementioned teaching license. I feel like she's not listening, and I feel like, frankly, she's missing a good opportunity to actually recruit a good candidate for further education...but she doesn't understand that I have no respect for the way things are being handled and I have been turned off.
One of my co-workers at the Center for Gifted Education knows my plight and has encouraged me to speak up. But I told her that I have no yet learned the art of expressing my concerns gracefully and non-accusatorily. The unfortunate circumstances of the situation, namely that my adviser happens to be over-worked and happens to be teaching way more classes in the program than she ever has before, will make my criticism seem personal. And while it is, on some level, there are also program-level problems that just happen to be manifested through her. For example, I feel that the four core courses in gifted education overlap way too much and there is too much repetition. This is only partly her responsibility. On the one hand, I think she could be doing a better job differentiating between the four content areas covered in the classes, but on the other hand, there really IS a lot of overlap, and the program needs to be fixed so there is less. of that. There's only so much she can do when she is handed a course and topic and told, "Here, teach it."
So, the moral of the story is this: I struggle with not fulfilling my potential as an academic, but I truly feel in my heart that academia is not a sector in which I will ever feel fulfilled. I want to speak up and help improve the program, but I am confident that doing so during my time here will create problems for me because I have not developed that talent to give criticism with grace. In the end, I suppose I will just push through, make the best of what I have, and be thankful that at least I will have an advanced degree when all this jazz is through.
The other day, I was working on my thesis, and reading the (very) limited research about my topic which is, incidentally, serving the social, emotional, and intellectual needs of students who are gifted and a sexual minority (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, etc). And as I was reading an article about how there is so little research on the topic, I was thinking, "You know, I care about this topic, and I would love to be involved in something that is truly an emerging topic in the field." I was having delusions of grandeur, and thinking about publishing, and it was, frankly, pretty motivating. I really am enjoying working on this thesis, despite the sometime-drudgery.
But then I thought about how much I despise going to classes and actually being in this field which, to be frank, I don't respect a whole lot. Now, to be fair, I respect gifted education as an academic field slightly more than the wider field of just plain education, but in the grand scheme of things, I'm pretty unimpressed. It all seems so wishy-washy, and, you know, it's a social science, which automatically gives it a bad name. That, coupled with the sorry state of education in general in the United States, doesn't give me too much desire to do much with the field academically speaking.
The ironic thing is, my adviser keeps hinting to me that I should go for my Ph. D. On the one hand, I can see why she would say that. I'm good at school, I'm motivated, and I'm doing well in all her classes (and I've taken four of them with her in my two semesters here thus far). I'm not bragging, but school, especially this stupid program, is easy for me, and always has been. I have the ability and aptitude to get a Ph. D. But it frustrates and stuns me that she doesn't know me well enough to know that I hate this program and wouldn't ever ever EVER think about getting a Ph. D. in education. I would do it in a field I thought highly of (like medieval studies...oh, if only I had stuck with my Latin...).
I think the fact that she knows me so poorly rubs me the wrong way. As the person in charge of the master's in gifted ed program, she currently has only four full-time students. This ratio of adviser to advisee should, at least in my eyes, ensure that we have a good relationship and a high level of communication. We don't. I think there are personality issues at stake (I am a linear thinker and highly organized -- she is a random thinker and disorganized) which adds to my personal disregard for this whole thing. But I just don't feel like she cares about me or knows me. I asked her to help me with licensing in Vermont. She told me to call the state department and make them agree to accept my Virginia license (which I don't have...mine is from Louisiana. And I had already done that. And they said no.). She commented the other day about how it was good that I was getting back into the classroom to I could gain credibility before I go to get my Ph. D., when I told her the week before that I'm not going into the classroom again next year because I can't get aforementioned teaching license. I feel like she's not listening, and I feel like, frankly, she's missing a good opportunity to actually recruit a good candidate for further education...but she doesn't understand that I have no respect for the way things are being handled and I have been turned off.
One of my co-workers at the Center for Gifted Education knows my plight and has encouraged me to speak up. But I told her that I have no yet learned the art of expressing my concerns gracefully and non-accusatorily. The unfortunate circumstances of the situation, namely that my adviser happens to be over-worked and happens to be teaching way more classes in the program than she ever has before, will make my criticism seem personal. And while it is, on some level, there are also program-level problems that just happen to be manifested through her. For example, I feel that the four core courses in gifted education overlap way too much and there is too much repetition. This is only partly her responsibility. On the one hand, I think she could be doing a better job differentiating between the four content areas covered in the classes, but on the other hand, there really IS a lot of overlap, and the program needs to be fixed so there is less. of that. There's only so much she can do when she is handed a course and topic and told, "Here, teach it."
So, the moral of the story is this: I struggle with not fulfilling my potential as an academic, but I truly feel in my heart that academia is not a sector in which I will ever feel fulfilled. I want to speak up and help improve the program, but I am confident that doing so during my time here will create problems for me because I have not developed that talent to give criticism with grace. In the end, I suppose I will just push through, make the best of what I have, and be thankful that at least I will have an advanced degree when all this jazz is through.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Bed-ridden
Lately, I've been lamenting the fact that I don't get sick often. Truly, this is a blessing, but there is something restful about being able to spend a day in bed recovering from whatever ailment afflicts you. When I was teaching, I was better about taking mental health days (they were legitimately necessary) at random, but now, since I'm just doing the part-time assistantship thing and school/classes, it seems a little silly to me to "take a sick day." I'm kind of sick of the whole school thing, but not enough to truly warrant playing hookie.
But, like I've said, I've been craving a day in bed lately, so today, I decided to take it. I slept in, which, to be honest, took a little forcing -- I was ready to get up an 9:00, but I rolled over and crashed for another hour and a half. (I realize that 9:00 IS sleeping in for some, but remember that I am, in some sense of the word, a college student.) Then, when I woke up, I grabbed by laptop, hauled it over to bed with me, and spent some time perusing pictures of bouquets for wedding-planning fun.
I do, honestly, have to accomplish some work today, too, so I've been doing some reading, and I need to go type a journal entry for class, so things are getting accomplished, but it's so nice to revel in being truly lazy. A day of physical (and mental) rejuvenation is just what I needed.
On a completely unrelated note, I got TWO bouquets of Valentine's flowers yesterday (long story, but they are BEAUTIFUL tulips), and a pretty hilarious Valentine's card from Mom. These both made me very happy.
But, like I've said, I've been craving a day in bed lately, so today, I decided to take it. I slept in, which, to be honest, took a little forcing -- I was ready to get up an 9:00, but I rolled over and crashed for another hour and a half. (I realize that 9:00 IS sleeping in for some, but remember that I am, in some sense of the word, a college student.) Then, when I woke up, I grabbed by laptop, hauled it over to bed with me, and spent some time perusing pictures of bouquets for wedding-planning fun.
I do, honestly, have to accomplish some work today, too, so I've been doing some reading, and I need to go type a journal entry for class, so things are getting accomplished, but it's so nice to revel in being truly lazy. A day of physical (and mental) rejuvenation is just what I needed.
On a completely unrelated note, I got TWO bouquets of Valentine's flowers yesterday (long story, but they are BEAUTIFUL tulips), and a pretty hilarious Valentine's card from Mom. These both made me very happy.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Wedding Planning
I am planning a wedding. It's a big feat, but made smaller by the fact that said planning is taking place over the course of almost two years. Most recently, I have begun working on my centerpieces, of which part will double as my favors. Here is what I envision:
Vases will be placed on mirrors. Tree branches will be scavenged (mother nature is the best provider of decor), and spray painted silver or white (or both...hmmm). Branches will be placed in vases. Upon said branches will be hung our favors, which are snowflake ornaments.
Now, our wedding is not Christmas-y in the truest sense of the word, taking place after Christmas and during the Epiphany, but I figure the ornaments are wintery enough to be acceptable, and perhaps people will not yet have packed up their Christmas decorations, so they can gently place our little snowflakes in the ornament box for next year.
Beading has been going slowly, but it's fun. Aren't they pretty?
I have also been contemplating walking down the aisle to "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella." It's pretty, and French (like the Affianced), and different. Also seasonal. And I hate "Here Comes the Bride big, fat and wide.)"
All in all, I'd say planning is going well.
Also, I've been trying to find some kind of reflections/meditations, etc. for marriage preparation (in the form of a blog, perhaps?), but have had no luck. Sarah? Mom? Any ideas?
Vases will be placed on mirrors. Tree branches will be scavenged (mother nature is the best provider of decor), and spray painted silver or white (or both...hmmm). Branches will be placed in vases. Upon said branches will be hung our favors, which are snowflake ornaments.
Now, our wedding is not Christmas-y in the truest sense of the word, taking place after Christmas and during the Epiphany, but I figure the ornaments are wintery enough to be acceptable, and perhaps people will not yet have packed up their Christmas decorations, so they can gently place our little snowflakes in the ornament box for next year.
Beading has been going slowly, but it's fun. Aren't they pretty?
I have also been contemplating walking down the aisle to "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella." It's pretty, and French (like the Affianced), and different. Also seasonal. And I hate "Here Comes the Bride big, fat and wide.)"
All in all, I'd say planning is going well.
Also, I've been trying to find some kind of reflections/meditations, etc. for marriage preparation (in the form of a blog, perhaps?), but have had no luck. Sarah? Mom? Any ideas?
Book meme courtesy of Sarah
Rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.
From The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars by Steven Brust:
"I don't feel like I'm missing anything. I am," he drew himself up and said ironically, "fulfilled as an artists. Okay?"
I would love to tag five people...but as this is a mostly off-the-radar blog, I don't know of five to tag.
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.
From The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars by Steven Brust:
"I don't feel like I'm missing anything. I am," he drew himself up and said ironically, "fulfilled as an artists. Okay?"
I would love to tag five people...but as this is a mostly off-the-radar blog, I don't know of five to tag.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Step, SQUISH
Last night, I went to the weekly swing dance they have here at the Gradplex, and it was, as usual, highly entertaining. Mike, the guy who leads it up, was trying to teach us simple blues stuff, and in trying to describe how to shift your weight to one foot and then pop out your hip, he began to chant, "Step, SQUISH, step, SQUISH," with the SQUISH representing the hip pop. It was completely wrong for what he was trying to convey, but typical of Mike.
But as much as I feel self conscious being a "big girl" when dancing with a partner (and I mean this in the most non-self-deprecating way -- I am not fat, I am just tall and happen to not be a stick), I do enjoy it when someone else is leading and it's very clear what I'm supposed to do, and all I have to do in follow along. Very little thinking, the guy has to do all the mental work, and it's nice. It's so refreshing to have a set of guys around who are strong leads, who have a sense of rhythm and know what they're doing. For goodness sake, I was dipped several times last night by different partners -- I enjoy it when someone flings me around like that. But even those who aren't great yet have a fun time on Thursday nights, and that's good, too. My sincerest hope is that someday, I can convince the Affianced to learn to dance with me (preferably swing), so we can enjoy it together, because it really is one of the most fun things in the world. (Did you catch that, Affianced?)
Tomorrow night is contra dancing, which is vaguely like square dancing. Also a rip-roaring good time, and the best part is seeing Dave and Eric in skirts. It's some contra tradition...and it's hysterical.
But as much as I feel self conscious being a "big girl" when dancing with a partner (and I mean this in the most non-self-deprecating way -- I am not fat, I am just tall and happen to not be a stick), I do enjoy it when someone else is leading and it's very clear what I'm supposed to do, and all I have to do in follow along. Very little thinking, the guy has to do all the mental work, and it's nice. It's so refreshing to have a set of guys around who are strong leads, who have a sense of rhythm and know what they're doing. For goodness sake, I was dipped several times last night by different partners -- I enjoy it when someone flings me around like that. But even those who aren't great yet have a fun time on Thursday nights, and that's good, too. My sincerest hope is that someday, I can convince the Affianced to learn to dance with me (preferably swing), so we can enjoy it together, because it really is one of the most fun things in the world. (Did you catch that, Affianced?)
Tomorrow night is contra dancing, which is vaguely like square dancing. Also a rip-roaring good time, and the best part is seeing Dave and Eric in skirts. It's some contra tradition...and it's hysterical.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Podcasting
I have had my mp3 player for over a year now...more like two, actually...but I never got involved in the world of podcasting until a couple of weeks ago, when I was Jonesin' for CarTalk at a non CarTalk time. "I wonder if they have a podcast?" I thought, and headed over to the NPR website. They did. I downloaded a client to deal with my non-Apple mp3 player, and I was good to go.
Turns out that one of my other favorite radio shows, This American Life, also has a podcast. I had only heard the show a couple times before discovering this, but it's amazing -- really great storytelling, really great themes for shows. I may have developed a huge crush on the host, Ira Glass. This is him:
Turns out he's a big nerd. Just as I suspected. Delightful!
I've also added Fresh Air, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, and Whadya Know? to the list. Work is way more fun, now.
Turns out that one of my other favorite radio shows, This American Life, also has a podcast. I had only heard the show a couple times before discovering this, but it's amazing -- really great storytelling, really great themes for shows. I may have developed a huge crush on the host, Ira Glass. This is him:
Turns out he's a big nerd. Just as I suspected. Delightful!
I've also added Fresh Air, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, and Whadya Know? to the list. Work is way more fun, now.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Putting All My Eggs Into One Basket
Through lack of choice, I have, in the area of friendship, performed the equivalent of putting all my eggs into one basket. Now, my good friend here is fantastic and I'm so glad I met her...but she recently started "dating" a guy who is a friend of ours (I use the word friend loosely, as we have only recently brought him into the fold), and this presents some unfortunate emotional consequences for me.
Now, since they are "dating," I know that is none of my business (except in the supportive "How'd it go? Tell me every detail," way). What I mean is, of course dating involves only two people, and that's totally cool. However, last weekend on their date they ended up with a group of his friends in Richmond, one of whom I've met before, and so it ended up being a big group go-out. Of course, this all happened as the evening unfolded, but the fact that it wasn't in fact the two of them and was actually a group activity made me feel lonely and kind of left out.
The problem here is the intellectual vs. the emotional. Intellectually, I think it's great, and I'm happy for her (not that they're remotely serious, but it's fun to have fun and meet new people), but on the emotional level, I feel kind of sad that my pretty-much-only friend here is having these social opportunities that don't include me. I'm trying to be cool about it, but when I'm sitting at home alone on Saturday night, twiddling my thumbs, or going to a movie by myself (which I enjoy but still), I feel like kind of a sad and pathetic individual.
The other problem, and one that I've talked about with her before, is that as much as long distance is pretty much ok with me on a day to day basis, it's hard to be attached and not have the other half of my attachment here. Sometimes it sucks to watch people be all happy and dating and meeting people, and feeling sad that the Affianced is elsewhere. It's all temporary, and we'll be in the same location and probably sick of each other before you know it, but it's sad right now. I wish I had someone to take me out.
He and I were talking recently, and I told him that I wanted to go on more dates. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Well," I told him, "I guess a date could me a couple things. It could be where we dress up nicely and go out. Or it could be when one of us plans the evening without the others input for a bit of a surprise." Not that we don't, you know, go out when we're together, but I think the thing is, as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes I do want to be treated like a girl. Not often. But sometimes. Generally speaking, I love the egalitarian way we handle things, and we're so "well-suited," as Ann would put it, that we rarely disagree about what to do. But it would be nice, sometime, if he (or I, because I can take responsibility, too), makes a plan and takes charge of the evening, and it isn't so...equal. Just to keep things interesting.
Thusly have I pondered on this fine evening. And now, in order to get up super early to get to the gym before the random assignment I must complete for work at 9:00 tomorrow morning, I must head in the direction of the bed.
Tomorrow is our chili cook-off, for which I have found a recipe for pumpkin-turkey chili. I am counting on creativity points. Wish me luck!
Now, since they are "dating," I know that is none of my business (except in the supportive "How'd it go? Tell me every detail," way). What I mean is, of course dating involves only two people, and that's totally cool. However, last weekend on their date they ended up with a group of his friends in Richmond, one of whom I've met before, and so it ended up being a big group go-out. Of course, this all happened as the evening unfolded, but the fact that it wasn't in fact the two of them and was actually a group activity made me feel lonely and kind of left out.
The problem here is the intellectual vs. the emotional. Intellectually, I think it's great, and I'm happy for her (not that they're remotely serious, but it's fun to have fun and meet new people), but on the emotional level, I feel kind of sad that my pretty-much-only friend here is having these social opportunities that don't include me. I'm trying to be cool about it, but when I'm sitting at home alone on Saturday night, twiddling my thumbs, or going to a movie by myself (which I enjoy but still), I feel like kind of a sad and pathetic individual.
The other problem, and one that I've talked about with her before, is that as much as long distance is pretty much ok with me on a day to day basis, it's hard to be attached and not have the other half of my attachment here. Sometimes it sucks to watch people be all happy and dating and meeting people, and feeling sad that the Affianced is elsewhere. It's all temporary, and we'll be in the same location and probably sick of each other before you know it, but it's sad right now. I wish I had someone to take me out.
He and I were talking recently, and I told him that I wanted to go on more dates. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Well," I told him, "I guess a date could me a couple things. It could be where we dress up nicely and go out. Or it could be when one of us plans the evening without the others input for a bit of a surprise." Not that we don't, you know, go out when we're together, but I think the thing is, as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes I do want to be treated like a girl. Not often. But sometimes. Generally speaking, I love the egalitarian way we handle things, and we're so "well-suited," as Ann would put it, that we rarely disagree about what to do. But it would be nice, sometime, if he (or I, because I can take responsibility, too), makes a plan and takes charge of the evening, and it isn't so...equal. Just to keep things interesting.
Thusly have I pondered on this fine evening. And now, in order to get up super early to get to the gym before the random assignment I must complete for work at 9:00 tomorrow morning, I must head in the direction of the bed.
Tomorrow is our chili cook-off, for which I have found a recipe for pumpkin-turkey chili. I am counting on creativity points. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Mail!
One of my favorite things in the world is mail. Any kind of mail. Although bills aren't as fun as other kinds, nothing makes me heart go pitter-pat quite like the sight of an envelope in my mailbox. It's a magical thing.
I also now have a penpal. She is the Affianced's sister. She teasingly wrote and asked me to be her penpal, a request I accepted with full gusto, and today I got a letter. I miss the old days, when I had, like, 6 penpals at a time, and this is equally exciting. I also got a tax form, and a refund check from my loan. All in all, a good day.
I also now have a penpal. She is the Affianced's sister. She teasingly wrote and asked me to be her penpal, a request I accepted with full gusto, and today I got a letter. I miss the old days, when I had, like, 6 penpals at a time, and this is equally exciting. I also got a tax form, and a refund check from my loan. All in all, a good day.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
But what if it SNOWS?????!!!
Right now, I should be chipping into the exorbitant amount of reading that I need to accomplish in the next week, and I will, soon, when I finish this entry. I promise.
Yesterday marked the culmination of perhaps the most impressive thing I have ever done, short of completing my undergrad thesis, which, actually, wasn't all that significant in retrospect. Yesterday, the Center for Gifted Education's 13th Annual Focusing on the Future conference was held. This conference was planned, in large part, by me.
On Thursday, the phone calls started:
"Have you rescheduled?"
"I'm sure you've heard that bad weather is possible."
"It might snow. We're coming from three hours away."
Of course, this possibility had been considered months before. In fact, three years ago, the conference was canceled because of snow, so we had a contingency plan in place, which we communicated to all attendees with their confirmation the month before. Not that they read the mail we send them. Dealing with all these inane questions was frustrating, and I finally just put an extended absence message on my machine instructing participants what to do if they were worried about snow, and let it ring through.
Saturday, I arrived at 6:45, and stayed until 5:00pm. But the conference went off without any major disasters which was a major blessing. There was the small incident of the kid allergic to peanuts eating a (wait for it) peanut M&M in the Culinary Arts session, and the one mother hysterical that she lost her daughter at the end of the day, when she was really just waiting for a tour, but other than these relatively minor things, all was well. My volunteers were amazing and competent, my planning was well worth the effort, and one mother said to me, "I was in the army for 22 years, and this conference ran like clockwork. It was wonderful." I couldn't have been more pleased, and I feel extremely proud of myself for pulling it off and being, for all intents and purposes, done with my major project of the year. Of course, a report needs to be written, and evaluation data types of and analyzed, but I am thankful that tomorrow is a holiday so I can work on these things at the Center without staff leaning over my shoulder for a day.
A couple more items of note, which, I know, will seem completely contradictory.
One, I have been attending Mass since the new year, and am really appreciating it. Today, Father gave a sermon about how he had been on a cruise and was really impressed with the people who consider service to be their calling, not just something they do until something better come along. I love that notion, because I'm starting to really feel that working a grunt job that requires minimal education but that really gets something done is what I want to do with my life. I like being in the trenches. I also asked for a patron saint of the year, and am enjoying that little treat, too -- I got paired with two, out of a (fortunate) miscommunication: St. John of God is the first, who went a little mentally ill and then dedicated his life to serving the poor after his recovery: perfect for my interest in psych, my current interest in abnormal psych, and my career conflict of wanting to just find a do-gooder non-profit job next year. My second was Bl. Francis de Montmorency Lavale, who did a lot of work with the expansion of the Catholic church in Canada in the 1600s, especially in Quebec. Because of impending location changes to Vermont (and a honeymoon in Montreal:), I'm feeling like Francis is looking over my move to the North and my joining a family with a French Canadian history.
Secondly, we had our first meeting for the Vagina Monologues tonight, and it was really fun. I think the group I'm working with is great, and although the performance interrupts the week Andy is visiting (which is nice that he gets to see it, but a bummer that I'll be busy in the evenings over one of the weekends), I'm glad to be involved in something.
Overall, my goal for the semester is to be happy and not feel sorry for myself. I'm going to get out, and not make school work a top priority, because last semester, it ate me up, and frankly, I don't like my program enough to be quite that involved again. Chilling out and focusing on other things has been good for me, and I like my frame of mind of late. So we're going to try to stick with that.
And now, off to read. Seriously. At least for awhile.
Yesterday marked the culmination of perhaps the most impressive thing I have ever done, short of completing my undergrad thesis, which, actually, wasn't all that significant in retrospect. Yesterday, the Center for Gifted Education's 13th Annual Focusing on the Future conference was held. This conference was planned, in large part, by me.
On Thursday, the phone calls started:
"Have you rescheduled?"
"I'm sure you've heard that bad weather is possible."
"It might snow. We're coming from three hours away."
Of course, this possibility had been considered months before. In fact, three years ago, the conference was canceled because of snow, so we had a contingency plan in place, which we communicated to all attendees with their confirmation the month before. Not that they read the mail we send them. Dealing with all these inane questions was frustrating, and I finally just put an extended absence message on my machine instructing participants what to do if they were worried about snow, and let it ring through.
Saturday, I arrived at 6:45, and stayed until 5:00pm. But the conference went off without any major disasters which was a major blessing. There was the small incident of the kid allergic to peanuts eating a (wait for it) peanut M&M in the Culinary Arts session, and the one mother hysterical that she lost her daughter at the end of the day, when she was really just waiting for a tour, but other than these relatively minor things, all was well. My volunteers were amazing and competent, my planning was well worth the effort, and one mother said to me, "I was in the army for 22 years, and this conference ran like clockwork. It was wonderful." I couldn't have been more pleased, and I feel extremely proud of myself for pulling it off and being, for all intents and purposes, done with my major project of the year. Of course, a report needs to be written, and evaluation data types of and analyzed, but I am thankful that tomorrow is a holiday so I can work on these things at the Center without staff leaning over my shoulder for a day.
A couple more items of note, which, I know, will seem completely contradictory.
One, I have been attending Mass since the new year, and am really appreciating it. Today, Father gave a sermon about how he had been on a cruise and was really impressed with the people who consider service to be their calling, not just something they do until something better come along. I love that notion, because I'm starting to really feel that working a grunt job that requires minimal education but that really gets something done is what I want to do with my life. I like being in the trenches. I also asked for a patron saint of the year, and am enjoying that little treat, too -- I got paired with two, out of a (fortunate) miscommunication: St. John of God is the first, who went a little mentally ill and then dedicated his life to serving the poor after his recovery: perfect for my interest in psych, my current interest in abnormal psych, and my career conflict of wanting to just find a do-gooder non-profit job next year. My second was Bl. Francis de Montmorency Lavale, who did a lot of work with the expansion of the Catholic church in Canada in the 1600s, especially in Quebec. Because of impending location changes to Vermont (and a honeymoon in Montreal:), I'm feeling like Francis is looking over my move to the North and my joining a family with a French Canadian history.
Secondly, we had our first meeting for the Vagina Monologues tonight, and it was really fun. I think the group I'm working with is great, and although the performance interrupts the week Andy is visiting (which is nice that he gets to see it, but a bummer that I'll be busy in the evenings over one of the weekends), I'm glad to be involved in something.
Overall, my goal for the semester is to be happy and not feel sorry for myself. I'm going to get out, and not make school work a top priority, because last semester, it ate me up, and frankly, I don't like my program enough to be quite that involved again. Chilling out and focusing on other things has been good for me, and I like my frame of mind of late. So we're going to try to stick with that.
And now, off to read. Seriously. At least for awhile.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)