My Life, as it is, Currently

The adorable ducklings managed to grow up while I was busy writing papers. When I finally made it back to "the lakes" on campus, they were all nearly adult looking...too late for more cute pictures.

For the last couple weeks I have been working-out with my sister-in-law three days a week in the mornings. We use the treadmills, then lift weights, then hit the treadmills again, then go out to the pool. It's amazing how quickly a long work-out goes by when there is someone doing it with you!

I am still researching graduate programs. I need to write a statement of purpose for some, and a personal statement for others. Some have essay topics that will be provided when the application period opens. I'm a bit lost...I don't have any idea how to write the first two!

I am also waiting to hear from one of my Professors...so I can start doing research assistant work for her. I should hear any day on this, and I am a bit impatient and excited! I will be able to do the work at home, and it will be paid.

I am going to a the family reunion in just over 1 month. I have a whole mixture of feelings about this. To recap...I will be seeing second cousins and their families, some of whom I saw once 12 years ago, some I haven't seen since I was about 4 years old, and some I've never met at all. What makes this particularly special and emotional is that the 4 second cousins consider me their baby sister, and their children consider me their Aunt. Long story...it's in older posts. My feelings are mostly very good...I am, however, a little nervous...mostly about a very young part that has recently awoken and knows nothing about our life after we were removed from the cousins home.

So...that's it...my life in a nutshell!

S

This and That, plus a picture for Amy Pink

This is a picture of the newest members of the residential community at my University...there are 10 ducklings! They are adorable. Unfortunately the picture is pretty small...I took it with my phone. I can't seem to get it bigger without making it hugely blurry. Amy Pink: When I go back to school next week I will take my real camera and see if I can get a better picture!

Spring break is almost over...I feel like I haven't gotten nearly enough done, but there's not much I can do to change that. There is five weeks of school left...not enough time!

I am researching Graduate school possibilities. I spoke with one of my Sociology Professors about developing a "plan B" since MANY qualified students are not getting into nursing schools. She suggested a Master's in Public Health...I like it! I went and discussed it with my Sociology adviser, and she likes it too. So I am looking at both MSN programs and MPH programs. My partner informed me about a month ago that she is prepared to move to wherever I want to go...so I am looking at programs all over the U.S. I've been getting emails from different programs inviting me to visit their campus and/or apply to their programs...this is really cool. It's a little overwhelming though...I have gotten emails from some schools I've never heard of, some schools in California, and some very prestigious schools. Georgetown and Harvard have sent me an email inviting me to look at their websites. U. of Pennsylvania has sent two emails, one inviting me to apply, and one inviting me to visit on May 1st (no way I can do that). And then there's another school...Yale has sent me four emails...FOUR!! Two invites to visit, one look at our website and pay special attention to our MSN/MPH dual degree (!), and one we'd love to hear from you soon (!). I'm actually beginning to believe that an Ivy League education may not be a far fetched idea!

Getting to know my long lost relatives is going well I think. I'll give the short version of the story so everyone understands how monumental this is...

As an infant my mother left me with her Aunt for a weekend visit, she then didn't return at the end of the weekend. The weekend stretched into three years. One day my mother called and said she would be there in an hour to get me. My Great Aunt had four kids of her own, three boys and a girl...they all considered me their baby sister. I went for one visit less than a year after going with my mother...then I saw none of them until one short (a couple hours) visit when I was around 10 years old, at which time I only saw the Great Aunt and the female cousin (the only one still living at home). I never saw them again until '98, at the great Aunts funeral...the oldest cousin was not there. I have not seen them since. Until very recently I didn't know the truth of this situation...my mother had really only told me that ""N" took care of me for a while". No explanation, no indication of how long, nothing.

So now I know the truth...and I am developing a relationship with my cousins who are really more like siblings. I have suddenly acquired four nieces and four nephews, most of whom are grown, in college and/or married...Three I have never even met (five were at the funeral). One I've not met referred to me as "Aunt *****" on facebook a couple weeks ago...which made me feel very happy, and very sad, at the same time.

I want to add...this family was safe. While I don't remember anything about my time with them, I felt an intense bond when I saw them in '98...before ever knowing the truth. Also, I know there is one inside that is an infant, then there is a gap and the next youngest inside are 3-4 years old. This coincides with my time with them, and indicates to me that there was no splitting during that time.

I will be seeing them all (except the Great Aunt and Uncle who are both deceased) in August...and I can't wait!

S

This semester is not as easy as I thought it would be. My classes are fine, easy even...but the Microbiology TA position is kicking mu butt!! I am so tired every week. I just about get back to normal and the week starts again, and I'm back to "running the lab".

In other news, I will be graduating in December...walking Spring '11. I have no idea what I am doing about grad school...my possibilities have suddenly opened wide, so I have a lot of researching and planning to do.

That's all for now.

S

Comment Moderation

I have set this blog to moderate comments for now. There have been several anonymous comments that have porn links inbeded in them...and that is really not okay with me!

This and That

This is Bagheera (think Jungle Book for pronunciation). "Bags" joined our family 7 days ago. A co-worker of D's had to move and could not keep her. She is about 3 years old, solid black with not even a spot of another color anywhere. Her eyes are in fact yellow, not gold, but yellow. She is also pretty big...17 lbs. While she looks like a big meanie, she is a very sweet girl. She follows me from room to room, joins me when I go to bed taking a spot near my feet since by my chest is Baby Boy's spot (no "discussion" about that, she just did it), and she loves belly rubs!

The only problem we seem to have is she doesn't like the treats we give the other kitties, she likes HERS (a different brand). That is easily dealt with though.




In other news, school starts tomorrow. I have 15 units, but I actually think it s going to be an easier semester. I have 8 units (two classes) of Sociology electives, 4 units of lower division Biology (last lower division Bio!), and 3 units of Biology Practicum (TA for Microbiology). The practicum is an easy A...help in lab, grade lab practicals and lab exercises, run open labs (around my schedule, not their's), and run study reviews if the students want them (my schedule again). The lower division Bio is gong to be a LOT of review, and taught by my Bio adviser...which is cool. The electives for Soc...well, one of them I really want to take (and planned my life in order to make it work), the other fit into my schedule. Not so excitedabout that second one, but I think it will be a good one to take for my future plans (Society and Aging, fits with nursing), and I think I have the Prof figured out. Don't particularly care for her teaching style, but I hear that this class is better because it's her "area of passion"...we shall see.

So...the big thing going on right now...I've reconnected with a couple people that were (are) improtant to me, from early childhood. One of them I have not seen in around 37 years...keep in mind I just turned 41 this month! The other one I have seen twice in tat same time perod. There are two more to reconnect with...and I will be doing that in person in August...if not sooner in email. This is a HUGE thing...and I will write more and in more detail on the other place.

S

Long Overdue Update

I haven't posted for a while...no one has! School has been very busy, and other things have interfered as well.

I had the flu...it was very nasty and I am still dealing with the effects of it. Since I was actually ill in October...still having effects now is pretty dramatic. Please get the H1N1 vaccine if you are in any way able to!

School is going okay...a bit overwhelming, but it always is at the end of the semester. Currently I have a 2-3 page news analysis and a take-home final for Intro to Social Work, a 3-4 page (single spaced) research paper, a lab exam and a final for Biology, and my final paper for Sociological Methods Seminar, remaining to complete. The last one is the one that is the most stressful. This paper is for a semester long research project involving 8 hours of participant observation in a setting that I chose. The paper will be somewhere around 30 pages, with all the formal elements of a paper being submitted for publication.

I do want to say that I absolutely HATE my Social Work class! So...Jade, I will not be going into social work! :P I'm sticking with nursing as my end goal. I did go to a graduate school forum that people had to be specifically invited to. The invitation was based on GPA, and potential to succeed in graduate school. A faculty member had to submit students' names and then students were chosen to go. The forum was for all of CA and was at UCSC. While I was there I spent a lot of time talking with the Dean of Advanced Practice Nursing from UCSF. UCSF is now my first choice school. Cross your fingers everyone.

One last thing....

I have not heard from or seen any sign of a specific dear friend, her blog is even gone. Emails have gone unanswered, her cell phone is disconnected, and I do not have a land-line number. I am hoping a few of you will know who I am talking about, and maybe know something...she was friends with a few of you as well (Jade, Mamabeak, Kate). I am worried about her and miss her very much. I will be sending out an xmas card as I do have an address, but I would really like to hear from her, or at least know what is going on.

S

A Few Pictures...

I got back from my trip the night before last...I was so exhausted that I slept very late yesterday, then took a nap as well, and went to bed early! I feel much better today.

This picture is a shot of Solvang. We had a lot of fun there. I got a pair of hand painted Swedish clogs...very cool.




















This is the rock at Morro Bay. I was unprepared for the cold there. We were on our way to Pismo Beach...where we had reservations to stay the night. I had packed capris, and sandals...and was wearing...shorts and sandals! I ended up buying a pair of sweat pants. They are cool though...grey with Morro printed on them (bay is printed very small on the second "O").



















This one is the view from our balcony at the hotel in Pismo beach. The hotel was right on the beach as you can see. We left the glass door to the balcony open and listened to the surf and birds all night long. We also took a walk to the end of the pier after dark...seeing all the lights on shore was very nice. Seeing the absolute, complete blackness out to sea was not so nice! In fact, it was a bit opressive and scary...my Aunt thought so too. It seemed like there was substance to the darkness, like it pressed on you...probably because it was foggy, not "just" dark.



















This cool guy and his buddy were hanging out on the pier. They were HUGE!! As tall as my hip. But pretty friendly. One of them (we were told by a fisherman) would snap if you got too close, but the other one would walk right up to you and nudge at your pockets and hands...looking for fish to eat.

All in all we had a good time. There was a fire not too far from my Aunt's town that started on Wednesday or Tuesday night. The helicopters were loading up fire retardant in her town, and there was a little bit of smoke, but mostly the smoke was blowing inland. Seeing our Aunt's and great- Aunt was great, we got some good pictures. Seeing the father was pretty good too. I think not seeing the mother would have been better, but it wasn't horrible.

S