Catching Up

The (pseudo) Graduate!

I honestly never thought I would actually graduate from college. It just seemed so out of reach but, low and behold, I have done it! Kind of. Although I was eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony I have a couple of classes to finish this summer before they'll give me that expensive piece of paper I've been chasing for the last 4 1/2 years. I have two "legit" classes- Intro to News Writing & Mass Communication Law and two fun classes- mountain biking and rock climbing. It shouldn't be too bad of a summer actually. I'm also still unemployed and have been job hunting for a couple of weeks now. There seem to be a plethora of job opportunities out there especially for receptionists and/or administrative assistants, but this isn't the kind of job I'm looking for. I want to find a job that utilizes the education that I've worked so hard for. If you hear of anything, please let me know!

Climbing some crack

Je-Fu Crew 

Last week I escaped to Moab, Utah with some (bad ass) friends from school. We spent four days rafting, climbing, and repelling. It was my first experience with outdoor rock climbing and I have fallen in love! I bought gear the within days of coming home and have gone a couple of times since then. It is an amazing sport and all I've thought about since then. I can't wait to get better so I can tackle some 5.11's and 5.12's. Oh, sorry, that's climbing lingo. Anyway, my rock climbing class this summer should be really fun. I'm looking forward to learning some more technical skills. Next up: a climbing membership to The Front!

In two short weeks Jason and I are going to visit Jeff and Laura in Philadelphia! We are so excited to spend a weekend exploring Philly with our best friends. And this time the weather will be better. It was so cold there in January that I thought my bones would never thaw. I can't wait to see my best friends! 

Seriously?

It is spring break. My last spring break of college (at least undergrad) and I am at the library. WTF!? The stick figure above represents how I feel emotionally and in the near future physically. Why couldn't I have finished this paper weeks ago when it was assigned? Why haven't I used the last five days of spring break to hammer it out so that I could enjoy the beautiful weather of this weekend? I don't know. Maybe I'm a masochist. I now have two days to finish this 6 page research paper. At least there's a pretty view from my table by the window. 

The One Less Traveled By

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- 

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference. 

-Robert Frost

I have reached that point in every college student's life where decisions about one's future post-graduation must be made. I discovered, rather haphazardly, that I am on the cusp of graduation and eligible to participate in the commencement ceremonies this May. Here I thought I would be stuck in school for another semester (or two) but, because I had some concurrent enrollment credits to transfer from the community college, I don't have to take as many classes as I originally thought. In fact, if I take 12 credit hours this summer (essentially 3, maybe 4 classes), I will be done. Done. Graduated. A diploma-wielding college graduate. But here's the thing... I have to make some decisions and, unfortunately, I'm not the only person in the captain's chair. I applied for an internship with the Park Silly Sunday Market for the summer. My interview was last month and I'm supposed to find out by the end of March if I got it.  Also, I would be able to take my last 3-4 classes while doing the internship.  I think that I am qualified for this position and that it could lead to some pretty great things, but we'll have to see if they agree. So there's option #1.

Option #2: I heard about an amazing opportunity to intern at the White House, as in the place where the president lives in Washington D.C., for the summer and I think it would be foolish not to apply, even if I get rejected. How does that saying go? "Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all." Right? Well I feel the same about this internship. If chosen, I would live and intern in D.C. from May through August and then finish those pesky 3 classes in the fall. Since Jason just started his new job and it's so short term, I would be going it alone. Talk about a test of independence. I think I can, I think I can. 

Option #3: I applied for a scholarship through the Alumni Association and, if I am chosen as a recipient, it would cover the cost of tuition for a full year. So if I get the scholarship I will prolong my stay at the university another year just to avoid paying for those pesky 3 classes. And this wouldn't be so bad because I could take the classes I'm actually interested in, not just the ones required by my major. 

So while I do have many decisions to make in the coming weeks, very few of them will be made by me- more like made for me. I'm rooting for option #2, but would settle for #1 or #3. And if I don't get any of them? I will finish school in the summer and find a job. Someone will want to hire me, right? Right?

What will become of us?

This year has brought a whirlwind of new experiences, people, adventure, and fun. Being part of student government has without a doubt been the best part of my college experience. I am deeply saddened that it is coming to an end because I feel like I'm just getting the hang of it. Really, I could do bigger and better things, just give me another year to show you what my board is capable of. That isn't to say that we haven't accomplished great things already. Because believe me, we have. 

I am so very grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of this organization and gain acceptance into the community of involved students that I would not have met under normal circumstances. 

So what will become of us once this is over? Will we still talk? I hope so. Will it be the same? Probably not. I still have another year of school and many of my new friends are graduating and moving on. 

Regardless of what the future holds, I will never forget the trials and triumphs of this year. Thank you to all who were part of this and made it possible for me to be involved. This year can't be duplicated.  

Viva Mexico!

(The Classic Tourists)

Jason and I have just returned from our long-awaited honeymoon cruise to the Mexican Riviera. It's amazing to me that I waited months for a week long trip that flew by in the blink of an eye. And although a vast majority of our fellow "cruisers" were over the age of 60, we had a good first cruise experience. We made friends early on with another honeymooning couple and stuck together during our trips ashore and on the ship. Jason and I both fell in love with Puerto Vallarta and have seriously discussed spending an extended period of time there after I graduate. The people were very friendly, its a beautiful place, and I could improve my Spanish speaking abilities. We shall see what happens...

 

In some ways I actually enjoy the anticipation of vacation more than the vacation itself because I'm aware of the disappointment I'll experience when I come home. However, this time I had something else to look forward to when we came home. No, silly goose, it wasn't starting school the day after we got back, it's my trip to Philly over MLK weekend to visit my best friends Jeff and Laura. I booked my trip to Philly on a whim without even talking to them first because the tickets were so cheap I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Lucky for me Jeff and Laura didn't have any prior plans and were glad I acted so impulsively. It will be my first trek out there and I am so excited! I miss them both like crazy. We have some pretty outrageous expectations about how epic this weekend will be and I only hope I can live up to half of them! Time will tell. Until then....

Things to Celebrate...

In order to maintain some semblance of sanity, I feel it's important to reflect on the things that make me happy. Here is my list, in no particular order:

• Watching Inga sleep; she looks so peaceful and content.
• Cuddling with Jason for fifteen minutes every morning before getting up for the day.
• Skinny white mocha lattes.
• Fall colors and crisp weather.
• Sweaters.
• Live concerts. Outdoor, indoor, big, small- it doesn't matter, I love them all.
• Going out to dinner with good friends.
• Rainy days.
• Sleeping in.
• Discovering good, new music. (Check out my latest obsession, Blue Sky Black Death)
• Boating with my family.
• Camping. 
• Laying in the grass on a warm, sunny day. 

What makes you happy? 

Mr. J and Mrs. J

It's been made official, legally bound, and witnessed by many. Jason and I are now married! The whole three days leading up to and including our wedding day are a blur. The five-ish hours beginning with the ceremony and leading up to our departure felt like they really only lasted twenty minutes. 

I have never had the privilege of having everyone I am close to and love in the same room at the same time. It was so much fun and totally chaotic. I can't wait to get the pictures back... in about 16 weeks, according to my overpriced photographer. 

I can't begin to describe how wonderful it feels to be rid of the stress wedding planning brings. And I fully understand why most people go on a honeymoon directly following the wedding. We have to wait a couple of months before departing on our Mexican Riviera cruise. I'm sure we'll be grateful for it all the same. I can't wait to share the sun, sand, and margaritas with my Mr. J.

One week after the "I do's", I was laying on a hospital bed doped up on a "morphine cocktail" to help numb the pain of passing a kidney stone. I have never experienced this horrendous pain before and hope that this is the first and only experience I have to endure. No more soda for this girl! The least glamorous part about a kidney stone ordeal is having to filter your urine in the days following in an attempt to catch the little bugger. Talk about inconvenient! Who wants to carry a funnel shaped object around campus? Better yet, since they can be re-used a few times, where do I put it after said use!? If someone can come up with a reasonable suggestion, I'll consider it. 

Well, back to paper writing. I've procrastinated long enough and this thing isn't going to write itself. 

xoxox

Distracted student