Have you ever been so uninspired by what you do, that when you walk to work, all you can do is think about how wonderful the walk home will be?
This is what happens at work when I do not have the constant distraction of students. I sit alone in my office and diddle away at whatever work needs to be done. I get copied on emails to other people that, between the lines, say "Not my fault. Ask Katie." I answer the same questions, day in and day out.... It doesn't help that when I was promoted, part of my old job followed me like a dead log.
When the school year starts, however, things change. The students return and with them bring a whole new level of enthusiasm. I feed off their excitement, happiness, curiosity, and hesitation. The emails continue as well as the phone calls, the dead log will not go away any time soon, but in between all of that, I get to meet with students, find out what their worries are, teach them about all the things they are capable of doing, and overall just feel like I have done something worth while with my time. If I can help at least one student per day, I have had a great week.
Now... about that dead log.... Anyone have a tree-shredder?
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
A "Happy to be Here" day
Today is one of those days that I am just glad to be here. Even there. I could be here, there, wherever and just be happy!
Even walking to work in the humidity today was a pleasant experience. The world needs more days like this.
Even walking to work in the humidity today was a pleasant experience. The world needs more days like this.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Life goes ever on and on
Now that I have nearly adjusted to married life, which is exactly like serious-relationship life, except I am still trying to figure out how to change my name on a couple of things, life goes on.
We moved to a new apartment, which is way better than the old apartment for just a little bit more money per month. It has a pool and a huge laundry facility, which is nice. We also have a TON more space. In a short statement, I love it.
Now, we are not sure how long we will be here. P had a phone interview this past Wednesday at a university in Ohio. He has a good shot at the job, so cross your fingers.
Life goes on. We ever live the lives of nomads.
We moved to a new apartment, which is way better than the old apartment for just a little bit more money per month. It has a pool and a huge laundry facility, which is nice. We also have a TON more space. In a short statement, I love it.
Now, we are not sure how long we will be here. P had a phone interview this past Wednesday at a university in Ohio. He has a good shot at the job, so cross your fingers.
Life goes on. We ever live the lives of nomads.
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Monday After...
So. This Saturday, P and I finally took the big step and got hitched.
Everything went perfectly! With the exception of bad weather resulting in delayed flights and flooded causeways, everything went off without a hitch. I also heard twice, after we moved the reception indoors just before another downpour, that rain on your wedding day is sign of good luck. Great! In the end, it was a blessing because the upstairs of the restaurant made a FAR better dance floor than the patio outside could have.
I have yet to see any pics of me in my dress, which is actually really exciting. I know I will cry. I did not, despite my crying at various wedding-type tunes just days before the event, cry at all. Not one drop. Good thing, too, because it turns out that my eyeliner is NOT waterproof.
Nothing has really sunk in yet, and I hesitated today while talking to my hair stylist to call P my "husband." I'm sure that is something that just comes with time.
Everything went perfectly! With the exception of bad weather resulting in delayed flights and flooded causeways, everything went off without a hitch. I also heard twice, after we moved the reception indoors just before another downpour, that rain on your wedding day is sign of good luck. Great! In the end, it was a blessing because the upstairs of the restaurant made a FAR better dance floor than the patio outside could have.
I have yet to see any pics of me in my dress, which is actually really exciting. I know I will cry. I did not, despite my crying at various wedding-type tunes just days before the event, cry at all. Not one drop. Good thing, too, because it turns out that my eyeliner is NOT waterproof.
Nothing has really sunk in yet, and I hesitated today while talking to my hair stylist to call P my "husband." I'm sure that is something that just comes with time.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Tree's Memorial
Beware: This post reveals my inner-tree-hugger.
Springtime in Bloomington is gorgeous. It has to be, thus far, the most beautiful place that I have been during spring. It is, after all, called "Blooming"-ton for a reason. All the trees bloom. White, yellow, pink, purple, and even a light green.
On my walks to work in the morning, I get to see all shades of these colors as they appear in the dawning light of the sun. They are spectacular.
As I got to campus this morning, I walked by a new chain-link fence that had been set up to block students from walking through a construction zone. The fence, set up a couple of weeks ago, has forced me to divert my path, as I used to stroll across a bridge and walk along a stream to get to the next street. As I would walk across the bridge, I could sometimes catch a glimpse of the muskrat that lived in the stream. One day, as you can recall from a past blog, the muskrat was carrying an apple the size of his head back to his nest. The apple came from a tree that was right next to the stream.
Last spring, the apple tree was gorgeous. It has the most beautiful white blossoms all over it. When they fell from the tree, the petals carried on the breeze like snowflakes.
This morning, as I was walking past the fence, I could hear machinery. When I climbed the stairs next to the fence so I could see above it, I saw what had become of the apple tree.
The tree is now a pile of tangled branches and broken trunk, covered in a layer of construction dust.
Despite my understanding that with the new apartments they are building on campus, they will need more parking, I was still fairly upset over the loss of what I had come to think of as "Mr. Muskrat's Apple Tree." All I could think about was the fact that I would not see the tree in bloom this year. It should have been peaking right about now.
So, here is to you, Mr. Muskrat's Tree. You will not be forgotten. You have been preserved in both my own memory and in the pictures I had taken in the past of the doe and her 2 fawns lounging under your boughs.
Springtime in Bloomington is gorgeous. It has to be, thus far, the most beautiful place that I have been during spring. It is, after all, called "Blooming"-ton for a reason. All the trees bloom. White, yellow, pink, purple, and even a light green.
On my walks to work in the morning, I get to see all shades of these colors as they appear in the dawning light of the sun. They are spectacular.
As I got to campus this morning, I walked by a new chain-link fence that had been set up to block students from walking through a construction zone. The fence, set up a couple of weeks ago, has forced me to divert my path, as I used to stroll across a bridge and walk along a stream to get to the next street. As I would walk across the bridge, I could sometimes catch a glimpse of the muskrat that lived in the stream. One day, as you can recall from a past blog, the muskrat was carrying an apple the size of his head back to his nest. The apple came from a tree that was right next to the stream.
Last spring, the apple tree was gorgeous. It has the most beautiful white blossoms all over it. When they fell from the tree, the petals carried on the breeze like snowflakes.
This morning, as I was walking past the fence, I could hear machinery. When I climbed the stairs next to the fence so I could see above it, I saw what had become of the apple tree.
The tree is now a pile of tangled branches and broken trunk, covered in a layer of construction dust.
Despite my understanding that with the new apartments they are building on campus, they will need more parking, I was still fairly upset over the loss of what I had come to think of as "Mr. Muskrat's Apple Tree." All I could think about was the fact that I would not see the tree in bloom this year. It should have been peaking right about now.
So, here is to you, Mr. Muskrat's Tree. You will not be forgotten. You have been preserved in both my own memory and in the pictures I had taken in the past of the doe and her 2 fawns lounging under your boughs.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
How to keep things together
I am pretty sure, before the end of the year, that my head is going to start falling apart, chunk by gooey chunk. I have never questioned my ability to handle multiple stressors. I mean, I made it through grad school, right? Yes. Yes I did. AND I got an A in Medieval Latin Hagiography. Thank you.
I think that was stresses me out the most is that I have not listed to myself all the things that I have to juggle, negotiate, or at least think about right now. Now, since I cant find the "private" button on this thing and so everyone and their mother can read it, this will be an abbreviated list. :) Here goes.
1. My brother's wedding. We leave next Thursday to drive up to MN. I am excited about this. Not only do I get to dress pretty and party with the fam, but I get to stay in a hotel on the way up. I love hotels. Even crappy ones.
2. Peter's sister's wedding in May. We are flying to that one. I have left it up to Peter to make all the arrangements as far as transportation, floors to sleep on, etc. I still think about it though... like, has Peter contacted his sisters yet? His parents? Will we have someone picking us up at the airport? Do I have to start nagging? Etc. You get the idea.
3. Our wedding in June. We have the large stuff out of the way. What I am now thinking about is the fact that I have yet to do the online test, set up further counseling appts, get the marriage license, order wedding rings, set up music, get a musician?, figure out flowers, order fresh lavender, make centerpieces, send invites, make invites (not in that order). The list goes on. Its the small stuff. I LOVE the small stuff, so honestly, I'm not actually stressed about it as much as I am concerned about how I am going to negotiate the TIME to do it. I want to do it RIGHT.
4. Moving. Yes. Moving. Not outside of Bloomington, not yet. We have to vacate our apartment on June 30. Yes. Same month as the wedding. This is not our fault. Rather it is related to #5, so see below.
5. P and a Job. P is graduating in June. He is applying for jobs. We don't know how long we will be in Bloomington past June. Therefore, we need a short lease or a month-to-month lease. That doesnt exist where we live, so we are (hopefully!) moving down the street. I am starting to HATE moving. It is doubly bad that we may be moving more than once this year when P gets a job. OR, alternatively, he will move without me and I will live out our lease until December, then I will follow him. GUH.
6. June 18th is the first day of summer II classes. I am launching (i think...) an online course for that summer session. Now. This is exciting... yes, but honestly, I have some details to work out on that. Hahah. I need to do that.
7. New position. I LOVE my new job. However, portions of my old job have followed me to my new job (budget cuts and all...). These old things have bogged down the new things so I dont get to do the new things as much as I would like. Boo. Hiss.
8. J&J's wedding in October... in Missouri. I am a bridesmaid! Wooo! Now I have to order a dress and book a hotel. We wont be able to do anything else until we know WHERE WE ARE LIVING IN OCTOBER.
9. My sister's wedding in October... in Minnesota.. the weekend after J&J's. Not a prob. This gives me a GREAT excuse to take a week and a half off and do a road trip. :) There are just a lot of little things that I need to start thinking about that I CANT think about until we know where we stand in October.
How does so much hinge on a few tiny details? I have no idea. Life is like that I guess. Now that I look at the list, it's not that bad. In fact, it is less scary than I thought.
This is, like I said, an abbreviated list. However, even with some things missing, it really still isn't that bad, and that makes me feel good.
Thanks for listening.
I think that was stresses me out the most is that I have not listed to myself all the things that I have to juggle, negotiate, or at least think about right now. Now, since I cant find the "private" button on this thing and so everyone and their mother can read it, this will be an abbreviated list. :) Here goes.
1. My brother's wedding. We leave next Thursday to drive up to MN. I am excited about this. Not only do I get to dress pretty and party with the fam, but I get to stay in a hotel on the way up. I love hotels. Even crappy ones.
2. Peter's sister's wedding in May. We are flying to that one. I have left it up to Peter to make all the arrangements as far as transportation, floors to sleep on, etc. I still think about it though... like, has Peter contacted his sisters yet? His parents? Will we have someone picking us up at the airport? Do I have to start nagging? Etc. You get the idea.
3. Our wedding in June. We have the large stuff out of the way. What I am now thinking about is the fact that I have yet to do the online test, set up further counseling appts, get the marriage license, order wedding rings, set up music, get a musician?, figure out flowers, order fresh lavender, make centerpieces, send invites, make invites (not in that order). The list goes on. Its the small stuff. I LOVE the small stuff, so honestly, I'm not actually stressed about it as much as I am concerned about how I am going to negotiate the TIME to do it. I want to do it RIGHT.
4. Moving. Yes. Moving. Not outside of Bloomington, not yet. We have to vacate our apartment on June 30. Yes. Same month as the wedding. This is not our fault. Rather it is related to #5, so see below.
5. P and a Job. P is graduating in June. He is applying for jobs. We don't know how long we will be in Bloomington past June. Therefore, we need a short lease or a month-to-month lease. That doesnt exist where we live, so we are (hopefully!) moving down the street. I am starting to HATE moving. It is doubly bad that we may be moving more than once this year when P gets a job. OR, alternatively, he will move without me and I will live out our lease until December, then I will follow him. GUH.
6. June 18th is the first day of summer II classes. I am launching (i think...) an online course for that summer session. Now. This is exciting... yes, but honestly, I have some details to work out on that. Hahah. I need to do that.
7. New position. I LOVE my new job. However, portions of my old job have followed me to my new job (budget cuts and all...). These old things have bogged down the new things so I dont get to do the new things as much as I would like. Boo. Hiss.
8. J&J's wedding in October... in Missouri. I am a bridesmaid! Wooo! Now I have to order a dress and book a hotel. We wont be able to do anything else until we know WHERE WE ARE LIVING IN OCTOBER.
9. My sister's wedding in October... in Minnesota.. the weekend after J&J's. Not a prob. This gives me a GREAT excuse to take a week and a half off and do a road trip. :) There are just a lot of little things that I need to start thinking about that I CANT think about until we know where we stand in October.
How does so much hinge on a few tiny details? I have no idea. Life is like that I guess. Now that I look at the list, it's not that bad. In fact, it is less scary than I thought.
This is, like I said, an abbreviated list. However, even with some things missing, it really still isn't that bad, and that makes me feel good.
Thanks for listening.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Birthdays
Abraham Lincoln once said, "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
With a birthday just a couple days away, I have been prompted to think about my life thus far. I am not old, not by a long shot. But I do like to try to look back once in a while and see how I am doing. After all, I want to get old and look back and be happy with what I see. Who doesn't?
I feel pretty content with what I have accomplished so far. My list of accomplishments are strange compared to what I was raised around. Most of my friends are married (many divorced already), have children, homes, dogs, picket fences, and fairly well-paying jobs. Compared to that, I feel weird, but at the same time, I would not change a single one of my decisions. My mileposts of accomplishment are just different, that's all.
I guess what I am saying is that I have postured myself for a happy and productive life. I am pretty productive right now (and would be even more productive today had I not grabbed the wrong USB drive from work!!! grrr) and will be even more so once we figure out where we will end up this year. I would be happy staying here for another year, but would be content to leave if it means more opportunity elsewhere. Whatever happens, I just want some LIFE in my years, like Ol Abe mentioned.
And if I dont have as much life in my years as I would like, then I guess I will just have to live longer, right? I do like what Lucille Ball has to say about birthdays, "The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age."
I for one plan on doing all of that. :)
With a birthday just a couple days away, I have been prompted to think about my life thus far. I am not old, not by a long shot. But I do like to try to look back once in a while and see how I am doing. After all, I want to get old and look back and be happy with what I see. Who doesn't?
I feel pretty content with what I have accomplished so far. My list of accomplishments are strange compared to what I was raised around. Most of my friends are married (many divorced already), have children, homes, dogs, picket fences, and fairly well-paying jobs. Compared to that, I feel weird, but at the same time, I would not change a single one of my decisions. My mileposts of accomplishment are just different, that's all.
I guess what I am saying is that I have postured myself for a happy and productive life. I am pretty productive right now (and would be even more productive today had I not grabbed the wrong USB drive from work!!! grrr) and will be even more so once we figure out where we will end up this year. I would be happy staying here for another year, but would be content to leave if it means more opportunity elsewhere. Whatever happens, I just want some LIFE in my years, like Ol Abe mentioned.
And if I dont have as much life in my years as I would like, then I guess I will just have to live longer, right? I do like what Lucille Ball has to say about birthdays, "The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age."
I for one plan on doing all of that. :)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Self Control
As I continue to adjust to my new job (and slight bump in income), I have continued to live, financially, the same as when I earned less. This has treated me well. I mean, my savings is back up where it should be for me to comfortable... generally, but when I think about all the things that I will be spending money on this year, it really makes my head spin.
Not only are there the travel expenses of the multiple weddings we are going to this year (4, people... 4!), but there is the added expense of our own wedding. While our basic tastes have kept costs to the bare minimum, it still is no walk in the park. This is compounded by the fact that fiance is still in school, and technically will not be finishing until the week after the wedding.
Now. Let us add into the mix the fact that I have not purchased new professional clothing for my new position, and a trip to Washington DC is only 2 weeks away. I am fairly happy with my wardrobe. I have the basics, which I mix up on a daily basis to come up with brand "new" outfits. Not a problem. However, I have one suit. I need another one. A person cannot wear the same exact suit three days in a row without the student group noticing, right?
Great. Well. I found out recently that I can no longer shop in the juniors department. I have to admit that while this is sad, it is exciting in a way, but also intimidating. I have to shop in the "misses" department??? Wear a "real" suit?
AAAAAaaaahhh!
Not that I mind shopping, but with the impending expenses of weddings, rentals, shoes, food for guests, donations, etc. I just feel bad for needing a suit. What an odd feeling. Feeling bad for needing something for your job????
That is new.
Not only are there the travel expenses of the multiple weddings we are going to this year (4, people... 4!), but there is the added expense of our own wedding. While our basic tastes have kept costs to the bare minimum, it still is no walk in the park. This is compounded by the fact that fiance is still in school, and technically will not be finishing until the week after the wedding.
Now. Let us add into the mix the fact that I have not purchased new professional clothing for my new position, and a trip to Washington DC is only 2 weeks away. I am fairly happy with my wardrobe. I have the basics, which I mix up on a daily basis to come up with brand "new" outfits. Not a problem. However, I have one suit. I need another one. A person cannot wear the same exact suit three days in a row without the student group noticing, right?
Great. Well. I found out recently that I can no longer shop in the juniors department. I have to admit that while this is sad, it is exciting in a way, but also intimidating. I have to shop in the "misses" department??? Wear a "real" suit?
AAAAAaaaahhh!
Not that I mind shopping, but with the impending expenses of weddings, rentals, shoes, food for guests, donations, etc. I just feel bad for needing a suit. What an odd feeling. Feeling bad for needing something for your job????
That is new.
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