*Cricket*

The cricket's are really going crazy these days. I kind of love it. I had forgotten what a staple that was of falling asleep in summer when our family lived in Asheville.

I'm pretty awful at thinking of things to post these days. But I've been thinking a lot lately, and I think it's healthy for me to return to posting more often. If nothing else I've enjoyed reading other people's blogs, I may as well put something back into the system out there, help what few readers I have (especially those who still manage to look at the blog after almost a year of absence).

But I think it's time to do another gratitude post. I've been in graduate school just over a year now, and things have been going great. I work insanely hard, rarely get enough sleep, but I'm happy. Grumpy, whiney, but happy. I've got wonderful friends, some old ones Kenny (who I can call and enjoy talking about whatever with) Josh and Grant who help me stay sane with wonderful co-op video game time most nights. A host of Ben's (Ben's are cool people, if it's not a science fact it should be one) some awesome families, a great ward (local church unit), and living in one of the most attractive corners of this world I've ever lived in. Not to mention Adam and Nick who provide most of my local non-major friend interactions.

Of course I can't forget to be thankful for my cohort mates, in general because they're all wonderful people, and specifically the three or four of us who eat lunch together a couple times a week who have helped me get through grad school in general and the grant in particular. When I refer to "the grant" I'm referring to this cool little grant I've participated (well I guess participating, still have one class in it) that focuses on preparing professionals to work with people with severe disabilities and autism. It's awesome, but it is a LOT more work than the regular program, it adds 18 credit hours to an already busy course schedule, and me and one of my grant mates were silly enough to take a literacy elective on top of it (which was actually a lot of fun, I feel like I understand how literacy works a lot better now, and have a more informed opinion than I did before the class). But still it was something extra.

See above about me being whiney? It's part of the process. One of the most exciting parts about the last year is our poster presentation proposal being accepted for the National ASHA convention in San Diego. For those of you who know me, you know I've ALWAYS wanted to go to that zoo, ALWAYS! Of course my first priority is to be a professional and do convention stuff, but I'm really excited. I love big cats always have, and when I was a kid the San Diego zoo was one of the best in the world for large cats, I hope they still are.

I've had a phenomenal summer clinical placement with an awesome supervisor. I cannot express how happy I was with the experience, and I told my supervisor that, it was really nice to be able to express that to her directly.

Overall things have been great, and I'm happy with life. And I'm enjoying one of those wonderful brief times in a young single adult LDS person's life when people very rarely bug me about getting married. It's great. All that being said, it's still exhausting, frustrating and insane, and leaves me very little time for putting out positive internet vibes, but heh, that's life, and I would MUCH rather be busy and happy than bored and well documented.