Grad School

My normal excuse for how very infrequently I post is that I usually put out a pretty good/long post. It's a fairly creative and draining task. It's also been how I feel better about being cheap and not having a camera which converts into not posting pictures. Plus most of my posts have as topics, things that traditionally don't have pictures involved with them.

I may not have the time or energy to do those kinds of posts anymore. Grad school has sucked a lot of energy lately, and after talking to my good friend Cyndi I was reminded that people use this as a way to get a snap shot, not just of what's happening in my life but how I feel about it. I had a really good Blog vibe going on the first day of school, but ended up being social instead of blogging it up, and like always happens when you have a good story idea, it went away. I remember the gyst of it, but the feeling is just gone.

Most of my best work is done when I've got that weird manic inspired feeling. Too bad I can't turn it on at will eh? Or even put it on hold.

So graduate school impressions:

1. Man is it nice to be moving along with my life plan. Been awhile since I've felt like I was doing that.

2. Moving is expensive.

3. Thank goodness for NSSLHA's buddy system (student version of the our professional body, the WCU chapter pairs first years up with second years, been invaluable so far).

4. Frisbee golf in the rain is fun.

5. My teachers are amazing and I think they really honestly care if I understand and are interested in filling in the caps of my knowledge and sating my hunger for more. No just teaching to the test here. Most of my BYU teachers taught to a test.

6. We are SO HELPFUL. I often used very uncharitable terms for the majority of the people in my major at BYU. Kelsy if you're reading this you're one of the few exceptions. To put it short. Me and the other grad students are working together. I have felt zero competitive vibes coming off my classmates. Those of you that think women aren't competitive are crazy.

7. Greg is very nice to invite me to bowling, even if the social situation makes it not as fun as it could be. (Being only first year and other stuff). Still better then most situations like that I've been in in the past.

8. My fluency professor is really really sincere about doing his scholarly work for the greater good of human kind. I mean on a visceral level. This guy is awesome. I've never met another academic with such passion.

9. I'm way more worried about starting clinic then I should be. I've trained for this for a while, I've got a great Clinical instructor there to help me if I need it/

10. I need to find a better way of managing stress (staying up to all hours of the night reading recreation books just does not fit with the life I need to live right now). Perhaps blogging?

Anyway over all things are really well. I'm really enjoying having my own apartment, a lot more then I thought I would.

I am VERY thankful to all the people who have talked to me on the phone when I've felt lonely (often). In fact I've gone over my phone minutes for the first time since I've owned a Cell phone I think. That's been another one of my stress management methods that is probably not as wise as it could be. I really should blog more often. It's like talking but with my fingers, and while not quite as good as calling you sweet people up (partially due to the gnats who love my computer monitor here) it is relaxing me a bit.

Anyway thanks for everyone who cares and looks at my blog despite the slowness of updating. And Kudos to those of you who are smart and use some kind of browser plugin or google tool to keep track of my blog, as well as others you're interested in. I'm still too lazy to set that up and currently just rotate through bookmarks. Thanks for any of you that prayed for me for this transition, it's been helpful I don't doubt it.

I have a new, and profound respect for anyone who does this (let alone a doctoral) program with a family. It is time consuming in a way that I had no way of understanding. I'm no stranger to insanely busy (last summer, 3 jobs ect.) but grad school, no job, no GA just me class, clinic and a little grant class and I often find myself wondering where my day went. Mom, I have no idea how you were not only able to do it, but do it while being the world's best mom in the universe. Joe you are amazing. Angela you must be a saint as well, I'm sure a PHD program is much crazier then a masters, and that can't be fun for you.

Love you all!