Commencement Highlights

The boys being boys. :)

Roomies!

Kelsey dearest. <3>

Erik & Me

GEOLOGY!!!!!

Photo 1: Me
Photo 2: Shannon's Mom or Dad
Photo 3: Me
Photo 4: Mom
Photo 5: Mom

Lack of Interwebs

I would love to recap commencement and all of the fun activities, but I'll probably get around to that later on. Right now my house is without internet. We shut ours off the day before graduation and then mooched off of the neighbor's wireless for about a day, after which point they must have shut theirs off for the summer. Drat. So, now I'm at Common Cup enjoying a super yummy decaf white mocha and free wireless internet access.

Given the current internet scenario, I probably won't be posting for a while. I'll be back in the 'burbs on Saturday sometime, but I'll be a tad bit busy. Unpacking when I get home to get re-settled into my house that I will only be living in for two more months. And then I'll be attending a bridal shower on Sunday (yay Kelsey!!) and then working on planning the next shower for her. So excited!

Two Truths and a Lie

I have always loved this game, but I think I'm kinda terrible at it. So, we'll see if I can trick those of you who read this.


1) I was in the studio audience on a Canadian MTV show and almost got interviewed about being a cheerleader.

2) When I was younger, I never really got into Beanie Babies, but I did compile quite the collection of Pokemon cards.

3) When I graduated from high school, my congresswoman sent me a U.S. flag that had been flown at the Capitol in my honor.

Alrighty, take your pick. Which one is the lie?

Photo: Taken by a co-worker at the Office of Residential Life end-of-training dinner party in 2007.

One Down, Two to Go

I am done with physics!!! (Unless they make me take it in grad school... *crosses fingers*) The final could have gone much worse, though I guess it could have gone better too. But oh well, it's done and behind me. I'll just be happy if I pull off a C- or better in the course.

Later today I take my final for Global Change Ecology, which is one of the coolest classes ever and I am sad that I have had senioritis so bad this semester or I would have gotten so much more out of it (and probably a better grade, too!). The rest of my day until then is going to be devoted to studying for that exam. Pete's tests usually aren't too bad if you've studied well. He's nice and doesn't throw crazy questions at you and he's a fair grader.

Then I have my last final tomorrow. Which I'm not worried about at all, I just want it to be done so that I can relax and work on getting organized enough to move out and to have a fun weekend with family and friends.

Comic: Andy's Comic Strips

Blah... but at least Fluffy's cute

So... I have strep. Again. For the second time in four months. The last time being the week of my birthday. This time being finals week/commencement week. Why? I mean it, seriously, why?

I'll be honest, I'm in a very whiny mood right now (for which, I apologize). I have a physics final this afternoon that I haven't studied for. I don't want to study for it. And I don't feel like studying for it, I feel like sleeping all day and taking my stupid amoxicillin that I don't even want to take because antibiotics are evil (somewhat).

My itty-bitty rays of sunshine:
1) Fluffy: This super cute little stuffed animal that Erik won out of one of those claw-grabber-type games at Old No. One.
2) I'm making a pizza tonight. Not just throwing a frozen one in the oven. I'm making the dough and then putting all kinds of tasty goodness on it (mmm.... cheese, peppers and onions!)
3) I'll be done with tests by 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Then it's one little shift at work (I'll be non-contagious by then), followed by lots of rest and sleep.

Almost There...

Commencement is this Saturday! I just need to make it through three final exams, and then I'm free as a bird for the summer (well, sort of... I have a ton of stuff to do, but at least I won't have classes)!

Really, I just need to get past tomorrow's final. It's for General Physics I, and it's going to be painful. Very painful. Once I'm done with that test, I'm not as worried about the others. The exam for Global Change Ecology (Wednesday) won't have too many surprises on it, so as long as I put the time into studying I'm not concerned. And then there's Environmental Problems and Policy (Thursday). Just give me two hours to memorize the study guide, and I'm good to go.

I should be studying for physics right now, but I've come down with a cold and am having trouble getting motivated to study. I'm hoping that it's not strep again (have had a sore throat since Friday night) because I really don't want to deal with antibiotics again for a while. I'm hoping that when I call in tomorrow they'll tell me it's not strep, just an annoying cold.

Fun Times at the Hog Roasts

The Geology Club has had a long-standing tradition of having a Hog Roast (including tasty food, music, and kegs) as a college and community event on the last day of classes each spring. Though this year wasn't exactly a hog roast in the technical sense or open to everyone (just geology peoples) I like to think of it as my fourth hog roast.

Freshman Year: I had been to one Geology Club meeting and somehow found myself elected Vice President for the following year. So I was (along with the other new officers and some new geology majors--none of which I really knew at all) enlisted in helping with the year end hog roast. The day before the big event we got together to cut up the meat and put it into/onto the roasters. This is an ordeal that takes a decent amount of people and big knives. Then, this one kid shows up in a blaze orange jumpsuit and a Journey CD, and I thought to myself "What a joker?! But he seems pretty cool, I guess." On the day of the Hog Roast, we had absolutely gorgeous weather! A perfect day for a big potluck get together outside. Aside from helping out, I spent a good chunk of my time kicking around a soccer ball with orange jumpsuit kid (named Erik) and his friend Donnie.

Sophomore Year: All of the officers from the previous year were seniors and they basically said "good luck" and left us to figure everything out on our own. So, after struggling a bit, we managed to pull off a hog roast that we were told was a pretty good time. Aside from the fact that it was rainy, windy, and cold. But we pulled it off, and we were excited!

Junior Year: This year, me and the other co-president, were just about to get the ball rolling with plans for the annual event when Health Inspector Regulation Dude sends us a letter with a very large list of regulations (many of which would be impossible for us to comply with). Given that most of our food was potluck style, for instance, there was no way for us to ensure that everything was prepared in perfectly sterile conditions. But anyways, after a lot of drama, campus emails, and newspaper articles, the ladies at food services saved our bums and helped us with the technical aspects of meeting these regulations. Weather was fairly cool, and we had a pretty good time.

Senior Year: While not an officer this year, we're a close bunch and so we know all about what's going on in the club. We weren't quite so lucky this year with help from outside groups, and realizing that we can't possibly meet all of the health regulations it was concluded that we would have the event as we wanted, but only for geology related people (thus avoiding public health concerns--yay for small private groups!). The day began with the usual shenanigans of trying to figure out where to cook the meat and such (Jamey's old research lab? sounds good!) and then running around town doing errands. And then, surprise, surprise, Morris is chilly and very windy... brrrr... Being right next to a lake didn't help with the wind at all. Then a cop showed up asking for a permit (which we didn't have... oops!) so we made some quick changes (no more keg, but cans of beer are okay) so as to avoid any legal entanglements. After everyone had supped, people focused their attention on various ways of keeping warm. Some played frisbee, some ran around, some did simple little dances, but eventually those of us left at the park late into the evening ended up kicking a soccer ball around in a small circle. Orange jumpsuit kid was there too, but this time he was sporting an orange wind breaker. Seems he has a fondness for orange.


Photo: (Taken by my Mom) Me and "orange jumpsuit kid." We've been dating now for 2 years and 7 months.

Friendly Bloggers

Thanks Kathleen (Easy for me to say...)! It's been really nice getting to know you better as well via blog posts. I'm looking forward to seeing a bit more this summer since I'll be around.

As for passing the award along to the next person, that's a bit more difficult because I don't really follow that many blogs. So... I think I'm going to go with Erik (best friend/boyfriend) at This 'n That of Life. And even though he doesn't post all that often, he's still amazing and has been there for me through a lot.