Summer To-Do List

Oh heyy, warm weather! You are MOST definitely welcome!! 

I am thoroughly enjoying being a college grad, working oh so infrequently for the next few weeks and spending time outside with the puppy.  Though summer is by far my most favorite time of the year...this summer also requires lots of to-dos.

While sorting out my mess of an insurance disaster with AAA, I am realizing just how much I want it to be settled.  I want it to be over and to be debt free (which I won't be for oh so many years to come).  Between the AAA money mess and the nerve-wracking ordeal that accompanies student loan shopping...money is definitely on my mind. 

Lucky for me, I will start working more regularly soon and plan on stocking at least 70% of what I make this summer away.  My goal is that after graduating with a master's, I will be in debt but not broke...meaning that I'll graduate in 2 years with at least $7500 in the bank.  Obviously that will be nickels compared to my debt...but I want to have a baby fund in case it takes me a few months to find a job/moving costs/etc.  I was awarded a work study job for $3000 a semester, and plan on making at least that amount each semester, and I am hoping to get an internship between years...if all works out, I should make my goal, no problem...as long as there are no unforeseen disasters, of course.

Between money and planning my social work program out, I feel busy...but I'm not busy at all because I really haven't made any decisions.  I keep checking the Summer Checklist for MSW students, but only today did I finally get to check some things off of it!  I'm stalling...at the AAA case, preparing for next year, finding loans, finding a credit card and the list goes on and on and on!  I think I'm trying to enjoy resting...which I have been able to rest lots...which has been great, btw.  So for now I'll keep pondering my to-do's, whilst not really doing them at all!

Life post Undergrad

I am officially moved back into my parents' house!  I technically could have stayed in AA until June, but work is closer to home, and AA was pretty boring, to be honest.  It has been so cold, I've been sick, and everyone works different hours.  While I know I'll miss being there for summer festivities...it's saving me lots of money by being at home!

I am planning on staying here at least through my MSW program.  It's not too far of a drive to school, and it will save me about $10-12 K a year.  Crazy.  I like being home, anyway.  Baby brother is fun to pick on, Madre likes making me food and going shopping, Padre is just fun to laugh at and Scarlet is the cutest puppy ever. 

So for now, I am working occasionally...waiting for chillins to get out of school in June when I start working full time...and just resting/relaxing.  Hopefully the weather realizes that it's summer soon.  I don't want to be at OPCC in the cold everyday for swim lessons and tennis with 3 toddlers. 

Sick Sick and still Sick

You guessed it; I was sick this weekend.  It started Thursday morning.  I woke up...my stomach hurt, I was nauseous and then yep, I puked.  By 8 pm that night I had puked 17 times.  Water, ice cubes, food....everything I consumed in efforts of keeping me nourished came back up.  By that night I felt completely dazed, out of it and more dehydrated and in more pain than when it all started. 

I was up ALL night Thursday night puking.  It was awful.  Amanda made me go to the ER Friday morning...which thank God because I was severely dehydrated.  My blood pressure and heart rate were skyrocketed when I got to the hospital (no electrolytes=hearts have problems) and I realized I hadn't peed since Wednesday.  My kidney's were angry and my stomach was still horribly upset.  When they tried to take blood they couldn't get as much as they wanted because of how thick the blood was...it looked like mollasses.  grossss. 

They pumped 3 massive bags of saline into me (which made me pee...20 cc's.  The dr was all panicky) and they gave me anti-nausea medicine.  I decided to go home because even though I still felt like shit, I could take the anti-nausea meds at home and that is what has gotten me to today!  I am still taking those stupid pills every 4ish hours because if I don't i get crazy nauseous.  No fun. 

I missed the hoedown, made my mom have to skip out on going to the houseboat, and have been couped up for 5 days.  Blechh. Thank God I have those prized little pills.  (I bet that's what men say about their ED pills).

Osama Bin Laden vs Martin Luther King Jr.

If you've been on facebook or twitter (yes I am still playing with it!) lately then you have noticed a trending in statuses; some celebrating the death of OBL, some with a quote from MLK Jr. referencing the need to NOT rejoice in the death of a single enemy despite mourning the loss of loved ones, others reference Obama drama (people felt he took responsibility for it/others think he did rightfully so), and lastly...other statuses mock all of the above while also, at times, expressing that the quote from MLK Jr. implies we should feel empathy towards OBL. 

I have a blog.  So I get to weigh in on all of this.

1.  I don't like Osama Bin Laden; obviously.  He, along with dozens of others people that are part of Al Queda, were responsible for 3,000 deaths on 9/11 and not to mention the deaths from their attacks on embassies and and the USS Cole.  Though this is true, Bin Laden is not the only one responsible, and his death will not get rid of terrorism.  In fact, our terror alert warning has been elevated. 

2.  When I woke up Monday morning and read about the celebrations that occurred around our country in the wake of Bin Laden's death I literally felt sick.  Weren't we condemning Afghanistan for their celebrations when they saw the devastation in our nation?  Weren't we claiming that they had NO empathy, were inhumane, and poorly cultured?  We, America, are all of those things.  Instead of taking Bin Laden's death as a anti-terrorism victory, we turned it into a disgusting celebration.  People have been comparing Bin Laden to Hitler for several reasons, and no, I wouldn't have celebrated his death either; the ending of his RULE; yes.  His death? No. I'm not saying I want Bin Laden alive; but I will not be brought to the level of terrorist mentality where I wish death upon others.  I have been severely hurt in my lifetime, and know SO many who have lost loved ones in acts of violence...none of which would wish DEATH in return.

3.  MLK Jr.'s quote is incredible...look at it yourself:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

4.  Obama isn't my favorite person in the world; parts of his budget aren't great, I don't like Libya/middle east mess etc etc.  Though this is true, let's look at the facts.  Bush was president for 7 years during the search for OBL.  Obama has been president for little over 2 years.  Bush spent/wasted a lot more money on the defense department, whereas Obama spends (still too much) enough to get the job done.  Part of what their statuses said was that Obama was just trying to take away paychecks from military personnel, personnel like the Seals that killed Osama.  Obama wasn't trying to take away paychecks, nor was he trying to make there be an issue over budgets; the GOP had put riders (related to issues like Planned Parenthood) onto their budget proposals, making it impossible to compromise.  People need to get there facts right.  Oh and by the way, it WAS Obama's decision to kill Osama...as in he watched the events happen live.

5.  How messed up is our world that this is even a topic?  What a ridiculous mess of humanity that we respond to violence with violence.   

All Graduated and Everything

I did it!  On Saturday myself and thousands (literally) of other students, both undergraduate and graduate students, graduated in the BIG HOUSE!  It was freezing, took forever, and exhausting.  I was outside in the cold from 7:30 am-1:30 pm wearing a dress, sandals and my cap and gown=weather.com failed me. BUT it was so much fun to walk on the field and to see my family and to feel proud of myself and my friends.  It was awesome!! After graduation we took lotsss of pictures and then went back to Brighton to partyyy...it was fun.  Really fun.  My mom and dad did a great job pulling off a wonderful celebration...they have a lot to celebrate!!!




We went to this REALLY awkward psych ceremony/grad celebration...so awkie.  So not worth the trouble/time. Oh well, got some pictures!!

 

I love my friends!! We had a hard time finding each other after grad...and a hard time getting a good picture because of the wind...but nonetheless, I love them and it was SO much fun!