Christmas was yesterday and passed rather quietly. I missed snow. I love a white Christmas and almost asked G to drive us up a mountain pass so I could see it. We went for a walk instead. Mind you, it's cold enough for snow. It's been lingering in the 20s and 30s for weeks now. We just don't get precipitation here. If we did, it'd be snowy here in a flash and for a long time. I think our best Christmas tradition is taking a walk together. We did that, we made a lovely meal, opened presents, called our families, watched "The Lion in Winter" and fed the cat some tuna for a Christmas meal. She is so spoiled, even my husband's sister sent her a gift!
I think we're going to head to Seattle this weekend. My friend E and her family are heading home from the holidays, back to San Diego from our hometown. We're going to meet up for brunch before their flight. Her son is growing up- he's a about 14 months old now- and I've never met her husband. But E and I go way back. Our families go way back. Her grandpa was the doctor who delivered my mom. Our parents went to school together, even in the same grade. E and I also graduated together in the same class.
E is smarter than I am, and really classy. She's a life-long equestrian with beautiful mediterranean skin and hair and warm eyes. She should be one of the Onassis family members if you ask me. I like her a lot too. She's one of the few classmates I've stayed in contact with after high school. We both went into teaching and our lives paralleled in many ways and we find qualities in each other to admire. We are both teachers, though she teaches physics and I teach English. That should tell you a lot right there. I like her restraint and her ability to plan and execute and make sound decisions using stuff like data and reason. She admires my ability to tell people what I think and have them thank me for it, and my impetuousness that sometimes pays off. Next to her, it's easy to feel like a frumpy version of Anna Nicole Smith, except that we get along so well. We come from the same community and despite our differences, experienced many of the same childhood traumas- just from different perspectives. Oh, and also, E can and does drive a combine from time to time to help out with harvest. I'll be sure to post a few photos. Hopefully, we can get them to meet us at the 5 Spot, a popular and delicious brunch spot on Queen Anne Hill.
I guess the other news is about my job. I can't really go into detail in an online forum, but my contract has been extended through June 30th. That's great news! I was pretty upset but getting to a place where I could enjoy only teaching 4 classes. After accepting the overload (3 is full time here), I found out I'd also be working 3/4 time. Instead of working three days a week, I'm going to be putting in about 55 hours a week between teaching and work. But it's only for the next quarter; ten weeks. Then I'll drop to two classes and go up to full time, which is what I've been doing all along. Wish me luck!
I hope you all had a great Christmas, with peace and joy and a few presents shared among those you care for, enough to eat and a warm place to lay your head.
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
Christmas Break
I'm trying to think of something to say, something witty and worthy of a blog post.
The fact is that I'm still recovering. Instead of saying anything overly brilliant, I thought I'd just let some pictures speak for themselves.
G and I are enjoying spending time together and I even have time to pursue a small hobby.
Around Town
G and I went shopping around town on Saturday. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we wanted to enjoy the sunshine. I don't think there was anything we were shopping for, but it was fun to tramp around our little town. We shopped, we had lunch, we had a great time.
Hobby
One of the things I swore I'd do once I finished my doctorate was to pursue my own artistic interests again. So I am. Now that the quarter is over, turning my brains to something a little creative makes me really happy. It's nice to unplug and lose myself in details.
I think I'd like to move on to other projects: painting furniture. The small projects are nice but I have neat stencils and designs I'd like to make bigger. There are also a couple of unpainted furniture stores in Yakima that we'll go check out. I've done some staining and have rehabbed old furniture, but I'd like to take a stab at working with new or newer stuff. So readers, what are your thoughts/suggestions for painted furniture? I really do want to know!
Finally, I think I'm going to grow my hair out a bit. I've loved having it short and G strongly prefers it that way. However, I've almost always been able to put it in a ponytail and I think I'll get it at least that long again. A year is long enough for a cute, short 'do.
I say that now, but in six months I'll be sick of it and will cut it off again...
Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope your holiday is peaceful, warm, and filled with people you love.
The fact is that I'm still recovering. Instead of saying anything overly brilliant, I thought I'd just let some pictures speak for themselves.
G and I are enjoying spending time together and I even have time to pursue a small hobby.
Around Town
G and I went shopping around town on Saturday. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we wanted to enjoy the sunshine. I don't think there was anything we were shopping for, but it was fun to tramp around our little town. We shopped, we had lunch, we had a great time.
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| There are tons of cool signs painted in alleyways around town |
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| This is the Ellensburg Bull. He's famous. |
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| Selfie! |
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| We were Christmas shopping downtown and an impromptu parade broke out. I missed a picture of Santa driving a wagon. Pretty awesome! |
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| Beet and pear salad at our favorite Ellensburg venue, The Valley Cafe |
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| I just liked this shot. |
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| More neat older signs |
One of the things I swore I'd do once I finished my doctorate was to pursue my own artistic interests again. So I am. Now that the quarter is over, turning my brains to something a little creative makes me really happy. It's nice to unplug and lose myself in details.
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| This guy is in progress- He'll be a pencil holder in my office |
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| Unpainted birdhouse |
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| base coats |
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| I'm going with Scandinavian designs on this one |
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| I like how the front came out |
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| Almost done |
I think I'd like to move on to other projects: painting furniture. The small projects are nice but I have neat stencils and designs I'd like to make bigger. There are also a couple of unpainted furniture stores in Yakima that we'll go check out. I've done some staining and have rehabbed old furniture, but I'd like to take a stab at working with new or newer stuff. So readers, what are your thoughts/suggestions for painted furniture? I really do want to know!
Finally, I think I'm going to grow my hair out a bit. I've loved having it short and G strongly prefers it that way. However, I've almost always been able to put it in a ponytail and I think I'll get it at least that long again. A year is long enough for a cute, short 'do.
I say that now, but in six months I'll be sick of it and will cut it off again...
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| It's already longer |
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| It snowed for something like four minutes last Friday. I had to snap a shot. |
Friday, December 6, 2013
Wednesday (Friday) Hodgpoge
This week has been a little bit exhausting. I thought I'd take
Feel free to read and comment- and if you re-blog, just give credit to the original poster, Joyce.
1. According to Oxford Dictionaries, the 2013 word of the year is 'selfie'. Your thoughts? When did you last take a selfie? Do you post them online somewhere? Do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind the lens?
I take selfie's mostly to see if my makeup/hair/clothing looks ok. It's my 21st century mirror. I post them infrequently, but I do post them. Mostly on my Instagram. I'm way more comfortable behind the camera, though I'm sure people get tired of my landscape/cat/handsome husband pictures.
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| My sister and I last summer, out on the boat. I just noticed we have the same crookedness to our smiles! |
2. Will you send out Christmas Cards this year? If so, are they ready to go? If not, are you glad or sad about leaving that tradition behind?
I hope to get my ducks in a row and send more Christmas cards this year. My problem is that school gets cra-zzzy until the end of the term, then it's all over. However, it's all over around December 19th. Cum-see, cum-saw.
3. Do you trust easily?
That would be no. Not at all. It's probably just my nature. I didn't grow up with a whole lot of cushion and while I like to be trustworthy, it's not something I bestow lightly. That said, if I trust you, I trust you with everything. Lots of people are trustworthy; some just aren't.
4. Pine-cinnamon-peppermint-vanilla (as in sugar cookie)...of those listed, which one is your favorite December scent?
Pine. I love pine trees. They're not just for Christmas in our neck of the woods! I remember these pine trees my grandpa planted when I was little. My cousin Ryan was just a bit taller than the tree when she was 6. They had to cut both of them down 25 years later because of the roots growing under the house. The trees had grown to over 30 feet tall.
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| Pine trees AND G! |
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| Pine trees + sunshine |
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| The top of the world |
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| Meandering canyon |
5. Did you do more talking or more listening yesterday? Was that by choice or by necessity?
I did a lot more listening than talking. It was a non-teaching day yesterday. It's almost always my choice to not talk overly much. Talking too much to others makes me tired. Especially in groups. Man, I must sound like an old grumpy lady, but I promise I do like people. Just not in groups.
6. What's the last song that got stuck in your head? Sorry if it's back there now : )
Something by MIA. I love the Arabic sounds mixed with rap. I'm not a rap fan; I'm an MIA fan.
7. Which world explorer (in the whole history of the world) would you most like to have traveled with, and why?
I think I'd like to travel with the Vikings. I guess they ate pretty well. For me, good travel is all about good food.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
It's been a rough week. G and I just have a lot going on and some realities we don't like dealing with. I'm really glad it's Friday and we can spend the very windy and cold weekend snuggled in our little house. Maybe we'll write out some Christmas cards or finish our Christmas shopping! Tonight we're heading out to see a movie- Catching Fire. Something you may not know about me: I was given a 35# recurve bow when I was 11 years old. I used that thing for a long, long time, bruising the snot out of my left arm, shooting into hay bales and generally being wild. I don't know what happened to it but it was a good part of my childhood. Also, I'm glad I never had to enter a Hunger Games. :) If I did, I'd win.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Post Holiday
Yay! Christmas is over!
I'm sure it's at best inappropriate to say that.
But seriously, I am tired and enjoying the after-holiday loveliness that is the time between Christmas and New Years. Before Christmas, I just have too much to do:
Baking all those yummy treats to send to my family and friends
Eating yummy holiday treats
Making and eating holiday meals
Sending packages
Opening packages!
Eating more stuff from packages
Trying to get the cat to eat anything from any package or her food bowl
Drinking gallons of Starbucks Christmas Coffee
Yeah, poor me.
On Christmas Eve, I got a text from my friend Lisa asking if I wanted to go cross country skiing. I haven't been in years and years. Grey at first decided to go. As we walked down to the ski shop to rent skis, he realized that he would be supporting a business that makes its employees work on the holiday. He just couldn't do it, but didn't have any problem with me going. Thank goodness because I had a raging good time.
We went out to the golf course and skied 9 holes. The course goes past a river and by a pasture with shaggy ponies with long tails and heavy winter coats. It was lovely, and uh, pastoral. On the first two downhill slopes I fell first on my butt, then on my face. It's cool though, because snow is soft and I am fearless. By the time we were halfway through, I had the hang of it again. By the time we were done an hour or so later, I was tired. Lisa looked merely as though she was warmed up. I sort of squeaked about spending time with my husband on Christmas Eve, and she let me off the hook. I imagine she spent a few more hours out in the frozen, powdery sunshine before calling it a day. I remembered how to get up again when on a hill and how to walk uphill in 175cm skis. Pretty exciting for me.
I was sore the next day, though not particularly in pain. I love getting out in the world to do active things and spend time with interesting people. In this case I got my butt kicked my a gentle slope and a lady I am coming to admire greatly. When I got home, I got warmed up and in the evening, Grey and I had a Yahtzee tournament, some homemade fudge and a glass of Pinot Noir. Now that was a lovely evening, complete with Christmas jammies. I took the idea from my sisters, Patti and Mickie, years ago. On Christmas Eve, they would let their kids open one special present- Christmas jammies. Once they got older, the real surprise wasn't the present, but what design and style they were in. For years, Patti sent me a pair. Last year, I got Grey a pair of black jammies and bought my own. This year was his turn. I think next year we will try to buy a pair for each other.
In my book, if you really like someone, you should get them a good pair of jammies to keep them warm on winter nights. Laugh all you want; that probably means you don't have a pair.
The best part of Christmas for me might have been that we live here in Ellensburg (Eburg, as we locals call it), and it snowed big fat wet flakes from sunup to sundown. That isn't a particularly big feat as sunup is around 8 and sundown is around 4:30. But still, it was lovely and welcome and heartening. Grey and I are well provisioned and we walked around the deserted streets and took pictures and tried not to fall on our asses. There is ice under the snow, so there are places it's a bit treacherous. We opened stockings and presents and called and talked to family. I even Facetimed with Patti and 10 or so of our relatives over there.
And there was food too. Grey made an olive tapenade - an "oliveade" is the same thing, only without capers. But since we found capers here in town and the local grocer carries olives in bulk, it was a great idea. I made a fettuccine alfredo from scratch. Alfredo is so easy to make and so easy to eat too much of. There are few ingredients and it always comes out lovely. Just use a half cup of butter, half pint of heavy whipping cream, several cups of parmesan grated finely and as much garlic as you can stand to sauté. I used five cloves of garlic in the recipe and we could have eaten the whole batch but we called it off.
I do wish we could have been with Grey's family. They are so nice and called and talked for a long time. Maybe next year~
I am allergic to garlic.
I was sick yesterday because of my own darn delicious cooking. Since I didn't eat it raw, it wasn't that awful of a reaction. But I did spend the day in bed, reading a good book. It was worth it; both the day off and the sick part. I'm halfway through the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy now. Right in the middle of "The Two Towers". I have learned a few things in re-reading the series. I never get tired of Ents, for one, and for the other, I love that Sir Ian McKellan is now inside of my head, narrating the story for me. Legolas has a face and Gimli is not the simpering, gaping fool that the movie makes him out to be and my beloved dwarf regains his proper dignity in the book. Hmpf! I guess the third thing is that Viggo Mortensen is most definitely Aragorn. Yummy, yummy Aragorn.
I always take time to ponder what other people do on religious holidays. I love the Haunkkah story of the oil and understand a bit of the lighting of the Menorah. And I have several times now celebrated Ramadan, but for the most part, my friends are of the Christian or Christian-compatible religions and as such, they take Christmas off. And mostly, the spend quiet holidays with friends and family eating too much food, talking shit about Santa, and playing games. A few observe the Christian concept of Christ's birth and give gifts and do kind deeds to celebrate. Or if you're Grey, you walk over a mile to the movie theater and catch a double feature.
Anyway, I'm glad it's over for this year. I have such things planned for my classes next quarter. Oh yes, indeed. I'm teaching a writing theory class for graduate students and I'm just up to my neck in reading and writing about it.
One last thing: the thing I want most.
A gym membership/and end to the delicious fudge.
Next post? New Years Resolutions. Stay Tuned!
I'm sure it's at best inappropriate to say that.
But seriously, I am tired and enjoying the after-holiday loveliness that is the time between Christmas and New Years. Before Christmas, I just have too much to do:
Baking all those yummy treats to send to my family and friends
Eating yummy holiday treats
Making and eating holiday meals
Sending packages
Opening packages!
Eating more stuff from packages
Trying to get the cat to eat anything from any package or her food bowl
Drinking gallons of Starbucks Christmas Coffee
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| Oh Book-mas Tree, Oh Book-mas Tree! |
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| Do Not Disturb Till Christmas! |
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| Beautiful Pueblo Wedding Vase from Charlotte |
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| Pine Street |
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| Merry Xmas! |
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| The Chimpanzee/Human Communications Institute is just up the road. |
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| Golf Course |
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| Ponies |
Yeah, poor me.
On Christmas Eve, I got a text from my friend Lisa asking if I wanted to go cross country skiing. I haven't been in years and years. Grey at first decided to go. As we walked down to the ski shop to rent skis, he realized that he would be supporting a business that makes its employees work on the holiday. He just couldn't do it, but didn't have any problem with me going. Thank goodness because I had a raging good time.
We went out to the golf course and skied 9 holes. The course goes past a river and by a pasture with shaggy ponies with long tails and heavy winter coats. It was lovely, and uh, pastoral. On the first two downhill slopes I fell first on my butt, then on my face. It's cool though, because snow is soft and I am fearless. By the time we were halfway through, I had the hang of it again. By the time we were done an hour or so later, I was tired. Lisa looked merely as though she was warmed up. I sort of squeaked about spending time with my husband on Christmas Eve, and she let me off the hook. I imagine she spent a few more hours out in the frozen, powdery sunshine before calling it a day. I remembered how to get up again when on a hill and how to walk uphill in 175cm skis. Pretty exciting for me.
I was sore the next day, though not particularly in pain. I love getting out in the world to do active things and spend time with interesting people. In this case I got my butt kicked my a gentle slope and a lady I am coming to admire greatly. When I got home, I got warmed up and in the evening, Grey and I had a Yahtzee tournament, some homemade fudge and a glass of Pinot Noir. Now that was a lovely evening, complete with Christmas jammies. I took the idea from my sisters, Patti and Mickie, years ago. On Christmas Eve, they would let their kids open one special present- Christmas jammies. Once they got older, the real surprise wasn't the present, but what design and style they were in. For years, Patti sent me a pair. Last year, I got Grey a pair of black jammies and bought my own. This year was his turn. I think next year we will try to buy a pair for each other.In my book, if you really like someone, you should get them a good pair of jammies to keep them warm on winter nights. Laugh all you want; that probably means you don't have a pair.
The best part of Christmas for me might have been that we live here in Ellensburg (Eburg, as we locals call it), and it snowed big fat wet flakes from sunup to sundown. That isn't a particularly big feat as sunup is around 8 and sundown is around 4:30. But still, it was lovely and welcome and heartening. Grey and I are well provisioned and we walked around the deserted streets and took pictures and tried not to fall on our asses. There is ice under the snow, so there are places it's a bit treacherous. We opened stockings and presents and called and talked to family. I even Facetimed with Patti and 10 or so of our relatives over there.
And there was food too. Grey made an olive tapenade - an "oliveade" is the same thing, only without capers. But since we found capers here in town and the local grocer carries olives in bulk, it was a great idea. I made a fettuccine alfredo from scratch. Alfredo is so easy to make and so easy to eat too much of. There are few ingredients and it always comes out lovely. Just use a half cup of butter, half pint of heavy whipping cream, several cups of parmesan grated finely and as much garlic as you can stand to sauté. I used five cloves of garlic in the recipe and we could have eaten the whole batch but we called it off.
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| Yeah, that's a foot of snow |
I am allergic to garlic.
I was sick yesterday because of my own darn delicious cooking. Since I didn't eat it raw, it wasn't that awful of a reaction. But I did spend the day in bed, reading a good book. It was worth it; both the day off and the sick part. I'm halfway through the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy now. Right in the middle of "The Two Towers". I have learned a few things in re-reading the series. I never get tired of Ents, for one, and for the other, I love that Sir Ian McKellan is now inside of my head, narrating the story for me. Legolas has a face and Gimli is not the simpering, gaping fool that the movie makes him out to be and my beloved dwarf regains his proper dignity in the book. Hmpf! I guess the third thing is that Viggo Mortensen is most definitely Aragorn. Yummy, yummy Aragorn.
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| The Ellensburg Bull. He's, uh, anatomically correct. Sorry for telling you. |
Anyway, I'm glad it's over for this year. I have such things planned for my classes next quarter. Oh yes, indeed. I'm teaching a writing theory class for graduate students and I'm just up to my neck in reading and writing about it.
One last thing: the thing I want most.
A gym membership/and end to the delicious fudge.
Next post? New Years Resolutions. Stay Tuned!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Forgive Me
Lately, I have been in a writing mood.
Just not a blog post writing mood.
First it was the end of the quarter at my little college, then the end of the semester for my online teaching job. THEN the weather got cold and snowy (yay!) and the holidays sprung themselves upon me. And I got in a baking mood.
It sucks that I'm a good baker. I'm going to make myself, my husband and anyone else I've been sending yummy treats to as fat as a tick. Yep.
I have decided to not write about gun control or the massacre in Newton, Ct, or about mental illness for now. Too many want to make a profit from the media attention given to tragedy. Know that my thoughts and heart have been with them and I wish there was more I could do.
But anyway, bear with me. I'm working on a memoir. I have about 10k words down and hopefully I can finish a good portion prior to the commencement of the next quarter and semester.
Meanwhile, Christmas is coming. I'm in love with winter and reading imaginative fiction. Life is too short to not love what you're reading. Or what you're writing.
So happy holidays, or Merry Christmas, or Happy Chalica, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah (a little late) and Boxing Day.
I'll be holed up in my little computer room with a heating pad and a warm cup of something to drink, making stories and hoping I don't butcher it too much.
Just not a blog post writing mood.
First it was the end of the quarter at my little college, then the end of the semester for my online teaching job. THEN the weather got cold and snowy (yay!) and the holidays sprung themselves upon me. And I got in a baking mood.
It sucks that I'm a good baker. I'm going to make myself, my husband and anyone else I've been sending yummy treats to as fat as a tick. Yep.
I have decided to not write about gun control or the massacre in Newton, Ct, or about mental illness for now. Too many want to make a profit from the media attention given to tragedy. Know that my thoughts and heart have been with them and I wish there was more I could do.
But anyway, bear with me. I'm working on a memoir. I have about 10k words down and hopefully I can finish a good portion prior to the commencement of the next quarter and semester.
Meanwhile, Christmas is coming. I'm in love with winter and reading imaginative fiction. Life is too short to not love what you're reading. Or what you're writing.
So happy holidays, or Merry Christmas, or Happy Chalica, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah (a little late) and Boxing Day.
I'll be holed up in my little computer room with a heating pad and a warm cup of something to drink, making stories and hoping I don't butcher it too much.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Is There A Doctor In The House?
It's December 23rd, the calm after the storm. I have a sinus infection from hell- snot blocking all of my airways and tissue attached to my hands. I have long sleeves on my sweater because I'm cold most of the time (except for those hot flashes) and I keep tissues up the sleeves so it looks like I am a human tissue dispenser. Sometimes I spike a fever and sweat profusely for about 10 minutes, then go back to freezing to death. I'm self-medicating, taking antibiotics from the last time I was sick and some sudafed stuff. Later I will go get some Nyquil and maybe mix it with vodka to improve the effect. That will heal me.
School is out. I was done teaching at my middle school on the 13th, and the last class for my college students was on the same day, so once grades were turned in there was nothing left to do as far as teaching is concerned. All I had to worry about was graduation.
Ah graduation. A few weeks ago, I took a copy of my dissertation in to the graduate college to have them pre-approve the document. They require two copies of the dissertation on 100% cotton paper. I wrote about this in my last blog post but I was a little, uh, stressed out at the time and thought I'd take a second swing at it.
Since it's expensive to print dissertations, I did a dry run and had them ferret out any changes so I didn't have to reprint. Two changes, that was all. Easy ones. So I made my last appointment for the Wednesday before graduation. I had until Friday to turn things in but my first experience with the graduate college is that last minute is never going to work. That experience involved me reprinting my masters thesis six different times and costing hundreds of dollars. Live and learn and don't make the same mistake twice. Two changes. I did that, and gladly printed my dissertation- all 200 pages of it- on 100% cotton paper as required by the graduate college. The borders were just so; the margins at the top not too far to the top and each page dutifully numbered in roman numerals and in plain numbers. Appendices were clearly marked and all pagination noted in the table of contents. The abstract was single spaced and the acknowledgments were double spaced. I rather triumphantly marched into the graduate college at the appropriate time and was greeted with a wait of 45 minutes- despite my appointment- because of a "staff meeting". Everyone came out of the meeting with wrapping paper and christmas gifts. Five minutes later, I heard seven dreaded words, "There is a problem with your dissertation."
Let's pause for a moment, shall we? I have heard those words before. They make me panic and give me nightmares. I heard them in my dreams and the doubtful voice in my head shouted "I knew it! Did you think they'd just let you pass?" It is the apprent job of the grad college to act as a barrier of sorts, a final condom between those who have a strong desire to expel dissertations into the world and those who shall not pass because they are not worthy. Myself being the former, I inquired politely as to the nature of the problem.
It was only a single error. A page needed to be single spaced and not double spaced.
It was a single error on the signature page.
The signature page has the original signatures of five people that it took me six months to get into the same room. I did not think I could acquire all five of those signaures in only two days and I had family members coming into town- two sisters- to help me celebrate this achievement that hadn't quite happened yet. I suspected that one of my signators was leaving the country if he hadn't already left. I expressed my doubt to the seemingly sympathetic "academic counselor". Did you ever see the television show "Murphy Brown"? In it, Murphy Brown, as played by Candice Bergen, is a television reporter with a new secretary every week. They are incompetent, surly, comical, and completely temporary. Such is the same with our "academic counselors" in the graduate college. This was my third counselor in one semester. I asked what I thought was a simple question: Why didn't they say something earlier? Now, I realize it's my fault for not having single spaced the page in the first place, but I did do due diligence to bring it in to them ahead of time to avoid catastrophe's such as this. The answer: You must have switched the pages, because we would have caught this right away..
I did not blow my top. Out loud. I waited until I was outside.
And I did my part, rushing around to get signatures and emailing professors. I tracked the possibly out-of-country guy to his office and practically pinned him to the wall. And I got my final signature the next day.
Triumphantly, I re-entered the graduate college. They approved.
Then I dropped the copies at the library. Once you do that, there is no going back. You are a doctor. I was looking for the Aquisitions office and ran into a lady across the way. "Have you seen the Acquisitions people anywhere?" I inquired. She smiled and pointed across the hall to a big sign I had completely missed in my panicked tunnelvision. "Thanks," I said, "now, when I come out of that door, I will be a doctor. Do they give out capes in there?"
They didn't give out capes, but the process was entirely simple, economic and briskly dealth with. "Congratulations", said the lady in Acquisitions. I went back across the way, found the nice lady and made a brushing motion with my arm across my sleeve, as though I had a crumb or two to get rid of. "Funny, I don't feel any different!" We wished each other a merry Christmas and I went on my way.
My sisters flew in to town for graduation. Really, that's the only reason I went through with the ceremony. I had a lovely visit with them, and introduced them to Grey who squired us around town like a champ. I found out that I was selected as the outstanding graduate student, though nobody had emailed me and so they found someone else to give the graduate student speech. I still feel very complimented, however, and got to sit up on the stage during the ceremony with the professors I have so admired for many years. It was lovely. And we took pictures with a few of them, and with the good friends I have made at the College of Education, and stepped on back home.
The party was great too- Cathy, Jackie and her husband Darren, Veronica and Grey put it on. Really fun too, with lots of food and people filtering in and out through the evening. I didn't have to be in the spotlight much at all, but did make a toast to all who attended and for those who could not make it but were there in spirit. In all, it was a spectacular day. And all that I have done since then is rest and enjoy time to reflect and visit and talk and read.
Thus far, having a Ph.D. hasn't gotten me much beyond a terrific party and some letters after my name. I take it back; my sisters got to meet most of the important people in my life. Several times I heard each of them say "You are exactly as she described!" and that was fun as all get out. If I were a medical doctor, I'd write myself a prescription for a stronger antibiotic. Instead I will have to wait until Tuesday for a regular appointment. Instead, I will wax philosophical since that's my area. And in the meantime, I have some Christmas shopping to do.
Merry Christmas!
School is out. I was done teaching at my middle school on the 13th, and the last class for my college students was on the same day, so once grades were turned in there was nothing left to do as far as teaching is concerned. All I had to worry about was graduation.
Ah graduation. A few weeks ago, I took a copy of my dissertation in to the graduate college to have them pre-approve the document. They require two copies of the dissertation on 100% cotton paper. I wrote about this in my last blog post but I was a little, uh, stressed out at the time and thought I'd take a second swing at it.
Since it's expensive to print dissertations, I did a dry run and had them ferret out any changes so I didn't have to reprint. Two changes, that was all. Easy ones. So I made my last appointment for the Wednesday before graduation. I had until Friday to turn things in but my first experience with the graduate college is that last minute is never going to work. That experience involved me reprinting my masters thesis six different times and costing hundreds of dollars. Live and learn and don't make the same mistake twice. Two changes. I did that, and gladly printed my dissertation- all 200 pages of it- on 100% cotton paper as required by the graduate college. The borders were just so; the margins at the top not too far to the top and each page dutifully numbered in roman numerals and in plain numbers. Appendices were clearly marked and all pagination noted in the table of contents. The abstract was single spaced and the acknowledgments were double spaced. I rather triumphantly marched into the graduate college at the appropriate time and was greeted with a wait of 45 minutes- despite my appointment- because of a "staff meeting". Everyone came out of the meeting with wrapping paper and christmas gifts. Five minutes later, I heard seven dreaded words, "There is a problem with your dissertation."
Let's pause for a moment, shall we? I have heard those words before. They make me panic and give me nightmares. I heard them in my dreams and the doubtful voice in my head shouted "I knew it! Did you think they'd just let you pass?" It is the apprent job of the grad college to act as a barrier of sorts, a final condom between those who have a strong desire to expel dissertations into the world and those who shall not pass because they are not worthy. Myself being the former, I inquired politely as to the nature of the problem.
It was only a single error. A page needed to be single spaced and not double spaced.
It was a single error on the signature page.
The signature page has the original signatures of five people that it took me six months to get into the same room. I did not think I could acquire all five of those signaures in only two days and I had family members coming into town- two sisters- to help me celebrate this achievement that hadn't quite happened yet. I suspected that one of my signators was leaving the country if he hadn't already left. I expressed my doubt to the seemingly sympathetic "academic counselor". Did you ever see the television show "Murphy Brown"? In it, Murphy Brown, as played by Candice Bergen, is a television reporter with a new secretary every week. They are incompetent, surly, comical, and completely temporary. Such is the same with our "academic counselors" in the graduate college. This was my third counselor in one semester. I asked what I thought was a simple question: Why didn't they say something earlier? Now, I realize it's my fault for not having single spaced the page in the first place, but I did do due diligence to bring it in to them ahead of time to avoid catastrophe's such as this. The answer: You must have switched the pages, because we would have caught this right away..
I did not blow my top. Out loud. I waited until I was outside.
And I did my part, rushing around to get signatures and emailing professors. I tracked the possibly out-of-country guy to his office and practically pinned him to the wall. And I got my final signature the next day.
Triumphantly, I re-entered the graduate college. They approved.
Then I dropped the copies at the library. Once you do that, there is no going back. You are a doctor. I was looking for the Aquisitions office and ran into a lady across the way. "Have you seen the Acquisitions people anywhere?" I inquired. She smiled and pointed across the hall to a big sign I had completely missed in my panicked tunnelvision. "Thanks," I said, "now, when I come out of that door, I will be a doctor. Do they give out capes in there?"
They didn't give out capes, but the process was entirely simple, economic and briskly dealth with. "Congratulations", said the lady in Acquisitions. I went back across the way, found the nice lady and made a brushing motion with my arm across my sleeve, as though I had a crumb or two to get rid of. "Funny, I don't feel any different!" We wished each other a merry Christmas and I went on my way.
My sisters flew in to town for graduation. Really, that's the only reason I went through with the ceremony. I had a lovely visit with them, and introduced them to Grey who squired us around town like a champ. I found out that I was selected as the outstanding graduate student, though nobody had emailed me and so they found someone else to give the graduate student speech. I still feel very complimented, however, and got to sit up on the stage during the ceremony with the professors I have so admired for many years. It was lovely. And we took pictures with a few of them, and with the good friends I have made at the College of Education, and stepped on back home.
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| They let you wear a puffy hat for graduation. But I wasn't allowed to sleep in it... |
Thus far, having a Ph.D. hasn't gotten me much beyond a terrific party and some letters after my name. I take it back; my sisters got to meet most of the important people in my life. Several times I heard each of them say "You are exactly as she described!" and that was fun as all get out. If I were a medical doctor, I'd write myself a prescription for a stronger antibiotic. Instead I will have to wait until Tuesday for a regular appointment. Instead, I will wax philosophical since that's my area. And in the meantime, I have some Christmas shopping to do.
 |
| I also got this sweet teeshirt that says "Doctor" |
Friday, October 21, 2011
Christmas
I usually feel ambivalent about Christmas. I love the holiday crowds, ice skating at the Civic Center (which I have yet to participate in) and hot beverages and good books on cold nights. I love being off of work and resting. Watching the snow gently fall on a winter night through the glow of a street lamp is a particular pleasure, especially if I'm wearing soft fuzzy slippers. I love giving gifts to children and people I really care about as a token of my affection and good will. I love watching the Nutcracker performed life. I love Christmas music playing on the radio between Thanksgiving and the big day, and being good for goodness sake. I love making pumpkin pies and sweet goodies and tofurkey and sweet potato casserole and producing all of the amazing tastes and smells that a happy kitchen can churn out in the winter months.
What I don't love about Christmas is the commercial and consumerist aspect. There are Christmas items out in major department stores now, before Halloween, and Christmas music playing in some places. I don't love the idea of spending thousands of dollars so that others might think I like them or because I am expected to do so. I hate shopping for Christmas presents. I dislike getting gifts that someone doesn't think about- fortunately for me that doesn't happen very often.
My sister Patti knows this about me and she goes out of her way every year to do something very, very silly. She finds the craziest, silliest Christmas toy, something that barks or sings or somehow might freak out my dog, and sends it through the mail for me to open. It's my favorite gift every year because I know she enjoys keeping an eye out and hunting for just the right one. Now that the kids in my family are older, it's easier for everyone for me to send gift cards. It's also less expensive if I send money to their parents and ask them to do the shopping, rather than go through the acrobatics of wrapping and shipping things that might not make it in time. My job usually keeps me pretty busy until late in December, so there is that added pressure.
This year I also have a special concern. I don't want to give any money to corporate America. The large corporations have enough money from the American people. It's more than that, though. It's a conflict of values. The things I value in life aren't necessarily the expensive ones. The gifts I want aren't the kind you'll find at Macy's. Don't get me wrong, I like expensive perfume once every three years or so. I like a nice scarf. I just don't want those things if the person purchasing them is going out of their way and far out of their price range just to make me happy.
So this year I am planning something different for the Christmas season. I'm rekindling an older tradition and Christmas presents. I don't want to give it away, but I am talented in some aspects and can create a few things of beauty for people I truly love. I get this from my mother, who is probably more talented than anyone I know. Over the years she has made me quilted potholders, crocheted slippers, flannel nightgowns, aprons and other amazing homemade goodies, all at my request. When I use those items, see them in my kitchen or snuggle in bed with the heavy feeling of warmth, I feel loved and think of the happy memories from my childhood. I cannot buy that feeling and I cannot help but value those things over any trinket purchased on my behalf. Don't get me wrong, I love jewelry. Jewelry is always appropriate for any occasion, but for Christmas, I prefer you to think of me, make me an ornament with the year and my name, or throw some macaroni and glitter on a paper plate and say "Ho Ho Ho!"
For the children in my family, I recognize that they may not have the same wants as do I. I will continue in the tradition I have followed for them their whole lives and find something appropriate through the regular channels. But for those of you who I care about, I'm going to find time to create something thoughtful that you may like. Or you may throw it away or recycle or regift as you desire.
What I don't love about Christmas is the commercial and consumerist aspect. There are Christmas items out in major department stores now, before Halloween, and Christmas music playing in some places. I don't love the idea of spending thousands of dollars so that others might think I like them or because I am expected to do so. I hate shopping for Christmas presents. I dislike getting gifts that someone doesn't think about- fortunately for me that doesn't happen very often.
My sister Patti knows this about me and she goes out of her way every year to do something very, very silly. She finds the craziest, silliest Christmas toy, something that barks or sings or somehow might freak out my dog, and sends it through the mail for me to open. It's my favorite gift every year because I know she enjoys keeping an eye out and hunting for just the right one. Now that the kids in my family are older, it's easier for everyone for me to send gift cards. It's also less expensive if I send money to their parents and ask them to do the shopping, rather than go through the acrobatics of wrapping and shipping things that might not make it in time. My job usually keeps me pretty busy until late in December, so there is that added pressure.
This year I also have a special concern. I don't want to give any money to corporate America. The large corporations have enough money from the American people. It's more than that, though. It's a conflict of values. The things I value in life aren't necessarily the expensive ones. The gifts I want aren't the kind you'll find at Macy's. Don't get me wrong, I like expensive perfume once every three years or so. I like a nice scarf. I just don't want those things if the person purchasing them is going out of their way and far out of their price range just to make me happy.
For the children in my family, I recognize that they may not have the same wants as do I. I will continue in the tradition I have followed for them their whole lives and find something appropriate through the regular channels. But for those of you who I care about, I'm going to find time to create something thoughtful that you may like. Or you may throw it away or recycle or regift as you desire.
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