Halloween

This weekend was super fun for the most part.  I had a good time with friends on Halloween.  We had a department party then my friends had a party at there house then we went to another friend's bar.   I forget how much fun it is to dance!  In the process I also lost a devil horn.  It was found the next night though. 

I worked most of saturday on our qualitative research project. I am really excited about it.  We are doing it on the use of music as a means of cohesion with the new masters students.  We are finding themes and I am realizing that I am definitely a qualitative researcher (as opposed to a quantitative one). 

 I rode my scooter today for the first time!  Thanks to another friend and his mad teaching skills, I can now turn corners!  Considering I had never been on any kind of motorized thing with two wheels, I am pretty proud.  It is NOT like a car or a bicycle.  I am excited about driving it next year.  Tonight is cooking food for the week and doing laundry...and reviewing educational dvd's for the class i am teaching this summer.  It is Human Sexuality, and they are basically educational sex tapes.  They are actually pretty interesting and educational.  Mom-"Hi Amanda, what are you up to?"   Me-"Oh, not much, watching a video for class."  Mom-"Oh, interesting, what is it on?"  A wee bit awkward. 

There is yet another halloween party at the previously mentioned bar that apparently is the third of the week and the most risque.  I have to pass, although I am sure pictures will be on facebook.  Living vicariously, which is basically what I do here. 

I am trying not to post info about where I am in the US or use names, but it is really hard to be a story teller without details!

Aren't tuesdays supposed to be my light day?

Today was stressful.  I spent 3 hours trying to watch a video that I am not even going to use to teach.  Such is the life of a teacher I guess.  But then, i get home to a package on my doorstep (since when does the university deliver packages to our door instead of making us go down to the mail room...i'm not complaining, just saying).  My day is instantly brighter.  It is a care package from a friend with cheese from her family dairy farm and homemade tomato jam.  Oh friend, thank you.  www.marcootjerseycreamery.com.  I am hoping tomorrow is better.  Crying, getting wonderful cheeses and nice cards, realizing I am not alone in my sadness here (thanks for the reminder CM), and talking to my best friend make me realize things are ok, and constantly changing.  Qualitative research, while not generalizable, makes me feel really connected on a human level (even if it does mean coding until 1 am).  I also have a bad ass scooter parked outside that is mine.   

Idaho

It has been a while since I posted, and I should be grading papers, reading, and really doing anything but being on this dang machine.

So here is an update to catch you up: I like Idaho. I miss home. I have a lot of homework. I will be a doctor in a year and a half (roughly) if I don't fuck this up. This makes me both excited and scared as hell. I curse a lot, if you don't like it, don't read my blog (I also apologize for the profanity, but it is, at this point in my life, one way I express myself.). I am a qualitative researcher. I process externally, if you can't handle it, maybe we shouldn't hang out. I miss my best friends. That said, I am making friends, and that is cool. I would like to make out with someone that gives me butterflies in my belly (don't we all, really?). I thought maybe I could get away with making out with no butterflies, but i have realized, i was wrong. Damn. I want to go see a good live show. I am pretty sure I am going through live music withdrawal. I bought a scooter. A friend and I are going to have a scooter gang of two. I have my plane tickets home. Before coming to Carbondale I am going to see a show (to deal with the withdrawal or maybe feed the addiction) in StL with my bf. It may be the best time ever. Please remind me to buy a take home container of bloody mary mix to bring back to Idaho with me. A friend made homemade bacon vodka that would be PERFECT as a cellar bloody mary (thank you erin). I have started eating meat on occasion again...but I am making a big effort to only buy meat that is a) local, and b) treated humanly. Idaho is helping me to become the person I want to be. It is funny how lose and change can be so hard but also really good for you. I am realizing out here that I have been an adult for a long time, and that doesn't mean I can't laugh really loud and often; wear clothes that don't always match; be political but not in-your-face about it; stand up for myself; ask for reciprocal relationships (and not bother with ones that are not); and make really big silly mistakes and own up to them. I pretty much love being this kind of adult.

I am going to try and be better about posting here. I know people have asked about how I am doing, and this is a great way to keep people in the know. I will be home in eight weeks minus one day. I have to study for comps when I am home (the biggest test I will ever take in my whole life), but I also plan on having an amazing time. Plan accordingly.