ESL Class Update

The library called...I now have 17 students enrolled. I have rarely felt this inadequate and ill prepared. Eff. Advice is welcomed.

Salvar al Mundo

Translation (according to some translation website I Googled): saving the world.

The VITAL (Volunteers in Tutoring Adult Learners) program at the library needed an ESL (English as a Second Language, for those who don't know) teacher for a class of ten(ish) adults who are native Spanish speakers. Classes are for two hours every Monday, and it's only for six weeks to start with. I'm not sure what level the learners are, so I'm a bit in the dark. I'm quite nervous. I can walk into a classroom full of kids from all sorts of backgrounds, with all sorts of problems, and rock it. I have no idea how to teach adults. I've been through some training, but it's never enough without real experience. I hardly feel like a real adult myself. Let's not even begin to consider the fact that they've probably had a life that's a hundred times more difficult than mine. Crap. I better get it together before tomorrow evening. :o\

I just spent three hours making worksheets and planning activities for the first class.

ANNNNND I have a midterm on Tuesday and one on Wednesday. SHOOT MEEEEEEE.

I don't want you to think I'm complaining about it...well...I am complaining, but I really want to do it. School this semester is really getting me down, and being able to teach and help other people, I get my spirit back. It helps remind me why I'm working my ass off right now. It may take up a little extra time and energy, but it's what's keeping me going right now.

I scheduled my classes for next semester, and they seem SO exciting! I'm taking:
Public Organizations
Intergovernmental System Management
Public Management and Contracting
The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector

After I finish with Stats and Econ, I can finally get into coursework I enjoy. The first semester at SPEA is kind of like basic training and hazing all mixed into one. It sucks, but everyone goes through it, and we're all going through it together. It's quite a bonding experience.

*sigh* I need to get to sleep early tonight. I'm listening to Disney tunes like a weirdo, and singing loud enough for people two floors up to hear (whatever--they should just enjoy the free concert). I will leave you with a little taste of my Disney concert.

I can show you world
Shining, shimmering, splendid.
Tell me, Princess, now when did you last let your heart decide.
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways, and under on a magic carpet ride
A WHOLE NEW WOOOOOOOOORLD
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming.
A WHOLE NEW WOOOOOOOOORLD
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm WAAAY up here,
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with youuuuuuuu.

Hope you enjoyed that as much as the person in Apt. 3C did. HAHA!

Goodnight!

Suzeriffic.

Culinary Mastermind/Domestic Goddess in Training

My life is filled with strong, beautiful domestic goddesses. Between my grandmothers, my mother, and Laura, I have a lot of people to seek advice and wisdom from, and a lot to live up to! Women, be proud: I made my first crock pot meal. Yes, it's a bit "Honey, I'm home," Mrs. Cleaver, whitewash the fence, but I am very proud of myself.

In case you'd like to know my not-so-secret, but oh-so-yummy chili recipe, here it is:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 can white corn*
1 can black beans*
1 can chili beans*
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes* (I love tomatoes. Feel free to use 1 can)
*pour all the juices in the crock pot

hot sauce
cilantro (add a few minutes before serving)
cayenne pepper
pepper
Old Bay (This is the spice that gives the chili a unique and freaking delicious flavor)

Regarding the spices, add however much you like. I have an iron tongue and LIVE for cayenne pepper, and I just cook for myself, so i use a few tablespoons of it.

I created this throw together recipe because this was all I had in my poor grad student pantry. I encourage you to add all sorts of things. If it's gross, you're out 56cents (I get my Koger canned veggies on sale!), and you've eliminated one more ingredient from you PERFECT chili recipe. Why stick with what your great grandmother/grandmother/mother made? Learn from their wisdom, be bold, and create your own culinary adventure! OH! It's like the Choose Your Own Adventure book othe kitchen. Oh, I feel a new recipe book concept forming... :o)

I'm in a much better mood than last post, by the way. I took my Econ quiz (ehh...we'll see how that went), and I'm going to pretend I don't have a Public Management midterm on Tuesday and a Stats midterm on Wednesday until AFTER I hang out at Yogi's the Speons tonight. I think that after a few minipitchers of Killian's, I will feel much better about spending my weekend canoodling with my textbooks.

Well, I'm wrapping up. I am quite skuzzy, and a shower is next on the agenda.

Miss and love you all!

Suz

Discouraged

I hate life right now.

Let me correct myself: I have my life regarding all things mathematical. Stats and Econ have not only taken over nearly every waking thought, but have destroyed my morale to the point that I sometimes reconsider whether I will survive this semester. I know things will be MUCH better next semester when I'm enrolled in classes which are in my concentrations and I will actually enjoy. Right now, I'm getting buy on a smile and a prayer. I HATE anything mathematical. Shoot me.

I'm going back to studying for my econ quiz tomorrow. I am beginning to hate life.

All I want for Christmas is an easier schedule...and, if anyone who wants to buy me a Christmas present is reading, I also want gift cards to Express or money for rent. Those would be nice, too.

:o( Cheer ups are welcomed.

United Way Video

DUM dum dum DUM dum dum DUMMMMMMM (the presentation song...)

The 2008 United Way Campaign Video is finished, and yours truly is on there!

Check it out!

They used mostly Cyril's words, because he is just a fabulous orator, but I'm still on there! I never realized how droopy my eyelids are, lol.

Anyway, enjoy the video, donate, volunteer, etc.

This is how I live united!


Suzzy

Grad School...So Far

I LOVE grad school. Ok, I haven't actually started classes yet, but the socializing part is fantastic. :o) I was forced into math camp, this awful 5-day refresher course on everything I never wanted to know about math. Math camp helped a little, but I am certainly not where I should be after 17 years of schooling--I thought an asymptote was a new type of handbag. I have made several friends, including one pretty good one named Rachael. She Facebooked me in the spring because we were both going to SPEA, and we had been talking ever since. It turns out that she lives half a block away from me! We walk to school together every morning, which is very first grade. I love it. I have met a couple of 2nd year students, and they are full of essential knowledge and great advice. The professor I am a GA for, Dr. Gronbjerg, is the name in nonprofit research in the world. I plan to work my ass off for her. I believe in her project (making a searchable, comprehensive database of Indiana nonprofits, their growth, progress, and needs), and a reference from her pretty much makes my resume dipped in gold.

On another note, I also LOVE my apartment. It's not too big to feel empty and lonely, but it's not too small that I feel cramped. It's a little...um...well, it's a good starter apartment. The maintenance guy is very nice, and he comes within a couple of hours of an online request. After a full week of math camp, napping, and consuming a bottle of wine nearly every night (Rachael and I are winos), my apartment has thrown up on itself. I have shoes in the living room, dirty dishes in the sink, and I haven't made my bed in four days. I will be cleaning today.

If anyone would like to donate to the "Suz can barely afford rent until her refund check comes through in three weeks" fund, it would be greatly appreciated. Honestly, I can pay bills, but I really want to experience B-town these first couple of weeks. I'm hoping to wear low-cut shirts and smile at some young undergrads so they will buy me drinks. It may sound mildly trashy, but c'mon...I'm being financially responsible, utilizing my strengths, and honing a skill which will only be available to me for the next 5 years or so. ;o)

Ok, I'm going to pop in a movie and get scrubbing on this place...it's driving me NUTS!


Love you all, and don't forget to call or write!

Suz

The Blogging Hiatus is OVER!

I move into my new big girl apartment (by myself...yikes!) tomorrow, so the no blogging streak can finally end. Hooray! I like to take the summers off from blogging, mostly because I want to be with friends and family much more than sit in front of a computer. Bleh.

So, my step-brother, Mike, married Jenny, this tiny little blond thing who is quite possibly the most adorable woman I've ever seen. She's as sweet as pie. The wedding was in a botanical garden, and only had about 50 people (I'm terrible at estimations, but I think it around that number). It was the most beautiful wedding I've ever been to. It makes me want to have a small wedding! I brought Bradton, one of my very good friend with whom I work, and we had a blast. He caught the garter and I caught the bouquet...that was the source of much amusement for my family. Sorry fam, he's just a friend! The motel we stayed at was...an adventure. Oh gosh...it deserves its own paragraph.

The Ashley Motel is...um...sort of like a brothel and a crack den mixed together with a toothless, racist staff, dirty bathtubs, no air conditioning (dirty fans graciously provided), and seedy neighbors who told Bradton to "get that" and complimented me on my "badonk." Yes. Quality folks. I think think there was a meth lab on one side of us and heroin-addicted ex-convicts on the other. I feared for my life, and feared for Bradton's even more (he's Black, and according to the nice bartender at Applebee's, the Ashley motel is known for its less-than-open-minded owners and guests.) Jeez. We left at 7am. I had to ring the doorbell of the house next door, nearly get attacked by a schnauzer, and inhale enough cigarette smoke to cause emphysema for the entire county population just to drop the key off. I said "thank you" and she said "yeah *COUGH COUGH HAAAACK COUGH COUGH* ok." I think I did 85 out of the parking lot and continued until we hit Richmond and rewarded ourselves for surviving with pancakes at IHOP.

I lost my digital camera (I think it was stolen at Freedom Schools nationals, actually), and so I have no pictures of the wedding, Freedom Schools this year, or my new apartment. I think I'm going to use some of my student loans refund to buy a new one. Ugh, I don't want to have to do that. Crap. Everything is moved out to the garage, with the exception of my computer and one load of laundry. Hooray! Any advice or helpful hints about anything related to living on my own are greatly appreciated. Leave some comments.

I spent the past few days at the Cookes' in the 'Burg. It was delightful! Lucy seemed to remember me right away, which was a relief. Laura and I picked up right where we left off, and I think we began driving Andrew nuts again within the first few hours. :o) I also got to see Carlie, another friend from school, which was very nice. It sometimes just takes one post-school visit to solidify a friendship for life. You just have to put in that extra effort to say "yes, I want to continue this friendship after college"--at least I hope that's all it really takes. Mr. Bill, a professor who has always been my mentor and, that last semester, my savior with a mercy B so I could keep my 3.5 GPA, took some time out of his busier-than-God schedule to hang out and chat with me. He always has such great words of wisdom for me.

I need to finish up a bit of laundry, head to the bank, and do a few other last minute things, so I'll say goodbye for now. Since this is a public blog, I won't post my new address here, but comment that you want it, with your email address, and I will send it to you!


Lots of love,

Suz