Q & A

I was browsing blogs, and I found this Q & A. Enjoy learning a few completely useless facts about me.

1. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a lawyer for many years. I am fantastic at arguing, and could sell a ketchup popsicle to a lady in white gloves. I think I had some very serious and noble motivation for wanting to practice family law, but the only thing I can really remember now is that I wanted to debate and persuade people as a career.

2. What have you done in the past week to help someone else?
My team won Rally for Service! Rally is a somewhat complex week-long event, but basically my awesome team pulled together and beat the HUGE Nonprofit Management Association team. We are privileged to give over $350 to the Shalom Community Center in Bloomington, the charity we chose. They're fantastic. Google them.

3. Who is the best-dressed person you know?
The best dressed man I know has to be the guy who sits in front of me in Public Organizations. His name is Zach, and he always looks like a thirty-something business executive on the weekend. He looks so put together, but not too fancy.
I'm not really sure who the best dressed woman I know is, but Rachael always looks quite put together, even on her "scrubby" days.

4. What is on your nightstand?
My cell phone charger, in-progress novels I'll probably never finish, a box of the AMAZING tissues with Vicks in them, my stuffed lion named Button that i've had since I was three years old, and a few fancy earrings. I always forget to take my earrings out after I've been to the bar, so I wake up in the middle of the night being poked in the side of the head, take them out, and throw them on the bedside table. They never seem to make it back to the jewelry box.

5. If you were a cat, what kind of a cat would you be?
I think I'd be the kind that lives in a very loving home, but sneaks out every day to explore the neighborhood. I'm a restless and adventurous soul, but I always come back to what I know and love.

6. If you lived in a house surrounded by acres of trees, what particular type of tree would you want flourishing on your land?
I want a magnolia tree or some other tree with giant blooms. I love them!

7. What do you find to be very overrated?
American Idol, most Will Farrell movies, and professional football are my current gripes.

8. How many email addresses do you have?
I'm not quite sure, but I have them all forwarded to my gmail account.

9. Have you ever felt replaced?
Yes, but I'm never particularly upset about it. I mourn the loss of my place in that person's life, but I celebrate the new opportunities for both of us. Wow, that sounded like such a canned, crappy answer. Sorry, but it's true.

10. Would you rather watch football or baseball?
I love baseball and hate football. I think I hate football mostly because I don't understand it. The game of baseball is far superior, but football comes with hot wings and other delicious food. Does that make me a serious fat kid that hot wings make the baseball/football decision rather difficult?

11. What is the wallpaper on your phone?
It's a disco ball. It makes me feel very cool and party girl, even when I'm on hour six of writing a paper.

12. Name a lyric from the song you're listening to.
"But when he's gone, me and the lonesome blues collide. The bed's too big; the frying pan's too wide." --"My Old Man," Joni Mitchell

13. Do you use a feed reader?
I'm not even sure what that is. I assume I don't, but heck, who knows?

14. What chocolate do you always leave in the box?
The fruit creme ones are disgusting. I'm not much of a boxed chocolates girl. I think they're usually worse than anticipated. Chocolate should NEVER disappoint!

15. What would you do if you found out your ex is engaged?
I'd be shocked. I could only hope it would be the oh-so-classy Whitney...hahaha. He'll get that reference. I just don't ever think he could find a chick as awesome as I am, so I'd feel bad that he was settling. ;o)

16. Do words hurt you?
Yes. I am very sensitive. I'm working on thickening my skin, but it's a long, rough road.

17. Are you a talker or a listener? Is it ever possible to really be both?
Anyone who has known me for more than three minutes knows I'm a talker. Anyone who has ever had a problem knows I'm a listener. I hate silence, so I always try to fill it; however, I am a very good listener for anyone who needs one.

18. Have you ever walked on the beach at night?
Yes. It was a bad night. I still feel very sad when thinking of the tide coming in, us sitting on the lifeguard chair, crying, wishing I could swim away.

19. Who is your favorite professional athlete?
Uhhh, any baseball player with big arms and a cute face. Haha!

20. Which TV show have you seen pretty much every episode of?
The Cosby Show. I'm obsessed.

The Hot New Children's Story

Rachael (a close SPEA friend) and I sat next to one another during our Nonprofit class today. We were gchatting (it's instant messaging via gmail, for those of you who aren't hip to the new forms of communication), and our very boring and inept professor said something about a sinkhole. We only listen to about 10% of what he says, but we generally pick up on the extra strange bits. I told her I'd like to watch a sinkhole swallow an old refrigerator. Somehow that comment turned into an entire conversation about sinkholes, and I decided I was going to write a series of children's books about a young boy named Leo who befriends a lonely sinkhole named Francesca. He brings her mint chocolate chip ice cream and veggie pizza, and she tells him of the exciting, magical world inside her tummy. By the end of the series, he decides to give up his boring seven-year-old life for an eternity of whimsy inside Francesca's stomach. Well, here's the kicker folks...she was tricking Leo all along, and just eats him.

The ending was Rachael's idea. She's more nuts than I am.

Perhaps we should pay attention in that class, but we have tried that--total waste of time, believe me. Sometimes grad school really is a "pay your fee, get your B" type of situation.

Oh well.

Blogging Revival...?

I was reminded that people actually do check my blog, so I feel obligated to give the yearning public something.

Life updates are rather boring. Blogs are, by nature, incredibly self-absorbed (and I LOVE it--mine and everyone else's...I am a big believer in blogging), and I don't really care to talk about my life in great detail. If you're curious, call or email me.

I miss the days of serious blogging. I used to make people laugh, cry, and think, all in the same post. It was fantastic. I have seriously slacked. I feel like my life is progressing SO quickly--I can't keep up! Grad school has been a wonderful experience, but awful at the same time. I love my friends here, and living by myself has been fantastic. I've learned so much about myself and my capabilities. Paying bills is satisfying. I pay them on time and in full, which is a very grown-up thing I've never really had the opportunity to do. The coursework has been either impossibly difficult or annoyingly easy. I've had a couple of classes that were challenging and enjoyable, but I've been quite disappointed with the program so far--that sentiment has been echoed by my fellow students many times, so I'm not just being silly. I'm not dating anyone--I know the family really likes to keep up on that (by the way, I think it's hilarious that the older family members are questioning my ability to find a husband and are wondering how the probably-barren body of this old spinster will EVER produce new kids for everyone to snuggle. To those very loved family members: CALM DOWN. I'm still VERY young, and I promise that I will someday marry a nice young man and produce several snuggly little ones for you. Until I call you to invite you to a wedding or baby shower, STOP ASKING. Thank you. I do love you very much and know your concerns are just from your love for me and concern for my happiness.). Since school and my love life seem to be the only real portions of my life most people ask about, let's move on.

I visited Maryland during spring break. Sigh. I can't even express how much I love the people there. The friends are fantastic, and they're the kind of friends with whom I speak every couple of months, but can still rely on for anything and have a great time whenever we reconnect. I went for my little MoRo's baptism (the newest Cooke cutie). Laura's youngest brother, Paul, celebrated his first Eucharist during the same mass, so it was a fantastic event. The Cookes are much more like family than friends, and I have adopted their families as my own, also. I love those folks. They're always full of hugs, rambunctious kids, baked goods, advice, and truly attentive listening (I'll never understand how they do it with at least one child hanging from them at all times). The Cookes (including the Merkels, Laura's family) are just incredibly loving and accepting people. I'm blessed to know them and have them as examples of what successful families are like. And, it must be said that LuGoose has become exponentially cuter. I can't even describe it. I say "AWWW" at everything that girl says and does. She's just perfect.

Ok, I'm going to say goodbye for now. I've been "studying" and "paper writing" for so long that I've seen enough of TLC's giant families shows to make me think about very strange things (Will someone donate college money for the kids like they did diapers and strollers? Which kid will be the rebel and on the cover of Star or People in ten years? Do the parents EVER have quiet time to themselves to just be a couple?). My, oh my. I need sleep.

I hope I can find time to blog more often. I really miss it.

Procrastination

So I'm sitting in the library, occasionally working on the FIFTEEN journal article reviews/course connections I have to do, and I am finding it impossible to concentrate. I am SO finished with this semester. I decided to study with a friend, and he has vowed to never study with me again, mainly because not only am I terribly unfocused, but I seem to ooze a contagious slacker vibe. Oops.

I am excited for this week to be over! After Thursday's paper, I'm only a take home final and an in class final away from Christmas break. Also, the end of this semester marks the 1/4 point of grad school. Thank freaking God.

I think I'm going to really settle in tonight and finish these journal reviews and perhaps study for my law exam tomorrow. I am in need of a serious scholastic rejuvenation. Any refocusing advice is welcomed!

Ok, I'm going to convince Michael to go get food so I will, perhaps, begin to focus a bit.





LOOOOOOOOOVE,

Suz

Whirlwind

The year is coming to a close, and along with it, the semester (thank GOD). Stats is officially over (Dr. W went back to Kenya a couple of weeks early, allowing his students to end the semester early for that class!). Econ is the absolute worst and most painful thing in the world except, perhaps, being kicked in the teeth with track spikes. Next week is out last week of classes, and after next Friday at 9:30ish am, I will forget an economy even exists.

Moving on to the good stuff:
My friend from undergrad, Matt, is flying in on Thursday to spend the weekend! Bloomington is great, and I'm excited to show him around. It's no Frostburg, that's for sure; but nothing will ever compare to that tiny little mountain town. The Burg will always be one of my homes.

Jason, my baby brother (ok, he's not quite a baby--he's 21) is coming to live with me after the New Year! He's spending New Year's eve partying it up with me, and he's tagging along back to B-Town for a while. I'm excited to be able to keep an eye on him--that kid worries me sometimes!

My apartment is all Christmasyyyy! Mom got me a small tree and some ornaments. and it is decorated beautifully! I put little candy canes on it for an extra festive flare. Christmas carols have been playing nonstop in my apartments! I finally sat down and learned Night of Silence (youtube Silent Night/Night of Silence if you've never heard of it), and I will be practicing regularly until SPEA Christmas caroling on Wednesday. We're taking over the Salvation Army's job and manning the red kettles at Marsh Wednesday evening. If you're in the Bloomington area, come to Marsh to hear some wonderful (but perhaps slightly off key) Christmas carols and donate some cash!

The VITAL Christmas party was yesterday. I got suckered into singing "Feliz Navidad"--cheesy snaps and hip shakes included. Everyone knows I'm terrified to sing in front of people, but quickly get over it when I realize I have a captive audience. So sad, lol. Everyone won a door prize, and I picked up this book called Mind Games. It seems pretty interesting. I was also given a poinsettia...my least favorite flower. They bleed this white goo and i think it's gross and alien-like. Oh well, it's sitting next to my Christmas tree. I was told it was a tropical plant (then who the heck decided to make it the Christmas flower?), so I set it near the heater on the floor. I'll either kill it or I'll have the happiest poinsettia Christmas has ever seen. We'll see.

Ok, econ calls (I wish I could ignore the calls like I do every other guy who annoys me to the point of true disdain). I have a case analysis due Monday, ten journal article review due Wednesday, a law exam on Wednesday, and a case analysis for Public Managemet due Thursday. I hate school...

A very Christmasy, but cranky until next weekend, Suz

Gaining Perspective

A friend of a friend of a friend (take a moment to construct the mental flow chart) killed himself last night.

I need to get a grip and gain some perspective.

I complain about school all the time (I understand the value of it, but it is one of the hardest and most emotionally challenging things I've ever gone through), and that young man decided that his life was so bad that not living was the best option.

I'm keeping this post short, shutting off the TV, and praying for that kid and his family.

Sad.

Obama08...and 09, 10, 11, and 12

Yes we can?

YES WE DID!


so exciting.