Catchin' Up

This is shameful! I am seriously overdue for a blog entry. I don’t even know where to begin, it’s been so very long since I last wrote to you all.

I am overwhelmed with the course my life is taking. Overwhelmed in a good way, though. My weekend at home was splendid. Mom and I went over grad school info and agreed that it would be helpful to know a little more about the towns/cities these schools are located in. I’ve narrowed it down to five choices:
1) Marylhurst University, Portland, OR
2) Marywood University, Springfield, MA
3) Eastern Virginia Medical School, Hampton Roads, VA
4) Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL
5) The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

I’ve been to the Art Institute for a visit before, so I know what to expect. When I’m in Chicago in June, I plan to meet with a counselor from Adler to get a better feel for their program. I’m leaning very heavily towards Portland. I want to make a visit there because from what I understand it’s just a fabulous city, somewhat like Iowa City only on a much larger scale. The program seems pretty clear cut and manageable. Plus it will be close to some of my friends who hope to do residency in Seattle…BONUS! Although, my friend Matt suspects the program isn’t actually IN Portland…(those of you who watch Lost will totally get that.)

Mom was wonderful. We had some great conversations and (of course) she fed me all sorts of deliciousness including my traditional birthday angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Alas, the weekend was much too short. I’ll have to go back again soon.

I had marvelously low-key birthday celebrations. On the night before my birthday, Miss Meliss and I ordered some pizza and uncorked a couple bottles of wine and laid out in the sunshine. We were very silly and I didn’t end up making it home until midnight – just in time to celebrate the start of my birthday. My friends, Rachel and Ginny, joined me at Three Samurai for some Japanese Thursday evening. They even brought some of their family along. I was unsuccessful at cracking the egg on the spatula, but I did manage to catch broccoli in my mouth. Yay me! The night after my birthday, I joined the ladies and gents of the AuD program for a bar crawl. Shots of whiskey and pints of Guinness were involved and I was hurtin’ on Saturday. Luckily I got to dogsit over the weekend for Hansel and Gretel, two giant, beautiful weimeraners who love to go for walks and lay around the house. We got along very well, although Hansel managed to get into my laundry basket and eat a pair of my underwear. That’s okay I didn’t really like that pair, anyways.

In only a couple of weeks, I’ll be packing my bags for Arizona. Another big even to look forward to. This will mark the first big trip with my wonderful sweet med school friends. I’m excited to see the Grand Canyon and Phoenix. I’m excited to go to a Cubs game! I’ll be sure to eat a lot of hot dogs…

I’m working through my psychology class right now. I’ve had my first quiz and turned in my first assignment. I can’t believe how excited I’ve been to study and do homework. My friends in grad school have reassured me that the novelty will wear off quickly. They’re probably right, but for now I’m finding it fun to be back in class.

This spring has been so cool that I have yet to turn on my air conditioner. Thank goodness for that! Those 90 degree days with 80% humidity are just around the corner, though. Luckily, come August, I’ll be livin’ in central air. To Quote Dogma -- “No pleasure, no rapture, no exquisite sin greater than central air…”

Peace and Love