Almost Finished

Alrighty, it's been a few months, and time has flown by. It's actually funny reading the last post because SO much has changed since then. I do wish I was a better blogger. I read other people's blogs, and it is such a nice fun update. I guess I'm just not that nice or fun. Anyhow I spose it is best to just forge ahead and get on with it. Instead of just rambling....

I mentioned in my last post that I got my thesis data. I believe I also mentioned that it was a pleasant treat to get it right before Christmas. It played out pretty much like I thought it would. I was working 4-5 days a week at Primary's over break because some people were out of town (which was good, I needed the $$). So after I was done at 2, I would head to the nutrition lab on campus and work on my stats until 5ish. I did this most days over Christmas break. Just sitting there in the empty building with my new waffle maker (a Christmas gift from Primary Childrens), typing away (not actually cooking waffles). I was hoping to get my first thesis draft done over Christmas break as well, but unfortunately I was not as well versed in the stats program as I would have liked to be. Meaning, it took me much longer than I thought it would. So around January I started thinking: Susan, get on this.

Then I got some fun news. If I wanted to graduate in May (which I was planning on instead of August like we are scheduled to), I needed to defend my thesis by mid-March so I could turn it in for format approval also mid-March. Here is my where ultimate organizational skills came into play. I created a week by week, sometimes day by day, schedule for the next 2+ months to deal with everything coming at me (there were several other projects going on at the same time). As I was coming up to March 15 (the Ides of March, not intentional), I was truly flying by the seat of my pants trying to get everything ready and done on time and in order.

The Friday before I had to do a pseudo- presentation of my data for the research team. After I left that meeting, I was in a constant state of nausea right up until the next Tuesday (15th). I was truly and honestly, not joking, concerned about throwing up in front of everyone. I had almost thrown up during another big presentation the year before, so I was planning on bringing a bag with me. However, as my dad always says, everything ended up turning out fine. I had over-prepared, practice my presentation so many times I was actually bored giving it again, and my committee is so sweet and nice (and also heard the presentation before), that I didn't get many questions. And then it was over. What I had been working towards the last year and a half was suddenly over. It was accepted, I turned it in the next day, and I'm just waiting for the final approval any day now. I do have some poster presentations coming up, but honestly if I never talk about this project again, it will be too soon. I learned a lot, but I will never do research again!

In other good, and final, news: I am finishing my last internship hours. Again, in the previous blog I mentioned that I was going to the Diabetes Center for a few months, and was curious about how my relationship with my fiesty preceptor would be. Turns out, she is pretty fiesty, but we have gotten on really well. I actually went and watched a roller derby match (which I may add is not nearly as exciting or violent as you would think). And I have really loved the counseling there. My preceptor is of the mind that you don't learn unless you just do it. So within my first few days, she was having me do parts of the education. And within a few weeks I was doing consults by myself. I have learned so much, and the best part is I feel very comfortable talking to people I've never met before. If you knew my as a child (or actually really at any point), you know how shy I can be. So going into a profession where you do a lot of counseling maybe wasn't a good idea. I've never really known what to say to people I've just met, but this internship has really gotten me to come out of my shell. I have two more days next week, then I'm done. And I'm actually going to miss it, oddly enough! Maybe that's a sign I'm ready for a real, grown-up job. Let's hope so....

Some of you might be wondering, "Hmmm, that's all fine and dandy, but this is all about school. You must have other stuff going on in your life!" Wrong. Believe it or not, I kind of pushed everything else aside this last semester so I could just work on school. Sure, I took a little break here and there, but I was mostly doing the time old tradition of stressing myself out WAY too much. It's a problem. That being said, finishing up with these activities will free my schedule up quite a bit. I still have class, but I don't think it will be too bad. So hopefully I can get back into the social swing of things.

I am scheduled to visit the Melting Pot restaurant on Tuesday night to gorge myself, yet again, on delicious cheese and meat. Hopefully not at the same price I paid last time. Also, I am scheduled to become an aunt to a new boy or girl come April 1st. Beth and Thomas are having another little bundle of joy (gender TBA) around that time. So I must be ready to shower this babe with the same amount of love (not money, still don't have any) I gave the Ainsley-bug. And may I say that Ainsley is even more hilarious/stubborn/girly than before, which brings me just endless joy. Anyhow, I'm thinking a new blog post could be coming not too far away, or in quite a while. Either one.