NYC

So here are some pictures from our trip to NYC. . . It was amazing! We went to Mary Poppins, hung out in Times Square, went on a night cruise. . . and a ton of other great things!

First Year

So. . . I am done, finally, finished. I have completed my first year of graduate school, and haven't managed to flunk out yet. HOORAY! So Wednesday was my last day of classes/finals, and I am now free for the summer (hey, who cares if my summer vacation is a total of 2 weeks long, at least it's a break!) They year was super stressful, (probably obvious because of the lack of blog posts) and I wasn't sure I would make it through, but hey, I did. . . and supposidly I make a pretty dang good clinician too. . . even if I don't like the classes necessarily. Well, I am now here in NYC to enjoy the weekend with Ryan before I head home to Cali on Tuesday. I can't wait to see the sights here today. . . I haven't been here in like 4 years, and I love this city! I'll post some pictures and stuff as the weekend goes on.

The good life

Ya know,
Sometimes I think life is really hard. I mean there are those hard days. . . believe me I know. I mean there are times where it feels like there is no way on earth I can take this life any longer (I'm not saying that I can't take living anymore, just in case anyone was wondering if it would be necessary to do an intervention, I am just saying that this life, ya know the one where I go to grad school, work, do clinic, a relationship, and everything else is tough) I feel a bit overwhelmed and life just gets to me. . . but really, do you know how amazing this life is? I mean, I live in an incredible city, where I can stroll along a beautiful river and feel peace in this hectic world. I have a job (though I don't work much, it is still something) I can go to school (no matter how tough it is) and I am doing something I love (even if I don't love it every moment of every day.) I think about all the people in this world who don't have anything, or even those who have everything and yet they have nothing. I mean, how many people don't love what they do? How many people don't have the gospel like I do? How many people can't go to school? How many people are homeless? How many people are jobless? How many people have nothing? I mean I can touch, taste, smell, hear, and see. . . so many people can't. I have infinite options, whereas the majority of the world don't. I love this life! I am thankful for it! I live the good life!

Running for office in Canada

So, I was just checking out the links that people use to get to my blog, and I discovered that I am running for office in Canada. I am so excited. . . I never knew that I would be successful enough to do this. . . but hey. . . I guess I am. So now I present my platform for everyone to read:
I pledge to do my best to become a Canadian citizen if I am elected to office
I pledge to get Canada inducted into the US as the largest state in the union.
I pledge to do my best to make everyone happy.
I pledge to take all the money anyone wants to give me. . . but not listen to them when it comes down to it
I pledge to do whatever job it is that I am running for. . . as long as I don't actually have to be there. . . or do anything for it.

Check out the article about me in some canadian newspaper or something:
http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/002192.html

I am so awesome. . . no wonder I am not feeling rested when I wake up in the morning. . . I must be running for office in my sleep.

Full of Blessings

So this week was far better than last!
Monday: I GOT MY COMPUTER BACK!!!! A mere 21 days without my computer. . . the man was so nice becasue he even gave it to me in the morning even though they don't open the shipment until night. I went to class, and the teacher had corrected our tests. I was dreading getting it back, because she just so happens to be the hardest grading teacher of all, and I had only answered enough questions to get an 84% even if she gave me full credit for every answer. Well, I knew that I wouldn't be getting full credit on all the answers I did answer. . . so I was expecting something like a 75% or so (being generous to myself. . . a 75%). Well, I got it back, and there on the paper was 88%. Don't ask me how it happened. I added up the points like a hundred times, and it was right, she had somehow given me more credit on all of the questions than I actually deserved. . . which I am sure was only due to the fact that everyone in my family, as well as most of my friends were praying for me that I could do well on the test. It was awesome. Thanks for your prayers everyone, they totally worked.
Tuesday: I had clinic, and let me tell you. . . it was fantastic. The girl that I am working with had a spectacular day, she was like a changed child. I was floored. . . It was a good day! In the afternoon I went to a clinic observation, which was being supervised by the same supervisor I have for my sessions. She told the student clinician I was observing that I was a supervisor in training, and that she knew that I knew what I was talking about (this from someone who never gives compliments) Tuesday night I also got a bunch done for another class during a super boring lecture. . . which is far better than just playing games online or something, like I was going to do. After class Ryan and I also went to Cheesecake factory as well. . . mmmmmm.
Wednesday: My other clinical supervisor told me that I am progressing so well. The person I am working with on accent modification is doing so well that it makes me happy every time I meet with her. Wednesday night Ryan and I spent a good hour laughing hysterically at something-or other. . . great stress relief especially on a Wednesday when I usually have my weekly breakdown.
Thursday: I got to have a relaxing day because, my client was on vacation!!! (I say this with such enthusiasm because in the 100 or so sessions I have already had with all different clients I have never, and I mean NEVER had one cancel. . . and now. . . two sessions of not having to plan, prepare, or show up. . . ahhhh, sigh of relief). I also took Ryan to Outback, because he was soooo nice and let me use his computer for two weeks because mine was broken. (don't I have the BEST boyfriend ever!?!)
Friday: made some good headway on my paper, got about 600 pages of technical reading in (which let me tell you isn't that fun!) I also got some semblance of an idea of how to write my paper too. Ryan and I also got a Netflix subscription (which is so much fun!) we watched a couple movies. . . nothing that memorable though.
Saturday: I slept in until 11:30 which is unheard of. . . then JM and I went to IHOP for breakfast and I worked on my paper. Now I am at a super nice house babysitting. It is fun, but I am ready to go home and sleep.
So that was my week, and let me tell you it was full of blessings!

Back to School

So I am now sitting in class. . . hooray! (said sarcastically) I am back in the swing of things after a week break- that now I am finished with feels like it didn't actually happen. Can I just tell you, the stress of grad school is making me feel like it isn't even worth it. I think about the idea of another year + of this, and can't even stand the thought. I used to think that I loved school. . . as a matter of fact. . . I do. . . the learning part- right now I don't feel like I am learning. I just feel like I am having to do a bunch of busy work, which is totally inapplicable. I mean can't I just pay my 50 grand and get the degree without having to do all the crap? I am so sick of the stupid reports- which I have to do multiple times so they are just like the professors want them. . . the stupid tests which examine if I know what the professor wants me to cram in my head just before I take them. . . the papers. . . which actually are more like BS in paragraph form, supported by evidence which some researcher found, and I was able to google. Well, actually, its not all bad. I mean I like the fact that I am learning (in some classes) things that I may actually use. I just feel like teachers want you to feel like you are getting something out of it and therefore are giving tons of busy work- don't they realize that if all the teachers are giving us enough busy work to keep us busy we aren't just busy. . . we can't get it all done?
Sorry for the negative rant. . . I am just not too happy about being back.

The Bucket List

Things you have done during your lifetime:

(X) Gone on a blind date
( ) Donated Blood - I tried, but alas, 3rd world country. . . can't
(X) Skipped school
( ) Watched someone die
(x) Been to Canada
(x) Been to Mexico
(X) Been to Florida
(x) Been to Hawaii
(X) Been on a plane
( ) Been on a helicopter
(X) Been lost
(X- just got back) Gone to Washington, DC
( ) Hugged a homeless person
(X) Swam in the ocean
(X) Swam with Stingrays
(X) Been sailing in the ocean
(X) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Played cops and robbers
(X) Recently colored with crayons
( ) Ran a marathon
(x) Sang Karaoke
(X) Volunteered at a soup kitchen
( ) Paid for a meal with coins only
(X) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
(X- at least I think I did when I lived in Seattle) Seen the Northern Lights
( ) Been Parasailing
(X) Been on TV
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(X) Made a prank phone call
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(X) Fed an elephant
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) Fired a gun
( ) Danced in the rain-naked
(X) Been to the Opera
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(X) Serenaded someone
(X- George Bush- sometime in the 80's) Seen a U.S.President in person
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone
( ) Driven a race car
(X) Been to a National Museum
(x) Been to a Wax Museum
(X-never again- yuck) Eaten caviar
(X) Blown bubbles
(X) Gone ice-skating
(X) Gone to the movies
( ) Been deep sea fishing
(X- by myself- it sucked) Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving
( ) Gone snowmobiling
(X)Lived in more than one country
(X) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(X) Seen a falling star and made a wish
(X) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
( )Seen the Grand Canyon - and camped there
(x) Seen the Statue of Liberty
(X- and got my shoe caught in it) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle
( ) Been on a cruise
(x) Traveled by train
( ) Traveled by motorcycle
(X) Been horse back riding
(X) Ridden on a San Francisco cable car
(X-both) Been to Disneyland OR Disney World
(X) Truly believe in the power of prayer
(x) Been in a rain forest
(x) Seen whales in the ocean
(X) Been to Niagara Falls
(X) Ridden on an elephant
( ) Swam with dolphins
(X) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf
(x) Been water-skiing
(X- man not this year though. . . sad) Been snow-skiing
(x) Been to Westminster Abbey
(X) Been to the Louvre
(X) Swam in the Mediterranean
(x) Been to a Major League Baseball game
( ) Been to a National Football League game
(X-scary even if they were tiny) Swam with sharks
(X) Been White Water Rafting
( ) Written a book or screen play
(X) Climbed a mountain
( ) Had a baby