My Cell Phone Saved My Life!

Several times a week I drive about an hour one way for my internship. I have several options of roads that I can take to get there, and most of the time I choose to take the highway instead of the freeway. The highway is better on my gas and overall shorter in mileage. Other than nearly hitting a deer one morning, my drive has been pretty uneventful. Until this morning that is.

About half way to my destination, I noticed a car that was tailgating me. I checked my speed to make sure I wasn't going below the speed limit (I was actually 5 miles above) and I didn't think too much more of it. Most of us are guilty of tailgating at some time or other - it happens absentmindedly. I figured if the person wanted to tailgate me instead of passing, so be it.

About 20 minutes later this same car was still behind me and got much closer than before. He was a foot, maybe two behind my rear bumper and he started flashing his brights on and off at me, really fast. I didn't realize at the time that it was the same car as before, and since there was another vehicle coming towards us in the other direction, I figured he just wanted to pass me. I thought about slowing down on the shoulder to let him pass, then decided against it. As soon as the other car was past us, I slowed down a bit to let him pass and he pulled up along side me. Expecting him to pass and being upset, I layed on my horn and yelled at him, even though he couldn't hear me. Then he did something unexpected - he pulled back behind me. Confused and upset, I slowed down again, hoping he'd pass me. He kept flashing his brights at me, and I started wondering what he could want. I thought maybe that there was something wrong with my car and he was trying to get my attention...then I realized any sane person would have given up by now. Then I thought that maybe he was one of my boss's from my internship (it was a similar car to my boss's) but then I realized that my boss would just call me on my phone if he recognized my car. About this time he pulled up along side me again, and I slowed way down...hoping he would finally pass me. Once again he got behind me. After another minute or two he pulled along side me again then got behind me. The whole time he kept flashing his brights at me..by this time I was scared out of my senses, and grabbed my cell phone. I didn't know if I should call the police or what, so I tried to call my mom - only no service. I kept redialing until I finally had service and got through. I put the phone to my ear and I decided to speed way up to just try to get away from the guy. As my mom answered with a cheerful "how are you?" the man behind me turned around and sped away in the other direction. The last I saw of him was in my rearview mirror as he turned quickly off of the highway.

I broke down in tears with my mom and I was shaking. I was able to get a few things from the perosn - he was most likely a middle aged man of average build and drove a silver car. I didn't get the plate, because I was too shaken up to think to look at his plates. After I got safely to my internship and was inside, I called 911 and reported the incident.

This morning when I was getting ready to leave, I nearly forgot my cell phone. God was looking out for me when He reminded me to grab it. I'm convinced that the man saw me on my cell phone, and that scared him into leaving me alone. If I wouldn't have had my cell phone this morning, I shudder to think of what would have happened to me. The incident ocurred in the early twilight of eight a.m., 10 minutes out of the town. I saw only one other car the entire time during this event - and that was the car that past us in the other direction, which happened in the very beginning. I had no cell phone service, and was alone - a fact he made sure of by driving along side of me three times to look in my car.

The point is that I was alone in a deserted area this morning. Had the man decided to run me off of the road, it wouldn't have been hard. Had I decided to slow down on the side of the road or pull over...he could have done anything to me. Had I just driven to my internship, he would have followed me most likely - and my internship is deserted at that time. Had I just kept driving, who knows how long he would have followed me. I don't know what his intentions were or what would have happened, because I had my cell phone, which scared him away. It's very likely that my phone saved me from serious injury and or death today.

Please, don't think I made this up. It was too scary to make up. I'm urging all of you, to have a cell phone and carry it with you at all times. Don't forget it, ever..and make sure it's charged - always. If you do forget it, turn around and go home and get it, even if it'll make you late. If someone does to you what they did to me this morning, try to get the plates and try to keep your cool (though it's hard). If you don't have service for your phone, try calling 911 anyways. I was informed by emergency services that it should still work. If you had problems with your phone and your service plan is canceled, keep it charged and with you anyways - you can still call 911. Even without a sim card you can call 911. Can't afford a cell? Buy a pay as you go phone. They're relatively inexpensive, and you aren't set in a plan for a set amount of time.

I hope you are scared after reading this and I hope you know how important and serious this is.

P.S. I also wanted to urge you guys to remind your loved ones and your kids, if they're old enough to drive..to never ever ever pull over for anyone if you are in the middle of nowhere. If it's the police behind you, call 911 first and tell them that you know that the police is there and that you would rather wait until you get to a populated spot before pulling over. If you don't have a phone, but on your four ways. It's better to be paranoid and safe than it is to trust everyone and get hurt. Please, talk to your kids about what to do in this situation. I pray that the person who did this to me doesn't do this to someone else...and I pray that no one ever does this to any of you.

Also..don't let fear rule your world.

Just Call Me Slacker

I have had no school for about a week and a half now and let me tell you, I've been fully enjoying my free time.

I've been enjoying it so much that I slacked off and kept thinking "there is plenty of time to get my christmas presents finished!!" Yeah. Right.

So now tonight, after the zoo I need to finish 2 more christmas gifts, clean my entire apartment, and pack my clothes. It doesn't sound too bad..but you should see my apartment!

Once again, I've given my self more stress than needed..I think I'm a stress addict.

Merry Holidays everyone!

Is it really Christmas?

Christmas seems to have snuck it's way into my life, depsite the fact that it doesn't seem very christmas-y. Unfortunately I don't get to be with my fiance for christmas this year, for the first time in the three (almost 3 and a half) years we've been together *sigh* and to top it off, I don't get any snow either!!!

But still, Christmas comes. I finished all but three gifts last night, and got them wrapped. That heleped to make it seem christmas-y. Today I'm going to meet my Grandma, Grandpa, mom, step-dad and two cousins for the afternoon/evening, so that helps too. And on Sunday I travel home for the holiday...

Have a merry christmas everyone.

A Long Lost Photo

This was taken in front of Versaille palace in..Versaille, France. You'll notice me thinking, "It's cold...bah humbug." It was cold, but still cool. Dad and Bev are in the background walking towards it all.

Patellar Tendenitis

Patellar tendenitis - that's what I was diagnosed with yesterday. When I was little I was diagnosed with it once too, though since then the problem has been gone. What is it? It happens to people who jump, squat or do other similar motions often, particularly if something about their leg alignment is off a little. The tendon going to my knee is inflammed and causes it to be in pain when I do certain things (like squat, go up stairs, sit with it bent for long times, and sometimes even when I just walk). For me, it started at the zoo because of all the squating and walking and sitting and stuff that I do all day long over and over. I should have gone to a doctor months ago, but I didn't and now it's really not doing so good. It's because I tend to walk on my arches. So I bought arch supports and need to not do so much active stuff for a while. Yeah. Right. Seeing as how I work at the zoo today, tomorrow and thursday plus this entire weekend, that'll be a stretch.

I also have anti-inflammatories and am supposed to ice my knee off and on all day. That's easier to do.

Don't worry, this is nothing major. Just something I'll have to live with and deal with by taking extra good care of myself. :)

Me Time

I went to the zoo this morning, and for one of the first times in a long time I didn't have to scrub out primates. While I love our primates, I was happy to get a break this morning. So instead I scrubbed out the cat enclosures. :) I'm one of the only people I know who would be happy to say that.

This afternoon I was supposed to have my cousin come over, but it didn't work out... but I told myself that as long as I cleaned my apartment and took away my recycling, I could still go rent movies and watch them. I stuck to it, and now I have a clean apartment (yay!), my recycling is gone (yay!), and I'm about to sit down to my movies and some yummy yummy popcorn. I'm sad my cousin couldn't make it over here today, but everything happens for a reason, and I'm excited to have some time for some relaxation.

Habits

After four months of having to spend every minute of my free time studying or procrastinating studying, I can't seem to let myself just relax and realize that I don't have to do anything besides work, the zoo, and eventually research for my International Studies Major senior project. But that last thing isn't pressing...

It's so pathetic that I've gotten so used to my busy schedule, that I can't even enjoy my nonbusy schedule.

William Wallace

I took my last final today. My semester is officially over... and I only have one more semester left.

I feel like I'm William Wallace on the movie Braveheart, yelling at the top of my lungs "FFFFRRREEEEDDDDDDDOOOOMMMMM!"

Except, you know.. I haven't ever fought for the freedom of an entire country, I'm not being pulled apart by a torture device, and well.. I'm not about to die either.

But still, it's a happy feeling to know that I have no more school to worry about until January 9th.

So that's what it does...

After working hard at the zoo since September, I've finally noticed some reseults. Physical results that is.

I realized last night that my thighs are much more out of muscle and much less out of fat than they used to be. My calves seem to be stronger as well. And I think my "biceps" are just a tiny bit bigger too. I'm sure my shoulders/back is stronger too - but those I can't see.

So that's what working at a job with a lot of physical work does....

woo hoo!

OH MY GOSH!!!

Guess what I just found out?!?!? BLUE MAN GROUP is coming to the FARGODOME!!! Just for those of you who don't know, the fargodome is our big dome on campus, which just so happens to be across the street from my apartment. I went and saw the blue man group in Berlin in August of 2005 with my fiance and his mom and I absolutely loved them. And on April 6, the blue man group will be here.... I want to go so bad...

So, tickets go on sale February 17, 2007 and they are either $51.00 or $76.50! That's a bit expensive, but they are so good and worth it. If I can in any way even remotely afford it, I am so going to go.

Anyone want to come with me?

I'm drooling already.. I hope I can find the money to be able to go.

Finally!

Today is the last day of the semester!!!!

Not that I'm excited or anything.

Here's what's left of my semester:

* A quiz today in botany
* One last session of my Conservation Biology course, where I turn in my last assignment.
* Botany test on Monday morning.
* Cumulative Mammology test on Tuesday Morning.
* Conservation Biology test on Wednesday afternoon.

Then I'm finished and have nothing but work, the zoo, looking into places to work/live after graduation, research for my next research project, and a billion other little things that I want to get done over the semester break to do. I'm excited!!!

Just Call Me Dumb

So instead of paying my t-mobile last month, I paid the money for t-mobile to the electric company.

I talked to t-mobile and got that bill current, thankfully there were no overage charges, and I talked to the electric company and found out that the money will take until January to get back to me if I want to request it to be sent to me. So I told them to just leave it on the account.

This was a substantial amount - so I just learned I don't have to pay my electric bill through May, at least... because the money is already paid. I'm not sure if this makes me feel good or sad because I will be putting less money on my credit card this month due to the mix up.

My lesson in all this: pay close attention to which bill I'm paying. I'm happy it didn't cause me any financial difficulties though.

That's cool

Before I went to Germany, I acquired various german music which I only ever partially understood. While in Germany I lost my desire to listen to it, and for the first time tonight I've listened to German music (that I have on my CDs - I obviously heard German music while in Germany).

The first song would be basically German rap. It was hard to understand and I think they used more dialect that I didn't understand, so nothing with this song changed much.

Ahh.. but fast forward to the next German song, and I actually understood 99.9% of it! This would be equivalent to hearing an american song on the radio, where you just can't understand a few of the words.

It had never dawned on me before today that now I could understand these songs I always tried to understand before I left.

That's totally cool.

P.S. This is the last week of the semester - thankfully. Next week is finals, then I'm free for three weeks! Woo Hoo!

SNOW!

Over the past few days it has snowed a little here. At first it wasn't even enough to cover the ground, but now it is more than enough to cover the ground, and I couldn't be happier.

Living in Germany last year, it was almost always around 32 degrees fahrenheit (zero degrees celsius) so it would rain instead of snow. And boy did it rain a lot. Their climate is very wet in the winter time, and chilly temperatures with cold rain is miserable.

Still I didn't realize how much I missed the cold and the snow until the past week or so. It's been cold without any snow, and I've been hoping and hoping for snow. Finally I have enough to cover the ground, I'm so happy!

Sadly, they're talking about a warm up to the upper 30's later this week, which means my precious beautiful snow will be gone. I'm seriously going to cry if that happens. Can't winter just stay winter?

IT'S DONE!!!

My gorilla project is done!

I just need to proofread it one more time and turn it in!

A huge weight on my shoulders has been lifted!!!!

YAY!!!

too tired for a title

... manchmal vergesse ich, wie viel ich Deutschland vermisse, bis ich wieder Radio Salü höre, ein Buch auf Deutsch lese oder deutsch sprechen...

... sometimes i forget how much i miss germany until i listen to Radio Salü (a radio station from where I studied in Germany), read a book in german, or speak german...

this week has been stressful. I took a test this morning where I had to know 70 latin species names for mammals (did you know a striped skunk is Mephitis mephitis? And don't forget my favorite: Urocyon cinereoargenteus which is a common gray fox), plus all of the other stuff we've done that sememster and be able to identify a skull and/or a skin and tell you it's respective species name. It was really really hard and I also studied really really hard. I studied so hard I dreamt about studying.

Then today I worked...came home and have been working hard on my gorilla project. My paper is almost complete and will be finished and turned in tomorrow! I'm excited that it's down... it didn't turn out completely as expected, but it was definitely a learning experience!

Next week I have a paper and presentation to give and the week after is finals.. then I'm "free" for three weeks... which really means I'm working, have the zoo to go to, and will be doing research for my next big project - a comparison fo conservation policies in Germany and the US, due at the end of next semester and about 50 pages long.

My life - it's so exciting.

Y.U.C.K.

I did my study skin for my mammology class today, and let me tell you - it was disgusting. I notice sometimes that I have a weaker stomach than I used to have for such things, and tonight was no exception. Though cute on the outside (well, except that he was dead) his insides were anything but cute. Unfortunately the car (or cars) that hit him mashed him up well and ripped huge holes in his body cavity walls. This made some portions particularly disgusting - especially the part where the intestines were ripped open. All the more unhelpful was the fact that instead of it taking 2-3 hours like I had planned, it actually took 3.5-4 hours, as removing the skin from the mashed body cavities was extremely difficult. So not only was it gross, but I haven't gotten any time to do anything else I had planned to do tonight.

Story of my life.

But on the upside, the squirrel is mostly done and all major body parts are intact. I have a leg to sew back on partially, along with a couple of holes to sew up and then he's completed. I could do that now, but I am all squirrel-ed out, and therefore refuse to do it until tomorrow. I also refuse to try to do any more homework tonight.

So what am I going to do?

Go lay down in my bed (I have a bed frame now!), read harry potter, and then turn in early. I work at 6 am tomorrow. Woo... hoo...

It was a success

Thanksgiving was a hit. My mom, step dad, sister and brother in law came up to my apartment where we had thanksgiving dinner for the first time. I made the bird and the salad, both of which were great! The rest was made my my mom and sister and quite yummy. Then we spent the night at a hotel, swimming and playing Uno.

Today we visited and went out to lunch before they headed home and I had to go to work. There were no work orders to do at work today, so except a few phone calls I spent my evening learning the scientific names and their respective looks and skulls for my test on Wednesday. That means from here on out I need to learn 10 more a day to know them all for my test next week. I also wrote the rest of my methods section on my Gorilla Project paper and started the data analysis and discussion sections.

Tomorrow I work, then I am doing my study skin of a squirrel, studying for my test and writting more of my paper. I'm actually on top of things for once... it feels nice.

That'd be cool...

I got off of work early tonight so that I could do a ton of homework, but before I started working on it I decided to check all of my e-mails really quickly. At first there was nothing interested, but I decided to open an e-mail from my professor with a subject line "Education Internship." Upon opening the attached file I found an information sheet for a bird of prey education internship at The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota. As I read through it I had this feeling of, "wow.. that would be great" so I went to the website, where I found another internship available there entitled raptor care and management internship. After reading through that one, I was really excited.

I've been slowly looking at possible internships or ideas for the summer, and as of yet I haven't found anything really interesting. Tonight I wasn't even looking for anything, and I found something that I think I would really love.

Now I realize that I haven't even applied for the internship yet and even if I do, it doesn't mean that I would actually get the internship - but as I already have 4 months experience at a bird of prey park (in Germany) and am really considering going back there for another few months (if they'll take me back), wouldn't it be awesome if I got the chance to get this internship during the summer as well?

I've been considering taking my career in the direction of education and showing animals - maybe even raptors (though I never originally thought that's what I would want to do). Wouldn't it be awesome if God had that in store for me?

Like I said.. I know it's a long shot and there's a very good chance I won't get the internship, but I think I'm going to try my best to get it.

I was just so excited over the mere possibility that I had to tell someone about it.

My Normal Life

Woke up this morning, and headed to the zoo - running behind agian...

on the way to the zoo I take a side road instead of the main one through town and see a dead squirrel** in an intersection. I stop, go back and snatch him up - of course I checked him to make sure he was in good shape first. Pulled his hair, none came out. I decide he looks good and stick him in a plastic bag I had been keeping in my car for just this purpose.

A minute later I'm talking on the phone with my step-dad, letting him know he doesn' t have to shoot me a squirrel anymore.

By ten I'm scrubbing away black gunk in a spider monkey's enclosure, being serenaded by the sound of gibbons and lemurs, while the two spider monkeys play in the enclosure next to me.

At noon it's off to subway to pick up lunch for Aram, the other keeper at the zoo I worked with today, and meanwhile I talk to my fiance in Germany, for a quick hello before it's back to work.

In the late afternoon I'm up giving a bottle to one of the spider monkeys, and feeding the others before giving hay to the Elands and Zebra...

Then it finally occurs to me as I walk up the stairs to my apartment, carrying my dead squirrel and feeling it's fur in awe - my life is anything but normal.

And do you want to know the funny thing? Other than having a dead squirrel - this was a normal day in my life!


** Just so you all don't think I'm crazy - the dead squirrel is for my mammology class. I have to make a study skin; which means I get to skin it and stuff the skin.

Under the Weather

hello, all. I apologize that it's been so long since I've posted anything. My life has been a dizzying whirlwhind of tests, homework, work and interning and I'm suprised I'm still alive through it all. The next couple of weeks are just as busy, so my posting in the next few weeks will probably be minimal.

Right now I'm a little under the weather, something I can't afford to be. I slept 10 hours last night though, so hopefully that will help.

That's about all.. I just wanted to let you all know that I do still exist.

My Big News

For those of you who I haven't told yet, I have BIG news!

I will be graduating college on May 11, 2007 with a Bachelor's Degree in Zoology and International Studies, along with a minor in German!

Don't ask me what's next on my agenda after graduation...I'm looking into some different ideas, and when I know I'll let you know!

My Own Stupidity

I hate it when my own stupidity costs me money...

Both cars that I have owned have had problems with their blinkers, and until now neither of my cars had blinkers which really worked. After spending a lot of money to get them fixed back in the end of September, my left blinker recently stopped blinking. I thought, gee - I just spent a lot of money on that, why isn't it working again? And I made an appointment to get it checked out.

So there I sat this morning at the auto shop, waiting on how much my car is going to cost me, when the guy comes out and tells me that my tail lights had been out. That's why the left blinker wasn't working...it was a sign that my lights needed to be changed.

I paid them $15 to replace my lights. I could have done that myself. But did it occur to me that maybe the lights just need to be replaced? Of course not...

I hate when my own stupidity costs me money.

Update: Ever feel like its just too much?

As an update for my last post, I want to say that I still feel like overall I have too much going on - or at least, that I have more going on than I would ideally like. However, I did want to add that I still love the zoo...

Ever feel like it's just too much?

That's what I feel like right now - that everything going in my life is just too much. Right now I currently work 30 hours a week, have class full time, and go to the zoo 2 weekends a month and one 1/2 day during the week. Until this last week I wasn't doing the zoo during the week, because I felt like it would just be overloading myself.

And guess what?

I think I may be right. Right now I've already gotten off from work a few hours early both last week and this week, but now with the thought of going down there I already feel exhausted. I'm not sure if it's really too much or if I just need to get more used to it. I would go back to not going during the week, but then I'll lose my internship (they already threatened me if I didn't go during the week, which is why I am now going during the week). I totally understand their point of view - they need us to be there weekly, to keep up on what's happening at the zoo and everything. And I want to be there that much.. in face, I'd love to be there more. But with everything I have going on, I just feel overwhelmed.

I'll get through it though. I have to. I'll just take one thing at a time. And right now, that one thing is going and getting gas and then going to the zoo. I hope I don't have to clean primates again.

No...really?

Heard from a commercial for Linestra, a sleep aid:

"Side effects may include drowsiness."

No... really? You mean, this pill - which is supposed to help me sleep - might make me sleepy? Geez, am I happy you told me that, cause I never would have guessed.

The gorillas are taking over.......

Okay, so it's more like the data about the gorillas is taking over. Yes, that's right... lucky me is doing data analysis for her Gorilla project! It's sooooooooo exciting. For those of you who don't really know what I mean, let me give you a background. Back in June/July of 2006 I studied the effect of visitors on captive gorillas in Zoo Saarbruecken, in Germany. This involved me sitting outside the gorilla enclosure for 24 hours over four weeks, writing down how many people were present, where the gorillas were in the enclosure, along with a bunch of other information.

And now I get to go through that data and find out if I have any results at all. I'm crunching numbers. Which means I'm going through not 100, not 200..but over 900 observations, in an effort to get the proof to back up my hypothesis. Or to disprove it.

I've spent many many hours doing this data analysis, only to be getting no where. At least I feel like I'm getting no where. In reality I'm getting somewhere, but it's awfully slow work. And I don't know how to speed it up... and I'm going crazy doing this.

Once I get the data analysis done, it won't be so bad. Then all I have to do is write up the paper, more or less. And I'm good at writing papers. But this number crunching stuff?

It's driving me craaaaazzzzzyyyy..........

My Pathetic Life

I wrote an e-mail to my fiance last night, detailing about the free and cheap stuff I'm going to be getting when I go to the grocery store today... and I was (and still am) excited about it. Either I enjoy the simple pleasures of life or my life is really pathetic!

I think it's a mixture of both. My life consists of going to class, talking to my fiance (I still think it's fun to call him my fiance), studying for my classes, procrastinating studying, watching a couple of good TV shows a week (Heroes, Gilmore Girls and ER), and making sure my money situation works out - which means doing things like getting excited over cheap groceries....

Don't worry - I do hang out with my friends too! But my life definitely could use some more excitement. And for that excitement, today I'm going to look for dead animals on the side of the road!!! Woo Hoo! No, this isn't a new hobby. I need one for class to make a study skin with. I have yet to find one... that's the great thing about us zoology kids. We have no problem with dead things, and even laugh over jokes we make with those dead things. Like the guy who kept using his animal's skin as a puppet. Sort of morbid - but very funny.

There you have it - my pathetic life.

Simple Pleasures

The Simple Pleasures of my day thus far:

1. Eating toast with peanut butter and apple slices on top. Healthy and oh so yummy.

2. Writing out a check to make a payment on my credit card and being able to send more money than originally planned.

3. Not having Mammology lab this afternoon.

4. Sitting around home being productive, and knowing that I'll get to talk to Fabian today.

5. Sitting around home being productive and trying not to think about the fact that in 3.5 hours I have a meeting with a professor, who will make a decision today that will affect my life in a big way. Don't know what I'm talking about? It's a long story - but this professor will basically be deciding if I can graduate in the Spring or not.

What are your simple pleasures today?

Chris and Lorelei - My Thoughts on Gilmore Girls

I don't know about all of you, but there are three shows on TV that I enjoy watching everyweek - Heroes, Gilmore Girls, and ER. I'm not sure how many of you actually keep up with the Gilmore Girls, so for those of you who don't, my post may not make a whole lot of sense. But, I wanted to get out my opinion on the matter just the same.

And my opinion on the matter is that Chris and Lorelei shouldn't be together. Before any of you fans of Chris and Lorelei get unhappy about my thoughts, let me just tell you that it's not that I'm against them being a couple. It's that I'm against them being a couple right now. Chris has matured and Chris is ready to try out their relationship and see if it can go anywhere beyond the occassional night together - but Lorelei isn't. For Lorelei this is something she's using to hide from the fact that her heart got broken and that she made a huge mistake. She was hurt when she went to Chris, and did something she knows she shouldn't have. Then you had Chris's confession (what exactly did he say? I missed the ending because people were talking), and I think it played right into Lorelei being confused about what happened between her and Luke. I mean, poor Lorelei has always had some feelings about Christopher. She admitted it, way back in season one, that a part of her would always love him. She's always had a weak spot for him too, and now I think she's questioning those feelings and her weakness. She's wondering why it is she went to him that night she gave Luke the ultimatum, and if maybe there's something more to her feelings and weakness for him than she's always thought.

And do you know what I think she's finding out? That there isn't anything more to it. I think she's realizing that all there is on her side are the residual feelings that I'm sure every girl has about her first love. Made even more complicated of course, due to the fact that they've always been attracted to one another still, and that Chris has continued to be in her life due to Rory. Yes, a part of her will probably always have feelings about him, but I don't think they're feelings in the "I want to spend the rest of my life with you" way - I would say they're more along the Max Medina sort of way.

Why do I think all this stuff? Just from the look on her face during and after their date. She loved the movie, and in the beginning the whole concept of a date with Chris and the surprise, but it was written all over her face when they were talking afterwards, that while it was sweet and everything, Chris was not Luke.

My prediction? Lorelei will eventually freak out and realize that her feelings for Chris aren't what they were for Luke, and I don't think she'll settle for anything less than what she felt for Luke. I'm not saying for sure that Luke and Lorelei will get back together (I hope they do), but I don't think that Lorelei will stay with Chris. It may take until December or January, but I suspect that she'll freak out and "come to her senses" some time midseason.

Oh, and how did you all like Logans reaction to Rory having friends over? He didn't look to pleased - but I think it did him some good. After all, now he knows how Rory has felt when he has been too busy to talk. I don't think they should break up or anything (I'm not anti Logan, like a lot of people), but I think it will do Logan some good for him to realize that Rory's life has to go on without him.

I'm Sick

I got some sort of bug or another, and am now sick. I was so sick that I even had to call in sick to work for the very first time. I felt bad, but at the same time there was no way I would have even gotten to work in one peice, let alone working for seven hours. Missing one day of work won't hurt my bills paying at all either.

So what have I been doing with my time off? Nothing, nothing at all. Oh, I have about a billion things to do. I have Botany to read, a quiz tomorrow to study for, a test next week (and quiz next week) to study for, my research project to do, my scrapbook to work on... really just a million things. But what am I doing? Ab-so-lutely nothing. And I'm enjoying it - at least as much as I can while sick. So I spent from 12:00 until about 4:00 sleeping/laying down, and the last two and a half hours just surfing the net and watching TV. I might actually do homework though soon... maybe.

Until next time, this is me signing off.. boo to being sick!

The Results

There's always a routine to getting my haircut. First I wait for a longer period of time than I should before getting in to the hair salon. It seems the months go by, and my hair doesn't look so bad - but then I wake up one day and it's like, "Oh! My hair looks horrible!" Then I decide I need to go get it cut, but despite this, I still wait for weeks before finally getting in. It's not like I have "salonophobia" or anything, I'm just too cheap to want to spend the money.

Then one day I finally decide to get my hair cut, and I make an appointment. From that time on, I search and search the internet, TV, and magazines for style ideas. I usually don't find too many I like, and before I know it I have my appointment.

When I get to the salon I'll usually look at a few more pictures and books, still not set on any one style. I have had many variations of the same hair cut over the last few years - roughly shoulder length (sometimes longer, but never shorter), with layers of some sort of another. This seems to be the best for my hair texture and general face shape, and so still being undecided I usually tell the stylist that I want my hair about shoulder length, with layers. Oh, and make me look cute. Then we discuss the shortest and longest lengths I want, and then she goes at it. I take off my glasses, which makes me blind (I can't even see myself in the mirror clearly) and in the end my hair somehow always turns out looking (at least) not so bad.

Today was no exception. I went in, told my friend the basics, and she started cutting. The result is cute, and with the added eye brow wax I got done as well, I once again feel like a real person. Below are some pictures of me after my last hair cut (back in March!), more recently after I was in Spain, and today after my haircut. I think all three are quite different.













Out of the three, I have to say I like the current one the best (the right one), but I liked my coloring from the summer a bit better (it's dulled a little already, as has my tan). And though I said I liked my hair after my last haircut in March (the far left), I'm not so sure what I was thinking at that time. I don't like it really anymore. Let me know what you think!

I'm Scared

I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow. I know who is going to be cutting it - she's a student at a local hair school who I also work with at Pepsi. She's done other people's hair who we work with and as far as I know it's turned out well... but still, I'm nervous. I'm also nervous because I have no idea what to do. All I know is that my hair looks way better with layers than one length, and also with some very long side swept bangs too. I'm nervous though, just the same.

Data Analysis

I've been doing data analysis for my Gorilla research project all day long. Well, almost all day long. Let me just say, data analysis is not the fun part of a research project. Blah.

An Okay Cook in the Making

Here in the United States, eating has become something that we have to do in order to survive, rather than something we do to enjoy. We don't want to spend hours cooking meals to savor with family and friends. What we want is a meal which is done very quickly, so that we can eat it just as quickly - we want a meal which will make our families full. Growing up here in America, I've fallen into that trap with my own cooking. This is by no means my mom's fault though. As I was growing, we always had good meals that were eaten around a table, and were enjoyable. After I moved out, I found that I didn't care so much about cooking good food - as long as it was fast and tasted alright, I was okay with it.

Then I went Germany. In Germany, you cook many more things from scratch than we do here. Not only do they cook more from scratch, but the meals were also more enjoyable as well. A lot of this had to do with the fact that my fiance can cook wonderfully, but as a whole, the culture is one that enjoys a well cooked meal. I found myself time after time sitting and really savoring well cooked food - something I hadn't done much in the States for a very long time.

Now that I'm back in the States, a goal that Fabian and I both have is to improve my cooking skills. Because we might as well face the truth that my cooking skills stink. So before I left he bought me a cooking handbook, which describes how to do a lot of basic tasks. One of the items I have made with this book is homemade pizza. Not only did I make the dough from scratch, but I also made my own sauce (well, the tomatoes were from a can, but it was close), and cut my own cheese and vegetables to go on top. The end result was a delicious, not too horribly unhealthy meal which I was able to actually savor and enjoy!

Before: After:

Frustrating

It snowed today. I'll post some pictures tomorrow or the next day of it.

A Wonderful Day

My friend Tiffany is back in the states for a short period of time after being in Iraq for a year. Soon she has to go back to Germany where she's stationed, but she came up last night to visit me up here at college. It was great! We went to Applebees and had drinks (I got my first beverage with alcohol in it while in the States! It was exciting!) Monday night. And just for the record by drinks I mean that I had a sangria (yummy. it's my favorite drink) and she had a martini and that was it. We also had appetizers, and they were super yummy too...

And then today we went and looked at wedding dresses. When Tiffany and I last saw eachother in February in Germany, we were both in relationships that we were pretty sure would lead to engagements and weddings - sure enough, we were right. :) Anyways, we talked at that time about spending a day getting our hair down and looking at dresses together when she got back from Iraq. That is what today was all about. We got our hair done (though I don't like mine so much), and went and looked at dresses. Neither one of us knows when our weddings are going to be for sure, but last night and today were the only times we've seen eachother since February and will see eachother in who knows how long. So, we did what we said we would. It was a once in a lifetime chance to look at dresses with one of my best friends in the whole world...

I had a wonderful day.

P.S. No, I didn't buy any dresses or anything.

Its a New Day

It's relatively early on Sunday morning and I've been enjoying the ability to sit here in silence - except for the hum of my refridgerator that is.

I found out yesterday that my friend Tiffany is back from Iraq! She's coming up on Tuesday to visit me, and I'm super excited. I'll only really get to see her for the one day, because soon she has to go back to Germany where she is still stationed. I must say I'm jealous that she'll be back in the country I miss so much - but I'm also really happy she's not going back Iraq.

Welcome home Tiffany!

I wish I could code

I wish I could code, and make my blog look just how I want it. Alas, I don't have time for that however. I tried this morning agian, to put label tabs on my blog by following instructions I found online... and it doesn't seem to work.

What oh what am I doing wrong? And why oh why doesn't blogger make it easy to design your own template? And how come no one told me that doing this stuff isn't so easy as it looks?

This is what I have to show...

Well, after several hours today spent trying to figure out how to make my blog look better, this is what I've come up with. The banner is one I made myself in Photoshop, back before I left Germany. The beach is the one where Fabian asked me to marry him (beautiful, huh?).. and there is the official title of my blog put onto it.

I do find this blog layout better than my previous one, however I am frustrated a bit because I want the header to look like it does now with two columns of content underneath it. One column for my blog typing and one for my profile, links, labels, archives and various other items. But unfortunately I've yet to make that work. And now I'm too burned out trying to figure out the header, to figure out the rest. So until I feel like doing more, this is what we're stuck with!

p.s. If anyone knows how to make my header stay on there like this and have two (or three) columns instead of one, please tell me!

Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time ends on October 29, and I'm excited! Why you ask? Cause then it'll be getting lighter earlier - which will make it way easier for me to get up in the morning. Oh, I know it won't last and that it'll get darker earlier too, but the end of the day doesn't bother me so much.

The woman from the school e-mailed me back. She basically told me that I can't get a reduction or waiver for my own stupidity of not seeing one of the various little things that would have told me of this extra fee. I think the whole situation is stupid and that the program shouldn't be set up the way it is set up. Sadly that doesn't make a difference, so now i get to pay an extra 214.00 dollars to the school. Oh well, I tried to get out of it at least.

I have a test this morning. Wish me luck!

Random

* I talked to a chinese guy last night with a thick accent at work, who yelled at me for five minutes straight because no one had been out to his establishment to fix his Pepsi machine all day long. He was so mad and his accent was so thick that our conversation went like this:

Him: Why is no one here to fix my machine? I can't sell Pepsi. I have to tell all customers that we have no pop. I have called all day long.
Me: I don't know why no one has been out yet sir, except that our techs are very busy people and are trying to get their as soon as possible. Can I have your phone number please?
Him: 555 555 5555. When is someone coming out? I have called all day. Many times. No one has been here yet... (and more of the same for a minute or two).
Me: Like I said the tech will be there as soon as possible. What's the name of your business?
Him: Charlies Grill Subs (which sounds like Charlies Grill & Pub, I think, cause I couldn't understand him at all). Why is no one here? When are they coming? I want someone here as soon as possible.
Me: What is your address?
Him: You don't need my address, I gave you my phone number! What is going on? Where is the tech? He needs to be here now... (and more of the same).
Me: Sir, our system is down right now updating so I need more information from you than normal. (no really, it was down for an hour last night). What is your address.
Him: 55 23rd St S
Me: What city?
Him: What?
Me: What city?
Him: Indiana College
Me: Can you repeat that?
Him: Indiana College.
Me: (writing down Indiana College although I'm sure it's not a real town) What is your zip code?
Him: 44- I don't know it. When are they coming? I can't sell Pepsi. I need to sell Pepsi. (here he yells for a while, not letting me get a word in edgewise.)
Me: What is town did you say you were from?
Him: Indiana College

And that was the conversation, more or less. Turns out the guy was from a Charlies Grill Subs in Indianapolis and had never called all day long because there was never a work order with us or with PCNA (who he has to call first and they call us normally) until I sent one out. Not only that but about 20 minutes later he called again and harassed another agent of ours for even longer, and then another 20 minutes later he called again, but thankfully we knew for sure that the tech would be there this morning so we told him that and he shut up quickly!

Wow.. some people need to learn to relax a bit.

* In other news, I have a hole in my wall just big enough for lady bugs to crawl in. I have killed 15 so far, and I know that there are more in my bedroom hiding. Evil lady bugs.

* I have a test tomorrow that I've barely studied for.

* I got charged money at NDSU for a course I didn't know what charge me extra money. And it's not a measily 20 dollars either - it's an extra almost 400 dollars! Stupid college... I complained to the business office yesterday, and they agreed to repeal the $50.00 late fee I was charged on a bill I didn't know existed until Friday thankfully. Today I complained to another office who was in charge of this $400.00 fee that I got charged and she told me how much exactly the charge was. I was very unhappy. And she gave me her director's e-mail. So, I've complained to her too. They better not make me pay it. I'll keep you posted.

Oh Yeah

I forgot how much work it is at the zoo - and I wasn't even there until 2 hours later than usual! I also forgot how much I love it and how satisfying it is. Now it's the next day and I've slept, but I still feel the tiredness from the weekend in my bones. Just think of how exhausted I'll be the first month or two when I finally start doing a job like this full time! And then just think about how good of shape I'll be in! :)

Despite my exhaustion I was able to memorize all the bones of the skull for my Mammology test on Wednesday. Now I just have to memorize how to tell the different skulls apart from another to decide which order of Mammals they're in... that's my task for today.

I really hate cramming for a test at the last minute, but it seems I'm sort of doing that with this exam. Oh well... next time will be better.

Now I'm off to get ready for my day. Have a great one guys!

I'm at the zoo this weekend, and it's a lot of work. I spent yesterday cleaning out the primate exhibits, the Eland and Zebra stalls, the swan pond, and the outside Eland exhibit. Our little Spider Monkey named Niko eats like a dog and not a monkey (face into a bowl) because he hates getting his little hands dirty. Therefore he puts his face into his fruit and daintly picks out a fruit with his mouth. It's totally cute.

But I better get on my way. I have the zoo again today. :) Then I get to come home and study and do Gorilla research data analysis! I'm so excited. I actually meant that sarcastically, but I sort of am excited to be able to finish up my research.

Have a good day.

I've been so busy of late that I've pretty much forgotten that my blog exists, I'm sorry. I got word about the classes that I'm getting credit for from my year in Germany and it looks like everything is working out about the way I expected. I got credit for 2 Psychology courses, 2 German courses, 1 Political Science course, and 1 Gender Roles Course. That leaves me with only 2 more courses to complete for my International Studies Major, along with my senior project. Speaking of senior projects, I have outline a new project proposal for it - covering conservation in the two countries - but my advisor said it was too general still. So now I get to do research and get the topic more focused in order for it to be finally approved. I feel like I'm hitting my head against a brick wall with this project, and I will just be relieved when I can get it done. Thankfully there's plenty of time, as it's not due until the fall of 07. But still, it's going to be a lot of work.

As for my other project I need to get my bum in gear. I have set a deadline for myself of having the rough draft in to my other advisor (too many advisors to count) by the end of the first week of November. That'll give us about a month to talk about it and for him to critique it so I can have the final completed by the end of the semester. I have a 2 - 3 weeks from now to get the statistical analysis done and 2-3 weeks of time after that to get it written. That may sound like a lot of time, but it's going to be a lot of work and so I need to get busy on it.

I'm also still working 30 hours a week, going to class 14 hours a week (6 of those hours are labs), and studying to take 4 tests coming up (1 mini exam Thursday, 1 exam Friday, 1 exam next Tuesday, and 1 exam next Wednesday). I have the zoo this weekend too... I took a test last Wednesday and although I technically got one wrong the teacher missed it and so I got 100 points out of 100 points. I'm very happy about that. But don't worry, I pointed out to him that I should have gotten the one wrong ( I just spelled something wrong) and he said that since he missed it during grading I still get the points. Plus, in Botany we have mini exams every week and on the first two I got 27/25 and 28/25... in other words I've been working my rear end off so far this year for my grades and it's been paying off. Hopefully it'll continue to do that in the future..

anyways, I gotta get off to bed so I can get up in the morning and have yet another busy day. :)
don't worry if this blog confuses you with all the stuff I have going on.. it confuses me too sometimes. It keeps me busy though, which is a good thing.

I'm Tired of Titles

hey guys. It's been a few days since I last updated and I thought I'd fill you all in on what's happening in my life. Tuesday I went back to the zoo for the morning and then had my lab class there (my mammology class), so I got to spend a while there again, and I officially love it there. Surprise surprsie! :)

Monday and today I got trained in on the phones at work, which was overwhelming but now is better. This evening I spent my first several hours on phones and doing work orders alone, and it went well - so I'm proud.

I also had my first mammology test today and I did well. I studied hard for it, and I'm pretty sure I only got 1 wrong, even though we haven't gotten our results back yet. I got it wrong for a spelling mistake too, so it's not like I didn't even know it - I just forgot a letter.

And that's all there is to report. I've got a million things to do and not enough time in the day to do it in, so I'm going to now go do it. Or at least some of it. Have a good night everyone, and I'll update again when I can.

Exhausted

I had my first weekend of my internship these past two days. The experience was totally awesome. I got to be close to the tigers, spider monkeys and gibbons, and even got my hair pulled by one... and just in general got to be around animals all day long. It was a lot of hard work, and it was quite chilly outside. During the day sometime I was wondering if this is really what I want to do with my life. I mean, I was chilled (I was outside), dirty, tired and my feet were wet. I pushed the thought away and reminded myself that it wasn't so bad. It was at the end of the day, when we fed the tigers and I got to watch them up close and we were getting ready to leave that it struck me - this is without a doubt what I want to do with my life. Why? Because although it's hard work and I may get tired, cold, wet, dirty, my hair pulled, and everything, it was such a great feeling leaving the zoo yesterday knowing I had done a good day of hard work and in doing so had brought enjoyment to people visiting and had ensured another day of clean living for the animals.

Now of course, I'm just exhausted. I have to leave in less than half an hour. Morning came way too soon and my muscles are sore from this weekend. I swear I'm going to go to sleep at like 8 pm tonight.

Overwhelmed

Driving home from the grocery store today and I started crying. Why? Because I realized all the blessings God has been sending my way, and how (overall) great my life is going...

I got into the University in Germany and all the planning worked out perfectly so that I could go for a year. While there I got to live with my now fiance, and really learn that our relationship works when we're together and also learn that he is definitely the person I want to marry. I was able to get a small job, and volunteer at the bird park. I was able to show my dad and step-mom the country and see some other places too while I was there. Then Fabian asked me to marry him, making it definite that he wants to spend his life with me too (yay!). Now, I'm back here and I miss him a bunch, but I was able to find a job that paid $2.00 more than absolutely necessary for me to support myself. I now have an internship which will allow me to gain lots of experience, and to top it all off, the zoo is planning on paying me starting around November or so. So, not only will I work a normal job, but also have a second income as well! And to top it all off, I get to do the internship with one of my friends up here!

I hope everything else continues to go this way... I guess we'll find out.

Now I'll I need is Fabian here to share all this with me... *sigh* but our days will come.

YAY!

I GOT THE INTERNSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got called about half an hour ago by the zoo, and they apologized for not calling sooner and wanted to let me know that they are pleased to offer me the internship! She said if I need to think about it, that she understands, just to let them know as soon as possible and I pretty much cut her off and told her that I didn't need to think about it, I've been waiting on pins and needles all week and I accepted. Then she told me that as soon as I complete the required unpaid hours, that they will most likely pay me money as a part time keeper - even if it's not a lot of money. Then she told me that my friend Sam got the other internship and that they chose the 2 of us out of 7 people!

I get to work at a zoo!

*does a big happy dance around her apartment, grinning*

Um... can someone help me?

Though I spoke way too much english while abroad, I still find myself not always remembering what certain english phrases or words mean. The week before last I had to ask what concentric meant and now, I don't really know what this sentence means for my homework:

"Callicott suggests that Muir may have secretly pondered if species have inherent value."

I know who Callicott is, and who Muir is and what inherent value is, but does secretly pondered mean that he may have not been 100% convinced that species have inherent value? I'm confused...

And another thing I do a lot - is not know how certain english words are spelled or capatilized. In German you capatalize nouns, while the letter "I" is not captilized. So a sentence would look like this:

"Should i go to the Market?"

instead of:

"Should I go to the market?"

Hence the reason, why I don't have any idea what words in English should be capatalized or not. I mean, should "English" be capatalized?

Anyways.. back to homework I go. Maybe someday I'll figure it all out.

I've Survived

It's official, I survived my first day working at Pepsi Bottling Company. I actually work for a division within Pepsi Bottling Company called PepsiConnect. But in the end they're all the same. At least from my entry level position point of view. I work in the phone services department. That means that if you have dispensers from Pepsi and you have problems with it you call a service number. That person on the other end of the service number? That's me. Not only do we take calls, but we also enter in work order information into the computer too. Which is what I learned how to do yesterday. On Sunday or Monday I get to start learning phones.

It's not so bad there though. There's lots of benefits including free merchandise, paid time off for every month of perfect attendance, free shirts for every quarter of free attendance, bonuses each month if you've done a certain amount phone calls and work orders, AND I get paid weekly, which I like. So, it's pretty exciting and the people seem nice overall. I even either get my own desk or will share a desk with one other person. Which is cool as well.

For the next several weeks my schedules is working 7 hours Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and working everyother weekend for 9 hours on Saturday and Sunday. Which works for me. It's actually quite nice, because it means that on Thursdays all I have is a lab in the afternoon and IV in the evening. And I'll also have Tuesday evenings free as well. So, although I'll be busy I'll still have my down time. The weekends I don't work and Tuesday mornings are the times I'll go to the zoo an hour away if I get the internship.... but...

No word yet on the zoo. I'm waiting (im)patiently to find out, still praying that I'll accept whatever God's will is. Hopefully I'll get word on Monday.

Make the Voice Go Away

Upon going through all of my junk from pre-Germany days, I came across a pamphlet I received with my general biology text book (back from freshman year, gasp!) entitled, "Essential Study Skills for Science Students." Though I remember breifly skimming it and thinking that I should probably read it, I never did. At least not until the other day.

After skimming it again earlier this week and reading a few sections, I decided that I spend far too much time reading chapter after chapter in all of my text books. Unfortunately reading comes with a biology major, but according to this pamphlet (and lots of other sources) there is such a thing as speed reading, which is just as efficient as reading. So I decided to give it a try. Little did I know how much work it is.

In order to speed read, a person needs to stop reading everything with a little voice in their head. What voice you say? Well, think about it as you read this - is there a little voice which reads these words to you? Yes? Well, no worries - most of us are like that! Me too! The first trick is to stop hearing the little voice. Make it shut up because you don't need it to read. Surprised? Me too! The pamphlet tells you to just keep reminding yourself not to talk to yourself mentally while reading in order to kick the habit but they don't tell you how hard it is! Seriously, about every other line I have to tell myself to shut up. I'm even reading mentally as I type this. It's like attack of the mental voice!

So, what else is there to it? Focusing on a group of letters at a time instead of just one at a time. That's tough too. But I really would love to be able to read faster and still comprehend stuff just as good. I already read fast enough, but when I have chapter after chapter to read, faster is always better.

Now I sit reading this for my classes and attempting to make myself practice my new forming skills. They don't tell you how hard it is. It takes just as much brain power as the reading does. I'll let you all know how it goes.

What a Day

Today was a not so good day, due to a bunch of little things that made me sort of cranky. I do go in for orientation at my job tomorrow though, so that was a highlight. As was talking to my fiance. It's so much fun being able to call him my fiance. :)

Now I have to be productive. And I really don't want to but...

Tomorrow will be a better day.

I'm so frustrated

Frustrating things:

1. I completed all the requirements for a German minor while in Germany and am now only waiting to officially get all the credits transferred. Today I went to the office of registration and records to officially declare it as a minor, only to find out that they don't offer the minor any more. It's so dumb.

2. I got a job, got a drug test that was required before I could start, whose results should have been given to the company that hired me yesterday at the latest, and I still haven't heard when I can start. Hi, my name is Mindy and I need to start working so I can pay my bills. So... can you please call me, person in Human Resources... or answer your phone when I call you?

3. This isn't frustrating but I'm anxious to find out if I got the internship or not too. Sigh.

Oh my gosh!

Update:

I am back from my interview, which went very well. My friend Sam is also a Zoology major and is looking to go into the same field as I am, Keeper work, so we both went and had an interview together actually. We talked with both the director and the curator and both seemed to be pretty impressed with our previous experience, passion for the field, and personalities. They have two more interviews tomorrow or Thursday and we should be hearing something by Friday or Monday at the latest. The zoo itself looks pretty good and is AZA accredited, which is a huge bonus. It takes an hour to get there on the freeway or an hour and a half on the back road, and my commitment would be a couple of weekends a month and at least 1/2 a day during the week most likely, which I should be able to work out. Anyways, pray for me that it will work out, if that's God's will. I'll let you all know more as I know more.

I have an interview for an internship at Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton, North Dakota today at 2:00 pm! I'm so excited! I'll let you all know how it goes!

Steve Irwin

The great australian Steve Irwin of "The Croc Hunter" fame died this weekend after being stung through the heart by a stingray while doing some diving for a documentary he was filming. Though made fun of by many, Steve Irwin was a very smart and intelligent man. His shows, documentaries, and zoo have been successful since the early nineties and he will be a man severely missed by many.

Like others who choose to work with wild animals for a living, Steve Irwin met his fate through a wild animal. Though often portrayed as a cute and cuddly job on TV, working with animals is anything but. There is a lot of hard work involved, the pay isn't always very good, and you are always working in danger of wild animals - because no matter how tame they are, those animals are always wild. People get bit, scratched and some times killed by the animals they are trying to help or document.

So why do we do it? If it's so dangerous, why do so many people want to get into that field? I can't speak for anyone else, but if I can better the life of just one animal or contribute to the field of animal conservation just a little, then all of the studying, hard work, and danger* I've been in just being around these animals will have been more than worth it.

Steve Irwin was a brilliant man who I respected greatly in his life. May he rest in peace.

(* This is a dangerous field, however the men and women who choose to work it are not in constant danger. It's just more of the chance of an animal feeling threatened and attacking you, which sometimes happens. This is a dangerous job - but I don't want anyone freaking out and thinking that I'm just going to go and get myself killed in a zoo someday. The amount of deaths of keepers and wildlife managers from animals isn't large, but it is a danger and reality that everyone lives with who wants to work in these fields. A reality that we all accept.)

Improvements

Over the last several days some very small but very significant changes have been made to my apartment. Here's a listing of them:

1. Sheets were turned into makeshift slipcovers for my chair and couch. They're not perfect but it makes my living room look a lot better!

2. A coaxial cable was bought and plugged in, which means I still get the same 4 channels as before (sadly, no WB) but now they come in much better and I don't have anntenna ears sitting on top of my TV looking dumb anymore.

3. Sink Scents were bought. These are drain plugs for your kitchen sink, which smell good. No more using really old ones which I was afraid might kill me.

4. My DVD player on my computer was fixed. Now I can watch Gilmore Girls in German! Which I have been doing, and it's been wonderful. My old German teacher is going to give me some more movies and I can't wait to watch them.

Small but big improvements. I'm happy.

I'm all yours

Pop on over to Just a Girl to read my good bye post. I've decided to close that site, and though it will remain on the web for some time, I will no longer be adding new posts to it. Stay tuned here for all the new happenings in my life!

Oh, and did I tell you? I got a job!

Improv Everywhere

So, recently I was on Tiny Kingdom where I came across her link to You Tube. This link went to a video by Improv Everywhere, a group based in New York who do a bunch of incredibly funny things. They have a video where 80 of their members walk into a New York city Best Buy in blue polo shirts and khaki pants and just stand around. Or a time when a bunch of people check in their bags to a check counter at a library or other establishment and a bunch of people outside call all the phones at the same time... just some weird and silly stuff, that's also funny. Go check it out! (Click here to go to their site).

Question: How does a poor person afford a bulletin board?

Answer: They use cardboard that they got pretty much free, tape newspaper to the back to make it thicker, then tape the entire thing to the wall with scotch tape. Total cost of bulletin board: $1.99 which I had to spend anyways (cardboard came in an envolope I had to buy to sell my text book). If I had some cloth I'd put that on there too. That'll have to be the next step...

Am I going to die?

Now I'm a zoology major who is planning on working at a zoo as a keeper after graduation. I've spent three years working at boarding places for dogs and cats where I've spent most of that time cleaning up things a lot of people don't like to think about. There aren't too many things that gross me out, except for the sink plugs for my kitchen sink in my apartment (see pictures).












But seriously? Everytime I look at these things or use my sinks, I wonder if there is some sort of bacteria or virus or something living on them and if they're going to kill me. I think the first thing on my list of things to buy for my apartment needs to be: new sink plugs.

I've ALMOST found a job

I have applied to 5 different places in the last week and a half, with the last application being turned in today. So far, I've had two interviews, one job offer and one "we'll make a decision early next week and let you know". The first job offer I'll probably have to turn down due to the schedule not working too well with mine, but I have a very good feeling that one of the other four places will hire me.

So, keep me in your prayers and thoughts everyone, and cross your fingers for me, cause I've almost found a job!

After many hours of searching and decision making, I've finally taken the plunge. I've signed up for cell phone service.

I will soon be the owner of a new (free) cell phone from T-Mobile, with 300 anytime minutes and unlimited weekend minutes.

It should come by Tuesday, so I'll let everyone know my number when I get it.

P.S. It's thunderstorming.

Cleanliness

My kitchen is cleaned. Last night I washed every dish, dried it and put it away (cause they needed to be washed, they'd been sitting around for a while).

My living room is cleaned. I put all the papers in a pile to be filed, next to my file box and set up my "desk", which is really a small shelving unit which is being used for a desk because I can't afford to buy a desk.

My bathroom is cleaned. But that has been since I got here.

And I'm working on the rest.

The view from my living room window of my new apartment. 

I'm Here

Well, I've survived the first two days in my new place. It's old, there isn't any carpet and there are stains and what not everywhere. Without cable my TV gets in three whole channels, each one staticky. My stuff hasn't gotten unpacked yet... but at least it's my own apartment.

I'm Moving

I'm moving into my apartment today at college. It's a one bedroom, with a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and office/dining area... I'm excited and nervous and can't believe that all my dreaming of what it would be like will happen today... *takes a deep breath* I wish my fiance was here to enjoy it with me...


p.s. I lived with my then boyfriend in Germany... on July 31 he asked me to marry him. Yep - I'm ENGAGED! :)

Introductions

Though there are many things in the world today that I do not approve of, one of the things I do approve of is the blog. Blogs have helped people stay updated on eachother's lives, tell their life story, preserve their memories, publish a book, and make a living. This blog is just the same.

I am a university student in the midwest who recently came back from studying abroad in Germany. I spent the last 13 months there and have returned to the United States to finish the last year and a half of college here in the States. If you are interested in my adventures abroad go here, where you will find my blog which served me well the entire time I was gone.

To those of you who are coming here for the first time, I want to say welcome and I hope you enjoy my writings. For those of you who are traveling here from my last blog, I hope you continue to join me in the next chapter of my life. :)