Harry Potter

I got Harry Potter 5 from my fiance for Christmas and finally started it last wednesday (it's in german) and I can't put it down. I read until 2:30 in the morning yesterday..it's horrible. I can't wait to finish it because it's soooooo goood, but also because then I'll stop reading it all the time and can do more homework...

What a Life

Last night I checked into Pracs, a medical testing facility, in order to participate in a study and make myself $1,100 to pay off my credit card/tuition/books with. I stayed there overnight, was bored out of my mind, slept horribly and somehow survived the "chicken breast" (that wasn't really chicken, I swear)...only to find out this morning (when the study officially started) that I was an extra person and would not be participating. I earned $75.00 for staying overnight and was sent home.

The unfortunate part is that no other studies work out for me, and very well will not work out for me anymore. Freshmen year I tried to participate in weekend studies and the first time, I was told the wrong time for my screening, so I missed the appointment and couldn't do the study. That same year I signed up for another one, but my car's tire was mysteriously flat (guy at the shop said it was perfectly fine, just flat) so I couldn't get to my screening or do the study. This past fall I got into a dermatology one, which involved no blood draws and that went just fine. Then I got into this study, got my schedule rearranged for it for the two weekends and everything worked out great - until they told me to go home this morning because I was extra. There was no medical reason I couldn't participate, I was just extra. Somehow I'm thinking that I'm not supposed to do the studies where they draw blood. Which stinks, cause they pay a lot. But maybe in March something will work out - maybe even just a dermatology study with no blood draws.

The fortunate part is that I get to sleep in my own bed, don't have to sleep horribly at Pracs again, and don't have to be bored out of my mind and lonely despite being surrounded by people there. The other fortunate part is that now I can start working out like I wanted to. Tomorrow I go to sign up for a physical evaluation...

Then today I spent hours and hours trying to come up with a research topic for my animal physiology class, only to come up to brick walls every time I would start thinking I was getting somewhere. Already bummed about my lack of a large sum of money I was hoping to get, the frustration of this project got to be too much - so I screamed and yelled at my computer and cried frustrated tears.... and then I decided to do a project on food intake regulation of vertebrates. That'll be one exciting project, let me tell you.

And on the subject of that class, the textbook I ordered for it from the internet never arrived... so I am textbookless and trying to file a claim through E-Bay to get my $65.00 back, which so far isn't go too well. The seller claims she sent it to my address, which is 100% correct (I checked a hundred times) so I'm not sure what happened. Lost in the mail I guess. And now I'm having problems filing the claim. So I wrote an e-mail to the help desk, hopefully they answer soon.

Then I decided to list some books from last semester on Amazon to sell, and put the prices just under the lowest price of another seller (aren't I mean?). When I went to check back on them a couple of hours later, they were already sold! I'm going to ship them tomorrow, then soon I'll have a nice $85.00 check in my bank account. Amazon takes a bigger chunk of commission than some other sites do, but at least it sold fast (the other site I used never listed my books on their market place I don't think, so my books never sold there).

And I applied for a secret shopper service online, so we'll see what happens with that. Don't worry, it's not the kind you have to pay for. I got a tip from someone I know about it, but I'll let everyone know how it works out. It'd be nice to just get reimbursed for spending money I would spend anyways if possible...we'll see.


In Summary:
* Lost out on $1100 because I couldn't participate in the study... :'(
* Get paid $75.00 for the overnight stay... :)
* Make $85.00 for old textbooks... :)
* Sign up to be a secret shopper and potentially make more money... :)
* Get to start working out... :)

All in all, I guess it'll be alright. God will give me the money I need somehow (he's given me some already)...guess He's trying to teach me to trust Him.

Sale!

There's a deal at Cashwise this week for 5 Quaker products for $10.00...combined with a coupon from them for $3.00 off of 5 Quaker products, that makes the deal $7.00 for 5 products - which translates into $1.40 each!!!

So what did I do?

I chose 3 boxes of Life cereal, 1 box of Oatmeal Squares (a type of cereal) and your normal sized container of Quaker oatmeal.

To top it off the free item for a purchase of $50.00 or more is a box of Cap'n Crunch.

That makes it 5 boxes of cereal for $5.60!!!! Usually I can get a small box of cereal that lasts about two days for $1 or a bigger box of plain corn flake type cereal for $1.50, but usually I spend $2 for a box of cereal. Now I have five! :) And good, expensive cereal too! :)

I also am now stocked up on meat (lots of chicken and pork), noodles, rice, fruit, veggies, peanut butter, butter and milk. And I get to make 3 new recipes from my cookbooks that I got for Christmas! Basically, you could say I'm well stocked. I won't have to buy any groceries except milk, bread and lunch meat for a long time. It's the little things in life that make me happy.

Oh, and I made well over my goal of money to pay for debt this month!!! That means other than the Pracs money I get in February, I won't have to pay any money towards debt in February! Well, unless we buy my fiance's plane ticket on my credit card (which we probably will), then there's that, but other people are pitching in to help me as my graduation/birthday/everything gift, so I'll get reimbursed. I'm so excited!

Amazing

This year a small group has been started through Intervarsity (a christian group on campus that I've attended when I could since I started this place called college), that has grown into quite a large group. The group has an international focus.... we meet every Monday and play games and just hang out. It's a christian group, but not meant to preach - just meant to be a place for people to feel loved and accepted.

Last semester I only attended a few times, but this semester I've been to a Monday night thing, and I went to a prayer group tonight for it, and am meeting with them on Saturday for dinner. It's just been awesome to start to get to know some of these people better and to get to meet all the international students that come. It's been a really big blessing in my life and I really hope to continue to be able to go.

I just thought I'd share. :)

Exhausted

Can someone turn the tv on for me? Please? I could do it myself, but I had a hard day at the zoo and I'm cold from being outside, which isn't my fault that God made me love winter but have a small cold tolerance...and well I'm sitting here in my chair and I'm decently warm but I would really like the tv turned on. And since my tv is pre-remote era that means that I have to get up to turn it on, but it's just. so. far. away. (Seriously - a whole 5 feet. Maybe 7 tops.) So, if someone could come over here and turn it on for me, I'd be forever greatful. Oh, and why your at it could you heat up some chicken noodle soup for me and make me a sandwhich? And as long as your here, find me some energy too please. Cause I would really like to be productive and do homework or the dishes or something. I'm really in the mood to be productive, but my brain just can't make me body move. It's too exhausted.

You'd think I'd start to get used to working at the zoo by now. Nope. I'm still exhausted after a day's work. I'll just wait here until someone comes to turn my tv on. So take your time. I'll wait.

Cold Survival

The windchill as I sit here typing this is -31 F (-35 C). With predicted windchills which are just as cold for the next several days, I thought I could pass on a few things I've learned about surviving the cold...

Lesson #1 - Do you know those cute little buttons that you can use to unlock your car? Use it. Don't have one? Then you're answer is simple...just don't lock your car. I am not kidding. It may only take you thirty seconds to unlock your car, but those are thirty seconds that you could have been sitting in your car, where it is much warmer.

Lesson #2 - By a hat and wear the hat. Everyday. Yes you will have hat hair, and yes I promise you will get over it. Hat hair is better than the cold you will feel otherwise. Also buy a scarf and wear the scarf. Wrap it up and hide every part of your face you possibly can while still being able to see behind it. No one needs to see anything but your eyes. Yes, you will probably not look so cute. But no one cares when the temperature is -31 degrees outside. I just ran from a building, to my car - then drove my car for five minutes - and ran from my car to a building, without a hat or scarf. Total time outside: 2 minutes (plus a couple minutes driving in my car but that was warmer). I have been sitting in my apartment for at least 15 minutes now, and my cheeks are still burning from the cold. This is why you need a scarf.

Lesson #3 - Run. Yes you may look stupid. But when it's really cold outside due to the windchill, run to your car/the building/anything else that will block the wind. Why? Because sitting in your car is so much warmer than walking in the wind.

Lesson #4 - Dress in layers. How many layers? As many as you can. Invest in some long johns - even the five dollar ones at Wal-Mart make a HUGE difference. Okay I know, totally unattractive. But once again, no one cares. And for the top, dress in layers. Put on a tank top, then a t-shirt, then a long sleeve shirt, then a hoodie/sweatshirt, then a jacket, then hat/gloves/scarves....you'll be warm.

Lesson #5 - Let your car warm up a bit if you can. Even if you have to sit in your car a minute or two while it's really cold. Why? Cause that squeeling noise it makes when it's really cold and you make it drive probably isn't healthy for it.

Lesson #6 - Drink lots of warm liquids.

Lesson #7 - Hibernate until the cold goes away if at all possible.

Lesson #8 - Embrace the beautifully cold winter. Because there's nothing else quite like it. And you may complain, but maybe like me you'll realize someday when you no longer have such cold, snowy, wonderful winters anymore just how much you love them. Even if they are really really cold.

Good Arguments

In the last week, I have learned that arguing and being adamant about what you feel is right, is key to getting your way.

In situation number one, I was about to lose my December bonus at my job, due to an absence. I felt this unfair, since I had come into work and done everything I thought I needed to in order to be able to go home early. According to management, I didn't so I should not get my bonus for that month. I argued it and gave them my opinion adamantly, stated my reasoning and got my manager to talk to her manager and HR. In the end, they agreed with me and I got my bonus.

In situation number two, I found out that I overdrafted my checking account and now would have to pay a thirty-one dollar charge. Now, I pay very close attention to my account. Sometimes even checking it three or four times a day because I use my check card often. The other day I had checked it, and after it had taken off all of my purchases, I had 2.90 left. So I let myself get a taco for lunch for 1.90. Upon going home I learned that my account still had over four dollars in it (after my taco purchase). A bit confused, I didn't think too much of it, until I went to deposit funds yesterday and I was told that I had a negative balance. So today I called and talked to the bank, adamantly (and calmy) asserting the fact that I pay close attention to my account and their internet site had screwed up - I shouldn't be responsible for that. Then I got transfered to someone else, higher up. I'm not sure if the other guy told the new person the situation or what, but she agreed to take the charge off of my account without me having to argue with her really at all. I think it helps that I have a student account technically.

Final Score:
Mindy - 2
People who try to take my money - 0

My Last Beginning

The first day of my last semester as a college student is officially over. And wow, what a semester it's going to be. ...

Why? Oh, because of this little thing called 21 credits. Yep, that's right. 21 credits, a 20+ hour a week job, and an internship. Can we say, I won't come out of this alive? (For those of you who don't know, a full time student has 12 credits, most people take 15 or 16).

It shouldn't be nearly as bad as I make it out to sound, just so long as I stay on top of things. My classes are spread out by about one to two hour blocks of time. That means I get a block of time to focus on some homework, and then about the time I'm getting tired of that subject, it's time to go to class. Going home between classes is difficult this semester though. By time I travel home and back to class, I'm only there about an hour and a half. Which is totally worth it, but I also know that if I go home it means I will find something more distracting than homework. Therefore I've decided to stay on campus between class and use the time to study.

Here are my classes:

* Invertebrate Zoology - study of invertebrates (like bugs, mollusks, etc) - 4 Credits
* Animal Physiology - study of animal organs and stuff - 3 Credits
* Cell Biology - study of the cell - 3 credits
* Folklore Seminar - a research class. I get to pick a topic and do a paper on it. - 3 credits.
* Anthropology - intro anthropology (study of humans) class, I take it online - 3 credits
* International Studies Senior Project - I research and write a 25+ page research paper on a topic of my choice on my own time. My topic is animal rights. - 2 credits
* Senior Seminar - Seminar for Zoology. I research, write and present a research paper.

Seven courses. four of them will have finals and tests throughout the semester, three of them are just research papers. That means lots of time in the library for me. Right now I'm focussing on my ISM Project. :)

Here's to a last semester full of hard work and great rewards (graduating college is the reward)!

It Starts

And it has officially begun.

No, not school (that's tomorrow) - applying for jobs after graduation.

The last couple of days have marked the beginning of sorting through job opportunities, creating resumes and cover letters, and getting three letters of recommendations together. I must say I feel overwhelmed already.

So far I have a list of five or six places I want to apply to, both for internships and jobs. My plan is to apply anywhere I'm remotely interested in, and hope that one of them decides to hire me.

Tomorrow I have an appointment to go over my resume and cover letter at the career center. Hopefully they'll give me some good tips. Later this week I'm sending off my first official application packets - at least I'm sending them if I get all my letters of recommendation soon enough.

Wish me luck! I'm embarking on a new scary world..

No More Excuses

It's official. I have no more excuses. For Christmas I received a pair of new jeans from Wal Mart, which didn't fit me the best. I took them back a few days ago, and tried on a different size, only to find the other size to not fit too well either. So I headed for plan B - the shoe department.

You see, for months I've been wanting to use our nice facilities on campus to start working out. I've been waiting because I wanted to use the personal trainer services, which would write up a workout plan based on my needs and goals. I feel that this would help me to stay on track so much better, and would get me past my "I know absolutely NOTHING about working out in a gym" mindset. Unfortunately, this costs me money. So wait I did. Then I got the money for Christmas - gym here I come - or so I thought. Next thing you know I'm sick and missing two days of work. My gym dreams looked pretty dim.

Then I looked at my budget, and while I can't afford my orginal plan (5 sessions with a trainer) I can afford the fitness evaluation (it's free! and that's where they come up with my workout plan) and 1 session with a trainer ($15)! Therefore, I decided to get a nice pair of running shoes to workout in after returning my jeans and finding other pairs to not fit me so well.

Now I have no more excuses...except one: Pracs. I was all set to go to the gym today to schedule my fitness evaluation, except I found a pracs study that will fit into my busy schedule. For those of you who don't know, Pracs is a medical testing facility up here in Fargo which tests new medicines. They host a bunch of studies each year, and pay their participants good money to have the tests done on them. Sometimes you take a pill and stay at their facilities for a few days, other times you wear a patch or have a cream put on for a certain number of days. All their medicines are in the last stages of testing, and are quite safe. They warn you of any possible side effects before hand. It's not something I recommend doing a lot of, but let's face it - they pay better than any job I can get, and I really need the extra money. I did a study back in September which helped to pay for my tuition last semester, and ever since have been keeping an eye out for a study which fits in my schedule to help pay for this semester. And last night I finally found one.

After some schedule adjustments, I offically am signed up for the study. I'll have to stay from Saturday afternoon until Monday morning at eight for two weekends, and then will have to go back four days after each weekend for return visits - most likely blood draws. The drug they're testing is for transplant patients, in order to ensure that they're bodies don't attack the new organ. But get this - the two weekend study pays $1,100!!! This means that I'll be able to pay all of my tuition and books for the spring semester. Unfortunately, I can't start my new workout plan until after the study - so mid February. I'm saddened by that, but for over a thousand dollars, I can wait. But after that - no more excuses.

Christmas and New Years Recap

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Christmas went well...I got to spend time with family, some of which I haven't seen since before I left for Germany in the summer of 2005. I also got all the things I really wanted.

After Christmas hasn't gone so well. I got sick from my step-brother over christmas, and it set in on 12-29 (Friday)...I called in sick to work that day and saturday. Sunday I worked 6 of my 9 hours, and thankfully today and tomorrow I have off anyways, so I don't haave to try to force myself into working. The downside of this is that I was sick over new years and not up to drive home to my family. Which stunk, since we had made plans for new years a year ago when I was still in Germany.

So guess who spent New Years alone? Me! Why, you ask? Cause I was sick so I couldn't go home, not to mention the weather was bad so driving would have been not good even if I was healthy. And because all my friends are at home for the winter break, except one or two who spent last night at a bar most likely. Something about going to a bar and being sick, just doesn't sound appealing. My cousin may have been up here too, but I didn't call her..cause I was feeling sick and was tired enough to go to sleep at eight last night. Yep...eight o'clock. I woke up when my fiance called me, and then when my mom called me at midnight to wish me a happy new years. And that was it until about six this morning.

It was miserable. I've never spent New Years alone, and it sucked to do so. I was accepting of the fact that I wouldn't see my fiance for christmas or new years, making this our first holiday season since we've been together (3 years) apart. That I accepted, even though it made christmas and new years less happy. Instead I had plans with family for christmas and new years, to keep my mind off of missing my fiance. Christmas worked according to plan. Then being stuck alone for new years (especially cause I really wanted to be with family/friends for it), blew it and I was a wreck. I watched a couple of movies...and went to sleep at eight. And in all honesty - I cried. A lot.

I know that God has plans for everything, and that it was good I was sick yesterday. Had I been healthy, I probably would have tried to go home in bad weather and that could have ended very badly. But it was still the worst new years ever. Bah humbug.