3/16/2007

Here's another internet diary of mine. I've caved. But LOOK! A CAT!






A LOT has happened in my life this quarter. As I posted about, my friend Mick was taken by cancer in early January. It still boggles my mind. I can't go back to the thread I made about it. Remembering how I felt the night I found out makes my body ache. I had no idea she relapsed, no idea she was dying.....now she's gone. She didn't even tell her parents that she had relapsed and had made her decision to not continue treatment until 3 weeks after she found out. I can't wrap my head around the fact that I will never, ever see her again. Never see her great big smile. She and Braden will never get married. She'll never have a job or children. Instead her body is in the cold ground. It's a weird thought, but I'm so happy she is buried at the cemetery her family chose. It's OLD and absolutely beautiful. It's way out in the country. The back of the cemetery overlooks my cousin's farm. Mick was a farm girl. It's the perfect place for her to be forever.

I decided at the last minute to take classes at OSU this quarter. I was going to finish my prereqs for nursing at another school before finishing my BA at OSU. I scheduled my classes the day before they started and spent the first morning of classes in my advisor's office making sure I was on the right track. He informed me that I was close to graduation. I was expecting a spring '07 graduation.....but no. It was possible that I could graduate THIS QUARTER! I was shocked.

I had to transfer some credits to Ohio State from my nursing classes because I just needed empty credits plus a few major classes. My advisor substituted a development econ class for a geography requirement and I petitioned the College of Arts and Sciences to allow a graduate class I took in the College of Public Policy and Management last spring to be substituted for another requirement and after it was approved a few weeks into the quarter I was on my way to graduation! Except for my hairy, scary advanced French grammar class. I have never, ever put so much effort into a course before. I counted the time I spent studying for THAT final ALONE......I spent over 20 hours pouring over material, and it was just material we covered since the last midterm 3 weeks ago! So painful. BUT I DID IT! I'm an alumna of The Ohio State University!

I've been so caught up in the RELIEF of being done this quarter that I haven't really reflected on what I've done during my time at Ohio State. The woman I work for gave me a card today and said something about how I shouldn't forget to congratulate myself on my hard work and reflect on my accomplishments. I graduated with a BA in international relations and diplomacy. My major dept is part of the political science department. Our political science program is ranked #4 IN THE WORLD by the London School of Economics. I was taught by some of the most respected, zany, brilliant scholars in their fields. I learned a LOT. I am going to go to nursing school and I know that is the choice for me, but a large part of me is quite sad that I will never take another international relations or development economics class again, nor will I pursue a grad degree in some facet of public policy in IR. But that's ok. I'm very happy with where I'm heading and I'm very happy with where I've been.

I had planned to get another job or two and work as much as I can while waiting for nursing school to roll around. This all changed quite a bit when I was offered a position as a full-time live-in nanny by the family I babysit for now. I'm thrilled. I adore, adore, adore the entire family. This is going to be a great change for me mentally and physically to get away from campus-area life and in a family routine. I'll be in the suburbs with friendly neighbors. I can take a walk at night and not have to worry about getting jumped. I'll be eating healthy food again. I'll be forced to gt on a normal sleeping schedule because the kids will wake me up bright and early. I'm thrilled. This is also fantastic because I will have NO BILLS other than my personal debt, and I am going to be able to pay it off completely! This is happening YEARS before I thought it would and I couldn't be happier. I actually should be packing right now. I have to be out of here next Thursday and back to my parents' for a month before I start my job after my employers get back from a month in New Zealand.

Blah blah blah. Scroll scroll scroll. Micro details from someone you don't know from Moses aren't especially enthralling, especially when she doesn't shut up.

Kevin and I are doing great. His independent study program is a GREAT fit for him and he's doing really well. We've been spending extra time together lately since I'll be out of the picture for the most part til the end of April when I'm back in Columbus. Via another message board for Columbus folks I caught wind of a group for med students' SOs at the med school. I need to shoot someone an email and see what that's all about. We're going to look at rings this summer. Just looking for now. We're going to figure out where we can get the best prices and where I can find a certified conflict-free Canadian diamond. I would prefer a jewelry store and not the internet to keep our money local but that may not be possible.

Ugh, we had a big scare last week. Kevin was going to a free clinic to volunteer last Friday. He was going to head home that night to get tuition stuff for next year in order. He calls me a little before he's due to be there and informs me that en route to the free clinic, a freaking wheel flew off his car. Luckily he was going about 5mph going around a corner on a sidestreet. He was exhausted and almost had someone else go to the clinic in his place so he could nap and head home. If he had done that, this would have happened on the freeway. The actual event was fairly controlled, though ridiculous and sucky. He was safe and sound but the what-ifs freaked us both out. It was a close call.

K. I've babbled enough. I'm cold and killing some time before tonight's free clinic is over so I can pick Kevin up. His car wasn't fixed properly so it's back in the shop. I am so exhausted. My body hates me after my awful finals schedule earlier this week. I have so much to do in the next few days. My parents are moving me out of here this weekend so next week will be spent staying at the new place and at Kevin's while cleaning this apartment and I have to get my case study on Zimbabwe's infastructure polished and looking lovely so I can submit it to the Journal of Undergraduate International Studies with hopes of getting it published. :wee: