The Final Countdown

No, this will not be another blog in which I rewrite all the words to different songs. Sorry to have put you through that last time. No, no, this blog will be a happy ranting about the end of the semester. (Happy ranting? Indeed.)

There are 4 more weeks left in this semester.

Ohmigash.

[Enter panic mode...Now]

I cannot believe that this semester is coming to an end. Even more, I can't believe I have so much to do before Christmas break. My list contains 5 exams, 2 projects, 1 presentation, 1 paper and 1 Saturday class.

Phew!

Thank goodness Thanksgiving and my birthday fall somewhere in that mess!

Aside from the crazy 4 weeks that lie ahead of me, I am so excited to finish this semester. I can't wait to get more clients next semester. I have loved working with my little client these past couple of months. Ahh... 2011. It's sure to be a good year.

In other news, Maggie is still growing. As much of a pain as she was when she was little, I really miss the little fur ball that wobbled all over our apartment. She's pretty awesome now, but definitely not as...uh...poofy as she once was. I like poofy puppies.

And with that, I leave you with this hilarious video of little Maggie playing with Ginny (who has since gone to a better home in Idaho).

Ohhhh!! The fuzzy cuteness of it all!

Sing, Sing A Song!

Well, folks, after 8 weeks of breakouts all over my chin from constant stress, I finally feel like I'm getting a hang on graduate school. I have survived 3 tests and made it through a lot of time-consuming projects. I have transitioned from being a passive observer in clinic to taking data, writing reports and even planning a few activities. I have noticed my stress level decline as I have found a great balance between school and life. I'm feeling happy and healthy. I feel good. I knew that I would. So good, so good, I ain't feeling blue!

buh, Buh, BUh, BUH YEAH!!

Here is my breakthrough formula for graduate school success:

7-8 Hours of Super Slumber-ful Sleep
It does wonders for those bags under my eyes and caffeine cravings! I welcome Mr. Sandman to bring me a dream, to make him the cutest that I've ever seen. Please build up my self esteem with your magic beam, Mr. Supreme. Seriously, Mr. Sandman, bring me a kick-butt dream that doesn't make me scream. Or make me wake up sweaty. Does this happen to anyone else? Anyone? Anyone? Nope? Just me? ...Awkward...

More Fun Times Full of Joy and Joyness With the Bobby Boy
Specifically? Having impromptu pouncing and wrestling matches, taking Maggie on walks and watching her spash all the other dogs at Tanner Park (she hasn't quite got the doggy paddle down and does more of a 'panic paddle'), and watching Doctor Who when we both know we should be studying. I just love my hubs. Is it in his chest? Oh no, no, no, it is not. In the way he's dressed? Oh no, that's just his ascot*. If you [shoop] wanna [shoop] know [shoop] why [shoop] he [shoop] loves [shoop] me [shoop] so it's in his kiss. That's where it is! Oh yeah!

Daily Jamming To Female Power Ballads
I have found great stress release by rocking out at work, inbetween classes, and while driving home to some good tunes. Any upbeat song will do, but I can't get enough of female power ballads. If you know me well, you know that I will listen to the same song over and over and over again. So you better believe that I've been listening to the same few songs continuously for the past few weeks. I can't quite seem to get these lyrics out of my head:

Til now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
But now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone?

Sheesh, Heart. All you have to say is, "would you like to be alone with me?" What a silly question.

We can't afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It's a do or die situation
We will be invincible

Clearly this song is all about surviving grad school. Cleary.

There are a few more tunes running around in that noggin of mine, but I think this post has put plenty of songs in your head. I'm going to head to bed, get up tomorrow and take Maggie to get spayed. I feel bad for the furry little lady. She's never gonna be a puppy momma. Thank goodness songs can fix those sad times! Here's my Maggie song:

(Bob would like to mention that he helped write this song. We are talented folk, we are).

Maggie Dooooooog
She's not a vegetarian
(Maggie Dog, Maggie Dog, Maggie Dog)
Maggie Dooooooog
Sometimes she eats carrion
(Maggie, NO! Maggie, NO! Maggie NO!)
She loves us home
She hates to be alone
She likes red meat
And she sure likes the bone!


*Bob does not wear ascots....yet.

Skool Eated Me

Notice how I haven't posted anything in a long time on here? Yeah, grad school ate me. Luckily, it spit me back up for a couple weeks to catch my breath. Next week is the all glorious, beautifully wonderful Fall Break. I cannot tell you how much I need a week off from school. Granted, I have 2 tests (1 on Monday, 1 on Tuesday) right after we get back, but the break will still be fantastic. I love school breaks. Remember how I met my Bob on Spring Break a couple years back? Awesome. Breaks are full of opportunities. Camping? Maybe. Lagoon? A good possibility. Sleeping in and taking lots of naps? Definitely. I suppose I'll have to throw in some studying here and there, too.

I survived my first grad school test. It was hard. Really hard. I studied my brains out, and spent close to 2 hours to finish an exam only worth 50 points. Did I mention that we can only miss 10 points to pass the test? If we get lower than 40/50 we have to retake it. Yikes! I'm praying so hard that I passed. The test was bad enough the first time around. A second time could possibly kill me.

Aside from classes keeping me busy, working in the clinic is awesome. I am a student apprentice this semester, and it is wonderful to finally be doing something hands-on. I feel like I am learning a lot from the second year clinician. It's nice to be reminded why I am spending a truck-load of money on this education.

Speaking of graduate school, I've been gaining weight this semester. I've been pretty small my entire life and am now freaking out that my waist is all squishy. A bunch of my clothes aren't fitting anymore. Last week I went to put on some really cute pants to wear to the clinic and I couldn't button them up! After sulking for about 3 minutes, I grabbed some khaki pants to wear. Guess what? These ones barely buttoned up, too! They looked painted on they were so tight. My behind has definitely grown a few inches...and maybe my hips, and definitely my waist, and my (cough, cough) chest. I'm not so sad about that last part (and I'm sure Bob's not too sad about it either), but all the rest makes me quite upset. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't mind gaining a few pounds. I feel like I look stronger when I'm not skin-and-bones. What upsets me is when good clothes don't fit anymore. I'm usually happy wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and tennies, but I have to dress-up for clinic. I don't really have the money to purchase a new wardrobe because my life has become sedentary. Oh the sadness.

So after weeks and weeks of whining to Bob about my squishy-ness sin pregnancy (I really do fear that my tummy looks like I'm newly pregnant. Trust me. I'm not), we've decided to both get in better shape. The remedies?

No more soda.

Wow. This may truly be the hardest thing for me to cut out of my diet. I love soda. I crave soda. In the middle of a 3-hour class I'm dying for a bit of caffeine. I am almost through my 3rd day without any high-sugared beverage and am going strong. Wish me luck!

Next on the list: become more active.

I don't have a ton of time to go to the gym. With class, work, clinic, and home life, stopping by the Fieldhouse seems out of the question most days. I usually go to Zumba on Wednesdays with my good friends Andrea and Kassidy, but have missed it the last two weeks due to, shock!, school. So from here on out I will plan studying accordingly to make it to Zumba each week. Besides getting some exercise, it is a good stress release from my crazy life. Aside from Zumba, I'm attempting to do something, anything active each day. If that means doing jumping jacks in my living room, so be it. I had some extra time today, so Maggie and I went on a long walk around the neighborhood. The weather was perfect for a good stroll, and Maggie came home and slept while Bob and I made dinner. Good stuff.

So that's pretty much it for now. I am alive, and most days that's good enough for me. Bob is rocking law school, as always. Maggie is growing, and so much fun to have around. We are really, really, really, really, REALLY busy, but happy.

Goodnight, Internet. I'm going to watch Simpsons and cuddle with my furry child and tubular hubby.

In My Next Life I Wanna Be a Dog

How are fish able to swim upstream to spawn? I mean, granted, the continuation of their species depends on it, but why upstream? What's so bad with finding a nice little pond downstream to make new fishies?

I kinda feel like a fish right now. Swimming my little heart out to get up the next waterfall. I'm not sure how much progress I'm making. Dang waterfalls. Just when I manage to wiggle my way up one (and trust me, it's a daunting task), there is another one waiting just around the river bend...

"Waiting just around the river bend! I look once more, just around the river bend, beyond the shore, somewhere past the sea. Don't know what for...why do all my dreams extend just around the river bend?"

It's okay, Pocahontas. I'm right there with you. You and life, me and grad school. Let's be friends.

(But I should let you know now that when my hair blows in the wind I don't have blue streaks in it like you. Hopefully this doesn't make you think less of me.)

I'm pretty sure that in my next life I'd like to be a dog (granted, I don't believe in reincarnation, but hey, let's pretend, eh?). Maggie doesn't spend every available moment reading, highlighting, and scribbling in 4 ginormous, expensive textbooks. I go to bed each night around 1am about to pass out from exhaustion. Maggie takes approximately 5 naps a day and is out cold by 10pm. I worry about anything and everything ahead of me in grad school. Maggie only worries about whether she can get away with eating one more fallen apple from the front yard tree.

Better yet, can I be a dog now? Graduate school in Speech-Language Pathology is keeping me so busy. Too busy. Every day after class, work, and clinic I plop down on the couch and work, work, work. But even after spending 5+ hours each night studying I feel like I barely make any progress. Stupid waterfalls.

So when does this get easier? When do I finally go to sleep feeling like I have 'caught up' with school work? Will I ever reach the elusive pond that brings job security, a steady salary and benefits? Let's hope so. I guess I signed up for this educational marathon the day I received my acceptance letter. By accepting the offer to attend grad school I accepted the stress, sleep-deprivation and frustration that comes with the territory. I suppose I should press forward and tackle grad school with my highlighter held high!

Still doesn't change the fact that I'd rather be napping in my crate than sitting through a three-hour class right now...

Presenting...

Priscilla Neve

University of Utah Graduate Student

Speech-Language Pathology

Class of 2012

Even though I felt silly taking this picture, it was necessary to document my first day as a grad student. Do I look more grown up?

It begins. The next two years will be filled with reading, researching, writing, staying up late, studying, and spending time in the clinic. I think I'm ready. I hope I'm ready. I better be ready.

I am feeling: excited, nervous, anxious, worrisome, tired, happy and broke.

The first week of school was: a new adventure at the University I know and love.

 

I am wondering about: whether or not I want to write a Thesis. Talk about a lot of work.

I look forward to: seeing clients in the clinic and finally getting the hands-on instruction I've been anticipating.

I am most worried about: not being able to give Bob, Maggie, my family and friends the attention they deserve as school starts taking over my life. Oh, and getting pregnant before school is over.

I hope that: when I graduate I can say that I worked hard, learned a lot and am ready to begin my career as a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Here I come!

Blisters Are Inevitable

I love hiking. I also like camping. I love exploring and seeing new things with my hubby and good friends. It took all summer, but we eventually had an awesome trip to Zions two weekends ago.

August 12, 2010: The Left Fork of North Creek (AKA The Subway)

I have some pretty awesome friends who were able to get permits to hike The Subway in Zions. We packed up, drove to Cedar City Wednesday night, and met up with a group of 17 people to get our adventure on. Bob and I only knew a few of the fine hikers, but we all got along really quickly.

The Subway was amazing. It includes a smorgasbord of terrain. You begin in the forest, move on to rock, make your way down a steep hill to drop into the canyon, and start wading in the river. Bob and his friend, Chris, were trying to find the way down into the canyon for the group. Bob lost his footing when the trail got ridiculously steep and rocky, and took quite the spill. His left shin has a huge gash down the front of it. Eek. Luckily, he was a sport and managed to press on through the rest of the weekend. After crawling down the side of a cliff, you find yourself lowering down via rope into more water, swimming through said water, squeezing through some tight slots, repelling down a rock face, and sliding down waterfalls. The hike ends by switching back and forth from the river to sand, and heading straight up the mountain to get back to parking.

I gotta say, I cursed that last ascend out of the canyon. After spending a day moving and grooving, the last thing I wanted was to hear my calves cry at the end. Other than that, it was a blast! We met some awesome people, and had a heck of a time. I can't wait until I can do it again! Please enjoy these awesome pics.

The Entrance to The Subway

A Tight Spot...

Beautiful Red Rock. Yay For Southern Utah!

Looks a Little Like A Subway, Eh?

One of Many Waterfalls

Adventure is Out There! (In the Subway, To Be Specific)

After our fun-filled hike we grabbed some [overpriced, but yummy] grub, and camped under the stars. Believe me when I say I saw around 10 shooting stars when I woke up at 4am to tinkle.

TANGENT TIME!

It sucks being a girl in the wilderness. Do you know how hard it is to take care of business without a toilet? If guys have to go, all they have to do is walk off the trail and go. Girls? We have to alert the whole hiking crew, find the perfect cover (usually in the form of a rock or tree), make sure there isn't anything poisonous or spiky nearby, set two people on guard and squat while making sure your feet are as far apart as possible so you don't get piddle on your shoes. We have to dig a whole, wipe and bury everything so the next hiker doesn't come across your little relief station.

Brother!

Now, back to your originally scheduled programming:

August 13, 2010: Angels Landing

Less that 24 hours after finishing up in the Subway, the crew (minus 4 who left after the hike) ventured into Zions to hike the one and only Angels Landing.

Buh ba ba BAAA!!!

We were all tired and sore from the day before, but nothing would stop us from conquering this mountain. I'm happy to say we all survived. Every year, people die on Angels Landing when they fall off the edge. I kept saying a prayer in my head that no one would get hurt. My prayers were answered, and we all did just fine. I love Angels Landing. Despite the fact that the trail feels as if you are going up an 80 degree ramp to your death, it is really fun...

Except Walter's Wiggles. They are the devil and NOT fun.

See What I Mean?!

Other than that, good times were had by all. Here are pictures to back up this statement:

Fall From Angels = Sudden Death

And Here's a Sign Just in Case You Weren't Already Scared

That's a LONG Drop!

Group "Goofy" Shot

We Did It!

I always feel so accomplished when I reach the end of a hike...especially one like Angels Landing. After you make up up Walter's Wiggles, the real fun begins. Chains have been bolted to the rock to assist you as you scale your way to the top. There are some places where one or two wrong steps could send you in a free fall off the cliff edge. It is such an exhilarating hike! I'm am always shocked when I see these young kids that parents bring up the hike. They must be fearless (I'm talking about the parents here). I have the feeling I'm going to be a neurotic mom. I don't think I'd let my kids hike Angels until they were at least 12...or 20.

Speaking of little kids, this couple made it to the peak with a 10 month old baby!! Are you freakin' kidding me? I was shocked, folks. The dad carrying the babe must be extremely sure of his balance. I would never, ever ever ever take a tiny squishy up that hike. Sometimes the things people do boggle my mind.

Anywho, the trip was a blast. I was sad to have to go home. I always tend to have separation anxiety from all the people I'm around on trips. Thank goodness I still have Bob here! Oh, and, it was good to come home and play with my Maggie girl.

Who Cut the Cheese?

Maggie did.

Four times.

In the last hour.

I've taken her outside twice.

No poopy.

Why is my dog so smelly right now?