So This Is Christmas ...

I'm officiallly done with school, one A and one B+.  No classes next semester -- I'll be packing and getting my life in order.

I applied for entrance into three Ph.D. programs so far: Indiana U, U of Illinois -- Chicago and American U in DC.  Two more to go: U of WA Seattle and Portland State University. I plan to get those done over Christmas break.  I'll find out in March where or if I'll go.  Obviously I WANT to go, but things are now out of my hands -- I've submitted the applications, paid the fees, ordered the transcripts and asked for recommendations -- now to wait.  wait.  wait. 

Plan B?  Move to where I want to go to school, get a job, establish residency, reapply.  Plan B does not involve Florida -- I'm done here, likely at the end of May.  I want to stay in Florida to see my friends' baby arrive, then pack up and head out -- my lease expires at the end of April, likely will extend that until the end of May, maybe 1st week of June.  No further.

Sister, Boy Wonder and I bought a perfect gift for Dad this year -- a new laptop.  Yes, dear readers, of course I installed antivirus software -- I have grown tired of "fixing" the problems he seems to download regularly.

The Hoosier Guy and I are still together -- stronger with each passing day.  He is very supportive of my quest for the Ph.D. - and although he certainly has a favorite school he'd like to see me in -- he also steadfastlly says that "you need to go where it is best for you to go."  That is both a comfort and a delight - I am blessed beyond words by him and lucky to have him.  Thank you, Hoosier Guy, for being you. 

I head back to Indiana on Wednesday -- for a week -- to see family and friends.  This trip revolves in and out of Chicago due to a freebie ticket from AirTran.  I'll be in Indy as well -- heading down to Sister and Boy Wonder's house for a lovely, quiet Christmas holiday. 

I'm thankful this year for the following:

Friends that make me laugh and who have been there in my times of need
Family who I love so very much
A safe, warm house, with plenty of food
A new love interest who makes me happy and who loves me for who I am
For two great professors this fall who pushed me to do better and be better in my field
For fabulous coworkers, who make "work" mean more than "work" 
For the ability to share my gifts, my money and my blessings with others
The opportunity to get up in the morning and appreciate each day.

Thank you, dear readers, for offering comment, sharing stories and making this blog more than just my blathering.  May you be blessed richly again this coming year.

A P.S. to "Being Defriended" from 12/8

I found out, via an email reply to the email I'd sent him, that I am defriended because he is now engaged to said woman he's been living with and she wasn't happy about me being on his friend list.  Thus, the defriending.

Oooooh, the power I have! 

Now if only this power could be transformed into a big bottle of wine, a roaring fire, the Hoosier Guy and me, that would be worth something.

That kind of power?  I don't need it, I don't want it, I wish it gone.  I'm just someone he used to date for about ten minutes, nothing more, nothing less.

Like I said, I wish him well and much happiness.

The evil side of me wonders what other things he'll have to give up in the name of love...

No Thank You, I'm good.  Don't want that kind of love.  Had that before and I'll never make the mistake of calling it love again.

1 Corinthians 13
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

http://niv.scripturetext.com/1_corinthians/13.htm
 

It's a funny thing, being 'defriended' on Facebook

Earlier this week, I'd noted my "friend count" had gone down on FB, but with folks coming and going, and life constantly changing, I figured it was probably someone I 'gamed' with, not someone I knew.

Whether or not it was this week (or in weeks past), I now know who it was.  It's a funny thing ... this timing.  Last year at about this very time, he and I ceased dating because he was confused about his life and a past love.  At the time, I was stone cold pissed -- upset beyond words -- crying -- the nasty 'boo hooing' one only does when one is truly ALONE because of how awful you sound and look.  Looking back, I'm not quite sure why it hit me so hard -- maybe it was the 'promise' of something good dating-wise, maybe it was because he was (and likely remains) a gentleman (opening car doors and the like), or maybe it was because 'our' dairy queen lady loved to tell me about 'my husband' -- when in reality we'd only gone out a few times at that point, invariably stopping at DQ for a sweet after.  Like I said, looking back, I'm not quite sure what I was all fired up about but I was, at one point, anyway, really hurt that he and I had stopped dating.

Since that time (and shortly after we stopped dating), he moved in with yet another female and has since made a life with her and their collective children.  At last check, he seemed happy. I think that's all you can hope for someone is that they are happy (and I do wish that for him).

I looked him up today because I was curious how his classes turned out this semester.  Yes, he is a student at my college, albeit at the campus north of here, but he's mentioned me a few times in his postings and my colleagues -- often giving them a shout-out when they've been good to him.

And now we're defriended. 

And since that time of our dating, I didn't date anyone until Hoosier Guy. 

And now I am thankful EVERY DAY things didn't work out with that other guy.  I would've hated to miss out on someone as lovely as Hoosier Guy.  Funny how life works out sometimes, isn't it?

Finals Week + Grant Due = Athena Loses Mind

I know it seems like I lose my mind a lot but truly, really, it isn't as often as it appears.

This week -- mega meltdown week. 

I turned in my final for one of my classes -- but still have a group lab assignment and individual final due.  Add in a pretty major grant due (65+ pages of narrative) and you begin to see where my brain turns itself inside OUT.

So -- all of this is to say: forgive me, dear readers.  Yours truly will be utilizing all available brain matter on school and work this week.  We'll go back to our regularly scheduled blogpostings shortly thereafter.