6 Word Fridays: Last

As always, thanks Melissa ... this week, the word is "Last."

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Last year, I contemplated my life
as I sat on Anna's couch
laptop ready, Mount Ranier in view
Oh What A View It Is
At that time, I had placed
an offer to buy a house
here in Southwest Florida. Then -- epiphany.
Why Southwest Florida?  Why not ... anywhere?!?!
Suddenly freed, I opened my mind
thinking what's next.  What I want.
If anything - what? Where? When? How?
It was then, just last year
I reordered my life. Planned "next."

Last December I applied for entry
to four schools -  Ph.D. programs in
four separate areas of the country.
After two "dings," my thoughts were
on the last two. Now what?

Last week I was desperate to
hear from the last two. Anything.

Finally. Good, nay, GREAT news from
Chicago. Going home - I can't wait.
AT LAST - I know. UIC bound!

BREAKING NEWS ----

THIS JUST IN -- ATHENA ACCEPTED TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS - CHICAGO FOR HER PH.D. IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION!

The Final Countdown ...

(da da da da, dum dum dum dum dum, da da da ... ) okay, so maybe the title of this post did not remind you of that 80s song, but it did me.

But seriously, folks.

I received an email on Friday night (which I opened on Sunday) that said the Ph.D. committee at University of Illinois -- Chicago is meeting today and information should be available by Wednesday on if I am accepted or not.

pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

Knowing they are meeting today doesn't make me *too* anxious.  Nope, not me.  Makes me want to send them chocolate, flowers, not chocolate, goodies, bribes, pleas, etc but doesn't make me nervous.

I'm in. 
Or I'm not.

Pretty simple, really.  I don't know if I am but I will soon enough.

If I'm in ...

four years from now I could be approaching that ever-elusive doctorate. 

If I'm not ...

I retake the GRE again and apply for next year.

pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

6 Word Fridays: Counting My Blessings

As always, a special thanks to Melissa at Making Things Up for her continued inspiration on the Friday topic!

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My blessings -- they are legion indeed
Friends, family -- couldn't ask for better
I'm employed -- gainfully, job I enjoy

My house is cold when I
want it to be and hot
when it needs to be hot.
Food is readily available -- nutritious too!
Lights are on, water is fresh
Two darling kittens basking in sunshine
await me when I arrive home.
My clothes are clean, relatively new
I sleep in a soft bed --
freshly made just to my liking.

I can express myself without fear
of reprisal, repression or jail time.

Fresh air, clean water, blue skies
all await my arrival to outside

And -- lucky me -- I've found someone
to make me smile, daily, often
Count my blessings? WHERE TO START?

And you, dear readers, are blessings
I treasure your comments, suggestions, stories
You make me want to improve, learn,
craft, hone each entry like mirror.
Reflecting me, reflecting you, reflecting us.
I count my blessings -- Thank you.

The Oatmeal

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/airplane

If you've never seen The Oatmeal, please excuse yourself from this blog and go ... go immediately ...

I'll be here waiting when you come back. 

Friendship ...

This morning, as I left Mary and Lee's house, Lee said: "We are going to have to buy you are really good gift for all the help you've given us." To this, I replied: "No, just be my friend."

The last week or so, I've been helping off and on at Mary and Lee's house, getting their garage-now-master bedroom into order.  Last week I worked on mudding/texturizing the ceiling, then crown moulding, then last night it was door casings and trim.  Tonight -- likely baseboards, but who is to say what may come tonight.

It isn't particularly hard work -- but it is labor-intensive.  With Mary now 2 weeks, 1 day from baby arrival, she cannot help with the construction any more.  I volunteered to be Lee's assistant, and thus, after work, I change clothes from office worker to construction worker.  I feel kinda like Supergirl :)

I grew up this way -- with friends helping my parents, and my parents returning the favor.  I remember many a day/weekend/week spent by my parents helping with someone else's home project, only to receive that help in return when it was their turn.

I've never thought much about it, let alone thought about a gift for such actions.  Their friendship is a gift to me -- without them, I doubt I would have lasted a year down here.  This has been a hard place for me to live -- so far removed from friends and family.  I came down here knowing no one here, and I've made a few good friends -- Mary and Lee among them.

When I look back to this morning's comment by Lee -- I just shake my head.  Friendship is a give and take.  Sometimes you give, sometimes you take and sometimes it is a combination of both.  To have good friends, you must be a good friend.  I don't want to be any less, nor do I want less for myself. 

In closing -- thanks friends.  You are there for me through thick and thin.  I couldn't ask for better -- and I love all of you.

xoxoxoxx, Athena

New blog I'm following ....

http://moneyning.com/

In my continued quest to be financially "free" -- please enjoy.

Six Word Fridays: First

Our topic this week: FIRST. First try? First in space? Firstly…


...Thanks once again to Melissa for her ongoing inspiration ...
 
If at first you don't succeed
try try again, the saying goes.
That, perhaps, is an excellent thought.
My first marriage -- not a success.
First semester in college -- academic probation
First ride on a bike - CRASH
First dates after divorce -- spectacular failures
First outfit today -- ruined via canine
So I will try try again
Clothing changed -- stopped dating -- ride bike
And marriage? Why not?  First do-over :)
So I will try try again!
 
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If it weren't for this exercise in creativity today, my mood may have been foul all day.  I really liked my first outfit today -- and I don't own a dog.  Thanks, neighbor, for letting him run off-leash in a leash area and for being unable to control your dog in the FIRST place ...  boooooooooooooooooooo

I'm hot (already)

Really, folks, my ancestry is a bunch of northern Europeans -- pale as milk.  My 'people' freckle at the word "sun" used in a sentence, burn to a color known as "fire-engine red" and cannot tolerate heat much above 75 degrees (F).

So here I am in Southwest Florida.

Yeah.

It is "unseasonably warm" right now, which translates into low 90s instead of upper 80s (yes, dear readers, a swing of approximately FIVE WHOLE DEGREES).  The humidity is high -- much like being covered in a sopping wet quilt.  I sweat before I get OUT of bed, even with the air conditioning on.

Yes, the AC is on.  Much to my shame.  I gave in yesterday.  It was too damn hot to breathe in my house without it.

For six months out of the year, Florida is a delightful place to live.  Warm temperatures, low humidity, few insects, copious amounts of sunshine.

The other six months? 

The reason why people leave this God-forsaken state.  90+ every day.  Humidity not lower than 90%.  Insects the size of small dogs.  Blinding sun followed by thunderstorms, followed by blinding sun again.

I am in the other six months now.  I wear 70 SPF every day.  Yes, EVERY DAY.  On the plus side of that 70 SPF every day?  My dermatologist -- yes, I have a dermatologist -- said the other day: "you aren't a native Floridian, are you?"  Translation: I don't look like shoe leather/alligator hide.

In two weeks I should know something.  Two Weeks. 

Life, updated.

The last few weeks have been up and down, like a seemingly endless rollercoaster of madness.  Work has been the cause of that (mostly) -- with endless infighting, 'he said, she said,' and even a side dose of governing board drama.  Yes, Athena is tired, so tired, of wondering what today's news will bring on the work front.  If today passes without a news truck, reporter or other public records request filed, it will be the first workday in many a week without such an event.

I also made a long-overdue decision to quit my alumnae association board post.  I simply cannot give the time required and ultimately I think that position is set up to fail.  I hope that the next person who takes it finds it more rewarding than I did, and not such a chore.

I'm still without word on graduate school.  I contacted UIC last week for an update, and I will hear something in the next two weeks they tell me.  I only hope it is good news.

Last week, Hoosier Guy and his two kiddos came down to southwest Florida for spring break.  They had a nice little hotel nearby and spent their days exploring southwest Florida while I met them for dinner and evening activities each night.  It was wonderful to hang out with them and get to know them more, together, as a family.  They are great kids.  Hoosier Guy is a good dad -- and he parents much like I would, iffen I had kids.  We had lots of fun and it was sad to let them go on Saturday morning.

Sunday afternoon I visited with KC, her baby and husband -- just hanging out at her house and relaxing.  I had lots of fun and enjoyed a lazy Sunday evening with friends.

6 Word Fridays: Right

This week’s Six Word Fridays topic: RIGHT. Right of way? Right this way? Right you are! What right have I…? Right.


*** As always, special thanks to Melissa for the topic of the week! ***

When I think of 'right', I
often think of 'left,' or 'wrong'
or a term of agreement with
someone to whom I am speaking.
But 'right' is also a feeling --
a way of expressing that something
is good, as it should be,
correct.  So when I say that
something is 'right' in my life,
it bears no explanation to most.
'Right' is also a state of mind.
A way of being -- as in
'all is right with the world.'
Although my life has been upside-down
lately, maybe even a little backwards,
ultimately, my life is right on track.
Right with the world, I am.

6 Word Fridays: Again

This week’s Six Word Fridays topic! In enough time for you to actually plan ahead! The topic is: AGAIN. Go again? See again? What do you want to do again? Be again? Again and again and again…


If I've not said it before, I'll say it AGAIN -- Thanks Melissa, I love this challenge to my creativity.

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Again? I think, as I pass
another day, another hour, another moment
without word, of the one thing
I want to know most - again
pacing towards the mailbox, again denied.
When will the word reach me?
When will my life begin again?
What keeps me from starting again --
without word, without notice, without knowing?

It was that moment May 2010
knowing, feeling, reaching, deliberating all while
staring at Mount Rainier.  Starting over again.
Pursuing another degree -- again -- for me.
Making my way, pushing forward again.
That unyielding voice speaking, telling, shouting
AGAIN.  Begin anew. Find yourself refreshed,
renewed, rejuvenated -- again.  Opportunity knocks. GO!
So I wait, (im)patiently once more.
Never have I watched for the
post office truck so closely, intently.
Bring me news. Bring me next.
As I start over, once again.

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