Donezo!

I finally finished my two grad classes last night! Everything is submitted and done. I'm pretty sure I should pull at least B's out of both of them... It was a crazy idea to take two online graduate classes during a single semester, but now that they're done...Awesome!

Also...Spring semester update: My honors class is definitely a go (with much thanks to my Dean for begging...), I teach 2-days a week, I'll be making more money since I finished those classes this semester meaning I have no graduate classes to take. Sweet...free time here I come!

Storm and Stress...

Holy Crap! I have been "working" on two online graduate classes through St. Cloud State this semester. One of the classes needs all the work turned in by 12/16...cool...I have another week to get it done. I ASSUMED that the OTHER class being taught by the same instructor would have the same due-dates. WRONG! There was nothing in the syllabus pertaining to due dates, but I did finally notice that all the dropboxes close by Thursday! SUCK! I guess I should get back to work...

Also...if you are a student and you didn't do the work for my class all semester and you end up with a D. That's not my problem. Accept responsibility for your lack of effort and take the class over.

In happier news: My birthday/Christmas gift from Ryan was transported yesterday and we spent the entire day napping on my NEW COUCH!!

Perfect Day...

...as long as the results go as expected.

I almost cried after finally getting to do what I've been waiting over a year to do: Cast my vote for my former senator Barack Obama.

It was a beautiful fall day...the kind of day that just makes me happy to be alive and able to enjoy it and I got to vote in the most influential election of my lifetime. Cool.

Vote!

I know that the 2-3 of you that read this with any regularity don't need the reminder (haven't you both ALREADY voted??), but if anyone randomly stumbles across this I have this advice:

Step away from the intar-tubes for an hour and go vote!

Also it's almost my birthday!

Most Awesomest Guy EVER!!

I just wanted to take a minute to brag about how much I lucked out with my boyfriend. I was looking forward to seeing him after a two-week hiatus and couldn't wait until Friday. I called him on Thursday after I got off work from the Book Store and it turned out that he had driven to Rochester a day early to surprise me! He is so super fantastic I can't even believe he is real. I might have made him up... Lucky me.

October

I love this month! Especially when:

• I get to spend a perfect fall day with Ryan riding the tandem bike around the Lake.
• I get to watch the Cubs get swept in the first round of the playoffs.
• I get to spend a long weekend with my girlfriends down in IA.
• I get to carve pumpkins.
  

I love October! There is not a single month of the year that makes me as happy as October does.

Uninspired...

I was hoping that tonight's VP debate would leave me with one of two reactions:

1. 100% undeniable confirmation that Sara Palin is a blubbering idiot.
2. 100% undeniable confirmation that Joe Biden is not just another politician.

I was disappointed on both fronts. While I do not endorse ANY of Sarah Palin's views on ANYTHING, I can't say that she looked like a blubbering idiot tonight. Yes, she needed to quit with all the, "OMG, that's just 'cuz he's a Maverick..." crap, BUT she actually came across as somewhat articulate and legitimate.

I have been a Joe Biden fan for a long time... I always loved how he spoke his mind and wasn't afraid to hold opinions based on reason and intellect. I do support the policies and views of the Obama/Biden ticket and think these two are the men for the job and support their ideas on civil liberties (which is what I consider "Freedom"), foreign policy (diplomacy > armed conflict), energy conservation, and the economy (greater taxes for people who can afford it? sounds good to me!). That being said, Biden left me uninspired tonight. He didn't come across as condescending (which I think many of his supporters might have enjoyed seeing someone over-qualified to be VP put the smack-down on someone under-qualified, but what do I know?). His policies and arguments were valid and articulate and he kept his cool, BUT I saw a politician running for office.

Anyway...there's my two-cents on the debate. I'll have to read through this again tomorrow as I am currently tired and heavily medicated (effing cold/allergies/migraine)...

OH! And also...the Cubs only need to lose 1 more! October Choke? Yes please. God I hate the Cubs.

A Wed Wose...

How extraordinawy! (Blazing Saddles...anyone?)

Anyway...I have been being a total girlie girl today after I got the call from the mailroom at work saying I had a package. The package? A bouquet of 18 stunning red roses from my love! Eeee!!!

Science > Jenny McCarthy

A word to all the whining parents of autistic kids...that life-saving MMR vaccine had nothing to do with your kid's illness. Deal with it. Jenny McCarthy can go back to hosting shows on MTV and stop trying to convince us all that she knows something. It turns out she didn't really know anything after all...which I could have told her forever ago!

Sorry folks...deal with this. I like this link also because it provides an additional link to the original academic source.

I know this really makes me a psychology nerd (and I don't even really have an affinity for developmental crap...), but I just love it when science wins!

Echoing my friend Katie...

Katie has been ranting on her blog as of late about the recent developments in the '08 presidential race (check out her blog HERE) and I just wanted to take a minute to say a big, "Amen, Sister!".

Let's be frank. No GOP candidate is going to be a Hillary Substitute. Yes...it sucks that your team didn't win the nomination, but the alternatives (not voting or voting for McCain) are not going to move this country in a direction that any of us should feel comfortable with and/or proud of. This year aside, OUR team (that is, the Democrats and rationality) has been treated like the neighbor's asshole dog and kicked around with no one really doing anything about it. We gave up the White House twice in a row to a tyrant and have allowed our civil liberties and freedoms to be --oooh...I just saw a blue jay out my window-- treated like commodities and not rights. I'm not claiming to know enough about politics to argue any specific agenda, but I know enough about the type of country I DON'T want to live in to know that the only people I trust to avoid the terror that another GOP term would wrought are Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Yes...I just used the word "wrought". Deal with it.

Also...kudos to Katie for her stance on abortion. Pro-Choice is NOT Pro-"lets kill all the babies". What ever happened to the simplest tenet of Christianity, "Do unto others..." and all that? If you wouldn't want me or someone with a differing point of view to be screaming at you about the error of YOUR way of thinking, why would you do that to me? Logic people...try it. Just because you believe you are taking the moral high-ground DOES NOT make you a good person. I don't believe Jesus ever taught his followers (and I do know...I WAS a Christian for longer than I haven't been...) to go out and berate people who didn't accept his teaching.

There...a post that has nothing to do with how awesome I think Ryan is. DOH! :P

Awesome time...

As per usual, I had another fantastic weekend with Ryan. We trucked it up to the MN State Fair on Saturday and indulged in several culinary treats served up on a stick. We pretty much chilled out on Sunday (exhausted from walking around the fair the entire day before...) and now I'm sitting at Panera. Which brings me to the actual purpose of writing this drivel today: I miss that guy! Ugh...I REALLY miss him. I much prefer it when I'm in close proximity to him. He makes me smile all the time. I have yet to find anything about him that I'm "meh" about...I like him more than a lot if that even needs to be said. I think overall things are just a bit lonely here in Rochester when he's not here... I moved away from all my family and friends for my job here. I love love love my job and the people I work with are great, but as far as actually hanging out with them socially...it's tough. Most of them have kids and all of them are married. I'll be fine again tomorrow when I get back on campus, but today watching Ryan drive away yet again just freshly reminded me that I'll get to spend the rest of the week coming home to an empty apartment and counting down the days until I get to see him again.

OK...this pity party is donecakes. Lame.

Food on a Stick!

I've never been to a State Fair, but that ends Saturday! The MAIN thing I'm looking forward to is "sticking" as many food items that come served on a stick into my mouth as humanly possible! Not all at once...that would be ridiculous. There will be pictures...stay tuned.

Obama/Biden!

Gah!!! I was hoping he'd pick Joe Biden! I've been a Biden fan for a while and am super glad he's running with Obama. Also..."Obama-Biden" just has a nice ring to it. Time to commence Operation: Amass as much first edition election stuff as possible. Go!

Back in Rochester...

As nice as it feels to actually be back home, coming off of such a fantastic (and long) break is going to take a bit of adjustment...especially considering all the wonderful things that happened over break! I'm hoping that having everyone back on campus tomorrow will help. It's STILL a Ghost Town around here! :)

Anyway...back to work because you KNOW I'm still not 100% prepared for my classes that start Monday!

Work Work Work...

It's actually been a pretty good thing that Ryan has to be on campus all week because it's giving me a chance to get some work done for fall...that starts in less than a week! As of now I've got my syllabi done and the assignments for General Psych up online. Now to finish getting my section of Development ready to go and I'll be all set.

I'm getting excited for classes to start and get back on campus...the summer up there is so lame because no one is around! It'll be super to see everyone again and get back to some semblance of a routine...even if that means that I don't get to lounge around with Ryan all day. I got WAY too spoiled starting this relationship over the summer...too much free time. :P

Crazy People Can Sure Ruin a Girl's Day...

You would think that being several months removed from exiting my life would have given someone enough time to move on and concentrate their energy on something more productive than stalking...BUT...I can't argue with the logic of a crazy person.

Here's the gist of a creepy-ass text I got the other night: "Your in for a rude awakening (misspelled and all!). Enjoy yourself while you can."

WTF!? Really? Is ruining my day REALLY going to make someone feel better? How old are we? Come on! (Gob emphasis please.)

Anyway...if I end up missing... :P

Fall Already?

I know I'll get ZERO sympathy from anyone, but I'm a bit bummed that the semester is starting in a week or so.

This summer has turned out to far exceed ANY expectations I MAY have fathomed back in May. The most stellar thing that's happened (and it began at the most unexpected time...) is that Ryan came in to my life and brings out the best in me every time he's around. I think we really did this right and it's paying off for sure. Anyway...the suckiest part is that we can't spend random weeks together once school starts because we're both super duper busy during the school year. I guess we'll be stuck seeing each other on random weekends...good thing we both have the same days off! :D Awesome. It's weird how things like this happen when you're least expecting them to...scratch that...NOT expecting them to...at all. Awesome again.

Also...instead of teaching my awesome sections of Social Psych and Honors Intro, I'll be teaching Human Growth & Development again. Not terrible, but not ideal either. Anyway...back to work. I have a syllabus to write. :P

I'm Sad but I'm Laughing...

You KNOW I just pulled some Alanis lyrics out of my ass for this...

Anyway...

I just got back to Rochester after taking Ryan back home in Worthington which I am super bummed about. BUT...things with him couldn't be going better! He's a pretty stellar individual that makes me super happy. I love it when he's around and hate it when he's not. I'm not going to get any sappier than that. Done.

Roller Coaster...Wheee!

So Ryan was here for a day or so before he headed out to New York for the Twins/Yankees series this week. How jealous is this girl that I'm in MN watching NO baseball this summer and everyone else and their brothers are getting in some games!? My dad just got back from St. Louis after watching the Cards CRUSH those bitch Padres on Friday night.

Anyway...it's really no surprise that I'm totally digging what's happening with Ryan and I love it when he's here with me. The only downside is that after he's here...he has to leave! Dammit!

So that's that.

Block Party!

So last Saturday was, for the most part, the most perfect day ever! Ryan came to Rochester so we could go to the St. John's Block Party...outstanding! The weather was perfect, the company was perfect, and the music was just...WOW! I mean seriously, could I have ASKED for a better day? Methinks not. Music, beer, food, and a pretty swell boy to hang out with. I'll take it!

Also...I officially have a new band to obsess over: Cloud Cult. They're out of Minneapolis and they pretty much are the greatest thing musically since...well music. Any band with a cellist and pure talent passes my test any day!

Here's their website, check them out: http://cloudcult.com/

MEATFEST!

So I went to Meatfest tonight...I'm making a T-Shirt. Aweseome. I tried: Antelope, Elk, Ostrich, Yak, Beef, Rabbit, among others... It was all delicious. I really do feel sorry for the veggie people out there...meat is SO GOOD!!!

Tomorrow!

Visitors tomorrow! Can't wait! Gah!!!

Sunday Sunday SUNDAY!!!

I love looking forward to things!

Distracted...

I've got a ton of crap to do, but can't seem to get any of it done. Lame and awesome at the same time.

Awesometown.

So I was totally NOT looking forward to last week's marathon class I needed to take for work...but overall it exceeded my expectations. Not the class per se...but the people there pretty much ruled. By Friday, the cool kids were running on about 9 hours of sleep for 3 days. Awesome. Anyway...Marshall, MN? Awesome. :P

Double Yuk.

So here I am in Marshall, MN in the middle of nowhere trying to get my learn on for a week with a bunch of people I don't know. Super fun. If anyone was thinking, "Well Jamie, SW Minnesota sounds like a lovely place to whole one's self up for a week..." YOU'D BE DEAD WRONG! Anyway...just have to complain. Yuk and Blech. Double Yuk.

Yay Second Job!

So I <3 Barnes & Noble and thought it would be pretty sweet if I could get a second job working there...so I did! Anyway...extra money and getting my lazy ass out of the house are both good things...so I start on the 16th after I get back from my week-long workshop (blech) in Marshall, MN.

Zee Planes!

So a swell friend of mine up here is an air traffic controller over at the airport and I got a tour of the tower...which was pretty freaking sweet! I must have come at a good time because not only did I get to see a plane land and take off from the coolest perspective on earth, but I also got to see a crazy hot air balloon GTFO of the way of some rich d00ds private jet. Anyway...it was cool as shit. :)

Wheeeee Fun!

So there are some pretty cool people in Rochester. Who knew?

Also...I am officially a Minnesotan! I registered my car today! Motherfucker set me back like $215, but it was something I couldn't avoid I suppose.

Now to get back to work on my accent, eh? Minnesohta. MinnesOhta. :P

I Heart...

...my job and the people I work with.

That is all.

Google owns me...

So I was editing some of my pictures with Picasa (user-friendly and free...LOVE IT!!) and saw this new feature of making web galleries! Hooray! Now I can get to my photos, blog, and email all by logging in once to my Google account! This might not be all that exciting to "real" computer people...but for me it's like Festivus!

Now for the airing of the grievances...

OH! And I was grading papers today and I stumbled across a gem: Something about pain and weight gain being attributed more to "poop eating habits and poor exercised" than to lack of sleep. I totally made a copy (sans the students name of course...) and showed it to all my colleagues. We all had a good laugh. Maybe people shouldn't eat poop. :D

A bit premature...

...but my Cardinals are already atop the NL Central!

Muy Inferioso!

ALL I WANT TO DO IS WATCH THE EFFING CARDINALS GAME AND MOTHER FUCKING MLB.COM FAILS AT HAVING THEIR TECHNOLOGY READY TO GO FOR OPENING DAY! I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR OVER AN HOUR TO GET THE FUCKING GAME TO PLAY AND THE EFFING SERVER FAILS TO NOT BE TOO BUSY!!

MUY INFERIOSO!!

Opening Day!

ZOMG ZOMG ZOMG ZOMG ZOMG!!!!

It's finally here!

Opening Day!

ZOMG!

You know I've got all my Cardinals garb donned for class today!

GO CARDS!!

New Chair!

I never thought I'd reach a point in my life where an office chair was exciting...

But I got a brand new chair for my office at school!

Hooray!

Networking Genius!

OK, not really a "genius"...and what I accomplished is probably child's play to someone actually in the business of networks, BUT...

I Googled, and searched message boards, and put my problem solving skills to the test when I needed to set BOTH of my computers up on my wireless network after I rearranged my apartment.

Anyway, I don't know ANY of the technical crap, all I know is that I generated some kind of WEP thing and set-up my windows wireless thing and now both of my computers are online!

Hooray! i r smrt.