One year...

Ryan and I celebrated one year "officially" together this past weekend! I was surprised with beautiful flowers at work and when he came to visit, he surprised me again with tickets to a musical! We saw A Musical of Musicals: The Musical at the Rochester Civic Theater and I was 100% impressed by the local talent. We had such a nice night, sitting front row, just laughing at the ridiculous spoof of musicals. After the play we headed to Newt's and split a yummy burger. Friday and Saturday we pretty much just chilled around my place...although we DID spend a bit of time shopping for a new TV! I can not wait until I'm back from Michigan so I can actually go buy it! One of my favorite parts of the weekend was the few hours we spent outside on a blanket both working on our respective projects. I need to finish my second grad class from the summer and he needs to work on his thesis. He had to leave this morning and I am a little bummed about it. I won't get to see him this weekend (stupid MI) and he has two friends' bachelor parties the next two weekends. I'm sure we'll budget the time, but it's quickly becoming the "work" year and I know that means our time together will be limited to weekends. On top of that, we're both going to be crazy busy this year: He's finishing his master's thesis and I'm starting a graduate program in Mankato.

Anyway...this has been the best year of my life and I'm looking forward to many more! I can't even describe how nice it is to finally have Ryan in my life. I've been waiting for him for a long time.

Back at it...

For those of you keeping track, my summer officially ended on Monday. I am NOT complaining...that would be asinine. I had just shy of 2 months off. I'm actually feeling pretty good about being back in work mode. I'm finishing up some work for the two random graduate classes I'm taking through MSU-Mankato (Civil Liberties and Social Problems) and feel very productive in my office at work. Once I'm done with most of that, I can get to work revising my lectures for my fall classes at RCTC. In the meantime, I'm teaching two sections of General Psychology.

My plan with the money I'm making from these extra credits: Pay off debt! The advice I'm getting from my home-owner friends is going to help, as is (I hope) the advice from the Financial Planner I'm meeting with on Tuesday.

All this is in preparation for the upcoming fall semester (and subsequent 5 semesters!) when I'll be both teaching AND earning an Ed.D full time. I'm pretty excited, but am pretty confident that I'm going to lose my mind - although some would argue that I already have! :)

Well...back to work!

A few days of bliss...

Ryan and I just returned from a few glorious days at his family's cabin up north. Let me tell you that starting your day looking out over the lake with coffee and a good read (for me...Harry Potter) doesn't lose out to anything. Anything. I was telling Ryan that I could live in that area with zero question. Maybe in a few years...there IS a MNSCU school up there... Hrm...???

Anyway...we went on a couple canoe excursions and got attacked by dragonflies when we attempted a "shortcut" through the lily pads (Tsetse Flies!?). Bad call. Other than that, we caught some fish (and released some fish...so don't worry!), had a fire, made S'mores, watched movies, went in to town for some shopping and Rafferty's, and just generally enjoyed each other's company. For me, that was the best part. :)

Pictures up soon...I need to get my laptop fixed. :(

Best Week Ever!

This has been the best week EVER!!! Here's what went down:

1. I got offered a second summer class to teach at RCTC! Barring any further class cancellations, I will be teaching 8 credits this summer netting me close to $10 grand in additional income. Whether I teach one or (hopefully!) two, I'm buying myself a new TV and a Wii.
   
2. I got accepted into Minnesota State University Mankato's doctoral program in Educational Leadership! I will start my doctorate (it's an Ed.D, not a Ph.D program...) this fall!! Although my career in academia is still very much in its infancy, I am discovering that I love pretty much everything about education BUT the discipline I teach. Don't get me wrong...I adore psychology and love it when I can really get a student thinking differently about something, but the responsibilities I get most excited about at work are those OUTSIDE the classroom. I love working on program/curriculum development and assessement stuff. I really see myself moving in to administration at some level and/or consulting with colleges on their assessment programs. Also, the Ed.D will allow me to teach in an education department at a 4-year school. Lastly, there's nothing saying that I need to change careers at all. I can continue teaching psychology as long as I want (please give me tenure!!)...which is something I do want to continue. Long story short, this degree will open up some additional opportunities that I am very much interested in for the future. I may or may not take advantage of those opportunities, but they're there.
3. The weather has been beautiful and I've been out on my bike bunches.
4. I get to go to DBQ this weekend and see all my friends and family.

Peace out!

Summer!

Teaching has got to be the greatest gig in the world. I finished up my semester a couple weeks ago (even though I STILL have a student trying to NOT fail...too bad so sad. Do the work DURING the semester! Pulling the "I paid for this class..." card is NOT going to work with me. *sigh*) and have comfortably slid into summer break. This year is a little different than last though...instead of the WHOLE summer off, I technically really only have about a month and a half. I know, I'm sure you're weeping for me. :) I actually have a pretty full summer. Here's what's on my plate:

• I'm finishing up my duties (hah! "duty") with a hiring committee.
• I will be traveling to Dearborn, MI at the end of July for a major conference and have several meetings between now and then.
• We have at least 3 weddings to attend before the fall. I think this will pretty much mean that ALL our friends are married so we should be of the hook with weddings for QUITE a while.
  
• I will start taking two additional and random graduate classes at Mankato starting the end of June.
• I will be teaching a summer class starting in July.
• I will know next week whether or not I got in to an EdD program at Mankato starting in the fall.

Needless to say, I like to keep busy. Somewhere in the midst of all this nonsense I need to find time to spend with my honey. The summer is really the only time during the year that we get to spend any "real" time with each other and that's even looking less promising now.

Also...Ava and I moved into a super cute little apartment much closer to downtown Rochester last week. As far as I see it, Summer 2009 is off to a thrilling start and is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon. Is it fall yet? :)

So Lucky...

About 5 more full weeks until summer break and it can't come soon enough. Waiting all week to spend my weekends with Ryan is just getting more and more painful. It's such a let-down when we have to part on Sundays. That being said, I need to express how lucky I am. I got a call on Thursday from my doctor saying I had to go in for an additional procedure and some additional tests (this being my first health "issue" kind of freaked me out...) and I called Ryan as soon as I hung up with the doctor. I was pretty much in tears and, as he was already on his way to Mankato for class, Ryan let me know that he would be here that evening. He had to rearrange some meetings and would show up with nothing for the weekend, but he would be here with me and for me. I can't even express how nice it was to have him here. He came with me to my appointment and just made the rest of the day special. He means the world to me and I honestly don't know what I'd do without him.

Oh...and Happy Easter! Time for me to go eat more candy! :)

Iowa!!!!

I am so proud to be an Iowan today:

Marriage Equality!!!