Yesterday after CWI: The Middle East, I finished up my Ethics questionnaire and emailed it to Krystal so she would turn it in for me. I got Matt to cover our Development Econ class, Krystal is taking notes for me in Ethics, and Leslie covered for me in Science in Perspective. I got back in time for Arabic, and that's my whole schedule anyway.
So I drove to The Woodlands, where the funeral was to be held, and met up with Mom & Katie, my sister. We had a little chat about my wedding plans thus far and then went to the wake. It was the first time I had seen my cousin Lorne in a long time, and I met his girlfriend Ashley for the first time. She's really great and we got along well. Lorne was reserved, which goes with his character, but I gave him a hug anyway. We're almost the same age and I consider him to be the cousin in my mother's side that I am closest to - geographically and emotionally.
The group of cousins really needed to eat, so I took a car full of my cousins and my sister and Lorne followed me with his friends in tow and we went to Buca Di Beppo's to decompress and reconnect. My older cousin Meaghan will be getting married to her longterm boyfriend Adam in November in Baton Rouge - I will have to skip because Matt and I will be in Angers at the time. This family get together really underscored the need that my extended family - on both sides - has to meet Matt. I need to figure out a way to road trip with him to Louisiana. We would need to go to Houma, Baton Rouge, and Mandeville. No easy feat, but we would see most of my family.
After dinner, we went back for a little bit to the wake, and then I headed home to be with my dad and knock out some homework. We (my dad and I) woke up early this morning and drove separately to the funeral home after a failed attempt to find a starbucks before the service. My dad commented that he still remembered all of my mother's family, but he was shocked to see Lorne with long hair and tattoos. I think it's rather becoming on him. Afterwards, dad had to head to work so I caravaned with the family up to a sports boat store in Conroe where the reception was held. It was nice just eating and catching up with my family, even though I had never met some of them, so introductions were awkward: "This is your cousin Aunt Rita" riiight... actually my mother's second cousin, but everyone calls her "aunt," that I literally have never met. Ever. But apparently she'll be invited to the wedding...
After some food and decaf coffee (grumble) I left for Austin so I could be back in time for the grand opening party of the New Residence Hall, fondly known as the Fortress, the Penitentiary, the Office Building, and the Geode. Guess which one we're allowed to call it? After some free cheesecake on a stick, I sat through Arabic and then walked back to my apartment. I'm skipping SGA. Actually, I'm just quitting. I have too much to do (15 hours of class, 2 jobs, study abroad in the fall and a wedding next summer) to waste my time with people who clearly don't want me around. Harumph. Still kinda want to cry though...
17 February 2009
13 February 2009
Saddening News
Yesterday, as I was running out the door to meet with Leslie, my fellow PGL, to study for our physics test, I glanced at my phone to check the time. What I found was a text from my mother that her sister, Elise - my Nanny 'Lise - had passed away earlier that morning after a brief battle with colon cancer.
Nanny 'Lise was my mother's older sister, and they were pregnant in 1988 together. My cousin, Lorne, was born three months after me while his mom was living with my mom and dad and for the first year of our life, we were like twins. Nanny 'Lise met a friend of our next door neighbors - Uncle Gary - and married him. Uncle Gary adopted Lorne and as a family they moved to South Houston. I clearly remember her little blue shotgun house with a fuschia door, and one of my mother's favorite pictures of me is as a toddler during a cookout on NL's front lawn where I sat down and started drinking from the sprinkler. I was the epitome of cute. We would see each other often over the years, and after I graduated from high school they moved to Tomball. I hadn't really interacted much with them after going away to school - I think we met up for dinner during my christmas break of freshman year - and at that time returned the London travel guides that Nanny 'Lise & Uncle Gary had loaned my father and I for our trip to Europe. Her death seems sudden for me because my family tends to respect my "bubble" while I'm at school - no popping unless you want me failing - but this is one of those times where I needed to be in the know. So, here is your own personal eulogy from me, your niece: Nanny Lise, I love you and I hope God is prepared for you to redecorate the place once you get up there.
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Nanny 'Lise was my mother's older sister, and they were pregnant in 1988 together. My cousin, Lorne, was born three months after me while his mom was living with my mom and dad and for the first year of our life, we were like twins. Nanny 'Lise met a friend of our next door neighbors - Uncle Gary - and married him. Uncle Gary adopted Lorne and as a family they moved to South Houston. I clearly remember her little blue shotgun house with a fuschia door, and one of my mother's favorite pictures of me is as a toddler during a cookout on NL's front lawn where I sat down and started drinking from the sprinkler. I was the epitome of cute. We would see each other often over the years, and after I graduated from high school they moved to Tomball. I hadn't really interacted much with them after going away to school - I think we met up for dinner during my christmas break of freshman year - and at that time returned the London travel guides that Nanny 'Lise & Uncle Gary had loaned my father and I for our trip to Europe. Her death seems sudden for me because my family tends to respect my "bubble" while I'm at school - no popping unless you want me failing - but this is one of those times where I needed to be in the know. So, here is your own personal eulogy from me, your niece: Nanny Lise, I love you and I hope God is prepared for you to redecorate the place once you get up there.
Photo improved with Poladroid
08 February 2009
A Hell Week (rant)
I'm aware that most students on the semester system have two hell weeks: Mid-Terms and Finals. Yes, I get both of those, but for some reason about half of the professors here at Sted's decided to be nice and switch to a "thirds" rotation. This means two tests before the finals, almost always spaced about five to six weeks apart. That would be fantastic if I had a relatively even split between halfsie professors and thirdsie professors. I do not, however, as most of my professors this year are all "thirds." Which makes it that time where the first test rolls around. Granted, this is kind of nice because you get two tests before the final so you have some idea of how they grade, but that still leaves you with a pile of stress wondering how exactly they will grade this time.
So, here's what this week looks like: Tomorrow, I wake up, go to my 10am class across campus and then haul ass in the space of ten minutes to Matt's 11am class to hear two speakers talk about the current state of European Relations, one of whom is a former FSO - my dream job. After this, I need to meet with the Executive Senator of Schools Represented to interview for the position of Senator for the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences. I originally ran for this position but came in third in an election where there were only two seats available. The top winner ended up never really showing up, but they deferred kicking him out so he could resign at the end of last semester. Sadly, it's taken over a month into the new semester to really get the process of selection going. Tomorrow night is when they will finally appoint and swear in the new senator, and I really hope it's me. After that, I need to dart over to my Economics of Development Test, then there's my Ethics and Economics class. After class, I have an hour of Arabic tutoring (until 4:30) and then a bit of a breather until the Kozmetsky Center's Update: Europe begins at 7pm. I work about 15-20 hours per week with an internship and a job coordinating and leading small groups through workshops. This event falls under the auspices of my internship with the Kozmetsky Center.
Tuesday is my typical 5 hours of internship from 9:30am-2:30pm followed by a cluster group meeting for my Peer Group Leader job, then my Science in Perspective class followed by Arabic until around 7pm, when I have Senate. Thankfully Wednesday is equally normal, with just my Honors: Middle East class, Econ of Develop't, and Ethics and Economics -- though that class is taught by a guy who assigns readings and lectures at a post-doctoral level of abstract philosophy. So very over my head, I'm just barely hanging there.
Thursday, I don't get to sleep in like I normally would because I need to meet Leslie, a fellow PGL (peer group leader) and sufferer of Science in Perspective, in the coffeeshop to study for our Physics test. Then I meet with Dr. Lewis, my PGL boss, for thirty minutes, following which is my science in perspective test. After science is another hour and a half of Arabic, followed by madcap studying with Mary and Kadie for our Contemporary World Issues: The Middle East test on Friday. Also, I need to submit my application for the Dean's Scholarship before midnight. Yargh.
Friday: Test at 10am, then Economics of Dev't (notice how I've shortened it in my mind over time) and finally a free weekend... except not. Then I have a PGL big group meeting from 2-4pm, and on Sunday after I take part in a study abroad panel for students considering going to Sted's next year, I need to meet with Phil and Krystal from my Ethics class to figure out what the hell our First Questionnaire is, and how we do it. I also have a science project based on Galileo's experiments due on Tuesday.... and I totally don't know where I will find the time or the materials to drop five objects and time their fall to the ground to prove that gravity is indiscriminate.
You know what is discriminatory? The amount I care about each of these classes. I really don't. I like my jobs though, just not when they have big events going on at the same time.
RANT OVER.
In other news, I totally recommend one of my "texts" for my Middle East class. It's called Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East, and is by Robin Wright. I air quoted the word text because it reads much better than your standard textbook. I would loan it to you but I've notated the hell out of it. Great read for those who know a lot or very little about the Middle East. It's got a bit about each of the hotspots, and comes highly recommended by moi, your friendly neighborhood IR specialist. Luckily for you, it just came out in paperback.
So, here's what this week looks like: Tomorrow, I wake up, go to my 10am class across campus and then haul ass in the space of ten minutes to Matt's 11am class to hear two speakers talk about the current state of European Relations, one of whom is a former FSO - my dream job. After this, I need to meet with the Executive Senator of Schools Represented to interview for the position of Senator for the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences. I originally ran for this position but came in third in an election where there were only two seats available. The top winner ended up never really showing up, but they deferred kicking him out so he could resign at the end of last semester. Sadly, it's taken over a month into the new semester to really get the process of selection going. Tomorrow night is when they will finally appoint and swear in the new senator, and I really hope it's me. After that, I need to dart over to my Economics of Development Test, then there's my Ethics and Economics class. After class, I have an hour of Arabic tutoring (until 4:30) and then a bit of a breather until the Kozmetsky Center's Update: Europe begins at 7pm. I work about 15-20 hours per week with an internship and a job coordinating and leading small groups through workshops. This event falls under the auspices of my internship with the Kozmetsky Center.
Tuesday is my typical 5 hours of internship from 9:30am-2:30pm followed by a cluster group meeting for my Peer Group Leader job, then my Science in Perspective class followed by Arabic until around 7pm, when I have Senate. Thankfully Wednesday is equally normal, with just my Honors: Middle East class, Econ of Develop't, and Ethics and Economics -- though that class is taught by a guy who assigns readings and lectures at a post-doctoral level of abstract philosophy. So very over my head, I'm just barely hanging there.
Thursday, I don't get to sleep in like I normally would because I need to meet Leslie, a fellow PGL (peer group leader) and sufferer of Science in Perspective, in the coffeeshop to study for our Physics test. Then I meet with Dr. Lewis, my PGL boss, for thirty minutes, following which is my science in perspective test. After science is another hour and a half of Arabic, followed by madcap studying with Mary and Kadie for our Contemporary World Issues: The Middle East test on Friday. Also, I need to submit my application for the Dean's Scholarship before midnight. Yargh.
Friday: Test at 10am, then Economics of Dev't (notice how I've shortened it in my mind over time) and finally a free weekend... except not. Then I have a PGL big group meeting from 2-4pm, and on Sunday after I take part in a study abroad panel for students considering going to Sted's next year, I need to meet with Phil and Krystal from my Ethics class to figure out what the hell our First Questionnaire is, and how we do it. I also have a science project based on Galileo's experiments due on Tuesday.... and I totally don't know where I will find the time or the materials to drop five objects and time their fall to the ground to prove that gravity is indiscriminate.
You know what is discriminatory? The amount I care about each of these classes. I really don't. I like my jobs though, just not when they have big events going on at the same time.
RANT OVER.
In other news, I totally recommend one of my "texts" for my Middle East class. It's called Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East, and is by Robin Wright. I air quoted the word text because it reads much better than your standard textbook. I would loan it to you but I've notated the hell out of it. Great read for those who know a lot or very little about the Middle East. It's got a bit about each of the hotspots, and comes highly recommended by moi, your friendly neighborhood IR specialist. Luckily for you, it just came out in paperback.
05 February 2009
FOCCUS
Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding & Study
Yeah, I could tell you about it, but I think this article on Slate does a pretty good job. Apparently they're hellbent on finding out of Matt and I are abusive, alcoholic, gambling addicts, or homosexuals. Not kidding, it was pretty intense. Matt tried to cheat at one point, and he looked to see what my answer was to "My partner has a hobby or pastime that I disapprove of." or something like that. Basically, I knew that he knew that we knew what I was talking about. Yes, I said I agree, and that's because his World of Warcraft raid nights and occasional forays or pick-up-games or whatever ends up taking over his life and he forgets to do homework or the list of things he says he'll do (call the doctor back about your MRIs on your knees yet? no, not quite...)
Most frustratingly, he leans over to see what my answer is and says "WHAT? I knew you'd put that!"
Well, duh. I've been steamed about this particular issue for weeks now and I don't see it getting better.
So later that night, he pulls me away from the television and says "We Need To Talk." Now, I love my man but he is totally non-confrontational. Half the time I'll prolong my moodiness just to see if he bothers to ask "what's wrong?" which in this case, he did off the bat. After a particularly hellish day of a five hour raid or whatnot that has me absoutely strapped for anything else to watch on TV, no access to the internet due to wireless issues since he needs our singular Cat-5 cable (we only have one outlet, sadly), and no homework to do, I'm feeling particuarly moody. Snappy, cattish, etc. So he clears off the bed and says "Mely, come here. Sit. Pamela keeps telling me I need to be more assertive, so lets talk about this." So we did - we had our first legitmate argument over his hobbies and his lack of consideration for me when he just gets online and signs up for a three hour pick-up-game, or when he won't call it quits until an hour and a half after he originally said they would end. He said from now on he would check with me before he does PUGs (as they're apparently called) and would limit raids to Mondays and Tuesdays. Ok, fine. Plus, he adds, when we go to Angers (aww look at the optimism!) I won't be able to raid, ever, so maybe by the time we get back I won't want to play WoW anymore. That comment was probably mostly for the sake of the oncoming "rest of my life" argument.
Lets see how long that lasts...
Yeah, I could tell you about it, but I think this article on Slate does a pretty good job. Apparently they're hellbent on finding out of Matt and I are abusive, alcoholic, gambling addicts, or homosexuals. Not kidding, it was pretty intense. Matt tried to cheat at one point, and he looked to see what my answer was to "My partner has a hobby or pastime that I disapprove of." or something like that. Basically, I knew that he knew that we knew what I was talking about. Yes, I said I agree, and that's because his World of Warcraft raid nights and occasional forays or pick-up-games or whatever ends up taking over his life and he forgets to do homework or the list of things he says he'll do (call the doctor back about your MRIs on your knees yet? no, not quite...)
Most frustratingly, he leans over to see what my answer is and says "WHAT? I knew you'd put that!"
Well, duh. I've been steamed about this particular issue for weeks now and I don't see it getting better.
So later that night, he pulls me away from the television and says "We Need To Talk." Now, I love my man but he is totally non-confrontational. Half the time I'll prolong my moodiness just to see if he bothers to ask "what's wrong?" which in this case, he did off the bat. After a particularly hellish day of a five hour raid or whatnot that has me absoutely strapped for anything else to watch on TV, no access to the internet due to wireless issues since he needs our singular Cat-5 cable (we only have one outlet, sadly), and no homework to do, I'm feeling particuarly moody. Snappy, cattish, etc. So he clears off the bed and says "Mely, come here. Sit. Pamela keeps telling me I need to be more assertive, so lets talk about this." So we did - we had our first legitmate argument over his hobbies and his lack of consideration for me when he just gets online and signs up for a three hour pick-up-game, or when he won't call it quits until an hour and a half after he originally said they would end. He said from now on he would check with me before he does PUGs (as they're apparently called) and would limit raids to Mondays and Tuesdays. Ok, fine. Plus, he adds, when we go to Angers (aww look at the optimism!) I won't be able to raid, ever, so maybe by the time we get back I won't want to play WoW anymore. That comment was probably mostly for the sake of the oncoming "rest of my life" argument.
Lets see how long that lasts...
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