Loving spirits will live forever

My heart is full of love for a dear friend who is preparing to leave mortality, leaving her family behind as she concludes her journey upon this Earth. She will eagerly await to be reunited with her family in the life to come. As I reflect on her amazing life and the inspiration she’s shared with us all along her journey, a song keeps playing in my head, "Swimming to the Other Side" by Pat Humphries. The lyrics of the song seem appropriate for this occasion on several different levels, especially the song’s refrain:

We are living ‘neath the great Big Dipper
We are washed by the very same rain
We are swimming in the stream together
Some in power and some in pain
We can worship this ground we walk on
Cherishing the beings that we live beside
Loving spirits will live forever
We’re all swimming to the other side

You can look, but you better not touch

 Protection is important.
When you go out and have fun,
make sure you have protection.

You can end up with a burning sensation.

Sun block is important.
I got burned. Ouch!

Aloe is my friend.

Time doesn’t fly and sometimes the city does sleep!

I love a random blog.

Thought about adding more structure,
possibly a more formal themed blog.

Clearly, that didn’t pan out.

Almost 10 months since my last blog.
Time doesn’t really fly by.
In retrospect, yes 24 hours within a day are fast;
30-some-odd days in a month pass quickly;
Over 300 days doesn’t seem so monumental,
when taken on at a time.

I’ll be done with my masters program in 3 weeks.
One and a half years, it felt longer and it didn’t fly by.
I was there for every assignment.
I remember almost every paper.
I over thought each project.

New York has been calling me.
NYC and upstate.
I keep getting disconnected.
Staying put for now, but in the future…
I will move, not sure where.

Farewell (to old friends)

Farewell to old friends
Let’s raise a glass to the bitter end
Farewell to old friends
Will you be the same when we see you again

— Dixie Chicks

Moving on is good.

I’ve been hush, not hushed

I just haven’t felt like sharing anything with the world. Just private thoughts and entries.

Life has been good and enjoyable, which is a positive. School, well that dumb class is done. I maintained my 4.0 and that is actually pretty exciting. I wonder how long I can keep my GPA up that high.

Okay, back to being hush.

Doors in the New Year

Hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday season.

People ask, “What’s your new year’s resolution?” I honestly don’t do those. I may set goals for myself, but that’s a on-going process, updated and adjusted throughout the year. How many of us are talking about our resolutions in July? I know I’m still talking about my goals come July.

At any rate, we’ve closed the door on 2006. Here’s to new doors being opened. Just an FYI, don’t expect the doors to be opened for us. We may have to get to work and open them ourselves, but they are ours to be opened!

on the run but I haven’t gone anywhere

Seems like I’ve been running around all morning, but I’ve not gone anywhere. I’ve been preparing things for a holiday lunch tomorrow and cleaning in between. 

Finally got the kitchen door curtains all set, both panels are up and well, don’t look too closely. They come out A-OK I think.

Just finished cooking (mixing?) up a basil & garlic pasta salad.

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies are done and looking most yummy.

Now I’ve got to go clean finish cleaning.

Thanks to JaysoN for the photo blog inspiration.

“Its beginning to look a lot like…”

Home! The new apartment is in effect and it is taking shape. After a week of having the place and a few days living in my new digs it’s starting to feel like home.

The overwhelming feeling when I walk in the door is gone. I’ve organized things (if not the boxes they are in) — love my spare room — started finding homes for my new appliances, dishes, et al. I’m also enjoying my new bed. I feel like a little kid every time I have to climb into it and plop myself in the middle of it. Ahhh, why didn’t I get a nice queen size bed sooner?

This weekend my friend Evalisa is going to help me cover my windows with curtains. I have about 10 or 11 windows, so lots to cover. I think once we do that, most of the rooms will really start to look ‘hot.’ I’m preparing to put up my first real piece of art – a painting I bought about a year ago and haven’t had a place to put it. It’s going in my living room, just trying to decide which of 3 empty walls to hang it on.

The cable and internet are finally all set. Cable since Tuesday and finally get the ‘net working correctly last night. I had a great tech support guy who helped my dumb self fix my evils.

I’ve been silenced

Not really, I have just been busy, spending less time online – well spending my time differently online.

Right now I’m still a little apprehensive about my new degree program so when I do get a chance to go online I’m spending a lot of time in the classroom, researching and such. That’s actually a good thing. Will it last? I hope so, but I’ll probably wane a little bit.

I’m pretty happy to be back in school. I feel like my life is moving in the right direction on multiple levels once again. That is a good thing. I actually do like school, always have liked learning things. I don’t like being bored in a classroom, but I love learning and letting my imagination run wild and explore new concepts.

I just got a $10 gas card b/c my friend got a quote from my new insurance agent. He helped me save and increase my coverage (compared to my previous plan) and I can do payroll deduction to pay biweekly. Sweet. I’m pretty happy. Come July 30th I could hit a Mercedes and actually afford to replace it. =) (at the moment, I’d probably spend about 10 years paying off that one – if not more).

Yep, I’m a simple (boring) guy. I’m excited by school and saving on my car insurance. I get giddy learning about my FICO score (enjoying my one year membership to MyFico.com).

Looking forward to Mary J Blige on Wednesday!!

A little Mary J for Monday

You know, Mary J. Blige. Love her. Now that my Yahoo! Music is dun (done), I’m back to listening to what’s on file. Today, MJB and Grey’s Anatomy.

Our office server has been acting up for a few days and it’s hindering my work. Since I can’t access my share drive, I can’t access my work programs or I can only access them sporadically and then they conk out. The folks from Dell are coming to service the thing today, it’s been such a nightmare. Not to mention our debit card database runs on that server so when it doesn’t work people can’t use their cards (meals, spending, et al). Luckily – classes are out of session and only a handful of folks are here this week.

In other news, I’m nearly done with my application for Capella University. I’m going to enroll in their Master’s of Educational Psychology. I’m excited to finally get moving on my master’s. The sooner I start, the sooner I can finish and move on to do things I actually want to do. Here is my (in five sentences or less) goal statement:

Having several years of experience in higher education, I would like to advance my career and further my education to better serve a diverse population at an urban public university. I have a passion for working directly with students, advising them or helping them work through obstacles and I feel that a master’s degree in Educational Psychology will help strengthen and enhance my skills to better assist students in their decision making processes. Further, obtaining my master’s would provide the necessary credentials that when coupled with my experience in assisting students would initially qualify me for positions working directly with counseling students in an academic or student affairs setting. I believe that obtaining my master’s degree in Educational Psychology will not limit me to one specific field or track at this early juncture in my professional career, rather it would provide room for growth and professional advancement. Finally, this degree will help me achieve my goal of earning a doctorate in higher education leadership in the future, furthering my career serving a college or university setting.

Have a good one my friends.