I've been trying to break my rampant habit of procrastinating for the past few years, especially when it comes to school stuff. "Trying" is the operative word here, though, because sure enough, I'm supposed to graduate in August (that's in FOUR MONTHS) and I still have three semesters of foreign language to finish. WTF?! How did I manage that?? Of all the things to put off 'til the end, I managed to put off a bunch of classes that can't be taken simultaneously. Brain fail!
So anyway, that brings us to the previously mentioned Giant Test (scroll down). In order to finish on time without having to somehow bend the space-time continuum I had to at least test out of the second course (of four) so I can take the third and fourth sequentially. I haven't had a foreign language course since 2003, and even then it was a weird thing because nobody could understand our professor. It was hard for her to pronounce my name and when she said it it sort of sounded like "Melody," so that was what everyone called me in there. I didn't bother correcting anyone, but I guess I wasn't looking forward to another semester (or three) of being Melody.
So I bought a book, I studied it, I tried to remember as much as I could from growing up in the barrio (Ha!) and from what I learned from Crazy/Awesome Ms. Land in high school, and I signed up to take the content exam. No pressure - just one exam to determine if I have to restructure my entire summer and possibly delay my graduation once again. Meh. It actually went pretty well - I had a brilliant morning driving down to San Marcos and got an outpouring of support from my friends and family. (THANKS Y'ALL, y'all are awesome!) The test itself was not as scary or bad as I'd worried, but the freakin lady in the testing center was watching the Muppet Show or something on her computer with the sound on so while I was trying to translate rejoinders. Thanks for that, lady in the testing center.
Then the test decided to be overly helpful and ask me 4000 times if I wanted my scores reported or if I just wanted to call the whole thing off.
Test:Do you want to submit your scores? Me:Yes, please. Test:Are you sure? Because if you quit now your score won't be recorded but if you submit them you can't take the test again for six months! Me:Yeah, I already took the test. It's ok. Please submit scores.Test:Really? Me:Yup. Test:By pressing the button below you are acknowledging that you want your scores reported to the instutition you selected at the beginning of the test. After pressing the button you can't change your mind. So: are you absolutely sure you want these scores reported? Me: ...?
At this point I'm wondering: Does the test know something I don't? Like, is it trying to rescue me? You know, doing that thing where someone's like "Are you suuuuure you want to do that? Really? Really really?" But WTF?! I've been sitting here two and a half hours. I want to know my stupid score already. So I had to press "yes" like five times. Then - TADA! Score report! Not only did I test out of the second semester, I tested out of the third one, too. Sadly, I missed getting to skip the fourth and final course by one measley point. But really, that's ok. I can easily add one little course over the summer. So yay! I got eleven hours of foreign language credit for less than a hundred bucks and apparently I haven't been lying on my resume when I include the line "proficient in Spanish."
Something AMAAAAZING happened today. I was doing laundry (don't look so shocked!) and as I was transferring the last of the wet clothes from the washer to the dryer, something in the bottom of the washing machine caught my eye. I had one of those moments where your heart jumps up into your throat as I hastily chunked the wet shirts into the dryer and did a double-take at the washer. Panicked, thinking "Did I just see...?" And the answer was yes. Yes, I did.
Now back up about a week and a half when it was freaking freezing and disgusting outside. Amy and I had plans to run in the gross cold rainy weather but it was way too wet outside to go running on the trail so we agreed to meet at Mom and Dad's and run around their neighborhood. Unfortunately, I forgot both of my iPods (I had my headphones though!) so I borrowed my mom's silver shuffle and off we went. When we got home, we had to kind of rush around because we both needed to shower, etc. before dinner, so I tossed my dirty, gross clothes into my gym bag and changed into something slightly more presentable. Completely forgetting that my mom's iPod was still clipped to the inside pocket of my running jacket, which I then apparently washed yesterday. And that tiny silver iPod was the object in the bottom of the washing machine. Noooooo!
This story is called "MIRACLE!" for a reason, though. I was prepared to call my mom and 'fess up to my crime (iPod waterboarding? Too soon?) and even texted Dale to let him know we were about to throw down $50 for a new iPod, when I decided to check it, just to see. I poked at the play button, but nothing. Then I plugged it in to my lap top. Nothing. But then...TA-DA! the little green light flicked on, the playlist popped up in iTunes and it was back, baby!! I even checked to make sure it still plays and because it's awesome it does. Most freaking amazing surprise of my day. Good show, Apple.
Oh, Mom, by the way: I borrowed your iPod to go running and I got some sweat on it. Don't worry, though, I washed it for you.
I had a really beautiful moment yesterday. I've been back and forth about school lately; it seems like ever since I decided to go back the universe has launched every setback it could think of at me just to see if I really want to keep chasing that funny little dream. Financial setbacks, issues with course requirements, going in and out of jobs (ok the same job) because employer(s) told me they would work with my schedule, then didn't, then I needed the money, but then once again they couldn't keep my schedule straight and I'd get scheduled during class, and then last summer's little stunt with gas prices. It's hard to drive 120 miles round-trip five times a week when gas is over $4.00 a gallon. I couldn't even take classes in the spring because of a financial aid error.
I could have stopped, or I could have switched to a closer school, but the department that I'm in is competitive and is actually ranked in the top five in the nation for geography and environmental science and I really love it there. This sucks. But as I'm gearing up for the last big push, knowing that this summer is going to suck as much as the last one, knowing that D totally has my back but needs me to finish soon so I can help pull the weight, I just suddenly felt everything. Is this the right thing to do? What would I be doing instead? What could I have done differently? Is this all worth it? I've laid awake the past few nights, choking on the tightening knot in my throat, knowing that I have to make up my mind soon: yes or no. Go or don't.
I have my answer. Yesterday I had just gotten home from girl-day with Katie and for some reason I logged on to the school's financial aid website, even though they always e-mail when anything gets approved, etc. There was a little alert in my file "You have no incomplete requirements at this time." Thinking that was odd because I hadn't heard from them since they finished reviewing my file, I opened the folder. Sure enough, there was money in there. But way more than I expected, and more than I would want to borrow if we could help it. Scrolling to look at the breakdown, my breath caught: "TEXAS STATE TUITION GRANT". As in "Here, take this money that you don't have to pay back. No, no, it's cool. We're glad you're here and think you're worth it." You're freaking kidding me. For what?? Hopefully, a going away present, because now I have every intention of freaking going down there every single day this summer, kicking school's butt, and being done in August.
But really - in a second everything changed, like the universe, who had been tossing things at me just because it thought that was funny, finally decided that I'd passed the test, I'd stuck with it, and was acknowledging me by sending some help in my direction. I know I'm making the right choices, and I'm trusting myself. Thanks for that, Universe.
This rocks, Rich at New Dolloian has bestowed upon me this lovely Kreativ Blogger Award! I'm officially kreativ and a blogger! Thanks for that, I love it! :-)
7 Things I Love: 1) Texas Wines (Specifically Llano and Wimberley Valley) 2) Historical Geography 3) Coffee 4) Very, very rainy days 5) Running (AND Julie's Spinning classes at 24Hour!) 6) Science fiction as a form of therapy (It's hilarious) 7) Oh fine, I love trivia. And my trivia team. And if y'all are reading this and laughing y'all can suck it.
Here are the award rules: List 7 things that you love, and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers that you love! Be sure to tag them and let them know that they have won. You can copy the picture of the award and paste it on your sideboard letting the whole world know...you are Kreativ! Have fun!
That's right, remember when I told you all those things about how my appliances are trying to kill/maim me? They went for the throat last week. I was hanging out in the living room with the Pug when I smelled something burning. I was kind of a weird kid back in the day so I'm familiar (or was back then at least) with the smell of melting plastic (I don't have to explain to you!). Anyway - I start wandering around in search of said melting plastic smell when I realize it's coming from the dishwasher. CRAP! It was on the "auto dry" setting or whatever where it heats up and dries your dishes for you so I grabbed the fire extinguisher which is inconveniently located in the sink, on the other side of the potential fire. Suck! I spent WAY too long examining the fire extinguisher trying to figure it out, making sure I knew which pin to pull, how to actually fire the thing, and which direction to point it in. Yeah that's right, I have total faith in the idea that my dishwasher can contain a fire for as long as it takes me to figure out the frickin fire extinguisher, what up? Anyway, I eventually opened the dishwasher and sure enough, there was a plastic lid to one of those Tupperware containers, burning away down at the bottom of the dishwasher, making all my stuff smell like gross burning plastic. It was totally not worthy of the fire extinguisher so I just grabbed a nearby cup of water and tossed it down in the bottom of the dishwasher. BOO! And then the apartment smelled like melted plastic for about four hours. But I'm a firefighter now and it's awesome.
With yesterday's post about a big crime FAIL, I had to post an amazing crime WIN today! I don't know who did this (If it was you e-mail me you're my new BFF!) but it's quite possibly the most awesome thing ever to happen to road signs in Austin. Things to watch out for in Austin: Hippies, Leslie, and Nazi Zombies. Whoever you are, I effing love you, man. Or lady.
And suck it, people who say it's a "hazard". The roads are confusing enough without your "helpful" detour signs; I'd way rather be warned about the zombies than "MLK Closed Ahead...Still...After Three Months...Use 15th Instead...Still."
AND it's the Top Story. Even better. I love you, Universe. Sorry I was mad at you the other day - we're cool. <3
FORTY CENTS (that's after tax!) for two pairs of mittens (that's two pairs together, not per pair) and THREE DOLLARS AND TWENTY FIVE CENTS (also after tax) for a bikini bottom. The first deal was found at Target and the second at PacSun. Stuff THAT in your pipe and smoke it! Holla.
Oh giant ten year old, where is thy sting? We totally redeemed ourselves at trivia this week, and it was awesome. Katie was in town, nobody quit, we had a dreidel, we won best team name ("If you can dodge the draft, you can dodge a shoe!") and we absolutely ruined the other teams, it wasn't even close. Trivia Team of Awesome, FTW! God bless us, every one!
Phone: Ring! Ring! Ring! Griff: (answering the phone) What are you doing? Me: WEAREGETTINGACARLSJUNIOR!!!!! Griff: What? Me: We! Are! Getting! A! Carl's! JUNIOR!!!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Austin area has gotten a little more delicious, and maybe just a wee bit more trashy: We are getting a Carl's Junior. I first discovered Carl's Junior visiting Griff at college in the Great White North (Lubbock) and from that moment on, I knew that no matter what UT had, Tech had Carl's Junior. Texas State wins the "best local food" award though, so neither school should even try. Anyway, every trip I made to Lubbock after that, the six-ish hours spent in the car to get there were all worth it because I knew that the delicious, greasy, star-shaped fast food WIN of Carl's Junior awaited me. Well, until the last trip I made up there when Griff told me that the Lubbock Carl's Junior was no more, which was also when I decided that Lubbock and I were DONE. So anyway, as sketchy as the Oklahoma connection is, I am freakin stoked. I give you:
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