Oh, The Places I'll Go.......: Lotsa stuff...and the Superbowl!

I guess that the absence of a new post during the past week makes it look like nothing much has been going on in my life. I have no excuse besides the lack of a drive to post. I can hardly remember much of last week (so it can't be that exciting) but I DO know that I finally got my new phone in (congrats to those of you who made "the list"--just a joke....no, really, I'm not that popular or full of myself).
The phone is pretty fun and I spent several hours:
a) downloading real-tone ring tones to represent key friends and family
b) playing with the applications and personalizing fun stuff

I also remembering studying a bit, working on thesis stuff, and going to Pizza House. Oh, and I also gave up coffee. It was kinda a spur of the moment decision, but it felt right and so far I've stuck to it. I was never a coffee drinker (and rarely a caffeine drinker) until I started grad school and then I started having a cup a day to stay awake during the 2-3 hour long classes. Next thing I knew I was drinking a cup a day, every day, and got a nasty headache when I went without the stuff. THAT's the part I didn't like.....dependence. And the gradual loss of teeth-whiteness. I had great sparkling teeth. I was worried about the no-caffeine headaches so I went with a glass of Diet Mountain Dew in the morning to help wean myself off and I think it has worked! Ah, coffee. I'll miss you. Not to say that we'll never meet again--it'll just be a long distance relationship from now on, OK?

Speaking of long distance relationships, I spent a great weekend with Kyle. He had a few friends over to his place Friday night to go check out the Superbowl happenings in "the D". We went down to the Renaissance Center and then walked around Winterfest. It was packed and great to see so many people out enjoying the festivities. Way to go Detroit! Saturday we did some studying, made dinner, and then watched the documentary on the "Grizzly Man".......the unconventional bear-guy who was eaten by a bear out in the Alaskan wilderness. Interesting. Sunday: more studying, then the Superbowl. Kyle's roommate and one of his friends were in the half-time show as part of the Rollingstones' audience. We were watching the superbowl primarily to see if we could spot them in the show, but it was impossible. Too many brightly-colored people jumping around waiving their arms like crazy to spot anyone. Oh well.

I've started formulating a back up plan to put into place if I don't get into the PhD program. Everyone keeps saying that I'll get in, but I'm not so sure. So, so far my back up plan consists of: finding an epi job somewhere in the area, or Nursing school. I know....more school? In March I'm going to an informational session on a "second degree accelerated" nursing program. It would only take 15 months to complete and I'd be an RN. I'm considering being a pediatric RN...eventually a pediatric NP. I do have an innate interest in medicine and I've always excelled in the related subjects: biochem, anatomy/physiology, etc. But they haven't been courses as part of a medical program, so I may just fall flat on my face. I was a veterinary technician for several years, so I know I can handle the practical application (at least where animals are concerned). And I volunteered at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Hospital for 2 years and loved it. All of that info was to prove that this isn't as out of the blue as it may have seemed initially.

Now, my last item to do is to figure out why I'm sleeping 10-12 hours a night (coupled with the tendency to nap after dinner), why I have no energy, why my mood is all over the place, and why my ass is getting bigger. You're thinking that this all points to no exercising, right? Possibly, but I'm worried that my thyroid is acting up again. No good.

OK, I think that's enough personal info for this post!

Here is a pic or two from the weekend: