Another review

Double Bugs also had a great review about Zhu Zhu Pets. I know my cousin Katie would LOVE a small pet to love but her parents are worried about how responsible she would be with it. A Zhu Zhu hamster would be perfect for her. Check out Laurie's site and review!

Cool Gaming Accessories

A friend of mine has a great blog about a variety of reviews. This one review, about Wii accessories, perked my interest and I thought I would share. PDP has a bunch of amazing accessories for all of your video gaming systems. The most appealing to me was the super chargers. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a game or a wii fit workout to have the controller die on you. Check it out. http://doublebugs.com/2009/09/14/wii-accessories-by-performance-designed-products-review-and-giveaway/comment-page-1/#comment-12694

Update

Ok, so I know it has been a long time since I have really written. Well, to be honest, I have had a lot going on. I will address each of the things that have been consuming my life.

1) School. I have (almost) successfully completed 3 quarters of my Ph.D. program. This quarter, I was taking 4 classes, in addition to supervising. Needless to say it was crazy sometimes. My summer vacation will consist of another 6 weeks of classes. I know you are asking, why are you so crazy with classes. The answer: I want to get done this program ASAP. The other reason is that I actually LIKE to learn. So, I will probably take another 1 1/4- 1 1/2 years of coursework and then start working on my qualifiying exams. If and when I pass them, then it's onto my dissertation. I have no diea yet as to what it will be about. It keeps changing as I take new classes and learn new things. Some of the things I am currently interested are: multicultural literature, teacher education, and resistance.

2) Boys. So I was dating a guy from December to March. That didn't end so pleasantly. Basically my heart was broken. It's funny how much we learn in retrospect. Looking back, I have no anger or anything towards him, in fact I wish him the best. BUT I realize how NOT good he was for me. So, after a few months of random dating...and I mean dating, not sleeping around. I have been dating a new guy. He's pretty great. He's smart, handsome, and caring. I am really looking forward to seeing where it goes. I just need to make sure I don't become my own worst enemy and screw things up. I tend to overthink things.

3) Baby. In less than 4 weeks I will be an aunt. We are all really excited about him coming. So you will get an update when he does.

4) Birds. The birds are doing really well. They do all of these quirky things that CRACK me up. Fizzy, for example, likes to swing herself in the cage. She uses the bars to propel the swing back and forth. It's cute until she decides to grab for the cage at the wrong moment and almost falls. She does it all the time. It's HILARIOUS. Sparky is also doing well. She's my snuggler and she gets VERY upset if you don't pet her (on her terms).

Well, I plan to be more consistent in my blogging now so stay tuned!

Still Alive

I haven't posted, but I am still alive!

Update

I haven't written in a bit, 'tis the life of a PhD student. Things are going really well this quarter. I have been really busy with my classes, supervising my student teachers, going to the gym, and my work. Busy is good though.

So Valentine's Day is this Saturday. I have a love/hate relationship with this day. So I figure I'll rant on about that for a while. Now, I am not going to say that I hate it because I am not in a relationship. I went to Target yesterday to pick up some things, I was looking through the Vday cards to send some friends and family. They were so expensive. I then went to the candy aisle, not for me, and once again saw basic candies like M&M's way overpriced. I just think the whole thing is ridiculous. Why do we need a special day to tell the people we love that they are important to us. I mean, isn't that what every day, birthdays and anniversaries are for? Even when I am in a relationship I hate it, the media has set up expectations that I should be getting jewelry and flowers and expensive chocolates. Then if I don't, I am mildly disappointed, even when I know it's stupid and ridiculous. Shopping for men is even worse. I never know what to get them when I am dating them. Like I said, the whole thing is completely ridiculous!!

To me, its the simple things that say I love you, not the big crazy hokie candy hearts (half of which I don't even like) , or the flower shop roses (which are WAAAAAY overpriced), or the goofy big stuffed animals (which the dog ends up stealing). Do small things for the people you love more often. Instead of buying them the expensive flowers on Valentine's Day, go to the supermarket and buy the 3 for $10 carnations. Buy them a card on a random Thursday just to tell how you feel. Instead of getting them a goofy Valentine's Day gorilla that growls "I love you" spend a day together, go to build-a-bear and make something together.

That's all I got.

Moving On....

Ok...maybe a broken heart isn't the best graphic to be using here but it kinda fits I guess. So, for those of you who don't know, I was dating a guy for a couple weeks, right before Christmas until kinda recently. Well, it has ended. It was kinda a mutual thing. He kept saying to me that he wasn't good enough for me. I guess he was kinda right. First, he was young, really young, 24. Remember I am 29. He is sorta in a stagnant stage in his life. He never went to college and works in his dad's restaurant. Now, the guy that I date DOES NOT need to have a degree, but he does need to have ambition, and this guy didn't. I mean, he told me he wanted to do something with his life because he wasn't happy with his current state, BUT every suggestion I made or every time we talked about it, there was nothing. He rejected every idea I had, and basically said he was too lazy to want to do a lot of those things. That sorta sent up the red flags. I don't know if this stuff really makes sense.

I feel really bad because I liked him a lot, he is a really great guy. I hope that after things settle down a bit, and the emotion kinda fades away, we will be able to be friendly as we may run into each other around town. I am so thankful for good friends. Two of my closest friends said the same thing, that I need a MAN. Someone who is in a place in his life that he can take care of himself and me, now I am not saying I need a man to take care of me. Instead, he should be in a place in his life where he can. They are right.

The quarter is going well. I am really enjoying my classes. I am taking a women's studies course about the intersections of gender, race, and class in light of the 2008 election. Really great! I am also taking 2 required courses, which I am finding really interesting and learning a lot. I feel like I am really starting to be a PhD student, which is pretty exciting. :) Well, that's it for now. Hopefully it won't be so long between postings.

Back again

Well, the quarter has started again and I am back to working my butt off. Only this quarter, I am working it off both figuratively and literally.

Classes have started up. This quarter I am only taking 3 classes. It is such a relief. I have 2 classes on Tuesday, a women's studies course, and my MESE course on curriculum. On Wednesday nights I have my T&L core course. I am really excited about all three classes. They seem like really great classes and the work seems manageable, a lot, but manageable. I am also supervising again this quarter. Although we have more visits than last quarter, I have 6 students instead of 7. They seem like really great kids as well. They are all smart, dilligent workers.

I have also been keeping up wtih going to the gym. Since I have been back in Columbus (December 26) I've lost about 4 lbs. It's so great. I don't really see a difference but my friend says she does, so that's pretty cool. I've mainly been doing cardio. I either use an elliptical, cross trainer, walk on the treadmill or walk on the track. Today, actually, I am going to go to water aerobics for the first time. I am really nervous about it. My friend and I are going to go walking on the track for about half an hour and then go to the class.

In addition, I have been working on my eating too. I am trying to get my breakfasts and my lunches under control that way I can kinda enjoy dinner. I've become somewhat predictable. Lunch is a turkey sandwhich. :) I have also been drinking more....water....trying to cut all soda out of my diet. I've also been using salad as a filler. If I am hungry, I go for a salad. My goal, by the end of February is to be down 10 lbs total. By the end of April down 20 total, and so on. If you have any tips, pointers, recipes or ideas on how to keep this up, please let me know.

I would like to do another shameless plug for Big Fat Greek Kuzina. It is the most amazing restuaruant in all Columbus. The food is phenomenal, the portions are HUGE and the service is great too. If I wasn't a broke college student, I would go there every day, maybe even twice! If you are in or visiting the Columbus area you gotta check out this place.