Thursday, May 9, 2013

About Blogging

For Creative Writing, this is my final blogging assignment. In reflection, I have enjoyed it. I have blogged a little here and there with other sites and I have always liked it but had a hard time sticking to it. The social media sites that I used either became obsolete or changed so much I didn't care to continue on. I have a few things on Facebook I want to transfer over here just for safekeeping.

I hope I remember to post on here every once in awhile. I liked reading my classmates posts, and I admit I should have commented more. I am sure over the next week I will read more and comment some more just to eat up some time at work during finals week. There's just so much to read, not enough time to reflect! That always seems to end up being an issue for me.

As an ending thought though, thank you Jen for such a fun assignment. I admit there were times I was over thinking this assignment, but now I've taken it with stride. I like this blog to be a time capsule for me, and I will look back at some of my entries months, and maybe years, from now. I hope to see my classmates blogging from time to time, and I will enjoy keeping in touch for a little while.

Good luck everyone with finals, and teachers with grading. Thank you for another year. 

100 Things, pt. 2 - Dislikes



Pink!
Clothes shopping
Peppers of any kind
Small cars
Tomato soup
Goats that don’t faint
My high school
Gold, anything.
Memorization
Dead batteries
Property taxes
Drunks/alcoholics.
Less than “B” worthy work done by me
Crying.
Odin, when he’s naughty.
Brand new houses
Lack of recycling
Facebook
Taking out my belly button piercing
Doctor appointments
Uniforms
Organized religion
Expensive textbooks
Backstabbing family.
Excess of technology
Lack of trees
High blood glucose
The oil boom in North Dakota
Bad tattoos
Close minded people
Cigarettes
Gas prices
Late assignments
Bugs in hotel rooms
Unnatural dyes in food
Not being able to sleep
Long car rides with my mother and father
Walmart
The last six weeks of pregnancy 
Caesarean sections (c-section)
Procrastination…
Lack of time
Wishing time away
Christmas, all of it.
Lack of free wifi internet
Packing and still forgetting that ONE thing
Children lacking manners
Coughing fits
Any kind of fertility treatment.
Biting my nails too much
When a limb falls asleep
Quizzes I am not prepared for
Not knowing what to do with my life
Split ends!!!
Misplacing things
My husband when he’s crabby
Overdue bills
Baby registering, wedding registering
Trying to write a better memoir
Running out of black eyeliner
Forgetting to take my prenatal
Not getting anything done in a day
Anyone cheating on anyone
Laundry
Lack of running water
My mother when she repeats things
Doctors that perform circumcision
Hitting animals with my car
Stupid mistakes I can’t let go
Teachers that don’t use D2L
Having to drink warm water
Having a cold and no Nyquil
My father when he talks negatively of others
Writing in APA format
Never having time to read just for fun
Neglecting to use my planner
Losing my wedding ring
Seeing my deceased uncle’s farm torn down
Being told I’m being a broken record
Having only been in three different states
The part of my life spent at high school
Urinary tract infections
Pens that run out of ink
Pencils that run out of lead
 Jeans that wear out too soon
 Parents that buy overly expensive toys
Feeling like I overuse the word sorry.
Being bullied as a child.
Filling out paperwork
Air compressors
Cavities between my teeth
Being late for class, or work…
Vivid nightmares
When my battery falls out of my laptop.
Sweaters without hoods
Drug tests that test for TCH and not alcohol
Worn out sneakers
Mud…
Having to cut my hair,
Being stressed out all day.

100 Things, pt. 1 - Likes


Corey John (my husband)
Cold Coca Cola
Led Zepplin
Loose change
My sixteen acre farmstead
Baking
Multiples of seven
My red Carhartt
Miniature horses
Onions in cooking
Wishing at 11:11
All fruit
Full grown cats
Free magazines
Carmex
Odin, when he behaves.
Plants, plants, plants…
Grilled cheese sandwiches
Warm days
Feeding baby calves
Honey scented
Endless conditioner
Magnetic pictures
Zip up hoodies
Lottery tickets
Homemade chicken soup
Jeans that fit
Tear drop diamonds
Silver, anything.
Singing
Sharpies
Collecting skeleton keys
Hemp
Flavored water
Canadian geese in my yard
Planting pumpkins with my nieces
Flip flops
Any DARK shade of red.
My work study job
Second hand and thrift stores
Cinnamon
Simple faith
Midwives and doulas
Phi Theta Kappa
Badlands
Mini Bic lighters
Netflix
Postsecret.com
Yoga class
Staying in hotels with Corey
Doing things with my sister
Bicycle rides
Halloween
Corset backed dresses
Creativity
Getting hair waxed off.
Peaceful, silent twilight
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Chocolate ice cream cake
The entire Harry Potter series
Days spent at the lake
Going on nice easy long walks
Getting many things done in one day
Sleeping with two pillows
Women who choose to breastfeed.
Blood oranges, cuties tangerines
KJ108 on the radio in the morning
Writing something that actually makes sense
Pictures that come out great
Pistachios
Teachers that do use D2L
Looking up crazy stuff on the internet
Extra credit, no matter how small!
Friends that understand my life
Writing in MLA format
Snickers, Reese’s, Kit-Kats
Coupons!
Salads
Candles
Bees
Wireless keyboard and mouse
Psychology classes
Sociology classes
It’s A Wonderful Life
Sadhus in India
Elephants
Penguins
Beautiful clear starry nights
Exploring new towns with my husband
Parks
Old abandoned buildings
Action movies
Black and white pictures
Sunglasses
Getting published
Cheap textbooks
Cowboy boots
Lightening storms with thunder
Futurama
Being carefree for a day.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Graduation!

This fall I am graduating with my first college degree, Liberal Arts. Now I know it's not that big of a deal of a degree, but to me it is. It's the first piece of paper with my name on it that I will care about (besides my high school diploma). It's my proof that I've started my higher education, and it's my encouragement to carry on farther. No one can take it back from me (granted if I get everything done for this semester's classes... YES Jen I am working on getting caught up!!!).

This milestone is a big one for me because I am the first to actually GRADUATE from a college in my little family. My father only went to school for barely two semesters. My mother went longer, but ran into legal trouble when she only needed one more credit to finish her two year degree. My husband went for half a semester, and ended up withdrawing because he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. My sister starts her first semester of college this summer. Out of the majority of the grandkids, I am the first to finish a degree before my 30s. I'm a first, and it feels really nice to be a first.

Granted, it did take me three years (I took a semester break first right out of high school, then another between my two years here) but I have made it. I've done it. It's great to say I have made it this far, and I'm still going farther. I have learned so much about myself and my surroundings in these last three years. When I first graduated high school, I didn't trust my 18 year old self to know what I wanted to do the rest of my life. Now I have a better idea of what my values are in life and in a career. I'm more confident in me.

I love setting an example for my nieces, nephew, and future children. I like how my determination is giving my husband the idea of going back to school (this time a 2 year trade, instead of a 4 year degree). I'm so happy my sister is following in my footsteps instead of just idling on in life until she knows what she wants to do.

So, here's to me. Here's to the GPA I've held, the classes I've completed, the teachers I've grown to love. Here's to me not taking the negativity my high school told me to heart. Here's to the clubs I've been a part of, the coworkers I've befriended, the fellow students I've studied with. Here's to my education and going further on, even if I can't fully see the path yet.

I hope everyone has a great summer, an insightful moment in life, and doesn't give up. If I see you May 17th at graduation, a hug is more than welcome! Here's to us moving on!