Sanity? who needs it!?

Today is the start of my last Fall semester at NAU. And I cannot even begin to describe what I am feeling. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of work that is due within the next 7 weeks, I am feeling excited that this is my last fall at NAU, I am feeling a little helpless about the school work that is already sitting heavy on my chest, I am feeling excited that I've already done 4 assignments and it's only the first day... and... I am very anxious for the first 7 weeks to be done. Apparently I have decided to take two classes from two of the most difficult professors in the LTPW program. Good job Kyrie!

Just to give you an example of my work load for ONE class:
Quiz every 3-4 days
Paper (of 5-10 pages) every 5 days
10 discussion posts a week (of at least 300 words a piece)

This is for one class. One class that lasts 7 weeks. I guess I should have expected it to be crazy, but goodness, I forget how much needs to be done in the short semester classes. It's ok, I can do it... I may not be sane afterward, and I will have plenty of breakdowns, but everything will get done. And I will get an A. damn it.

Going back to work today was a little uneasy at first, but everyone was in a fabulous mood and I still had my job (it's been a question of how long I'll be there since May), and I have given much more outreach responsibility which I am very excited about.

I can already feel the itch of wanting to bake to distract myself from school work. Oh yeah, it's going to be a long semester.

I am going to a store tomorrow to get proper running shoes for my feet for my half marathon in January. A friend/coworker is a runner, so we're going to run together Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to get me up to speed and to my full potential. Baby steps in all aspects; training, dieting, and not being the obsessive person I am.

My lovely friend Shannon is having a baby in December, and I have told her I would provide the cupcakes/brownies for her baby shower. 4 dozen cupcakes and 4 batches of brownies! I love baking, and I love baking in giant batches like this. Yes, I tend to panic and freak out a bit, but who wouldn't?! Regardless, I know she'll love it and I know they will be the most amazing cupcakes people ever taste. I am that good.

Here's to the first manic Monday of school! And I seemed to have freaked out once today! Woo!



This is Quack Quack... and I miss him.

writing is just work-there's no secret. if you dictate or use a pen or type or write with your toes-it is still just work.

I have been gone for the past week doing awesome things like rafting the Truckee River, Kayaking and parasailing around Lake Tahoe, watching movies, shopping, resting (oh my god sleep, I missed you), and spending some much needed quality time with my family before the craziness of the semester starts… because they know that as soon as school starts, and I start freaking out, I become a hermit until the load lightens up (totally never happens, but I’m a dreamer) and I can actually breathe for a bit without the anxiety of school and all the stuff I have to do no longer exists.
This last week was a great vacation and a lot was done. We were on a whirlwind of activities, which made it even more fun. There came a point where it all caught up with me on Wednesday when I walked into my grandma’s house at 10 p.m. and just said “I am tired” and promptly put my head to rest on my pillow. But it was well worth it and well deserved. And now, when I start freaking out about school, I can simply remember this:



In other news, school starts tomorrow! My boss will be leaving after this week for a month in France learning how to cook (lucky duck she is), and I will be in charge of running Science in the Park this year for USGS. I am extremely excited about this because I am a social butterfly when I want to be. And it will be nice to be outside for three days helping our scientists out and hanging out with kids and their families. It’s always incredible to see little kids faces light up when they learn something new or something extremely fascinating to them. They are so young and absorb information like sponges. I look forward to it and will be taking pictures of the event.

My friend Dani and I will be running a half marathon in January. January 16th is the exact date of this half marathon. I have never done a marathon before, nor am I in the best of shape to be doing it. But starting tomorrow, diet is going to get strict and I am going to start running everyday. Even if it is a little bit of a run/walk I will do it everyday. My awesome hairdresser is also going to help me out; she’s a body builder/athlete and said she can whoop my ass into shape. So come January, I will be able to run this 13-mile marathon with ease… and look super hot too!

First day is tomorrow, although I don't actually have to attend class in the "normal" sense, I do have to spend a ridiculous amount of time on the computer now. Guitar tomorrow as well, so luckily, the computer hours will be split up a bit.

People always live forever when there is an annuity to be paid

I am a baker. And when I bake… I mean, I REALLY bake. I can’t stop baking once I start. Especially when school starts, I bake to avoid doing important things like homework, reading, thesis, etc. So last night I baked four different kinds of cookies: my famous pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, molasses cookies, and my recent obsession of macaroons. I actually had a purpose for baking all of these delicious cookies, which was a co-worker, who was probably one of my favourite co-workers is leaving. His last day is next Friday, but seeing as I will be in Carson City this next week, today was the last day I was going to see him. So I got him a little card and filled a grocery bag full of all these cookies. And this bag… probably weighed the size of a baby. Go big or go home is my motto! Anyway, I made all of these cookies with much success in about 2 hours. Cause I am seriously that good. I can whip out baked goods quicker than a magician whipping the tablecloth from a table. I am just sayin’.

Tonight is knitting night, and I had all this pumpkin left over, so of course I had to make MORE COOKIES. 26 plain and 26 chocolate chips. Not as bad as I did last night, and I know all the ladies will love them, so it makes me happy. And luckily, I don’t eat any of the stuff I bake because if I did, I would weigh 300 pounds. Anyway, I am working on a blanket, which may be done in time for winter this year… or maybe next. We’ll see what happens.
Tuesday night I did karaoke. I love karaoke. It’s a new love; fresh, easy, makes me nervous, but I do love it now. A pretty little lady I met last October does karaoke, and after two nights watching her do karaoke, she convinced me to do karaoke with her. Now, whenever she’s in town we go to karaoke. We have our token duets: “Kyrie,” “Kiss Me Deadly,” “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Bette Davis Eyes,” and she does a few of her own songs: “Black Betty,” “Maneater,” a whole bunch of other songs. And, you gotta love a girl who loves singing the song I am named after.

Tomorrow I get my hair cut, my eyebrows waxed, maybe a pedicure and then I am leaving on a jet plane to visit my wild, amazing family. There’s going to be hiking, swimming, rafting, kayaking, shopping, move watching, pizza eating, and who knows what else! I am greatly looking forward to it seeing as school starts in a little over a week. I need a break from work and Flagstaff before I plunge right into the new semester. Only two left, and then I’ll be done for a while. PhD is going to have to wait a bit… I am getting worn out. And I don’t think my family can handle me and my worrywart attitude and the stress ball I become.

When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.

I was looking at my old England blog last night when I decided I miss writing a blog. Granted, no one really looks at my blog except my family (hi family! I see most of you in a few days) and some of my friends who I decided to share this with (hi friends! You lucky bastards!). And that’s ok with me. Come to find out, my dear friend WILLIAM has just told me he won’t read my blog just to read it, or follow it just to follow it… my writing must “merit it” and ultimately meet his standards. Psh. Loser. ☺

It will all be apparent in time what I am like, what I do, etc., as I continue to write and become more and more obsessive about writing this here blog, than writing my actual thesis. Which, at the moment, is on complete hold until further notice.

I suppose that is one thing I should share; I am in graduate school and this is my last year. I have 9 months to write a 5 chapter book/thesis. I started this back in January, and three changes later, I have an entirely different subject, goal, and most likely, thesis advisor. All the research, planning, outline, book purchases can be thrown out like a bad piece of fruit. Third time’s the charm, right? I will most likely complain and be cantankerous about graduate school and say how much I hate it one day, and then the next, boast about how it is so stimulating and I love school AND my thesis. And once I am actually done with this year, I will be left with a bittersweet feeling of knowing I am finally taking a break after 20 years, and that I will actually have free time… a concept that does not make sense in my brain at this moment. But I will no longer have a reason to stress about school and homework. Something I say I may loathe, but secretly love.

What is this “third times the charm” thesis topic? I will be writing about technical and professional writing for the scientists and editors of the United States Geological Survey, where I happen to be a publications assistant. I want to look at professional papers, scientific investigations report, and open-file reports for the technical aspect. Then move to writing for the general public using fact sheets and the Internet and why it is important. Last, I will be focusing on what current and future editors can do to help these scientists accomplish their best writing. And I ultimately want to find a way to help everyone involved with the writing at USGS and make it a better, easier, and more fun way to get all the publications done.
How many publications are we talking about? For this fiscal year… our goal is over 200. Something we’ve never done before. Some may call this a challenge… I call this complete craziness. But that drama is for another day.

Now, I am going to enjoy the grey skies of flagstaff and the thunderstorm that is slowly brewing over the mountains. Monsoons are the best time of year in Flagstaff.