Friday, June 20, 2008

Illinois

You know, five years ago, if somebody had asked me where I'd be, I doubt I ever would have said Champaign, Illinois to get a master's degree. But here I am. I got here Monday. I've been making a list of the things I need to finish: unpacking, getting new car registration and drivers license, etc. It's a huge list. I hate moving. I've already met a couple of my neighbors and they seem ok. I haven't been introduced, but I was able to witness some people in one of the other buildings as they apparently sat at the pool ALL DAY. I got there at like 4 or 4:30 and they were there, in the pool, as were a couple of teenage boys...so I decided to wait and work on my tan a bit and read, thinking, they've all been here longer than me and I'll wait to swim laps when they leave. They DIDN'T LEAVE! Well, actually, the teenage boys left, but the other girl (who is way too interested in strangers knowing about her romantic entanglements) just stayed there. Had a cooler and everything. I was wondering why 1) they didn't like their apartment and 2) is she wearing a bikini? She really should NOT have been wearing a bikini. I sometimes think I shouldn't wear a bikini, so this woman SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WEARING A BIKINI!
I did go for a run on the running path around the apartment complex. It's not nearly as cool as my old one, but it's there. Unfortunately, it's much shorter, so to get the same workout I have to run it back and forth about 7 times. But for a quick run it's ok. I'll probably try a different way tomorrow, get out on the sidewalks and streets of the neighborhood and head toward one of the parks.
It's sort of lonely here too, cause I haven't started work or school yet and I don't really know anyone. I'm pretty much ok at being by myself in most circumstances; I like to read and stuff alone. And I'm not into partying. But it'd still be nice to know someone to go see a movie with or go try out a restaurant. Not things I CAN'T do alone; just things that are more fun with a friend. Nick won't be visiting for two weeks; so that sucks. But I am sure I could get my sister to visit and have my niece Alyssa stay a few days (hint hint!) since I rarely get to see her.
I am very excited for school. Financial aid is taken care of - I haven't heard about assistantships yet, but I hope to. And if not, well, I'll just work like others do. It'll totally suck and be much harder, but I'll manage. Anyway, I'm settling in slowly but surely. I miss my friends and they seem much farther away; but I'm sure eventually it'll feel more like home. And I'm only a two hour train ride to Chicago, so I'll be able to visit there, once I get my courage up.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Flooding

I'll try to link some of the photos Nick and I are taking and some video as well. But if you're interested, this is what's going on right now where we live. Major flooding and now the water is going over the spillway of the reservoir so there's going to be more. Wish everyone here good luck, cause we're so going to need it.

www.press-citizen.com

It's on the front page. Oh, and Nick and I should be okay where we're located unless it gets much worse that they plan (which is possible because we have rain coming up in the forecast) but we should be fine.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Moving and Other Woes

I am so tired of packing. I don't have a lot of things, but apparently it's enough to drive a person crazy. Also, I don't want to pack something I might need or want in this last week here in Iowa. *tear*. I'm so going to miss Iowa. I already have a job and financial aid lined up. I haven't yet heard from my advisor, but I have plenty of time to start choosing classes for next fall (YAY!). Obama won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have a presidential candidate for the party! I'm not too sure about this whole Clinton as vice-president thing. Nick and I have been discussing Richardson or even Sebelius; but Clinton might bring in those voters that Obama doesn't appeal to and maybe even swing some of those crazy Republicans over to the good side hehe.
Those wacky anti-choicers are at it again with something called "Protest the Pill" day. Cause the pill is "bad." But it does prove that some of the pro-choice arguments are correct: that those arguing against the pill and abortion aren't anti-abortion, they're anti- women's reproductive freedom, anti-choice. Apparently, the claim is that, despite the medical definition of pregnancy as starting at implantation (cause we all know that doctors don't really know any science), pregnancy REALLY starts at fertilization. Which you can't detect. So the pill is somehow a chemical abortion - even though the medical dictionary describes an abortion (spontaneous or induced) as the "loss of a pregnancy." (www.medterms.com). I have no idea how someone who isn't pregnant (at least the actual definition of pregnancy, not the anti-choice one) can have an abortion by the pill.
The pill can prevent implantation, but that's preventing pregnancy, not ending one, because implantation is the definition of pregnancy. At least, medically. Not that it matters, cause science isn't really high on the list of important things to know when you're anti-choice. But I'm getting all sarcastic and I apologize. I just couldn't believe the ignorance and sexism that comes out of this and while I realize people in general don't agree with me on my pro-choice stance regarding abortion, I can't believe that a majority of people would agree with this anti-choice stance on birth control.
So a new subject to get off my high-horse and lecture: Nick is back from Paris. Apparently, he has bought me French chocolates (that's the only thing he would tell me he got me, the sneak!) Next summer, instead of Ireland, we may be heading to see my sister get married in San Diego. But I'm hoping that we might be able to find a cheaper international trip to Belize or Canada. Europe is so expensive lately thanks to our lovely dollar decline. Or maybe we could go to Budapest - it's pretty inexpensive in the former Soviet bloc, even though they're having a major revival. Any thoughts on this?