it's been awhile...

  so. in december i finished up my first semester of grad school. besides living on campus, it actually wasn't that bad. i scored a 3.9 gpa. happy, but that stupid .1!! haha. and now i'm back at stockton for another semester that is probably going to be harder than the last. even more reading and papers. what is weighing on my mind now is finding a job....i need something that will provide some $$ but leave me time for schoolwork and for visiting home. there's the eating places here on campus, but i'm hesitant. i have never worked in food and i'm not sure i want to spend all of my time at the school. there is the mall...but after 5 years in retail, i think i've had enough. there is the michaels craft store, which wouldn't be that bad. sure, it's retail, but at least i like the place. so, friday i am going out to get some applications and hopefully will be employed by next week. prayers would be appreciated-for me to not worry about it as much and to find the right place to work at.

have a great week everyone.

another month has gone by. what is new...well, its almost christmas. which makes me glad cause that means going home, working on the farm, and relaxing. school is getting more hectic. these next 2 weeks have two presentations and two papers due. and from then on, its focusing on my two big research papers. luckily, i have mostly all of my info already, just have to write it. graduate work, have to love it. i think that in the past 3 months, i have at least 10 books for classes/research. insane! but, i love what i read/research about, so that makes it worth it.

enough school talk. lets focus on christmas shopping. shopping. i have started to hate shopping. a big fan before, but not so much. people are rude and prices are ridiculous. now, im no expert on the economy and stuff like that, but if stores reduced their prices by half, they would still make $$. who wants to pay $25 for a shirt? i hate even paying over $10 for a shirt. however, ill pay $25 for a book. weird. anyway. and those annoying!! people in the mall kiosk-you know the ones that want to rub lotion on your hands or show you how their cordless, steamless iron works. as soon as i see those booths, i whip out my cell phone and pretend that im talking on it. same for the department stores that want to put makeup on you and bathe you in perfume. ugh. ebay shopping looks better everyday.

well. for all you that read this, have a great thanksgiving!

wow. i havent updated this thing in forever. but, thanks to those who still wondered where ive been. long story short: after my trip to arizona in february, i went back to work on the farm. summer i worked on the farm and then in july i went to europe. visited france, austria, switzerland, and germany. amazing, but a crazy 2 weeks. germany was great with all of the WWII sites and i was able to visit dachau, which was amazing. but, i must say, while i love germany, austria and switzerland stole my heart. the hotels that we stayed at in both countries were more like family-owned bed & breakfast places. they were both located in the alps, on hillsides with breathtaking views. besides dachau, my favorite day was in lucerne. we were supposed to go up mt.pilatus, but it was rainy and cloudy. so, we opted to just spend the entire day in lucerne. which was great. a cute, little, historical town filled with shops, architecture, and history. i spent the day by myself just walking around, taking pictures, shopping, and hanging out by lake lucerne. i thought if there ever was a town in europe i would want to live in, that was it. well, berlin or munich would be nice too.

 now, i am at richard stockton college of nj in the master of arts in holocaust and genocide studies program. while the program is great, i hate the school. the apartment i was getting fell through, so i was stuck living on campus. ugh. its a secular school, which means thursday nights is "let's get drunk and get alcohol poisoning!", everyone smokes..smokes pot that is, sex, sex, sex, cursing worse than a sailor, i could go on. needless to say, i miss eastern. actually, i miss home and working at the farm too. if i could commute, i would do it in an instant. but 2.5 hours away is quite a drive for commuting. oh well.

so, thats basically it. hopefully ill update this thing more often. later kids.

hellooooo...anyone out there???? so, 3 days until arizona and i havent packed a thing yet. retail stores have tons of bathing suits, but no shorts. well, they have shorts..if you want the shorts that even when youre standing, your butt cheeks hang out. or, to go along with the strech-jeans, they have shorts made out of the same material. ugggh. nooo thanks. anyway, i still have to pack and get stuff together. im getting more excited for the trip. we'll see how that excitement holds up when im with my family for 2 weeks straight in a retirement community (we are staying with my great uncle, gram's brother). now, my gram, aunt, and uncle arent some old-immobile people. they get around pretty good, look young, and are funny. so, we'll see what happens. like i said in my previous post, i have wanted to travel more. and here is an opportunity. so take it now, cause later on ill be bogged down with work, school, etc.

work...so, i saw on eastern's site that a company was looking for a short-term historical society researcher. i thought "yes!! i can do that!". but, since the company is located at valley forge, im assuming you have to work through there. so, thats out..why cant that type of job be in this area? after i get back from my trip, its a must that i get a job. first, im visiting possible internship sites. then i have to get a job-any job. as well....i have to take a 5-hour hypoglycemia test. i had another "spell" recently and figured i better get this checked out. blood work turned out fine, but the doc said its most likely hypoglycemia, and to really find out, i have to take the long test. so, yippee to that.

anyway, hope you all are doing great. at school, student teaching, jobs, in the relationship field (cough..dana..cough..haha). prayers for a safe and good trip would be appreciated!

update. my best friend is moving to florida, but not quite yet. march might be the moving month. so, i am glad to be able to have a few more weeks to hang out with her. and after that, ill be making trips to florida a little more often.

and trips...i am going to arizona in 13 days!! my uncle, well, great uncle, lives out there. so, my gram, aunt, and i are going out for 2 weeks. i have never been out west, so it will be exciting to see that part of the States. i know we are going to visit mexico, a couple of the casinos (not sure if we are going to nevada), and possibly (hopefully!!) going to the grand canyon. and, ill get to work on my tan. theres a pool where my uncle lives, but me out there in my east-coast white winter body...for a tan??...i guess ill have to sacrifice. hah. flip-flop wearing!!! yesssss .

and i think i am just looking forward to relaxing and giving myself a "break" (yes, another one) before getting back out there in the work field. before the trip, i am getting together all of my resume' stuff so when i come back, i can start with work stuff right away. but for now, i have the opportunity and the time to travel. so im taking it. warm weather....