Cold Toes

In a hurry to get out the door this morning, I made the mistake of slipping on a pair of flip flops with my wide leg jeans. I have not seen the sun in a few days now, and it did drizzle a little last night, but I did not expect to be scooping up water and wet leaves into my flip flops as I rushed into my 8am Monday morning meeting! My toes went numb and I felt silly sitting next to people with rain boots on. You would be proud to know that I only own 1 pair of flip flops now, which is absolutely crazy considering they are ALL I wore for about 5 years. But I guess that one pair is going to have to go back in the closet for the next couple of months.

I spent the last week relaxing, watching french films with subtitles on Netflix, catching up on Dexter season 3, reading about culture wars in American schools, writing a paper about homeless education and working on a case study of the Massachusetts tax system. I am so ready to kick this semester and move on to the next. I only have 2 weeks left of class, can you believe it? I have yet to have a meltdown, and I do not see one on the horizon!!! With my transfer credits from ASU, I only have to take 2 classes each semester for the remainder of my program. Only 6 classes, 3 semesters and 1 practicum left. I am pretty stoked about it.

Minus the frozen toes and dreary weather, life is good. I can't wait to plan a trip home!

Oh, and congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Greene! Neil and Jenna have been close friends of ours for our entire relationship, and I could not be happier for them. I heard the wedding was beautiful and I am so excited for you guys! Wish I could have been there. Judging by the several pictures I have seen of Josh dancing via fb, it looked like a good time! I love love love my dear friends for thinking of me and giving me a call during the festivities. I truly have amazing friends, and I appreciate them now more than ever.

I am thankful for...My Siblings

This one is going on the fridge...

Lola, November 2, 2009

I have been validated as a Vanderbilt graduate student. I got my very first paper back, and contrary to my apprehension and the near nausea I experienced while the prof passed them back at the beginning of class, I actually did pretty awesome. The brutally honest prof said, "some of you did very well, others..." I was sure I was one of the others. (Side note, I once over heard this prof telling an undergraduate student she needed to go back to the 9th grade to learn how to write...yikes right?)With every name he called I was thinking, "Oh, dear God please at least let me get a B, I need a B to know that I fit in here, I need a B to know that I don't need to go back to the 9th grade." Well, I did better than a B, thank you Mrs. Mooney, I do not need to go back to the 9th grade!

I have been seriously doubting my abilities since coming to Vanderbilt. While I am a Sundevil at heart, ASU isn't exactly known for academic rigor. I had been worried my grades were inflated, and my work would not be up to par. But alas, I have been validated, I am capable. I paid a quarter of what some of my classmates paid for their private school degrees, yet I am in the same program getting good grades. I guess hard work does mean something. And boy does it feel good.

PS Am I too old to pin my paper on the fridge?

Loving

Concrete colored nails. Chinchilly by Essie. Check it out.

Happy Birthday Fake Lake

Tempe Town Lake was opened 10 years ago this month. Today the Arizona Republic highlights the history, development and past 10 years, you can find the article (including the picture) here.

Now I know it is a fake lake, built in a dried-up river bottom, but I love the 2 miles of dirty water regulated by deflatable rubber dams. I love flying into sky harbor and seeing the lake, adorned by A mountain to the south. I love having the lake as a backdrop while waiting outside on the cobblestone sidewalk for our name to be called for our table at Monti's. 10 years have gone by fast, I remember when that river bottom was empty. Look how far Tempe has come since then. Marketplace, light rail, orbit!

In Nashville, there is an actual river that runs through downtown. You can see it from the terrace on our building. The Cumberland winds through the city and is in no danger of being dried up and turned into a man made lake.

But, I still love the fake lake.

Homesickness

Great Grandma, me, Mom, Grandma

Homesickness has finally hit, and boy has it hit hard. I know, you are probably thinking "but Whitney, you bashed on Arizona for years... claiming you would never return once you left the desert." It is true. I did. I am ashamed. I caught myself talking to two different people within the span of about 30 minutes about how much I miss home. When the first victim of my bantering passed by while I was carrying on the same conversation we had shortly before with someone else, I was embarrassed and hoped she didn't hear me. She was probably thinking, jeez girl, get over it. Well I am not over it!

It might be that I have completely lost the memory of the intense heat (weird how quickly it fades). Or maybe the fact that the holidays are slowly creeping up. Whatever it is, I want to go home. I want to see my freakin nephew, who doesn't even know me and wouldn't recognize my big bulging eyeballs if they were popped out in front of him! Sigh...

I also miss things like Sunflower Market, highways that have exits every mile or so and also have on ramps at the same place as the exit, streets that either take you north-south-east or west, and the light rail. I really got used to her convenience last year.

It has only been 3 months. I need to suck it up and stop thinking about it! But, I will tell you, it definitely makes you appreciate your family and friends. And at least I will know what it is like to live somewhere else...cause everyone wants to know that, right?

Mi Casa es Su Casa

This is our home. Complete with so much stuff from the Tempe house. Thanks for all of the stuff Dad and Wendy! The chairs, the painting, the table behind the couch, the bread rack on the island, the glassware in the window and on the table. Man, how did you part with these beauties? They are perfect here and make me feel like I am not so far from home.

Vanderbilt in the Fall. . . it's Interesting

Peabody lawn and the Wyatt Center. You can kind of see people playing frisbee.

The library steps. (Dad: This is where I was stranded in my flip flops without an umbrella when it was pooring down rain, like a true Arizona girl.)

I had a group meeting in the Wyatt Center atrium yesterday afteroon, so I brought along Josh and his parents. They strolled through campus while I discussed the history of bilingual education. Which is very interesting by the way.

Speaking of interesting, do you find yourself using the same phrases over and over again. I say interesting ALL THE TIME. I am so tired of the, "that's interesting," "it is so interesting," "in-ter-esting" nonsense that flows out of my mouth in almost every conversation. Ugh, if I am annoyed, I know you must be!

Anyway, back to Vanderbilt in the fall. I managed to snap these shots while waiting for Josh and his parents at the car. (Yes Sundevils, be jealous that at Vanderbilt they place you in a parking lot next to your school at no extra cost). I was trying not to look like a visitor taking pictures, which probably made me look even more conspicuous as I dropped my camera down into my bag at the first sight of a passerby. As if people really pay attention to what I am doing, I must have seen at least 4 other people with cameras in hand. Ehh, whatever, if it makes me weird I guess I am weird.

Cheekwood Botanical Garden

Some art, I just don't get.

Downtown Nashville

October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween Birthday!

Yesterday was Josh's birthday! What was he for Halloween you ask? Drunk.

This is the 7th Halloween birthday we have celebrated together. And if he starts to eat more vegetables, there will be at least 50 more!

More pictures from this weekend coming soon.