"But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” Dr. Suess

I have been on a Suess kick lately as you might see! :) I believe that it is imperative to be able to laugh with and at oneself.

Right now my big conundrum is whether or not I want to spend New Year's eve watching the ball drop in New York City or just go out and celebrate and forget about the stupid ball! :)

Since that is my biggest worry of the day I think I am doing ok! ;)
IPG in the last few days of 2008

“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss

It is hard to follow this quote sometimes. I love spending time with family, but sometimes I feel like begging for mercy. One thing that is tough about the parental units living so far away is that when you spend time together as a family you have to spend marathon amounts of time with the family. I am not complaining just saying about this time I start craving my home. I start wishing I was back home. I start craving my things. I start longing for the ability to do things my very own way.

I leave for NYC on Monday, and the city is so very exciting. I love how nuts New York is, and I love going! My fingers are crossed hoping that it doesn't rain or snow while I am in New York. If that can happen I will be a happy camper!

As 2008 draws to a close I am forced to reflect on the year in review. It is something I generally like doing....reflection. This year hasn't been what I would call a banner year. There are a few things I did this year I wasn't proud of. I have had a rough year in terms of finishing school, and making tough choices. All in all kind of a rough year. However it is over, and 2009 is looking very promising!

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” Dr. Seuss

Today is IPG's birthday. I am 30 nothing :D actually I am 30 something... but I prefer the term 30 nothing. Overall my birthday went well. SD's flight was late, and I was very stressed about getting her and going to dinner for my Birthday. It was a crunch...I had to leave in the middle of my dinner scoot to the airport...pick up my daughter and then come back to have dinner. Challenging? Yes! Impossible...not for IPG. SD managed to have some of the yummy dinner and enjoy desert!

I like to reflect on my life a bit on my birthday, but I have not had time. I will though as soon as I possibly can. Perhaps Saturday!

Merry Merry Christmas Christmas -Dr. Suess

Merry Christmas! I am enjoying the last day before my birthday. I had a really good Christmas! Only two gifts have to go back, and that is because they were books I have already read. Thanks to my dad for giving me the Dog the Bounty Hunter biography two years in a row. Dad could not have known that I have already read the new Stephen King book. It was fantastic spending time with family. We watched A Christmas Story, which we watch every year on Christmas day. We had our traditional pancake breakfast, and then a nice Christmas dinner.

Bey, Mom, SD and I leave on the 29^th for NYC. We will be celebrating NYE in New York. So if you are watching the ball drop on New Year's…look for me..I will be there.

Because some dogs look like their owners...

There is a website that has pictures of owners that look like their dogs.
I used to have a strapping Chesapeake bay retriever, and he and I never looked alike. However my cocker spaniel lately has been having a problem with her bangs falling in her eyes. Funnily enough...I am having the same bang problem! So we have the same hair cut. She has always had the same color hair as I do...so I give you my version of dogs that look like their owners.

This is my fav pic of me that I took, but as you can see my hand moved and the light turned out weird.
This picture clearly demonstrates the bang problem we both are having. Only...Shug failed to look at the camera.
It is more difficult to see the bangs in her left eye here. But you can at least see that we have the same color hair and you can clearly see the bangs in my eyes.

SD in Cinderella

No serious post today...well maybe later. This one is for the light hearted...
Jamie (SD's mom) has a picture on her blog of every one of her children doing dishes except for SD. I just spent an hour trying to find the picture of her little brother doing dishes in his underwear...but I can't find it. That is neither here nor there...except that I was going to make one big collage type picture for her with SD, Jace, and Addison (who isn't really doing dishes just climbing on the dishwasher). But it won't work if I can't find the picture of Jace. I have it somewhere, if only my cough and cold medicine would wear off for 10 minutes.

Anyway, this picture is not nearly as funny as it could be (alas SD would not turn around and face the camera)!

However I give you Cinderella! She scours pans...

Works hard at the computer...
And then has to sleep on the floor....
I told you I was a wicked stepmother!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday

I took these pictures with my cell phone like a month ago. One thing I believe is that you have got to find the humor in the little things in life. And now I give you....a question of why?

Why are these enormous granny panties...

less than 1/2 the price....

of these g strings?

Mindless Blogging

I don't often get to read books of my choosing. While I am frequently seen with my nose in a book, it is typically one of the textbook variety. However twice a year I get to gorge on books of my choosing (Christmas Break, and Summer).

I read lots of different things:

• Non fiction such as personal finance, Freakonimics, and investment books.
• True murder books especially about serial killers, and spouses that murder their spouse
• Biographies on occasion
• The American west
• World War II
• Fiction-
• Trilogies such as Lord of the Rings, and the Inheritance series, OF COURSE Harry Potter, Twilight Series, and now I have started the new Hunger Games Series
• Horror - King and Koontz and various others
• Mystery- Michael Connelly, John Connolly
• Bridget Jones style books
• Southern Fiction
• The bazaar- I love Chuck Pahalaniuk and Brett Easton Ellis and I don't know where they would go
• Other- Nick Hornsby, Sue Monk Kidd etc.

I just have a few rules about what I read:

1. NO starting to read DEAD AUTHORS. I discovered this truth because of J.D. Salinger. I love his stuff, but he is dead, and not writing anymore.
2. No authors that give their books cutesy names such as "A is for Alibi”, Fearless Fourteen", “The 6^th Target”
3. No more starting new trilogies until all three books are out (I accidentally got sucked into Hunger Games because I honestly did not know it was a trilogy). I will probably have grandchildren before Christopher Paolini finishes the Inheritance series, and Brisinger was not all that great.
4. No authors that have only published one book. This might sound elitist, but I don’t want to fall in love with an author and have them disappear never to publish again. I know that even if I find an author with multiple publications they could stop writing, but…I try to hedge my bets.
5. No books that have been written AFTER a movie. That is the wrong way to do things, in my view.

At this time I don’t have any other rules, but this is my list that I typically work using. I am very excited that I should be receiving the latest J.K. Rowling for Christmas. I also hear a rumor that Santa might be bringing me a Kindle!

IF sage readers you have any book suggestions for me I am in a SEVERE book drought. I spent an hour in Barnes and Noble and left empty handed because I could not find not even ONE book that looked like I might enjoy it. So suggest away...I am listening.

Running out of intellectual steam -- not that my boiler had much pressure to begin with...

`Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'

`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.

`I don't much care where--' said Alice.

`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.

`--so long as I get somewhere,' Alice added as an explanation.

`Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'

- Lewis Carroll Alice and the Looking Glass

I am a bibliophile so I oftentimes identify with characters in books. Sometimes I am Scarlet O’Hara, a wicked stepmother, Bridget Jones, Eve, Venus, Joan of Arc. But here lately I have been more like Dorothy lost in Oz or perhaps Alice. I love the way Lewis Carroll writes so this quotation is fitting.

One thing that I had not anticipated when I started my doctorate is how working on my doctorate would steal part of who I am for quite some time. I crave those 3 letters. Not my M-R-S…I already have those, thank you very much. I want my P-H-D. I do believe with out my MRS it might have been very difficult to obtain the PHD. I will say that I appreciate my handsome husband and the supporting role he has played in me getting my degree. I realize I am not done, but I can see the horizon at this point. Day is breaking, and I am almost done.

My identity has been stolen or more accurately sucked up and absorbed by being a Ph.D. student all these years. I have to stop and wonder who will I be when I graduate? Another thing I wonder is when I finish school will I be relieved, exhilarated, or looking for the next big shot of adrenaline that life has to offer?

If I have to die young, I want it to be in a meeting...That way, the transition from life to death will be as seamless as possible.

Yawn! Still sick...absolutely no better. Which means I now have cabin fever, but don't feel well enough to leave. NICE!

I went and ran a few errands today. I managed to make it to 2 errands. T-W-O! Then I came back home whimpering and crawled back in bed prepared for a nap.

Dear Bey, you know it takes me FOREVER to get to sleep. So when I tell you that I am tired and am taking a nap and I am sick, why would you come home in the middle of the day? It was sweet. It was a nice gesture. But then when I acted like a crab because I have only been asleep for 10 minutes why are you surprised? Love, IPG

Because the semester is wrapping up...I have to discuss a few of my students. I have 3 separate variety of students. I will break them down by type...
Type 1 students- These are my very best students, and they want the very best from me. I love these students I would like to have 10 per class.
Type 2 students- These are pretty good students. I don't hear from them much. But they turn their work in on time. They do a pretty good job. I like these students. I wish I got to know them more.
Type 3 students- These are the students that turn everything or at least some things in late all term. They always have an excuse, and come the end of term they will either "forget" their term paper, or will be "confused" about the directions. Then they will belligerently get mad at me because I did not make this clear to them. It doesn't matter that they haven't turned anything in since 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. Oh and by the way...I know it is the end of term, but can I make up week 2's quiz? I have been dealing with 2 of these very special students today. I usually have the patience of Job when it comes to my students, but today I am sick of being sick. Mr. and Ms. Type 3 today...get with the program you have until SUNDAY to get your work in...and I am off in a puff of orange smoke!

Spotted while snooping on my husband's laptop

MISSING PERSON REPORT:

Bright vivacious gregarious blond with sparkling blue eyes and a sunny personality. Last seen circa 2005 headed into an institution of higher learning to work on her doctorate. If you have any information about this missing person please call XXX.XXX.XXXX. Patient husband is seeking any and all information about his missing lovely wife! Huge reward if found.

Wonder who he is looking for? :P

I rarely put pictures of myself on the blog. Who am I kidding? I rarely put pictures on the blog. However I was feeling so yucky today...I gave myself a full face of makeup. So now I still feel yucky...but look fabulous! MUAH!

Before the makeup I need to mention I looked like the unibomber. I was wearing a black hoody, black yoga pants (boot cut at least), and some tennis shoes. At least with makeup people won't be so scared that they are grabbing their children and hiding from me.

“Oh, Fortuna, you degenerate wanton!” John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces

I am stuck...at the doctor's unable to do anything except wait in line for more lab results. The only upswing of wasting the whole day getting X-Rays and what not is that I have now seen every single room of the student health center. NICE!

Because I am too sick to write a meaningful blog post not to mention I have about a billion things for work to do that I can't do because I am STILL HERE....

I just wanted to take a second to think about what it is going to mean for this southern gal to move to AZ. I love the desert. I like baking in the sun. I like having arguments with the various Yankee men that live down south because they snagged themselves a southern gal! It reminds me of the little phrase,

"If You Love Southern Girls, Raise Your Glass. If Not, Raise Your Standards"

My hot Californian Husband certainly understands that phrase. The same handsome husband that forced me to go to the doctor today.

They think I have asthma. Seriously who gets asthma in their 30's?
Gimme some shuga y'all! Been missing the postings.

A feast of football and mindless thuggery

Today should be back to the grind for me. However, I have a temp of 101 degrees. I will be going to the doctor in about 3 hours. Hopefully at that time I can get the good drugs so I will feel better immediately if not sooner. This is what you get when you don't take care of yourself. :(

I have lots to say about my weekend. The good the bad and the ugly...however I just can't type right now. UGH I HATE TO BE SICK!

Leaving for New Orleans

So I am out the door in a few hours to go to NOLA. I personally love NOLA. :) I know that you either love it or hate it, but I love it!

However I just received this text "If you have a tacky Christmas sweater bring it" uh oh! What am I getting myself into?

Never play leap frog with a unicorn

My cough persists. I have had a niggling cough for 2 weeks now, and it has finally gotten on my nerves. I guess patience is one of my virtues. ;)

My new schedule for work is working out better than I had hoped, and I believe that is going to leave me to be a much happier camper. Also not concentrating or even fretting about the dissertation has helped. I have a super secret plan of how to knock it out, but I will divulge in a few days.

I may work up at the coffee shop tomorrow. Just for a change of pace.

I have more to say, and am dying to say it tonight…but I am so tired. I just can’t hold my eyes open. The running is wearing me out. My shins are screaming at me when I stand. Me and my cough are going to bed.

"All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusion is called a philosopher." Ambrose Bierce

So a guy friend of mine sent me a “girlfriend” quiz today. I am obviously spoken for… so this quiz was not for me, but I found some of the questions irresistibly funny. :)

The true or false section included a few of these gems:

Q2. A cheerleader AND/OR schoolgirl outfit is a wardrobe must.

Q5. 'Anchorman' and 'Superbad' are hilarious movies.

The essay section:

Please select one of the following questions and answer it as fully as time will allow. Please try and be as descriptive as possible, and where applicable, come up with at least TWO convincing arguments to support your case. Arguments must be backed up with cited evidence, not anecdotal perspective.

Q2. Please come up with a convincing game-plan for having me come shopping with you, keeping in mind my retail oriented attention span is about twelve minutes, and I am prone to wandering after flashing lights and shiny things.

Several of them were inappropriate, and I don’t like to be gross on the blog. :)

So I started training for my 10k today. My friend who works with my man and I are training. I am exhausted already. I am a swimmer not a runner, but I managed to stick it out. I will get better the 10k is April 4.

Again I am home alone although it is a lot less fun day 2 than it is day 1.

Now for the catch up post…prior to posting yesterday I had not posted since November 10.

On November 13 I spent the night in Jackson with one of my girlfriends who got married back in August. We had a good time although we had to discuss some very serious subjects. It felt good talking to her, and going to dinner just discussing girl stuff.

November 14 was the Marine Corps ball. I had a very good time although I was not able to wear the dress I had specifically bought for the event. I spent hours and hours getting ready (something that is unusual for me). And my precious Bey did not even bother to compliment me. I had a great time at the ball, but my feelings were hurt that all my efforts didn’t even deserve a compliment. The rest of the week was a regular work week.

On November 21, I left for Las Vegas. It was an interesting trip. I didn’t have as good a time as I had hoped, but it was interesting nevertheless. I don’t have good luck in Las Vegas. The last time I was there I sort of called off an engagement (mine). So perhaps the town is cursed for me. :) On November 23 I got stranded in Phoenix for the night because of some sort of airplane malfunction. I finally made it to El Paso on the 24^th. I spent the entire week with friends and family. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer time to see friends, and catch up.

There have been some weird things with school going on since I have returned. I am not sure I should discuss them yet. Being careful and all that. However…I may have new and exciting news coming soon. :)

Home Alone

Because I am home by myself tonight...I am going to sit around in my J's...sliding on the floor in my socks (which I am not supposed to do at least when Bey is home...he thinks I will hurt myself which is ridiculous). I am eating a waffle, a pickle, an apple, and a handful of almonds for dinner. YUMMY YUMMY to all you naysayers. Flipping back and forth between Monday night football and the Tivo version of TrueBlood, Dexter, and Entourage notice the control I have of my remote. Talking on the phone loudly to girlfriends...putting mousse and makeup on the dog...and cackling.
All in all not a bad night.

"There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." Oscar Wilde

After traveling for the holiday I returned home to cold grey Mississippi from the sunny southwest. I have in the past been slightly affected by SAD (seasonal affective disorder). The grey gets to me. I can’t stand how claustrophobic it can make me feel. I miss living in the desert. I miss the big sky and the sunny days 360 days a year. Life is all about choices. The move to Phoenix is much anticipated now that the grey is back, and a gloom has descended on my household.

I haven’t been on the blog much because I have been traveling for the last 10 days. First to Vegas, then an unexpected stop in Phoenix, finally to El Paso. I realized one of the things really missing in my life here in Starkville is a gaggle of good girlfriends. I have friends here, but it isn’t the same as the friendships I formed in West Texas or during my tenure in Atlanta. While that might seem strange, it isn’t really. I moved here as a married woman. Most of my friendships have been formed with other married couples. The ladies here I feel didn’t know the “old IPG” dare I even say the “real IPG.” Because of this I find myself longing for my female friends.

I have decided to put my dissertation on hold for the month of December. I just have too much going on. Bey and I are putting the house on the market on February 1. I have a lot of projects to oversee in between now and then. Because of that and obviously it is the holidays I plan to concentrate on my teaching, and on getting the house ready for market.

Totally Cheating but Inserting Turkey Day post in here

I had one of the best thanksgivings ever. It was SOOOOOOOOO much fun. My handsome husband’s mom has a new man. I got to spend time with my stepdaughter…I got to see my nieces and kick it with my brother in law. I got to stir up a lot of trouble. All in all a fantastic Turkey Day.

In keeping with tradition here is what I am most thankful for:

1.) My family including of course my handsome husband, wonderful SD, parents, sister, in laws

2.) We are financially stable and able to do pretty much what we want.

3.) My education

4.) My dog

5.) My seemingly endless choices in terms of my future

So Jamie (SD’s mom) suggested I make a more personal blog. But I just don’t know how to separate it out right now. I just don’t think I can. Once I finish the dis the blog won’t be as overwhelming. I think it would make it less organic to split it up. And she wants more pics. Little does she know that I am the laziest person alive when it comes to pics.

"Half this game is ninety percent mental." Yogi Berra

No news is not good news when it comes to your dissertation. But that is where I am. I had to organize a big research project this past week. After that was done my parents were in town. We had a good visit but it means I didn't get anything important such as my dissertation accomplished. Sigh. Makes me sad because a dissertation is like a shark it has to stay in motion or it dies. That might not be the best analogy, but it is all I have for the day.

I am going to the Marine Corps ball on Friday. I am looking forward to it. Found the perfect cocktail dress. Additionally next weekend I will be in fabulous Las Vegas. Then it is turkey time. After thanksgiving my work load should drop down. Once that has happened I will be all systems go on the dissertation. :)

New Dissertation Plan

So …I am going to get up every morning and apparently have a good cry about my dissertation. Then go about my day like a sane person.

Not much of a plan I realize, but I don't have anything else that seems to be helping at the moment. Maybe I will go organize my shoe closet again. Sigh. :(

Random Sunday Night Post

Is there anything sexier than Peyton Manning when you can hear his audibles? I love listening to him say "Hut"

"Never mistake motion for action." Hemingway

So why hasn't IPG been discussing her dissertation? Because she is stuck. Stuck in the mud. I sat down and had a good old fashioned cry about it this morning. Let me just tell you that Bey was ecstatic about that little development. Tears flowed as I realized how overwhelmed I really am. I am going to have to come up with a new plan for working on my dissertation. However this week I am conducting a big research project that involves polling voters. Because it involves polling voters it has to be worked on for Tuesday. This means that Monday and Tuesday will be filled with coordinating my research problem.

Wednesday will be spent cleaning my house frantically because my parents are coming on Thursday – Sunday. It is going to be fun, and I am happy they are coming. I miss them. So I am going to have to puzzle this dissertation problem out while being busy this week. A dear friend said to me today. "Everywhere you turn there is change and it makes you nervous. You think that you need to stabilize your life now, but this may be impossible with so many circumstances out of your control. Instead of trying to do the impossible, focus your attention on how you react to what's happening. Your life will get easier once you give up the idea of being in charge of it all." Thanks El Paso. Some truer words have never been spoken.

Let the record show

So my stepdaughter was listening in to her stepdad on the phone. And he mentioned going to a strip club. Anyway, SD says "I know about strip clubs." And her mom goes, "How?" And SD says, "IPG." For the record I have never taken her to a strip club. I have never had conversations with her about strip clubs. She and I walked past a strip club when we were in New Orleans. Let the record show I don't talk to nor do I take 11 year old girls to strip clubs.

Been Poaching from Jamie

Ok so I totally stole this from Jamie. :) Sorry. But I am so proud of this kid! She made straight A's last year all year! And this year she made straight A's in her first quarter of six grade! I am so proud of you little girl.

So to my darling SD. Bey and I are proud of you. You are costing us a fortune in good grade gifts. But it is totally worth it.

Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. -Millay

Since I am out of town…just a one nighter actually going home today…I wanted to write about Bey. I miss my guy. He is the person that fills the room up for me. Of course I am thinking about all of this because I am worried he is going to be jetting off to Phoenix without me. I want him to get the job. I know it would be best for us if he were to get the job. I just don't want to be left by myself indefinitely. I can handle life by myself, I lived alone until 2005. But it will be tough to stick it out in Mississippi if my heart is in Phoenix, AZ.

So time for a little introspection…how much of this is I am going to miss him, and how much is me just not wanting to be left behind? I woke up the other morning, and I was ready to move to Phoenix. There is not anything wrong with Mississippi, and I am going to miss so many things about it. One of my favorite things about Mississippi is when you tell people you live there they feel the need to spell it for you, and they can't just spell it "M-I-S-S" etc. They spell it like this "M-I-Crooked Letter-Crooked Letter-I" I love it. I tell people I am from Mississippi all the time just so that they will spell it to me. I am sure I will find little joys like that in Phoenix too, but really that gets me every time.

Dissertation is coming along. Not as rapidly or as completely as I would like. However it is moving…I guess I should be happy that I am chugging along. But mostly I am just impatient. Bey said to me the other day. "I do not know why you are rushing. Lots of people take 7 years to finish." SO help me Bey if you ever utter that phrase around me again…I am going to be a widow. ;) I am rushing because if I stop for a fraction of a second I am going to collapse. I might not get up and get started again which would be a terrible thing. That is truly why I am working so hard. There is no two ways about it.

I am working entirely too much. I really need to be working about 25% less. Other than that my cup runneth over!

I could not be any blonder today if I tried

I have got to get Thanksgiving booked. Everyone is bothering me about it. EVERYONE…MIL, Bey, my mom (who isn't involved at all), SD…the list is endless.

I swear I am going to take care of it THIS WEEK. I have to go out of town for work this week. It is only an overnighter. I will hopefully be able to get back on track with my dissertation after I get home.

I have a few things going on in upcoming weeks. I am going to be going to Birmingham to see some friends. I will be going to Jackson to have some girl time with one of my friends. I am going to a conference. My parents are coming to visit, and I am going to El Paso for Thanksgiving. That gets us right up to the holidays.

It is so fun because I started the year with so much travel, and now I am ending it traveling as well. :)

I love it!

Carpe Diem

It is still gorgeous here. A little cool but still gorgeous so we are taking the boat out. However the day is really starting with a bang because the boat's battery is dead again. The boat's battery pretty much dies all the time. Like around the clock. I hope this isn't going to be one of those boating days…the type of boating days where everyone is a tiny bit snippy. Ah well we will have to go to Columbus, trade out the battery again. But at least the sun is still shining and we can take the boat out.

:)

"Wit is educated insolence." Aristotle

I have had about all of the Y chromosome I can handle lately. I love my guys. Bey, guy friends, family, I love 'em.

But I have had my fill of them lately. I need some girl time. I need to go out to dinner talk about men and shoes.

I need to discuss the movie Sex and the City, and the relative benefits of Mac makeup versus Clinique.

I read a book this week that was so beautiful made me cry in TWO places. Yep definitely needing some girl time.

To remedy this situation I am going to see my friend in Jackson. Her husband travels quite a bit so we will be planning

one of those girls nights.

I am going to glam it up. Lots of makeup and hair…shoes that make my feet cry. Dinner and talking. I am going to talk

until I am sick of talking. I have been talking in my sleep lately…I am taking this as a sign that I need some girl talk time.

So hurray for girls! I am getting my girl night. No Y chromosomes allowed.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." Albert Einstein

The saying goes that if you lie down with dogs you rise up with fleas. Another one of those sayings is you are who you hang around. I overthink things. I know I overthink everything. However do I overthink things because I am an academic or am I an academic because I overthink things?

And why can't I just shut my brain off? I just can't…I think and think and think. I look at everything from 100 different angles. It makes for great insomnia. It makes for great research ideas. I am always full of creative research ideas. But it doesn't leave me with any sanity. After I leave the coffee shop today I want to go somewhere where I can't think. I don't know where that place could be, perhaps a loud rock concert. This might be difficult to find in the middle of the day on a Tuesday.

But back to the original question….do I overthink because I am an academic? Or am I an academic because I overthink? I mentioned a few weeks back about Bey's incredible ability to think nothing. I don't have penis envy…but I sure as heck have Nothing thinking envy. AND get this…I have thought about this phenomena so much…I want to research it. Read some papers on it. Never mind that it isn't in my area.

I need an off button.

Ha! All caught up!

I am sensing a trend! Like last Sunday…I am all caught up on my work. Now I just need to stop watching this stupid movie and go to bed. I love being caught up on my work. I will be implementing operation Coffee Bean tomorrow to help kick start my dissertation process. I will give an update on how the new plan works.

Whooo Hooo Goooo Saints

Today was a fun day at our house. Bey is a RAIDERS fan, and I am a Saints fan. The Saints handled the Raiders! YEAH!!!

At least my Saints took care of business. We will not discuss the Auburn Tigers…having a day of mourning for them.

Also the one and only true love of my life AKA Peyton Manning did AWESOME today too. (This is sort of an inside joke at my house, but I am not joking about my undying devotion to Peyton).

Tomorrow I am not going to change my routine a bit. I have been writing daily at the library. While writing at the library would seem to be ideal. I am mixing it up starting tomorrow. I am going to start writing at a coffee shop near campus. I think it will help jump start my creativity. I just need a bit of a change of scenery. Plus I love coffee shops. I was thinking about working at the Barnes and Noble on campus so I can sit and smell delicious Starbucks and BOOKS. I think those are 2 of the best smells in the world. However I am woman enough to admit that writing in the B and N is just too much temptation. I would be looking at the stacks and buying books every day. So I decided to give myself a sort of compromise.

“Hell is other people” Jean-Paul Sartre

I am having one of those days. Typically I am gregarious. I feel like being around other people. I love having my friends over. I came home last night from Atlanta. I walk in the door…people here. I just wanted to take a bath…but for reasons unknown there is a turtle in my bathtub.

I got some sleep thinking I was just tired and some rest would improve my mood. However I was sorely mistaken. I woke up in the same mood today as I was last night. Frustration over my dissertation…that would be my first reason…other things I am not at liberty to discuss here also could be causing this little mood.

So I am taking the day today. I am taking it back for myself. I am kicking that dang turtle out of the bathtub. Then I am going to watch football. Auburn better not let me down today. I could really use some good news. After a full day of football I should be back to my normal self. If not I will repeat this remedy again tomorrow. Rest…NFL…maybe even a good book. I should be back to something representing normal Monday.

IPG… in how did it get to be Wednesday already?

I woke up shocked that this morning was Wednesday. Where have I been? Obviously in some sort of trance because I don't even remember the week…Just too much going on I believe.

SD's mom called me today. SD doesn't want to trick or treat this year with her brother and sister. Nope! She is trick or treating with her FRIENDS. I want to cry. Why is she growing up so fast, and why is it all happening all at once? I want my little squirt back. My goodness…I held it together while I was on the phone, but I started crying when I hung up. She is going to be …gulp…a teenager.

I am not meeting with my advisor this week because I have to go to Atlanta tomorrow. I am NOT looking forward to the drive. I hope there is enough gas to make it there and back for me. I don't want to get stranded in Georgia.

Work has been stressing me out and p*ssing me off all week. It has just been one stupid thing after the other. I hate stuff that drives me crazy, and makes me do extra work. I also hate when I have to discuss stuff when it doesn't have anything to do with me. I just get randomly LUMPED into that category so I have to discuss. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Frustration level rising. I think it is all taken care of now. However I am requesting the rest of the week be stress free.

;)

"Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?" Anon

I was unreasonably busy today. However it worked much to my favor as I got a lot of things done. For an anal retentive like to check things off a list person such as myself…this turns into a FAB day. I got so many checks today I even impressed myself. While I was out I had to buy a new dress for my upcoming conference to Atlanta. I was really good though because I bought a dress that matches with shoes I already own. This surely is one in the plus column for me.

I bought some new books today which I am allowed to enjoy because I am on fall break. I already read one of them. I think I talked a few months back about my Richard Matheson kick once I saw "I am Legend." I picked up a few other of his books. Tonight, though I am trying to enjoy the Saints game. I am super jealous that I am not at this game on Monday Night Football.

I should have mentioned this the other day, but forgot. SD had her hair cut for "Locks of Love." Can you imagine what a freaking AWESOME kid I have? My heart hurts I miss her so much. I know I have been dragging my feet about this moving to Phoenix thing, but the idea that I will be able to literally get in my car, and go and see her makes me smile.

I spoke to a very dear friend of mine today…he reads the blog quite frequently. Hello to El Paso…I know you are in a rock/hard pace situation. I wasn't able to continue our conversation today, but you have got to follow your heart on this. Get off your ridiculous emotional roller coaster, and do what is best for you. Last I checked you were not happy. You gotta figure out what it is going to take to get happy, and get there. 3

Finally that brings me to dissertation news. Zip. Zilch. Cero. Zero. None. Didn't even open the document today. And that is ok too. Go Saints!

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." Oscar Wilde

I am completely done with all my work. My entire inbox is empty. The outbox is full…that is what I call a productive Sunday. Not only that I managed to get work on my dissertation done, I made it to church to the gym, and I cooked my loving spouse a well balanced meal. Feel free to call me super woman.

Bey isn't calling me anything other than probably annoying. I tried to have a state of the union conversation with him today about my dissertation. I am pretty sure he fell asleep when I started talking about Chapter 1. He managed to wake up when I said "Dinner's ready." That is a manly skill I would like to obtain. Actually I would like a bell. I would like to be able to ring my bell, and make all the men in the world go to sleep. I mean this very kindly, but it would be oh so helpful to me. For example, when I was trying to gossip with the neighbor today, and Bey insisted I help with something on the Jeep in the garage. I could whip out my bell. So in addition to the dissertation conversation I learned something AMAZING ABOUT MEN TODAY. In fact I am going to have to do some unofficial research on this. So that this makes more sense let me set the stage.

I get in from the store. Bey has been shooting. I say "What are you doing?" and he says "Nothing." The reason I ask is because he is laying on the couch hands folded behind his head. He is staring at the wall. Literally just staring. He isn't asleep…I checked. So I say "What are you thinking about?" And he says…get this…NOTHING. So I of course roll my eyes. "No one can think nothing." And he says "I think nothing all the time." And I say, "I never think nothing it is impossible." Then he makes me sit on the couch. I am supposed to think "NOTHING" for 5 minutes. I didn't even make it 1. I am sitting there going "Nothing…Nothing….Nothing…man I really need to …ooops ok…Nothing…Nothing…what is the origination of the word Nothing….ooops." Anyway, I made it silently thinking nothing for a grand total of 2 minutes. It is impossible. This is some sort of lie that men tell women. Tomorrow I am going to call my mother and see if she has conducted more rigorous research than I have.

Another manly skill I am going to learn. I walk in the door from Church, gym, store. I am carrying groceries, and Bey looks right at me and says "I am hungry." You can tell the way he says it that he expects me to do something about it. I love cooking, and I take kitchen duties seriously. But I just wish I could learn that type of entitlement. I am hungry and expect someone to do something about it. =) If I said "I am hungry" I would get…"Well when are you making dinner?"

Don't get me wrong. I am not knocking on Bey, when it comes to husbands there are none that are finer. I just need to pick up some of these skills.

Why so cold at the gym?

Why is it a refrigerator at the gym? Don't people go to the gym to sweat?

That is all I have today.

War Eagle!

Where the mundane meets the sublime

I had a rocking day on the dissertation. It was one of those days where click click click click everything fell together. This happens so rarely that I deserve a new pair of shoes. Sorry, Bey. Supposedly I am on a shoe diet, and not supposed to purchase new shoes until I "do something" about my shoe closet. Since the "something" has never really been specified I am just ignoring it. Sorry, Bey. Obviously my darling Bey is the one expecting me to "do something" about the shoe closet. He claims he doesn't want to move 5,000 pairs of shoes to Phoenix. I just have to stop here and say 5000 is such an exaggeration….500 maybe but 5000? Please.

But back to the dissertation for some reason I have like 5 bad days for every fantastic day. Wonder why that is? Again work has threatened to bury me. But I made it out alive. ;) Tomorrow night I am eating dinner with my friend Jessie. She and I have been too busy to get together since MARCH! That is ridiculous that we haven't made time to see each other. However I am rectifying that situation tomorrow.

Bey did fantastic in his interview. I hope he gets the job. He rented a regular car, but they ended up giving him a PT cruiser convertible. SD is going to DIE! I know she is excited. She and her daddy are going to spend the whole day tomorrow together. He is taking her for sushi tonight. It kind of hurts my family is getting together eating sushi and going to amusement parks without me. I will be in Phoenix with SD soon enough I guess. I really want to meet SD's new little sister, and I just haven't made it to Phoenix yet. Poor Bey says the desert landscape depresses him. We are going to move from our richly green landscaped home in Mississippi to the stark desert of Phoenix.

“I bring to my life a certain amount of mess.” Kitty O'Neill Collins

I am home alone. I LOVE being home alone. I used to live by myself, and when I get to be home alone I enjoy it for the first few days. Then I decide I am bored. Tonight I rented a few chick flicks that Bey wouldn't watch. I usually watch scary movies, but I have sort of ODed on them lately. I am kinda out of scary movies to watch.

Being home alone means I am off kitchen duty. YEAH! I can make stuff like toast and call dinner DONE! Tonight I ate a bowl of cereal. (Cereal does not constitute a meal when there is a man in the house…or at least at this house). I am going to stay up late watching crap television that I never get to watch. I also plan to get a bunch of dissertation work done. When Bey's home he usually comes home for lunch (interrupting my progress), and then when he gets home from work I have to pay attention to him. So it breaks up my writing day. It will be nice to just make some headway without distraction.

Bey messaged me and said he made it to Phoenix safe and sound. Some trippy chick stared at him the entire flight. That is hysterical because usually I am the one that flies next to crazy people. If you are ever on a plane with me…whoever sitting next to me is criminally insane. I have ridiculous stories about all the crazy people that have sat by me on airplanes.

I gotta go to Atlanta next week for a conference. I was going to fly because of all the gas problems Atlanta has been having, but flights were ridiculous. While I am there I intend to go to the aquarium that I have been DYING to go see. I haven't been to Atlanta in a long time unless you count the airport (which I don't). It is fall break next week for school so that means absolutely nothing to me since I am no longer taking classes! That feels sooooooooooooo good to say.

I have made some progress on the dissertation today. I sort of dug myself out of a hole…again this will make it easier to sleep knowing that I got some goals locked down.

There is an angel in heaven that exists to mess with me

So last night I write this long blog post about how I feel like I am getting old.

Then this morning SD’s mom emails me. SD wants to know if the curling iron is for wet or dry hair. WTH when did she start caring about her hair? This from a kid that I used to not be able to get to take a bath everyday. ..

Thank you whoever it is that arranges things to make sure I get a nice solid kick just when I need it.

To live outside the law you must be honest- Bob Dylan

This might seem like a strange quotation to start today's blog with…because IPG rarely does anything outside the law. Speeding…not using her turn signal…parking the wrong way on a one way street…your hardened criminal she is not.

However, IPG has been thinking frequently about what it would be like to be younger again. Specifically she would like to be about 21-25 again. Who wouldn't right? It was during that time of her life that IPG had the most fun.

Ok let me quit talking in the 3^rd person and explain myself. Lately I have just been feeling a bit downtrodden. I put on this ridiculously cheery face for anyone that is around me…this includes Bey, SD, friends, family, strangers, people at the gym, people on the blog. But what is really going on is that some days the dissertation flies by. Sometimes I get stuck in what seems like a swamp. I am trying to off road in a golf cart. Partly this ridiculously cheery face is just part of my everyday wardrobe. I really am a optimistic upbeat person, but partly I feel like I have to fulfill this stupid role.

Actually I want to get PISSED …I want to sit in the floor and cry…I want to watch movies and play Lego Batman all day. Basically here is the low down. I get to a place where I just want to ram my head against the wall. Or perhaps write on my dissertation "THE FREAKING END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" with at least 50 exclamation points.

So going back to the beginning of the blog post, I would like to be between the ages of 21-25 again. I hadn't ever had any serious health problems at that point. I only had to answer to myself. My loyal dog was still alive. If I went out and stayed out until 6 AM no one told me I was immature. No one my age that I was friends with had died. I didn't feel like if I didn't get off the fence about this baby thing then I would run out of time. The idea of a baby hadn't even crossed my mind. The idea of committing to an appliance hadn't even crossed my mind. These days my life is so full of adult stuff. It clutters my mind.

I want to go back to worrying about whether or not my shoes match my purse or if I bought milk last time or was it my roommate. I want a redo. I want to sit in a place called The Duck in Auburn, Alabama and wonder what I am going to be like when I grow up. I want to revisit these Fjords in Norway that are so amazing that you literally have to suck in your breath. I want to drive to Panama City Beach in the middle of the night just to watch the sunrise on the beach. I want snarky friends that don't talk to me about their house payments or their baby keeping them up at night. But what I want most in the world is I want this dissertation finished.

There are two reasons that this post sounds so ridiculously angry. The first is because I am totally stalled on the dissertation right now, and that as I have said before is frustrating. The second is Bey leaves tomorrow for his interview. I want him to get this job, but I know it just means more changes for me. It might mean more stuff for me to do as well. I don't mind having a great big pile on my plate. And him getting this job is what I really really want…but it just so happens to be coinciding with a particularly stressful part of my dissertation process.

Thanks for the vent.

“Secrets are things we give to others to keep for us.” Elbert Hubbard

I have had an awful lot going on lately. However most of it can't be shared on the blog…some secrets I guess. No I am not pregnant yet or anything like that. I haven't been keeping big secrets, but they are secrets I can't really discuss. This has made the whole blog feel less organic, and I dislike feeling that way. So I am going to share some of the things I feel comfortable discussing.

Bey might be moving to Phoenix sooner than anticipated. He also might be moving without me. Everything is still punchy …no trouble in paradise here. It is just an opportunity presented itself that is undeniably too good to pass up if it comes to fruition. So my sweet Bey will be leaving me in lonely Starkville. I will be responsible for finishing this dissertation…getting the house ready to sell…selling the house etc. We might just go ahead and get the house ready to sell, and then I will just rent an apartment here. I am going to move close to some friends of ours so they can make sure I am ok.

Here is what I think about that whole plan.

1.) I don't really like being left by myself, and I am going to miss Bey terribly. However I will get SOOOOOOOOOOO much more work on my dissertation done, and will be able to work without ceasing.

2.) It is impossible to leave until the dissertation is done. Fin! I know several Ph.D. students leave once they have proposed, but I am going to stay until I am done. I guess then I will move to Phoenix, and come back here to be frocked. (Which is slang for what happens when you are conferred your Ph.D. at graduation). Plus I love saying it because it just sounds naughty.

3.) When I live by myself I have a tendency to slide to workaholicism. I will have to work carefully to avoid that.

4.) Because I work from home I will be able to sort of split my time say 2 weeks or so in Phoenix to 2 weeks in Starkville.

5.) Also because of this new development all plans to procreate have been put to a stop. I can't imagine trying to do all I have to do anyway while being pregnant…by myself. Also Phoenix is so very very far Bey might not be able to get back here in time if something did happen.

Bey's ex-wife, who I consider an expert in all things mother, because she has 3 healthy children… and that makes her at least 300 times more experienced than me; completely agrees with me on this point. And a few other of my girlfriends are on my side as well. She-Ra I am not. If I dissolve into a whimpering mess when I am pregnant I don't want to have to do it along. By god the man that got me there is going down too.

I have been asked specifically by Bey not to go into any details about any of this because he doesn't want me to "jinx" it for him. So I have really said all I can say.

Lately tons of people I went to high school are contacting me on Facebook. I find this amusing as I didn't talk to these people when I was in high school. I didn't bother to go to my 10 year reunion. One reason being my ex before I married the incredible Bey and I went to high school together. We had not been broken up for very long when it was time for my high school reunion. At any rate, I didn't go. I was also getting married, starting a Ph.D. and moving across the country at the time. I like finding people on Facebook that I have legitimately lost and would like to find again. I have had several unfortunate cell phone events where I don't keep backups of my phone numbers, and basically lose people because I lost my phone, and changed emails. Or I got careless and failed to call them back one too many times for their taste.

I have actually made some progress on my dissertation. For anyone working on my dissertation the most frustrating thing I have found is formatting it right the first time. I am a firm believer in doing something right the first time so I don't have to fix it later. However I really have had a hard time doing STUPID things like perfectly Triple Spacing a heading. This adds to my frustration. It causes me to seek out librarians early on Saturday mornings. I am for the first time ever I think using the library for its intended purpose.

It also makes me wonder whether or not I should hire someone to just format the stupid paper. I hate formatting. Not that it is a waste of my time, but it just seems to steal my soul. It sucks the will to write completely out of me. Unbelievable as that might sound. (I can be a drama queen).

Oh no, Mr. Kool-Aid Man, oh no! You better fix that hole in my wall before my dad comes home and beats me with a toaster. -Dane Cook

I believe I have the stomach flu. Nice. I went to the gym. I need to backtrack here and say that one of my friends mentioned getting something at the gym…not my gym…some other gym in another state. ANYWAY…I couldn't help thinking about nothing but germs while I was at the gym. About 2 hours from arriving home I started running a huge fever. Now I am scared to move off the couch because I am scared I will be sick. I am also super whiney. =) That happens when I get ill. Poor Bey. Having to deal with his whiney wife.

I have to go meet my advisor tomorrow whether or not I feel bad. I won't go if I do get sick or I have a fever. That just wouldn't make me a nice person. =) My advisor doesn't deserve to be sick just because I got sick.

Bey and I will be going to Auburn this weekend. Although if I am sick…I will be stuck by myself, and my husband will take off to Auburn without me…which he will gladly do to be away from my whineyness!

I am in the middle of 2 trainings right now for work. It is taking up quite a bit of my time. I would prefer if I could just hit pause on that so that I could just work on my dissertation. Finally I found this hilarious website. I am going to mess with it and get some funny pictures here if I get a chance. :)

If you are lucky enough to live by the water you’re lucky enough! Anon

As I was sitting out talking on the phone and reminiscing with a friend of mine who lives in London for now…the otter swam up climbed out of the lake, and ate a little snack on the shore. I remember thinking oh my! I am so blessed. I love being able to watch the critters every day.

Dissertation news? Not much although I have been writing daily. I have committed to at least that much. At least I am getting that much accomplished…I guess I should say.

Work? Well work is work. I am pretty busy and should be busier still in the month of October. =) All good news for me. When you don't work you don't eat in our house ;)

Anything else? Nothing clever today. I had a great weekend with my husband. One of those fantastic times when you realize once again why we got married. Why he is my best friend.

Auburn vs. LSU Saturday

(This is said with unbelievable sarcasm...this first paragraph here)I might need to pick a new football team. Some school like Duke. A school where I wouldn't cry if we lost a game…a team I could ignore and feel good about doing it. A team I could mow they yard while they were playing and not even bat an eyelash. That kind of team. Ha!

I am a member of the Auburn Faithful. I know and of course love the Auburn Tigers. There is no chance of me changing my fealty.

I love my Auburn tigers. However I am nervous nervous nervous about this game tonight. There is no doubt it is going to be a defensive grudge match. I have read everything I can, and my stomach is in my throat. I will definitely have to watch this game on an empty stomach.

On another note I need to find some medication or natural remedy that is safe to take while pregnant or trying to get pregnant if someone has ADHD. I have taken Dexadrine every day since I was 3 years old. I have to have it for focus and concentration. I think one of the problems I am having with working on my dissertation is that I am no longer taking Dexadrine so my concentration levels are ridiculously off. I am like a goldfish with a 10 second memory span. If anyone has any links about natural remedies for ADHD that are not harmful during pregnancy I am interested in hearing it.

"We all agree that your theory is crazy, but is it crazy enough?" Niels Bohr

This is bad. This is a bad scene. I am so down about writing my dissertation I don't even want to post on my blog. This writing is killing me. For crying out loud I have spent more time of Facebook these last 2 weeks than I have the entire time I have been a member, and I have been on Facebook for almost FOUR YEARS. I am sick of this! I am ready to cry tonight. But crying seems like it is just another big fat waste of time. I have tried to talk to Hubby about this. His belief in me makes it worse. Why have I spent so much time convincing him I am superwoman when clearly I can be reduced to drivel by the word dissertation?

In fact I have been putting off everything else so paralyzed am I about all this I can't even get all my other crap done. Even stuff I like doing I can not do. It is muy ridiculoso! Here is an example of how unmotivated and ridiculous I am. I watched Snakes on a Plane today. It doesn't matter that I hate watching movies…that I never watch television in the middle of the day…that I thought this movie would be so stupid.

Hubby mentioned to me today that I don't appear to be tuned in, and he is right. I haven't called SD…I don't talk to my friends…I spend all my time worrying incessantly about this stupid dissertation.

"Don't be so humble - you are not that great." Golda Meir

I am going to tape today's quote to my forehead. That quotation is awesome. Humbling… even.

I swear I have been working so hard lately I feel like I am hallucinating. I told my husband the same thing three times in a row. Bey started calling me the silly blonde girl. I guess I am a bit silly. But does that really dictate a nickname?

Bey and I are going to see the Saints vs the Raiders in New Orleans in October. Hopefully this will be in celebration of me proposing my dissertation. However I am excited about our plans to go to the Crescent city to see my Saints take on Hubby's Raiders. We will be sitting in the cheap seats as I see no reason to pay $500 bucks a ticket as much as I like football.

I found a small blessing today. This year college football is not on every night like last year. This at least allows me to get some work done on my off nights. I can't watch football every day. As much as I would like to….as much as I appreciate a good football game. I can't watch it daily or I would be adding an extra burden to my already teetering tower.

"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." Napoleon

Why IPG? IPG stands for International Party Girl. It is sort of a tongue in cheek joke. I love to travel. So the International makes sense. The party girl part is the joke. Since working on my doctorate I have become quite the stick in the mud. : ) This prompted Bey to call me the original party girl. Which in turn became International Party Girl, and finally just IPG.

Here has been my life for the last few weeks.

Thursday- Scurry around meet with my advisor. Cram to get as much written as possible before I have to see her. Come in immediately after the meeting with my advisor and make all her recommended changes.

Friday- Work in the morning; do a bit of dissertation stuff in the afternoon.

Saturday- Spend the day watching football or going to football games with my handsome hubby AKA Bey. Work.

Sunday- Church and more Football. I also work on Sunday afternoons.

Monday- Feel guilty that I haven't worked on my Bible study. Work. Feel guilty about my dissertation.

Tuesday- Panic, as I finish my Bible study and in that same manic state work on my dissertation. Work. Go to Bible study.

Wednesday- Panic panic panic. Tons of work AND dissertation scrambling on Wednesday.

Repeat.

There. Has. Got. To. Be. A. Better. Way.

I need to hire some muscle. Rather than hitting me in the face with a Nerf bat they could just follow me around giving me meaningful looks. If I don't get busy they could threaten to break my fingers. Unfortunately I don't have any mob connections. I might run an ad on craigslist. But the "panic rat" as I have started to call the dissertation panic that throbs in my mind…is growing by the day. I have got to get a saddle on this, and get it under control. Even if it kills me.

3-2 Does that look like a football score to you?

It does if you are an Auburn tiger fan this weekend. I went with my Bey aka HH aka Handsome Hubby.

Bey is short for the Bebe in French. Since I am finally working on my French again I am taking the liberty to adopt the nickname for my handsome hubby.

That game was ridiculous. I have never ever been to a more ridiculous game in my LIFE!
I know that I need to care less about Auburn football. I know that I need to not take it quite so seriously. But what can I do? I love those Tigers.

Well War Eagle! I will take that win anyway.

Auburn to Mississippi State

Hubby finished his Jeep project. The Jeep looks SOOOOOOOO good! I am so proud of him!

The Jeep is a 1990. It had some rust on it. Hubby took it down to the metal.

The original paint color was black. However we decided to go for an Auburn theme! Proud of you Bey! You did an amazing job.

It is so exciting that Auburn is going to be playing here tomorrow. I literally get to drive 15 minutes to see the game! I am so stoked about this. I love watching the Auburn Tigers play. It is also a night game, so I am pretty excited about that.

Tonight we are going to this live outdoor party and concert called Bulldog Bash. I love how excited hubby gets about these events. It is like he is getting to experience what it is like to go to school at a small college town. Hubby graduated from a commuter school.

There were runs on gas here this evening. People were going nuts about gas. I think maybe the stations turned off their pumps so that they could charge more tomorrow. But we didn't need much! So hubby and I gassed up!

Chapter 1 is done. I met with my advisor and she gave me some pointers, but they were easy changes! I got them finished, and now I am feeling a bit accomplished. She said that I can propose in October. She also told me to start writing around the clock. But I am ecstatic! Proposing in October means I am on track to graduate in May. Everyone will be calling my Dr. IPG before I know it.

I signed up for this program at MSU. I am doing Women and weights. I used to lift every day. We had to meet for a little assessment today, and I did the most push ups of any of the other girls. YES! It doesn't matter though. I can lift daily and I still won't get strong. I can get cut, but I won't be strong. At my best I only maxed 90 lbs on the bench. ha! I don't care though this should be really fun! Anyway, I signed up at the beginning of the semester, but our first work out week is not until next week. Which I think is Weird. Why did I have to sign up back in August then?

Testing out Blogging via Office 2007

Supposedly I can blog and upload everything from word. This will help because I can type it all up and word will grammar and spell check for me. No more of these crazy blog posts that sound like some drunken sailor wrote them. Even when I am suffering from the worst form of insomnia I can count on Word's little squiggle line to let me know that I am messing up. My power is so immense right now I could spontaneously combust.

 

I was cleaning up my office, and ran across a CD that my husband gave to me on our first date. He brought it as a little present…it was better than roses. I was so happy that I ran across it again. It made me smile remembering way back when. J

Nobody really cares if you're miserable, so you might as well be happy. Cynthia Nelms

This quote doesn't really suit me. But it was the best I could find. I haven't been sad or miserable lately. I guess the only word that works is emotional. But that is not quite right either. Overly sensitive is maybe what I am looking for here. It just seems like lately I feel ...I really feel other's pain. My heart breaks when I see some old lady struggling at the grocery store. Or my friend was so worried about the spot near her baby. I feel like I am going through those things myself. I would like to be just a touch less sensitive.

In other news...I am trying to finish Chapter 1 of my dissertation so that it is in final sign off and approval form for my meeting tomorrow at 10. That means 24 hours from now I gotta have it ready. For those of you that care...:) I have to propose sometime in October. So I really need to get in gear. I don't mean to be dragging my feet I just can't seem to get into full blown dissertation writing mode. If I could I could knock this one out of the ball park.

Mishmash and Mayhem

It was IPG's turn to bring dinner to her Bible study group. I didn't take pictures as many folks do when they are sharing recipes...but I wanted to share anyway.



I took Cucumber Sandwiches, Bowtie Chicken, and Fruit Pizza.



Cucumber Sandwiches-

You will need- 2 Cucumbers, Cream Cheese, Good Seasonings Garlic and Herb dry Salad Dressing mix, and some sort of small hard bread roll (16)



Wash cucumbers well. Using a fork, scrape down the cucumbers lengthwise leaving "stripes" all the way around. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices or thinner. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese and dressing mix; combine well. Using a butter knife, spread the mixture onto the the bread rolls. Next, lay one slice of cucumber (per slice of bread) in the middle of the bread.

Chicken Spaghetti

• 4 to 6 chicken breasts, cooked, reserve broth


• 1 can of Mexicorn


• 1 can cream of chicken soup


• 1 can Rotel tomatoes, (with green chiles)


• 1 package Bowtie (16 ounces)


• 1 garlic clove


• 8 oz. Velvetta Cheese
  
  

Preparation:Cook Bowtie in broth. Chop chicken and saute with garlic. Add soup. Cook on low until bubbling, then stir in chicken and Bowtie. Cut the Velvetta into small cubes and stir into mixture. If skillet is not oven safe, transfer to a lightly greased baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.



Fruit Pizza



INGREDIENTS

• 2 packages refrigerated Crescent rolls
  
  


• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened


• 2 cups frozen mixed fruit
  
  


• 1/2 cup white sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread crescent rolls and arrange on greased pizza pan, overlapping edges. Press dough flat into pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool.


2. In a large bowl, soften cream cheese, then fold in sugar. Spread over cooled crust. You can chill for a while at this point, or continue by arranging the fruit.

I wish my life were a sitcom

You know 30 minutes with a defined plot? Random funny parts nothing too earth shattering.
My prayer buddy (the girl I am praying for this week) is about 6 weeks pregnant and she had a cyst near her baby. She got news today that the baby is ok and the cyst is not hurting the baby.

That is fantastic news. In the not so fantastic news category...

Our air conditioner broke today. I thought it was just frozen up so I turned it off. Called the air guy like some stalker girlfriend 100 times as the house heated up to 98 degrees. When HH got home I was fit to be tied. I couldn't take one more second of the hot house. So I am in a hotel tonight. HH had chores at home so I am alone. Hopefully the air conditioner person will be able to fix the air tomorrow.

When one works from home and the air is broken it makes for a miserable day. Truly disgusting. I need to get some more dissertation work DONE. Rather than just pushing it around on my plate.

It is just a paper, a giant behemoth of a paper

I have been toying with the idea of starting a second blog. On my second blog I will blog about personal issues, family issues, marriage issues etc., and on this blog I will only discuss working on my doctorate, and teaching online.

I am unsure if it is something I really want to do. However I know that the readers of my blog read for several reasons, to keep track of me if they know and love me, :), to get information about working from home, to follow along as I work on my doctorate.

Lately there has been quite a bit going on with my doctorate, and work. Those things have seem to sort of eclipse what is going on in my home life. But there are some big things going on at home too. I just don't want my readers to find me tedious.

The biggest thing going on at home is that HH and I are officially trying to have a child. There are a lot of things that got me on board. One was talking to my dear friend Amanda. She explained that she didn't feel maternal at first and didn't bond with her first child right at first until about the 7th month. ( I could have just sneakily changed this in the blog. But I prefer my blog to be organic. So I marked it out instead. Please see the comment made by the email from Amanda. Apparently I don't listen well on the phone...the ADHD must have been especially bad that day :) ). It made me realize the feelings I was having were normal. Even though it is impossible to find people that will admit them. The second thing that got me on board was that I decided to be really scientific about this so I went out and bought a thermometer, and ovulation tests etc. I am doing all these charts...like it is this GIANT math problem. And I love Math! I am still scared to death that I am not ready to take care of a child. I am still being a little selfish because having a child means giving up a lifestyle that I enjoy. I am still ambivalent about a lot of things along these same lines. But this teeny tiny spark of excitement has started with in me. Also I don't think I have ever seen HH so happy that I have agreed to have his baby. And that in turn makes me happy.


In other news I need to hire someone to follow me around and hit me in the face with a bat when I begin to get unmotivated. I have gotten so unmotivated about my disseration I have actually started WORKING MORE to avoid my dissertation. Not going to the pool, not reading a book, not even cleaning, but WORKING MORE. So you see the situation is critical. I think a bat to the face should clear that up quite nicely. You can decide whether it should be a nerf bat or not. Please send your application expeditiously as I need your expertise immediately.

'Begin at the beginning and go on until you come to the end; then stop.' Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Today marks the first day in about a week that I haven't been a news junky. I am pretty proud of that fact. I have not been inhaling news like it is my job for the entire day.

I worked nearly the entire day on my dissertation. I swear though it is like trying to bail water out of a boat with a spoon. I worked the whole day and got very little accomplished in other words.

My SD called me yesterday to check on me. She wanted to make sure that we were ok because of the Hurricane. She is so sweet to worry.

I didn't take my engagement ring to Costa Rica. I put it in the gun safe. Hubby got it out for me today, and when he was giving it back he got on his knees and asked me to marry him all over again. Amazing...I would too! Hubby also mentioned today that I have been too much all about work and school lately. Note to self...gotta do something about that this week.

"If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?" Albert Einstein

Recap of meeting with my advisor. There was another student in her office so she was like 8 minutes late meeting with me. And she had to meet with the department head after only 20 minutes or so. But she gave me some immediate feedback and action items for next week. Which feels fantastic. Additionally we talked timeline and long term goals.

I am meeting with her at the same bat time and same bat location next week. Although I don't think we are going to meet every week. I appreciated all the guidance she gave me.

As I have mentioned I work from home so meeting with her gives me a reason to get out of sweatpants and into some of my nicer clothes. My advisor noticed my cute outfit and we even had a great chat about Palin!

All in all the meeting was a success! FANTASTIC!

Why is IPG up at 2 AM?

Does it get on your nerves that I am referring to myself in the 3rd person? You do that a lot in a dissertation so get used to it. Pretend I am a famous athlete if it helps. The author of this blog...hehe

I am meeting with my advisor in 7 hours. Do I have Chapter 1 done? CHECK! Do I have a bunch of questions and VERY few answers? CHECK! hehe Ok that really was not all that funny. But it felt sort of funny so I laughed.

I also found two other fantastic ways to procrastinate today. 1.) a message board for people working on their dissertations like me and 2.) a message board for stepmoms. Now I can go chat to my heart's content with people I have lots in common with and can literally procrastinate the entire day. Now if I could only find a message board for stepmom's working on their dissertation and teaching online. Then...I would have it made. Go me! err... Go IPG! ha!