Christmas Time is Money Time?

I've been working to raise my funds the past few days at my job and have been reminded how tiring retail can be! However, I have pushed through and am now enjoying some days off with my mother. I turned in my two weeks yesterday.


I can't manage to work at the store during the Spring Semester with classes six days a week. I will be working at school and doing grad school stuff. The major time for everything that is coming up and I need to be prepared.


Anyways, I have actually felt like I've had a Christmas this year, rather than a week and a day like last year. I love seeing the lights on my house at night I put up and the tree in the living room. I like sitting there with family in the dark look at the bright lights, even if my house is cold, because it reminds me of good times and future times that will be wonderful in my life.

Owls are the best, don't you think?

I will admit it. I think owls are one of the coolest animals/birds on this planet, despite the fact they are considered witches by some cultures (bet you didn't know that, did ya?!). The owl to the right, the Barn Owl, is also known as the monkey-faced owl. Not only is that a cool name, but owls in general are pretty bad-ass.

Ok, now why I am on this random rant about my love of these feathery creatures? I've been on a recent remembrance of all my geek fandoms over the years, good or bad. As my family can attest to, I have had several obsessions over the years that have consumed my life. I've kept some with me and I've left some behind. However, I have found it nice to remember that even if some of these things have been neglected by me, I still have a fondness for them in my heart.

For example,
Geek fandom that has stayed with Ellen:
My love for my all-time favorite movies, The Last of the Mohicans and Aliens

I was raised on Aliens and only discovered The Last of the Mohicans in high school, despite the fact my father attempted to gain my interest in it at a younger age. Aliens has always fascinated me with the badassery of Ellen Ripley and the fact that she can take on a Queen Alien. She has been a heroine of my life, inspiring me to be stronger and more determined in everything I do. The Last of the Mohicans was fascinating to me as I discovered the beauty of its background and the wonder of its soundtrack (i recommend it to anyone; it's truly lovely). I love the story even if it has nothing to do with the book. It inspired to research the pre-revolutionary era and search into the lives of colonials and british. It has also inspired my love of native cultures.

Geek Fandom(s) that have left Ellen, but she will always be fond of:
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Oh, how this consumed my life for three years. I absolutely loved everything about it, especially the elves. I still know a lot about the trilogy and stories...which is a bit sad. Although I don't celebrate LOTR with such fervor anymore, I will always love it. It reminded me of good times with my father and of my youth in general. I was a weird kid, but having something you could hold onto in a place like middle school made it better for me in the long run.


Oh, I've been obsessed with much more, but that's for a later date.
What were your obsessions when you were younger?

Oh, I totally love blogging about my ideals!

Sorry, that was from a commercial.

So, it's been a while, but school has been running me pretty ragged. Grad school applications aren't looking too bright, either, since each has a list of stipulations you must meet by a certain date while attempting to be bright-eyed and spectacular. How do some people do it?

I am currently working on a book review (not an oprah type) of a graduate thesis on projectile points and their distribution affecting hunter-gatherer mobility.

Let me put that in english for you: I'm writing a critique of a graduate student's thesis (who is not from this college) about arrow-heads and how they might predict where people lived in an area or not. Sounds thrilling doesn't it?

After climbing out of the fail-boat that was my first GRE exam trial, I'm going back into the lion's den December 21st for an all out brawl that would be worthy of Saturday Night Prime-Time wrestling. Not really, but I will be doing all I can to get that 1000 or more score this time. School will not let up until then. I have a fifteen page paper on birds in native american mythology, a garbology project, and a statement of purpose to write to mention a few things on my plate. How do I do it and not go crazy??

Grad school options are being expanded for the sheer fact of, even though I'd love to stay in the South and hope to do so, if I apply to the only 2 schools I want down here, I am SEVERELY limiting my opportunities. So, I am planning to apply to many schools now, realizing that I don't know where all the money for the application fees are going to come from. I mean, really, $50-65 bucks a pop is a little annoying. Thank you to University of Florida for only being 30 dollars. I hope they accept me. Seriously.

So, back to my writing as the coffee wears off. The assignment is due Monday, but getting some verbage in never hurt since I am going to see Amy in Tuscaloosa this weekend. Oh, Life.


Waiting for a break,

Ellen

Reminding myself that I don't want to live in a box

If the GRE is a beast, then tomorrow I am entering its den. My goal is to make 1000 or higher. If i can do that, I will be a happy girl.

Trying to get back on a schedule

So, it's been a while, but in between moving in and the first/second week of school, I've really been attempting to figure out my schedule and what time I have for what.

First things first, for those who don't know, I got the internship at the Museum of Mobile! I am very excited about it! I'll be working for a man named Jacob (who insists I call him Jacob instead of Mr. Lawrence). I'll be 100-year-plus glass slides of India which were taken by a man who worked for Queen Victoria. Awesome, huh?

The museum staff seemed excited to have me and I was equal in emotions. I got to see tons of very cool artifacts. To say simply, I was a giddy as a school girl.

I'm working my butt off between my cashier job on Sundays and the library job during the week, but it's worth it because it pays bills and keeps me relatively poor, but able to support myself. To add an extra fire to my week, I am starting my workouts this week after work. I won't be doing them on Wednesday due to my long schedule on that day (class, work, night class), but I plan to be doing them every other day for one hour during the week.

Classes are going relatively well. A lot, a lot of reading. No major writing yet, but I will have some papers this semester, especially in Anthropological Theory. Anthropological Theory is a class I would definitely prefer to have in the classroom, but I am working my hardest to keep up and get good grades. (I made a 100 on the last quiz! YAY!)

My bits of relaxation come at night, Friday afternoons, and Saturdays which I tend to spend with my mother. I miss her very much during the week and love to chat away with her on the weekends. I have to apologize, of course, because I end up chatting away while she patiently listens to me.

There is still much to do, even tonight, but I am tiring out at this point. Working a 5 1/2 shift (9 hrs next Sunday! AH!) and doing homework tend to exhaust me.


Till next time,
Ellen

Moved In

After I spent half the week packing up my stuff (and worrying how I was possibly going to pack the cars with all of it), I proceeded to move to Mobile today with the help of my lovely mother. After waking up early with dogs so they wouldn't disturb the rest my mother needed so much, we got along with our day. We packed both my car and her car and drove to the University.

Traffic wasn't bad. Joe called me when I got there saying that his mom had seen my car and asking if we wanted their help moving in. I said sure and went to check in. There is a LOT of stuff to sign when checking in just to get a little key.

I have to say thank you so much to the Riders (who, yes, I will be sending a thank you card too), because their added help was wonderful to have. It only took two trips to the cars to get everything I had brought today and bring it up to my room. I still don't have everything, though. I will be heading back to Fairhope tomorrow to be getting a few things that didn't fit into the car and buy my groceries for the week. Then I will come back, spend the night, and start my final year here at South.

It's hard for me to believe that I am a senior now. It's funny to see all the bright-eyed freshman, so unspoiled by the toil of class and unwavering teachers. I want to tell them that they will learn so much personally and in the classroom. College is where life begins truly. Anyone who tells you high school is can be called a liar in my book.

On a side note, I am very happy to say I have a place at the Museum of Mobile for me, and by Tuesday, I hope to have everything wrapped up so that my internship will be official with the university. This provides such a great opportunity for me considering grad school.

I know my father would be very happy for me. His picture is a welcome image in my dorm room, watching out for me as he did in life.


---Ellen

I have returned.

School is looming. I am excited about this fact. Don't ask me why. I am just excited to do something other than be a cashier. I am excited to be in the familiar place with that eager sense of responsibility that comes with each year.

Add on that I am a senior, I have to take the GRE, apply to grad schools, be a full time student, and work on top of all of it.

I think I am ready. Of course, I always say this.

The week after this week I am taking off from work to get some much needed packing/organization done. New bedding, food items, etc. will be bought.

I know this is a short post, but i will be heading to bed soon.

I wish all of you a happy week.