Annnnnddd We're Back.

My 8th and final semester at MMC is officially under way. I have successfully lived through my LAST first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of a semester at Mount Marty. :P Haha. I'm going to be dramatic about this 1) because I can be, 2) because I've spent a lot of time in dear old Yankton and I cannot fathom leaving, 3) graduating and leaving my friends is a very depressing thought (despite the excitement of the graduation itself). I gave that LAST first line to a friend who's in grad school right now and he laughed at me and said that another girl from Omaha said the same thing to him that day. He attributes the sentimental value of it to "a girl thing." So, if you're male and think I'm crazy, know that other females are as well.

I'll give you a run-down of my classes this semester even if it is a boring thing to discuss because it's very probable you'll hear me comment on one or two of them before the year's over. I am currently registered for 19 credits (no rest for the weary) - Chamber choir, mixed choir, genetics, writing and publishing, chemistry seminar, symbol and sacrament, sociology, and the Gospel of John. After three days of classes, I'm still excited about the learning opportunities in this random array of classes. It's fun to be a senior and have the opportunity to fill your schedule in with random things that have no value to your graduation status other than general credits - credits that I'm taking for the general excitement of learning. Take Symbol and Sacrament and The Gospel of John for instance. Neither of these classes are doing a thing to fill requirements for graduation, but I'm ready to be enlightened by S. Marielle's impressive knowledge of the subjects. I'm taking the Gospel of John class as an independent study course with another friend and under the instruction of S. Marielle. We met for the first time yesterday to plan out an initial course of action and I'm already fascinated. Choir is always a fun adventure - in particular this semester as we will be going on a recruitment tour over spring break involving a cruise in Mexico!!! WOOOHOOO!! Writing...always a stress relief and challenge to my imagination. And Genetics, well what's a semester without a class of scientific fact and wild attempts to study late into the night in hopes of grasping the absurdity of the workings of life on earth. Oh, and sociology, well, that's my one lone general education requirement still waiting to be fulfilled. I'm taking it as an ONLINE course so it might pose a challenge in the motivational/procrastination department.

In the mean time, we are awaiting a new employee to arrive and tackle her first day of work here at the Clinic Pharmacy, which means that until that happens we remain short staffed and poor Kelly, originally contracted for 8-18 hours a week, is putting in a full 30 hours of work during this first week of class. My only comment for the time is that we need to train the new gal and train quickly because when homework starts raelly piling in, my brain will be too crammed to remember drug names for such hours. I'm counting on her to be my life support. :P

I also hopped back into the tutoring mode last night in attempting to help my outside MMC weekly tutee, a 7th grader, learn how to solve an algebra problem. All of you who understand letters mixed in with your numbers in math books, don't take it for granted. It's a devil to teach a new-be such a concept.

And what remains? I have somewhat of a rambunctious spirit right now - getting up at 6 a.m. to fit in a refreshing morning workout. We'll see how long that lasts. I had a little Christmas in my mail box here at school when I received 5 hand-written snail mail letters/cards. I was so incredibly excited that I kicked friends out of my room so I could savor reading my mail. I'm contemplating the best course of action for summer living/employment (to be or not to be in Yankton - other option = move to Omaha and figure out life there before I try to be a pharmacy student in the big, bad city....feel free to express your opinions on the matter). And my last comment, I haven't practiced the piano once since I've returned to school. :( There's simply not enough hours in my days. It's one of my life's biggest goals to learn to play - like really learn to play - and I'm failing for the time being. My lessons are on hold. Do I let it go for now and pray I can resume later/post-graduation? Ohhh such trying decisions!!!

Ohh, and my spirits have been soaring in the presence of all of my friends returned from break and with this warm weather...I even ran outside in the wet slush, muddy, remaining snow banks and mountains obstacle course. It was a wondrous adventure!

Enjoy the warm-ish weather, the mid-January air, and time with all of your family and friends. Goodbye for now. :)