My baby had surgery yesterday

So Mere Bear had surgery yesterday. I had originally made an appointment with the SPCA Saving Lives Clinic for May 20th, but then I realized that I would in fact no be here on the 20th and we had to bump up her appointment. I was glad that someone cancelled their appointment so that I could get her in there (I dont want to deal with puppies!). She had to stay there ALL day long and then she was finally able to come home around 5 yesterday. Katy had to pick her up as I was tutoring at the time and when I got home, the poor girl was refusing to move from in front of the door! She looked so scared and pathetic with her cone on around her head. I finally coaxed her to come into the living room but she refused to lay down or anything. They did send her home with some medicine so I coaxed her to take that with some food and she seemed to perk up a little bit.

It has been trial and error since then as I have never taken care of a sick dog before. She's mostly been laying around, which is good but very sad to see when you are used to seeing her run around like crazy. She does refuse to go to the bathroom with the cone on, so I have to take it off when she goes outside to potty. I thought that maybe I could just leave the cone off but she wants to bathe herself and her energy has somewhat returned when she doesn't have this huge foreign object floating around her head, so the cone stays on except when she goes outside or she is eating.

Poor baby :(

The Battle of the Thesis

So over the past week, I have been severely battling my thesis. I was struggling to get my full draft written (it had to be 25 pages) and I had set a deadline of Friday at 11:00 I wanted to turn it in. I ended up having my full draft done a day early and turned it in on Thursday. Score: Hilary-1, Thesis-0. Later that day, I was smugly re-reading my thesis and thinking about how awesome it was, much to my horror I realized that one of my sections had been inadvertently left incomplete! Score: Hilary-1, Thesis-1. I was still able to get that section written and turned in by the original deadline, which was good. After turning in the full thesis, I get a not-so-pleasant email from my thesis advisor basically telling me my thesis was a piece of crap, had no original thought in it, and the like. Score: Hilary-1, Thesis-2. I cleared my schedule for the weekend and set out to re-write it. I managed to hit all of my thesis advisor's points and give her 14 re-written pages on Saturday. I hadn't received notes on about 10 pages of it, so I didn't want to touch those and felt pretty good about myself. Score: Hilary-2, Thesis-2. I got an email back from my thesis advisor today and her comments were more manageable and less "your paper sucks" and I think I may be able to actually finish this thing and come out in the end with a pretty huge accomplishment under my belt. Score: Hilary-3, Thesis-2. Hopefully things wont take a turn for the worse, because I am liking being in the lead right now!

A pared down list....

So this weekend has been quite productive weekend. I worked on Friday night, afternoon, and Sunday morning. I did homework on Friday afternoon and night, Saturday morning and nights, and Sunday afternoon and night. My list has gone from a huge, daunting, nebulous thing to:

* a 5-7 page myth paper on Pandora

* a 5-7 page paper on population (in conjunction with another girl)

* a 5-7 page paper for Modern Drama (I'm thinking on How I Learned to Drive and maybe one other?)

* a 5-7 page paper for Core (group has already done the research, I just have to finish it

* Reading The House of the Spirits (I am about 1/4 of the way through)

* The rest of my thesis (I have about 20 pages/25)

* 2 finals (bio 105 and bio 205).

That is all that is left of my undergrad career! While all of those 5-7 page papers look daunting, never fear because I am an English major and writing papers is my specialty! I have two weeks to produce 25 pages, on 5 different categories... I CAN DO IT! I think I will actually enjoy writing the modern drama one, and maybe even the Pandora one if I can ever get into it. I am just having a hard time actually getting into it because it is very overwhelming at the moment. I will not enjoy completing my thesis. If I were in a comic right now, it would be my arch enemy.

Well, off to knock some of that Pandora paper out!

Stuff Checked off, Stuff still to do

MAT test- check

Grad School App- check

Out of Africa Presentation- check

Thesis Draft- check

Even with some of this stuff checked off my list, it seems that my list keeps on growing! There is still so much to do and so little time to finish it all before graduation. It is my goal this weekend to try to get basically ALL of my work for the REST of the semester done (minus my thesis) so I have the next two weeks to focus on my thesis. I want to be ready to fully graduate AS a TEACHING FELLOW and on to bigger and better things. Namely, I want to move onto grad school. While no, I am not looking forward to still MORE school, I am excited for the opportunity that this additional schooling will provide me. I am very excited about the prospect of having a different schooling experience. I am very excited about working with students again. I am very excited about doing something for me and making my first, real BIG GIRL decision all on my own.

I am NOT excited about leaving Meredith. It has become my home and I have started to really realize how much I will sincerely miss this place come May 9th, 2010. These next two weeks will surely go by faster than I can possibly imagine because there is so much stuff still to do! Not even in just the homework aspect, but more in all of the different events that are still yet to come.

I think Katy and I finally got our apartment subleased for the summer so that is such a blessing and yet another thing that I can put a big old CHECK beside.

I should go and continue to work on this mountain of homework before it overtakes me!

One Month!

It is hard to believe that in literally in one month I will be graduating from college. Scary to think of the prospect! Here is a glimpse of what is going on in the next month:

Due before graduation:

* Out of Africa presentation

* Myth paper (larger)

* Read 3 more plays and 2 more books

* Write 2 reflections

* 1 overdue paper

* Reproductive health paper/presentation/project

* 1 mini bio presentation

* 1 large bio presentation and paper

* 1 larger drama play

* finish thesis/revise thesis/present thesis

* 2 finals

* plus other daily things that pop up!

Events before graduation:

* spring formal (tonight)

* Katy's bridal shower (tomorrow)

* Meredith's spaying (tomorrow)

* picture session (sunday)

* take MAT for my MAT program (tuesday)

* finish applying for grad school (by thursday)

* Class meeting

* STUNT (15th)

* Celebrating Student Achievemnt Day (22nd)

* Grandparent's Luncheon (23rd)

* Scholarship Dinner (23rd)

* English Majors' Brunch (29th)

* 10th Night (29th)

* Wicked (May 2nd)

* TF senior dinner (6th)

* Class Day (8th)

* Baccalaureate (8th)

* Graduation (9th)

Fun huh?

It has been awhile...

So I know that it has been awhile since I have posted. There has been a LOT going on and I have had no time! Last weekend all that work was scraped because I found out at the last minute that I had to apply to a program that I didn't even want to attend in order to keep my Teaching Fellows. Whether or not I get in doesn't even matter, its the fact that I applied. Long story.

This week I have had so much homework to do and things to get done before Easter. This week was like what the week before Spring Break usually is, and wasn't, this year. I thought I was getting off easy when I had no midterms or major things due around that time, little did I know that I was going to get kicked in the butt come the week before Easter. Just to give you a little glimpse, for Monday I had to read about a third of the Divine Comedy, not an easy task. I mean, have you SEEN the Divine Comedy? It's no short book by any means and I was reading the hardest part! I also had a bio presentation to do as well as a play to read and a reflection to write. For Wednesday I had a paper to do and two tests to study for. I worked literally all weekend and had no time to just sit and do homework so I was really scrambling on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights.

This weekend will be full of lots of fun things... not. I have a full draft of my thesis (which has to be at a minimum 25 pages, but more like 40 seeing as I have to have 40 cited sources... come on!) and I currently have a very crappy 6 page draft that is hardly worth the paper to print it on. So that will be my fun filled weekend.

Seeing as I have become very sleep deprived over the last few days, I have now started to drink coffee, and lots of it. I used to NEVER drink coffee and I feel like I need an IV hooked up to me now... yay for becoming just one step closer to becoming an adult.

Let's see... what else? OH! A recent wrench has been put in my working for the summer plan, but we wont go into details about that. So now there is yet another thing for me to have to figure out. Sweet. My recent debate with myself is whether or not I should go to grad school at UNCW or ECU for my MAT (Masters in the Art of Teaching) degree. I like UNCW's program and the idea of living in Wilmington is VERY appealing, but I dont know all that many people there. Also, if I went to UNCW, I would have to wait till Spring 2011 to start classes. I dont really want to wait. ECU on the other hand has a very competitive program from the looks of it, I know more people in the area, and I can start in the fall. Decisions, Decisions...

From here to Sunday....

Wednesday

8-9 Cantos 11-15

9-10 Bio Worksheet

10-11 Bio webquest

11-12 Mod Drama play

Thursday

8-9 Thesis

9-10 Cantos 16-20

10-11 Pandora Research

11-12 Dog Park

12-1 Lunch/Shower/etc

1-2 Thesis

2-3 Bio Reading

3-3:30- Pack dinner/gather hw

3:30-7:30 work

7:30- ? Corn Reunion

Friday

10-11 am

2-3 Dog park

3-4 prepare for work?

4-8:30 Work?

9-10 Thesis

10-11 Presentation Researh

11-12 Cantos 21-25

Saturday

9-10 Thesis

10-11 Dog Park

11-12 Shower/Prepare for work

12-4:30/6:30 Work

6:30-8:00 dinner/break

8-9:30- Cantos 26-34

10-11 Bio Reading

11-12 Paper 3 work

Sunday

9-12 ESUMC

12-2 lunch/ dog park

2-4 library research (Pandora/thesis)

4-5 Dante Work

5-6 Dinner/break

6-7 meeting for bio presentation

7-8 Paper 3 work (Mod Drama)

8-9 Bio Reading

9-11 Study Dante

Because I like to take the surveys my aunt does and do them myself...

I will post another for today!

A to Z about me
Here are some ABC's of me....

A. AGE: 21
B. BED SIZE: full
C. CHORE YOU HATE: doing dishes
D. DOG'S NAME: Meredith Grace
E. ESSENTIAL "START THE DAY!" ITEM: just "5 more minutes"
F. FAVORITE COLOR: light green or pink
G. GOLD OR SILVER: White Gold
H. HEIGHT: 5'4
I. INSTRUMENTS YOU PLAY: None sadly, but really want to learn guitar!
J. JOB TITLE: Student/Administrative Assistant/Tutor/Sales Girl/Babysitter... etc
K. KIDS: none so far... but hopefully in the future
L. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: 2 bed/2 bath apartment
M. MOM'S NAME: April
N. NICKNAME: Hilz
O. OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAY: none luckily!
P. PET PEEVE: the jerks that have the souped up cars that make them sound like douche bags and the people that like to wake me up in the middle of the night by being obnoxiously loud outside of my window
Q. QUOTE FROM A MOVIE: "The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever." The Notebook
R. RIGHTY OR LEFTY?: lefty
S. SIBLINGS: 2 sisters, one older and one younger
T. TIME YOU WAKE UP: Between 7 and 9:30
U. UNDERWEAR: my drawer overfloweth. I usually prefer boybriefs, but do have an assortment to spice it up
V. VEGGIE YOU DISLIKE: water chestnuts
W. WAYS (REASONS) YOU ARE LATE: Because Meredith refuses to go to the bathroom because she knows that it means I am leaving her.
X. XRAYS YOU'VE HAD: Teeth (dental work), back (a kid pulled a chair out from under me in 6th grade), back (car accident), hand (car accident)
Y. YUMMY FOOD YOU MAKE: Chicken and mushroom soup with rice, mashed potatoes, fried rice
Z. ZOO ANIMALS YOU LIKE: Giraffes and... well, anything

Another getting to know you...

The questions..

1. What year did you graduate high school?

2006, now I am close to graduating college! eek!
2. What part of your body do you neglect the most?

probably my stomach, I need to get some beach abs going!
3. Beach house or Lake house?

I would take either right about now. I like the beach during the summer and the lake in the spring/fall
4. Mac or PC?

all I have ever had was a PC but I would LOVE a mac!
5. Did you wear braces?

I did for 3 years, it was only supposed to be 1- 1.5... go figure
6. If you could be one person for a day..living or deceased..who would you be?

Oprah lol... who wouldnt want to be the richest woman alive?
7. How many times have you moved in your life?

well since I have been to college its been a lot! I lived in Thomaston, CT and moved to ___ CT. We then moved to NC and lived with the grandparents, from the grandparents to Havelock, NC, from Havelock BACK to the grandparents, and from the grandparents to "Newport". So technically that makes 5 so far. Then I moved from home to college, college to home, home to college, college to home, home to college, college to Uncle's, Uncle's to apartment.... and that makes 7... total of 12? And I am about to move again... boy oh boy!
8. Would you rather cook or clean?

COOK. I would take cooking any day over cleaning! I HATE cleaning but LOVE to cook!

I've been absent for the last few days...

So I have been gone for the last few days (with the exceptions of the postings about giveaways) because I have been on my last spring break. One would think that I would be off doing wildly exciting things for my spring break, ESPECIALLY because it is the last one ever, ESPECIALLY because I have yet to do something glamorous and fun for spring break, and ESPECIALLY because I have been off of school! Well, to those of you who think that I should be off doing great and exciting things, I agree. Sadly, I didnt have any fabulous plans for Spring Break 2010. I did enjoy a lovely few days at home with my family (and my dog), but it was by no means exciting. Monday I took my Mere Bear to the beach and let her play in the sand and chase seagulls. Tuesday I had a great dinner at my Grandma's house (home made mashed taters, YUM). And Wednesday was a big bunch of nothingness. I came back to Raleigh yesterday to work and that is what I will be doing all.weekend.long. Of course, the first part of the week was cooler and cloudy when I had nothing to do and all the time in the world to enjoy being outside and now that I am back to the working world, it is 72 and gorgeous outside. C'est la vie.

Meredith and I did enjoy a wonderful morning at the dog park with her good friend Chloe that she hadnt seen in awhile. Meredith also managed to get absolutely filthy and needed a bath by the time we got home. I also got my new Bibles and devotional book and spent some time with those this morning.

I guess I should be grateful for the down time!

Getting to know YOU

The questions..

1. What's your favorite Easter candy?

Anything fruity. Jelly Beans, starburts, and the like

2. Who do you think is cleaner..men or women?

Is this seriously even a question? Women! Have you ever walked into a boys apartment/room/living space? You can definitely tell a male lives there!

3. Which do you prefer..wordy blog posts or ones with pictures?

A little bit of both! I like to get to know people and I feel I do that through the wordy ones, but as an amateur\

photographer, I love ones with pictures too!

4. Were you popular in high school?

I had friends. I was not one to fall in with a particular crowd, I like to mix and mingle! (a little of this and a little of that)

5. What's your bra size?

TOO BIG!

6. How many states have you lived in?

2- Connecticut and North Carolina

7. What's one blog you read every day?

I am new to the world of blogging, but I definitely read my aunt's blog every day. (Laura's 2 Little Boys)

8. Peanut butter or Nutella?

I think I have tried Nutella once, so I am going to go with peanut butter.

How did I get here?

Recently I have found myself in that stage of life where you look around and realize that all of your friends are engaged, married, are having kids, or already have kids. I look at my life and think "seriously? At my age? I am soooo not ready for this!" My best friend growing up got married about a year ago and is now expecting her first little one. My roommate and best friend is engaged and is getting married in June. Basically every girl that I graduated high school with is married and/or has kids.

I am quite content with my dog Meredith, whom I treat like my baby. Before having this dog, I never realized how distinct an animal's personality can be. Meredith is quite the entertainer. A few nights ago, she was literally doing tumbles in my living room. Seriously? What dog does that? She likes to take her toys out of her crate in the same general order and place them around the living room in the same general areas (yes, my dog has OCD). She won't drink out of her water bowl if it is less than 1/3 full. She makes some awfully strange noises. I have had her for a little over a month and I can't imagine my life without her at this point. My whole life has changed to center around her and her needs. I am very proud of my little girl who has recently learned to use a bell to tell me when she really needs to go outside. She did it both last night and today! I am quite the proud Mommy. However, like most Mommys, I have had to learn to let go a little. Today, I took Meredith for her first day at doggy day care. I worked this morning at job #1 and I am actually currently at job #2(out of the four that I have) and I just didn't have the heart to leave her in her crate for such a long day. Thankfully my vet offers a doggy day care for a really good deal and I don't think that I will need to use it very often, but I think today was good for her. It was weird going back to the apartment and getting ready without her stretched out at my bathroom doorway or underfoot when I tried to figure out what to bring for lunch. It was weird going home this afternoon between the two jobs and not seeing her cute little face.

For now, I think I am content with my dog and the rest can wait awhile :)

Wednesdays and life decisions

,Wednesdays are usually horrible days for me. I have class from 9 in the morning till 8 at night, with only two one-hour breaks (which aren't really worth ANYTHING!). Usually during the 10 o'clock hour I sit in the science and math building and do homework that I have procrastinated on doing. Recently during my 2 o'clock hour break, I have been going home to let my sweet dog out and give her a break from her kennel. Luckily my roommate has more time available on Wednesdays than I do and is very nice in that she lets Meredith out to play while she is home so Meredith isn't in her kennel the whole time I am not there. Basically, my brain is going on auto-pilot for 11 hours straight, which can be very exhausting.

I find myself procrastinating a lot lately, and I haven't been able to pin down WHY I am such a horrible procrastinator until this morning. I think that I have been putting things off (more so than usual) lately because I am in the mentality that if I push it off, things wont happen. Now I know that this sounds like a "Duh Hilary, if you don't do something, of course it wont happen!" but I mean in the sense that if I put off figuring my life out, then maybe I will have time to be a kid for just a little bit longer. Growing up is a scary thing to do. I cant believe that in less than 2 months, I will no longer have school to fall back on. Every spring in my life until now, I have always known that after summer is over, it is back to the land of school. My life has been planned and relatively predictable. My life is wide open now. I am supposed to be looking for a job, but the whole job search thing is NOT easy. Let's begin with the current economic state of our country (strike one): EVERYONE is looking for a job. The economy sucks and because the economy sucks, I am going to suffer. Strike two: I have no idea what kind of job I want! Its hard to search for a job if you don't even know the KIND of job that you want! Strike three: location, location, location. I have no idea where I should be looking (coupled with the idea that I don't know what I am looking for, come on! Is this some sort of cruel cosmic joke?). I would kind of like to stay in this area, yet I wont be able to afford staying in this area to search for a job without a job to fund the job search (confused yet?). My family is currently near Beaufort, but really what jobs are available in Carteret County? But then there is a possibility that they are moving to the Louisville KY area. So I have a wide range of possibilities to work with, but I need a narrowing down. I need decisions. I need answers.

So basically, that is what is making my life so complicated right now. I want to be a kid and have no responsibilities, but reality is rearing its ugly head and I am thinking that growing up is in my very near future.

Starting it up again....

This summer while I was in England, I was an avid blogger. (Read all about my English adventure here: Hilary in England) I blogged on almost a daily basis to keep friends and family updated on all of my exciting adventures across the pond. I enjoyed blogging and found it rather cathartic. Sadly, when I came back from England I stopped blogging. Recently I have gotten very addicted to my Aunt's blog, Laura's 2 Little Boys, and decided that it was time to start up again. After all, I am coming into a very exciting and scary time in my life. I am about halfway through my last semester of college, I have no idea what I am going to do with my life (much less what I am going to do come May), I just recently got a beautiful dog that keeps me busy, and I could use a little de-stresser!

While I don't have anything particularly thrilling to post about today, I am very excited to be back in the world of blogging. Today has been a very low-key day in which Meredith (my dog) and I went to the vet, spent TWO WHOLE HOURS at the dog park, and then rested for the remainder of the afternoon.

I am currently at work and putting off doing my homework, which is what I should be doing right now. I always liked the idea of doing homework at work because it is like I am getting paid to do my homework. Somehow today even the prospect of being paid to do my homework isnt making the homework any more appealing. Unfortunately I have been plagued with the worst case of senioritis ever known (I didnt get it in high school, so it makes sense that I am hit brutally hard my last semester of college right?) and I have absolutely no drive to do anything this semester, which isn't really working out all that well for me!

On that note, I will leave my first blog post....