The difference a day makes.

As I was tidying up my place the other day, I looked down and saw these two piles.  A perfect illustration of how different my Tuesdays and Thursdays are from my Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. 

Left: Assorted textbooks, diagrams of the brain, class notes, flow charts, etc. for the five classes I have on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Right:  Treatment plans, coloring book, crayons, play-doh, and stickers for therapy and preschool on MWF.  (Not pictured: a whole ton of other shiny bright plastic stuff that keeps kids happy while trying to meet treatment objectives...these are merely the basics that are always in the bag). 

Happy Valentine's!

I've had a lovely day, or as lovely a day as one can have while still studying and working on a research project. 

My day was spent here, doing this:

My day was brightened by my chocolate cupcake, and copious amounts of coffee. (So much my hands started shaking...oops!). 

I love this day, if only because I have an excuse to eat that thing. Yum.

Never fear, I was not alone, my classmate Taylor joined me and was an excellent sounding board for my research ideas, and just a lovely companion for the day.

Happy Valentine's Day to all.

It's coming soon...

No, not my birthday, even though it is approaching. And aren't these lovely Valentine's/birthday flowers from my parents?

Yes, yes they are.  And the best ones have yet to bloom.

Anyway, I'm talking about Lent. The season that I really do love and grow so much through, but one that I appreciate the most because of the struggle.  I have been wrestling with what it means to not be owned by consumption and consumer culture, wanting to have less and buy less. For the environment, for my well-being, for people less well-off than myself.  So...this lenten season, I'm not buying any non-necessities. (Necessities being narrowly defined as groceries, things I need for a specific therapy session/class, and used books - not new).  Other than that, no etsy browsing, no impulsive purchases at Target while I'm "just buying groceries", none of it.  I feel weighed down by all the things I don't need, by the time spent shopping, browsing online, wandering through stores looking for something else I just have to have.

Truth is, I have everything I need, and then some.  And since I wasn't sure I could actually do this in the first place, I know that I need to. 

So I have less than two weeks to buy everything I want!  I need to get to it.

Just kidding.  That would defeat the purpose.  But I think I will be getting some knitting needles and yarn so I can at least have a Lenten project.  Nothing wrong with that, right? Right. At least indulge me, please.  

After all, my birthday's still coming.

Oh so good.

You know how sometimes you want to make a recipe, but then modify it so much that it's unrecognizable as the original?  Oh, is that just me? 

Well I did it again with this fella, that Sarah told me was amazing.  What I got was this:

+ this:

which made a tasty this:

Yum. Trust me, whether you make the original, or this hybrid I made with zucchini, onion, broccoli, and vermont white cheddar, it's certainly worth a try.

In other news, I got an assignment back from one of my professors today with a note on it that said "I've never seen green staples before."  Made me laugh.  At least it didn't say "you suck at this, find a new career" which is the comment I'm always afraid of...

But I always staple my papers with green staples.  I'm just cool like that.

Nothin'

That's what I have for you.  I think it's laughable that I thought last semester was difficult and a time crunch. Hahaha.  I spend about 40 hours a week in the Allied Health building, and that doesn't even count studying and reading time. Why did this sound like a good idea a couple of years ago?!

So anyway, I think I will share 10 things that are keeping me sane these days: 

1. Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!  Highlight of my week. Peter Sagal, if you're reading this: Please leave your wife and marry me. 

2. The Gym.

3. Friends who call me just because. I've been sucking at communication lately.

4. Being able to watch full TV episodes online. Since I now miss my shows while at the UCO library, studying. 

5. Coke Zero. Don't judge my un-healthiness.  I already do.

6. Daydreaming about being out of school.

7.  Rachel Maddow. She's freakin' awesome.

8. Carrots with hummus. Yum.

9. Getting to see this lady about once a week.  Seeing someone who is A. a lovely friend and B. has nothing to do with school, is more than wonderful. Although I'm sure she's realized I don't know how to talk about non-school things anymore.  Apologies to everyone who knows me. 

10. Reading TPM during class. And Facebook. And The Pioneer Woman.  And the New York Times.  You try spending 7 hours a day in the same room getting lectured to, and tell me you don't do some web-surfing.  Just sayin'.

What about you?  Any tricks for not going crazy?