Lack of internet access

Sorry for my mini-blog break, but my internet access has been rather limited lately. You see I'm cheap and just mooch off of one of my neighbor's unsecured internet connections and it has not been working as of late. I also started clinic this week in Milwaukee and haven't had time to just go over to school for free internet. This morning I decided to multi-task and take my laptop with me to the laundromat. So while my clothes are drying I'm sharing so thoughts with you.

This semester for clinic like I said I'm in Milwaukee. From my place it's about 74 miles one way and amounts to 1.5 to 2 hours to get there, so luckily it's only 2 days per week! I love the placement so far though. I'm at Froedtert/Medical College of Wisconsin in their cochlear implant program. I'm very excited for the placment and am learning quite a bit already. It should be a good placement and I'll blog more about it later.

February is almost upon us, which means that I'll hopefully know where I'll be doing my externship. I have an interview Monday and a phone call on Tuesday. The phone call should be bringing some good news, but I'm not counting on it too much. Other fun February events include my parents visiting me for a weekend, attending and presenting a poster at the WSHA conference for Wisconsin area speech language pathologists and audiologists, and while there staying with my good friend Miranda :)

Thanks for reading

Thanks for reading the blog! I saw the hit counter jump from 64 to over 90 in just a few hours. Way to go!

Random Monday Deep Thoughts

To quote a song from a musical I like, Something has changed within me...something is not the same. (10 points and maybe a prize to the first person that can name the musical and the song in the comments!) Last night I went to church, yep my church has Sunday evening services, and we're in a sermon series called "Breathe Deep" where different topics related to the Holy Spirit have been discussed. You can check out these sermons and older series online here: http://blackhawkchurch.org/resources/message_archive.php

This week Pastor Chris spoke about spiritual renewal and how the Spirit works in us and how our "old self" battles our "new self" that is filled with the Spirit. I'm not sure at what point it happened, but something clicked within me. Last night and this morning I've lost that down in the dumps feeling! I'm more hopeful and I praise God for that. I think some of it may be realizing that fact that I'm about to have an externship offer and I'll know where I'll be come June in just a few weeks!!!

Sorry for all the deep thoughts so early on a Monday, but I couldn't help but share about the change occuring in me right now!

Remember the contest!

Good Books + Melissa Gilbert = Great Musical

Growing up (an still today) I am a lover of books. I have many favorites, but one series has earned a shelf to all it's own. No not Harry Potter (though greatly loved), it's a book series that I read when I was just starting to read. For a LONG time I was completely into The Baby-sitter's Club, but one series held my attention with a sense of adventure and awe for much longer. In fact I just read through the series again over break. Know what it is yet? I'll tell you: The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have whole set and you may not be able to tell from the picture, but they are well loved, especially The Long Winter which has always been a favorite.

I could tell of my love for Laura and books for days and days and days. I dressed up as her for multiple Halloweens and in 3rd grade she was my biography buddy (we had to read a biography and make decorate a cut-out shaped like a person to represent our buddies). I've been to many of the homestead sites (Pepin, WI; DeSmidt, SD; Burr Oak, IA) and long one day to visit Rocky Ridge Farm down in Missouri.

This whole week I have been excited and hoping, skirming, and praying for a ticket to Little House on the Prairie: The Musical. It's been here in Madison for the past week and I could not afford tickets at $45 a pop. The Overture Center (Madison's civic center) had an offer for students to buy tickets the day of the show for $20 (OVER HALF OFF!!!). I kept crossing my fingers that there were tickets left for today's matinee because 2 dear friends were going, including a lil gal that I introduced to Laura's world.

It.was.AMAZING! On thing I forgot to mention is that Melissa Gilbert (Laura from the TV show) played MA :) She was so great in the role even though she's not known as a singer. The musical was so beautifully done with outstanding music, great actors, and bits and pieces from most of the books (mostly By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, and These Happy Golden Years). Some of the dialogue was directly out of the books and it made my heart smile so much I cried during a few of the songs. Here's a picture of my program.

And the man who played Almanzo could totally sing and dance and was SUPER ATTRACTIVE! You know how many teen (and sometimes older) girls say that they are Team Edward, Team Jacob, Team Harry, Team Fiyero, Team (insert cute boy's name here)? Well I've decided that I'm TEAM ALMANZO!

No motivation?! Two posts in one day?!

Two posts in one day?! That doesn't happen often especially after my first post was about no motivation. I decided to show you that I could pull it together and get something done today, besides blogging. I did some work in my kitchen today including 2, count 'em, 2 rounds of dirty dishes (Clarification that it's only been 2 days since I last did dishes and I'm not dirrrrty; I just cooked meals that involved multiple things like a crock pot, or the George, or just pans). I also cleaned the minimal counter space I have and found a home for my new knife block. I also took some pictures to document my accomplishment.

One of those days

I'm having one of those days. I definitely got more than enough sleep (10 pm to 8:30 am), but I have no motivation. I think I'm just stuck in that crap-I'm-still-single-and-Valentine's-Day-is-looming funk. I'm hoping that when I start classes tomorrow my mind will once again be busy enough not to get funky about something I don't have.

It's a short post, but I warned you I have no motivation! Okay I'll add a picture that represents how I feel right now.

Falling in like with boots

I'll admit I LOVE Ugg boots, but I don't love the prices. Last year when I wanted some of the tan suede Uggs I caved and bought a pair from Walmart for a WHOPPING $15. I held off tucking my jeans into the boots for a whole year. Now I'll admit it: I tuck my jeans into my boots. It started off as a way to keep the bottom of my jeans dry (big pet peeve: wet jean bottoms), but now I, gulp, think I like the look.

I slyly mentioned some new boots I bought when up in the Twin Cities (that's Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN for those not from the midwest) and now I'm debuting them. Arent' they beautiful? They're not Ugg, but close.


I found them at DSW in the clearance section (PTL for having small feet, there's always a great clearance selection) and instantly fell in like. I've been looking for a pair of cardy boots because there are a couple of different ways you can wear them: up like the second pic, folded down like the first or just slouchy not pictured. I love them and so far have worn them with my jeans tucked in and over tights. I'm debating if I should go buy a pair of leggings or not to wear them with too. Mostly because I don't own super skinny jeans and my jeans are all wonky with the boots. I'm just not sure if anyone wants/needs/would survive me wearing leggings.

Pray for Haiti

I can't even begin to fathom the chaos that Haiti is experiencing today. NPR was full of news of the destruction and I just couldn't stop from praying for the people down there: the victims of the quake (dead and alive), those still buried, the children who have lost parents and don't understand what has happened, parents crying out for their babies, the people who have flown down there to help.

To top that all of CBN's Pat Robertson said the quake was caused by Haitians making a deal with the devil 200 years ago...BULLCRAP! Sometimes it's so hard to claim Christians that speak like that as my brothers and sisters in Christ, but I will if that's what Christ has called me to do.

I don't know if anything supernatural/spiritual caused the quake, but that's not important. The important thing to do is to help the people of that damaged nation in any way possible. The only way that I can help them this very moment is to pray and to urge you to pray, or think positive, or send good vibes their way. So please do.

UPDATE:
I just learned that my friend, Ben Larson, died in the quake. He, his wife Renee, and cousin Jon (whom I worked with at camp) were down there doing some relief work when the quake struck. Jon and Renee are unhurt, but Ben didn't make it out of the building. Along with the other people who have died down there, pray for the families they leave behind.

Externship Update

Thought I would update y'all on my search for an externship. The 3 that I'm pursuing right now are in Marshall, MN at an audiologist-owned private practice; LaCrosse, WI at a hospital; and Cedar Rapids, IA at an ENT practice.

Marshall - I've had 2 interviews and it sounds promising.

LaCrosse - I have an interview scheduled Feb 1. This is one of my top choices.

Cedar Rapids - I was supposed to interview there today, but it's been rescheduled for next Wed the 13. They haven't ever taken an externship and don't know if they will, but it's my only IA possibility.

Please be praying for me especially for my nerves/self-confidence in audiology and for guidance in which way I should go.

Ringing in the New Year

Happy 2010 (yes I know we're already a few days in)! Most of my break has been rather uneventful, but for New Year's I traveled north to the Minneapolis area to see some really good friends. I drove up New Year's Eve and we had a real low-key midnight celebration, watching Dick Clark, drinking some champagne, and playing cards. They also came up with some resolutions and though I typically come up with a couple, I couldn't think of any this year. However, I figured out my top 3 favorite moments of 2009. Drumroll please......

1. 8/1 Skydiving with Jeff in NC

2. 5/30 My parents' surprise 25th anniversary party

3. 9/7-9/14 Roadtrip home from GA with Bethany

It's been fun thinking about some of the great things 2009 brought, but a very wise woman told me that, "2010 is going to be a very big year for you." And I really hope it is. There are some very big things like presenting my capstone twice, getting and starting my externship, and moving away from Madison.