Blindsided

I was blindsided last night. I don't have an externship afterall. PCI decided that "their needs have changed" and that they need a licensed audiologist instead of an extern. This leaves me in the crapper. I have a few more options that I can try, but am really uncertain about the future.

At least I was able to be around great people that were able to pray, uplift, and encourage me when I got the news. I love my Family Fusion drama crew more than one can know! If I weren't a Christian, that is in a well-developed community, I would be absolutely lost and broken about the externship.

Good news/Bad news

Bad news first: I didn't get the Iowa City VA position that I really, really, really wanted :( I kind of freaked out, you could ask my mom or my good friend Amber about my mental state Friday night.

Good news: There are multiple parts
1. Saturday morning I went shoe shopping for some retail therapy. I went to DSW because I had gotten a coupon in the mail. Originally I wanted some cute black knee high boots. I've known that my calves are a bit, hmmm how you say, shapely and most black boots just aren't large enough to accomodate them. I went shopping for some anyway. I ended up with a pair of booties (they look like boots with pants or jeans on, but are pretty hideous without). I got a FABULOUS deal: they were originally $60 and I paid...drumroll...$15.

2. I accepted an externship at PCI ENT in Cedar Rapids. I'll start sometime at the beginning of June. I'm excited, but there's still so much to do before I'm done in Madison.

Academic Rebel?

Shhh! Don't tell anyone I'm blogging during class, that's probably a no-no, but the prof is rambling on and on and on and on and ON about some required reading that I have not yet completed and probably won't. Yep that's me an academic rebel (wait that's pretty oxymoronic).

The reason I wanted to blog today was that I have an interview next week with the VA hospital in Iowa City. In my last post I mentioned that this is where I'd really, really, REALLY like to spend my 4th and final year of grad school.

I wanted to add a cute picture, but I htink the prof is onto my ploy.

Still no internet access at my apartment

I really, really shouldn't complain about my lack of internet access, as I don't pay for it. BUT sometimes, like now, I get really used to using someone else's unsecured connection and then it stops working suddenly.

Since I last posted I've had some good news. I got an externship offer in Cedar Rapids, IA at an ENT (ear, nose, & throat doctor) office. I haven't accepted it yet though, because I got word that the VA hospital in Iowa City has a paid opening. I grew to love the VA system after my summer in Georgia at the VA and just really want to be in the VA system. I've applied and have gotten all my letters of recommendation in within the week. I'd really like to have this process moving and get this externship, but I do have a backup of the clinic in Cedar Rapids. Please pray for direction and for the VA process to move quickly as it typically doesn't.

Other than that life is still moving and nothing too exciting has been happening.

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!