May 21: Professional Enrichment

I realize I'm very far behind in uploading my photo a day.  Although I've been good about actually taking photos, and mostly good about sending them to blogger (you can email photos to your blog, it's cool)...I haven't been good about actually uploading them to my site.  The goal is to get caught up with the photos.  In that effort, there may not be as extensive of descriptions as would otherwise have been...but if I can finally get my blog caught up, certain individuals who shall remain nameless can stop pestering me about it ;)  In all joking, I'm thankful for friends and family who take the time to keep up with my life through this venue.

We had our student affairs development one day conference this week.  Dr. Margret (Peggy) Barr came and spoke.  Not only was she a fantastic scholar and professional in student affairs...she's hilarious.  She sang us a song she wrote about the Vice President of Student Affairs blues.  She had the audience rolling!

May 20: The Beginnings

And so the process of moving back to Texas begins.  My goodness...there are so many decisions to make.  Where to live, how to move, what to keep, what to sell, and the list goes on. 

 

May 19: CSA(A) Everywhere

I wonder if one of the College Student Affairs Administration students put these letters in this order. I cannot be certain, but when I saw it, it made me think of CSAA (yes, I realize it's missing another A, but it wouldn't have fit on the display anyway).

 

May 18: 2048

My sister introduced me to this game called 2048, you move around number tiles until they combine to get larger numbers.  It's been a race to see who can get a 2048 tile first.  My sister won.  But I just got a new high score!

May 17: Porch Swing

Pup sitting for Dr. Cooper & Dr. Dean means a porch with a swing! And it was a beautiful sunny day with a nice breeze!

May 16: GA License

Jennifer was on a scavenger hunt and needed a picture of someone with an out of state drivers license.  She lives in Florida.  So I obliged.  :)  The GA license are neat and embossed with my signature.

May 15: Nature Box x2

Tiffanie and I share a nature box delivery each month.  This month, they accidentally sent her two boxes (one for free).  So we split up all the sancks, but essentially, we each got a full months worth of snacks.  Ps. these snacks are delicious and healthy, and $20 a month (total).

May 14: Dog Walking

Trying to walk these two together can sometimes be a feat, at least it was beautiful outside...I would like this weather to stick around for awhile Georgia!

May 13: Ginny & Michigan

Ginny got a job as a faculty member at Michigan State University.  She will be up there with some great people in the field, and some great friends including Christa (from our cohort) and Alex (recent master's graduate).  She'll be up there for at least two years, as that's her appointment, and I plan on visiting at some point.  Preferably when it's hot in Texas and nice in Michigan.  Or in the fall or spring; but I will avoid that winter-mess.  No, this isn't Ginny's car, I just saw the Michigan plate and thought of her!

May 12: Mama's Boy

Before my mom and sister headed out of town, I took them to Mama's Boy for breakfast.  They really enjoyed the foot.  I am going to miss this place when I leave.  however, I'm sure Austin will provide me with a wonderful local breakfast place as well.  I could eat breakfast for every meal!  It was sad to see my sister and mom go, but I know I'll see them in a month for my mom's wedding.

May 11: Mother's Day

We surprised my mom for mother's day and took her to Chateau Elan for a spa day.  It was a beautiful day of laying around, reading, sitting in saunas, and getting a massage.  It was the first time my mom ever had a massage and she loved it.  It was such a nice day a great way to celebrate her!

May 10: GA Bucket List

Although I've known I was leaving Georgia for awhile, I hadn't put together a bucket list.  So I started one at the urging of my sister.  Stone Mountain park is a large...stone mountain (original name, I know) and they have a laser light show at night.  I've always wanted to go, so we did.  What I didn't know was how many other things there were to do at the park.  They have a train ride, putt putt golf, touring of antebellum homes, and more.  It began raining in the evening and literally rained until 2 minutes before the light show started (and they didn't cancel it).  We just kept waiting to see if it would really happen, and it did.  The lasers were pretty neat; it's amazing what you can do with lights projected onto a big slab of rock.

May 9: Phinally Done!

Well, today, I graduated!  The ceremony was long and it was for all the master's and doctorate degrees.  As part of the ceremony, your major professor (Dr. Cooper) and an assistant (a dean) help hood you on stage.  The man was talking about my 'entourage' who clapped and cheered (briefly) even though they were asked not to.  Seriously, it's the quietest ceremony you will go to.  They ask that you don't cheer as to not cover up the name of the person behind you.  For the most part, even when people do applaud or cheer, it is very brief and respectful of those names being read next.

Here are a couple other photos from the day (off my phone, the real ones still need to be uploaded from my camera and resized before anything can be done with them.

The group of us from our program: me, Phil, Matt, Ginny (my cohort), and Sheree

The stop in party food table!

Check out the cute cupcakes & grad hats we made!

May 8: International Graduation

Today was international student life gradation. It's a nice celebration for our international students, friends, and families, to participate in a smaller graduation.  The VP for student affairs and the Assistant VP help participate in the event.  We give away some awards and students are allowed to speak if they desire.  However, I don't have any pictures from the event as I was the one helping facilitate it.  However, my mom, sister, and dad did join and I think my sister got a few photos (although she hasn't sent them to me).  So instead, you get a picture of the delicious meal at Taqueria del Sol.  My family also thoroughly enjoyed it!

May 7: Graduation Prep

Graduation brings in town lots of people from near and far.  Alex is a former student (graduated last year) and working in Savannah in Residence Life (currently).  I was really excited that we got to grab lunch and catch up.  I miss her face and since she had to leave immediately after graduation, it was fun to spend some time chatting.

Today my family came into town for graduation.  And tonight my mom and sister came over and helped me put together items for the party.  Tiffanie also joined in, but she doesn't like her picture being taken. Ha.  Anyway, we made graduation caps out of recees peanut butter cups and squares of chocolate to go on top of the cupcakes, and a bunch of other fun party things.  There was lots of laughter had as the four of us did crafts for the party!

May 6: Braclets & Kara's Grandma

Kara is selling these beautiful braclets in honor of her gradma's life and to support cancer research.  When her gradma was still alive, and huricane katrina happened her gradma got friends and family together to make braclets and sell them to raise money to support those impacted by the hurricane.  Thus, Kara has been working on honoring her grandma in a similar way through the making and selling of these beauties.  They go for $10 if you want one!

May 5: Publix Cake

Well, the graduation cake has been ordered!  Woo! Although I have an idea for toppers that aren't those crazy looking people jumping in celebration.  I think my graduation caps will be cuter and definitely taste better (those people aren't edible).  Also, publix cake is delicious!

May 4: Craft Fair

Athens has a craft fair every fall and spring.  This was the first year I went and although it was nice and eclectic, I didn't walk away with anything but a couple of business cards.

May 3: Grad Dress

After a couple days of being sick, I was ready to get out of the house.  I still wasn't feeling great, but knew I had to find a dress for graduation.  I had already been to Atlanta and was anxious I wasn't going to find something.  However, after a prayer and a quick trip to Loft outlets, I found this dress and this necklace.  And...the dress was on clearance!

May 2: Netflix

Since I was up a lot of the night still sick, I took today off of work and I'm staying in bed.  I'm also watching netflix...lots of netflix.  That and eating popsicles, crackers, and sprite.  Being sick sucks.

May 1: Sickie

Today, Ginny, her friend Gloria, and I went to the Chateau Elan for a spa day in celebration of graduation.  We are all graduating with PhDs.  It was suppose to be fun, relaxing, etc.  Instead, I spent the day feeling ucka, and making frequent trips to the bathroom to throw up.  Fortunately, I have another spa day planned in the future.

April 30: Grad Hats

I have an idea. I'm going to try and make a bunch of these little grad hats to go on top of cupcakes for my graduation party.  However, these little suckers aren't as easy to make as you would think.  And, it is really hard to find an edible candy that can be used as a tassel.

April 28: Spa Day

The spa day in celebration of graduation is booked!

April 26: Insomnia

It is absolutely no fun when you are awake at 5am...and you just cannot sleep.

April 25: Last Coffee Hour

It was the last coffee hour of the year!

I love when the flags are hung like this!

April 24: CSAA Banquet

The annual CSAA banquet was a wonderful time of celebration.  I was asked to give the doctoral student speech.  For the presentation, I did a modified version of pecha kucha which is a form of presentation with 20 pictures for 20 seconds each.  I was honored to be asked.  I was even more honored to win the outstanding doctoral student of the year.

Dr. Cooper awarded me this outstanding doctoral student of the year award.

The three speakers (doctoral student, faculty, & master's student).

April 17: Curly Hair

My hair is getting so long and heavy.  I'm thinking I might have 8 inches to donate.  Luckily, it's 8 straight inches.  It might be a little short, but my hair grows fast and I'm tired of it taking so long to do in the mornings!

April 16: Colleague BDay

A colleague who works in another office on campus brought in a cake today in celebration.  Oh.My.Goodness.  The cake was six layers of dark chocolate goodness with caramel in the middle and drizzled over the top.  Surprisngly it wasn't too sweet but rather the perfect chocolate cake!

April 15: Cold Front

This must mean summer is going to be cool and wonderful, right?!

April 13: Nothingness

It's nice to have days where you have absolutely nothing on the calendar.  Although I've been working on edits myself, and sending them to an editor, today was a major catch up day on editing.  My dissertation is due to the graduate school by April 28th, so I need to get a move on and turn around the edits from my advisor, committee, and editor quickly.

April 14: Dr. Mullendore's Farewell

Today we celebrated Dr. Mullendore's farewell to the profession and to CSAA faculty.  He has been counting down the days to retirement since I started ;)  Unfortunately, the cake from publix didn't turn out quite like a golf course. Ha!

Dr. Mullendore right before he was the VP for Student Affairs at UGA.

Shannon R. Dean

April 12: Blisters & Beauty

It was a beautiful day for a run; until I got a blister.

April 11: LAST Tax Workshop

Today is our LAST tax assistance workshop! WOOHOO! This is Wendy our volunteer intern this semester.  She's funny, and has been learning more and more about US sarcasm this semester.  She always pulls something out that seems to make us laugh.

April 10: VITA Certification

Today the IRS acknowledged (via the mail) my VITA tax volunteer status.

April 9: Post Defense Celebration

Today the staff celebrated my accomplishment (successful defense) during staff meeting.  Leslie got me those gorgeous flowers and pulled together the cupcake and other congrats stuff for my door! I am so grateful for this group of people I get to work alongside.  They are good people and I will miss them when I leave UGA and ISL.

April 8: Petting Zoo

Yes, this is a college campus, and yes, they had a petting zoo in the student union quad.  Just another day at UGA. :)

April 7: Dissertation Defense

Today I successfully defended my dissertation and became Dr. Dean.  It's strange, but glorious.  It's been a long four years filled with a lot of fun and learning, but also a lot of tears and grief.  Today was a good day.  My defense went well, obviously, and my committee offered great feedback into ways I can strengthen some sections of my dissertation (read: more edits) and publications that can come out of my dissertation.  Dr. Cooper was really proud of the work I did, and I could not have made it through this process without her!

She also really, really loved the gift of a Texas State University mug and the tea from South Africa.  After the defense, I celebrated with some friends at the capital room with drinks and appetizers.