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 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!

November 7: Red Cups

I love when the holiday cups arrive at Starbucks.  It makes working on my dissertation and writing cover letters so much more enjoyable!  It's happiness in a cup.  Happy almost-holidays!  

It's the most wonderful time of the year

When people spend big bucks

To get Starbucks red cups cause

they bring such cheer

it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Nashville, TN

During Easter weekend...I know, I know, that was awhile ago, Megan and I met up in Nashville, TN to explore the wonders of the city.  So what was the first thing two student affairs people do when they meet up in Nashville?  Head to Vanderbilt!  Upon arriving, we found parking in the admissions lot.  In order to park there, we needed a pass.  So it was off to the admissions office.  After talking with the admissions people about my interest in a PhD in higher education...we received our parking pass. :)  Here are some pictures of the campus, it's beautiful.

Megan and I with our parking pass, yes, we were a little sneaky.

Our hotel was across the street from the Gaylord Opryland Resort, so we decided to walk on over after our tour of Vanderbilt. 

I could not have imagined what the inside of this hotel would look like, absolutely magnificent!

Here is the map, yes, you need a map to find your way around all the gardens.  If you haven't been there, it's incredible.

Many water falls inside the gardens.

The next morning, Mega and I got up and visited the Pancake Pantry.  I had sweet potato pancake.  Absolutely fabulous!

 We then hit up the city, a park, and a green festival.

Just taking a break and enjoying the sunshine and warmth. Megan doesn't get much in Ohio (warmth).

Oh, and it was windy.

We also visited the Grand Ole Opry.  How can one visit Nashville and not go to the opry house.

Yep, we're that cool...or we just bought tickets for the tour. :)

The floodline for the May 2010 flood in Nashville.  I realized it was bad, however, this was a implausible.  The picture below this one is Megan standing next to the line, just for context.

As part of the tour, we got to stand on the stage and the tour guide took our picture!  The circle on the ground is from the original opry when it first began...kind of a neat piece of history (even for this non-country fan).

 

That night Megan and I went country line dancing.  We left our purses in the car, thus, no pictures.  However, this was taken before we left.  Oh how I miss country line dancing.  Yes, this non-country loving music girl does love line dancing...or any other kind of dancing!

As usual, Megan and I found a fun coffee shop, ugly mugs.  We had coffee there before heading back to our perspective homes.  And if you are asking the question I was...yes, they do serve the coffee in ugly mugs!

As we headed home, gotta get some coffee to go!

 

Not sure where we'll meet up next as we've now explored Knoxville and Nashville.  Maybe we'll actually have to make visits to each others homes (Oxford, Ohio & Athens, Georgia). :)

RENT (part II)

The scene: It's Sunday afternoon and I'm studying at Starbucks for the GRE. The time is close to 4pm.

The dilemma: Megan is up in Dallas and has asked if I'm interested in attempting to get tickets to see RENT (again).

The backstory: Jonathan Larson, the man who wrote the story and music of RENT wanted to write a musical about life, death, the struggle of being an artist in New York in the 90s. Consequently, he died the night before the musical opened on broadway. In his memory, honor, the show RENT has sold front row, orchestra level seats for $20 for every performance. Two hours before the performance, one can submit their name for up to two tickets. All those in attendance are then entered into a lottery and names are pulled an hour and half before show time.

For me, I wrestled with the idea of 'attempting' to see RENT, again. On one hand, if mine or Megan's name were drawn...well, we would have amazing first or second row seats. If our names weren't drawn, then I would have wasted three hours driving to and from Dallas.

In this case, I decided the potential pro, a once in a lifetime opportunity was worth the odds.

So at 6pm, on Sunday night, Megan and I anxiously filled out our lottery forms and submitted them into the grey bucket that would soon decide our fate.

Shortly after 6:30, they began drawing names.

The rules were such that they gave away the 'best' seats in the house first. They had 52 seats to auction off and asked that if both you and your partner had their names drawn that you pass on the second set of tickets.

We waited patiently, or not so patiently, for them to begin drawing names...

Luckily, we didn't have to wait long. My name was drawn fourth. And frankly, I'm not sure what seats they gave out before us, but we definitely got the BEST seats in the house. Second row. Center stage.

After we got our tickets, we went outside to grab my camera. Camera's are STRICTLY prohibited from being inside. The people who work at the Dallas Music Hall take this VERY seriously and WILL confiscate your camera if they see it. Anyway, this is us VERY VERY excited about our second row, center stage tickets!

And this is Megan very excited that she got both Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal's autographs!
It was a great experience! But as we were walking down to the front, I kept waiting for someone to tap me on the shoulder and tell me I didn't belong in the front row. But no one did. And I enjoyed watching all the uniqueness' that you miss when you're in the second balcony. I smiled the entire show as I sat in my second row seat. :)

Oddity: I will say, it is a bit odd when you are siting that close that you can make eye contact and keep it with the actors. ;)

Maybe the best $20 I've ever spent?! :)

The Joys of Spring Cleaning

I enjoy cleaning. It probably has something to do with the instant gratification. Something is dirty, then it's clean. Now I know may people don't like the process one undergoes in getting those things from dirty to clean, but I do. Usually they are pretty easy, especially if you keep up with them, and the product is both rewarding and enjoyable.

The GRE, however, has no instant gratification. Studying for it is arduous and frustrating. I am going to try and devote more and more time to it as this school year comes to a close, however, I would much rather spend my time doing other things, like...spring cleaning.

At least once a year, I go through most, if not all, of my earthly possessions and make piles; 1. keep, 2. give away, 3. donate to the landfills (or recycle if it's possible).

So today, on this Sunday, when I've spent a good chunk of my afternoon cleaning and organizing, I'm tempted to spring clean. Knowing, however, that this process entails far more time than I should devote to it, I'll save it for another day.