For all of you who weren't included on "observations 1," forgive me. And for all of you who aren't included on #3, forgive me. I should put you all in a group so I can just hit that, but it would then be too easy for me when I come sit here at this computer in the Athens, GA public library to script my life. If you would like to be removed from the "observations" emails, please contact my secretary immediately. Just kidding. You think you get a secretary when you're a doctoral student? You ARE the freakin' secretary!
Let us begin:
As I sit to write this manuscript, the temperature outdoors has dropped one degree to 104. I will let you know when there is sarcasm inserted in this email (for those of you who don't know, I'm a bit sarcastic sometimes). I have been working--in this New World--on daily meditations to accept the heat. I wake every morning (pretty late, I might add, because I can right now) telling myself, "Hilary, it's going to be hot today. You're going to sweat. It will seem as though you can't breathe, but you can; just keep inhaling and something will enter your system--whether it be a cloud of Dante's Inferno or a fly the size of Nottingham Lake, you must breathe in." It's working okay, so far.
My week in Athens has been....um...how can I say this PC? Productive. I have been working on my new house (located in what we like to call the PROJECTS), I have joined a gym (where, I might add, they are VERY serious about your self esteem and you working out as often as possible). This gym is an old Kroger, so it's pretty f'n humongous! They are going to give me a one hour session with a trainer where they check my body fat (it's there, I have already assured them), check my flexibility (it's not there, they can count on that), and give me some sort of goal to work on (my only goal, of course is to get in there and watch that flat screen TV in the ladies lounge. I went to run yesterday and the cleaning lady said, "Have a nice workout." and I replied, "I don't think there is such a thing, but 'Thank you.'" She FOUND me after my workout and said, "I just wanted to say to you that there is such a thing as a nice workout. It is inspirations for something that gets you here, and it's energizing once you've finished." I said, "Wow, thanks for your positive mental attitude gym lady." That's pretty inspirational, I'd say.
My house is coming along just fine. Just to keep myself entertained, I switch ALL of the furniture from one room to the next each day b/c I can't seem to make up my mind about where I want to duck from the bullets the most. ;0
Today, however, my life significantly changed. I had a "come to Jesus," as some of us like to say. No all of you hopeful Chuck Lowry's out there who said, "I just KNOW you're going to get to GA and meet your husband," I haven't met Bubba just yet. I had my first meeting with my Ph.D. adviser--oh, Louann, how it made me miss you so much! Dr. Gayle Andrews is the middle school woman and she just so happens to be in charge of my life for the next year. She's pretty small, so I could take her, but she's pretty powerful, so I"d have to take her out and then move.
We met for three hours so she could "go over" my classes and explain my assistantship. That's all I have to say about that. I mean, what else can I say? I quit today. I'll be moving back to Colorado and begging for my job back, along with my condo and my car. Anyone who would like to assist in my move can meet me at 116 Tamara Ct. on Monday. I'll be there, ready and waiting.
Okay, not really. BUT, I did have to excuse myself to the restroom so I could have a good "knee" talk with God, reminding myself that I am actually smart enough to do this freakin' CRAZY program!
Let me begin with these two simple words: Quantitative Qualitative::::: There,I said it. Six of those bad boys and I'm home free. Oh, that's right kids, SIX research classes for the little girl who can't even take attendance with sixteen kids in a room and figure out who's absent. :) I'll be entering a course called "Baby Stats" this fall to "ease me into things" if we can beg them to let me in. Baby Stats? What the hell is that? There is no BABY when it comes to statistics, that's for damn sure!
Other than the six (really seven, but one won't count) courses from Satan's Den, I have a plethora of course work that will be fascinating. All will take place once a week for two ours and forty-five minutes in the evening. Four of them...
Not bad, you say? I have all day to study, you say? Oh, but wait, there's more...
During the daylight hours (all of them, I'm pretty sure) for my assistantship, I will be supervising FIFTEEN student teachers in the fall. No, not five...FIFTEEN. I will give them each two formal observations, and then meet with each of them and their mentor teachers to tell them how badly they suck or if they should stick with it. (Just kidding Louann and Cindy, I won't say the word "suck"). These 15 students will be placed in 8 of the surrounding counties, so I won't have to drive more than 35 minutes each day...Half will be seniors and half will be juniors...so I won't be 'too overwhelmed'...whatever...Gayle said here she wanted to go ahead and "toss me into the deep in so I'd get comfortable." Really, do any of you know how long it took me to learn to swim in the first place? I think when I started with Marti and Molly at the age of 30.
I think I have to help her with the writing of some eight thousand-million page report for accreditation for the whole department (she probably decided I should do this since I'm such a skilled writer...) That report will be due October 1st. (Insert visual of slit wrist number uno here, along with not much, but some sarcasm).
Thirdly, and oh, I will say Thirdly, I will be observing the 5020 Methods course to juniors who are in their first year of the teaching program at UGA. There are two of these courses offered in the fall, and it's my job to watch both. I am instructed to sit in on all classes (which meet on Fridays for three hours--25 students in each course). If I get to "guest teach" I can teach something cool, maybe. Anyone have any ideas? I was thinking, "How not to make kids feel horrible about themselves during the first months of school," or "How to recognize when you really suck at teaching and you should change majors."
No, no, the GAs teaching the course will tell me what I'm to do--not to worry.
As the Athens public school system has just let out its students and I am taking up their space, I am going to give you a break from my manuscript and give them some computer time. The library is right next door to a middle school-- they're just so damned cute!
I (will grow to) love this place! I am excited about my program. That is the honest truth! I've NEVER felt this honored to be in a situation than I feel today. Let's just all pray that I can keep up and hang in there. Can anyone send me some speed to take on top of my Ritalin? Cuz 20s and 10s ain't gonna cut my fifteen hour days.....
Love to you all! HEH
PS, I just corrected at LEAST five words that I should have known how to spell. Do you think they'll kick me out when they realize I can barely spell my name? :0
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