I keep thinking of England and almost feel as though it was a dream. I ache to go back. Every day I relish the time we were able to spend there.
The adjustment period coming home was rough. I got pretty sick and slept a lot. When I wasn't sleeping, I wasn't doing anything productive. I lost motivation do anything. Looking back, I think I was depressed. I don't say that in a "Oh, you should feel bad for me" kind of way. I don't want your sympathy, pity, or even acknowledgment of that statement. I simply say it because it just goes to show that even when life is perfect (I mean, I just got my dream vacation for crying out loud), things can get you down. After exploring the globe for a couple weeks, being cooped up was rough and I didn't bounce back quickly.
With the start of school, I thought things would get better, but they didn't. The fact that I binged watched Season 3 of "Once Upon a Time" in less than 2 weeks should prove that. I blamed it on not being busy enough, but the truth is I don't really know. Sometimes we expect life to always be perfect, and when it's not, we feel like we did something wrong. Sometimes we do. And sometimes, life just happens. It is up to each of us to be happy, and I know that. But sometimes it's hard to be happy.
This is not to say that I'm not happy. Because I am. I realize how lucky and blessed I am, and I am so grateful every day for my life. Things really are getting better. But it's still a process.
This semester I am teaching 2 sections (40 students) of First-Year Writing and interning to teach Technical Writing. It's weird not to be studying any literature this semester, and I kind of miss it. I had to drop one of my classes because I realized I needed the extra time to work on my thesis, so my semester is solely teaching-centered.
Last Friday, my thesis committee finally signed off on my prospectus. Yay! Now I can move forward and actually start writing my thesis. I thought I would be at this stage a lot earlier; I finished my prospectus in August. But my committee requires a lot, which is great because then my work is not just sub-par. They push me to do better and be a better writer. This week I will meet with my Chair to discuss how I should proceed with writing the thesis. I only have about 2 1/2 months left to get the first draft out if I want to graduate in April. I know that seems like a long time, but it goes by quickly and is a daunting period to try and get 25-30 good quality pages out.
Teaching is an interesting experience as well. I love both my classes and I value everything my students say. But it also comes with its challenges. Sometimes I get frustrated or taken off guard and am little too blunt. I say things (sometimes controversial) to get them thinking deeper, and sometimes it doesn't come out super smoothly. I was never blessed with the diplomatic gene. Maybe someday I'll get it down...
Interning for Technical Writing is terrifying. I'm realizing just how much I don't know about writing in the STEM fields and I'm nervous I'm going to lead my students astray next semester by telling them something that's contradictory to what their fields expect. Luckily, most of the assignments is collaboration and group work, so I can just throw them in their groups and tell them to go at it. I've learned a lot about teaching (what I do and don't want to do) and I'm excited to apply what I've learned to next semester.
Jonathon is always super busy. He loves being a T.A. but it drains a lot of his time. Additionally, he's the ward executive secretary, so he's gone on Tuesday nights. I feel like I never get to see him, but such is life. I am proud of him and all that he does. He doesn't just do homework. He studies thoroughly while doing his homework so he can understand the concepts being taught thoroughly. It's frustrating for me sometimes because I don't get as much time with him, but I also think it's a very admirable quality. Most people don't care about their education and learning the way he does, and I think it's great.
So, a couple weeks ago we had the opportunity to attend Jonathon's uncle's wedding. It was an interesting experience, to say the least, but the thing that stuck most with me was the words spoken during the ceremony. Jonathon's uncle did not get married in the temple, but he was married by a Mormon bishop. The bishop kept talking about how the couple was making a covenant to each other. It was true in a sense, but it just felt so out of place. They weren't truly making covenant--not in the sense that we think of and teach it. Yes, it is true that we do make some personal covenants with God that don't have ordinances associated with them. Like I covenant with God to pay tithing, fast, read my scriptures, etc. But it just felt so odd and out of place to talk about making a marriage covenant when the sealing ordinance wasn't there behind it to back it up and support it. I was reminded of my wedding day, and I was so grateful that I had covenanted to be true and faithful to my husband for eternity, not just until death do us part. Even though Jonathon annoys the heck out me sometimes (haha) I am so grateful for the binding promises we made to each other. We are so young, and so naïve when it comes to marriage, but I can't imagine going through life without the expectation of eternity together. I love the blessings of the temple so much and I am so grateful I have a spouse to share in them with.
So yes, even though life has been hard these past couple of months, I've also realized how blessed I am through the sacred nature of my marriage. My husband is my rock, and I can't imagine life beyond the grave without him. Life is always an adventure.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
England
I know I already posted some pictures on Facebook from our trip, but I thought I would share a little bit about our experiences while in England.
The people of England are fabulous. They have the driest, funniest sense of humor, and they are very quick-witted. They are also some of the kindest, friendliest people I have ever met. The people in central London weren't my favorite because there were a lot of immigrants and it had a very different feeling from the rest of the country. It's said the United States is very fast-paced and time-oriented, but a lot of people in London are in a bigger hurry and pushier than the people in New York City. However, once we got away from the busier parts of the city, it wasn't so bad. As we were trying to find the flat we were staying in our second to last day in London, two different legitimate British men saw us lugging around our huge suitcases with confused looks on our faces and asked if we needed help. A third British man let us into the flat building and let us borrow his phone while we waited for another guy to show up and let us in the flat. I was so grateful for the genuine goodness of those three men that day who were so willing to stop and help us when we were too prideful to ask.
Outside of London, everything is very chill and relax. Drivers are very courteous (except they do like to drive 50 mph down curvy, narrow roads, while Jonathon clutched the wheel going 35). The countryside is gorgeous and the people are great, though they are horrible at giving directions. Whenever we would ask for directions, we would get lost. I had a horrible time finding the location of my conference because the directions given were very general. Once we got to campus, we had no idea what building to go to, but thanks to Jonathon's brains we were finally able to find it. My favorite horrible-direction-giving experience occurred at the temple. There were like no temple workers anywhere (it was so strange!), so after our session, we went back to the front desk and asked the man there where the cafeteria was. He simply said, "Go down the stairs and follow your nose." We didn't know what stairs he was talking about, so we just walked around until we found them, and then once we got to the bottom, we turned the wrong direction. Would it have been so hard to say "Turn right at the bottom of the stairs"? Silly man! We got lost countless other times as well.
For one of our nights there we stayed with older couple--mid to late 50's--in their home. After we arrived, we were invited out to their conservatory for drinks and a good chat. We talked to them for an hour and half. They were so entertaining! They'd been to Bryce Canyon and loved it, as well as to the U.S. 7 or 8 times. They loved Americans and Jonathon and the man--Roy--had a good time comparing the differences in driving between the two countries. Roy loves our safety rights. In England, you can't turn left on a red no matter what.
In talking about where we'd been and where we were going next, the couple found out we were going to Preston. June said, "That's a funny place to go. There's nothing there!" They paused and then said, "What, are you Mormon or something?" We laughed and said we were, to which Roy said his two sisters and mom were converted, but then made it very clear then didn't want any religion preached to them. We could respect that and were just surprised to find people who knew Mormons. It was cool. They were a very neat couple. Very kind and hospitable and completely understanding of our not drinking tea or coffee in the morning (even if they did think it's weird. P.S. EVERYONE drinks tea and alcohol. It's social thing. Just what they do). Anyways, I think the main reason they don't want to hear about religion is because they don't know what they are missing. They are happy with their lives and don't see a need for it. But someday I am sure they will find the truth. I am grateful we got to meet them and learn more about English culture and life from them.
We didn't come in as close of contact with anyone else while we were there, but we had the opportunity of talking to numerous people. The Brits love to make fun of Americans and our lack of history. Everywhere we went, they would be like, "This building is hundreds of years older than your country!" And it was so true and kind of mind-blowing. We went to cathedrals that were built in the 1000's. And we went to one estate--Chatsworth House (Pemberley)--that was built in the 1560's. That's still over 200 years before the U.S. gained independence and 50 years before the first permanent settlement. It's crazy. The history in England is incredible and the old palaces, castles, cathedrals, roads, buildings--all of it is breathtaking. I loved it all!
The main reason for our trip was my conference, but we spent such little time at it that it felt like it had very tiny significance to rest of what we did. However, the conference did go very well. I learned a lot from my presentation and I learned how to adjust my argument if I ever go back and work more on that paper. It alsofurther testified in my mind that I do NOT want to go on to get my Ph.D. As far as we could tell, I was the only Master's student there. There rest of the people that we saw who presented were professors and Ph.D students, so that was neat being the youngest in education there. If anything, it shows pro-activity and dedication on my part. But after witnessing the culture of the whole event, I don't care about books and research and whatever other nerdy things they were talking about and discussing while I was there. I don't get excited about lectures. I don't get excited about collaborating and sharing research. I don't get excited about writing. Academics are boring. BOR-ING. I can appreciate them for what they do, but it is certainly not the life for me. So, don't ask me while I'm studying English because I'm not entirely sure. (Ok, that's a lie, but it certainly doesn't fit in line with most people who are doing what I'm doing.) I am grateful for the opportunities I've had and the things I've learned while studying English--especially while getting my Master's--but I am anxious to get done and move on with my life.
Our trip to England was an incredibly wonderful experience. I can't even choose a favorite part, I loved all of it! Jonathon's favorite part was Canterbury and the cathedral there. He would recommend for everyone go see it. And he would say Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) was my favorite. I have to admit, I got super excited and loved every minute of being there. But our whole trip was my absolute favorite. Here's a highlight of some of the things we got to see and do:
There are many more experiences I could share and things I could say, but for lack of space and time, I'd better leave it at this. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. We love sharing about our trip! I am just so grateful for the opportunity we had to go, and I'm especially grateful for a wonderfully supportive husband who made it possible for me to fulfill my dream. About a year ago I made a list of everywhere I wanted go and everything I wanted to see in England. That list had over 30 things on it, and Jonathon let me take the reigns and plan out everything. There were 5 or so things we didn't see due to time constraints, but they weren't a high priority -I have to see this!- kind of thing. In 10 days, we traveled all over Southern England and had the opportunity of seeing so many great things and meeting so many wonderful people. I never thought I'd make it Europe in my early years of marriage, but with a lot of planning and prayer, we made it, and for that, I am grateful and so very blessed.
The people of England are fabulous. They have the driest, funniest sense of humor, and they are very quick-witted. They are also some of the kindest, friendliest people I have ever met. The people in central London weren't my favorite because there were a lot of immigrants and it had a very different feeling from the rest of the country. It's said the United States is very fast-paced and time-oriented, but a lot of people in London are in a bigger hurry and pushier than the people in New York City. However, once we got away from the busier parts of the city, it wasn't so bad. As we were trying to find the flat we were staying in our second to last day in London, two different legitimate British men saw us lugging around our huge suitcases with confused looks on our faces and asked if we needed help. A third British man let us into the flat building and let us borrow his phone while we waited for another guy to show up and let us in the flat. I was so grateful for the genuine goodness of those three men that day who were so willing to stop and help us when we were too prideful to ask.
Outside of London, everything is very chill and relax. Drivers are very courteous (except they do like to drive 50 mph down curvy, narrow roads, while Jonathon clutched the wheel going 35). The countryside is gorgeous and the people are great, though they are horrible at giving directions. Whenever we would ask for directions, we would get lost. I had a horrible time finding the location of my conference because the directions given were very general. Once we got to campus, we had no idea what building to go to, but thanks to Jonathon's brains we were finally able to find it. My favorite horrible-direction-giving experience occurred at the temple. There were like no temple workers anywhere (it was so strange!), so after our session, we went back to the front desk and asked the man there where the cafeteria was. He simply said, "Go down the stairs and follow your nose." We didn't know what stairs he was talking about, so we just walked around until we found them, and then once we got to the bottom, we turned the wrong direction. Would it have been so hard to say "Turn right at the bottom of the stairs"? Silly man! We got lost countless other times as well.
For one of our nights there we stayed with older couple--mid to late 50's--in their home. After we arrived, we were invited out to their conservatory for drinks and a good chat. We talked to them for an hour and half. They were so entertaining! They'd been to Bryce Canyon and loved it, as well as to the U.S. 7 or 8 times. They loved Americans and Jonathon and the man--Roy--had a good time comparing the differences in driving between the two countries. Roy loves our safety rights. In England, you can't turn left on a red no matter what.
In talking about where we'd been and where we were going next, the couple found out we were going to Preston. June said, "That's a funny place to go. There's nothing there!" They paused and then said, "What, are you Mormon or something?" We laughed and said we were, to which Roy said his two sisters and mom were converted, but then made it very clear then didn't want any religion preached to them. We could respect that and were just surprised to find people who knew Mormons. It was cool. They were a very neat couple. Very kind and hospitable and completely understanding of our not drinking tea or coffee in the morning (even if they did think it's weird. P.S. EVERYONE drinks tea and alcohol. It's social thing. Just what they do). Anyways, I think the main reason they don't want to hear about religion is because they don't know what they are missing. They are happy with their lives and don't see a need for it. But someday I am sure they will find the truth. I am grateful we got to meet them and learn more about English culture and life from them.
We didn't come in as close of contact with anyone else while we were there, but we had the opportunity of talking to numerous people. The Brits love to make fun of Americans and our lack of history. Everywhere we went, they would be like, "This building is hundreds of years older than your country!" And it was so true and kind of mind-blowing. We went to cathedrals that were built in the 1000's. And we went to one estate--Chatsworth House (Pemberley)--that was built in the 1560's. That's still over 200 years before the U.S. gained independence and 50 years before the first permanent settlement. It's crazy. The history in England is incredible and the old palaces, castles, cathedrals, roads, buildings--all of it is breathtaking. I loved it all!
The main reason for our trip was my conference, but we spent such little time at it that it felt like it had very tiny significance to rest of what we did. However, the conference did go very well. I learned a lot from my presentation and I learned how to adjust my argument if I ever go back and work more on that paper. It alsofurther testified in my mind that I do NOT want to go on to get my Ph.D. As far as we could tell, I was the only Master's student there. There rest of the people that we saw who presented were professors and Ph.D students, so that was neat being the youngest in education there. If anything, it shows pro-activity and dedication on my part. But after witnessing the culture of the whole event, I don't care about books and research and whatever other nerdy things they were talking about and discussing while I was there. I don't get excited about lectures. I don't get excited about collaborating and sharing research. I don't get excited about writing. Academics are boring. BOR-ING. I can appreciate them for what they do, but it is certainly not the life for me. So, don't ask me while I'm studying English because I'm not entirely sure. (Ok, that's a lie, but it certainly doesn't fit in line with most people who are doing what I'm doing.) I am grateful for the opportunities I've had and the things I've learned while studying English--especially while getting my Master's--but I am anxious to get done and move on with my life.
Our trip to England was an incredibly wonderful experience. I can't even choose a favorite part, I loved all of it! Jonathon's favorite part was Canterbury and the cathedral there. He would recommend for everyone go see it. And he would say Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) was my favorite. I have to admit, I got super excited and loved every minute of being there. But our whole trip was my absolute favorite. Here's a highlight of some of the things we got to see and do:
- Shakespeare's Globe Theater
- Tower Bridge
- Tower of London (old prison and castle of royalty, where the crown jewels reside)
- Big Ben, Parliament
- Westminster Abbey
- Buckingham and Kensington Palaces
- London Eye
- Canterbury Cathedral
- Dover White Cliffs
- Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey)
- Jane Austen's house and grave
- Stonehenge
- Stourhead Gardens (scenes from 2005 Pride and Prejudice)
- Chatsworth House (Pemberley in 2005 Pride and Prejudice)
- Bath and the Roman Baths
- Shakespeare's house and grave
- Warwick Castle (medieval castle)
- Preston (where the first Saints of England were converted and baptized)
There are many more experiences I could share and things I could say, but for lack of space and time, I'd better leave it at this. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. We love sharing about our trip! I am just so grateful for the opportunity we had to go, and I'm especially grateful for a wonderfully supportive husband who made it possible for me to fulfill my dream. About a year ago I made a list of everywhere I wanted go and everything I wanted to see in England. That list had over 30 things on it, and Jonathon let me take the reigns and plan out everything. There were 5 or so things we didn't see due to time constraints, but they weren't a high priority -I have to see this!- kind of thing. In 10 days, we traveled all over Southern England and had the opportunity of seeing so many great things and meeting so many wonderful people. I never thought I'd make it Europe in my early years of marriage, but with a lot of planning and prayer, we made it, and for that, I am grateful and so very blessed.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Seriously, Just Stop It
School's been out for a couple of months now, and the adjustment has been interesting, to say the least. I went from diligently being productive 12+ hours a day to having practically zero demands on my daily to-do list and being incredibly lazy. For the first month it was wonderful. But over the past few weeks, I've gotten slightly back to work and have been slowly working on my thesis. All of the preliminary research is almost complete and then I can start working on my prospectus--a plan of my thesis project (which includes an extensive description, annotated bibliography, and reading list) that must be approved by my thesis committee in order to receive funding for next Winter. I have a pretty good idea of what I'm going to write, so I'm not too worried about it and I hope to have the bulk of it done before we head to England. Then when we get back, I can start writing my thesis.
However, this post isn't about me and my life. It's about YOU. Ok, not really. But it is about two pet peeves of mine that have developed and ripened over the course of the past two months, due in part to the idleness of my mind and the lack of more important matters.
The first concerns our trip to England. I am super ecstatic about this trip, and when I tell other people about the trip, they are super excited about the trip too. But then they proceed to tell me how to plan my trip. "You should go to Scotland, it's just right there!" "You should take a day trip to Paris and snap a picture of the Eiffel Tower." "You have to go to..." Now, let's get two things straight: 1) I started planning England over a year ago. I have always dreamed of going to England, and suffice it to say that when I finish going on one vacation, I start planning the next. Soon after Jonathon and I got home from Hawaii, I started planning England. 2) I am getting my Master's in English emphasizing in British Literature. Ever heard of Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters? Well, I have heard all about their lives, homes, travels, etc. from all my professors, and I have also learned that visiting those places brings greater understanding to the works we study.
Now, planning a vacation is no easy feat, but planning a trip almost two weeks long in a foreign country is especially a lot of work. Before we ever bought the plane tickets, I figured out all the places we wanted to see and calculated how much time we'd need for each attraction and city. I planned a rough itinerary determining the time and cost of everything way before the dates were finalized. So, the advice to go see and do different things I find just slightly annoying. Scotland is relatively close to England, but it still is a 7 hour drive from London to Edinburgh. That means it takes practically a whole day to travel to Scotland and a whole day to get back. Being the poor college students that we are, we don't have the time or the means to travel to a different country just because it's "relatively"close. It's really not right there. Believe me, we've already thought about all our options. And spending $300 on a 4 hour round-trip train ride (2 hours each way) to Paris just so we can take a picture of the Eiffel Tower really quick before we have to go back to London is completely ridiculous! If we're going to go to Paris, we're going to do it right by immersing ourselves in the Parisian culture, exploring the Louvre, visiting the Notre Dame, and seeing the other sights. We're not going to take a cheap shot of Paris just to say we've been there.
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is we're adults, and other people who plan trips are adults too. Adults know where they want to go and what they want to do when they are on vacation. They know their budget and their interests. I ask you, please don't offer your advice unless it is asked for, because if it's not, people don't want it. Believe me. These kinds of decisions are not made lightly.
The second pet peeve of mine comes from the world of Facebooking. Since I've had so much time on my hands, I've read a lot more posts. And what I've noticed is quite a few people who complain ALL THE FREAKING TIME. You know what? No one cares! I know that may be harsh to say, but the fact of the matter is, we all have things we are struggling with.
I understand there are times when we are really frustrated or sad or upset, and posting on Facebook helps to alleviate the stress. But when that's most or all of what I see from you, it starts to get incredibly annoying. People don't like negative people (which makes this post ironic, because it isn't exactly a cup of tea). So every time I see a negative post from you, my respect for you goes down. My desire to be around you lessens. And I don't like that because I like being friends with everybody! But you have to realize that your posts don't just affect you. They affect other people too.
I am much more sympathetic to the person who's experiencing something life-altering, like a divorce, than the person who's frustrated with a college course or their baby throwing up three times in one day. Most of the complaining posts I see on Facebook are a result of that person's choices. If your course load is too heavy, suck it up and deal with it. If your husband is gone for two weeks, call your mom/sisters and get over it. Stop dragging others down because you made a bad decision or you're having a moment of feeling sorry for yourself. Instead of being so negative, be positive! Believe me, you're not the only one with trials, disappointment, discouragements, heartbreaks, and stresses. I've experienced my fair share of those over the last couple of months as well, but I'm not going to air it all over Facebook, because it doesn't do anybody else any good. Instead of focusing only on yourself, focus on others and being a light for them. You never know who's day you'll make better because you said something uplifting. And I also will want to be around you and follow your posts instead of avoiding and blocking you. Cause let's be real, my approval is what really counts ;)
You can take or leave what I've said concerning these points, but hopefully you can see where I'm coming from and be more mindful of what you say to other people (via Facebook or face-to-face).
However, this post isn't about me and my life. It's about YOU. Ok, not really. But it is about two pet peeves of mine that have developed and ripened over the course of the past two months, due in part to the idleness of my mind and the lack of more important matters.
The first concerns our trip to England. I am super ecstatic about this trip, and when I tell other people about the trip, they are super excited about the trip too. But then they proceed to tell me how to plan my trip. "You should go to Scotland, it's just right there!" "You should take a day trip to Paris and snap a picture of the Eiffel Tower." "You have to go to..." Now, let's get two things straight: 1) I started planning England over a year ago. I have always dreamed of going to England, and suffice it to say that when I finish going on one vacation, I start planning the next. Soon after Jonathon and I got home from Hawaii, I started planning England. 2) I am getting my Master's in English emphasizing in British Literature. Ever heard of Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters? Well, I have heard all about their lives, homes, travels, etc. from all my professors, and I have also learned that visiting those places brings greater understanding to the works we study.
Now, planning a vacation is no easy feat, but planning a trip almost two weeks long in a foreign country is especially a lot of work. Before we ever bought the plane tickets, I figured out all the places we wanted to see and calculated how much time we'd need for each attraction and city. I planned a rough itinerary determining the time and cost of everything way before the dates were finalized. So, the advice to go see and do different things I find just slightly annoying. Scotland is relatively close to England, but it still is a 7 hour drive from London to Edinburgh. That means it takes practically a whole day to travel to Scotland and a whole day to get back. Being the poor college students that we are, we don't have the time or the means to travel to a different country just because it's "relatively"close. It's really not right there. Believe me, we've already thought about all our options. And spending $300 on a 4 hour round-trip train ride (2 hours each way) to Paris just so we can take a picture of the Eiffel Tower really quick before we have to go back to London is completely ridiculous! If we're going to go to Paris, we're going to do it right by immersing ourselves in the Parisian culture, exploring the Louvre, visiting the Notre Dame, and seeing the other sights. We're not going to take a cheap shot of Paris just to say we've been there.
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is we're adults, and other people who plan trips are adults too. Adults know where they want to go and what they want to do when they are on vacation. They know their budget and their interests. I ask you, please don't offer your advice unless it is asked for, because if it's not, people don't want it. Believe me. These kinds of decisions are not made lightly.
The second pet peeve of mine comes from the world of Facebooking. Since I've had so much time on my hands, I've read a lot more posts. And what I've noticed is quite a few people who complain ALL THE FREAKING TIME. You know what? No one cares! I know that may be harsh to say, but the fact of the matter is, we all have things we are struggling with.
I understand there are times when we are really frustrated or sad or upset, and posting on Facebook helps to alleviate the stress. But when that's most or all of what I see from you, it starts to get incredibly annoying. People don't like negative people (which makes this post ironic, because it isn't exactly a cup of tea). So every time I see a negative post from you, my respect for you goes down. My desire to be around you lessens. And I don't like that because I like being friends with everybody! But you have to realize that your posts don't just affect you. They affect other people too.
I am much more sympathetic to the person who's experiencing something life-altering, like a divorce, than the person who's frustrated with a college course or their baby throwing up three times in one day. Most of the complaining posts I see on Facebook are a result of that person's choices. If your course load is too heavy, suck it up and deal with it. If your husband is gone for two weeks, call your mom/sisters and get over it. Stop dragging others down because you made a bad decision or you're having a moment of feeling sorry for yourself. Instead of being so negative, be positive! Believe me, you're not the only one with trials, disappointment, discouragements, heartbreaks, and stresses. I've experienced my fair share of those over the last couple of months as well, but I'm not going to air it all over Facebook, because it doesn't do anybody else any good. Instead of focusing only on yourself, focus on others and being a light for them. You never know who's day you'll make better because you said something uplifting. And I also will want to be around you and follow your posts instead of avoiding and blocking you. Cause let's be real, my approval is what really counts ;)
You can take or leave what I've said concerning these points, but hopefully you can see where I'm coming from and be more mindful of what you say to other people (via Facebook or face-to-face).
Monday, February 17, 2014
Wicked Adventure!
Yes, that's right. Jonathon and I just bought tickets to see the Broadway musical Wicked in London!!
Say, what?
Here's the low down. Jonathon and I were planning a trip to England next summer...after I graduated with my Master's as a way for Jonathon to say "Good job Kandace! You're so amazing! I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have married such an intelligent, beautiful, incredible, etc. etc. person. Let's go to England to celebrate!"
But life never goes as planned, does it?
As graduate students, we are all encouraged to apply to present 8-10 page papers we wrote (or will write) to academic conferences to share our research with the academic world and get feedback from other scholars in the field. The English department even gives a pretty good-sized stipend to help with the costs. (When I say pretty-good sized, I mean you can go to any conference in the U.S. besides Alaska and Hawaii and have your whole travel, hotel, food, etc. paid for. Unfortunately, however, the stipend doesn't even cover 1/2 the flight to England.)
Well, at the beginning of the year, I applied to a conference in Montreal. I later found out that it was a graduate conference, which meant that not a lot of academics were going to be there. It was mostly going to be graduate students from Montreal, and let's be honest. They don't know much more than I do about the field! So I had already planned on declining their offer if I got accepted, and at the beginning of February I started looking for other more professional conferences to apply for.
I came across a conference called "Reassessing Women's Writing of the 1840's and 1850's." Looking closer, the conference said from "Bronte to Bloomsbury." Well, I just wrote a paper last semester on Anne Bronte's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall...published in 1848. Perfect!
Now I had to see where the conference was taking place, because I wasn't going to go to some boring place like Backwoods, Tennessee, to present a paper. It needed to be someplace cool. The location: Cantebury, UK... England. Awesome! I was sold.
So then I looked at who was hosting it. It was legitimate, hosted by the International Centre for Victorian Women Writers. Sweet! Finally, I checked the deadline to see if I'd missed it. Well, turns out they had just extended the deadline and I had one more day to apply. Blessed serendipity! I wrote my little abstract and biography and sent if off, excited but not expecting to get accepted.
A couple days later, I got my rejection email from the graduate conference in Montreal. I was relieved I didn't have to write that awkward "Just kidding, I'm not coming" email. And then, a little over a week ago, I got the acceptance email to the conference in England. I could hardly believe it! A measly graduate conference didn't want me, but a legit, professional conference accepted ME. A little podunk graduate student all the way from BYU in good ol' Provo, Utah. I was shocked. And ecstatic!
Needless to say, Jonathon and I thought long and hard about our options and we decided it would be most beneficial to move our trip up to this summer. After many trips to BYU's travel office and much stress watching the airline tickets rise each day, we finally purchased our tickets.
It may cost us an arm and a leg, but hey. You don't get to go to England everyday. So the conference is 2 days, but we will be gone 12 days traveling the country. I'm so excited! And, I get to see Wicked in London...the other Broadway capital of the world!
Life is good :)
P.S. We will be accepting donations to fund our trip ;)
Say, what?
Here's the low down. Jonathon and I were planning a trip to England next summer...after I graduated with my Master's as a way for Jonathon to say "Good job Kandace! You're so amazing! I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have married such an intelligent, beautiful, incredible, etc. etc. person. Let's go to England to celebrate!"
But life never goes as planned, does it?
As graduate students, we are all encouraged to apply to present 8-10 page papers we wrote (or will write) to academic conferences to share our research with the academic world and get feedback from other scholars in the field. The English department even gives a pretty good-sized stipend to help with the costs. (When I say pretty-good sized, I mean you can go to any conference in the U.S. besides Alaska and Hawaii and have your whole travel, hotel, food, etc. paid for. Unfortunately, however, the stipend doesn't even cover 1/2 the flight to England.)
Well, at the beginning of the year, I applied to a conference in Montreal. I later found out that it was a graduate conference, which meant that not a lot of academics were going to be there. It was mostly going to be graduate students from Montreal, and let's be honest. They don't know much more than I do about the field! So I had already planned on declining their offer if I got accepted, and at the beginning of February I started looking for other more professional conferences to apply for.
I came across a conference called "Reassessing Women's Writing of the 1840's and 1850's." Looking closer, the conference said from "Bronte to Bloomsbury." Well, I just wrote a paper last semester on Anne Bronte's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall...published in 1848. Perfect!
Now I had to see where the conference was taking place, because I wasn't going to go to some boring place like Backwoods, Tennessee, to present a paper. It needed to be someplace cool. The location: Cantebury, UK... England. Awesome! I was sold.
So then I looked at who was hosting it. It was legitimate, hosted by the International Centre for Victorian Women Writers. Sweet! Finally, I checked the deadline to see if I'd missed it. Well, turns out they had just extended the deadline and I had one more day to apply. Blessed serendipity! I wrote my little abstract and biography and sent if off, excited but not expecting to get accepted.
A couple days later, I got my rejection email from the graduate conference in Montreal. I was relieved I didn't have to write that awkward "Just kidding, I'm not coming" email. And then, a little over a week ago, I got the acceptance email to the conference in England. I could hardly believe it! A measly graduate conference didn't want me, but a legit, professional conference accepted ME. A little podunk graduate student all the way from BYU in good ol' Provo, Utah. I was shocked. And ecstatic!
Needless to say, Jonathon and I thought long and hard about our options and we decided it would be most beneficial to move our trip up to this summer. After many trips to BYU's travel office and much stress watching the airline tickets rise each day, we finally purchased our tickets.
It may cost us an arm and a leg, but hey. You don't get to go to England everyday. So the conference is 2 days, but we will be gone 12 days traveling the country. I'm so excited! And, I get to see Wicked in London...the other Broadway capital of the world!
Life is good :)
P.S. We will be accepting donations to fund our trip ;)
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Updates!
Wow, it has really been forever since I last wrote. This just goes to show how busy life is. And to be quite honest, I read and write all day that by the time I come home and finish my homework, that is the last thing I want to do. So I've put off writing a post. I've had numerous ideas of things I wanted to write about--from BYU students' inability to dress professionally to some crazy, socially awkward people in my program--but alas, I just could not bring myself to sit down and write it all out. So, you will get a brief update about what's been happening the last few months.
Last Semester
Kandace
-Started grad school at BYU
-Taught Writing 150 to 20 students
-Continued working as a scheduler for an online business
-Edited a 260 page book for Ed J. Pinegar
-Wrote 3 10ish page papers in a 2 week period
Jonathon
-Only took 14 credits, but had 3 labs = incredibly time consuming
-Built a mini chemical powered car
-Mastered candy crush (not really)
-Elders Quorum Instructor
Christmas Break
Kandace
-Quit the scheduling job
-Started Mansfield Park but sadly did not finish it before school started
Jonathon
-Played on his new Windows Surface 2 that his amazing, wonderful wife got him for Christmas
-Introduced to Downton Abbey and loves it :)
This Semester
Kandace
-Still plugging away at those classes
-Still teaching--only 11 students this time
-Applied for an Editorial Assistant position. Still waiting to hear. Keep your fingers crossed!
-New Primary pianist
-Not any closer to figuring out what to write for thesis
Jonathon
-Taking a humanities class because his wife made him so that he could enjoy the art and architecture when they go to Europe
-Got a job as a Chemistry TA
-Still Elders Quorum instructor--twice a month!
We are taking a New Testament class together this semester. It's been nice :) In spite of our busy schedules, we still make time to go out to eat and watch all our favorite TV shows. Perhaps in a few months, I will update again...or find the time to write something more substantial.
But until then.... HANG TIGHT!
Last Semester
Kandace
-Started grad school at BYU
-Taught Writing 150 to 20 students
-Continued working as a scheduler for an online business
-Edited a 260 page book for Ed J. Pinegar
-Wrote 3 10ish page papers in a 2 week period
Jonathon
-Only took 14 credits, but had 3 labs = incredibly time consuming
-Built a mini chemical powered car
-Mastered candy crush (not really)
-Elders Quorum Instructor
Christmas Break
Kandace
-Quit the scheduling job
-Started Mansfield Park but sadly did not finish it before school started
Jonathon
-Played on his new Windows Surface 2 that his amazing, wonderful wife got him for Christmas
-Introduced to Downton Abbey and loves it :)
This Semester
Kandace
-Still plugging away at those classes
-Still teaching--only 11 students this time
-Applied for an Editorial Assistant position. Still waiting to hear. Keep your fingers crossed!
-New Primary pianist
-Not any closer to figuring out what to write for thesis
Jonathon
-Taking a humanities class because his wife made him so that he could enjoy the art and architecture when they go to Europe
-Got a job as a Chemistry TA
-Still Elders Quorum instructor--twice a month!
We are taking a New Testament class together this semester. It's been nice :) In spite of our busy schedules, we still make time to go out to eat and watch all our favorite TV shows. Perhaps in a few months, I will update again...or find the time to write something more substantial.
But until then.... HANG TIGHT!
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