Thanks for your support. You are all flowers in the garden of awesome.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Indie Go-Go
I heard about this cool site called Indie Go-Go when I was in California over the holidays. It is a way for people to ask for donations to a personal cause. I have decided to open a page called Help Meghan Pay For Graduate School. You can go HERE to see the campaign and make a donation. Tell your friends!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Blogging By Typhoid Meghan
This time I have a really good excuse for why I haven't posted in a while. I have the plague. Well not the plague but certainly a plague. It started about 10 days ago as a mostly GI virus. Thing One brought it home from preschool and proceeded to infect me, his parents, Thing Two and maybe the entire city of Boston. The GI symptoms quickly and astonishingly morphed into a disgusting, chest rattling, nasty wet cough. I saw the doctor and was diagnosed with viral bronchitis. This basically means I treat the symptoms and wait for the sweet release of death, or recovery, whichever comes first. I've got 50 bucks on death.
On top of the plague I am dealing with insane amounts of new information coming my way at school. Do you know what 3 hours of Neuroanatomy feels like at 8pm? I do. It's not fun. Not at all.
During this same period of time the weather in Boston has decided to do everything in its power to qualify for a schizophrenia diagnosis. In my last post I mentioned that the weather was mild with highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s. That's also what the weather is like right now. In fact, I showed you a picture of campus just to prove how unseasonably warm and dry it was, remember?
Yeah, snow. We had a couple of days of heavy snow that ended up accumulating about 4-5 inches. Then it was sunny for a bit, then it rained, and now I think the forecast is rain mixed with sun and snow. They want to cover all the bases here. I guess the saying is true, if you don't like the weather in Boston then wait five minutes. What this means for me is that just when I have the whole parka, scarf, gloves, hat, boots dance perfected, I have to turn around and start layering like it was fall. It's all very confusing.
Here's something else that I've been having fun with while not blogging.
On top of the plague I am dealing with insane amounts of new information coming my way at school. Do you know what 3 hours of Neuroanatomy feels like at 8pm? I do. It's not fun. Not at all.
During this same period of time the weather in Boston has decided to do everything in its power to qualify for a schizophrenia diagnosis. In my last post I mentioned that the weather was mild with highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s. That's also what the weather is like right now. In fact, I showed you a picture of campus just to prove how unseasonably warm and dry it was, remember?
Then this happened.
Here's something else that I've been having fun with while not blogging.
No, she isn't mine. She lives downstairs and I just steal her when I need a little pick me up. Wouldn't you?
I'm going to get back to dying a slow death. There are a couple of posts in the queue so either way there will be another post or two here soon.
Monday, January 16, 2012
But I've Always Found My Way Somehow, By Taking The Long Way Around
First off, let me say that I'm a bad blogger given that it has been over a month since my last post. I figured it was time for me to let all my supporters know what is going on with my life. I've decided to break in down into a few helpful categories.
School: I just began my second semester at Northeastern University's Graduate School of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. I had to write that all out because I still can't believe that I was accepted into this program. I aced my first semester and hope to do the same this time around. Something that has helped me through is two new girlfriends who are in my program. We are crazy, funny, and we kind of just clicked. I'm so thankful for them. I'm not sure how we can only have known each other a few months, it feels like longer. We are the three nerdy Musketeers. We can complain about the guys here, and dating issues. (Little known fact - There are almost no male Speech Language Pathologists. It's a girls club. Makes meeting guys on campus a bit difficult. Apparently men don't like to talk about talking. SURPRISE!) Do I love Northeastern University? Your answer is this photo from one of my classes on campus.
Work: I think I can describe my job in a few words: exhausting, incredibly fulfilling, life altering. As I have mentioned, the family I work for is wonderful. They are kind, generous and fun. C is two-and-a-half and is a delightful handful. We've started time-outs and are trying to cut back on the whining, but his smiles and dimples part the dark clouds. His language is exploding and I usually feel like a translator. I have known him since he was 20 months old and love to watch him grow and attach to me. M is 8 months old and is hysterical. I've know her since she was 7 weeks old and we have a special bond. Her giggles are infectious and she is so easygoing. She is so close to crawling and it really frustrates her that she can't. I love them so much.
Home Life: Well, I went home to California for 3 weeks over Christmas vacation. It was wonderful, but weird. I was home, but it wasn't home. I didn't take a single picture (except the one I snapped of Jeff Corwin at the airport after we got off the same flight).
Then I came back to my cozy apartment and felt at home, and I consider that a blessing. I don't get to spend much time here (I worked 50+ hours this week plus school), but it is home. I feel so lucky to have found this place. I spent Thanksgiving with the family who owns the house and lives downstairs. It was wonderful. A little touch football, some food, and laughter. All wonderful.
Boston/Weather: I really have grown to love Boston, Cambridge and the surrounding areas. I feel like the entire area is one big College. The history is is wonderful, as are the people. The Charles River is particularly spectacular. I was warned repeatedly about the weather here, but it hasn't been too bad so far (knock wood). We did have that one bad snowstorm on Halloween that devastated New England. Since then it has been pretty warm (Highs in the 40's and lows in the teens and 20's). But...as I write this post the temperature outside is 4 degrees and our high is going to be 20. It has been dry (no snow), just windy and cold. I find it totally doable, but ask me again in February. One fascinating/sad thing is that the Charles River is beginning to freeze, which is beautiful, but means no more Harvard Crew teams to see rowing each morning.
Future Plans: Well, as we all know, plans change, but here is a little taste. I'm going back to California for Spring Break in early March. Then in May and June I will be spending a month at a villa in Tuscany with the family I nanny for. Just let that sink in. Italy for a month, while being paid. I also hope to continue to explore Boston and the Northeast.
Highs and Lows: I'm not going to pretend that there haven't been hard times since my move. Particularly since my return from California last week. I try to think of this adage - "Get a large group of people together and have them take their biggest problem in life and place it on a table. After looking around at everyone's problems, each person takes their own problem back from the table". I like to think hat I was given my challenges for a reason and I need to own them and work them through. That's also why I chose Dixie Chicks lyrics for the title of this post.
School: I just began my second semester at Northeastern University's Graduate School of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. I had to write that all out because I still can't believe that I was accepted into this program. I aced my first semester and hope to do the same this time around. Something that has helped me through is two new girlfriends who are in my program. We are crazy, funny, and we kind of just clicked. I'm so thankful for them. I'm not sure how we can only have known each other a few months, it feels like longer. We are the three nerdy Musketeers. We can complain about the guys here, and dating issues. (Little known fact - There are almost no male Speech Language Pathologists. It's a girls club. Makes meeting guys on campus a bit difficult. Apparently men don't like to talk about talking. SURPRISE!) Do I love Northeastern University? Your answer is this photo from one of my classes on campus.
Work: I think I can describe my job in a few words: exhausting, incredibly fulfilling, life altering. As I have mentioned, the family I work for is wonderful. They are kind, generous and fun. C is two-and-a-half and is a delightful handful. We've started time-outs and are trying to cut back on the whining, but his smiles and dimples part the dark clouds. His language is exploding and I usually feel like a translator. I have known him since he was 20 months old and love to watch him grow and attach to me. M is 8 months old and is hysterical. I've know her since she was 7 weeks old and we have a special bond. Her giggles are infectious and she is so easygoing. She is so close to crawling and it really frustrates her that she can't. I love them so much.
Home Life: Well, I went home to California for 3 weeks over Christmas vacation. It was wonderful, but weird. I was home, but it wasn't home. I didn't take a single picture (except the one I snapped of Jeff Corwin at the airport after we got off the same flight).
Then I came back to my cozy apartment and felt at home, and I consider that a blessing. I don't get to spend much time here (I worked 50+ hours this week plus school), but it is home. I feel so lucky to have found this place. I spent Thanksgiving with the family who owns the house and lives downstairs. It was wonderful. A little touch football, some food, and laughter. All wonderful.
Boston/Weather: I really have grown to love Boston, Cambridge and the surrounding areas. I feel like the entire area is one big College. The history is is wonderful, as are the people. The Charles River is particularly spectacular. I was warned repeatedly about the weather here, but it hasn't been too bad so far (knock wood). We did have that one bad snowstorm on Halloween that devastated New England. Since then it has been pretty warm (Highs in the 40's and lows in the teens and 20's). But...as I write this post the temperature outside is 4 degrees and our high is going to be 20. It has been dry (no snow), just windy and cold. I find it totally doable, but ask me again in February. One fascinating/sad thing is that the Charles River is beginning to freeze, which is beautiful, but means no more Harvard Crew teams to see rowing each morning.
Future Plans: Well, as we all know, plans change, but here is a little taste. I'm going back to California for Spring Break in early March. Then in May and June I will be spending a month at a villa in Tuscany with the family I nanny for. Just let that sink in. Italy for a month, while being paid. I also hope to continue to explore Boston and the Northeast.
Highs and Lows: I'm not going to pretend that there haven't been hard times since my move. Particularly since my return from California last week. I try to think of this adage - "Get a large group of people together and have them take their biggest problem in life and place it on a table. After looking around at everyone's problems, each person takes their own problem back from the table". I like to think hat I was given my challenges for a reason and I need to own them and work them through. That's also why I chose Dixie Chicks lyrics for the title of this post.
The Long Way Around (abridged)
"I've been a long time gone now, maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
But I've always found my way some how
By taking the long way
Taking the long way around
Well I fought with a stranger and I met myself
I opened my mouth and I heard myself
It can get pretty lonely when you show yourself
Guess I could have been easier on myself
But I, I could never follow
No I, I could never follow
Well I never seem to do it like anybody else
Maybe someday, someday I'm gonna settle down
If you ever want to find me I can still be found
Taking the long way around"
meghaninwonderland@gmail.com
