Vacation part 3: the wedding

I had some wardrobe difficulties and traffic issues in getting to this wedding on time. However, I kept praying I would get there on time and I found out later that the grooms mother, one of my best-friends, kept praying that I make it in time for the reception. I love you "Lady V" but I was NOT going to miss this wedding and I didn't. :) It was very important to me to be there to show my love and support for this wonderful couple. I have missed out on so many things in the lives of my "children" and been there for so many others but this day was not a day I was going to miss!!!!!!



Okay so yes, I made it in time; I didn't see the parents walk to their seats but J., Jr. had me in my seat before the bride walked down the aisle. (whew, yes it was a close one; me always running on Indigenous time).

So here is where I admit that I didn't take as many photos as I could / should have but there are some memories that you can't have a photo of  as they are just in your heart.

One of those memories was the preacher talking about the statistics of divorce and how many people sitting in the audience may be thinking "how long will they last." NOT ME, I truly believe these two are meant to be together. They have already faced some difficulties and came out on the other side.

The second memory was the preacher asking the families to stand up. I wasn't sure what to do since I'm not biologically related to the groom although he does call me Mamma A or Mamma Angela and sometimes just Mamma. His mom looked right at me and raised her hand. I knew what she wanted so I was proud to stand up and make a vow with the rest of the family to support the union of J. and K.

Here you can sort of see J. walking K. down the aisle after being announced Mr. and Mrs.

After the ceremony, I got to see Lady V's sister T. for the first time in over 5 years. We have talked during that time but only though Facebook. It was an amazing moment; a fabulous hug!!!! She didn't recognize me and she said she wouldn't have even known it was me if I hadn't posted a picture of me in the dress earlier that day. Another memory which just can't be expressed via film.

Here you can see J. (Lady V's husband), Lady V, and their daughter B.

Here is K. and J. My only regret is that I didn't ask K. and J. to get in a picture with me but like I told him today he looked so exhausted. I wish I had asked for that picture but I didn't.

The last memory which as far as I know no one got on film or video is me getting the ladies, T. and Lady V., out on the dance floor to dance with me. That's right I got out and danced. I know some of you know I can dance but I tend to not like to dance in public since I think people are staring at me; I did notice a man staring at me but that discussion is being "held" with the "family."

As I was getting ready to leave, I said goodby to the bride and groom and had a quiet conversation with both of them individually. J. said to me, "I saw you out there dancing. Momma I didn't know you could dance; you got some moves!!!!!" Yes son, I can and I do but like your father said to me "I have to be comfortable with my surroundings" in order to let me be me!

I am very proud to say I definitely showed up for your wedding!

 

So there you go; there was a wedding and it was GOOD!!!!!

 I wish them love and happiness and I hope all their dreams as one come true!

Qualifying Exams

So here I sit at 10:11 pm waiting for my next qualifying exam (comprehensive exam which I must pass in order to become a PhD candidate which means I can defend my thesis and maybe graduate?!) which I was promised to have today.............. I'm tired, cranky, and I had to go get take-out food because I didn't bring lunch and dinner with me. I don't have internet at home which means I will likely be here until some god awful hour in the morning researching answers.

One of my advisers told me that the qualifying exams ("period of PhD hell") are similar to a fraternity hazing........mmmm? Well, I'm sure you all know that fraternity is male orientated and hazing is a ritual of initiation which may be mental and/or physical.



While I realize that the PhD qualifying exams are not as severe as Greek Society Hazings I do question the validity of the process. As a friend of mine in another disciple said, "I passed those classes and I already proved that I gained that knowledge. So what is the point of making me do it all over again?" I think she has a valid point. Take veterinary science for example: vet students spend three years in class, a year in clinical rotation, graduate, and then they have to pass a board exam to be able to practice as a DVM. This makes sense to me. I realize it's not a perfect solution but it is a way to standardize the practice for all PhD students. This may not seem like a good idea to you but I have talked to students from Entomology departments in other schools and frankly the steps to get a PhD are not equivalent across the board. I would say that the school I attend has by far the strictest requirements for passing qualifying exams and becoming a PhD candidate. I wish this meant that I would be more qualified for a job but I suspect that just isn't so.

In case you were wondering what I mean by differences in requirements take a look at a few different schools and their requirements for PhD qualifying exams:

Cornell: scroll down to thesis and examinations

Kansas State University: a minimum of 5 written exams (need to take a test for four of the following areas: morphology and anatomy, systematics, physiology, behavior, genetics, ecology, integrated pest management, biological control, toxicology, host resistance, evolution; an additional exam from an area outside of entomology such as statistics) and then the oral exam

University of California - UC Davis: copied from their student handbook
"The Entomology Examination must be completed by Ph.D. students prior to taking the Qualifying Exam, and is to be completed no later than the end of the first year in the program. (This exam is not required for M.Sc. students.) The Entomology Exam mandates that students develop a general knowledge of entomology and an ability to think critically/conceptually, and it will identify any major weaknesses or deficiencies in their understanding of entomology. General Entomology is a required subject area on all Qualifying Exams: passing the Entomology Exam fulfills that requirement. It is the responsibility of the student to plan, with the advice of his/her Guidance Committee, for the Entomology Exam."

"The Entomology Exam will be oral, last for 1½ hours. and will be offered once each year at the end of the spring quarter. All students of the same annual “cohort” will be tested from the same set of recommended readings. This means that the exam will be given during the same time period to all students.
The Entomology Exam Committee, appointed by the chair of the department, will provide a formal “Reading List, Guide and Sample Questions” during the first (Fall) quarter. Questions will be in four major areas of Entomology, as defined by the departmental peer groups: (1) Systematics and Evolution; (2) Physiology and Molecular Biology; (3) Ecology and Behavior; and (4) Agricultural and Medical Entomology. Preparation for the Entomology Exam also includes registering for 1 unit of ENT 298 (Topics in Entomology) in Winter and Spring quarters, designed to formalize the operation of a study group that will review exam materials. Students will meet once a week during the two quarters, with periodic involvement of the Entomology Exam committee. Other faculty members also may be called upon to provide input on selected topics."

University of Minnesota: scroll down to written preliminary exams

After looking at those different schools I'm sure you can see what I mean- there is no consistency with how the exams are done and what is expected. I just think that it would be better if the expectations were the same across the board.

Thanks Gods for Serenity and regular tai-chi because otherwise I might lose my mind!





Yes, I think I need to learn how to do Taichi Fan! :)

Qualifying Exams

This week I'm finishing up this semester; one final, one presentation, and one "let's talk about your semester project" to end this semester of "fun."well parts of the semester have been fun but others not so much.

I'm also meeting with all of my committee members to talk about what I need to study and the test format of my qualifying exams. For those of you who don't know what that means, comprehensive exams over everything I know! I must pass these exams in order to defend my thesis and then get a Ph.D! There are five exams: insect toxicology, insect ecology, insect behavior, integrated pest management, and sanitation and food quality. After I pass written exams for the five topics then I get to take an oral exam! This fun process starts the last week of January; I will get less than a month to study for all of these tests. Am I worried? NO Should I be worried? Maybe but I have been working with these topics for four years; I should know everything. If I panic it will be all down hill so.........

My new mantra is "I will not go insane, I WILL NOT go insane!" So let's listen to one of my favorite songs!



I guess that makes my point for me?!

Stuff I like to do

If you look over to the right of your screen you will see a new space on my blog.   This space is for "stuff I like to do."  As you can see there is already a link to a page which a friend of mine sent to me today.

I looked at it and I  like it so much I thought I would add it to my blog and share with you. 

You can join their e-mail list serve and they will send you an e-mail of nice things you can do for others. This time it's send sugar-free foods to food banks.  They provide a food bank you can send the food to as well as other activities to do.

My personal goal is to try to do at least one nice thing for someone a month.  I have always wanted to do some form of community service but graduate school really takes up a lot of time.  Hopefully having a web-site send me easy ideas will help me perform community service.

While on my lunch break I thought I would work on their On-line Scavenger Hunt:
I accomplished Mission I ( answer the daily quiz question & donate 10 pieces of kibble to an animal shelter) and Mission II (answer questions correctly & donate 10 kernels of rice to hungry people in the world).  I answered 20 questions in a row correctly so I donated 200 kernels of rice. Clicky-clicky on the purple to reach the links!

Maybe tomorrow I can do the same and add a few more.  I challenge you to do one nice thing this week!

mmmm

Ever wonder why I post things regularly and then don't for awhile.  Well, me too; I always have great intentions to blog.  There are blogs in my head about fire ants, katydids, boxelder bugs, wasps, etc.

There are also blogs about where I have been (Texas, Minnesota), what I'm up to (classes, research, crafts- I made a dress, a whole dress, my very first one), and information about other things which strike my interest.  Often I'm quite passionate about these things!

Have you seen these blogs? Me neither, but have faith they are all in my head and this semester is almost over.  Two more weeks plus finals and then hopefully I can reestablish my routing blogging.  But until then please enjoy a video or two.

Nebraska Craziness

So I decided last weekend that I couldn't take it anymore and I drove with a friend to Nebraska.  We stopped in Lincoln and meet with a couple of her friends for lunch.  Lunch wasn't great but her friends were quite nice.  Then we drove to Fremont where I had scheduled an appointment to get some color done.

Of course, it wouldn't be a trip to Nebraska during the winter if it didn't snow while I was there.  So after the tat I drove in a winter storm to meet Don in Bellevue.  They had closed the shop due to the snow but Don had dinner with us and stayed in the hotel room with us.  The next day, we went to a record store (you can't take a trip with my friend Carlie without hitting up a record store) and then went to the shop so I could add a few more piercings to my right ear.

BTW- the initial piercing did in fact hurt. The one on the top was the worst and I may be reconsidering if I get the other ear done. However, I think Don did an excellent job and as one of my friends said, "I like it and it looks natural." We drove back after we had dinner with Don.  In case you were wondering, YES this is how graduate students roll!

NOTE: I had another moment regarding "HIM" and now I keep singing this song in my head.  There are days where I can't understand the human brain and how it works.  However, I'm hopeful that some day, he won't be on my mind or that when I think about him it's only in passing and not for days on end. However, I digress and I hope you enjoy the video.

My apologies

I just wanted to apologize for my long hiatus from my blog.

As many of you know I had been fighting some weird illness which required me to donate lots of blood for the doctor to say that I'm allergic to something but no allergy test was performed.

In addition, I had been working on a MS bypass directly to a Ph.D. which was finally approved by the Entomology department and then the graduate school.



To keep things interesting, May, also, involved a move out into the country, my car motor dying (leaving me stranded outside of Ellsworth) right as I was getting ready to move, and yet another death in my family (I will miss your smiling face, Uncle Gary).



Whew!!!

I'm hoping things calm down so I can get back to blogging. I finally published the three parter from April and I hope you all enjoy it.

For the Ladies (its all about letting the girliness out to play)!!!

Hello all:

As you already know I have been fighting a nasty illness and it's taking a toll on my productivity. So while I rest and recuperate, I have a few music videos for you and me ;).



Whenever I hear this song I always think of the "craziness" that women will put up with and I'm sad that they don't feel that they deserve better.





So, when I talk about the "beach house" this is EXACTLY what I'm talking about!!!!




I love this song and the video is quite stunning. This song reminds me of my friends probably because whenever I need them they are there for me. Anne, I can never tell you enough how grateful and honored I am that you are my friend and that you share your family and your love with me. It's been an interesting 10 years and I'm excited to see what the next 10 years will bring.



This is one of the few songs where the music actually captured my attention before the words. I'm still not sure how I feel about the song but I love the melody and beat. This version of the video is interesting as well.



Lady Antebellum- Need you Now video Link NOTE- the link will take you away from my page but if you click the back arrow it will bring you back here!

When I hear this song, lots of different things go through my mind. Of course, my friends because I know that even if its 1am if I really need you all I need to do is call. Fortunately, Nikki is in another time zone so if it's 1am here it's earlier there :)

NOTE- I am feeling much better today but I'm still trying to take it easy so that I can gradually move back into the full swing of things. I'm hoping that this means I will get caught up on my blogs.

Happy viewing Ladies :)