What a nice day, not as productive as I would like, but nice all the same. First, it is beginning to cool down. The temperatures are not 95 degrees every single day and thus I can turn a light bit of air on while I work and read at a comfortable temperature (little perks). Secondly, I had a very progressive talk with my adviser from school today and we pretty much planned the rest of my Grad program, which is shorter that I thought lol. It is nice to see the completion in sight and know what you need to do and maintain. With all of the important events coming up (Aiden mostly) I want to make sure I am not overdoing it or overloading myself with a schedule I may not be able to handle. Finding out I only had to take two classes instead of three, is a bit of a relief.
Today I am reading up on Britain in Africa, covering things like the Boer Wars, the struggle for Nile Domination and the lead up to World War I (which I truly enjoy studying). Lawrence James' The Rise and Fall of the British Empire is a tome of a book, and often his perspective is a bit odd to me, but overall I enjoy reading it... if you ever need something that just covers the entire empire in a concise manner, this is the book for you. Now if I can just finish my assignment for the week, write out my responses and turn them in...
The dog is snoring, which makes me want to take a nap as well, but no sleep for the perpetual student.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Progress
This week we are making a great deal of progress in preparation for baby Wilson. We have the bed, dresser is on the way, strollers, car seats...along with flooring and painting in the works. Now, this does mean that we have to put all this glorious furniture together, but I am sure a few hours of yelling and screaming and throwing directions are healthy lol.
On other fronts, this is my last week of work before I go on leave, I had to cut back hours because I just cant stand up for 8 hours which made me feel kind of wimpy but, I will get over it.
School is progressing, currently I have all A's but the semester is still young and I have a long way to go... lots of books to read and write about. I will say that while the rigorous work is sometimes baffling, I do enjoy Grad School, I love having the ability to constantly study my field, its a great feeling.
Right now I am finishing up: New England's Generation: The Great Migration and the Formation of Society and Culture in the Seventeenth Century. It is an interesting book and great for someone who doesn't know the crucial differences between the New England settlers (mostly Puritans at first) and the rest of the colonial settlements of the 17th century. The New England stock went across the Atlantic for different reasons than your Chesapeake fortune hunters and thus the environment turns out to be quite different. Because I've done a great deal with Puritans over the years, this book often feels like a rehash, but for someone who maybe doesn't really know a lot about Puritans, its a really informative book.
If all goes as planned, I start on different content tomorrow for my British Empire Class, I love the subject but man that workload is something that sneaks up on you constantly because there are other things often in the way. I wish I had more time with that class, I really do.
I am having quite a bit of political turmoil with the fact that one good performance (based off of lies) delivered by Mitt Romney has somehow made him the savior of America. When you can come off as convincing on camera, but all the while tell complete lies.... that just means you would do well as a salesman somewhere, not our President. His foreign policy comments earlier this week did not help my sinking opinion of the man who often diverts attention from major problems by fixating on talking points (aka the PBS big bird crap). He would have stayed in Iraq, he would stay in Afghanistan, he wants to give guns to Syria and invade Libya and well...we know he wants to duke it out with Iran...and yet he complains about our debt and our budget and federal spending and borrowing from China.... I hate to tell Mr. Romney, who obviously does not have time to go over public records very often... our debt to China has nothing to do with PBS and everything to do with military spending that went out of control after multiple wars that were needless, that accomplished little, and killed many young Americans... why on earth would I want to vote for someone who wants to ignore the costs and jump right back into war???
This confuses me... very much.
On other fronts, this is my last week of work before I go on leave, I had to cut back hours because I just cant stand up for 8 hours which made me feel kind of wimpy but, I will get over it.
School is progressing, currently I have all A's but the semester is still young and I have a long way to go... lots of books to read and write about. I will say that while the rigorous work is sometimes baffling, I do enjoy Grad School, I love having the ability to constantly study my field, its a great feeling.
Right now I am finishing up: New England's Generation: The Great Migration and the Formation of Society and Culture in the Seventeenth Century. It is an interesting book and great for someone who doesn't know the crucial differences between the New England settlers (mostly Puritans at first) and the rest of the colonial settlements of the 17th century. The New England stock went across the Atlantic for different reasons than your Chesapeake fortune hunters and thus the environment turns out to be quite different. Because I've done a great deal with Puritans over the years, this book often feels like a rehash, but for someone who maybe doesn't really know a lot about Puritans, its a really informative book.
If all goes as planned, I start on different content tomorrow for my British Empire Class, I love the subject but man that workload is something that sneaks up on you constantly because there are other things often in the way. I wish I had more time with that class, I really do.
I am having quite a bit of political turmoil with the fact that one good performance (based off of lies) delivered by Mitt Romney has somehow made him the savior of America. When you can come off as convincing on camera, but all the while tell complete lies.... that just means you would do well as a salesman somewhere, not our President. His foreign policy comments earlier this week did not help my sinking opinion of the man who often diverts attention from major problems by fixating on talking points (aka the PBS big bird crap). He would have stayed in Iraq, he would stay in Afghanistan, he wants to give guns to Syria and invade Libya and well...we know he wants to duke it out with Iran...and yet he complains about our debt and our budget and federal spending and borrowing from China.... I hate to tell Mr. Romney, who obviously does not have time to go over public records very often... our debt to China has nothing to do with PBS and everything to do with military spending that went out of control after multiple wars that were needless, that accomplished little, and killed many young Americans... why on earth would I want to vote for someone who wants to ignore the costs and jump right back into war???
This confuses me... very much.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
A Toast to Things Not Changing!
You know in my fairy princess happy world of unicorns and rainbows I think that people learn from history and that all the crazy stuff going on today is new and insane and just never seen before so perhaps the world has gone crazy....
Then I have to go and study history and my rainbows melt and my unicorns are goats with horns glued on and I'm one unhappy princess!
I would like to believe that our founders, the fathers of Enlightenment thought and the creators of the amazing country had some high minded concept of America that went beyond parties and politics and all the mess we seem to bog ourselves down with today to divide and distrust....
but no...
they started it!
They wrote letters, published articles, had parties and celebrations, funerals for their opponents, sometimes burning them in effigy, and all under the banner of Republican and Federalist (back in the day of course)!
Its funny but its also one of those OMG THEY DID THE SAME THING THAT LONG AGO!!!!!!
Their broadsides and newspapers and public speeches at holiday celebrations have been replaced by tweets, facebook rants, and memes.
Then I have to go and study history and my rainbows melt and my unicorns are goats with horns glued on and I'm one unhappy princess!
I would like to believe that our founders, the fathers of Enlightenment thought and the creators of the amazing country had some high minded concept of America that went beyond parties and politics and all the mess we seem to bog ourselves down with today to divide and distrust....
but no...
they started it!
They wrote letters, published articles, had parties and celebrations, funerals for their opponents, sometimes burning them in effigy, and all under the banner of Republican and Federalist (back in the day of course)!
Its funny but its also one of those OMG THEY DID THE SAME THING THAT LONG AGO!!!!!!
Their broadsides and newspapers and public speeches at holiday celebrations have been replaced by tweets, facebook rants, and memes.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
New Book
Reading a new book for my Early National America class today and its a pretty strange concept I've never considered....how celebrations and public displays o patriotism influenced the National idea. Sometimes the book can be a bit dry, but overall its very interesting.
In The Midst of Perpetual Fetes
I will say it is at least worth checking out if history is your thing, especially if American history is your thing.
Next up....
New England's Generation
This one is for my Colonial America class...
In The Midst of Perpetual Fetes
I will say it is at least worth checking out if history is your thing, especially if American history is your thing.
Next up....
New England's Generation
This one is for my Colonial America class...
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Giant Elephant
One of the things that bugs me about politics is that no matter what, when you are on a certain team...you ignore any honest conversation that may challenge your own outlook. Now I know that both sides do it, so I will totally not even deny that...but yesterday and this morning something I've noticed really began to bug me.
First, call me a bleeding heart, a humanitarian, whatever...but when people are hungry, they should get food, when they dont have a home, there should be somewhere they can sleep, when they work and cannot make the bills, there should be some sort of service that helps them make it and when someone is sick...they should not have to worry if they have enough money in the bank to cover it....
That is how I look at things, poor people are not lazy, old and infirm are not lazy, and they do care about their lives...not everyone has the same situation and so if we begin to just neglect the least of our society, in reflects on us....
Second,
If we want to have less poor, if we want to have more opportunity and innovation, we need a good foundation in education so people as they grow learn and possess the skills to make it in an ever growing competitive world. A solid education system is key and not meant to just occupy kids for half the day every season but the summer.... its not a holding place, its a place for learning and it has a purpose...an important one.
So...
Why is it that whenever we discuss cutting our inflated budget....help for the poor, "entitlements," and education are FIRST on the list...while tax cuts for the extremely wealthy and cuts to the military budget are never mentioned?
I don't know to be honest, but it frustrates me.
First, call me a bleeding heart, a humanitarian, whatever...but when people are hungry, they should get food, when they dont have a home, there should be somewhere they can sleep, when they work and cannot make the bills, there should be some sort of service that helps them make it and when someone is sick...they should not have to worry if they have enough money in the bank to cover it....
That is how I look at things, poor people are not lazy, old and infirm are not lazy, and they do care about their lives...not everyone has the same situation and so if we begin to just neglect the least of our society, in reflects on us....
Second,
If we want to have less poor, if we want to have more opportunity and innovation, we need a good foundation in education so people as they grow learn and possess the skills to make it in an ever growing competitive world. A solid education system is key and not meant to just occupy kids for half the day every season but the summer.... its not a holding place, its a place for learning and it has a purpose...an important one.
So...
Why is it that whenever we discuss cutting our inflated budget....help for the poor, "entitlements," and education are FIRST on the list...while tax cuts for the extremely wealthy and cuts to the military budget are never mentioned?
I don't know to be honest, but it frustrates me.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Can We Just Report News Please?
While sitting in the Doctor's office this morning (poor husband is under the weather), my attempts at reading my next assignment for school repeatedly were interrupted by the morning news. I don't often pay attention to morning news shows, to be honest when I am up early, I usually occupy myself with school work and read my news in print (well online at least) from a few different sources. So, I found myself distracted by how ODD the news was...
1. It seemed to be a loop of the same stuff and here were the topics....
1. Obama and Romney camps are being nice to each other before the debates.
2. A woman grew her own ear replacement on her arm.
3. Diapers might be in shortage soon.
4. Milk might go up because congress wont pass a farm bill.
and
5. Lindsey Lohan got in a fight with some guy in her hotel room....
Is this really the scope of news today???
Because this doesn't seem like news.... Here are some news headlines...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/30/us-death-toll-afghanistan-2000
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/01/world/unga-final-day/index.html?hpt=wo_c2
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/01/world/meast/syria-hama-neighborhood/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
1. It seemed to be a loop of the same stuff and here were the topics....
1. Obama and Romney camps are being nice to each other before the debates.
2. A woman grew her own ear replacement on her arm.
3. Diapers might be in shortage soon.
4. Milk might go up because congress wont pass a farm bill.
and
5. Lindsey Lohan got in a fight with some guy in her hotel room....
Is this really the scope of news today???
Because this doesn't seem like news.... Here are some news headlines...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/30/us-death-toll-afghanistan-2000
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/01/world/unga-final-day/index.html?hpt=wo_c2
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/01/world/meast/syria-hama-neighborhood/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Rage Against the Machine...
This issue with the closing of the Georgia Archives is a really big deal to me and so while I may appear to be beating a dead horse, I really want to stress how horrible this is, how the Governor straight up lied and said they would remain open when they wont... and how people will lose their jobs, the area will lose commerce, and Georgians will lose access to our public records!!!
UGA's Newspaper Article on the Situation
Saving our archives is a big deal, lets not be the ONLY state in the United States without open access to our records!!!!
UGA's Newspaper Article on the Situation
Saving our archives is a big deal, lets not be the ONLY state in the United States without open access to our records!!!!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Ups and Downs and Sleepy
How Lizzie looks (adorable really) in this photo is how I feel today. As I adjust to the ups and downs of pregnancy, I realize that there is only so much I can do in a day and as of late, I feel just a bit overdone. Work has been extremely hard and the fatigue I feel by the time I get home kind of reached a tipping point last night when I was up at 3 AM just sore, anxious, and exhausted. So, a few things are going to change... I am going to attempt to take it easy and relieve some of this stress and we shall see. With School, family, and baby...there isn't much time in the day to do other things, but I need to relax some because I am so wound at times I just feel overdone.
So....
Ive been playing a video game on and off in break periods to help..
Also we've been getting ready for the baby...
Baby bed, mattress and mattress pad is purchased and on the way, cannot wait to paint (or watch Adam paint) and get everything situated... excited!
The baby shower is coming up and I have an awesome hat in mind (wooo)
That is about it, not much substance I know...not my menagerie of political opinions or anything else...
The book I read on early Virginia and slavery was interesting and now I am reading my British Empire tome for an assignment due on Saturday....But im not stressing over it.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Day in the Life
So with Grad School, work, and baby on the way, my time is pretty strict. I usually get up around 7 AM on off days (or days I work in the afternoon) and attempt to tackle as much work as possible before bed or work. Sometimes its productive and sometimes I find myself having to stop every few moments to attend to the whining rhythm of This...
This is Lizzie, the 1 1/2 year old giant baby of a boxer who is my constant companion. Most of the day, she either sits on the side of the sofa facing me while I work or she is harrassing our schnauzer with bites on the ear or sneak attacks to entertain herself...
She is a good dog, but at times her need for attention outweighs my need to finish work lol...and thus I am forced to stop what I am doing and play a bit or talk to her or hug her or do something to make sure she understands that I do have a few minutes (if not she runs into the back and finds something of mine and quickly brings it to my attention by holding it in front of me with her mouth).
But today, she has been pretty good...though the pic with the shoe is awesome and I stopped for like 10 minutes and played.
This is Lizzie, the 1 1/2 year old giant baby of a boxer who is my constant companion. Most of the day, she either sits on the side of the sofa facing me while I work or she is harrassing our schnauzer with bites on the ear or sneak attacks to entertain herself...
She is a good dog, but at times her need for attention outweighs my need to finish work lol...and thus I am forced to stop what I am doing and play a bit or talk to her or hug her or do something to make sure she understands that I do have a few minutes (if not she runs into the back and finds something of mine and quickly brings it to my attention by holding it in front of me with her mouth).
But today, she has been pretty good...though the pic with the shoe is awesome and I stopped for like 10 minutes and played.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The Reality of the Founders
Over the past few weeks, I've read a few books on the Founders for one of my classes that did not demonize them or make them out to be these icon level inhuman creatures who magically created our government... the books instead demonstrated the humanity of these men, the normality of their lives in extreme circumstances... their wisdom and their failings and instead of making them untouchable...made them understandable. Were many of them highly intelligent and skilled leaders during an unprecidented time? Yes, but they were also petty and angry and backstabbing....just like any other politician. I liked the books, and if you would like to gain a better understanding of the time when our country came together... I suggest reading them both.
Affairs of Honor and Revolutionary Characters
Check them both out, Great reads, not boring and pretty interesting. I dare you not to laugh out loud when you read about the fight with the hickory stick and the fire tongs on the Senate Floor.
Affairs of Honor and Revolutionary Characters
Check them both out, Great reads, not boring and pretty interesting. I dare you not to laugh out loud when you read about the fight with the hickory stick and the fire tongs on the Senate Floor.
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