A Day in the Life of a Master(s) of Education

 Well, it's October. Crazy to think we're in the 10th month of 2020 and it's been a rollercoaster of a year. Between the health crisis, the social justice upheaval and the political climate I am starting to feel older than my years. What started off as such a hopeful, expectant year has been a series of really high highs and low lows. I am not making jest of the serious issue that mental health is but this year has been personally very bipolar.  After not going since February and desperate for some normalcy and the ideal of maybe seeing my parents, I attempted my first out of state long trip to Disney World. Several things happened over the last few days. 1) J & I closed on our first home together. We bought property...so we're in this now, this being our relationship hahahaha. 2) I have gotten into a wonderful flow of working out and managing my workload after a tough transition in the beginning of the pandemic that allowed me to continue to work though not in the ...

I am trying to be more accountable (for real this time...I promise) and thus am making measurable, attainable goals for 2020 & beyond! Here we go: Walk to work 3x a week (no matter the weather!!!) Cut out seafood/shellfish & become completely vegetarian Practice my ASL once a week via YouTube/Classes/In Person Take a day off 1x week to not work ANY job...not even a short shift or to "help out" Attend a concert/play/live show 1x month Drink 32oz water EVERYDAY!!!!!!!!!  Save $50 a month (immediately transferred to UK) Cut back on drinking Go to the movies 1x week Also work on cosplay goals: Steven/Connie, Rogue/Gambit  This is a good start I think. I will add to this as more thoughts come along.  I'm getting older and it's getting harder to have balance and fun in life...but alas we all have to start somewhere

August is almost over and boy has it been a whirlwind. Between traveling for work (Chicago, Philadephia & Orlando), visiting family (DC) and even a vacation or two (gasp 😜 hello Walt Disney World), it's been hectic. There was even a celeb sighting thrown in there for good measure, Jason Segel from How I Met Your Mother. Here's some photos to prove it: Philadelphia   Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Chicago/Detroit       Washington, DC  

The other day I read a post from someone who I really respect and it talked about how it's ok to have a hobby (you can check it and other posts out here... https://medium.com/@matt.tanner/in-defense-of-just-a-hobby-536c49e7f404) and it got me thinking about how several years ago I struggled with having a "hobby". I felt like all I did was work and the work I did most people have as a hobby. While reading this post I came across a line that said the greatest compliment someone can give you about your hobby is by suggesting ways you can monetize it. That line struck a cord. While I was talking to my partner about his hobbies (playing music, creating and editing videos, beer hunting)  I felt at a lost because I couldn't really narrow down my own. However with thinking about Matt's comment now I definitely have several hobbies.  Event planning, Disney Parks guide, ATL foodie & explorer to name a few. Several times folks have mentioned how I should write and pu...

It's official. I'm a cohabitant. And it's feels weird. I've lived away from home since I was 16 in a variety of common situations. I've lived with roommates in the same room and roommates just sharing the same house. I've lived with men & women. I've lived with babies. I've live with pets. I've lived alone. I've done it all it seems. Now I'm doing this. It has only been a few days but the topic has already come up in conversation a couple of times with the doctor. I'm afraid. No I'm worried. I know I am ready and able to take this leap and grow in my relationship this way but is he? This move is based partially on circumstance and because of that as well as our past I feel justified in my worry. I don't feel as though my worry is enough of a red flag but it does color my view of this "next step". Coupled with that worry is excitement. I'm excited to grow together, to really give this thing we have going...

You know over the past past few years I have looked to the New Year as my time of renewal and fresh starts. Well what a limiting approach! I have been thinking about this more and more...with Spring comes yet another chance to refresh and renew. I've had a tough late winter emotionally. The peaking flowers, warmer temperatures, longer days and yes even the immensely dense pollen all hark that fresh starts are just around the corner. Just a few steps away, within my grasp. This is more refreshed approach. This is the thought I will carry forward. Winter with its cold, bleak challenges have gone away. Spring is for new beginnings....until next post, laters

Once while on a night out with some friends during grad school, our group got accosted by an intoxicated man. While we tried our best not to engage him too much, eventually we switched strategies from simply ignoring him to curtly yet politely answer questions. That also didn't work. At one point he states to my very prim and proper British friend "off you fuck" to which she gave what has become the most iconic of replies..."you first". I was recently reminded of this event while having a conversation with a friend of mine. I've had this friend since my formative years, in fact they have seen me at some of my worst moments. Not only was I reminded of our years of friendship, I was also reminded of how much I've grown over the years...and how much growth was still left to do. I was literally livid when they made a passive comment about my dating history. Though I am certain that the comment wasn't malicious, I couldn't help but be so angry with t...

In January I had the reflective post Captain's Blog: Refocused  and then that was soon followed by No Regrets   in February. Now if one were to continue that trend that would make this post my next entry. Work has been ramping up and my personal life has been struggling to keep up the momentum. It almost feels like there is underlining jealousy. Thoughts like that weighed heavily on my mind and my heart. Though I never thought it personal or purposefully, that doesn't negate the inkling. Not one to just let a wound get infected, I brought it up. I vocalized my sentiments and impressions and thoughts. I'm glad I did. Good has come from it. We've gotten to a point were we will continue to speak more openly and truthfully to what we are feeling, thinking and be mindful of our reactions. There is a step in the right direction, a step towards more. Until next post laters....

My entire life...I've been an individual. I'm not saying it like some PBS special or as a cry for attention and acceptance. Nor am I saying as a self gratifying statement of superiority. I understand and readily accept that every person is an INDIVIDUAL and no two people are ever the same. I've never ever found anyone like me, anyone who thought like me, found the same things funny in the same way I do. EVER. At least not fully. I've come across individuals who share common interests here and there, people who like most of the things I do or have the same thoughts and opinions of some matters as myself. To that point, I've never found someone who was more than 50% in sync with me. I constantly find myself "chameleoning" as I refer to it. Expressing certain thoughts and views based solely on who I am surrounded by though I try to remain 100% genuine to my own opinions, thoughts and feelings. I won't change how I feel about something simply because of wh...

I just wanted to share a few photos of the graduation trip: Until next post....laters

Hello out there blogger world! Question: have you ever been so in to something or the idea of something that even after it's over you can't believe it happened? That's how this last year and a half has been for me. I now have physical and visual proof that I have completed my master's degree in England. Yet it still feels like a dream or an anomaly. I recently took a trip back in order to attend my graduation ceremony and though I was very saddened that J couldn't join, having my parents along for the ride was amazing. My entire life my mom especially has wanted to visit England but time and circumstances prevented that from happening until now. This trip showed me how much of a treasure my parents are, reaffirmed that they won't be around forever and locked in memories that I will have long after they're gone. There was tons I wasn't able to do with them, like have a pint in a pub with my pop or stroll through the garden with my mom but we sa...

Hello out there Blogger World, The other day I was wearing a tank top and shorts with flip flops and a wide brim hat...eating a pumpkin chai latte POPSICLE. In the SE fall isn't always "real" and you never know if it will last long. We just don't "do" cooler temperatures. Forget what the calendar says, it isn't really fall in the south until you are eating/drinking pumpkin flavoured items. I, for one, love that. Now don't get me wrong, I love comfy sweaters and boots and layering clothes as much (and sometimes more than) the next person but there is something to be said about eating a pumpkin popsicle. I have friends who hate the constant warmth (even into late October) that the south offers but to me it's perfect. I get to enjoy warmer weather AND do "traditional" fall things like visit the pumpkin patch, drink cider and stouts and porter style beer, apple picking, fall festivals, a single layer Halloween costume, the list goes on. I...

It's almost been a year since I left the place I've come to call home for the unknown. That unknown being life abroad and graduate school. Making the decision was hard, in fact when I first began the path of graduate school I was single, unsure of any potential for growth or diversity in my job and had started to feel like I had outgrown my life. No longer was I the young 20something, new to the city, exploring and discovering myself. In fact I felt the opposite. I felt like I had been there...done that...time to move on. I don't always think that everything happens for a reason, but I do believe that our path is winding and we don't always clearly see what's ahead of us. Anyway back to the reflective bit. I was in a place where I needed a change (or so I thought) and thus decided to apply for grad school. Fun fact: I looked for schools here and abroad. I also explored taking the GREs again or doing a short course to see if I could even handle being in school aga...

What a week! In the last 7 days I have finished and submitted my dissertation (whew), attended Dragon Con, celebrated J's 30th birthday, saw lots of friends, made some new ones, saw Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie (swoon), danced until my feet hurt, listened to the Georgia Philharmonic play nerd tunes, finished a cosplay, handed out free snacks, stayed up for hours and made life long memories. This has been a week for the history books. Until next post... laters

Things I will miss about living in England: •Walkers Cheese & Onion Crisps •Knowing exactly what something cost, taxes included •Using coffee night/wine night as prees in the Common Room before a night out with the girls...or turning it into our own party •All night study sessions in the David Wilson Library, especially in the Graduate Reading Room •Travelling to just about anywhere with ease on the cheap •Popping down to London within a couple of hours •Open containers and having a beer in the park on a nice day •Meeting up with so many friends, some I haven't seen in years •Having a pint at the pub •Primark •Grocery delivery •Weatherspoons, especially The Corn Exchange •A kebab & cheesy chips from AJs after a long night at the library •Playing quidditch (even in the snow) in Victoria Park •Leicester's Curry Mile •Quick trips in to town that turn into adventures ...

There's been ups and downs and I've almost reached the finish line. Just wanted to pop in and say EuroTrip 2018 has been a great way to finish up my time in the UK. The plan was to stay in the UK until mid-September but as they say...best laid plans. Due to a turn of events, I'll be heading back home sooner than originally thought so I booked a EuroTrip with some of my friends as a send off to my time here. The trip included 5 countries (The Netherlands, Germany, The Czech Republic, Hungary & Austria) and 6 cities. Of those, 5 were totally brand new to me. As per usual I do 2-3 things in every country I  have visited since I first studied abroad in Italy back in 2007... 1) Drink beer/wine/liquor 2) Eat McDonalds 3) Purchase a button. When I travelled to Italy for the first time, I learned the drinking age was 18 and also to love wine. To this day I still appreciated the fact that I bought amazing red wine in a juice box while there. I still talk about it as well. I...

Several weeks ago I was suffering from a case of homesickness. Thankfully that has mostly dissipated. One of the ways that helped was travelling. In the last month or so I have been to Edinburgh, Scotland; Alnwick, Northumberland, England; York, England; Dublin, Ireland; Belfast, Ireland; St. Austell, Cornwall, England & Cardiff, Wales. For those of you following at home that means I've seen every country that makes up the United Kingdom. What a trip. In Scotland, it snowed but I got to eat in the restaurant where J.K. Rowling wrote much of the Harry Potter Series. In Alnwick, I had the chance to visit a poison garden, cross the sea at low tide to visit The Holy Island and take broomstick flying lessons at Alnwick Castle (the Hogwarts Castle in the first two films). In York, I was able to stroll the Shambles which served as the modern day Diagon Alley and also attend a Sunday service at York Minister. Dublin and Cardiff gave me the opportunity to party and dance all night with ...