Archive for August, 2007

Pages (3): « 1 2 3 »

Failure

Aug 21, 2007 Author: Elizabeth | Filed under: Daily

Yesterday afternoon, after our disappointment of a fitness class, Heather (my roommate and cousin, in case you missed that part) and I went to the University Bookstore on campus at the University of Oklahoma to get the ISBNs for her books because Half.com is where it’s at. I actually bought all of my books on Amazon for $70.55 (with shipping) compared to the $400+ it was going to cost at the bookstore. Incoming freshmen of the world! Let your first semester be the last that they rob you!

Anyway, the actual story. We were leaving the bookstore and let me tell you something, it was CROWDED. Much more so than I have ever seen it. Probably because freshman enrollment is up quite a bit, but who knows. So we were walking up the stairs (the bookstore is underneath the stadium) and something kind of odd happened. I recognized two individuals who were walking towards the stairs from different directions. One female, the other male, neither of which ever were nor are they currently my friends. But nevertheless, their faces will always been in my brain. Because my second day of classes at OU back in the fall of 2003, they both sat beside me. Dale Hall Tower, top floor, the huge room that has windows all the way around so that you can see clear to Kansas on the north side, Dallas/Fort Worth on the south, Arkansas to the east, and Amarillo rising out of the dust in the west.

The course held in this room was fondly referred to as “Gateway.” Gateway to what? Well, that’s up to you. “Gateway to the best days of your life” or for some “Gateway to the one semester of college you’ll ever attend because instead of going to class you decided that it would be way more fun to sit in the dorms and chat with your 30-year-old internet girlfriend 24/7 and survive on ramen, Dr. Pepper, and the occasional Whopper from the WAY AWESOME Burger King located IN your dorm on the first floor.” Gateway is a freshman student’s introduction to university life. We were given tours of everything, had to log our study time, talk about our feelings, and towards the end of the semester we had to interview our favorite professor that we’d had so far. But the thing about Gateway was that it was put in place to help retain students and to get them started on the right track. And the right track was “finishing in four.” We were encouraged to always take a good number of hours so that we could all be done with our degrees and out into the world by the end of our fourth year. Well, as any college student or grad knows, very few people finish in four anymore. Some do. And some finish in 3 or 3.5. But you know, it’s just not that common anymore.

A course at OU costs around $500-600 I think. So, my dad paid that much for a course that was supposed to save me a few semesters. And there we were, the three of us, incoming freshmen in 2003 who were SUPPOSED to graduate in May of 2007, crossing paths at the bookstore — during our first semester as fifth year seniors.*

Thank you, OU.

*I did check Facebook to make sure that I was correct in assuming that both of them were still finishing their undergraduate work. They are.

0 Comments

School Days

Aug 19, 2007 Author: Elizabeth | Filed under: Health & Fitness

They’re almost over for me. This title makes me think of this little school house music box that Granny had when I was growing up. “School days, school days, dear old Golden Rule days. Readin’ and ‘riting and ‘rithmetic, taught to the tune of a hick’ry stick.”

Anyway, my semester (not my last, but probably the last one at the University of Oklahoma) is looking pretty good. Here’s what I’ll be up to for the next four months:

Women of Diaspora — A comparative study of the complex roles of women of African descent in cross-cultural perspective. Examines the issue in the socio-cultural contexts of South Africa, United States, and the Caribbean. Topics include gender relations, impact of urbanization, class status, and Diasporan women as culture workers.

Crime & Delinquency — A study of the nature and causes of various forms of deviant and illegal behavior, especially serious personal injury and property crimes (e.g., homicide, burglary). While some consideration is given to biological and psychological explanations, the primary focus is on sociological theories that attempt to explain crime, criminality, and victimization in modern societies.

Advanced Pilates Equipment — Using Pilates equipment, the class foundation is built on that developed by Joseph Pilates as a method of physical and mental conditioning to work every muscle in one’s body in an efficient and balanced manner.

Lifestyle Physical Activity — Learn and practice strategies for incorporating lifestyle physical activity into your daily routine. Perform physical activities such as walking, bicycling, or others of your choice at times convenient to you instead of the two class periods of the week. (Basically means that I have to spend 2 hours per week in the gym.)

0 Comments

File Under: Funny, Mormon

Aug 18, 2007 Author: Elizabeth | Filed under: Bloggers, Links

“Is it like a burning sensation?”

1 Comment

Thursday Thirteen #23

Aug 15, 2007 Author: Elizabeth | Filed under: Meme, Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen names I just might give to my children (don’t worry, I’m not going to have 13!)

1. Caroline

2. Josephine

3. Laurel

4. Magnolia

5. Susannah

6. Carter

7. Nicholas

8. Paul

9. Garret

10. Michael

11. Louise

12. Marguerite

13. Some extras: Unity, Sabre, Adeliza, Helloe (all names of ladies in my family tree)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

11 Comments

I’m one of the 2(K), are you?: Round Ten

Aug 14, 2007 Author: Elizabeth | Filed under: Bloggers, Links

http://www.salsabogota.blogspot.com/
http://www.samjackson.org/college
http://www.schablog.com
http://www.schmouf.com/
http://www.schneier.com/blog

13 Comments

No, Mom, I Didn’t Have Any Junk Food Before My Nap.

Aug 11, 2007 Author: Elizabeth | Filed under: Daily

The other day when I got home from work I went to my bed (with my new MEMORY FOAM aka “it’s like sleeping on angel eyelashes” mattress), pulled back the covers and hopped in, still wearing my jeans and everything. Don’t worry, I did take off my flip-flops beforehand. It had been a long day and I figured that I deserved a nap before a long evening of what I thought was going to be three hours of softball (that fell through, but it’s another story).

As I drifted off and was in the first few moments of sleep I began to dream. Lucky me, I usually remember a lot of dreams every time I sleep. This one was particularly entertaining.

My two guinea pigs, Wilmadean and Rosie were in my bathtub, with little golf clubs, hitting roly polies into the drain. MY GUINEA PIGS WERE PLAYING GOLF. That’s really all there was to it, but as I have thought about it more, I clearly remember that Wilmy was smoking a cigar. Those of you that know my guinea pigs know that OF COURSE Wilmy would be the one smoking the cigar, probably barking orders at Rosie.

0 Comments