Coffee Coolatta for a Good Cause

Thursday, April 30, 2009

After sleeping in today, I went headed out to observe a court case for my journalism class. Before I met up with my friend, I went by the journalism department (my major) and asked for the forms that I have to fill out if I want to get credit for my summer internship. Turns out I have to pay $150 per credit and a $45 initial fee. Huh? For some reason I keep on forgetting that I have to pay for these imaginary credits that allow me to graduate. Haha, silly me :/

So my friend and I took the 20-30 minute bus ride to the courthouse, only to find out that they were out on lunch break and there wasn't really anything else that day. Great! Our paper is due next Thursday and although I can make it early in the morning when they have the most going on, she can't come till the afternoon. So I might have to go by myself (not fun!). I would go with her again in the afternoon Tuesday, but I have to meet up with someone at the same time I would have to leave. Dilemma!

After we left the courthouse, my friend and I went to Dunkin' Donuts to sweeten our misery with coffee. I bought her an iced coffee and I got a coffee coolatta. Nummy! While I was waiting for the woman to finish our order, I spied this little contraption. And only $2.99!







It is a slip to keep your beverage hot (?)/ cold and it is in the ACU pattern! Pretty niffty! I checked out the organization on the back, Homes For Our Troops and they are truly amazing. Check out their website to see if there is a house in your state that needs donations!

By some silly happenstance, I don't have any classes tomorrow or independent study! So I'm going to be working on my essays and photo project so I can get them partly done before the busy weekend. Kinda frustrated with my Middle Eastern History teacher because she still hasn't given us all the information we need to write our paper that is due Tuesday. We never got through all of the powerpoints and she said that she will send them to us tomorrow. I am seriously going to be waiting for that e-mail. If I don't get it, I'm going to be wicked pissed. I really can't proceed until I get to look at them. And I don't have enough time to be wasting on her getting them to me.

Just found out from my fencing team that I have to do a fundraiser next week that looks really time consuming. Not fun!!! I want to do it, but seriously, no time!

And I also just got an e-mail from my university telling us that there might be two cases of swine flu near us. Awesome.

Hope this finds you well and the swine flu doesn't. Ciao!

Jobs, Jobs, and More Jobs!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

So after my classes today, I went to talk to this Major that is at the Army ROTC on campus to ask him for an interview for my article. I hadn't heard back from him in a while and wanted to meet him in person so that we could sit down and talk about setting one up. He was a really nice guy and gave me some information on the G.I. Bill and a source who looks like he will be able to help me a lot with my Veteran article. The interview with the Major will be at the end of the week and before then I have to send him my questions so that they can look them over. It's to be expected of the Army. But I'm really excited about giving the interview and learning more about what Veterans are doing to get back into school and how they are adjusting to their new role as a student.

TR also sent me an e-mail with a bunch of links to summer internships for next year with the government and one of them looks really interesting. They pay for my housing and travel and I get to work with people in the field. Exciting!

Right after the first e-mail, he sent me another one for a vacancy that closes tomorrow! Great timing, honey. He then proceeds to call me and pressures me into applying. So now I have to scramble around campus tomorrow to see if I can get my transcript asap (don't know if that will happen...). It's a nice paying job for the summer, not in my field of interest, but still a foot in the door. I'm still hoping to get the job where TR is now and waiting to see what the people for this summer's internship have to say about my interview.

Oh! I bought that SEAL t-shirt that I said I was going to buy in my last post. It should be at my house in about 3 days. Wicked psyched!! I had TR look at some of their other shirts and I might get him one in the future.

I also FINALLY got my fencing team jacket today! Hallelujah! We had to send them back because they didn't outline the lettering on the back of the jacket, the same mistake they supposedly made last year. Very frustrating! But I have it now with my name spelled correctly, so I am all set. It's just too bad that I am getting it at the end of the season because I really would have liked to have worn it in some of my past tournaments. Oh well. Just going to have to wait till next semester I guess.

Spring is here and I finally get a break

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Hey! So sorry I haven't been updating. I had the week from Hell last week and luckily I'm getting a long weekend to relax and post.

A lot has been happening. I'm writing two feature articles, one for my journalism class and one for my media organization where I am an editor. The one for class is going to really bite me in the butt because I haven't been able to interview anyone for it and it was due last Thursday but my teacher said I could have more time because of all my work. Last week I had no time to interview any sources because they either couldn't make it, or turned out to not have the information I needed. I'm writing about veterans coming back to college life and what adjustments and issues they have to deal with. I have one friend on stand-by who can help, but because we are actually friends, it would really be a conflict of interest.

For my other article, I am writing about the marching band on campus and how they don't have a building to officially call home. They were kicked out of their original building in 1998 and have since been spread out over campus. Their current offices are actually in a condemned building that is in the budget to be demolished, but hasn't been because they are there and the University can't do it until they can place them somewhere else. Trying to get in contact with the head of band is also really hard because he is such a busy man. Hopefully I can schedule something with him this week.

TR has also had some big things happen. Since he's moved into his new house, he's been able to build some of his furniture and have his place semi-organized. His parents visited this weekend and helped fix the place up a bit while he was at work! I love his parents! They are some of the nicest people I know and have always been good to me.

TR also has his first funeral tomorrow. Because I've been so busy, I wasn't able to write about it. He is now the funeral detail officer-in-charge i.e. the officer who passes the flag from the coffin to the next of kin. It is a huge honor to represent the nation and I could not think of anyone better to support a family than TR. He has such a kind and gentle manner that I'm sure they'll find comfort in his presence.

I'm glad his first assignment isn't a young soldier, because I know he has to get used to the emotional weight that comes with this duty. Having to deal with something so tragic as a life cut short would not be a good start to an already difficult duty.

I also have a very hard decision to make. I applied for an internship that involves new media (video, photography, internet, twitter, etc.) and press and they had me come in for an interview this past Friday. I think I did really well and they really seemed to like me. The internship sounds amazing and it would be totally awesome to do it for the summer. However, it is unpaid and I would have to find a part time job (or ask for money from my parents, blah! Trying to save up as I write this!) and I wouldn't be near TR.

I also applied for a position near TR and would be able to see him everyday for the entire summer and get paid. However, this isn't in my career focus at all, but I would be able to develop my relationship with TR.

Even though TR and I have been "together" for 10 months, we've really only been physically together for about two months. Most, if not all, of our relationship has either been on the phone or on Skype. It's really hard to develop when we don't spend that much time together and learn about each other's quirks, likes and dislikes, and the consistency of a regular relationship.

So for me, it is really important that I get to know him as much as I can with the time I have because he can't move from where he is, so it is up to me to decide when I can come see him. This summer would be the last time we would ever have this much time before his deployment because as the months get closer, the busier he will be with training.

I have to decide whether to go for this internship if it is offered to me or go to the job where TR is if it is also offered to me. I am at a crisis and trying to find my way through it. I know that I have time to do this internship again next summer, so that is a plus. Also if I wait, I would gain more experience at school with my media organization and classes. I just hope I find out soon (like this week) what my options will be for the summer. That is probably what I will be praying for today at church when I go.

Has anyone had to make a hard decision on whether to see their significant other or pursue career experience/education/work?