Week 6 of Classes Week 2 of Blogging

Here I am. I've placed myself in from of my laptop, finally, to blog as I said I would. And I find it difficult not because I don't want to write (I always enjoy writing) and not because I don't have things that might be interesting to talk about, or because I don't want to share. Rather, I find it difficult deciding what to share and what to leave out. A lot does and does not happen in one week, and if you sit down and attempt to write about it you find that you have both too much and too little to say.

I think I've decided that the primary thing I would like to share this week is a photograph. I could talk about the TV show research project I'm working on that is both very exciting and very time consuming. Or I could share the news I've had from home, or the dream I had last night. I could talk about some of the professors Dr. Shenk, my adviser, introduced me to last week (most interesting of all the emeritus professor who immediately began telling us about when he was in India and drank what I understood to be a hallucinogenic drink...he then peed in the street). I could mention the Neanderball game or the pretty awesome candle (from Miss Morgan) I have burning right now or the tea I'm about to brew. I could discuss traffic or weather or readings etc etc. 

But what I really want to share is this photo:

Yes. Yes that is a class photo! How exciting is that? It was taken yesterday on the steps of Swallow Hall, the anthropology building. I should frame it next to my kindergarten class. And in twenty more years frame one of myself and my (knock on wood/don't jinx things) students. Fun little snapshots in time.

The fellow in the middle with the yellow shirt and vest is Napoleon Chagnon. If you are interested in anthropology at all you should give him a Google. Also Google William Irons. He is to the upper right of Chagnon. Directly behind Chagnon is Dr. Lyman, the department chair. And to the far right bottom is Dr. Shenk, who you should also of course Google (and by Google, I mean click the links!).

Everyone else pictured is in this semester's theory/history of anthropology graduate seminar. It is a photo filled with all sorts of awesome.

To top off all of this awesome, and wish you all a good night, I would like to share one of my new favorite people, Lindsey Stirling. Her music is fantastic and if you watch her, she is guaranteed to make you smile (if this video doesn't given you a grin, check out her Skyrim or Zelda videos). What's even more exciting is that I just found out she's coming to Columbia October 8 and tickets are only $12! We are absolutely going. It is going to be an incredible show!

Grad School in Missouri: Week 5

Last night I was Skyping with Anna, and she suggested I keep a blog of my grad school experiences. It sounds like a good idea, both to keep in touch with the folks back home and to make myself articulate and wrap my head around everything that has being going on. Obviously, I'm not great at keeping up blogs...I will try to keep it up at least once a week but I recommend that if anyone actually reads them, and I get to running late (I will probably post every Wednesday) they should give me a poke. 

A lot has happened in a very short amount of time, and it still feels a bit surreal. It is hard to believe that the much anticipated move from Virginia to Missouri is over, our movers have left, Dominic has found a job and started working, and I am already into week five of classes. Week five! I think part of it is that there is always something to do, and so there has not really been much time to sit and think about the fact that I'm 16 hours from home and have started the five year journey that I have been wanting to delve into for so long. Five years seems like a long time, but I know it will go quickly (especially when I think about how fast my time at George Mason went, or the two years in between Mason and the University of Missouri) and I try not to think about everything that is going to or might happen in those five years, and then what the hell I'm going to do after it's all over. Right now I am taking one step at a time- stat class, theory reading, comparative methods research, and getting to know people in our new town.

Which is a great town by the way. Dominic refuses to pass opinion until he has been here at least six months, which is fair, because it still seems almost like a vacation, and it's hard to imagine that we will be LIVING here for five years or more. However, I don't really have the same inhibitions he does, and am willing to say that I really, really like it so far. There is a certain Midwest friendliness here which is fantastic (though Dominic says this is why there are so many serial killers in the Midwest...people are too open, trusting, and friendly....interesting theory). It is very easy to talk to people, and even after meeting people once (particularly neighbors) they remember you and will comment on your last conversation. Ripley has gotten a ton of compliments ("I like your little dog!") even though she is a maniac, and embarrasses me on a daily basis. If she sees a dog, or a runner, or a biker, or even a BUS when walking she loses it, can't contain herself, and does the dog equivalent of "Holdmeback!Holdmeback!" She obviously has no idea that she weighs 8 pounds. 

I'm trying to get out of the East coast mentality and into the Midwest mindset. It's been going well in terms of road rage (I've mostly gotten rid of it) but I still haven't gotten used to how open everyone is. It is as if everyone you meet here has the potential to be a good friend. Two of our neighbors invited us to dinner tonight. They are super sweet. 

In other areas...Mr. Kitty has gained weight. Yes, I realize he was already a massive cat, weighing in at 16 pounds. I don't even want to know what he is up to now. Since he can't go outside he seems to have some pretty massive cabin fever, and he eats EVERYTHING. I cut his food back to a high protein, low calorie food, which he likes, but then he eats Ripley's food, anything that is left on the counter, chews through bread bags, and eats out of the trash. He's worse than a dog! And I know he has gained weight mostly because he wipes out ALL THE TIME when trying to jump on things. He sulks for about a minute then tries again. Any suggestions on helping kitties drop the pounds would be great.

I spend a lot of time reading...I am going to keep track this week of how many hours I spend reading per week, just out of curiosity, and so I can share here. I LOVE to read, so I don't mind it, though sometimes my eyes do cross a little. My favorite time-waster when I'm not reading: watching Supernatural. That is my show of choice right now. Dominic even had a dream about it, which is hilarious because he thinks it is way too cheesy (secretly, I think he really enjoys the bro-mance in it, and he just doesn't want to admit it). 

Now that I've started this, I realize I could go on forever, but I need to get ready for class, correct some Stat homework, and snag a late breakfast. Until next time- happy hump day!