T - 36 hrs

Well ... I am going to start the written portion of my prelim exam on Wednesday at 9 am. At the moment I am doing anything humanly possible to not freak out ... which means I am trying really hard to stop thinking about the fact that I really didn't study ... AT ALL ... crap. I think that the really hard part will happen after the written ... when I have a week and a half to make up for how much I sucked at the written and prepare for my oral exam :(.

On a completely different note ... I went shopping today to try and find a dress for my friends wedding (which is next weekend) ... I did find something, but I am hoping that when I go shopping at home I can find something that I really really love (instead of this dress, which I just kinda sorta like). Whatever I end up wearing .. I'll make sure to post a pic later :)

updates

2009 in a nutshell

In 2009 I:

1) Traveled A LOT: NYC, Israel, Moab, Colorado Springs, Australia, CA (3 times), RMNP, Lander Wyoming.

2) Taught a climate course (3.5 weeks) at Colorado College.

3) Had two respiratory illnesses (which seem to have left me with Asthmatic symptoms :( )

4) Considered (seriously) quitting grad-school ... but decided to study the West African Monsoon instead and stuck with it.

5) Started going to geeks who drink ... which is pretty awesome.

6) Started going to counseling (group and individual) ... it has been life changing, but I am somewhat concerned I am just going back to my old ways :(

7) Cried in my advisors office 3 times ... not my proudest moments, but I think we are finally communicating.

8) Had my first paper accepted to the Journal of Climate called "Great Plains Drought in Simulations of the Twentieth Century"

9) Wrote my prospectus for the PhD program (the rest of this will happen 2010)

10) Had a TON of visitors ... Erika, Ellen, Dana and Justin, Mike and Mackenzie :)

11) Went on an EPIC backpacking trip to RMNP with Nick, Michelle and Matt B. ... and by EPIC I mean EPIC.

12) Moved.

13) Was in a car accident :(

14) Started (and then stopped) internet dating ...

15) Finally developed a fondness for Fort Collins :)

2010 ... who knows what will happen?

I have no idea what to expect from 2010. I am surprisingly not stressed about taking my written and oral exams for the PhD program over the next couple of weeks. I am surprisingly excited to be TAing a 100 level introductory climate course with Scott D. and Nick. I know that I am going to get a new faster prettier and more amazing computer at work. I am helping to plan world water day activites on campus :)

I am sad because good friends will be leaving Fort Collins (some I know about, and some I am sure will be a big surprise). I am trying to decide if I should move (again) ... maybe I'll finally find a place I actually like.

I want to start listening to music more ... and attending more shows. I want to try and take a woodworking class or a pottery class and I want to start volunteering (maybe the raptor rescue place, maybe the food bank). I want to try and see more movies at the Lyric. I also plan on trying to internet date again ... who knows maybe it will be better this time.

Overall ... I hope to be more content with my life, happier with how things are, and excited about my research and my life. I am planning a trip to Europe (which will hopefully be amazing) and I want to visit Erika in NH :)