I was a little choked

Today after my Stats lab, I went up to ask the TA (our lab instructor) a question about the write up that is due next week. So, I go up and ask my question, and he responds with:

"Oh, so you weren't listening to me last week?"
"Yes, but..."
"But what?!"

What do you even say to that? I told him I was paying attention and he told me to take notes next time. (I took notes this time too, for his information).

He ended up helping me, but I don't understand why some profs feel like they have to make you feel like an idiot at every turn. So initiated my ode to amazing professors.

Dr Aiffa, Linear Algebra and Calculus
The thing is, I don't think I'm an idiot in psyc, yet I felt like it today. I know I was an idiot (or close to) in math. I just don't get it. Yet every time I went to Aiffa's office (and there were a LOT of times in Linear Algebra) he made me feel like I was on the right track and I left feeling happy and positive about the class. Probably my professor I have not only learned the most with, but also enjoyed the most.

Dr Plume, Astronomy
I went into this class thinking it was going to be learning star formations and the history of why stars are named what they are. What a shock I was in for. In retrospect, I think I was expecting more of an astrology class. Anyway, Dr Plume helped me every single time I went to his office (weekly probably) and never made me feel dumb. He just helped. I remember asking him a question about something, and he asked me what I didn't understand about it. "Everything!" He just laughed and helped me out. This is a very uncommon occurence in University. He showed me planetary motion with mugs. :)

So ends my list. Sad hey? How many profs have I had and those are the only ones who really stick out as being fantastic? In all fairness though, I usually don't go for help for my psych classes, so I have other favorites that could have been helpful in the office and I just never knew.

And with this entry, I am letting go of the earlier incident.

Fahrenheit

So, we did go to the sale. It was pretty good! I got a pair of pants for 40 bucks off, a skirt for 19 bucks, and another skirt for 25 bucks off. Not bad! It was a great event too; really well organized. Lauren stood in line for us, and after class I came as fast as I could from the university. I felt like I was on the Amazing Race as I came running around the corner with my backpack on. Haha. I am very lucky to have a best friend who would stand in line for hours and just let me join her at the front! <3

***

I was babysitting last night and I noticed that the daughter had a "to do" list. It was so cute. I totally remember doing that too; wanting being grown up enough to have important things to do. Now I hate to do lists. Blah. Read this, read that, write this paper, blah blah. I still want to be "grown up" and have to do lists with easier and mundane stuff like "buy groceries" or "organize closet". :)

***

My Sociology prof looooves discussions. Today we talked about 9/11. I hadn't really thought about it for a while and it was one of those where were you, how did you hear about it etc. Everyone remembered, of course, and its sad how we can talk about it like it was just yesterday. ANYWAY I heard a different perspective this time. Someone in my class was going to university in the middle east when he heard the news. He said that most people were sad, crying for the people in pain in the states and it really hit me. I didn't know really anything about the middle east prior to 9/11 and I remembering seeing horrible images, like American flag burning and people running around with machine guns; images that totally formed my opinion. Sam (in my class) said that most people were angry that terrorists would do this to the US and the media seemed to find the few happy people and kept showing them over and over again. Its crazy how the media warped my mind so much and I wonder how it has impacted me in other ways that I don't know about.

It just made me sad.

***

Thursday again!

It is Thursday! Hooray! And, a complete bonus is that I feel great today! Not sick like last week. I also had a delicious breakfast before I left for school, and I feel fantastic. Great!

Lauren and I were on the train this morning, and we were riding past the parking lot at the Stampede grounds.

"What is that huge line for?" I asked.
"Oh my Lord..." Lauren replied.

And I knew. The Lululemon sale.

My mom asked me whether I was going to it or not, and I am tempted. Really. Blow out prices? Who can afford to buy that stuff any other way? I told her that there were more than 24 000 confirmed guests on Facebook, which automatically made me definitively decide NOT to show up, but can't lie, I'm tempted. I know L is going tomorrow with her mom and sister, but maybe I can convince her to have a look tonight? Perhaps? We'll talk later. I wonder exactly what constitues a "blow out" price. Half? 75% off? Or are they like regular brand names (like TNA) that consider a huge sale 5 bucks off? I would be choked if I waited in that line and it wasn't worth it. We'll see what happens tonight though.

Also, another funny thing, that didn't happen to me, but I did enjoy the story. L can let me know if she wants me to take it down, but I won't use names, so here goes.

I/we had/have a sociology professor who is quite unique. On the first day of classes she tells her class that she loves three things.

1. Her sons
2. ? (I don't recall...)
3. Tim Horton's Blueberry Fritters

Sooooo, some keener in L's class brought in a fritter for her ("May I polish your apple, teacher?") and another student had quite a silly reply in all seriousness:

"Awwww, they only had APPLE when I was there!!"

Wow.

Anyway, happy Thursday. I'm off to talk to my prof about our term paper!

Caution, Mini-Rant Ahead!

Today I am sick, although not as sick right now as when I left the house, and am feeling generally crappy. In fact, I probably shouldn't be posting when I feel like this. Add to this the fact that it is a blizzard outside and I wish I was still home in bed and you have the formula for a fantastic day. The light at the end of the tunnel is L and my having a date later! Wahoo!

I am two days into school, and so DONE! I know I wrote in my last post that I will miss it, but I really don't think I will. I can't wait to get into the real world and have a job and get married and have babies and do all sorts of grown up things. The comment I get that I hate most of all is about the time off we get when we're going to university. "Four weeks off? Hah. Must be nice." "Oh, four months for summer? You'll have a rude awakening when you get into the real world." What these people don't take into consideration is that you need this time so that the mush inside your head that used to resemble a complex thinking organ gets time to regenerate before you start the four arduous months all over again. Plus, I live for the day that I can join the real world. I am so done with student and university life. My argument for these people is that in the real world you can more often than not leave your work at the office (or whatever, the job in general), while in school you carry it on your shoulders and in the back of your mind everywhere for the semester. Sign me up for a full time job with evenings and weekends off anytime, and send me a memo.

"The problem with university students is that they come out of school knowing too much and knowing how to do too little." A little something one of my professors said on the first day of classes on Monday. It really made me think. I think about how I am taking five years to get a degree that leads me into nothing specific (except grad school) while others can go to SAIT for two years and have a clear cut career. Sigh. Why didn't I go to technical school? Honestly, when I switched into Psyc I had the ambition of being a police officer. I still think that that would be something I would enjoy, so I'll have to keep thinking about that.

Those are my thoughts for the morning, and the past two days. I have to get to work on my term paper, as I know I won't have time to do it later in the semester.

Next stop, weekend trip!

Everyone seems able to pick a template and love it and keep it, and I just cannot. That blue was brutal and I can't look at it anymore. We will see how long this one lasts!

Lauren, Jordan, Matt, and I are off to Banff this weekend. I'm pretty excited. Very excited actually. Unfortunately though, all exciting things have to happen at once! I was asked to take care of my mom's co-worker's kids, but I have to decline. I am a little disappointed; one of them is a newborn, and I just LOVE babies. As a bonus, their other kids are super cute. Hopefully they ask again soon! I'm still way excited for our trip; even more now that I'm not dreading saying no about babysitting. I hate saying no to people.

It is just me who finds uploading pictures to blogspot incredibly tedious? My last post made me want to stay away from this thing for a while! Plus, when I finally hit "publish" and went to view it, I was very unhappy! All weirdly spaced. Blah! I went back in to try to edit, but the whole thing had turned to code, and that is just something I don't tamper with. I know basically nothing about it. I decided that next time I feel a need to dress up my post with pictures, I will:
a) Add the pictures first so I can type around them and don't have to drag them into place later!!!
b) Add less! Like one picture to capture an event? "We went to Banff!" *picture

That is the master plan.

Today was my last day of work before school! At the beginning of the week I was really excited about my classes, but now I am kinda in dread mode. One of my classes has three "mini-papers". I don't think I like the sound of that... It will be good though. Great in fact!! I know once I am out of school I will miss it, so I am going to work on enjoying it while I'm there.

Recent movies (both not to see):
~ Elizabethtown: If you like movies with basically no plot, blatantly obvious attempts to be deep and brooding, and Kirstin Dunst trying (and failing) a Southern accent, this one is for you.
~ Year of the Dog: ??? I don't even know. Molly Shannon = hilarious, right? Not in this one.

I have a new loved show. Matt and I sat down on New Year's day to chill in front of the tv, and being that it was still holiday time, found only one show. We decided to give it a chance. I loved it. I can't wait to watch it week after week.



I also can't wait for the new Survivor to start up again. Have you seen the list of all-stars? It's going to be great!

Final thought: Why can't we always just love the one we're with?

Yay!

Oh my goodness, I have so much to update about!! Lets see, first of all, Lauren's gift came and she loved it!!!! I got her All in the Family season one, one of her very favorite shows. I am so happy it is here, and even happier that she loved it. Plus, I got a page a day calender from L that I hope to use to brighten up my desk at work, and Brain Age 2 so I can freshen up my neurons and their pathways. Hooray!

I also didn't update about Christmas, did I? It was fantastic. I love the holidays. :) I finally got a Kitchenaid mixer! I have loved those things since the first foods class I took in high school in grade ten.

Matt and I exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve.

New Year's Eve was fun, although quiet like last year. We went to Matt's for a fondue which was delicious as always. We had fire works to set off at midnight. Exciting!

The last thing I have to update about is my birthday!!! Last night we went to see Juno and do our traditional late night breakfast at Humpty's. The movie was great... I loved it. Jennifer Garner is so fantastic. We got home and I got to get my present! Lauren had it set up so great- I followed clues around the neighborhood finding puzzle pieces which I had to put together to form a map to find my present! It ended up being Flames tickets (vs the SHARKS!). I am so so so excited, and I love how she puts so much effort into the gift!! It makes me feel so special. :) <3