This nation was rocked this week,
with not only one tragic shock, but two horrible events within three days of each other.
First, on Tuesday, my home state of Oregon was shocked by the shooting at the Clackamas Town Center,
a shopping mall that is now marked with three deaths.
Then, the second deadliest school shooting in America's history happened on Friday.
There are no words to express the grief, the horror felt at learning of these tragedies.
For some Oregonians, both of these events have brought back memories of the Thurston High School shooting in 1998, when Kip Kinkel murdered his parents and then proceeded to kill two students and injure 25 more.
All of these tragedies are hard to comprehend.
It is impossible to understand what drives someone to commit these acts.
All of these innocent lives lost, for no known reason.
If you happen to believe in a particular faith, you pray in any way you know how.
We donate any money we can to help the families of the victims.
We turn political, debating gun laws and arguing for better mental health care.
We hold our families a little longer, say "I love you" a little more freely.
For those of us who use the web as our platform, we can use our little corner of the Internet to help as well.
I normally avoid link ups or group posts, but this one is definitely one to join.
Thanks to Erin's sharing, Neely, Michelle, and Meg's message is being passed along.
Please read the following and do what you can to help:
To the Blog World and Anyone Else who Wants to Help,
Yesterday, tragedy struck so many of us in ways we did not foresee. An elementary school and small town in Connecticut was shattered by a mass shooting. We knew we wanted to help and we came up with this:
On Tuesday, December 18th, there will be a blogger day of silence.
We will post the button and that's it. Please try to not post anything else that day if possible.
We are also raising money that will go to an organization in the memory of this tragedy. The organization is called The Newtown Family Youth and Family Services. Here is the official description of the support service we are donating to:
"Newtown Youth and Family Services, Inc. is a licensed, non-profit, mental health clinic and youth services bureau dedicated to helping children and families achieve their highest potential. NYFS provides programs, services, activities, counseling, support groups and education throughout the Greater Newtown area.
ANY DONATIONS MADE TO NEWTOWN YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES WILL BE DONATED DIRECTLY TO THOSE EFFECTED BY THE SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOOTING."
Please visit THIS PAGE to make your donation.
We can't imagine how they must be feeling, especially this close to the holidays. We would love for you to spread the word on your own blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Let's make a difference and use blogging in a positive way. Thank you in advance for participating.
Love,
The Blog World
p.s. If you would like to, copy-paste and repost any part of this, please do. Share on.
is all over.
That's right folks.
As of 10:45, Thursday, December 6, I was officially finished with college classes!
Unofficially, I've graduated with my BA in English, emphasis on Literature.
Officially, though, I still have 6 months until I can call myself a graduate.
Confused?
Well, I am in the Honors Program at WOU.
In order to graduate, I have to complete a thesis.
Super fun, right?
And that thesis currently is stuck, awaiting a room of strangers to give my study the green light, again.
Basically, here's the rundown.
The thesis process begins in junior year.
A proposal must be submitted after a full term of workshopping ideas and writing draft after draft.
This proposal is given to the Honors Committee, a group of professors from various departments on campus.
After the committee receives the proposals, they vote. A proposal must be approved with no major flags raised by teh entire committee - if a proposal fails, the student must give a presentation addressing the committee's concerns.
Once the committee passes a proposal, the actual Honors program has nothing to do with the thesis again until it is time for publication. The student works solely with their chosen faculty advisor(s) to complete the project.
Some projects, such as mine, have an extra step thrown in.
If a project deals with any human subjects, or in my case, analyzes other people's work, it must pass the approval of the university's International Review Board (IRB).
The IRB requires its own application process, and, again, a group of strangers get to vote on whether or not my project is worthy - in other words, it will not cause any harm to any of the participants in the study.
This is the stage my thesis is stuck at. I am still finishing my IRB application, trying to complete it to my advisors' satisfaction, before I can even submit the application. I cannot begin my analysis until I have IRB approval, which means I am a couple months behind my own timeline.
Thankfully, having five months to complete the analysis and writing without silly things such as classes getting in my way should be sufficient..... I hope....
For now, it's application writing for now (IRB and full-time job apps...) while celebrating my final term GPA of a solid 3.69.
(I'll try to be a little more consistent with the posts, but seeing as how I am paying rent for 2 apartments this month, on top of Christmas costs, I can't afford internet at home and have to write while at work. Fingers crossed I get some posts scheduled for you guys this weekend!)
Hi readers!
I am alive, no worries.
Just getting through my last three weeks as a college student.....
Yeah, that last sentence terrifies me a little bit.
This kid has a two day week next week, dead week, and then finals.
Then,
hello, big scary world of reality!
So, a quick study break catch up session for everyone.
My mom is doing very well - her meds are still getting straightened out, but the re-inflation for her implants has started. All in all, she's back to work most of the time and doing good.
I applied for an apartment today! It will be the first time I have ever lived alone. Yikes. Luckily my sister's friend lives in the same complex - opposite side, but still within walking distance.
I also have started applying for full time positions. I am gonna take a year or two to work and start paying off debt before I apply to grad school, so let the job hunting begin! (Any tips?? Please??)
The best news?
This kid went and got herself a new boyfriend.
I'm gonna keep him off of here for awhile, until we're good and settled in with each other.
But our anniversary will be easy to remember: Halloween just became a favorite holiday!
I just might introduce him here at some point, but let's just say this is the best situation for me.
Well, now I have a 15-20 page seminar paper, a 10-12 page paper, and a 5 page bio lab write up to work on.
I'll be back soon!
While exploring a local bookstore with my mama today, she mentioned my aunt ordered a book I had reviewed on my blog.
My reaction immediately was "Mimi reads my blog?!?!" followed shortly by "Whoops, I haven't posted in awhile..."
So, thanks to my wonderful aunt (HI MIMI!!!!) I finally remembered to stop in and give y'all an update!
Sadly, there isn't much to report. It's midterms, so my life has been full of studying and working.
It all paid off for once - 92% on my bio midterm!
(Take THAT, adviser who doubted my science abilities)
other than that, it's just been keeping my head down and getting through. At the end of the summer I was thrown a few curve balls, and looking back (and getting permission) I have decided it's an appropriate time to share.
My family got hit with a huge blow. The last week in August, the last Tuesday as a matter of fact, I received a phone call from my mother. She had had a breast biopsy the day before, and her doctor called in her results as soon as possible.
My mom had low grade breast cancer.
This is not the first time my family has dealt with cancer. Both of my biological grandmothers and one of my step-grandmothers have fought lymphoma, as has my mom's brother. My great aunt passed away from lung cancer. My great grandfather passed away from melanoma.
Not many of you know my mom. We have definitely had our ups and downs in the past, but ever since I started college we have grown a lot closer.
My mom is incredible.
She goes above and beyond when she can for those she loves
(even when they don't deserve it.)
She is always the calm, cool, collected one in crisis,
putting on a strong front to support everyone else.
This time, we had to be strong for her.
The breast biopsy came after her regular, routine mammogram. (Ladies, who cares if it's uncomfortable. Do yourself and your loved ones a favor - get 'em checked!)
Soon after the biopsy results came back, mom's friend, an oncology doctor (and former boss), managed to get her an appointment the same week.
Surgery was the best route.
Mom, being the optimist that she is, chose a double mastectomy over a lumpectomy with radiation.
"I finally get my boob reduction!" was her explanation.
(Everyone in my family has a large chest. Mom and I were the same size - 38DD)
A few doctors appointments later, Mom had a surgery date.
September 19th was the day my mom had both breasts removed.
(She helped move my sister's large furniture the night before.)
I asked her beforehand if she was nervous. Joker that mom is, she simply replied "my boobies are."
Surgery went amazingly well. A six hour long procedure and she was sent home the very next day.
She even joked about twenty minutes after she was brought back to her room that this is the flattest she has been since she was ten years old.
She is currently doing extremely well. There is no sign of cancer anymore, and as long as she stays on her meds for five years, we can tentatively say she's cancer-free. She is getting reconstructive surgery early next year.
My mom is a breast cancer survivor.
That is one sentence I never thought I would say, but I am damn glad I get to use the word survivor.
October is conveniently Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Consider this the closest I will ever come to a PSA.
Ladies,
do self checks once a month.
get your yearly mammogram after age 40.
Pay attention to your body.
Please.
My brain is fried from studying my Bio lab for tomorrow, so tonight you get a list.
Here's what I am just not getting right now:
1. Why the hell do humanities majors have to study the science?
(Disclaimer: I love all sciences except biology. Thanks high school bio teacher for ruining cells.)
2. Why the eff is healthy food so much more expensive than crappy food?
3. My neighbors have a party every single night. How are they passing college???
4. Why can I never start a project and then actually finish it??
5. Why is American Short Story putting me to sleep, but Nigerian Lit keeping me super awake?
6. Freshman. 'nough said.
7. Relationships, why are they so freaking fracking complicated??
8. Why wasn't I born a spoiled rotten trust funder?
9. Also, why is life so expensive?
10. Why are so many bloggers more worried about their follower number than the actual content of their posts?
11. Why can't my body ever be normal? I've got Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), over-corrective eyes (they make a fake nearsightedness to correct for my left eye's farsightedness), and now I get to go to physical therapy because my kneecap is tilted and doesn't fit in the proper notch.
12. Why am I so grumpy/whiny/exhausted ALL WEEK LONG?
So, as you can see, this really isn't my most understanding week ever.
Sorry for the rant.
Maybe this weekend I'll post something happy.
So I'm almost a week late with this link up (So sorry!).
In my defense, last week was the first week of classes,
so I've been a little busy studying and all that fun stuff.
Since I never received my book from the swap,
I decided I'm gonna review not one, but two books recommended by none other than Miss Abbi.
(seriously the girl is my literary twin.)
Both are by amazing author John Green.
First up is his first novel:
image via.
Goodreads provided the following summary:
"Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps."
This book is absolutely stunning. Green draws the reader in to this little club of friends, so much that you care just as much as they all do. You can feel the adrenaline of the group pulling pranks. You can feel the teenage angst, lust, and friendship.
This book made me cry, laugh, and fall in love. One of the best novels I have read in a long, long time.
I give it 5/5 stars.
Next is Green's most recent (and extremely popular in the blog world) novel:
image via.
Goodreads's summary:
"Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind"
I actually read this first, after seeing it on several blogs, including Abbi's and Danielle's.
Do yourself a favor, reader.
Run out and buy a copy of this beautiful novel RIGHT NOW.
Or in the morning, I guess, if you can wait that long.
This novel is hauntingly gorgeous, a pure love surrounded by terrible circumstance.
Seriously, this book gave me a worse book hangover than Harry Potter, and that is definitely saying something.
It's heartbreaking, but worth every damn tear it forces you to shed.
It may also be because it came into my life when I needed it most,
but this novel instantly became a favorite.
I give it 6/5 stars.
