to the nines

2009, baby!!!

2009-01-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!!!!

First, the Blazers WHOOPED Celtic arse!!!! It was unbelievable!!! Even without their star (Brandon Roy), they proved they can play with the best. What really annoyed me was the behavior of the Celtics - seriously, trash talking is one thing, but to elbow and smack another player?? What a bunch of losers! The game was, nonetheless, a great way for the Blazers to end 2008!

I'm not one to make resolutions or stick to them. As Tina Fab and I always say, just strive to keep learning. I find myself always trying to learn new things and neglecting to strengthen the skills I already have. I would love my writing to be stronger and tighter (I would like my bum to be tighter as well. HA!). I don't know if I can take on that challenge in 2009 as it will be quite a busy year, but I will take it one day, one blog post, one essay, at a time. I do think I use "but" WAY too much! Need to stop that!!!

blazers

2008-12-30T08:46:00.000-08:00

With my move to Portland, my love for NBA basketball returned. Gone are the days of Air Jordan and my girly crush on Mark Price (yeah, seriously!). Now I'm a huge fan of the Blazers (well, not enough to buy season tickets, but I do watch every game on the tele religiously!). This past spring, my beloved took me to my first live NBA game. It was fantastic!!!! Of course, they lost that game to the Celtics, but I was won over. Portland is now my town, the Blazers are MY team, and Travis Outlaw is my guy. Their record may not be comparable to the world champs, but they're a young team and they're learning. They have so much potential and it's just great to cheer them on, win or not. Tonight they're playing the Celtics again. I really REALLY hope they kick the Celtic's trash-talking arses!!!

P.S. Yes, I have retired "Mrs. Chris Martin". I felt it was too strange to be one Mrs. in writing and becoming another Mrs. in real life. Quite unfair to my beloved. Of course, I won't be changing my name legally, just socially. I don't think I look Scandinavian to pull off Swanson. ;)

rebirth

2008-12-29T14:51:00.000-08:00

Old age has claimed me…or at least my memory. I can’t recall the titles of all the books I’ve read this year. I do try to read at least 12 and I know that I have read about 20, but I can only name 17. ARGH! Anyway, for Christmas I received 2666 from Bob; it will be the first book I finish in 2009.

So I started writing my essay for nursing school. This time I started out by describing the passion that lured me to the field. While I was describing the simple nature of my voluneer work, my itch for writing was somehow renewed. I always felt that my best writing was done out of misery and thus, I would like to change that. Perhaps I will write about the mundane, but even so, I will make an effort to write.

Over dinner this past Saturday, three questions were asked.

1) What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2008?
2) What was the best thing that happened to you in 2008?
3) What would you like to see happen in 2009?

Quite simply, my answers are:
1) Nursing school rejection
2) Getting engaged to my beloved Blue
3) I would like to see many things in 2009. Specifically, I would love to be accepted into nursing school, get married, and start a family.

and another...

2008-06-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

last friday i received an email from the university - the admission decision letters were mailed out that day. this was my back-up program - my plan B. i didn't tell anyone - only spoke with the ones who were in the same boat. i didn't even tell my beloved. of course, i was a wreck - stressed out and keeping it all to myself. finally, tuesday arrived and my classmates got their letters - one got admitted, the other denied. my letter came today. flat, thin, and very telling. again, they are unfortunately unable to offer me acceptance. so now...on to plan C??

i told myself beforehand that i probably wouldn't get accepted. i mean, c'mon, it's the same admission committee, why would they accept you into one and not the other? but still, the rejection stings. i cried and cried. then i phoned tina fab and asked for words of encouragement. she made me laugh through my tears. again, i am brought back to the realization that plans don't always pan out. it's hard being the control freak that i am to not be affected. will each rejection letter sting like the first? so far it feels like it.

and so it goes

2008-05-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

the phone meeting with the admissions counselor was useless. they could not and would not tell me exactly why i was denied. however, they were able to give me their statistics and from that i have deciphered that i did not get accepted because:
1) i don't have a master's degree
2) my 3.52 GPA isn't high enough
3) there's something shady going on

okay, so maybe NOT number 3, but damn, it feels like it. i should at least be consoled by the fact that they truly thought my essay was strong (the best part of my application, i presume). but alas, it doesn't give me much comfort. i wish they HAD said, "your writing was atrocious" because my essay could then be edited and strengthen. 'cause you know, i can't exactly travel back in time and get a master's degree. oye vey!!

truly happy i bought the ipod. have been playing coldplay's new single "violet hill" on repeat. chris truly does have a beautiful voice, yes? ;) i am still saddened by coldplay's carelessness in their chosen tour dates/cities. really, boys? no portland, seattle, los angeles, OR san diego dates???? fo shame!!!!!

conformity

2008-05-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

gasp! i FINALLY bought an iPod. after years of not wanting to conform (everyone and their brother has one), i relent. perhaps it has a lot to do with my rejection letter and sudden need to shop, spend, acquire pretty things to fill the void. does it work? not sure yet. i ordered it online and paid $164 for an 8GB blue iPod nano. (low price courtesy of a target gift card from jfra coupled with my beloved's company's discount).

my phone appointment with the university's admissions counselor is today. i'm nervous. it's like being told why you weren't good enough. argh!

toad icicle*

2008-05-08T08:54:00.001-07:00

*will i show up in google for "toad icicle"? and will mine be ahead of his?

i made a phone appointment with an admissions counselor at the university. thought it might be a good idea to find out exactly why i got denied and, of course, learn how to improve my application for next year. i'm signing up for 2 classes for summer quarter. i'm actually excited about it!! this spring quarter has been dragging due to 1) anticipation of letter (which did not have a positive outcome) and 2) ennui. every afternoon i find myself wondering what i'm forgetting. i'm so used to studying or doing some sort of reading that the lack of such is causing me to lose my mind.

madonna is going on tour..but of course, no pacific nw dates!! boo to that!

results

2008-05-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Our greatest glory lies not in never falling, but in rising up every time we fall. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

what can i say? i am disappointed, sad, hurt. it's something i know i can spring back from, but at the same time, i feel as though i may have disappointed a lot of people. everyone had so much confidence in me and yet, i got a rejection. oh well...

after spending most of saturday feeling sorry for myself, i did some retail therapy on sunday. it helped me put my mind off things, but in the back of my head is still that nagging feeling..why?? why not me??

the result of a major letdown is the realization of how much you are loved and supported. i am eternally grateful to my friends and co-workers. i've received a lot of positive response from everyone - i even got chocolates to mend my wounds. ;)

i know things happen for a reason, so i'm hoping whatever is supposed to happen will be even better than what i wanted.