First Week Back

Ashley showing school spirit by wearing copies of the latest edition of our school newspaper, The Current.

Left hand blue?

This picture is stunning of all three of us!  (Me, Ashley, Cassie).

Kitchen party!

Ashley and I looking adorable.

I successfully survived my first week of my last semester of college!  Whoo hoo!  My classes are mostly so-so, so far.  Hopefully I'll develop more of an affection for them as we move further along in this semester.  Unfortunately senioritis has definitely set in starting from Day 1, so I'll have to stay strong for the remainder of this school year.

Ryan will be joining our party tomorrow when he comes to move back into UVM!  I miss that boy, so that will be fantastic.

All but one of my textbooks have gotten to me in time for class, so I'm waiting patiently for things to get in order.  I have also been selling my textbooks on half.com.  Can I get a HOO-RAH for extra cash?  :D

In other news, my fish are all still alive and doing fairly well.  My plan for when my guppies, Killer and Diana Ross die, is to go to Walmart and get a new set of 5 and create a new bond with new family members.  <3

I don't have much else to report except for that I'm poor and waiting for my refund to come in from the school.  Ryan is going to help feed me over the next few weeks until I have money to go grocery shopping again.  (I love that boy.)  :)  Well will make it through!

What has your first week back to school looked like?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Today is Christmas!!!!

I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, etc. that you have had a fabulous holiday season!

My Christmas was actually quite nice this year.  I spent Christmas Eve with Ryan and his family.  We knitted, watched movies, had a HUGE meal comprising salmon, steak, and assorted veggies, and went to church to carol and remember what Christmas is really about.  Now, I'm not a devoted Christian.  I was baptized Catholic as a child, however once my mother and I moved to Lyndonville we stopped attending church and that part of my life sort of closed.  I'm a cautious Christian now I suppose.  I am picky and choosy about what parts of Christianity I believe in, so I don't feel comfortable calling myself a true Christian.  I believe that there is some higher power, and that perhaps there is a sort of destiny for everyone.  However, I don't consider this as an excuse to lay back and do nothing with my life.  I am still the highly motivated individual I have always been, and always hope to be.

Anyways, moving along.  This year my family and I decided to open presents Christmas Eve as we had extended family coming on Christmas day, and it would have probably been a little awkward for them to watch our family hold our Christmas.  I believe in a small family Christmas-immediate family and a few close friends whom everyone knows intimately.  I feel awkward crashing someone else's Christmas when they are opening presents, and I don't like being put on display for others outside my immediate family and inner circle of friends and having to show and tell each of the gifts I receive.  It just feels weird to me.  So, we had our own intimate family Christmas and then hosted a few family members today, Christmas Day.  It worked out quite nicely!

Here is a list of some of the awesome gifts I received this year from my family (this isn't to brag-I'm just excited about what I've been lucky enough to receive!):

• My own personal Susan (a name Ryan and I have given the voice of the GPS put out by the "For Dummies" company)
• A car radio with a CD player, conversion kit, and CD holder for the car!  Space (my car) came without a CD player-just the radio.  This way I can make my own mixes again and listen to my own music whenever I want!  I just need the money to get to a garage to have a mechanic install everything for me.  :D
• A Tazo Tea kit with 2 tea mugs, Zen tea, and Calm tea (all of which I love).
• Clothing from Lane Bryant!  
• FUZZY SOCKS!  (My fave).
• Earrings from Lane Bryant.
• A necklace and earring set from JCPenny's (I believe).
• Candy dots.
• Hershey's kisses (already eaten).
• A few purses (that I think I am still trying to decide whether I like).
• Twin XL Sheet Set
• A flower-shaped cutting board, lady bug hot plate, and a strainer serving spoon (which is awesome!)
• Bath and Body Works Enchanted Life body spray, body lotion, and body wash.
• Bath and Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom Body Butter (I have used this every day since my sophomore year of high school and I looooove it!)
• 2 little Peppermint and Cotton Candy hand sanitizers from Bath and Body Works.
• Gift cards to the Mobil station and Price Chopper (Yay for gas to get back to Burlington and money to buy enough food to hopefully feed me until my refund check comes in!)
• Dermalogica Wash off, Bedtime for Breakouts, and Ready, Set, Scrub! products (which I also love.  I have tried them for the first time this past semester and they seem to work really well with my skin!  Hooray for gentle ingredients that don't actually do more damage to your skin than good!)

And from Ryan:

• A new pot to cook with since the Teflon was coming off from an old pot I had which necessitated my throwing it away.
• An amazing book he created full of memories between the two of us.  :)  <3

And from Ashley:

• A pair of earrings from Forever 21.
• A small clutch purse (which I love).  
• Yarn to aid me in my knitting endeavors!

Thank you to those of you who have exchanged gifts with me.  I love you all.  <3  Please go into the New Year safely, warmly, and heartily.  Drink and be merry-but also please be safe about it.

Safe and happy expeditions to you all!

xoxox

<3 Megan 

Its Been A Really Long Time...

Hello, everyone!

I haven't really posted more than one or two blog posts this past semester.  The truth is, I haven't really had much to say!  I've been too busy actually enjoying my life and having a great time of it to actually sit down and take the time to share.  So, here is an overview of important things that have happened this semester:

• Straight As!  Whoo hoo!!!
• Internship at The Arbors has been going well!  I'll be ready when I get back for next semester to pick up the pace a little and continue making my time there as awesome as possible.
• Making leaps and bounds through the Netflix queue.  Since Netflix split up its plan with the price increases, I've been subscribed online to the stream online plan.  Once I watch everything I can get through instant streaming, I'll switch to the physical disc mailing plan.  My most recent love has been How I Met Your Mother.  Words cannot describe...
• Grocery shopping and paying bills worked out awesome with my refund from the school up until the last 3 weeks.  I'll need to rethink that for next time.. Haha!
• Ryan and I are still going strong!  We sailed through our 5, 6, 7, and 8 month anniversaries.  April 5th of 2012 will mark our 1 year as an official couple!  YEEAHHHH!!!
• I bought fish!  I started off the summer with 5 guppies.  One died from the stress of the transfer from the store to my tank.  Then there were 4: Cappie (the only one with visible distinguishable marks), and "The Supremes" (the other 3 look-alikes).  Unfortunately now we're down to only two of the Supremes left (whom I have now dubbed Killer and Donna).  **Note, all my guppies were males--however, you have to admit that Cappie and The Supremes is kind of catchy...**  AND the newest addition to the family is a beta named Emmett.  He has his own tank and his own life, and I think that makes him happy.
• Space (my car) has thrived and deteriorated and thrived again!  We're hanging in the balance at around 160,000 miles.  We have winter tires but no snow....and we have oil and antifreeze that remains within the inner workings of the vehicle.  Win for all involved.
• Excellent drunken house parties have occurred: the very realistic Prohibition 1920s Speakeasy (where many of the attendees were underage [of course, this is college] so we all hid in the basement to manage the noise levels-good times), the famous Mustache party (yep-you guessed it. Mustache mandatory for attendance), ALL of Halloween weekend (3 parties in 2 days-not bad!), the quietish Christmas party between close Burlington-bound people in my life, and of course the other various nights that involved going to bars or staying in and mixing fun drinks by ourselves!
• Very few stressful nights worrying about homework and how I'm going to manage all of my classwork plus life in general.  4 classes per semester is PERFECT!  I'm so glad I put in all my hard times my Freshman/Sophomore years.  Senior year is a breeze so far, and I'm loving every second of it!  Sure there have been a few downs or hiccups in the general flow of things, but speaking overall, this has really been my best semester at Champlain so far.
• Oh, and I totally taught myself how to knit over Thanksgiving break via YouTube videos.  Oh yeah.  New life skills FOR THE WIN!

I'm so happy that this year has been going so well.  I can't imagine what this year would have been like with a schedule like my Spring semester of Sophomore year.  (That was when I broke up with Luke, was managing a 12 hr/wk unpaid internship, working as a Peer Advisor for as many hours/wk as was necessary, as well as working ~10hrs/wk for my mandatory work-study hours so I could have a paycheck).  I really wasn't sure I was going to make it that semester.  BUT-I did, and I'm stronger for it.  

I'm proud of myself for all I have accomplished so far.  I work damn hard and I deserve a lot of respect for all I do.  What is next on my list is to start applying for grad schools:  Boston University, Springfield College, University of Vermont, University of New Hampshire.  I'm working on getting all of my required application materials together over this break, and sending them out quite soon once I return to Burlington/Winooski.  

Lastly: I have been a busy beaver over break.  I got home on Friday evening, and it is now Tuesday.  In this time, my mother and I have switched bedrooms.  I'm enjoying being home SO much more.  I don't feel so depressed and aimless as I thought I would.  A big project like this is just what I needed to keep myself busy and motivated.  I seriously got rid of about 5 bags of garbage, and donated another 5 or so to the Salvation Army.  The reason for this is that my old room was about 1/2 the size of the basement (about 1/4 of the entire house).  I moved from this big room to my moms normal-sized bedroom that actually has windows!  She moved into the bigger room.  Therefore, I needed to really focus on getting rid of a lot of my old stuff so that it would all fit into this new, smaller, more manageable room.  I cleaned out everything: stuff from past boyfriends that have been sitting or buried in my room, things I haven't touched or worried about in years, stuff I thought I would definitely need/use but never got around to, and even some stuff I had been emotionally attached to.  However, it was time to let it all go, to let it be free.  While I may still have another bag or two of trash to take out, I feel great!  Cleansed.  Like I'm getting rid of everything so that whatever comes after Champlain will have room to take hold and lead me to where I'm supposed to be-without leaving too much behind.  So far both my mother and I seem happy with the trade.

Well, this wraps everything up rather nicely from the past 4 months of my life.  I feel like I need to find a new purpose for blogging again.  I wish I could be as dedicated as other folks in writing a fabulous blog-stuff other people actually care about instead of something that looks like a journal of my life.  I will gladly accept any and all blogging ideas and suggestions below.  Tell me what you'd most want to hear/learn about!  If it is something that lines up well with my interests or knowledge and expertise, I will try to move the blog in that direction--and work on posting more frequently.  :)

Auf Wiedersehen!

It's Been A While

Hello, everyone!

So, with my laptop finally back in my possession, life is good again.  As of Friday I will be totally ALL caught up on my homework, and I'll be in a good place.

Speaking of Friday, our beloved Eden is coming from 4 hours away at PSU to stay here in Burlington with Ryan and I for the weekend!  This is the first time she'll have been able to see the UVM/Champlain campuses (campii?) from the Meg Ryan point of view.  It is going to be spectacular.  :)

In other news, I've been very gluttonous the past few days.  It sucks.  I need to kick it up a notch.  I was treated by Res Life to an amazing dinner at the Olive Garden last night, and I ate soooo much.  And Ryan got me a bag of Lindor Milk Chocolate truffles....which are mostly gone.  So...needless to say...I should maybe do some crunches tonight?!  I need to lose this weight!!! Even if I have to find a way to shake and shimmy every night for an hour or so!

Another factoid of my life: I may or may not be able to get a car over Spring Break.  So, here's the deal.  My 21st birthday falls on Spring Break from college.  This year (along with receiving the legal right to drink alcohol,) my mother was planning to get me my first car EVER!!!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!  BUT-this is all dependant on when she gets her Federal Tax Refund back.  She sent her forms out about 2 weeks ago, and they JUST got there the day before last.  Um...what?  Post office fail or federal government fail?  Maybe both.  They're the same thing, really. 

Soooo...here's my deal.  I thought I would finally have the chance to feel like I'm on equal footing (or tires?) with everyone else my age.  I've been driving my mothers car since I was 15.  It's really hard to hear other kids saying "Oh, let's just take my car" as if it's no big deal for 6 years.  It gets old after a while.  It shouldn't be such a touchy subject, but for those who don't have something that everyone else takes for granted...it's frustrating. 

Having a car is something that Vermont kids (especially) place a lot of value on.  Having your first car means you can finally have freedom.  Because it takes at LEAST a 15 minute drive to get anywhere worthwhile in VT, if you don't have a car, you're pretty much stuck.  I'm so sick of having to depend on other people's schedules and moods to determine whether or not I get to go somewhere.  I've dealt with it for 21 years of my life, the past 6 of which have felt extremely long.  I want to be a normal person with a car!  I would like to not have to depend on stupid bus schedules or mooch off friends for rides to the grocery store!  I would like to not have to barter with my mother during my breaks from school about if she has to work tomorrow, and if I can borrow her car. 

Long story short...this has been a long time coming.  I feel like a donkey with a carrot being dangled in my face.  The federal government better get their $H!T together and hurry up with my mother's refund so I can stop feeling like an inadequate college student.  Please and thank you.

(One vehicle my mom told me about was for sale in W. Rutland or somesuchplace.  It's a black Saturn Vue.  My mom currently has a blue one, but black works for me too!  We're looking into getting a standard because I have so much fun driving a stick shift.  Here's what one will potentially look like:)

Cute, right?  :)

I'm going to do my best to be patient.  I mean, even if I don't get the vehicle (which I really hope I do...otherwise some other plans of mine might be a little screwed...) I can still do this:

FYI...my mother has plans to get me drunk.  It's been a plan in motion since I was 9.  :)

SO-I hope this catches you up to where I'm at in life.  I have missed Blogger!  It feels good to write this out of my system.  <3

Until next time...
May the road rise to meet you (but not too quickly...)
XOXO
-Megan

The Power of Resistance

The Power of Resistance

Netflix Queue

Hello, Blogosphere!

Today I'm here to chat with you all about Netflix, and what my queue currently looks like. 

Back in October, I finally decided that I was sick of trying to (illegally) stream videos and things to watch when I got bored (and deal with the stress of wondering if I had infected my computer with a virus in the process,) so I decided to give Netflix a try after noticing that it really wasn't a scam, and that many of my college counterparts are also signed up.

Long story short, I LOVED it.  I quickly went through and found literally hundreds of titles that I've wanted to see but haven't had the chance, as well as oldies but goodies.  Unfortunately, my excitement was capped when I reached the 500 title limit for the queue.  Hahahaha.  Awesome.

Since then, I've been working hard to bring down the queue to a more manageable level, which is sometimes really rather difficult considering some of the other stuff I have on my list (separate from the queue) consists of about 40 television shows I've wanted to see or have heard pretty good things about, but never had time/was able to sit down and watch them as they were aired on television. 

Now-I'm making up for lost time.  At 500 movies and 40 television shows (not counting the many seasons some of them have,) I definitely have my work cut out for me.

Now, what's taking so long?  Well, when I signed up for Netflix I told Ryan we would be able to watch a lot of these movies together, and when we were both satisfied, we could delete the title from the queue.  That turned out to be a much more difficult process than originally intended.  Our schedules are both very hectic, so it's becoming a 'Megan-watches-a-movie-and-rates-it-and-when-Ryan-watches-it-he-can-delete-it-from-the-Queue' sort of process.  Currently, I'm at about 450-something movies in the physical queue (the ones that physically get sent to your mailbox,) and about 48 titles in the Instant Watch queue.

In short-we're working on it.  :)  There's a LOT of really great media out there, and I'm proud to be supporting Netflix with my business.  They have an amazing company, and I think I'll be registered with them until the day I die (or run out of movies and television shows to watch.) 

XXOO

-Megan

Past. Present. Future.

Ever think about how intertwined the past, present, and future are? 

It really is a weave.  All three parts are required to make a tight, and warm tapestry.  Without even one thread, one tiny seemingly insignificant event, the entire weave can be compromised.  I suppose that means you have to believe you are in the right place at the right time.  Fate knows what you need to do for the greater good.  Believe that you are exactly where you need to be.

Now, for personal implications of PPF: for my mom's Christmas present this year, we took a little blast from the past.  Meanwhile, I was/am/have become slightly miffed about my rightnow present (stuck at home and not working,) and really excited for my soon-to-be present (moving into the Q in just a few days.)  Additionally, I'm wicked stressed about what is happening this summer, mostly because my plans are still way up in the air.  AHHHH!!!

  

Here's the deal with summer:

Angela offered me a full-time job at Career Services this summer.  AWESOME!  That means I know I will be getting 32-40 hrs/wk, unlike Kinney's which will give me only 15-maybe.  If I'm lucky.  I'm excited about trying to take this on.  1) Because it's my first full-time job ever.  2) Because that means I'll get to stay in/around Burlington for the summer.

Which brings me to part 2 of this little scenario.  I need a place to live for the summer.  After chatting back and forth with Angela, we've decided that maybe there could be a need for Summer RAs (meaning even MORE hours/wk plus potentially free room!)  Alternatively, if I'm working full-time at the college, I can rent a room from Spinner.  Click here for info.  Last year's rates went for about $320/month, which I know I'll be able to manage if I'm working FT @ Career Services.

I'd love to be a Summer RA if it means I get more money and I get free room.  Also, it'll give me even more experience on my resume.  BUT-even if I'm stuck at Spinner, I'm excited for that too.  Here's why.

This will be my first time living on my own-ish ever, with a full-time job.  This is exactly what I'm looking forward to post-college.  I really love the idea of this because it's another tiny step in me learning how to do things on my own.  I'm like a baby bird inching toward the edge of the nest to learn how to fly for the first time.  This will give me a chance to test my wings and see how I do. 

Also, this will be the first summer that I'll have my own car.  (It's coming in March!)  This will make it possible for me to live somewhere other than right at home in Lyndonville.  Not that I don't love my family!  But, I think it's time.  Because I'll be working full-time right at the college, I'll be able to get the reduced rate of $320/month living in a room at Spinner, and I'll figure out what it's like to live on my own, buy my own groceries, handle my bills on my own, pre-pay my mom again for phone bills and such, and see how I handle 40 hrs/wk!  It's another small step in me learning to do it all on my own before I'm just thrust out into the big bad world by myself. 

This is clearly a much better choice than only being allowed 15 hrs/wk at Kinney's. 

But-nothing is set in stone yet.  I'm really hoping and pushing for Burlington and working full-time for Angela, but just like having to believe you're in the right place at the right time, you have to believe that things will work out in the end.  That means learning not to worry so much (a laughable task for me, but I'm trying) and learning to let go.

Let the river of life take you where it shall.

  

1/2 Done Finals

Today, I only have 1 final.  From 3:30-5:30.  Tomorrow, my last 2.  It's almost over!

Ryan left me today and is heading home to spend time with his family.  Which is nice.  He deserves some home time, for sure.  I, on the other hand am still in Burlington until 3 tomorrow.  And then...the long winter break begins.  You know that feeling you get when you're watching the first Lord of the Rings movie, just after everyone gets into the Mines of Moria, and Gandalf speaks?

"Now we have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard! There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world. It is a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence may go unnoticed."

Yes, that is the feeling I'm experiencing right now.  Winters in Vermont are definitely equal to the "long dark of Moria."  And winter breaks are equitable to hoping you'll get through it relatively unscathed.  I love Burlington, and I love some home time.  I love sleeping in my own bed, and catching up with family for a few weeks.  After those few weeks though, I feel stuck in a place that isn't where I feel I should be at this point in my life.  It's so uncomfortable to be in a town for longer than a week or two where hardly anyone else is your own age.  People move to L-ville to raise kids, or to retire.  There aren't flocks of twenty-something-year-olds bookin' it to L-ville to party, rage, and network. 

 

Fortunately, due to the most excellent choice by the Res Life staff here at Champlain, I have been selected to be an RA at Quarry Hill next semester. 

   

Which means I have to be back in B-town on Jan. 3rd.  Un-fortunately, this means I have to let Emily at Kinney's down again.  She was planning on having me work this winter break.  But now, I've only got a week and a half to offer my time to her.  Also during which time, I have both a dentist and an orthodontist appt where I get to drop about $350 for a new set of retainers.  Whoot.  (That was sarcasm, folks.)

 

Oy, well at least I have a job somewhere, right?! 

I'll do my best to post again when I can.  Right now I need to do last minute touch-ups on this presentation I have to give in my last final.

Wish me luck!

Aloha,
XXOO Megan <3 <3

Looking Down: I See Boobs!

Soooo....some of you may be baffled at the title.  Understandably so.

Here's what I mean.

When I came to college, I was overweight enough where when I looked down the front of my body, I saw boobs and then a few inches of protruding tummy beyond that.  Now when I look down...I just see boobs!!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!  This means I've probably lost some inches on my tummy area, but I'll be able to validate that more when I'm able to find some quiet time to strip down and take my measurements.  (It's really rather difficult in college with people around all the time.)  I'm not knocking it though, all summer I craved more interaction with people my own age.  Well, now I've got it.

I'm very excited for weigh-in on Sunday.  Also, I've gone in to reset my WW points.  I had been allotted 32 points per day, but now that I've indicated that I'm walking most of the time, I'm allowed 37 points per day.  No WONDER I've been starving at the end of the day.  I'm doing some serious calorie burning by walking everywhere (especially to Ryan's dorm room-which is 5 stories up-and elevators are not an option.)

To add on the subject of my diminishing belly bulge, I feel like I can account to the other reason I've lost some of it.  First, there's the exercise portion which obviously helps, regardless.  But then there's the food choices.  Case in point:  I looooooove warm bagels with cream cheese.  They taste so good, and it's essentially a comfort food.  However, bread expands in your stomach-therefore creating extra pudge and bloat during the day.  I've been really careful about choosing lots of fruits in the morning for breakfast (I need to start working more protein in in my breakfasts as well-but I'm working on that,) and having at LEAST 1 salad a day with either lunch or dinner.  I like to try to have a bigger lunch because then your body has the entire rest of the day to digest that.  Dinner should be something simple yet effective.  Half a plate of veggies or fruits, 1/4 plate of protein/fiber, 1/4 plate of whole grains. 

I'm having a bit of a battle with the "whole grains" thing.  The prepared meals I've been getting are more geared either towards straight up carbs (lunch), or lots of veggies/healthy stuff that'll digest within the next hour or so (dinner-usually.)  Maybe I should work on making deli choices for lunch instead, and then asking for whole grain bread.  That may help.  :)  Plus any cold cut means will be protein.  Hmmm...excellent.

Also-on a side note.  I splurged last night.  It's been around 90 degress EVERDAY of college so far.  It's sooooooo hot.  Vermont is NOT supposed to be 90 degress.  Ever.  Okay, maybe one or two days out of August, but not for weeks at a time.  It was in the 70s and 80s before I left for college back in Lyndonville, and now that I'm back in Burlington where the weather is naturally about 5 degress warmer than home anyway, the temp decides it needs to skyrocket.  Because of this, I had a chocolate creemee for desert yesterday with Hershey's chocolate sauce.  I don't regret it.  :)

Anywho, I've got to wrap up this post for now because I have class in a half hour and I'd like some time to center myself before going up to campus for 3 classes.  To everyone out there-good luck with your weight loss plan or with your making healthier lifestyle choices plan!  I'm always here...going through the same process with you.

Chin up, kids!

<3 Megan <3

Back To B-Town; Staying the Same

Helloooo everyone!

So much has changed since the last time I posted.  Whoa.  Well, to start, I'm back in Burlington, I've managed to stay the same weight-wise from last week after going over by 31 points on Weight Watchers (no idea how I managed that,) and I'm also currently single.

Life feels good right now.  I'm in my own little happy place, I'm back with my "other" family, and my dorm is still here.  I missed it soooooooo much so it feels fabulous to get my bed back and to be back in my own suite.  Ahhhh....what fun!

Another little awesome tidbit for this year is that Ryan and I are sharing our dorms 50/50.  I've got half my clothes up in his single, and he has some of his clothes down hanging in my closet.  It's going to be lovely.  :D  I can't wait for this year to get rolling.  It's going to be wonderful.  I can't believe I start my whole new schedule tomorrow and have to start getting back into the swing of things.  Everything is slowly falling back into place, and it's really quite wonderful.  <3

I failed last week on reporting my measurements, but I intend to fix that and keep up with it.  Unless maybe it's better for me to record once a month?  Because I've spent the whole day moving in and around Burlington, I'm a little tired to go get up and measure all body parts right now.  If I find some free time tomorrow I will do my best to get on that for you all.  Thank you for bearing with me and being patient.

For now, I'm signing off.  It's been a very long day and I need some beauty sleep for tomorrow.

Much love!
-Megan

I'm a Junior

Well, all my exams are complete.  I have a 6.5 hr workshift tomorrow at Career Services, and I am done my sophomore year of college.  I had my 2 COR exams on Tuesday, and my Methods exam on Wednesday.  I didn't have a final exam slot for my internship or the seminar that accompanied the internship.  For this, I had my final site visit from my field liason to my internship placement, and we just kind of did a wrap up of how things went, what I got out of it (which was difficult for me) and how we think it worked overall.  It was nice!

I have my last full day in Burlington tomorrow, but most of it will be spent working.  Unfortunately, that is all the glory that is WORK-STUDY!!!!  You are required to make up your specified number of hours per week, so this is how I plan to do it.
Ryan has decided that he is not letting me go home on Saturday.  I agree with him.  I think my mom and gram may have something else to say about that though.  :(  I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME FOR THE SUMMER!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!  However, going through all of this will make next semester sooooo kick-a$$. 

Move in day for Ryan and I is going to be FABULOUS!!!!!  We're each going to have designated drawers for one another at each other's dorms, and basically we're spending every single day together.  <3  I like that boy!

:)

Anywho, just thought I'd post.  I'll probably come up with a more sentimental post tomorrow or Saturday once I'm *gulp* home....  :'(

I LOVE YOU, BURLINGTON!!! I PROMISE I'LL ALWAYS COME BACK TO YOU!!!!!

Much love and despair,

<3 Megan <3

Post #71

Hello, everyone!

This is my 71st blog post!  Wow, time flies, huh?   Well, in case you were interested, here is what's been up with me lately:

1) I am sunburnt.  I was a lobster 2 days ago.  Now it just stings a little.  It's healing, but I wish the annoying burnt-stinging sensation would stop.  It is almost over, but I'm waiting for the comfortable tan stage to get here.

2) I am relaxed!!!!  These past 2 days have been amazing with having nothing to do or worry about.  I have my 2 COR exams tomorrow (one is a movie, one is a 4 min oral presentation,) and my last exam Wednesday.  SOOOO ready to be done COR this semester. OMG!!!

3) I am excited!  Thursday we're all going B-town clubbing for the last time until the fall.  Kind of depressing, but that means when we all come back together it is going to mean yet another fabulous trip back downtown.  Haha!

4) I am proud (of myself, and of everyone else.)  I'm proud of myself for sneaking around Ryan the past few days.  I suprised him by coming to the Red Eye Festival performance last night-FLOWERS INCLUDED!!!  As a substitute for a vase, we are using my birthday Rainforest Cafe cup.  :)

I'm proud of everyone else for finishing up their semester in such an awesome way.  Ashley is still struggling a little bit, but she's almost there too.

5) I am nervous.  Mostly about going home for the semester and leaving everyone.  I may have to hire 3 people to follow me around all day back in Lyndonville because I'm so used to not being an "only child" anymore.  I have rarely had...wait, scratch that.  I haven't had a day entirely to myself this entire semester.  I've always had someone with me at some point during the day.  This is good in a way, but also mind-blowing to me--the person who usually needs time alone (much like Ashley.) 

This semester has been good experience-wise, but I think next semester will be fabulous.  I get to live in a castle for at least 2 nights out of the week with Ryan, and really just enjoy myself.  Granted, I will be taking 6 classes which will probably suck, but at least there won't be 3 jobs involved.  Just one, maybe 2 if need be.

:)

Life is good!!

<3 Megan <3

It's All Coasting From Here on Out

So, I realized that I never did post about my EHS Honors Dinner.  Other than almost getting run over after the event (Nadia'd-for those of you who watch LOST,) it was really uneventful.  We sat down at our dinner tables with some water and/or lemonade:

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...

After everyone had gone through the buffet line, we had our nice meal.  After the meal, the award-presenting commenced.  I was more toward the end of the program, but it was still very nice.  Ann (Fred's wife) walked me up by holding my hand, and presented me to the audience:

Ann and Fred are both my professors for the Social Work Program, so it was really fabulous to have everyone there!  Also, the lady in the blue shirt in that last picture is Tawnya, she is another SWK faculty member who will essentially be taking Fred's place when he retires in another year.  Nobody can truly replace Fred, but Tawnya is going to do her best!

________________________________

On to other activities, TODAY IS MY LAST DAY OF CLASS!!!!  YESTERDAY WAS MY LAST DAY OF COR!!!!!!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!  Yes, I am very pumped.  This has been a long time coming.  Yesterday was ALSO the last day of my internship for the semester, so things are FINALLY wrapping up.

I just want to say that I couldn't have done this without the unwavering support of Ryan, Ashley, Velvet, and my family.  You guys truly are the best there is, and I want to thank you all for putting up with my stressful, crazy antics whenever things went to crap for me this semester.  If I had like, $500 to give each of you, I'd toes do that.  :) 

(But I don't, so forget it.)  Haha <3

In terms of stress relief....yeah, well, here, let me show you.

Mmmm hmmm.  That's what we do with our life. 

So, all in all, I think I can breathe again.  I'm scared to go home this summer and to see what is going to happen when I have nobody to hang out with.  I don't want to spend my entire summer at work and/or locked away in my room.  I want to get outside, go be active, and do something with my life.  I want to explore some nautre trails, but unfortunately you need someone with you when you go do that.  Sooo...I don't know. 

I do plan on trying to organize a big party at Willoughby by picking a day in mid-July or so, and seeing if we can just get a MASS of people to show up on the same day just to hang out, and enjoy the gorgeous weather.  I'm really looking forward to that, so hopefully that will happen!

I'm also nervous about when I go home that I will have nothing to write about the entire summer other than posts like, "My life sucks.  I work.  I eat.  I sleep.  The end."  I want to write some witty, funny things that keep you all entertained!  Other than Ryan creating a summer reading list and a lesson plan for me to follow this summer, I'm really afraid of just wasting away with nothing to do.  I love hanging out with my family, but after so many days of work to family to work to family, you kind of need something else.  (No offense to all of you at home! I love you, but I need people my own age, too.)  :) <3 

My CCV course will help keep me occupied with some stuff though, so that's good.  I wish I could find more nature spots to go and just sit and get away from the computer without being eaten alive by mosquitos, or being afraid of getting myself lost by going too deeply into the woods.  I'm thinking of maybe spending some time at N. beach out at Willoughby, but we'll see.  I think I'm going to be stuck with paying for gas money to get to classes and back this summer as well, so I need to be aware of what my travel habits are like.

Another topic I'm thinking about lately is boys.  I feel as though I'm ready to move on.  Now that Luke and I have had some space from one another, I don't see myself as a "part" of him anymore.  He is his own person and I am too, and I realize that I don't feel bound to him any longer.  It's really fabulous, really.  I don't mean that in the sense that I am bashing him in any way, but I'm realizing that I think I've been ready to move on probably for about a year now, so I'm glad it has finally happened.  I feel like a much stronger person.  I don't feel guilty about going out with my friends at night when I "should" be home on the computer talking to him.  I actually want to go out and be active with people now.  If you had talked to me about a year ago, I would probably have turned down plans to go out simply because I would miss a night talking to my boyfriend.  Yeah, kind of shitty right?  Well, I have moved on and I want to start looking again.

I realized that I often have trouble just getting to meet people.  So I was thinking of making a profile through Seven Days and posting to see if anybody may be interested.  Seven Days is a very public/weekly publication for the Burlington area, so if I find that I haven't had luck flirting this summer, perhaps I will post something for next semester.  I really do like being single, but I also miss the intimate part of being in a relationship.  And by that I don't mean just missing sex, but I just miss being held.  I miss feeling safe and warm and loved in someone's arms.  I mean, I can certainly live without that if I have to, but I would prefer not to.  Basically, Megan is on the prowl again.  If you or someone you know is interested in dating her, please tell her or forward her their contact information!  I feel as though I may have some free time to pencil them in this summer. ;)  Hahahaha. <3

Until next time!

<3 Megan <3

Jeanne Mance

Hello, everyone!


This evening, the Adventures of Meg Ryan continue.  We're both at Jeanne Mance for the night, and tomorrow morning....something spectacular happens.  My grandmother (or mom?) is coming to pick us both up to spend a night back in the homey (hahaha) of Lyndon, and Ryan and I get to have some epic adventures all day Saturday.

Of course, this means that we won't be here to celebrate this fantastic weekend with Ashley and Velvet, but we're going to try to be back by 2 on Sunday in order to still have some time to all relax together.  Can't wait!!!

I'll try to keep you posted as more exciting things happen tomorrow.

Much love!
Megan

First Monday Off

Hello, everyone!  So, today was my first Monday off.  It began (and still continues) with me feeling like something isn't quite right.  I feel like I'm forgetting to do something...and if I don't figure it out....it's not going to end well.  However, I got through it.  Tomorrow I'll probably realize what I missed, and then I will be in deep doo-doo.

But for now, I'll share with you what I did today.  This morning I woke up at 11, and took a shower.  Mmm, exciting, right?  (Yeah, I didn't think so either.)  I waited for Velvet to wake up so that we could go to the gym.  (That never actually happened, but stick with me for a moment while I continue to write about my day.)  Around 12:30, we were both finally up and decent enough to go get lunch.  Mmmmmmm...Mac n' cheese (that actually needed a lot of work), and a grilled cheese sandwich. 

After consuming sustinance, Velvet and I go to her dorm to grab her gym clothes.  At 1:40 we go to meet Ryan out of his Spanish class.  Mmmm....Ryan.  We hang out in his room for a while at UVM and then guess who shows up?  Thats right!  Josef! AHHH!!! Actually, no, I love Joe.  We chat and make small talk for about 10-15 mins, and then its time for Ryan to go to his Theatre lab.  Mmmm painting!  This worked out fine because it meant that we were finally able to go to the gym (after stopping by the library to do some printing, that is.) 

Lab fail.  Gym fail.  On the way back to Champlain, I get a text from Ryan.  Basically, his class all showed up, and the teacher showed up and cancelled the lab.  "Well, fine!"  This sparked an idea in my head. 

"Hey, Velvet.  Instead of going to the gym, want to do a walk around Burlington with Ryan?  His lab is cancelled."  Mmmm...Velvet.  The answer was toes, and so after doing a few errands, we both stopped by 308 and dropped off gym clothes and decided to wait for Ryan.  Eventually, this trip progressed.

Instead of spending 2 hours at the gym as originally planned, we spent 2-3 hours walking around Burlington.  Specifically we spent time at the waterfront, and took a bunch of random pictures all together.  Awwwww!!!!

Yes, today was amazing.  Oh! And for your amusement...here are some b-day pictures that were FINALLY rescued from my camera.  Enjoy!

Love,

Megan