EatCookBakeCoffee...Heal the Sick

I’m back in school

KMGraves — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:39:24 +0000

and surprisingly not as frazzled as last semester. I keep telling folks and myself that 80% of the battle is learning the teaching and testing style of your professor. It’s true. You’ve got to know what to listen to in lecture in order to know how to govern your study time. So far it’s working for me. I’m anticipating my first exam of the semester on Feb. 1st and feel confident that the studying I’ve done thus far is paying off. I’m answering questions in class, producing in lab, and all this is making me feel like I can actually succeed.

I’m glad to not feel inadequate and stupid and crazy for going after this dream of mine.

Here’s to hoping the feeling is mutual and lasts for a long time.

KMGraves — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:21:44 +0000

Via Society6 thanks to Joanna G over at cup of joe.

This is NOT a New Year’s Resolution…

KMGraves — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:36:57 +0000

Just some personal goals for 2012 that I want to document. How’s that for reverse psychology?

Electronic-wise I would like to purchase:
~ iPad 2 in white
~ Macbook Air in white
~ Digital Camera

Personal-wise I would like to purchase:
~ Dog

I would like to do more:
~ Journaling: On this here blog and on paper

Things I must complete in 2012:
~ Create a plan to pay down remaining debt. I still need to finalize the numbers so that I can come up with an actual figure.
~ Train and run the St. Patrick’s Day 5k
~ Save all or at least 1/2 of my income and live off of G’s only. Assess every six months.
~ Establish and follow a study schedule, work hours
~ Search and apply for scholarships and grants for PA school
~ Figure out this tithing issue. Do I or don’t I?
~ Give an offering every week. Period.

Wednesday Letters

KMGraves — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:13:15 +0000

Dear Body: I’ve decided that we shall begin to get in to shape earlier than scheduled. No worry, tonight is the last night I shall feed you cheesy, creamy, fatty pasta at 1030pm.

Love Always,
Yourself

Dear Lady at Littmans Jewelers: You effing suck! The balance on my gift card was not zero!

Sincerely,
Your Squirrel-y side

Dear Sweet Little Abode: I promise I will clean you soon. The plan is to enter the New Year with you looking amazing!.

Promise.

I find these Humerus… :)

KMGraves — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:19:52 +0000

Click to view slideshow.

Okay. Couch-to-5k!

KMGraves — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:16:01 +0000

This year instead of going through the drama of creating and failing to carry through with a New Year’s Resoution, I’ve decided that I’m going to find, register, train for, and run a 5k. This is it… it may be the single most important goal I make for 2012. I’ve decided to only tell my hubbs, and you, Internet. I wanted to choose a race who’s start date was less than 120 days away. This gives me plenty of time to begin, quit, and begin again the couch-to-5k training schedule.

I think I’ve narrowed it down to this race, the Kelly St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock 5k.

Is this totally crazy? I spend way too much time telling myself I need to do something about this extra weight I’ve gained and not enough time doing anything ABOUT the extra weight I’ve gained. Have to ever run a race? How do you keep yourself motivated?

KMGraves — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:53:11 +0000

This was the best idea I’ve seen yet. I’m always looking for ways to do nice things for people and do it under-the-radar so to speak. I’m asking Twitter and Facebook to join me.

Monday Musings

KMGraves — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:23:33 +0000

I want to learn a new language. Actually, I want to learn five. I’ve got five weeks or so left in my Christmas break and I would like to be somewhat, more so significantly familiar with a new language by then. I’m thinking Spanish. I have no idea where to begin. I guess I can get some tapes or something, I don’t know.

I really like the 100% fruit juices by Naked. I’ve only had two flavors (Green Machine & Mighty Mango) but both have been awesome and very fulfilling.

Dear Internet: Do you think it’s foolish of me to wait until the end of my pre-reqs to repeat A&P1? I want to move on with the rest of my study group and I’m not really paranoid about the information not being fresh. I’ve got all my notes. As of now, my plan is to take it with the same professor. If not, I’ll take a summer course. Last night I started to read ahead on the Cardiovascular System. It’s very interesting and the schedule I came up with isn’t overwhelming and very reasonable. Something new for me, planning reasonable goals. I may actually complete it by the time the semester begins.

Dear Body: You suck for taking me through all those changes last week. I specifically asked for no tricks and that’s exactly what you gave me. You know I’m totally serious about this family business and you deliberately played with my emotions.

Dear Aunt Flow: Bring it or turn that pee stick, pink/double-lined/pregnant.

That is all. The end.

August 23 – December 7 recap

KMGraves — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:09:10 +0000

August 23, 2011 I began Pre-PA school. What began as an exciting journey quickly, and I mean very quickly turned into one of the hardest phases of my life. Notice I said “one of the hardest” and yes, it’s only “Pre”-PA school. Harder times will come… Ill be ready this time. On December 7, 2011 I completed my first semester of Anatomy and Physiology. I’m not sure what I expected in terms of difficulty but I know it’s not what I encountered. I did expect to get my school-brain back a little sooner than I did, I did expect to comprehend a brand new language almost immediately. I felt like my love for the subject would override the fact that I hadn’t taken let alone thought about how a cell works since 2003 and I believed my enthusiasm and positive outlook would win me some type of, oh I don’t know, favor with my professor. What I found was scrapping the cobwebs off my school brain required a Dyson not a cute little hand-held brush and dust pan, new languages take time to learn. It’s unfair and ridiculous to feel you can learn them “immediately”. Love don’t mean a damn thing, and belief, enthusiasm, and a positive outlook don’t work well in isolation. Each is to be paired with, in my case, class participation, details details details, especially on open-ended questions and a whole lot of manning up. What my professor expected of me was excellence and what I gave her is what I gave all my professors: a lot of hard work behind the scenes and notsomuch interaction in the class room. I’m kind of shy at first.

Therefore, this is what I’ve learned about myself in the last four months.

- I fail at listening to my own instinct. Almost always this semester when I felt I should have done something and didn’t, the results varied tremendously and had I done what I was initially feeling I should, things would have turned out better. In other words, Kameaka, do what you feel is best for you, period.

- I am capable of making new friends…. And it’s fun! In other words, Kameaka, always meet new people.

- I married the right man, at the right time, for this very reason: God knew this time would come and that I would need someone who could come to me in my time of need and talk to me in a way that would get my attention. In other words, Kameaka, your man rocks!

- I have chosen a very difficult road to walk. Difficult but not impossible. I can do this and the fact that I’ve come this far with so little means I’ve truly found what fulfills me. Despite the disappointment I keep going back, despite the difficulty I keep going back, it’s like I’m in an emotionally and psychologically abusive relationship and I don’t want to get out. In other words, Kameaka, your drive rocks.

Over Winter break my plan is to do some leisurely reading and also prepare myself for the first section I will study next semester, the Cardiovascular system. This is especially exciting because I believe I’d like to specialize here. In addition, cleaning my home, spending some much needs time with my husband, and hugging myself…. Hugging myself a lot.

Things I’ve learned about myself Today

KMGraves — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:45:53 +0000

I’m scrambling. I hate to admit it, but I’m simply all over the place. I need a schedule…. again. Here are some of the things I’ve learned about myself today.

1) I focus better than I multi-task. I can’t be working on several different things all at once. I just don’t have enough brain power to do so.

2) I need boundaries. Boundaries at work, boundaries at school, boundaries, boundaries, boundaries. If I don’t have these things, I become lazy and ultimately unaccomplished.

3) I need consequences, preferably in the immediate sense. Hopefully I can avoid this if I just do what I’m supposed to.

4) I thought I loved my work environment, but apparently I’m not mature enough to handle it. I need structure and deadlines, and and and….

5) I just need to do better.