Insomniac's blog

So, it has been awhile since I posted here. Part of it is because I have been using facebook through my school. Another, and even bigger part of it, has been that I have been extremely busy. Swamped I would say. The entire month of October had me like a chicken with my head cut off, although I didn't die and I didn't flop around too much. Since my last posting I have presented at two conferences; the North American Labor History Conference at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and the Great Lakes History Conference at my alma mater, GVSU. Both presentations went just fine. The Labor Conference was a great success and I got to meet a few people who may be of interest to me later in my career. Oh, and at the reception that evening after my presentation I was asked out to dinner by a guy from Canada. Nice, eh? Of course I turned him down and headed home like a good wife and mom. I got a little lost in a rather shady area of Detroit while I was hunting for the expressway, but I made it home safe and sound. The Great Lakes Conference was the same weekend and I presented my summer research paper on post-WWII Dutch Immigration to the US. That too went over fine and I had a fantabulous time with FOM (Friend of Mine) and a rather handsome and intelligent newer acquaintance.

I also spoke about the MEAP testing in Dr. Rob's class and about my battles with trying to opt my daughter out of MEAP testing. That is a whole story within itself which I won't get into right now because it is long and tedious. Needless to say, I got the opt out for her and things are settling down at her school. I also was asked to guest lecture on the Dutch immigration paper in a history class on the 15th of this month. So, things are looking quite well for me on the academic plane. I'm working on my last project for my undergrad right now and things are progressing slowly...mostly because I have been dragging my heels a bit on it. I also took an internship with one of the profs in the history department. It is a shared internship with me and my new handsome and intelligent acquaintance (maybe I should call him my HIA?). Anyhow, that has kept me busy too.

On the personal end of things, Myah turned 14 in October and I am feeling a wee bit on the old side. Of course, I do ever time she has a birthday. I think part of it is because I had her so young that I always am surprised at how well I have done with the whole parenting thing thus far. Not to pat myself on the back or anything, but she really is a great kid. Princess is enjoying kindergarten and is learning her letters and numbers quickly (she takes after her Mama, in intelligence and in attitude...watch out world!). The Boy is a little on the cranky side lately. I think it is because I have been gone a lot and he is a little lost without me around. Darling Husband is done with one of his classes and he got an A- in English Comp! Woo-hoo! He was very pleased with himself and I was relieved that it was over. My soon-to-be-gotten other Bachelor's degree is in English Language and Literature and I was Darling's unofficial tutor and part-time teacher. I am very happy for him though since he did work hard at getting that grade. Plus, he's been out of school for 15 years. It takes awhile to get back into it.

Anyhow, the month of November looks a little less hectic. Just the one last project, a guest lecturer spot, and a few other meetings and such and I am set. In a little more than 6 weeks I will officially graduate and be done with GVSU as a student. I go back next semester for my internship but that's it. Oh, and I did take the Graduate Records Exam for admission into graduate school. It didn't go very well but I am hoping that my service and conference presentations on my academic resume make me shine a bit more brightly. I have an appointment this month at Michigan State University to check out their graduate program in History. Hopefully, I will get in and all will be fine. I won't know if I got in until about March or April. So, cross your fingers and shoot a prayer up for me, cuz I'll probably need it!