Recent Shenanigans Photo Journal

Tent city
WVU tailgating

LET'S GO MOUNTAINEERS

<3

They serve beer at our games now.
I was drinking a local microbrew and Mike had Yeungling's Oktoberfest

Mike bringing Gumby into the stadium

Huzzah Gumby!

Gumby is really just T

Armed forces appreciation

Remi beating up Gumby; typical

Ah, WV roads

So, the muffler fell out of Mike's car that Haze has been borrowing

The Haze is not amused

T and I pre-Gauley

Important things in the dry box

Pregaming for the river while we wait for the shuttle folks to come back

Smiles! And beer!

Proper beer holding etiquette

Gooning

Haze and a happy T

Funder, you wanted river photos on the water, so here they come
All taken during flatwater though!

T and I

Typical

My raft for this day

Our crew...plus some custy rafts

SPIT ON IT!
K-pumping the raft

Lower G vistas

Me and Mike

Basically sums up the day

Gauley Canyon is a beaut

Tiernan....what are you doing....

Canyon vistas

T, seriously...what is this

So very tyipcal Haze

RR bridge

Sinking sun

My paddle's keen and bright
Flashing with silver
Follow the wild goose flight
Dip dip and swing

Bouncing back

Aaannnd rebound!  Its what I'm trying to do.  Okay, okay, so maybe I'm not as down-trodden as I thought I'd be by [yet another] rejection from a pursued graduate school advisor.  I'm back on track pursuing more.  My research goals have altered quite a bit.  My heart-of-hearts would have me studying wild ass in Mongolia or that species of camel that seems so elusive, but studying ungulates is mondo pricey and seemingly impossible to find a program to do it.  So I'm evolving what I want to take these huge energy issues into account - Marcellus or wind energy.  Wind turbines and raptors is my current pursuit.  I have a professor in mind, so we shall see.

I have come to the conclusion that I'm ready to pursue graduate school.  I'm going to pursue it and try to get in somewhere sometime soon.  I recognize that this is still a vague and fuzzy timeline, but I have to keep trying and pursue something!  I'd like to get in and out of grad school sooner than later so I can really establish myself in the real world and continue making a difference in my field.  And I know I won't feel fulfilled with myself until I have my MS under my belt.  I love my job now, I really do - but I'd feel so much better after more school!  Honestly, I'd be a professional student if it were feasible!

:  :  :

Big meetings in work Wednesday and Thursday.  And then my long weekend in Morgantown to catch up with friends, enjoy Halloween, and have a grand ole time!  I'm pretty psyched to see some people I haven't in months.  Its the worst part about being so busy.

:  :  :

I shall leave you with these today, taken and edited on my new HTC Inspire with some sweet free apps suggested by Chronicles of a Country Girl.

Peak autumn in WV a couple weeks ago

Best friends

Fuzzy lover

My day-to-day

i see the light...

I had my exit interview for the WVU Honors College this week.  I didn't really know what it was about - I though they would assess me and make sure I was still qualified to graduate from the Honors College or something...  Wrong-o.  All I had to do was tell them what was awesome about the HC and what they could improve on.  So... SWEET.

I would definitely recommend an HC experience to anyone if they had the chance.  I don't know how they run at other big universities, but it was a god-send to have it here.  It gave me the chance to have honors courses each semester that had a max. of 25 students.  I didn't try to take my honors courses in my subject field, instead I chose those that were taught by amazing professors.  Best. Experience. Ever.  Pseudoscience, Human Sexuality (yes, we talked about all those taboo things like masturbation and sex positions and...*gasp*...we watched porn - and filmed live births w/o anything left out, ack), Life Choices, City as Text (where I walked all around Morgantown instead of remaining in the classroom and explored all the history that is around town), Social Psychology, and Biometry (okay, okay, that one was in my field).  I gained SO much knowledge on sweet subjects from people who were SO into their field of study.  It truly makes a huge difference when professors are really enthusiastic about their subject.

So I checked out of the Honors College, shook the Dean's hand - he's also been my adviser for four years - and was handed these:

And then, as I walked home, it slowly dawned on me - I'm graduating.  I'm graduating college.  College is over.  I've always thought about this, and dreamed about this, and so many things, but DOING this?  Wow.  Its going to happen whether I'm ready or not.  Super exciting.  And super scary.  But walking across that stage in that gold gown amidst a sea of navy gowns will be so amazing.  My biggest achievement so far.

But damn, the real world is just looming over me.  I want to get my Master's of Science, but when and where are still up in the air.  I know the perfect opportunity will pop up when I'm ready for it, and I know it'll be awesome.  Just gotta keep my eyes and ears open for it.  Until then...

Real world, are you ready for me?  'Cause here I come to take you for a test drive.