Um

"New Improved Taste" is actually true. Not bad Nyquil, not bad.

I Ponder

I have been thinking for a while that I need to be a better friend. As much as I love playing around on FB and am busy with being a professor (Esp. since I procrastinate so I am slammed with work at the last minute), there is no excuse to pick up the phone and call the friends I don't get to see on a regular basis and say "hi."

It's that easy, so why am I not doing it more often?

PhD Application Results

Results:

New Mexico: Yes with funding

Washington State: Yes with funding

Illinois: No

That works.

PhD Applications

Welp, hope springs eternal. I was so tired and overwhelmed this past semester that I did not even start looking at applications until January 1 rolled around. So, I was only able to complete 3 applications. Good news is, two of them were first pick schools. I have submitted applications for:University of New Mexico at AlbuquerqueWashington State University (in Pullman)University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

This is my third (yes, you read that right) time applying to Illinois so it is my long shot school. Yes, I know the weather is horrible but there are several faculty members who I would adore to work with in my studies.

Washington State was recommended to me by the graduate advisor of my master's program. It is my second choice since I actually don't know much about the program although it sounds good and I would actually only be 5 hours away from my sister. So, it has its perks.

New Mexico is my absolute first choice school. There are several faculty members I would love to work with, including a woman who's 1998 article changes the direction of my studies when I read it my second year of grad school. I wish I would have emphasized that in my letter of interest but c'est la vie. I also have a friend already in the PhD program there who I would love to be around again, she pushes me to be better. And my other dear friend who is sadly living way too far away in Half Moon Bay right now (miss you!) also applied. I am hoping we both get in so I can roll with a super cool posse again. Plus, to be frank, New Mexico would be better weather and it is a higher probability that some of my friends from Cali would actually come out to visit.

And, the president of my alma mater (where I currently teach part time) has a 'dear friend' in charge of the Master's program there and the president offered to shoot her an email to mention she knows me and that I would make a great addition to their program! How this came about is another story for another day but hey, I will take any help I can get. Even though the friend is not on the selection committee, the faculty has to talk right? Just like how I got my jobs this past year, getting into a PhD program is all about who you know.

So, my dream scenario is that I get accepted to two programs and get to fly out to meet the people and check out the campuses and then have to make a choice. But frankly, getting accepted to one program would be enough for me.

Fingers crossed.

Woo Hoo!

Today at the gym, interspersed among the other crap I had to suffer through, I was able to do three sets of 15 pushups with out taking a break before number 15. That's with my feet up on the bench too.

Yeah, okay, I struggled with the last 5 on the last set but I didn't stop.

That's a first for me and a far cry from when I first started and couldn't make it to 5 on the first set.

I am learning not to hate pushups.

Pandora

I have been contemplating a lot of different topics to post here but have not had the time/energy. I will probably get back in the swing of things soon. Some of the topics include:

New Year, New Goal
Product Reviews
PhD Applications (yes, again)
Teaching
Baking

In the meantime, I leave you with this question:

How come when I marked I liked "Piece of Me" by Britney Spears in Pandora, the background advertisement switched to Pepto-Bismol?

Yahoo Astrology

Virgo - "You need to push yourself hard today -- discipline usually comes naturally to you, but for now, it takes all you've got just to get out of bed! Once you get moving, inertia should keep you going."

Ugh, so true today.

Finals CD

For the last two years, I have created a CD to listen to during Finals week, usually by hitting random in iTunes. Tonight is the night that I burned a CD for finals. This year, I was listening to my iPod on shuffle while grading and liked what I heard. So I wrote down the list and made a playlist. Here is what is on the CD:

1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Across the Universe Soundtrack
2. Again - Lenny Kravitz Greatest Hits
3. Absolutely Not [Chanel Cox Mix] - Deborah Cox
4. Opium - Marcy Playground
5. One Day In Your Life [Almighty Club Mix] - Anastacia
6. She's Countrywide [Digijuan Mix]
7. Sweetest Goodbye - Maroon 5
8. Wednesday - Tori Amos
9. Mr. Brighside [Jacques Lu Cont Thin White Duke Mix] - The Killers
10. Muhammad My Friend - Tori Amos
11. Silent House - Dixie Chicks
12. Feel the Quiet River Rage - Live

Gonna listen to this on the way into work tomorrow.

A Sad Reminder

I just found out that my great aunt Julia tore out half of her journal page for this past Thursday, she didn't want to remember the funeral. She also called her younger sister and left a message, not knowing why my grandmother didn't pick up. 97 and she is the last of the five Godoy sisters alive.

My mom's cousin Sally is responsible for reminding her mother that my grandma is gone. Sally also told my mom that when she told great aunt Julia, aunt Julia cried and said, "Not my baby sister. Why did she leave me?"

Great aunt Julia has been in great shape up until this past April when she fell and broke her hip. Since then, she has been confined to a bed at a rehabilitation hospital. My parents say that she is still as cheerful as always but that you can see her mental agility declining since she has no stimulation like she did when she was living with her daughter Sally. But still, if I am as healthy as great aunt Julia is at 97, I will consider myself blessed.

Here are two pictures of the sisters together. In the first photo, great aunt Julia is on the right and my grandmother is on the left.A more recent photo of great aunt Julia and grandma

Kids These Days

So, one of my cousins very excitedly posted that two of her cousins had babies yesterday, one on each side of her family. The poor kids' names?

Talon River

Hayden Michael


Okay, I was not crazy about Hayden (our mutual new sobrino but considering which cousin it was, I'm not surprised. Afterall, her older boy's name is Justice and this cousin has always been a bit drama prone. But Talon River???

Either his mom reads way too many romance novels or she expects he will become a porn star. Poor kid is going to be saddled with the question, "Wait, are you serious?" for the rest of his life.

Ew.

The Status That Didn't Make it to FB

M C is going to change to remove the smell of defeat that clings to her work clothes.

FML

Goody Two Shoes

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put your iPod or other music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the NEXT button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!


If someone says “Is this okay” you say?
Intuition - Jewel

What would best describe your personality?
Jump - Madonna

What do you like in a boy?
Mi Vida es Cantar – Celia Cruz

What is your life’s purpose?
Bliss – Tori Amos

What is your motto?
Cruel – Tori Amos

What do your friends think of you?
D.A.N.C.E. - Justice

What do you think about often?
Waiting for you - Seal

What is 2+2?
Torn - Creed

What do you think of your best friend?
Somersault – Zero 7

What is your life story?
Quimbara – Celia Cruz

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Sympathy – Jane’s Addiction

What do you think when you see the person you like?
Popular – Darren Hayes

What do your parents think of you?
Soul – Matchbox Twenty

What will you dance to at your wedding?
Something More – Train

What will they play at your funeral?
Lola’s Theme - Shapeshifters

What is your hobby/interest?
If I Fell – Evan Rachel Wood

What is your biggest secret?
Say I - Creed

What do you think of your friends?
Eyes Like Yours – Shakira

What is the worst thing that could happen?
Wake Up Alone – Amy Winehouse

How will you die?
She’s on Fire - Train

What is the one thing you regret?
Love on my Mind – The Freemasons

What makes you laugh?
It Doesn’t Really Matter – George Michael

What makes you cry?
Blue Skies – BT feat. Tori Amos

Will you ever get married?
The End – The Beatles

What scares you the most?
Last Dance – Sarah McLachlan

Does anyone like you?
Older – George Michael

If you could go back in time, what would you change?
Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley

What hurts right now?
Soul Free – George Michael

What will you post this as?
Goody Two Shoes – Adam Ant

Yahoo Astrology

Your communication requires greater finesse today -- and while you've certainly got the chops for it, you may not have the patience! Choose your words with care of stay entirely silent.

Ummm, this is interesting. Yeah, totally my day. Booo! Some days my Tuesdays really feel like Mondays.

M needs...

So, I posted a version of this on FB, but used Bing for that one. Here is the real google search.

1. to reveal her true identity to him but is concerned about the consequences – not only for herself but also her colleagues.

2. to be stopped now before anyone else is taken advantage of from her deceitful web of lies.

3. more than a Band-Aid to patch up the hole in her career(which would be pretty damn funny), but I'm whipped.

4. for her treatments and doctors visits.

5. A ROOMIE!!!

6. some costume ideas.

7. now.

8. to be sitting on my face. (sigh, the trials of having the same first name as a supermodel. I won't even tell you what I find on a google image search)

9. to come visit me at my. Cage, its a littel small, but it has a great view of timurs, computer chair.

10. my home

11. food badly.

12. to go to bed right now!!!

13. to tell him what really happened, but will he listen?

14. to accept that no one is self-sufficient all the time, and to be gentler with her "childish" emotional needs

15. some better role models than her Rio cousins Bettina and Bianca Haegler who are above high maintainance

I like number 14.

Life

This week, I received two pieces of news that made me incredibly sad.

On Monday I found out that a retired professor in the Chicana/o Studies department was killed in an auto accident on Friday. I did not have the opportunity to work with her professionally but I did meet her and liked her immensely. I remember her as sharp witted and very kind. It is shocking to hear news of someone who passes so quickly and unexpectedly. The outpouring of remembrance and shock being expressed via email through the department, college of humanities and professional organization we all belong to is sad and bittersweet at the same time.

This morning, my mom received an email. My cousin found out that she has a 1 cm tumor in her breast. Yes, its the big C. I am trying to think positive and remember that she has good medical coverage but I am frightened for her and her family - especially her daughters who are on the verge of becoming teenagers. We are all praying for the best and trying to honor her wishes to not talk about it but this is scary. Now on to treatment and the whole family rallying to help with meals and watching the girls as she embarks on medical treatment.

Both bring the frailty and mortality of humankind to the forefront of my consciousness. Life is so precious, we must make every effort to enjoy and appreciate each moment.

Settling In

Yesterday was my first complete long day. I teach at 8 am, 2 pm and 7 pm on Tuesdays, which means I wake up at 5:30 and return home shortly for the night a little after 10. I have now met all my classes.

We shall see how the semester goes. I have been off to a little bit of a rough start at both Universities, both because I had trouble with the HR systems and because I didn't prep my classes well. I'm playing catch up. I am in a HR orientation meeting today (Or else I would just be waking up now instead of being on campus already - trust me) and then will spend the rest of the day prepping for my 8 am Thursday class and also the Friday class. Tonight will be prepping for the 2 pm class. I really have to buckle down and finish prepping all four classes this weekend - no messing around. There are assignments coming up that I have yet to write or update and the students need the information so they are not doing the work at the last minute due to my slacking rather than their own slacking (hey, I'm being optimistic here).

Anywho, back to work for me.

September Horoscope

"Everyone always has something good going on in a chart, indicated by the position of Jupiter, the planet of gifts and luck. Jupiter is protecting your ability to find work if necessary (say, if you have been unemployed, or if you own your own business and want new clients). You seem to really enjoy what you do, so if the drama in your life gets to be too much to bear this month, throw yourself into your work for a little quiet relief. It's clear that at the office, others will appreciate your efforts."From: AstrologyZone.com

Boy - was that ever accurate.

First Day of School - Complete!

Woot!

I have to say, I have been overwhelmed by the birthday wishes I have received today. FB came through for me.... And I think I can honestly say that I am one year wiser since finally have finished the M.A. program.

Dreaming of Frida

I just woke up from a very vivid dream where I was playing Frida Kahlo in a stage play. Let's just say it involved costumes, pennies, a Christina Aguilar song, and my nephew James. Bizarre.