Roaming Horned Frog

Swine Flu
Aren't these piglets adorable???

My throat and stomach hurt. I'm pretty sure I'm okay. I'm just tired.

2 Weeks until I leave for Texas. I have to keep in mind that this 2 year old who just died from swine flu was a Mexican National from Brownsville, TX which is right at the border. He wasn't from Houston. He was taken to Houston to be treated.

I know that there are probable cases in Dallas.

I'm not tooooo terribly worried, but it is weird not to worry. I'm hoping that there isn't pandemonium. I just heard Ashleigh say that this reminds her of those movies...like 28 Weeks Later.

Keep in mind, in the US alone 36,000 people die from the regular flue yearly, that's about 99 per day. BUT we DO have the vaccination for three common flu viruses compared to ZILCH (0) for this Swine Flu. This is the only reason why I am worried just a tad bit.

Texas + Indiana

I don't know what to pack! Better yet--- I haven't even started and I only have 2 weeks before I get "evicted" from my apartment. I'm moving into a residence hall as an Assistant Hall Director - Woot! I am unaware of my placement until June. So i'll be moving some boxes to Meaghan's basement - she's super awesome!

I have to have a separate box for Indiana alone. I need to put in organization supplies, cooking supplies, and some school supplies. I plan on being very organized and productive this summer. I'm also thinking of taking a few "decorations" for my room this summer.

Texas = Home Sweet Home for 9 days. My mother told me yesterday, "Cleda, don't make appointments with other people--you are all mine. I need you in the stores and you need to be with family!" -- all of course in her Mandarin and some broken English.

I'm not going to make too many appointments.
Frank.
Toby.
Possibly Matt.
Rebeccah?
Natasha.
TCU.
Sorority Sisters (11+).


Seeee...that's not too many in 9 days.

If I don't start packing today, I'm screwed. I need to get serious and motivated. I need to stop slacking.

Today's plan:
*After class, go to the Post Office to purchase a P.O. Box.
*The go home, take out the boxes from my car and take them into my apartment.
*Sort Laundry and do a couple of loads.
*While waiting for laundry, start organizing "papers" and recycle anything I don't need.
*Sort out kitchen stuff - put some extra foods/cans in bags to donate to the MSU Food Bank.

because I have too much junk. I keep buying and buying things that I really don't need. For example, today on my way back to East Lansing from Canton/Ann Arbor -- I stopped at Banana Republic and bought a dress, a couple of shirts....*sighs*

I love shopping. Super-addicted -- so much that it's really not funny.

Confession: I don't know how to control my spending habits.

Why do I shop at Banana Republic as a low-income, out-of-state, first-generation out-of-state student?

NEXT ITEM(s) that I really really want:

• Large COACH bag
• FRIENDS on DVD - All seasons
• HOUSE on DVD - All seasons

These are unnecessary items! I should not be spending any money at all. I need to save up for conferences and job searching (clothes, travel).

NASPA-IV-E in Chicago (November) = $300
NASPA 2010 Chicago (March) = $400
ACPA 2010 Boston (March) = $600

Plus I've got 2 credit cards I need to continuously pay.

I'm frugal sometimes and when I'm not I go all out. I don't know how to control myself. LOL.

I've decided not to apply for any financial aid this year (i'll only get loans if I do).
No new loans = good.

I didn't have any loans after graduating from TCU in my name. TCU = Free Education (Thank you, Uncle Sam, Loudens, TCU and its Community Scholars program).

First year of graduate school in Michigan: $24,000!

I'm done with loans. NO MORE! Going to try to pay it all in two years after I graduate! I need to learn to be frugal -- control my spending.

So the next time we go shopping...please stop me when I pick up an item. Ask me sternly, " Cleda, do you really need that?"

<3

Cleds

P.S. It's such a beautiful day in Michgan! I can't wait to be back in Fort Worth! Only 19 more days!

So I've worked on this bucket list for quite some time. I started this waay before the movie came out. I think I started my list when I was in high school. Lots of it deal with traveling - I love to travel. Other parts of the list aren't travel, but are definitely a must. I think 50 is a sufficient number. Some people have a list of 100 things, 1000 things, but I have the simple 50.

* = done.

*1. Go to the Trevi Fountain in Rome, toss some coins, and make a wish.
2. Fall in love and be loved back.
3. Have at least 2 kids...and maybe a set of twins? (it runs in my family - I have twin uncles!)
4. Telluride, Colorado --- enough said.
5. Sail the Mediterranean Sea...
6. 4 Corners U.S.A. ( I can't believe I have to pay $3 to be at the 4 Corners!)
7. Ski the Swiss Alps...so beautiful from the sky... but I need to be on the mountains...
8. See a Broadway show in NYC.
9. Go to an Olympics -- watching...not competing.
10. Write a book or two. Maybe write a series of books for children.
11. Learn French.
12. Ride a hot air balloooon.
13. Dive into the Great Barrier Reef.
14. Trek through the Amazon.
15. Feed a Village in China.
16. See Angel Falls in Venezuela (need to remember to go sometime from June to December)
17. Witness Aurora Borealis a.k.a. Northern Lights.
18. Ride into the Serengeti sunset...
19. The Caves of Carlsbad, New Mexico
20.The Kilauea and the Hawaii Volcanoes
21. The Neuschwanstein Castle - Germany
22. Try to hug the Giant sequoias in California
23. Dubai - enough said.
24. Go to the places where my grandparents grew up - 山东省 (Shandong, China) and 부산 (Pusan, South Korea).
25. Gondola ride in Venice. Been to Venice, but didn't take a Gondola. LOL.
26. Fountains of Bellagio - Las Vegas, Nevada --- also want to gamble a little. :) Parents would totally kill me.
27. Disney World on my birthday?
28. Kiss in the Rain
*29. Fly First Class
30. New Orleans, Louisiana on Mardi Gras!
31. Innovate/Invent something.
32. Make my parents proud
33. Go see the Cowboys play in the Super Bowl -- one of these years -- I hope.
34. Get a Ph.D. or Ed.D.
35. Eat in the best restaurant in the world (listed several years in a row) - El Bulli in Roses on the Costa Brava in Catalonia, Spain.
36. If I can't make it to El Bulli, I'll go to the best restaurant in the Americas: The French Laundry restaurant located in Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley.
37. Find Roswell!!!!
*38. Touch a meteor.
*39. File my own taxes!
40. Make a snow angel.
41. Make Tiramisu - my favorite dessert.
42. Perfect New England Clam Chowder. --- Made it once...more lemon juice than intended, but it was still good.
43. Learn how to play a guitar.
44. Follow up to #43: Write a song.
*45. Change someone's life.
46. Save a life.
47. Open an art gallery of my photography.
48. Meet a world leader.
49. Follow-up for #10: Get Published!
50. Start a scholarship or non-profit organization.

This article from CNN was an eye opener for me! (Random, but relevant for those who know me....)

So I've realized that right now my focus is Graduate School! I need to rethink my priorities and set them straight. I was doing okay my first semester and this semester was a complete disaster -- in a way. I was very disorganized this semester. My readings for all of my classes have blended into several piles. My desk drawers have random receipts, papers, magazines, you name it.

I think this was due to my complex schedule this semester: 20 hrs of work, 10 hrs of practicum (internship), 10 hrs. of class, and meetings for group projects. Group projects took over this entire semester.

I remember when I was at TCU, I would have the time and energy to go to the rec every other day. Since I've been in Grad school here in Michigan, let me tell you --- I've been slacking. My parents would be so disappointed.

My goals for this summer are to:

• Work on my Professional Development duties as a new SAGA e-board member!
• Network with people at Indiana University (My advisor gave me a whole list of people that I "should definitely get in touch with" while I am there.
• Be an awesome ACUHO-I Intern!
• Re-read all of my readings from the first year of grad school! (in preparation for COMPS!)
  
• Go to the rec everyday -- if not do about 5 mi around campus at IU.
• Try not to eat the "greasy chicken and Chinese food" in the IU cafs this summer (Thanks, Gabe!).
• Stay in touch with family.
• Travel to: Columbus (OH), Indianapolis (IN), Louisville (KY), St. Louis (MO), Nashville (TN) this summer.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Update this blog.
• Keep in touch with cohort-mates and my sisters (sorority).

Goals for next, second, and final year of my Master's:

• Stay on top of reading!
• Organize in an efficient manner.
• Go to IM West everyday.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Save money for conferences (Chicago x 2, Boston).
• Take more pictures.
• Attend more basketball games -- probably should buy season tickets.
• Get a Job!
• Plan/save money to complete some of the things on my bucket list (see bucket list post)!

What do you all think?

:)

Cleds