an old post, but it's something!!

Well, this is an old, OLD post...i wrote this about a month ago, so it's totally out of whack with what's going on now, but I've had problems with logging in and remembering my password and such (haaa!....i'm a goober), but I'll do my best to keep up now. Seriously. I mean, come on.

OLD:
So here I am...hmmm...haven't written in a few days, but nothing really exciting has happened. I know, excuses, excuses. This week was alright...working a lot, trying to get things taken care of. Trying to get things in line for moving to Milwaukee...but I haven't explained that, so explain I must!!

Recap: I've been going to school at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks...gooo Sioux!!...for the last five years of my life, which isn't really that uncommon anymore. Heck, I even considered six, but I figured it was time to get a move on things. Don't get me wrong...I love the feel of college. True, life gets crazy hectic a lot...pulling all-nighters; dealing with stupid professors; doing the Twamley shuffle (LOVE dealing with the financial aid people-they're near and dear to my heart, really); balancing classes, jobs, friends; procrastinating everything possible; worrying about money...you know, fun stuff! People who say that 'high school is the best time of your life' are out of their minds, I must say. I've met so many great people, had the most amazing experiences, and been challenged more than I ever could have imagined, and all this in North Dakota! (Kidding...it's not so bad. even though this school is known for its aviation program...silly pilots!!)

I've been a part of Habitat for Humanity, a member of the Pride of the North Marching Band (I'm a band geek!! hurray!...alto sax, if you're curious), a deacon (peer ministry) at Christus Rex Lutheran Campus Center, went on trips to North Carolina, Alabama, Ohio, Florida, Russia...it was quite the ride! I wish I would have started this earlier so I could tell you about all of my adventures, but alas...the timing was not right ;)

Just to let all of my ND homies know...I love you guys!! (sniffle...tear) A whoop whoop for Odie and Drewsef and a bling-bling for Mikey!! ha HAAA!!

Anyway, I digress...what was I talking about? Oh, yeah...recapping. So...after suffering through five wonderful years and barely finishing my honors thesis on time (ooops!! I focused on art therapy, that's where it's at), I graduated from this institution of higher education. Graduation was quite interesting, I guess. Crowd into a big room with other graduates. Find your line, state your name, get your crap (must talk myself up...only magna cum laude?? musta been those semesters of organic chem...), shuffle around, find friends, take last-minute pictures. Stand in line for a short eternity (ONLY the correct line, no moving, or the snipers positioned in their various locations will take you down with enough tranquilizer for an elephant!!), make small talk with person in front of you. Finally, march into arena (okay, it was more like we were being herded..I think this is what cows must feel like), where everybody turns into a waving, picture-taking fool. Side-note: never did find my parents, as they were late and sitting in the back...but my bro had graduated from law school earlier that morning (my brother, the lawyer?!?), so all is forgiven. Sit through 4 hr ceremony with worst, all-time worst speaker EVER!!! No more aviation people...get off the plane kick!! Look around, pretending to pay attention, noticing more than 20 people text-messaging on their cell phones. Listen to the president re-use part of his speech from the law school graduation that morning (nice work, Chuck; way to reduce, reuse, and recycle). Finally get diploma, look like a moron shaking the president's hand (found this out later...man, I'm a tool. Never watch yourself on camera). Re-herd out of the arena, frantically try to find parents in mass exodus of people. Argue with parents and brother about taking pictures. Finally take pictures, which turn out wonderfully. Get the heck out. I don't really think a cap and gown are my thing...maybe my head's too big.

So that was graduation in a nutshell. I now proudly own a BA in Honors and a BS in Biology from the University of North Dakota (I'm a BABS!!); got my diplomas in the mail a couple weeks ago. Special.

Now what? Well, my big plan was to go to medical school here at UND right after I graduated. Lol....right. As I should very well know, life never goes as planned. Death and taxes, they say, and I'm starting to think they're right...whoever they are. The proverbial man, I suppose. After a few not-so-great organic chem classes and a change in my career aspirations, I really have no idea what I'm doing (welcome to the club, right?). I think I still want to be a doctor, but I've got a little work to do before then. I'm also really interested in anatomy, which was my fav class at UND...nothing like slapping on some gloves and exploring the human body!! Oh, a funny!! What's a good way to congratulate someone in your anatomy lab? Give them a formalde-five....get it???? ahhh ha ha haaa...aahhhh ah ha haa...eh. So maybe grad school in anatomy? I don't know. For next year, I've decided to really throw myself out there. I'm doing a volunteer program called Lutheran Volunteer Corps. I got introduced to it through my friend Dave from Minneapolis. Extensive applications and interviews, reference letters, decisions, decisions!

Alright, that's where the last entry ended, now I'll try to finish explaining LVC....First you have to get accepted into the program (apps, references, and phone interviews), then they send you a ginormous packet of all the placement agencies you could possibly work, and where they're located (think Chicago; Seattle; DC; Berkeley, CA; Baltimore...big inner cities). I had my choices narrowed down to Minneapolis, working as the volunteer coordinator with an after-school/summer children's program; Seattle, working as a special activities director at an adult day center; and Milwaukee, working with clinic coordination/nursing stuff. Then I had to do phone interviews with each of those places and then rank them by location and whether I'd want to work there or not. And THEN..I had to wait. In order to get accepted by a location, you have to pick a place and they have to pick you...geeesh. So on "match day", as it's called, I got a phone call saying I had gotten my first choice pick, which was.... Milwaukee!!! I figured with the health involvement (they're connected with the Medical college there and I'll get to do all sorts of neat stuff, like pharmacy and phlebotomy..woot woot!) and since my brother, Ben, and my little nephew, Steven (chub chub nugget pants!!) live there, too, it was the place to go. I'm excited, nervous, I don't know what else..my emotions are crazy! I'm gonna go start another entry, though...this one is getting way to long!!