Orientation Activities and Such

On Saturday it rained all day, so Nick and I killed some time by wandering around Barnes and Noble and using the remainder of our gift cards there. Sunday night we went to a grad student orientation BBQ at MIT, and we had fun hanging out with some of the guys Nick has met so far. They all have great personalities and are lively and outgoing, which is not what I expected from most of them. (I had a much more nerdy stereotype in mind.) I'm happy we have people to go out with that we can have such a good time with. 

Today I had orientation all day, and registered for classes! I am taking chemistry and microbiology, and I start in a few days. The only disappointing thing about my schedule is the 8am lab on Saturdays... At least if everything goes well, I could begin the 18-month nursing sequence in June and have my RN license in 2 1/2 years!  

I also got another interview for a part-time job! I would be a front desk associate at a chiropractor's office, and it sounds like it would be ideal. The hours are flexible and I could get things done on my own time, which would be great. The interview is tomorrow morning, and hopefully I will have an idea of whether or not I got hired within the next few days. (Unlike my interview 3 weeks ago, which I still haven't heard about since last week.) 

Nick has orientation activities all this week, and he begins class next week. I love being able to meet the people from his department, and the BBQ was great, so some of the other activities coming up should be interesting too. 

As if this week weren't exciting enough, the puppy should be able to come home this week as well!! Of course I am excited about school starting and the possible job opportunity, but this puppy has been on my mind constantly! (You can't really compare the "joy" of work and school to the true joy of a dog anyway...haha) 

Tomorrow is my brother's 7th Birthday and I wish I could be there to celebrate with him! I love him to death and I have been told that he has planned his own party tomorrow night, so I will be curious to hear how that goes. HAPPY BIRTHDAY RY!!!

Inspiration

I have been reading blogs for various ideas, many of which I stumble across accidently. I came across one for an interior designer in North Carolina yesterday, and her blog is awesome. I would probably never decorate my home the way she does, but it is certainly creative. I was searching for desks, and I found her blog about making your own desk. She used filing cabinets and 2 pieces of stain ready pine.  The filing cabinets are great, because I always have stacks of paper in small folders and it would make life so much easier to have them filed away and more organized. We'll see if this is something I can work on over the next few weeks. I began looking on craigslist and amazon for filing cabinets, so I will just have to keep my eyes open and see what's out there for a bargain price. 

Another great idea: window pane photographs. I could go crazy with this one!

This morning it is drizzling outside and Nick and Trubs are still sleeping. I am sipping my coffee and thinking about how much fun it would be to blow up large photos and hang them all over the apartment. =)   It is a cool 70 degrees outside and feels perfect. The lotto went up to $333 million last night, and I bought 2 more tickets, but still no luck. Bummer. 

I am becoming a little anxious about picking the puppy up. Nick says I am overly paranoid. He's probably right. I would just like her here. Now. Yes, that is my impatience shining through yet again. I really should work on that. 

School begins in a few days and I am ready to go! I find out my class schedule in 2 days, and it will be nice to know what my days will look like. I am baby-sitting tonight for a family I met when I was originally going to work for them full-time beginning this month. This was before I realized that I could begin school sooner rather than later, and the family wanted a one-year commitment of 50 hours per week. Instead I am doing occasional Saturday night-sitting for them. Works for me. 

Nick and Trubs are awake now, so I think we will get ready for the day and see what Saturday adventure we can find while it's raining!!

Autumn is on the way

It is such a relief to know that I will be starting school next week. I have orientation on Monday and I am really looking forward to this new beginning! As far as the job I interviewed for (weeks ago), the doctor seems a bit confused as to what she wants to do. When I called her, she acted like she had no idea who she was going to hire, and she seems fairly unreliable. I am not sure what to make of this, but I have continued to apply for other jobs just in case. (I am also questioning whether I want to work for someone who seems so absent-minded.) 

The Massachusetts lottery was 2.5 million dollars Tuesday night, so Nick and I decided to try our luck. Of course, our odds were 1/1.75 million, or something crazy like that, but it was $2 for 2 shots, so why not??? Nick thought it would be exciting to stay up until they announced the winning numbers, and our excitement was quickly shot down when our first numbers did not match the winning numbers. Oh well, it is always fun to dream. =)  Last night Nick and I went for a nice 3.5 mile run, and it is great to have him to run with. We are going to try to run together at least 3 times per week, and I am hopeful we can do it.  

I have continued my cooking spree, and last night I made pasta with tomatoes and feta cheese, which turned out pretty well. It would have been much better with some fresh basil, but now I know what to do the next time I make it.  I haven't decided what to whip up for tonight. At some point I will browse through my cookbook for ideas and head to the store. 

The weather is absolutely gorgeous today! It is 75 outside and it is going to remain that way for the next week! I can feel autumn coming and it makes me smile thinking about all the incredible photos I might capture. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks that we have been here, and it has been a very hot and humid month here. Nick and I woke up this morning and were immediately excited that there was a nice cool breeze throughout the apartment. (This also means I can run in the middle of the day!)  I am not sure what this weekend has in store for Nick and I. We may get some rain Saturday, which is fine as long as it doesn't interfere with a trip to the farmer's market. This is my last homework-free weekend for a while, so I need to make sure and soak up the last few peaceful moments. 

corn on the cob from the North End farmer's market

I am going to miss all the fresh produce when winter rolls around...

New Addition

Yesterday was so exciting and today I think it will slowly sink in that I will be starting class next week. I went and spoke to my counselor yesterday and she seemed genuinely happy for me. This school has a completely different vibe than I have ever experienced at any other college. They seem to be concerned with students' goals and success, and they do their best to see that they are aiding in that success. I have a feeling I will be very happy in the environment they offer and I am looking forward to very small classes! Unfortunately I can't sign up for class until orientation next week, so I am not sure what the doctor I have been speaking to will be pleased to wait another week to find out my schedule. 

 Trouble has been very needy lately, so he acts like my shadow when I am walking around the apartment. (This is still the case if we run 3 miles in the morning.) Nick and I know that Trouble is craving a "friend," so we have been searching for a puppy for the last few weeks. We finally found a dachshund online, and we went and met with the breeder last weekend.  As soon as we saw the puppies, we both fell in love. The mother was incredibly sweet and each of the puppies were adorable. Nick loved the black and tan puppies, while I was drawn to the red puppy. The only female was the red one, so we opted to get her. She is only 5 1/2 weeks old, so we won't be able to take her home for another 10 days or so.  I am so excited about bringing her home!  I think Trubs may be a little shocked at first, but he will love always having a playmate. She will be a small lap dog, unlike Trubs who just believes he is small enough to be a lap dog. We are excited to have her here with us, and hopefully she will love it here with us.  (Hopefully Nick and I can come up with a name for her soon, and we can stop referring to her as "the puppy.")  

BIG changes have been in place for Nick and I this year. Obviously those big changes continue, but we are loving it!  We went out last night with our friend Karan to celebrate my nursing school acceptance. On our way to dinner, Nick's advisor called him to give him the name of a few restaurants he recommends, and he left a voicemail congratulating me on my acceptance. (I have yet to meet him, so it was very kind of him!) We had dinner at a great little Italian restaurant on the North End and got Mike's Pastries for dessert. Nick ordered chocolate fudge cake and it was amazing! We sat at a small table and gazed at the Boston skyline as we enjoyed our cake. It was a beautiful night and we had a wonderful evening out. 

Puppy!

Puppy and her brother wrestling

Trouble watches Nick park his motorcycleTrouble's favorite part of the day is when Nick comes home...it is adorable

New Nursing Student!!!

Alright, I had just written out a long blog that was mostly rambling...then I got THE phone-call!!! I was accepted into the Simmons nursing program and I am currently floating on Cloud 9! I have 4 classes to complete before I begin nursing classes next summer or fall. Suddenly everything is falling into place, and I am going down to Simmons later this afternoon to fill out paperwork and make an appointment to register for classes- which begin in just over a week. I am overwhelmed with excitement and eager to begin classes!!

I also spoke to the doctor again last week, and I am going to give her a call as soon as I know my school schedule. I am hoping to plan my schedule around the days she wants me to work so that it all comes together nicely. (Keeping my fingers crossed!) 

There is more news I could blog about at the moment, but I am having a difficult time sitting still, so I will upload a few pictures and come back to blog more later! =)

I have been cooking quite a bit lately, and I am intrigued by how beautiful the fruit is. This is some of the fruit we bought at the North End market last week. (I will use any excuse to use my camera.)

I bought these grapes thinking they were seedless. It is disappointing to find that you have to do work to eat grapes. They are still beautiful and colorful though. :)

Sitting. Waiting. Wishing.

Trouble and I went for a nice 3 mile run this morning. He is now completely tired and hasn't moved much in the last hour. (The weather is slightly cooler today and it is much more pleasant to be outside running.) After our run, I got a phone call from the doctor I interviewed with last week.  She was wondering whether or not I had been accepted into the program at Simmons. I unfortunately still don't know, so I told her I was hoping to hear back by the end of this week. She seemed very adamant about me calling her tomorrow to keep her updated, so I will certainly be doing that! I had pretty much assumed that I hadn't gotten the position because of my school uncertainty, but it definitely lifted my spirits to know that it is still an option! Now I am more eager than ever for Simmons to notify me!!! A few months ago I had registered for an information session at Simmons, which happens to be tonight. I think they are going to go over general information about the school and the various programs, so I am sure I will gain some knowledge during the whole thing.  **I apologize all of my last few blogs have been all about Simmons...that's so boring to read about!**

Last night around 6pm, Trouble was laying under the futon when he heard Nick's motorcycle pulling up outside. He stumbled to his feet, ran to the living room window and "perched" on the window to see Nick. Trouble spotted him walking to our building, and then he ran into the kitchen to see him from that window. As Nick moved along, Trouble followed him from window to window to see him. He was so excited Nick was home that he couldn't contain himself! After he lost track of Nick he ran to the front door and stuck his nose up against the door to wait. Nick opened the door and Trouble went crazy! Having a dog can be so amazing. There is no better way to be greeted after a long day than for him to smile at you and run around in circles in excitement. 

Ryan called me last night to tell me about his first day of 1st grade yesterday. When I asked him how he liked his teacher, he told me she wasn't very nice. Apparently they spent most of the day discussing rules and not doing anything fun. He did remark to me, however, that he had a great time at lunch! Ahhhh to be back in elementary school when lunch was a social event of the day. They also get TWO recess breaks in addition to lunch. I only recall having one recess, those lucky bums...

The weekend is almost here which means I get to spend some quality time with Nick! One of his friends from high school will be in town this weekend, so I think we are going to hang out with her at some point. I am hoping I can convince him to run along the Charles River with me! I have been wanting to do that since we moved here, but it would be more fun if he came along. =)

Well, hopefully my next blog will be more interesting. I am sure these last few have been a dud to read, but they are mostly a therapeutic way for me to keep my sanity!

Frequent Blogger

Another day of unemployment and unknown student-status. I am trying to enjoy the peace and appreciate the free time I have at my disposal. I received an e-mail from Simmons stating that my materials have been handed over to the admission committee. Each time I see a message in my inbox from someone at the school, my stomach immediately does summersaults. I have found a nice distraction in Picnik, so I have been trying to edit as many photos as possible to keep myself busy. Not to worry...I will be adding plenty of those photos (many of them are repeat photos from older blogs).  

Nick is half way through his second week at MIT, and he has recently learned that he may have to take a pretty harsh schedule this fall semester. I just hope he loves what he will be doing so that the long hours aren't quite as tedious. 

It is still incredibly hot today, and Trouble and I haven't been able to run in 3 days because of the heat. It looks like tomorrow will be cooler and we can make up for the mileage we have lost this week. 

On a different note, my little brother and sister had their first day of school today. Ryan started 1st grade and Erin began 5th grade! I cannot get over how fast time has flown by, because I remember Erin's first day of kindergarten and I remain convinced that it was just last week. My dad told me this morning that Ryan was determined to style his own hair for school, and you can begin to see him grow more independent constantly.  I love them both tremendously and I am so proud of them as they begin a new school year. 

I found this photo of Boston online and I cannot wait until fall! My camera is going to get more use than ever before! (I did not do anything to edit it...it was perfect to begin with)

Colorado sunset (July 2009)
Nick and I dancing at Ren's wedding (Sept. 2008)Meg and I in Santa Barbara (2008)

Ryan's Easter Egg (2009)

Picnik!

No, that is not a spelling error. In my blog-searching I came across a great program called Picnik. It allows me to edit photos in some interesting ways. I have been trying to figure out photoshop, but picnik is much more user friendly. I tried some different effects with my pictures, and I will definitely be using this program more often. Don't get me wrong- my camera takes incredible pictures on it's own, but most good photographers do some editing to make them more interesting.  Some of these are just silly, but I think a few turned out pretty well!  As long as I remain unemployed, these may be a constant presence on the blog...

The Little Things

The boredom I have been experiencing has led me to other blogs for inspiration, and I came across a blog called the Simple Women's Daybook. The blogger has a questionnaire about the simple things in life that I think is a great idea and might be interesting to do every few weeks. I have been trying to remind myself to focus on the little things, so here it is for the week.

FOR TODAY (August 18, 2009)..

Outside my window...

HEAT!

I am thinking...

about how to best spend the day

I am thankful for...

an incredible boyfriend, supportive friends and family, a dog that makes me smile daily

From the kitchen...

the wonderful aroma of coffee

I am wearing...

T-shirt and shorts

I am learning...

to be patient

I am creating...

a scrapbook of my adventures with Nick

I am going...

to stay inside to avoid the sweltering (record-breaking) heat

I am reading...

a thought-provoking book about organized religion

I am hoping...

to hear good news from the nursing school I've applied to

I am hearing...

that the Massachusetts lotto is $170 million and I am pondering buying a ticket =)

Around the house...

Trouble is lounging lazily on the futon

One of my favorite things...

laughter

A few plans for the rest of the week:

cleaning, laundry, running with Trouble

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

I would love to be laying on this beach in Malibu

"Love Beer. Love Life. Harpoon."

Nick survived his first week of work at MIT!  He was a little overwhelmed at first, but I think by the end of the week he felt much more comfortable with what he was doing. He started his second week today, and luckily he is in an air conditioned room.

Last week I spent a lot of quality time with Trouble. We ran about 10 miles throughout the week, and I was hoping to run with him this morning, but it is already too hot! (We are in the middle of 5 days of hot and humid weather with temperatures staying near 90 degrees.) Did I mention we don't have an air conditioner in our apartment? Oh ya...

In addition to running, I spent the week experimenting with different dinner recipes, and I think most of them turned out pretty well. I guess the best person to ask would be Nick, as he was the true guinea pig. I also submitted all of my materials to Simmons and I am anxiously awaiting a response back from them! I am trying to be patient, but I cannot plan for anything until I know whether or not I will be starting classes there in 2 weeks. I am mentally preparing for rejection, but secretly hoping for the best. 

Saturday we went with 2 of Nick's friends from UCLA to the Harpoon Brewery, which is where the blog title came from. This was our 4th brewery tour of the year, and I think Nick spent the tour daydreaming about opening his own brewery someday. Nick, Karan and Brett all went to UCLA together and they are all beer fanatics, and they are a great group to hang out with.  I imagine there will be many more good times with these guys as time goes by. 

After the tour, Nick and I headed to the North End for the farmer's market. We bought nectarines, an avocado, corn, strawberries, pineapple and zucchini- all for $9! It was a great deal and everything looked fresh and ready-to-eat! Yesterday Nick and Karan took a sailing lesson on the Charles River. I thought they would love it, but Nick didn't seem to enjoy it much. It was hot yesterday, with very little wind, so he does not anticipate taking another lesson. I would like to rent kayaks, so hopefully we are able to fit that in before it gets cold. 

Today I am going to do some grocery shopping and hopefully some cleaning. I have continued to apply for jobs, but it is difficult when I don't know my availability, so my life is in limbo until Simmons gets back to me. I have also been hunting for a "sister" for Trouble, because I know once Nick and I are both busy, he is going to be incredibly lonely at home. I have wanted a dachshund for a long time, but I am being patient and looking for the right one. They are more difficult to find than I thought, especially since most of the breeders seem to be in the South, while there are only two reputable breeders in Massachusetts. I will keep you posted on my hunt. =)

The guys were busy checking out the machinery. (They are all mechanical engineers...)
After the tour, they all patiently waited for the tour guide to pour them some beer. 


Raspberry Hefeweizen...yummm

Of course, I am much more interested in the incredible lighting the breweries have than I am in the beer itself. It works out well for all parties involved- Nick drinks the beer that I am given, and I take constant photos of the beer. 

Samuel Adams Brewery, etc.

We have now been in Boston about a week and a half. Last week we did more sight-seeing and we went walking around the Arnold Arboretum. It was beautiful and quiet, with only the sounds of birds and insects. It almost made us forget we were in the city, and it turned out to be very relaxing. Saturday we met with Nick's friend from UCLA, Brett, and went to the Samuel Adams brewery. (It turns out that they don't actually brew the beer there, but they hold the tours and taste-testing there.) It was a very amusing tour and as far as Nick is concerned, it is hard to go wrong when they give you free beer!

I had a job interview yesterday for the position of administrative assistant. The doctor I would be working for does poly-cystic kidney disease research for Harvard Medical school. The interview was detailed, and the doctor is mostly concerned about when my classes for school would take place- assuming Simmons accepts me. I am nervous about everything falling into place, but I am hoping for the best. 

Nick also had a big day yesterday, as he began working at MIT. He began working with various computer programs he has no experience with, so I think he was a little overwhelmed at first. He is back at work already this morning, and I feel strange being at home so much. I definitely need a job soon, because it is not like me to be unproductive. I am so proud of Nick for working so hard, and it is hard to believe he is officially an MIT student. He got his ID card yesterday, and all I could think about was that day February when I got the text message from him saying he had been accepted into the program here. Since then, it has been crazy and our lives have been changed dramatically, but I wouldn't change a thing. 

I have been able to run a decent amount over the last few days, so I am hoping to keep it up. It is a little easier right now because I don't have a job yet, so I am taking advantage of the extra time I have. My Nike Plus is motivating and I am in an online competition (UCLA vs. USC). The goal is to run as many miles as possible until January 2010, and there are about 50 of us in the competition. The number one runner on UCLA's team has run over 2,000 miles since the beginning of this year! I am inspired by these people, so hopefully this newly-discovered inspiration will take me on an epic journey of running! (By the way, the UCLA team is currently ahead of USC by over 600 miles, Go Bruins!) 

I have a lot to get done today, so I really should get started with my day. I have had my cup of coffee and I think I am good to go.   =)

Arnold Arboretum (265 acres of flora and fauna)
beautiful walking paths




Sam Adams tour
taste-test

Samuel Adams- Boston Lager 

Beantown- The First Few Days

The first couple days here have been productive for Nick and I. We have accomplished a lot, and we still have a lot more on our checklists. We are fairly well-settled into our new place and the only boxes left are for items that will be placed in and on a desk that we still need to buy. Nick found out which project he will be working on, and he is trying to begin research next week. He is very excited and anxious to get going.  I have continued my intense job hunt, but still no luck. I think the tally so far is about 40 jobs I have submitted resumes for. It is definitely a tough time to look for full time work. 

On a possibly positive note, Nick convinced me to go see a counselor at Simmons (the college I am trying to get into for nursing) and I was surprised that they were willing to talk to me. It turns out that I can apply right now to begin my prerequisites for nursing school next month! Of course, that is if they accept me. The most amazing thing is that if I am accepted for this fall, I am guaranteed a spot in the nursing program and I would start next September! This has all been overwhelming and although I am excited at the prospect, I have cautious optimism about the whole idea. Nick has been helping me write my personal statement and I have requested 2 letters of recommendation from people at UCLA. They both responded immediately and I was so pleased that they got back to me so quickly and were happy and willing to write letters for me. I have already requested transcripts from all 3 of the schools I have attended as well, so now I just need to complete my statement and they can begin evaluating me. I am keeping my fingers crossed, but I am also trying to remain positive about the idea of not being accepted right away. If I am denied admission, I will continue to hunt for jobs and save money. Hopefully I can continue to see it as a win-win situation. Everything will work out...

Nick and I have done a lot of exploring and walking this week. Sunday afternoon we went on a search for the farmers market on the North End, only to discover that the farmers market takes place on Saturdays. Oh well, it was a beautiful day and we walked around the beautiful North End anyway. Sunday night we went for a walk around the reservoir next to our apartment. I am amazed at how active people are around here, and there are runners everywhere! Today we walked across the Charles River to MIT and then walked back on another bridge. The Charles looked beautiful and was a photographers dream. This entire city is photogenic and hopefully I can improve as a result of having so much to photograph. (I am going to go crazy once all the leaves turn bright colors this fall!) After a long walk, we headed over to Fenway Park. (Fenway "PAHK" as residents call it.) Hopefully we can see a game before the season is over, and after that I think we can consider ourselves true Bostonians. =) 

I took this exact picture when we visited Boston in March, but it looks completely different now that everything is green and the flowers are in full bloom! You can see the original on my blog from March. 
EVERYTHING here is about the Red Sox. This florist claims to be the "Official Florist of the Boston Red Sox."  Every trolley in town says "Official trolley tour of the Red Sox" while each Dunkin Donuts cup is dedicated to the Red Sox. It is an obsession here!
This is MIT, and I photographed this same area last time I was there, but it looks much more beautiful now. 
MIT
A beautiful bridge off of the Charles River
More beautiful Boston




This is right outside Fenway Park. Of course it would be the #2 baseball bar in America...