9:55 Mid Tuesday Night (24 March 2009)   Vividly Violet Violent Violins This semester is eating my face off. Remember how excited I was? Man those were the days. The class I enjoy the most is the class I dreaded would be the worst. My easiest class is the class I feared would be the hardest. The class I was most excited about is turning into one big mess that I'm depressed to think about and am having a hard time forcing myself to work on. Soil Chemistry is worse than I expected. Analytical Soil Techniques is better than I'd hoped for. I love toxicology. I hate water quality and pollution (the class, not the topic). I am truly enjoying intermediate writing. I loathe environmental soil/water science. I was hoping I'd force myself to have the drive to get a 4.0 but that is impossible at this point. I've got to keep working though. Speaking of working. I'm not working. at all. two weeks and i'll have 4 and a half hours to put in on my time card. I love the research, the unpredictability would be a lot more fun if money wasn't so necessary for life, or if I would at least get to work more than 3 hours a week. This had better pick up or I'm going to have to find a resale job or something this summer. Ew, people. There is good news though. Caleb's income is steady. I think we've been doing a decent job of saving money (well. i'd save some money if I had any to save). my federal tax return has been deposited. the soil judging team is leaving for the national competition on saturday which is ultra thrilling and really rather scary. I feel good knowing that I get to enjoy a full year of lots of belly dancing performances but that next year i'll save over $500 just by not being in the performing troupe (still will end up spending $420 on the classes, though - can't give those up). Wedding plans are finally starting to inch along: Caleb's family is for sure coming - they get in on July 3rd and will be here on the 9th, though poor Nath will fly out the morning of the 10th...back to the exams...I really hope this doesn't end up being overly detrimental to his studies. Frankly I wish that it would be not at all detrimental but somehow I don't think that's a possibility - two transoceanic flights within a week is a lot of energy...and a lot of money...and i'm trying really hard not to feel guilty because to be honest i'm extremely glad he's going to come. Also his other brother and sister-in-law are coming out and making a proper vacation of it, so that's really good, too. We're considering venues, I've got 3 distinct possibilities. We're looking at photographers, thinking about caterers, and toying with the honeymoon details (my grandma and papa might give us a few nights at a Hilton hotel with some of their hotel points). We still need to find someone to perform the ceremony, and I'm really unfamiliar with how to go about asking for that sort of service. So there's a lot to think about besides school...though it is probably not the optimum time to be thinking about things that aren't school. Whatever, though - I will survive! I am a lion! end transmission.