Because yesterday marked our one month "anniversary" in Morgantown, and I still have yet to publish anything about it, I'll refrain from a blow by blow rehashing of our fourteen hour plus trip. Instead I'll just hit on the highlights, along with the things we learned on the way:
1. As I mentioned before I was sick when we left CR. Then, I was still sick for a week and a half after we arrived. It sucked. A lot.
2. It is really expensive to move...
3....But buying new stuff if you (kind of) have the money is fun!
4. I found out that my application sat on someone's desk for two fucking weeks because this certain someone had a "sick" child. This person was not apologetic at all and made up a bunch of excuses and then had the gall to LIE to me about when I would find out about my acceptance just so I would leave her alone. Nevermind that I didn't find out that I'd been accepted until a day before classes started and it screwed up my financial aid, or that I still have no idea how to get an ID or, say, insurance.
5. Scientist got to see me honestly and truly flip out and start yelling upon this happening. He said it scared him and he considered hiding under the bed in hotel we were staying in when it happened.
6. I felt a little ashamed of myself for getting so angry. But, hello! Who doesn't ask their colleagues to take over for them if they are going to be out for a week. And besides, this person said they'd been "in and out" of the office all week, not that they'd been absent completely. Thus, they were just being plain old lazy and dodging any accountability whatsoever.
7. Morgantown is beautiful!
8. Morgantownians are super super nice.
9. The undergraduate population at U of Iowa is way cuter than the undergrad pop here. Sorry, but it's true.
10. The School of Public Health at West Virginia is much higher quality than the one at Iowa. It pains me to say that because I love Iowa so much, but, again, it is absolutely true.
11. Professors actually want to train their students to become knowledgeable, thoughtful practitioners of public health, not just promote their own research agenda or advance their career.
12. A professor actually told me that they wanted to mold their program into a research based program exactly like the one at Iowa.
13. I found out that the person who said that they had a sick kid and thus ended up totally delaying my acceptance (which led to me almost being fined $40 because my financial aid application was accepted super late and I barely paid my tuition on time) gave at least two other people the same song and dance two different semesters when they were in the process of applying. Apparently this person lies to everyone! Isn't that comforting. I guess incompetent people keep their jobs everywhere.
13. We got a new couch and chaise! They're cinnamon red.
14. Better yet, we got a washer and dryer. The best inventions ever.
15. We went to Pittsburgh.
16. We went to D.C.
That pretty much sums up everything that has happened since mid August.
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moving. Show all posts
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Touring
About a week before Scientist and I left on our farewell tour, a friend of mine commented on how "romantic" it was of Scientist and I to drop everything and move to West Virginia with nothing. While, on one hand, I totally agree with her--there is something romantic about giving up most material possessions and leaving all family and friends behind all in the name of "love"-- the older I get (I'll be 31 in almost exactly a month) the more I think its just crazy. That and I'm not really a romantic as much as I am sarcastic and cynical. Romantics and idealists usually become hard, bitter people once they've been around the block a few times, so I just skipped my idealistic stage and went straight on to being skeptical of everything.
But I digress.
Once we had all our stuff for our initial trip to Missouri packed up and ready to go (the remaining stuff was sitting in my mother's garage), Scientist and I headed to St. Louis for a few days. Unfortunately, we managed to hit STL in the midst of a nightmarish heat wave that lasted the entire 13 days we were in Missouri. In fact, when we arrived in STL it was a balmy 95 and then proceeded to rise up to 100 degrees (the heat index was actually 109-114 the last few days we were there) by the time we left.
The good news is Scientist's sister, Teacher, took me to David's Bridal where I found the Gown of My Dreams (as a bride this is what I'm suppose to call my wedding dress). Okay, so I didn't know it was the Gown of My Dreams until I came back to CR and tried it on for my mother, but whatever. It is beautiful and, most importantly, will look beautiful on me: its form fitting, strapless, and has a bit of color. I love it. I don't want to give anything else away because some of you who are reading this will actually be at my wedding next August.
Once we left STL we headed down to Springfield, where we hung with Scientist's cousin's family and his wonderful 91 year old grandma. I had been to Springfield once, a long time ago, but hadn't really gotten a chance to do much. Since Scientist knew the area so well, we were able to find lots of cool stuff to do. We even found a gym to work out at (I know, we're obsessed).
On Saturday we decided to visit Scientist's friends in Kansas City. I was really looking forward to walking around KC, but after about an hour or two of dragging ourselves around the main plaza where all the cool stores and fountains are, both of us were sweaty and thoroughly exhausted. Scientist's friends were cool though and it was interesting to meet people that knew him when he was in college.
Sunday and Monday we spent packing up our stuff and tying up loose ends in Cedar Rapids. Unfortunately, I also started to feel icky Monday night. My ickyness would turn into a cold/upper respiratory/sinus infection from hell would drag out for about ten days and which I'm still getting over.
That brings up to our time in Morgantown, which I'll attack in a later post.
But I digress.
Once we had all our stuff for our initial trip to Missouri packed up and ready to go (the remaining stuff was sitting in my mother's garage), Scientist and I headed to St. Louis for a few days. Unfortunately, we managed to hit STL in the midst of a nightmarish heat wave that lasted the entire 13 days we were in Missouri. In fact, when we arrived in STL it was a balmy 95 and then proceeded to rise up to 100 degrees (the heat index was actually 109-114 the last few days we were there) by the time we left.
The good news is Scientist's sister, Teacher, took me to David's Bridal where I found the Gown of My Dreams (as a bride this is what I'm suppose to call my wedding dress). Okay, so I didn't know it was the Gown of My Dreams until I came back to CR and tried it on for my mother, but whatever. It is beautiful and, most importantly, will look beautiful on me: its form fitting, strapless, and has a bit of color. I love it. I don't want to give anything else away because some of you who are reading this will actually be at my wedding next August.
Once we left STL we headed down to Springfield, where we hung with Scientist's cousin's family and his wonderful 91 year old grandma. I had been to Springfield once, a long time ago, but hadn't really gotten a chance to do much. Since Scientist knew the area so well, we were able to find lots of cool stuff to do. We even found a gym to work out at (I know, we're obsessed).
On Saturday we decided to visit Scientist's friends in Kansas City. I was really looking forward to walking around KC, but after about an hour or two of dragging ourselves around the main plaza where all the cool stores and fountains are, both of us were sweaty and thoroughly exhausted. Scientist's friends were cool though and it was interesting to meet people that knew him when he was in college.
Sunday and Monday we spent packing up our stuff and tying up loose ends in Cedar Rapids. Unfortunately, I also started to feel icky Monday night. My ickyness would turn into a cold/upper respiratory/sinus infection from hell would drag out for about ten days and which I'm still getting over.
That brings up to our time in Morgantown, which I'll attack in a later post.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Morgantown
In Morgantown. Have very bad cold with horrendous sore throat. Will write complete update on entire glorious trip, including 14 1/2 hours in car as soon as I feel better.
God bless.
Oy, I feel like ass.
God bless.
Oy, I feel like ass.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Weekend Festivities
This weekend was pretty great. Scientist's defense went smashingly well: his presentation was very good, and his committee passed him without any trouble. Now, he just has to add/change some things to his thesis and he is totally done with that fucking thing (I feel some animosity towards Scientist's thesis, considering how much of a HUGE pain in the ass writing it has been over the last, oh, six years for him). All corrections should be finished up this week in the midst of packing and cleaning our retched apartment.
On Saturday night we had a fantastic little party at a local bar in town. I was actually really surprised at the number of people who showed up. Of course, not everyone who said they would did, but still, it felt like a real going away party. Thanks to everyone who made an appearance! I will miss get togethers like this one once we move.
I'm starting to get really nostalgic and sentimental about leaving Iowa City. I shouldn't be surprised: I knew this would happen. As a lot of you know, I've traveled and lived all over the world, but no matter what I've always come back to the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area. I know everything here, and even if I don't feel like I've made a bunch of friends since I came back to IC from Ukraine (after I alienated a group of "friends" I had made the previous two years), I know a lot of people.
Nevertheless, at first I was a little apprehensive about leaving IC. Then, I wanted to get the fuck outta here as soon as possible. Now, I don't know. Honestly, the thing I think I'll miss the most about this area is my mom. She's my rock. I love her to pieces. I also worry she'll get lonely and bored without me; we spend a lot of time just hanging out and doing stuff together. Who is she going to do that stuff with once I'm gone?
Other than missing my mom and a handful of other people/things,ultimately, I'm ready to go. I've lived here far longer than I ever hoped and I think there are much better opportunities waiting for both of us. This is our new start together.
One of my friends kept saying what we were doing was so "romantic". I'm not looking for romance as much as I am stability; I'm not at the point in my life where adventure and constantly moving is something that appeals. It isn't that I want to settle down, get married, buy a house and grow fat and old in the hills of West Virginia, but having something other than some clothes, a bike and a bunch of public health textbooks would be nice. I would like a desk and a car that runs. I would like to continue working on my degree. I would like to be in a public health program that is not totally disorganized and does not seriously suck in some ways. These are all reasonable things to want when one is about to turn 31. Don't you think?
On Saturday night we had a fantastic little party at a local bar in town. I was actually really surprised at the number of people who showed up. Of course, not everyone who said they would did, but still, it felt like a real going away party. Thanks to everyone who made an appearance! I will miss get togethers like this one once we move.
I'm starting to get really nostalgic and sentimental about leaving Iowa City. I shouldn't be surprised: I knew this would happen. As a lot of you know, I've traveled and lived all over the world, but no matter what I've always come back to the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area. I know everything here, and even if I don't feel like I've made a bunch of friends since I came back to IC from Ukraine (after I alienated a group of "friends" I had made the previous two years), I know a lot of people.
Nevertheless, at first I was a little apprehensive about leaving IC. Then, I wanted to get the fuck outta here as soon as possible. Now, I don't know. Honestly, the thing I think I'll miss the most about this area is my mom. She's my rock. I love her to pieces. I also worry she'll get lonely and bored without me; we spend a lot of time just hanging out and doing stuff together. Who is she going to do that stuff with once I'm gone?
Other than missing my mom and a handful of other people/things,ultimately, I'm ready to go. I've lived here far longer than I ever hoped and I think there are much better opportunities waiting for both of us. This is our new start together.
One of my friends kept saying what we were doing was so "romantic". I'm not looking for romance as much as I am stability; I'm not at the point in my life where adventure and constantly moving is something that appeals. It isn't that I want to settle down, get married, buy a house and grow fat and old in the hills of West Virginia, but having something other than some clothes, a bike and a bunch of public health textbooks would be nice. I would like a desk and a car that runs. I would like to continue working on my degree. I would like to be in a public health program that is not totally disorganized and does not seriously suck in some ways. These are all reasonable things to want when one is about to turn 31. Don't you think?
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