Papers, Memorization, and Other Such Things

I have been spending the last week and a half, holed up in my parents loft working on several end of term papers and it has not been, uhem, fun, to say the least.

I am, however, SO EXCITED! Because I just finished my last paper for the semester. This paper was on all of the Pauline Epistles and how it will be applied in our new "job," coming up next year.

And by "finished," I mean it hasn't been revised yet, but I'm really not worried about that. First thing tomorrow morning I will rise from bed and revise it and submit it.

And by "first thing," I mean after I worked out, showered, breakfasted, and got caught up on my blogs.

Tomato, Tomato

{hmmm, that phrase doesn't make as much sense typed out now does it? Maybe I should have done it phonetically.....}

Toe-may-toe, Toe- mah- toe.

-------

I've really enjoyed these seminary classes, but it has been very, very hard being in the same classes as my husband. Though I may be obnoxiously sure about my competency for these classes, and even though Ian and I have been in classes together since middle school, this is the first class we have had together since we are married and I have had troubles putting aide my competitive side and accepting the fact that he does better than me. He did, after all, get his bachelors in Biblical studies, so he has a leg up on me on these types of classes. However, when I put in double the amount of time and effort and STILL do worse than him on tests and assignments, I, um, well, have a meltdown.

I'm learning to deal with it though. It helps if we don't both work on something at the same time. Like if I'm going to work on a paper, I tell him to go do something else so that I am not constantly comparing my speed to his!

------

My final exam is next Friday, and it consists of memorizing 14 pages of scripture verses and references. I'm making real progress and really kicked butt on 4 pages yesterday. I have yet to retest myself today to see if any of it stuck, but still!

I am truly excited for tomorrow, because I plan on doing alot of Christmasy things.

And on watching a copious amount of Netflixed "24: Season 7." Because what doesn't say Christmas like a spy diverting some sort of national crisis?

Pictures to come.

Aren't you psyched?

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Papers, Memorization, and Other Such Things

Take Two!

Announcing the Graduation of

Ian Galloway

from the

University of Florida

at 9:30 in the morning

on the 2nd of May, 2009,

with a Masters of Arts in International Business

Sunday we headed back to UF's campus to take pictures because I forgot to take pictures on Saturday, I thought it would be a great idea!

Sam, Ian's best friend (the super tall one,) and Sam's roommate, Andy, came along as well, to get some pictures taken. I think they turned out pretty well, considering it was a typical blazing Florida day and there were no clouds to filter the very bright white light.

We took pictures in iconic places around campus (the stadium, the bull gator,) and in some more scenic spots, such as under a beautiful Florida live oak, and in their business college's garden.

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Take Two!

Pomp and Circumstance

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009, my husband, Ian, graduated from the University of Florida with his Masters in International Business!

I am so proud of him, for all of his hard work and diligence. He completed his Masters in 10 months, starting one week after we got married! It's been quite a whirlwind of group meetings, projects, classes, and long nights of homework.

He is really ready for a break, because, honestly, he hasn't had more than three weeks off since he started college! He is taking the summer off, and then, this fall, we will both be starting seminary classes from Southern online, in order to meet our requirements for our new job.

The day of graduation went pretty smoothly. Ian's dad arrived in town at 8:30, and we drove over to the school, parked, and entered the O'Connell center where his graduation would take place. My father-in-law and I found good seats, and chatted the morning away. The processional started at 9:30, taking almost 45 minutes for all of the graduates to be seated, and the ceremony lasted until 12:30! It lasted so long because thsi ceremony was for all Master's and PhD students, so it was a more formal event, with the Doctoral students getting "hooded," individually.

After the ceremony, we met Ian at the car, where he got out of his regalia, then we walked across the street to some restaurants for lunch. Then, at about 1:30, we headed back tothe O'Connell center to watch the business college's graduation, which started at 2:30 and ran to 4:30. We had several friends graduating in this ceremony, including Ian's BFF Sam, Sam's roommate Andy, old friends from home, and several of the students we teach in Sunday school..

After the second ceremony, we loaded up and went to one of our favorite restaurants around here, Peach Valley Cafe! Sam's family (mom, dad, and brother,) met and ate with us, and although I ordered a Cajun Chicken Pasta, it did not taste good. Like flour and milk as the alfredo sauce. I was pretty disappointed so I pigged out on the Fresh Apple Fritters instead.

We finshed dinner up around six and we were exhausted! We drove back to our apartment, said our goodbyes, then plopped down on the couch, where I watched 4 hours of 24, and Ian played a computer game. Then we crashed for the night. It wasn't until the next morning when I realized I hadn't really taken any pictures of Ian's graduation gown! I remedied that the next day (post to come.)

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Pomp and Circumstance

A Dash Of Hope

Today has been a pretty eventful day, which I appreciate, because the past week has been stressful and boring. Not much humor in this post today, I apologize, it's really just an update. Things have been very "matter of fact" lately, and I think my lack of human interaction might be the cause for my not so funny blogging subjects. I can't wait to start working again. I get to see PEOPLE!!!

I probably won't be saying that in three weeks. It'll probably sound something like this:

"Why won't everyone leave me alone? If I could JUST have 30 minutes of quiet!"

But. You know. That's just how life goes, I guess.

Right. Back to my update. So this morning, I hop in the car and head to Mrs. Muni's house, the principal of academics at Cornerstone Academy here in Gainesville. I was intending to drop off Ian and I's applications and get to know the voice from the phone who I had been talking to for 72 hours.

She had other plans. Or rather, made other plans. So after two or three minutes there, we jumped in our cars and headed to the school's campus to get the teacher text book so I could have a look. I met some of the other teachers while there, and got to see my potential classroom. It was pretty danky without any decorations or posters right now, and it is in desperate need of a new area rug, (the one that is in the room is white with big black/brown splotches, kinda sketchy if you ask me.) She told me that the church they are renting from stopped maintaining the school campus, so they are making do for this school year until they can move into a new campus.

She handed me the teacher text book and a student version, so I could get used to the curriculum, and that was about it!

I did learn some very interesting things about the job however. It is a fulltime teaching position for 5/6 grade science. The school runs T, W, and F from 8-3. They are also starting up an optional Thursday program for enrichment purposes and are looking for someone to run the science part of that. So I could potentially work Tuesday through Friday, 8-3.

So off I headed to my Borders interview with much happier feelings about the school. walked in and my interviewer wasn't back from lunch yet, so I wandered. He came in about 10 minutes later, and took me back to the offices. Asked me the same questions the lady from yesterday asked me, and then offered me the job!

Hurray!

So I go in tomorrow (Thursday,) to fill out all of the paperwork, and I believe I start training on either Friday or Saturday! I also told him that I was going to be starting teaching, and he said that was no problem, that this was a part time position anyways!

Double Hurray!

So now we have to find "Master Ian," (as Clara V. calls him,) a job. The school wants to use him as an Algebra 3 and Pre-Calc teacher, but if you know Ian, you know how funny this is. God will have our children be mathematical prodigies just to make us laugh. So he met with the principal and talked to the math Chairperson, and picked up the textbooks to see if he can handle it.

It would be very nice if he decided to take the jobs (OR if they offered them to him,) because of how flexible the work would be. The two classes could fit inside of his Grad work time, which is very hard to work around at a normal part-time job.

So now, we are just waiting for an offer from the school. I know she is checking my references because after she talked to Mr. Sacket (my internship supervising teacher,) she called me to tell me how much he bragged about me. I laughed. She was impressed, which is good, I guess.

I hope to hear something back from the school by this weekend, and I am kind of hoping I don't hear back anything from the public schools. I would just have to make a tough decision that I don't want to make: Teach at a school that honors God and let's you teach "willing to learn" kids with helpful parents, but for not so much money (enough to survive comfortably though,) or, teach at a school with nearly double the pay, but in a public system that has challenged children and hard to deal with parents. I don't know what I would do!

But I don't really think I am going to hear from them.

I just have a feeling about this.

Have you ever had one of those "gut" feelings?

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

A Dash Of Hope

An Update

The interview at Borders went well. If you can call it an interview. It was about 5 minutes long! I am on to round two tomorrow, at noon. I am also meeting with a principal from a private school around here. I may be teaching 5th and 6th science, and 5th/6th Latin, if it all works out. It doesn't seem to phase them that I do not know a lick of Latin. I guess they figure I will learn!

I am kind of excited about the science/ Latin thing, but am waiting on getting my hopes up until I find out more about their pay system. I will update again tomorrow.

Principal meeting at 10:30
Borders Interview at 12

Please be in prayer!

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

An Update

[aw-toh-dahy-dakt ]

I have a confession to make.

I have an illness that may never be cured.

I am an autodidact.

"What's that?", you ask.

Well let me first ease your worries and let you know it's not a REAL illness, just a metaphor (Relax Mrs. Angela and Emily, don't have panic attacks.) An autodidact is a person who has a thirst for knowledge that can not be quenched through traditional schooling methods. So, after all is said and done, and my pretty little college diploma is hanging on my wall, I still feel like I have a ton to learn.

And let me tell you what... I am in good company! Socrates, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Edison were all autodidactics.

The real problem is that I don't feel that my education taught me very much. Sure, I learned all of the names of great educational philosphers, and I know how to teach a child addition without saying "add," but do I really know anything about history, biology, math (pshhhh, we all know that I have very little knowledge about that one!) The basics are what I seem to be missing!

So, about a week ago, I set out to fix this little problem. I researched and there is this AMAZING thing called "Open Course Ware," which allows you access to entire classes from schools like Notre Dame, MIT, and John Hopkins. You get the syllabus, access to all of the podcasted lectures, and do the assignments- All for free!

I figure I will start a couple of those in the fall, probably Biology, Cultural Anthropology, International Nutrition, and Introduction to Economics.


For now however, let me fill you in on what I have been doing.

This is a World History textbook of Ian's. He took AP World and apparently kept his book. I did not take AP that year. I think because I was focusing on swim and was trying water polo that year. Definately a large gap in my education.

This is a picture of my gigantic timeline. It is over 20 pieces of paper long and is not yet completed. So far it stretches from 500 BC to 200 AD- one page per 50 years. The idea is that if you fill out one consecutive timeline, you are able to remember more of history because you can "place" the events in the right area of time, (one of the biggest problems students face is their lack of historical understanding.)

Close up of the timeline. I'll keep you updated as I fill it out and extend it!

This is a book of 823 words that "every person" should know. I do 5 words a day, writing their name and definition on an index card, then reviewing the entire stack all mixed in.

This is the French book. I took french for 3 years in high school, and 2 semesters in college. Unfortunately, that really got me nowhere. I have a big sense of stage fright of things like practicing speaking french out loud, playing the piano in front of an audience, or anything that I could potentially "mess up," on and feel dumb over. I am working on that. I do about 15 pages in this a day, and it's a great book!

This is a book of devotionals that I am working on. Some may not really consider it learning, but I enjoy reading it because it contains stories from all over the world that I am learning from other people's experiences! 3-4 pages a day in this one.

This is my Bible Study, but it is really something you would expect from a Christian university or seminary. It goes really into depth, analyzing the people and the places, looking into word root and origins. I really enjoy this and try not to rush through it. 5-10 pages a day, depending on how much time I have.

Okay, so, I'm a dork. So what?

No, really. What do you think?

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

[aw-toh-dahy-dakt ]