Good Times (not the TV show from the '70's)

All of my weekends have been pretty interesting, if not fun, since I went back to school. For the first time since we've been married, Josh and I get to relax and go on adventures together, sometimes a mixture of both. This past weekend was a lot of fun and fairly random. Next weekend promises to be eventful, as well. I can't wait!

On Friday, Josh and I hosted a meeting for full-time L.P.R.S. members, during which my mind was officially blown. Members of our group found the most phenomenal and unique piece of video evidence I've seen in many years of combing through paranormal surveillance files. I am hoping we will have a clip of the footage ready to view within a few days. Our techs are taking great care to provide the obtained evidence in a respectable and professional manner so please bear with us, time-wise, as we prepare to reveal our evidence to the para-community. I hope to have an edited copy for company at ScareFest next weekend. It is sure not to disappoint.

Our faithful and energetic para-enthusiasts then contributed inspiring ideas concerning where the group is, can, and should be headed concerning our desired direction (after the initial shock of the video footage wore off, that is). We decided that "less is more" regarding the amount of talent to take to every location. Our guys surmised that more delegation was needed to allow the organization to operate on a competitive scale and have a presence in the field. We are learning so much through trial-and-error, practice, experience, and the expert guidance we receive from seasoned professionals on a regular basis. Bear with us once more as we become even better at what we do.

As the meeting came to a close, I changed into my version of "going out" clothes and hit the bars with my best friend. Erin and I go way back and rarely get to hang out together outside of her house and back yard because she is a mom. We hit a hipster bar first and almost called it a night after that. We decided to give it one more shot in a friendlier place and moved on to a more accommodating venue. We stayed out too late and drank a little too much, but we had a great time, as we usually do.

A little on the early side, Josh and I woke up for game day. Mom picked us up around 11 am and we headed to campus. The weather could not have possibly been nicer; the parking could not have been closer (and the parking sign read both of my parents' names correctly, so that was good). Dad was in the field but made great efforts to give us a "Boiler Up!" before kick-off, calling all of our cell phones until someone called him back. The offensive line looked organized and effective. The defense got brave and made some huge plays. We sat in our seats for the majority of the game. That hasn't happened in what seems like years, and we enjoyed the afternoon to its fullest. It was a shut-out, another anomaly Purdue fans haven't witnessed frequently or recently. What a fun game to watch.

Mom dropped us off after the game with tailgate leftovers and a new tee shirt for me featuring a throwback Purdue Pete silk-screened on breathable, high quality fabric, in a color I can live with. We notice the pink twinge of developing sunburns on each other's cheeks as we prepare for the day's next activity: a quick drive to Attica to check our camera traps for exotic, large cats. We stop by mom and dad's to say "hi" to everyone on the way and arrive at a bustling farm. Dad is refueling the big red monster with help from my cousin Dan. Big Bill is wearing a Purdue hat and an L.P.R.S. shirt and is happy to see me. I had to jump back in my truck and move it to make room for the semi Luther was lumbering into position. I waved to my second daddy, hollered a hello to my mom, used the pink bathroom, directed Josh to grab some Pepsi and we were off like a dirty shirt.

Of the bait we set, there was no sign. We arrived at the site where we placed our camera and the meat we'd left several days before was gone with no tracks leading to and fro that might indicate what creature ate the yummy goodness I'd left behind. The trap itself was filled with pictures of deer: does and adolescent off-spring mostly and a few button bucks.No big cat photos today, it seems so we do the next best thing. I take my husband road farming.

Road farming is an activity enjoyed by country kids and adults who have access to a vehicle, the desire to drive very slowly, and the need to stare at shit as it rolls slowly by. I love driving around the least traveled back roads, turning this way and that, and not always knowing where you will "end up." Josh showed his unbridled enthusiasm by promptly falling asleep. I woke him for things he likes to see and let him snooze the rest of the time (he can peacefully fall asleep is any moving vehicle). We had ice-cream at Wolf's and french-fries from Short-Stop. We arrived home to cats that were happy to see us and hadn't coughed up or crapped on anything. Nothing was shredded and scattered all over the TV room and our snake, Mittens, had shed again and was looking especially beautiful. I changed into pajama pants (not to be confused with pajama jeans) and settled in to my butt crater on my favorite piece of furniture and picked up my laptop.

Aunt Lucy and Uncle Bill gave me a fantastic leather loveseat that I sit on regularly. It's a comfy seat and less prone to random cat attacks than the dining room table so I usually do my homework here. With homework and classes on the brain I log into my student portal to, once again, check my grades for updates. I took my last final on Thursday and feel like I've been waiting for eons to know exactly how I did last term. Looks like I have a 103, two 100's, a 99, and a 97% in my five classes. This is the first time I've been a 4.0 GPA since my freshman year at Purdue over ten years ago and I am very pleased.

I now have a week off from classes to look forward to and prepare for next term. Josh and I are have a They Might Be Giants concert (with Jonathan Coultan) on Thursday night then we are headed straight to Lexington for ScareFest. This will be our first major Para-Conn and we are very much looking forward to it. Wish me luck and thanks so much for reading!

Idle Brains Write Stupid Songs

I guess I'm either ready for Christmas or another paranormal investigation because this is what I have on the brain right now... Enjoy at your own risk!


The Twelve Days of Ghost-Hunting
For my group's first ghost-hunt, I took along with me
The guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my group's second ghost-hunt, I took along with me
That crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my group's third ghost hunt, I took along with me
A raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my group's fourth ghost-hunt, I took along with me
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that make my heart go "squee"

On my group's fifth ghost-hunt, I took along with me
Our... eye... candy...!
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my group's sixth ghost-hunt, I took along with me
Army dudes in camo
Our... eye... candy...!
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my group's seventh ghost-hunt, I took along with me
One Ball State Cardinal
Army dudes in camo
Our... eye... candy...!
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my groups eighth ghost-hunt, I took along with me
Fourth Degree Masons
One Ball State Cardinal
Army dudes in camo
Our... eye... candy...!
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my group's ninth ghost hunt I took along with me
Wives of Army Guys
Fourth Degree Masons
One Ball State Cardinal
Army dudes in camo
Our... eye... candy...!
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my group's tenth ghost hunt, I took along with me
A frightened girl named Katie
Wives of Army Guys
Fourth Degree Masons
One Ball State Cardinal
Army dudes in camo
Our... eye... candy...!
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

My group's eleventh ghost hunt, I took along with me
Kid that looked thirty
Frightened girl named Katie
Wives of Army Guys
Fourth Degree Masons
One Ball State Cardinal
Army dudes in camo
Our... eye... candy...!
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

On my group's twelfth ghost-hunt, I took along with me
A rented mini-van
Kid that looked thirty
Frightened girl named Katie
Wives of Army Guys
Fourth Degree Free Masons
One Ball State Cardinal
Army dudes in camo
Our... eye... candy...!
Occupational therapist
Raging diabetic
Crazy bitch from school
And the guy that makes my heart go "squee"

Certain liberties have been taken to make this stupid song a wee less ludicrous. I hope you enjoyed it because that's five minutes you are never getting back. Namaste!

Final Essay for Com II

Why Education Is Important to Today’s Society

Now more than ever, people of all ages around the country and abroad, are flocking to college campuses in droves. The economy is circling the proverbial toilet bowl and the job market is fully saturated. Homeowners owe more on their mortgages than their houses are currently worth. The majority of American voters have completely lost faith in government at the Federal level. Yet, one asset we still have as a country (in the Midwest, especially) is excellent colleges abound. US cities and countrysides are virtually peppered with institutions of higher learning. The people who survive this national economic event will have taken advantage of time off work or government stimulus to further their education, and the country will be better because of it. Education is important in today’s society because it is education that will see us through this mess by opening doors to new experiences; improving your salary at your current job; or carving the path to your new career

To begin, the decision to further your education will open the door to new experiences, like meeting new people, joining clubs, and attending community events. Meeting new people at school is the first step in forming professional relationships with future coworkers. Knowing there are people you like to interact with makes studying more fun and helps drive healthy competition because you are all working toward a common goal. There is also the possibility that you may get to work with some of them as well, so it never hurts to make some friends. The next opportunity to open doors through education lies with clubs and organizations. An academic club is an excellent entity for discovering what the upper-class-men are working on and showing you what to expect in future classes. Clubs and organizations are also great for obtaining new skills offered outside the classroom like CPR certifications and resume building workshops. The third phase of new experiences in higher education occurs when opportunities to branch out into the community arise. For example, attending a Women in Business luncheon would be a great experience and opportunity to meet female business owners and professionals while participating in a seminar led by local health-care workers could introduce you to people already working in the medical field. Exposure to new people and experiences is paramount when pursuing higher education, especially after a lapse in enrollment.

In addition to having new opportunities through networking, choosing to pursue higher education can result in a higher-paying salary at your current job through obtaining a certificate or license, expanding your current knowledge base, or receiving your degree. Many colleges and universities offer training programs in which the end result is a certificate, license, or other accolades. For instance, people wishing to sell homes must first obtain a license to do so and nursing assistants need certification to perform certain duties, depending on where they work. These programs can last as little as a couple of hours, or take up to a few years to complete. Higher education can also improve your over-all knowledge in your occupation or chosen field. Law enforcement officials, educators, sellers of insurance, and licensed pilots (to name a few) must constantly stay up-to-date with ever changing laws and regulations. Being the first employee at your firm with premiere business strategies and updated procedure methods make you more valuable to your bosses and is often awarded monetarily. Now that you have obtained additional certification and expanded your knowledge base in your field of choice, you might as well stay on and get that degree! Receiving your degree, or multiple degrees, can do nothing but improve your station at work and therefore, in life. With new degrees often come new job titles, promotions, and an increase in pay and is that not why we are all here? Sally Struthers nailed it when she said, “do you want to make more money? Sure. We all do!”

Finally, some people (including myself) choose to further their educations because they wish to start completely over in a new work environment, with a new job description, and a better career. First of all, certain occupations are wrought with the same day-today experiences and typical routines; they become boring or tedious after awhile regardless of employer. Obtaining a degree can open up the possibility to work under a brand new set of circumstances in a different type of environment in a completely new field. To continue, possessing a degree can land you a job title you may have never considered or even heard of before. “Hi. I’m Eileen and and I am the director of pharmaceutical inventory management and patient care relations specialists, please step into my office.” You think you can get a title (or office) such as this without a degree? I think not. Finally, there is arguably few events in life more exciting than the prospect of starting a better career. A change of pace is almost always good; new-found respect, promotions, and titles are even better; yet nothing can top waking up in the morning knowing you are headed to a job you love, that will love you back. Ask anyone who has been there and they will tell you, “it is totally worth it.”

There can be no doubt that the world is in a frightening state at the moment and is bound to get worse before it gets better. With all the opportunities to improve ourselves intellectually, there is simply no excuse to accept that we are given a “station in life.” We, as a nation of young and old, must face the reality that higher learning could be our salvation. I think it is time we, as a nation, decide to stop complaining about the dire straits and commit ourselves to making it better.