The last first day of my program!

I'm gonna be completely honest, I hope wasn't my last first day of a semester in my education ever. I think I mentioned a while ago that I'm currently waiting on a decision from three doctoral programs... I'd forgotten what it was like to just... Wait. I've been checking on my applications for over a month now, and the status shown online still says the same thing:

Submitted.

It's a relief to see that word when you're concerned about whether or not a test or homework assignment got turned in, but not when you would like it to say "Under Review". I'm hoping to find out something (positive) soon.

Today (that is, Monday, not Tuesday, since it's after midnight) was my first day back at school this semester. And my last first day for my current school program!

The day as a whole started off pretty nicely. Got to my internship, did our morning meeting, ran my group... Then I started on paperwork and I thought I was going to die.

Ok, not that bad, but long story short? Cramps + IUD don't mix. I kinda felt like I was being crushed from the inside.

I should clarify, now that I have the IUD my menstrual cramps don't feel like the usual menstrual cramps. Hell, if I have them I don't notice them. All I notice is THE SQUEEZING FEELING. Yes, all bolded, larger font, and in caps is a start at being sufficient enough to describe it. Note that I said "a start".

I ended up heading home before lunch to hopefully find some food I could stomach so I could take 800 mg of ibuprofen (yes, you read that correctly: 800 mg), and get some sleep with the hope that I wouldn't oversleep my first class back. Or, you know, vomit.

I have to say, nothing makes me feel quite as... Pathetic. Yes, pathetic. Nothing makes me feel quite as pathetic as knowing that not only did I bail early because I had cramps, but that I had to take a doctor-approved dose of a pain reliever (a pain reliever that often isn't recommended for runners, unless I'm mistaken - I've heard both ways) so that I would quit feeling like my uterus was about to be sucked out of me. Which already sounds forceful and gross and agonizing and all that other (not-so-) fun crap.

On the plus side, I restarted a book I'd read (and loved) previously. Any romance novel fans, Jennifer Crusie fans, or... I don't know how to define what Bob Mayer writes, but Bob Mayer fans... If you haven't checked out Agnes and the Hitman, I HIGHLY recommend it. Especially if you've got a good sense of humor. Southern mob, a hot hitman, good food, a dog named Rhett (yes, Rhett, as in Gone With the Wind Rhett), and swingin' frying pans!

Then I got my nap, and all was well.

As far as classes go, I'm really looking forward to this semester. Not just because it's my last semester before I graduate with my M.S. (knock on wood! Comps are next month!), but because so far classes are looking good! Granted, I've only got two classes this semester, and I've only had one. But the benefit to being so far along in my program is that my internship class? There are only 8 of us, if you include our (pretty cool) instructor. My Human Growth class is on Tuesday evenings, so I have yet to experience it, but I hear it'll be pretty easy. Mostly writing. And I took a Human Growth course in undergrad, so here's hoping that helps.

It's interesting, though: There's no required book for this class. The Blackboard shell isn't even online, so I don't know who is in my class, although with some hunting I can figure out how large the class is... It looks like there are 24 people (including myself) in the class.

My internship may very well end up leading to a job. I'm unsure of how I feel about it. On the one hand, I spend 30+ hours a week there, and it would be lovely to be paid for it. On the other hand, I know good and well that not only am I waiting on doctoral decisions, but that if I get accepted I may not be able to work there. Or if I do, it will have to be part-time - which I suppose isn't horrible. Let's be honest, that's not bad at all.

Now on to running!

What, you didn't think I could make it a whole post without talking about this journey, did you? ;)

Ok, ok, I thought I could, but we're getting down to crunch time with the countdown, and I'm just excited to be going to Disney next month! Everything is just under 45 days away. About 44 days and 23.25 hours, actually - according to the runDisney website, of course!

I didn't get a run in tonight like I'd planned. Too easily distracted by the fact that I'm making our running tutus. And they. Will. Be. AMAZING! I'm going to post pictures and everything when I finish them, because the ideas I've got are so exciting!

Another reason I *may* have put off running, in addition to a lack of time and all that fun jazz when compared to everything else going on right now, is probably nerves surrounding my lovely running fuel. Since Friday's awful post-run episode of GI distress, I've gotten a couple other types of running fuel to try. I've long since established that Gatorade is not my friend. I'm adding GU to that list, although I don't know if that includes the GU Chomps, which I'd already purchased. I've bought Hammer Nutrition gels (one in Apple-Cinnamon flavor, one in Tropical), and some Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem Solids in Strawberry-Vanilla, which I don't have to worry about mixing into a drink.

And excitement of excitement, Jelly Belly makes sport jelly beans! Now THOSE I'm excited to try!

There are some other brands of fuel I was looking to try. I've heard from lots of people that Honey Stingers is good, and that Nuun has really been nice for people with sensitive stomachs.

Speaking of supplements, I picked up some Calcium Magnesium Zinc, which my dermatologist suggested when I talked with him about the half a few months ago. He didn't tell me that they'd be so large!

(That's what she said)

Although I don't know what I was expecting. But it certainly wasn't to take 3 a day.

Before I go, I think I've decided on a new name for this blog. I'm thinking it's going to go from "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" to "A Runner in the Making". But it's been over a year so naturally I've grown attached to the current title of this blog, even though I don't dance even half as much as I used to. Not even close. I'm lucky if I'm gettin' down in front of the bathroom mirror nowadays.

Well, I've rambled on quite enough for the night. It's bedtime. Toodles!

Becoming a well-rounded person!

Last night Lo came over for dinner and to hang out, and the 3 of us (DH, Lo, and me) got to talking about taking classes.

Earlier in the day DH and I were discussing taking photography classes.
Lately I've been more serious about buying a DSLR. I've wanted one for years, but now I can actually afford to buy one.
Granted, it'd be a bit of a splurge so I'd probably hold off for a bit anyway... But I came so close to buying one yesterday afternoon!
Unfortunately there are a lot of cameras masquerading as DSLRs. Yeah, they're not as thin as the typical point-and-shoot, but without the interchangeable lenses they're not DSLRs. Which was really disappointing, because I found quite a few cameras I liked that were really quite cheap.

Another class that was brought up last night that I got to thinking about was a bartending class. Apparently Lo's mom used to be a bartender (which was funny to find out, because neither of us could really see that. or at least I couldn't). Lo mentioned that her mom wouldn't want her becoming a bartender... but I think at least taking a class would be pretty interesting.

And what's adding one more qualification to my life, huh? hahaha

Then of course there's wanting to add a dance class to the mix. Which would be beyond awesome - if there were any dance places nearby.
When i was younger (we're talking at least 8 here, maybe younger) i used to want to take ballet classes. But even if I didn't get into ballet classes, I really enjoy ballroom. So that would be fun!

Here's hoping that one day I get past just wanting to take the classes and looking them up, because actually doing it would be amazing!
I found a place that isn't way the heck out in Egypt where I could do ballroom, and if I wanted I could pay extra so I could just show up to whatever dance classes I wanted that month, whenever they have classes that I can make it to.
I just need to look up the place again, but I definitely remember that it sounded like fun.

Although I must admit that it would be nice if there were places closer that I could go to.
I've also thought about Zumba classes, since there's no doubt in my mind that I could find one closer.

The sad part about many dance classes (other than ballroom, I mean) is that most of them don't have beginner classes for adults. I've looked at so many places that teach ballet classes, and their limit for beginning ballet students is around, i dunno, ten.
I found one place that had a limit of either 17 or 18 on a beginner class. Sadly, I'm at least 2 years over that. At LEAST.

Never thought i'd be able to say I'm too old for something.

But I have high hopes! And if all else fails, I can keep up with those Dancing With the Stars videos, that's for certain... Maybe I'll pop in the Latin Cardio Dance video whenever I get off work. I've only done it once, with K and another one of our friends, but I had a little bit more knowledge of the basic steps than they did.
Oh, and our living room was TINY. 3 people crammed into that little area? Just wasn't cutting it.

Well, I'll certainly figure something out!