I Survived My First Week of Grad School!

All in all, it wasn't that scary. Things started out slowly I only have a couple of classes on Monday, one of which is an undergrad class that really is just a review. But on Thursday is my Theatre Research Class. It is the class I am most nervous about and my nerves were not eased by the teacher saying things like: "Uh, midterm and final...well it depends on how I'm feeling whether we have them or not." and speaking of our 10-15 page paper which will be the only thing we are graded on if there is not a midterm or final "You should get an 'A'. Why would you come to graduate school if you aren't going to get an 'A'? " And then the thing that discouraged me the most, "If you get less then a C, you may not be invited back to the program next semester."

So, since I am taking 12 grad credits, plus doing 1 1/2 assistantships, plus practicing for my voice and piano lessons and writing a research paper that I have to get an A on, I went to my advisor to discuss maybe dropping a class or two. But she assured me that if I didn't get an A on this paper I will be fine

So, I'm not hyperventilating anymore, but I do sort of feel like I am staring at a tidal wave of school work that is looming above me and will crash onto shore about mid-October.

Charming and Quaint Pennsylvania

PSU is in State College, PA. But because I am a little late in trying to find an apartment I have looked at a couple of apartments in a neighboring town called Bellefont, about 10 miles north of State College.

I fell in love with the Victorian District of Bellefont. I was seriously tempted to sign a lease on an apartment that had the address of 220 1/2 High Street. The address was cuter than the apartment. However it was in this red building and across the street from this park and historic train station. The trains still use these tracks. Enchanting! I love it! I will go there often, I'm sure. It also reminds me a lot of the set for The Music Man tour. I think the set designer must of been to Bellefont, PA.

Hotels Should Never Have PINK Sheets!

I left Utah on Tuesday, August 9th at about 4 PM. I arrived in State College, PA on Friday August 12 at about 10 PM. From my parents' house in South Jordan, Utah to the Penn State campus I drove 2,020 miles. I made a wrong exit near Chicago and had to drive 9 miles before I could turn around so if I hadn't made a wrong turn, it would have been almost exactly 2,000 miles. It was a long but pretty uneventful drive. I listened to the first to Harry Potter Books and got a good way through one of the Narnia books.

My least favorite states were Indiana and Ohio - they don't have nice rest stops, they have tolls, the speed limit was only 70 and highway patrol everywhere (I got pulled over in Indiana - just a warning! Whew!)

But the most interesting thing I saw on my drive were the pink sheets on the bed in my hotel room in Rawlins, WY. I have been in a lot of hotel rooms and this is the first time I have ever seen pink sheets.

In spite of the cheap hotel rooms with their pink sheets, Woohoo! I made it to Pennsylvania!

The Nauvoo Pageant 2011

So, I was an assistant stage manager this summer for The Nauvoo Pageant. A new role that I have never done before. See me with my headset on! It was great. I had some really sweet experiences. One of my responsibilities is what we called specialty casting, meaning: I chose the children who played Joseph Smith's children or Brigham Young's children etc. A couple of these little girls had lines and it was my responsibility to teach them their parts and rehearse with them. I loved it! I learned that Heavenly absolutely cared about which child played which part (most children got to do at least one specialty part) and that He had prepared children to come and do these parts. While choosing these children and rehearsing with them I felt the Spirit just as much as I ever had while performing on stage. It was a wonderful experience and definitely a highlight of my 5 year run of The Nauvoo Pageant.

My Little Red Car

This is my Little Red Car. It is a 2002 Hyundai Accent. I bought it in 2004 with 34,000 miles on it for $7,000. It now has 122,000 miles on it and this car has taken me from Salt Lake to Provo and back a million times, to Nauvoo 3 times, Disneyland once and has always been waiting for me when I returned to Utah from New York City. We have been through one accident and a couple of fender benders (none of which were my fault).

This is the second car that I have bought but the car I have driven the longest. I love that it is little and most of all I love the red color. My Little Red Car has been reliable and thus far only needed normal maintenance repairs.

Unfortunately, since I returned to Utah in January the transmission has not been functioning properly. After a long saga of trying to decide if it was worth fixing or if I should buy a new car, and how I should get to get to PA and should I take a car and if so what car, I finally decided to fix my Little Red Car. However, I am taking my sister's car to PA and leaving my Little Red Car in Utah for my sister.

The funny thing is that my sister's 1999 Toyota Corolla is the first car that I bought. I picked it out, bought it, and then drove it for 3 years. And, long story short, though my sister bought it from me fair and square, the title to this car is in my name.

So I am taking My Sister's Car to PA. And I plan on driving this car for the next two years but I don't know if I will ever be able to call it anything but My Sister's Car. There just isn't the same history and attachment. And although I know my sister is driving the Accent, I think it will always be My Little Red Car. And yes, I am having some separation anxiety issues.

However, I am SO grateful that this has all worked out! And I am SO grateful that I have a sister I can go to and say, "Can I take your car to PA and leave mine her for you because I just have a weird feeling that even though I am getting it fixed I shouldn't take it to PA? " She is an angel and each day when I drive My Sister's Car I will think of her and count my blessings.

Moving Again...

I am packing...again. I am moving across the country...again... 2 cross-county moves in 7 months....Is this really my life?