death of my social life

Last week marked the start of something unexpected - my return to school. Yes, I have been a student the majority of my adult life. Yes, I am committed to life-long learning. However, when I left (without completing) my PhD many years ago I figured that was the end of my academic pursuits.

The Hubs has asked many times in those years, "when are you going to finish your PhD?" I had no intention of doing so. In fact, I described that period of life as self-imposed torture - why would I subject myself to that again?

Why? Because we are place-bound for a while, this reality leaves me restless and my mind has been hungry to learn....Because I suspect that just as my masters degree opened doors, doctorate credentials will do so also...Because, after a series of stops and starts, I found a program that sparks my interest and is located six blocks from my new employer...Because I am ready to dream about the possibilities of a new future, that may or may not involve hopping on airplanes to destinations around the globe.

At the end of August I attended my first class. The reading load seems unattainable and the course requirements will be demanding. As if this were not enough, I am adding a job change accompanied by a daily commute of more than two hours. Someone asked me if I was going to survive. My response, "I am pretty sure I will survive, but my social life is dead."

This has already proven to be true as I spent the bulk of a holiday weekend (Labor Day) in my house reading and writing for school.

Friends, I will be hibernating through the winter - for the next three years (at least).

just Sheri, here we go (again)

Hip-hip-hooray! It's that time of year again...

Every year I look forward to this time of year. I anticipate it. Last year I scheduled my travel plans around it, I didn't have that kind of forsight this year. What is this important event? Well, March Madness, of course. It is my favorite sporting event all year. To me it is way more exciting than the super bowl (though this year's superbowl game was exciting). I've had bragging rights all year because my team won the national championship. Regardless of the odds, and obviously regardless of where I am living, I am a Jayhawk through and through.

What team are you rooting for this year?

Champions! Three years running!

I may be living in Roy Williams country and surrounded by baby blue loyalists, but I've never been one for giving in to peer pressure. I remain a Jayhawk fan! Now that I live in the mountains our TV doesn't get reception and until my house in KC sells I'm not going to add cable to my list of monthly expenses. So, I had to hunt down a sports bar to watch the games. I went to watch the semi-final game and it just so happened a Duke game was also playing. Most TV's were on the Duke game. Everyone in the place was a Duke fan. I had the waiter change a TV to the KU game so I could watch. And I did, though the volume and cheering was all programmed to another team.

My Jayhawks won their third straight Big 12 title. Three in a row! I'm so proud!

Win some, lose some

Well, my Jayhawks were taken out of the competition and didn't make it to the final four. It was a good game and the loss hasn't diminished my interest in college basketball. I'll keep watching and I'll be cheering them on again next year.

Funkhouser, however, was the winner of a very close Mayoral election. This is now Funkytown (one of the songs he used in his campaign, the other was "We want the Funk, gotta have that Funk.") I do believe KC elected a man of integrity and commitment. He ran a clean campaign, never once bashing his opponent and his wife was his campaign manager (though she had no prior political experience). When asked about his choice of campaign manager, he said, "I chose the person who knows me best." He was also quoted as saying, "we ran a campaign based on authenticity." I can tell you that at campaign headquarters that word was posted on the walls and each person involved tried to live out that motto. I like a world where authenticity wins, I wish it happened more often.

Sweet Sixteen

I'm a long way from my Sweet Sixteen birthday, that isn't what I'm referring to. I'm talking about the college basketball tournament. The Jayhawks are one of the Sweet Sixteen. Three more games to the championship...

Jayhawks advance

For the first time in three years (and the first time with Bill Self as coach) the Jayhawks - my team - advanced past the first round of the NCAA tournament. They beat their opponent by 40 points! That's what I like to see. I watched the game with some friends at Paddy O'quigley's sports bar. Most folks were busy celebrating St. Patty's day. I was most interested in the big screen and the basketball game. Near the end of the game I was amused by the sports announcers, they were running out of things to say. Obviously, the competition was over, but the game still had time on the clock. They were bringing up random statistics about the teams and players. They were chit-chatting about anything that came to mind. My team plays again tonight at 5pm. I'll be watching.

March Madness

It's that time again...the time of year I looked forward to. Spring is in the air and that's exciting. Why? Because it means college basketball season just stepped in to high gear. My team, the KU Jayhawks, recently won the Big 12 championship game in overtime. They are also the No. 1 seed in the West going in to the NCAA tournament. Some of you who aren't in to sports may be turning off right now so I will keep it brief...KU has a good team this year. I'm hopeful we will have good results in the playoffs. The last two years have been incredibly disappointing as we were taken out in the first round both years by teams that should not have beat us. In the coming weeks I plan to spend time I don't have in front of the television watching some b-ball. I can't afford to watch the entire championship, nor all of any game, but you can guarantee I'll be cheering for my team.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Go K-U!

Rock-Chalk Jayhawk!

It's basketball season, again! I love college basketball. I miss my season tickets. It was one of my many sacrifices in returning to school. Boo hoo! One of my generous professors donated a game to a needy PhD student - ME! I took Kenyon to his first college basketball game. He wasn't aware of all the rule changes, etc in college basketball. He played b-ball in high school and he's watched NBA games. It was surprise to him that there are two periods rather than four quarters and some of the calls are different - such as what constitutes a foul, etc. We had a great time. I was so happy to be in Allen Fieldhouse for a game. The other games have been watched from the comfort of my bedroom in solitude. When I yelled at the TV, I felt kind of silly all alone in my apartment. It's a whole lot better yelling with a crowd of thousands.

New job

I've decided, in spite of the grueling study schedule and my existing G.R.A. responsibilities, I need a part-time job. I need some additional income. This week I started a new position as the Career Coordinator for KU's University Career Center at the Edwards Campus. What does that mean? It means, I help students create a resume, prepare for job interviews, and look for positions. I will be doing this at my home away from home - the Edwards Campus. I can't seem to leave that place! I accepted a job there in 2000 and have been affiliated with them in some way ever since, either as a student or employee. That's alright, the people who work there are like a second family and I've actually missed interacting with the students. This is a newly created position so I will be able to make it my own. I like that. Today I helped with my first job fair, that was fun. There are perks beyond the paycheck, this job helps me feel like a real person again. Going to work, interacting with normal people (not intellectuals), remembering there is life outside of books. I needed that reminder. Now I have to figure out how I'm going to fit it all in and still have time for things like sleep. Things that make you go, hmmm?

In other news, I received my first grade. It's hard to believe I've been doing all this work with no feedback until now on how I'm doing. One professor returned a mid-term yesterday...drum roll, please...I received an "A." Yipee! It was a series of three essays. I got an "A" on each individual essay and an "A" overall. I needed that as motivation to get through the remaining weeks of this semester. Can you believe I have fewer weeks ahead of me than behind me. Wow! I'm amazed at how quickly the semester has progressed. I still have a large research paper on the topic of social reform, a housing policy research project (ever spent quality time looking at Census tables? I don't recommend it), and two finals ahead of me. Like the little train that could - I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...