My class schedule has finally settled into perfection. I had been made to suffer a three and a half hour break between my in-seat classes, until a seat finally opened for one of my USP courses. So my Tuesdays and Thursdays are beautifully filled with a morning class, a comfortable lunch and study break, and then two more classes. And I still manage to get home before four o’clock (on good traffic days). Colour me tickled.

It’s rather interesting, though, attending a ladies’ college. And by interesting, I mean, you really get to see how much more open and relaxed women can be when there aren’t male competitors flitting about. And hell, even I feel a little more liberated in this setting. Not only is the social environment different, but the educational environment is different. Take for instance, my Psychology of Gender class. Of course, we’ve touched the “this is what feminism is” subject, but that was all. There was no “AND HERE IS WHY IT’S RIGHT!!1!” and “PATRIARCHY, RAAAARRRRR!!” Christ, who knew that you had to hang out in a sea of estrogen to escape the feminist agenda that stinks up most major universities?

Well Christ on a bike, it’s been since December, hasn’t it? Here’s the scoop:

I dropped out of the University of Kentucky, because I had had it up to my eyeballs with their bullshit. I was rather tired of feeling like my money was more important to them than my education (how many times had I been told by my professors that “the grades don’t matter?”), and it made me vomit a little whenever I realized that the education gimmick was really just an excuse to have SPORTS!!1 After being dicked around by multiple agencies for which I needed to volunteer in order to fulfill my the requirements of Social Work classes, and being screwed over the TA in my German Cinema class, I came home one day in tears, crawled in bed and cried for an hour or two, while repeating “I’m not going back. This place just isn’t worth it.” This was sometime back in March, if I do recall correctly.

Soon after, I scheduled an appointment to tour my mom’s alma mater… a nice, tiny, private college in the middle of bumfucked-Egypt. I invite her ride along, as I figured it’d be nice for her to have the chance to “go back home”, as it were. And dudes? It was fantastic. So I immediately applied, sent in my transcripts and scores, and waited to hear back with what kind of scholarship package I’d be getting. I mean, this place isn’t cheap… we’re talking, twice the cost of UK. Even though I knew I qualified for a legacy scholarship, having three generations in my family walk in and out of their doors, I didn’t know if they had exhausted their scholarship awards for the year. So I was sweating bullets until my letter arrived. And I didn’t get the Legacy scholarship (boo!)… I got a better one (YAY!).

The usual routine occurs, where you register for classes, some get canceled, things get fucked up, things get fixed, blah blah etc. Which brings us to today, my last day of freedom before class starts tomorrow.

Other updates? Well, let’s see. I got a little job, which earns me even smaller paychecks. Saw VNV in NKY back in March. Started reading the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. Flew cross-country to visit some friends a few weeks ago. Some hellacious family drama occurred at roughly the same time as that travel adventure, and is still unfolding on a continuing basis. And… ehm. I think that’s about it, really. Exciting, right? Obviously, we haven’t missed much in my non-updating mood. But maybe I’ll update more now that I’m not so filled with hate and rage about the school situation.

…is not my life. If anyone who stumbles across this blog (or, gasp, follows it closely) is not aware, I am currently pursuing a degree at the University of Kentucky. Though there were a handful of institutions I would have rather attended, I chose this school for no other reason than its geographical accessibility — it was the closest college to my original place of residence. After my first semester, I knew I had made a terrible choice. But I pressed on, keeping my eyes leveled on my goal: a degree. Liking the program in which I’m enrolled, or the people who attend this university, is not as important as graduating.

This semester, however, has been a horrific experience. I have seen so many unsettling things, and I honestly loathe the fact that I have three more school-terms to survive (four, if you count the summer session… and I don’t, just to keep my blood-pressure within normal range).

TL;DR version: If you’re thinking about going to the University of Kentucky, don’t. Do yourself a favor and mark it off your list immediately. If you’re at all interested in reading the reasoning, though… click through.
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You bet your sweet ass this is going on the fridge.

…this year, I am quitting smoking. I think. Last time I quit was right after I got back home from my trip to St Pete in February. I can’t begin to say why I quit that time… whatever inspired me to do it, but it sort of worked for a few months until I realized that buying cigarettes at your friendly corner convenience store was a somewhat easier (and a lot more legal) than buying Xanax at your friendly corner convenience store. So now that I only have one month left before class starts (read: one month left before I’m covered by University Health Services and can legally obtain said Xanax), I figured it’s a good time to try again.
Actually, I’m only doing it because Kev said he was going to try. But he seems determined to be self-defeating, which is going to make it all the more hard on me. Because yes, this is all about me and I’m the centre of the universe here.

Anyway. I’ve had since April to officially apply to the College of Social Work at UK, and I finally did my entrance essay just this morning… less than a week before I have to have it turned in. Luckily I can deliver it by hand, so I know it’ll hit their desk(s) before the first.

Finally, it takes a special kind of girl to fuck up Tuna Helper. And I am a very special sort of lady. What should’ve been cheesy noodles with tuna has been transformed into yellow mushslop with tuna flakes and burnt bits. I am not happy about this. But at least the salad part of dinner was okay. It’s just impossible to jack up lettuce.

Stuff has happened. All ye who follow my LJ have heard it all, since I have no secrets and tell no lies. I just rarely find anything to be publicly blogworthy until it all accumulates into this big ball of… accumulation. So how do I want to go about this, I wonder… hmm.

Well, the bad news. First and foremost.You’ll remember that my big white thundarrcat Moses passed at the end of this past summer. It was a shock to the system on so many levels… one in particular being that he bit it before Carmie, who I sometimes lovingly refer to as “Parkinson’s Kitty” and “Old Man Pants”. We always figured him to be older than Moses, so we always figured he’d move on first. When Moses went, we knew Carmie couldn’t be too far behind. This morning, about six months later, Carmie went. It’s… odd. I wasn’t there when it happened, and I didn’t “say goodbye” so I don’t have the image of his death in my mind. I also have the comfort of knowing that Mo is waiting for him. So… while it hurts… and I’ve suffered a wet face all day in private moments… I’m doing better with it than before.
Still. Of course. He will be greatly missed… and always fondly remembered. Love you, duder…

*sigh*

Shaking my hands out a bit, now. There is good news. I’m doing well in all of my classes, staying on top of things (and even ahead in some respects), so my academic life contributes only minimal amounts of stress to my general life. The worst thing about this semester is, still, the driving. But not for very much longer… bringing me to good news point number two: I’m moving to Lexington. I have my address, and a tentative move-in date in two weeks. I’m not sure when Kev is coming up to hang his hat, yet… hopefully not long after. It’ll be grand to be closer to campus, but it sure would suck to have to bimble around by my lonesome for too terribly long.

Other big news: My car broke 100k miles last week. Poor ol’ baby… I have to take it easy on her from now on, huh? Also, I’ve quit smoking. It’s been two weeks and two days since my last cigarette. Congratulate me, assheads. And finally, today is Kev’s birthday. Happy birthday again, babycaeks! Now fuckin’ blog somethin’ already!!

What we have here, are placesettings. Plates, knives, forks, glasses, and all sorts of other neat and groovy things. Sadly, you have no idea what I’m talking about, as I’m not going to post photographic evidence. Which, I suppose means, “it didn’t happen”. But the fact that I experienced part of this setting-getting expedition myself, as well as Kev, who braved a sea of cheap silverware to discover a treasure by the name of Pfaltzgraff, I would say it did happen, regardless. Besides, we have the receipts.

Meanwhile, sometime last week (more like Tuesday), my loan check arrived in the mail. Deposited it on Wednesday before class, and then went to class. First up is LOGIC, where our bastard instructor informs us that he is teaching the most difficult and fast paced section at the University, and that we should drop if we don’t like to work hard. And then Friday, after calling roll and finding that a fair portion of folk did indeed drop, informed us that it was all a lie, but we should enjoy the extra elbow-room anyway. Which still makes him sort of a bastard, but the good sort at least.
Next up is Anthropology, which includes two papers and three exams, plus weekly recitation. Then Women and Gender Studies in the Arts and Humanities, which seems like a lot more work than it should be for such a bunny-foo-foo class. But it was nice when, as I was called out to explain why I chose Social Work as a major, and replied “because I’m nutty as a fruitcake,” she replied, “That’s exactly why I went into English.” Finally, after just barely enough of a break to shove some food down my throat, is Statistics, which I know I am going to hate. Badly. But at least the textbook isn’t required.
I think I will be pleased with this semester. It’ll probably be more work than the last, but at least I won’t be as bored as I was in the last.

Some new things that class[money] have heralded: A coat, three shirts, two sweaters, a fine winter hat, and two more pairs of legwarmers. All on clearance, baby! Plus the above-mentioned housewares, with two mixing bowls and a rather nice pie dish.

Another change this past week has brought is Kev’s [Lazer] moving-in to glostix. I asked if he’d be interested in blogging together here on a whim, and he said he was down with it, so I got things all re-arranged and freshened-up for him. Looks nice, no? Don’t know how often he’ll post (not that I post very often anyway, hah!), but I’m tickled pink to have him on board WE has a website! Huzzah!!