So close to the end!

I am graduating in four days! Finally, after almost 19 years of school, I can finally (I hope) say that I'm done. It feels so good but it's also scary because I have little clue what the next step will be. There are so many things I want to do with my life and figuring out which route to take first is intimidating.

Speaking of being done with school, I just found out today-- the Tuesday of finals week-- that I still have to write another paper. See, I'm enrolled in an independent study with my advisor, and just got a message today saying I need to have my final "research report" in his mailbox this week. WHAT? Research report? It is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing. We've only met for the independent study (which, by the way, I don't even need to graduate) twice and the first time we met he said, "Your goal for the semester is to finish your master's paper." So that's what I've been working on and that's what I finished this semester. I didn't know I needed a separate paper for this independent study course, but he says I need a paper to grade to get the credits. Oh, and to top all this off, my advisor has been in Africa for the vast majority of the semester so it's not possible to just to talk to him in his office to get all this straightened out. Yay.

In other news, I'm sick. Started with a sore throat a few days ago, and now it's a full-blown cold. Stuffy nose, congestion headaches, watery eyes, sore muscles, the whole kit and kaboodle (what does that mean, anyway?). Finals week is definitely not a good time to get sick. While driving into school this morning I was as high as a kite on Dayquil and could hardly keep my eyes open because they're so sensitive to the light (and of course I forgot my sunglasses) and I kept swerving off the road and would find myself either going really fast or really slow. I'm feeling better tonight which is good because I have a lot of grading to get done tomorrow-- plus the departmental holiday party where I'm supposed to be playing Santa. I've been told to bring my Santa hat and sunglasses.... not sure why.

Enjoy the pic of the Santa hat in use. Jerry and I went to take some Christmas pics out on the ice before the big blizzard came, but the light was so bad that none of them turned out. So now we have a bunch of random pictures of us on the ice.

Does anyone watch Dexter on Showtime? The season finale was last night, and although it was a little disappointing, I still love that show. It's just great! Can't wait for the next season. It's one of those shows where at the end of each season you think, "How can they make another season?" But they always do and they're always good!

Well, time to go blow my nose and put myself into a drug-induced coma until the morning. Goodnight!