This is what happens . . .

When I'm told on Monday that I have a Friday deadline for a PowerPoint that I was unaware had a deadline at all.

I work on three research teams here at school, doing marketing research for the Polynesian Cultural Center (my role there is pretty laid back, just data collection, not analyzing), the Student Development Center (I'm in charge of an "occasion-setting" project- how does the therapist set-the-occasion for a relationship between a student who is working through academic issues, and the student's professor(s) and an ethnic specific student development project looking at whether retention rates of Polynesian students improve when they are placed in an academic skills class specific to their ethnicity- I actually presented this at a regional conference earlier this year and am hoping to present at a national conference next May). Finally, I lead a team as part of my stats profs "personal lab."

One of the six projects I'm currently working on is pure lit review which is a little unusual for us since we do empirical, quantitative research, so it's new territory for me. I'm writing a paper on cultural views of science and how different people around the world view science and research in different ways. I just found out on Monday that Dr. Miller wants to talk about this project with some PhDs from Purdue on Tuesday. And I have to have a PowerPoint for them.

Did I mention I'm currently working on six projects for this team- me and my two team-mates? We have a ton to do so when we were given this deadline, do you know how much writing I had done for this project. That's right- none. Thank heavens I had done most of the reading! Though I'm still trying to do some more.

Anyhow, since Monday, I've been getting up at 5:30-6 am and staying up till 11-11:30 at night. Now, that might not seem too unusual for a college student (it is for me), but what is unusual is that I have been working constantly! Except for this blog and when I'm at work, where I also have a few minutes to blog and get on facebook.

So I'm kinda going crazy. I'm in science, culture, journal article, PowerPoint, APA overload. And I think it might be making me lose my mind. I'll be glad when this is done. I'm going to try to finish by mid-Friday afternoon to submit to my "boss"- he supervises all the team leads and we'll discuss and make improvements Saturday (well, he will- I'm going to the Kona temple) and Monday.

Pictures of my night follow. I'm getting a little loopy.

My desk with all my journal articles, my APA publication manual, and the title page of my powerpoint.

I want another piece of cheese.

Maika'i Hawai'i

Even though it remains difficult to be so far from friends and family, I love Hawai'i. She has treated me well these two years and I will miss her when I go (except the humidity; I will never miss that). I only have 56 days left to enjoy this lovely place. And I'm afraid I may be a little homesick when I go. My one consolation is that I will always have many friends and connections here, so there is always a reason to come back.

Aloha au iā 'oe, Hawai'i.

Satisfaction

Living the gospel makes me happy. I may not be perfect at it yet, but I will be someday and I'll have eternal happiness. How amazing is that?


So funny story from a fireside tonight (a fireside is kind of like an informal church meeting; it's not church but similar-ish). Elder Ritchie (he's here on a mission, that's why he's called "Elder"; he's a "senior" missionary, meaning he is married and he and his wife are serving together) was our fireside speaker. He told about a fast and testimony meeting (in the LDS church we refer to the first Sunday of every month as "fast" sunday; we abstain from food and beverages for 24 hours and pray for a specific need or blessing for ourselves and/or others; we also have a testimony meeting in church, where rather then the two or three scheduled speakers, anyone is free to get up and bear their testimony- we also use the word "testimony" a little different then the rest of the Christian world does) where his then seven year old son brought along a few seven years old friends. They had never been to an LDS chuch before, but one of them quickly got into the spirit of things and before they knew it he had walked up to the stand. When it was his turn to bear his testimony, the Ritchies were praying for him that it would be a positive experience for him, but as he wrapped up, it was clear he wasn't sure exactly how to finish (it is normal to conclude by saying something like, "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen"), so he paused for a moment and then said, "Holy Moses, Amen!"


Funny!

My new "must have"

At work this week we got new widescreen monitors on some of our computers. Only one of the computers I use has one (yes, I have two desks which is an extremely frustrating situation but not really the point of this post) but it's amazing. While I've always wanted to have a monitor and docking station for my laptop, this cemented that desire- need, shall we call it. I cannot believe how much more I can see compared to my laptop. Even though it (laptop) is widescreen, it's not doing the true widescreens justice.

So, if you're trying to decide what to get me for Christmas, well ya know. And if that seems a little expensive for a Christmas gift, don't forget- I graduate in December too!

For the Record

I was just randomly watching a New Moon trailer. Now, I am an Edward fan through and through and think that if you thought Bella was ever going to end up with Jacob you are just as dense as the Harry Potter fans that thought Harry would end up with Hermione.

That being said, when it comes to the films, Taylor Lautner is so much more attractive than Robert Pattinson that it's ridiculous.

Taylor (Jacob)




Gosh is he attractive. And, unfortunately, far, far too young for me.


Robert (aka Edward)



He just doesn't do it for me. And he's supposed to be the most gorgeous guy walking the planet!

If they were gonna go with Harry Potter stars for Twilight, my vote would have been for Sean Biggerstaff who played Oliver Wood and didn't get nearly enough screen time.

I should be a casting director . . .

Somebody got this wrong!

This is my last semester and I'm only taking 12 credits. Let me put this in perspective for you: during Spring term, which is half the length of a semester, I did 12 credits- so I did a semester's amount of work in half the time and in Winter semester, I took 21 credits (12 is full-time).

So why am I so busy? I'm supposed to have senioritis right now. I'm not supposed to be slaving over papers and projects in all my free time and falling asleep over my homework at my desk.

Someone, somewhere, got this wrong!

(Sigh)