A lot of stuff to chat about, not that I've ever had a problem finding topics LOL

Here it is less than one week before Christmas and exactly one week before I get to see my pregnant daughter and her husband. It has just began to snow and I have a fire going in the pellet stove, the Christmas lights are on, I have a bag of gifts to wrap, and a hot cup of coffee next to me, nice!

I just finished up my first full-time college semester since 1995 (I took six classes). I had to take social statistics this semester and I never thought I'd have difficulty, but it ended up being what I would term as a "class from hell". Not because the content was so difficult, but because the instructor did not follow the book and it was very difficult to know what she wanted on her exams. I honestly thought I'd fail the class. I ended up with a B, which was a huge surprise, but from what I gathered most of the class was having difficulty, so that is probably how I ended up with a B.
I think she probably is just a tough teacher. She has informed us about how she graduated from some university in NJ and how she "gave it all up" for her husband (he is a coach at Western University where I attend). I have taken over 150 credits and I had a 4.0 up until I took her classes (3/6). I currently have a 3.63. So, is it me or is she just difficult? I think she is just difficult and I'm grateful I don't have to take any of her classes ever again! (knocking on wood)

Good news is, I will graduate in May 2013 with a BS in Psychology. I will be the first of my parent's children to get a college degree (BA or BS). I plan to continue my education with a Master's degree. I wish to do this for several reasons: 1. Employment, 2. Personal goal achievement, 3. dementia prevention. Hopefully, all three of these reasons will end up working out for me verses the financial cost.  

Amber and Carlos will be here at Christmas, and right after we will have a baby shower for them in Albuquerque, Yea!
We have really enjoyed living around Ashley and Gabe. Ashley is also taking college classes and she is hoping to graduate in a year or so with her BA in radiology.

My mom is trying to sell her house (she is 80). They are not happy living in Artesia. They're doctors won't give them medication, they don't have any social support (no church, friends or family). They won't actively do anything to get support. They just sit at home all day and bitch about how life is. She and her husband have no concept of reality. They are truly in la la land (not a psychological term, but it fits). It is sad to see people make bad decisions over and over again, but this is nothing new. They are not happy with their lives, so they make crazy (again not a politically correct term for a psych major) decisions, like moving every 2/3 years to try to find some purpose or satisfaction and yet they won't find happiness or satisfaction no matter where they go because it isn't where one lives or who one is around that makes one happy, it is the perspective within ones self that makes one happy. Oh well....

This is a terrribly long blog, but I don't care. I don't blog enough to worry about it. Perhaps, now that I'm not in class full-time I will update it more often and with shorter blogs. :)

Almost October

Well, it has been few months since my last post. I'm not sure if I'm on the right blog LOL. Anyway, this is a test for now. If it works, I'll update my blog later. I don't have much time lately.

July Stuff

My last post started with "Wow, summer is almost here" LOL. So you can see, updated my blog hasn't been a huge priority. June, we went to Washington and visited Amber and Carlos. It was very beautiful up there, but my greatest joy was seeing Amber and Carlos. Their apartment was so cute and had many conveniences that their home in NM didn't have. As a mother, anytime your kids are happy with something then your happy as well. There is way too much to see and do up there, but we did go to Pikes Market in Seattle, Whale watching off the San Juan Islands/Orca Island and visited smaller local parks. My favorite was Meadowlake park, at least I think that is the name of it haha. The trees there are very tall and lush. I took lots of pictures of slugs as well LOL. It is so funny that I'm extremely phobic for worms, but slugs absolutely don't bother me at all. Weird how our minds work on a consious and unconsious level. 

Which brings to the July. I'm taking two psychology classes, Psychopathology and Positive Psychology. From my understanding one approaches mental illness from studying what has gone wrong in the mind/body and attempts to fix it. The other approaches mental illness from what has gone right in the mind/body and applies basic psychological principles and the theory of the positive to fix it. I really like Positive psychology. It takes away from self-victimization and helps people to realize what strengths they have that may be used to overcome or compensate the weaknesses. 
So, that is my opinion as of right now. We will see how I feel after the classes have ended :)

Good news! Well sort of LOL. The special education secretary at a school district I'd contacted for a COTA job last Feb called me. One of the COTAs here put in her resignation unexpectedly so, they will be advertising for a COTA position (the secretary thinks) at the school district I wanted to work at. I wish for 1. a position to open up, 2. that they want someone with my years of experience (and minimal supervision for the OTR)instead of a new grad, 3. I get an interview and the job.
I'd prefer to work and finish my schooling part-time. Working with the schools would continue my retirement (same retirement system) and I would get paid for my years of experience (which is great in the school system).   
Of course the district may decide to not replace the COTA and just divide her caseload between the other COTAs, so the position may not open.

This was a HUGE blog. Oh well. I don't update enough to be worried about it :)

Summer is almost here!

So, since my last post, I have applied to a few more jobs, which I didn't get. I have now decided that unless employment opens up for a COTA, I am going to go to college full-time and get my BS in Psychology. Yes, I've switched my major, but I've always liked Psychology. I've read much about human behavior (probably in an attempt to understand my own family) and I've really enjoyed learning about it. Granted, better understanding only leads to better acceptance, not the ability to change a person's behavior. So, that is all that I have to say about my current "job/career" ventures. I'm very excited about seeing Amber and Carlos. We will be visiting them in June and then Amber will visit us in July. I haven't seen them since Christmas and I think this is too long. I have throughly enjoyed living near Ashley. We got pedicures today, it was my gift for Mother's day. Amber gave me a most wonderful bath pillow for my new bathtub and a fun movie "Young Frankenstein". I love comedies and I don't think a person can laugh too much! I will update this blog sooner, since I have no school starting until June, yea!

Wow, it's March already!

I hadn't realized how old my last post was until today. Update life news is:
We moved to Silver City, it is beautiful but we are just now slowing down from the move and starting to enjoy it a bit.
I cannot find a job (as a COTA) ANYWHERE. It is depressing. I did get a temporary position as an administrative secretary, but it sounds more impressive then it is. I'm basically a warm body to answer phones, check the mail and take messages. My contract runs out March 30. I was told that they (whoever "they" are) will probably offer me an extension until the end of May, but it hasn't happened yet. I should get my BA no later then May 2013 and possibly as early as December 2012 if I'm full-time in school.

The director of the OTA program (Occupational Therapy Assistant) told me I would make a "great teacher" and asked me to apply for the Assitant Professor position for the two year program. It had previously been advertised with qualifications of a BA or MA to get the job. She said if I applied she would "re-advertise" it with different qualifications (a BA completed by July of 2013). So, I got my hopes up and applied, got letters of recommendations, wrote a statement of teaching theory. The whole shebang. I also spoke with the director of the MOT (Master of OT) Program, who has her PHd. She said would prefer someone like myself to get the job verses a new graduate because of my 16 years experience in Pediatrics and that pediatrics is exactly where they need an instructor. So, again, I continued to be excited about the prospect but I read this morning that the "re-advertisement" stated a BA or MA needed to be completed by September of 2012. Well, this leaves me out. It does open doors for new graduates.

So, I guess I will just keep plugging away at school and try to be very very thrifty with our finances. I'm not to hopeful of anything right now (job related). I am very happy to have our beautiful new home on the mountain, love being close to Ashley and I need to just relax and enjoy the things I DO have and get over my disappointment.

We are going to go to Washington in June and see Amber and Carlos! Looks like I will have time to plan our trip :)

Christmas was busy and enjoyable!

So, John, Ashley and myself wore Christmas gear and flashing lights to pick up Amber and Carlos at the airport. They flew in from Seattle for Christmas!
While in Silver City for Christmas, we found a house we like and have started the process to purchase it.

Since Christmas, we found a house, sold our house, packed and moved to Silver City. We are in temporary housing until the close on the house in Silver city, which we hope will happen within two weeks now. I have began job hunting and my college classes began last week (during packing and moving of course). John will begin working out of a new office location and with new people, so this is a change for him in addition to moving.

We met the owner of the home we are purchasing and she is so sweet! She said the neighbors want to invite us over for dinner to welcome us and also to "send" her off. People here, have been very nice, which has decreased the stress level tremendously.

Amber and Carlos have been in Abu Dabi (spelt wrong), India and Dubai and won't be back until the 18th, so I'm glad we've been busy. I don't want to think about them being halfway around the world. I'm just happy they are getting to do something they have wanted to do. They are crossing off their bucket list LOL.