I’m sitting in the International Departures area of YVR. Would you believe that there are no televisions showing the World Cup here? What is up with that?! On the plus side, YVR has free wireless Internet so I am “doing homework”. Which means I am sitting here, looking at the giant aquarium of fishes and sea anemones, with my computer open, alternating between educational tasks and pure time wasters. All going well, I should be done next weeks discussion work before I land in Paris in 12 hours time. Before then, I’ll have touched down in Calgary (apparently Air Transat flies “direct” to Paris from Vancouver… via Calgary. I guess WestJet is not the only airline that offers direct flights that stop in Calgary. On the plus side, I’ll probably unlock a new travel badge on the recently joined foursquare (if you’re on foursquare, add me, I have no friends!). So, till France, A bientot.
Tag Archives: masters
New Classmates, Dentists, and Sunshine
What do the above have in common?
Nothing, actually, that I know of. I just encountered all today, in reverse order of the title.
The day began with a trip to the dentist. It was time for my annual check-up and I made sure the hygienist was aware of the molestation my gums have received in past visits. Result: I left without sore or bleeding gums, plus a new toothbrush and floss. She was new, which may account for her being a little easier on me, but apparently whatever I am doing is working because I got high praise all around and even managed to get in a plug for my favourite, natural toothpaste (no more chemicals for me, thanks, especially after reading stuff here.)
Then, it was coffee down near Cadboro Bay with a friend. The sun was shining, it was warm hot, and we sat outside. I only just managed to wait the requisite 30-45 minutes after fluoride for eating/drinking.
After a couple hours in the sunshine, it was a short bike ride to meet a new classmate. A girl in Victoria (who is friends with some friends of mine – small world!) just started my program, so we had tea and chatted about our backgrounds, what we want to do with our degrees, challenges of the program, and random other psych-geek stuff. It was pretty great.
Now, I’m at home. I’ve been at home for a few hours. I have not accomplished any homework. But, the sun is shining, the Habs are still in the playoffs, I’m going to Vancouver tomorrow for a birthday party, and I just drank a fruit smoothie: all is right with the world.
The World as Best as I Remember it
The last two weeks have gone by so fast that I’m not really sure what happened. Last Tuesday I could have sworn that I had only gotten home from Montreal the night before; apparently it had been the previous week. I’m still trying to figure out where the last five days have gone.
- My aunt from Montreal was here visiting for a few days, we went to the art gallery (good exhibits going on right now, Victorians), wandered downtown, saw a movie, climbed a mountain…
- I started a new course, one which I am not thrilled about but am trying to make the most of. Maybe I’ll finally get that A+ I’ve been trying to get.
- Random note about that course (research methods) – the prof goes by the same name as my UVic stats prof which is kind of weirding me out.
- These next two weeks are going to be psycho chaotic with course work plus the last two weeks before the big conference on the 28th/29th. It is not to late to register and you know you want to come!
- The weekend was great, but too short. Britt, Kelsey, and I had our first road trip of the summer and it was great fun! Bamfield is lovely and since the resident soothsayer decreed that I will return to Bamfield, I suppose I must. We had a pig roast (like a whole pig on a spit turning over the fire), The Broken Group played the house down and people danced all night. The sun shone all day and the stars shone all night. I got in the first real stargazing of the summer.
- I know I just mentioned them, but I get very happy inside whenever I think of the name of Bamfield’s resident band: The Broken Group. (For you non West Coasters: The Broken Group versus The Broken Group.)
- Photos of the previously mentioned weekend are forthcoming. Maybe Friday.
- I booked airmiles flights to Prince George today for my 10 year reunion this summer. Airmiles was the only way I was willing to go. I’m too cheap to pay full price to see people I only had one year in common with… But I’m stoked to see other friends and (quasi!)family when I’m there!
- I started reading a new book yesterday. Its really good.
- Ok. Back to the school work.
- PS – bonus points for anyone who gets the obscure early 90’s Christian music reference in the title. No googling!
Here We Go Again
And thus we begin another term of school: two down and two to go. That full week and a half off didn’t really feel like a break with all of the traveling that I did in there. Mind you, it was very nice to not have to take any school work with me to Montreal.
Today, the next course opened: Research Methods. Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against research methods. I think it is a valuable component of any degree… I would just like to learn something new. I logged on to the course site earlier this week and began the readings. It is all review. In fact, it is less than review. I don’t think it will be even as in depth as any of my undergraduate courses.
I have, in my undergraduate degree, completed no less than five courses in research methods and statistics. In those courses, I wrote research proposals, I conducted experiments and collected data, I had labs where I used statistics software and analyzed my data, I wrote formal reports. Heck, one prof even used some of our data for her research.
When I wrote the school and asked for permission to not take the course, I was told I could only have that if my courses were taken at the graduate level. Fair enough, I can live with that. Maybe I’ll learn something more if it is a “graduate” course.
Then, I opened the text book and read the first sentence: “A course in research methods is possibly the most important course you will ever take in your psychology undergraduate career.” Kill me now.
In Brief
- Final paper of the term done. I’m quite fond of it. Title: “I and Thou: Spirituality, therapeutic presence, and becoming human through dialogical relationship in humanistic psychotherapies.”
- I now get a week and a bit off, though the next course will open in a week so I should really start reading then.
- I made eatmore bars last night and I have eaten more than I should have.
- I leave tomorrow on the red-eye for Montreal! I’ll be there for four days – a wedding, a confirmation, and 3 or 5 birthdays!
- I’m going to experiment with tweeting from the sky. We’ll see if that works or not.
- Photos via twitter will likely be my primary mode of sharing photos of the weekend until I get back because computer is staying right here.
Last week, I was, by all accounts, prolific on the blog.
This week, I have had the realization that the sooner I write the paper that is due next Tuesday, the sooner I start my 2 weeks of holidays. Here’s to finishing sooner rather than later! (Consequently, you won’t hear much from me until the paper is done. Unless it is going rather badly.)
Things that Make Me Happy
- New music from the public library
- Being able to wake up without the alarm clock
- Dinner with [new] friends
- Productive meetings for exciting things
- Taking a break and resting in God’s presence
- Quiet reflection and peaceful moments
- Wind and rain to remind me of God’s power in creation
- New toys to play with
- A clean bathroom
- Life calming down (for now)
- Finally getting permission to take 2 courses at once this summer meaning I’ll be done all my course work before I go to Myanmar in November
- A fantastic new dress
- Possible trip in June
Seasons
What a beautiful, sunny afternoon I had today. I walked home through the winding roads of Fairfield, soaking in the sun, the sounds of birds chirping, and the new pink and green growth emerging from brown earth and branches.
I like the change in seasons; spring always prompts me to take stock of my life and direction. Right now, I have a fairly good idea of the next year-ish, though there are some details to still be worked out. Things will always surprise me: I did not expect to go to Kenya last year, but I did and am so thankful I had that opportunity. Still, that does not stop the “J” in me from wanting to have at least a rough idea of the next 1,2,5 years… The last three or four years, around this time, have been a time of real self-reflection and exploration for me. This year is no different, however unlike the last few, I have the “itch” back: the itch to get up and go off adventuring somewhere. A year and a half from now, I will be completed my degree and practicum and will be able to register with a governing body and practice. Then what?
Masters Degree: Week 3
It is week three of my degree and already I have managed to write 3 1/3 papers, submit a draft instead of a final copy of my team project for marking, and read more textbook chapters and journal articles than one should in a three week period.
It has been an interesting time.
To be fair, the last few weekends have been fairly busy: I went to Edmonton for the long weekend, not realizing that my course started the week before the long weekend rather than the week after like every other school in the country. Last weekend was back over to Vancouver (third time in a month and a bit) for the marriage of two good friends and former co-workers.
I wouldn’t change any of it, but it has been challenging, to say the least, to get into a routine of work/life/school when the variables are constantly changing. This week, well today, has been a bit of a low point in which I question my suitability for even doing the degree. Then I contemplate doing my current job for the rest of my life and I get encouraged to continue in school. But seriously, six years of post-secondary and I sign up for two more?!?
Oh well, it is nothing that a stiff drink and a good sleep won’t fix.
Comments from a Pathetic Poster
I had lofty ambitions, after being chastized by a friend for my lack of posting, to get right back into the swing of things. For good or for bad, I got used to not posting much this summer – a lack of Internet access in Kenya and on a boat will do that for you. No excuses! I am back on land and have free wireless at home and at every second coffee shop; there really is no excuse for me. I like to think that I am out of practice and need to get back into the habit of transcribing everyday occurrences for the general public to read. Because you are all interested in my eating habits and traveling adventures, right?
As I type this, I am sitting in a coffee shop on W 4th in Vancouver. Beside me is a stimulating Americano, my current poison of choice. I’m in Vancouver for the weekend to spend some time with good friends before school starts on Tuesday and to meet my boyfriend (HOLD ON, stop the train… boyfriend?!?… yes. More on that someday) as he returns tomorrow from a two and a half trip to the States.
Truth be told, I have had some interesting ideas for blogging lately; a rant on how my doctor prescribes medication, how my school begins next week, and so on. But, something else keeps coming up. Like school starting next week. I’ve been labouring under the false assumption for some time now that my course would begin when every other school in the country begins: after Labour Day. Last week, I discovered that no, it begins on September the first. Before school starts, I have six chapters from two different text books to read plus a multitude of online readings. Fortunately, I long ago mastered the art of the skim-read. I just assumed that everyone skim-read their text books, however a message from our prof for the first course indicates otherwise: “Because the work is intensive, and because you’re at a master’s level here, you won’t be able to read as you did in undergrad – reading every detail, preparing to memorize for exams. Here, you’ll have to read quickly, and you do that by skimming, stopping on what you don’t know – not reading & memorizing every detail, but rather grasping the gist of things so that you can apply it.” At least I already have practice.
So now that I am back at school, I suppose we can all look forward to more frequent posting as I sit for hours at a time at my computer and have the opportunity to practice my finest procrastination techniques. Until then, I am going to enjoy my last few days of “freedom” and get back to wandering W4th.
gillian's island 