Lately

Blogging has been slower than usual lately. So has cleaning, cooking, sleeping, and working out. Schoolwork has bumped its way to the top of my priority list and as a result I've made good grades, but I'm more disorganized, less fit, and sleepy. Hopefully things will settle out in the next couple of weeks so I can get back in a healthier routine.

On 10/10 I proposed my second milestone, my major area paper (MAP). Long story short, it's a big, months-long project like my thesis was and it's required to get out of school. My next (and final) milestone will be "the" dissertation. My MAP proposal went well so I'm happy and ready to proceed. I think.

When I'm not reading for, thinking about, or dreaming about school I manage to fit in plenty of fun. For example, Sunday afternoon Derrick and I walked to get a scoop of ice cream. Like 2 miles to get it and 2 miles back. It was a beautiful day and what's more motivating to break a sweat than a sweet treat mid-workout? I could do that more often. But soon we may need to walk to get hot chocolate or coffee instead!

Another treat I've found - pandora.com. Megan told me about it first. My hubby knew about it, but said he was afraid to tell me about it in case it would distract me from homework. He knows me well, but I haven't let it interfere. It's basically a free, personalized online radio station that uses "smart" technology to play music to your liking. You start with a song or artist you like and the program goes to work. You can add more songs or artists to your list to help specify your music likes and dislikes. You also give thumbs up or down if you particulary like or dislike a song. My two radio stations are nice for work, very relaxing.

My first station is "Jack Johnson" and includes music from Jack, Donavan Frankenreiter, Coldplay, Rod Stewart, Sting, Dave Mattehws, John Mayer, Ray Lamontagne and more. For my second station, I chose to use a song to start the mix - "Blackbird" by the Beatles. It includes a lot of mellow, acoustic tunes and some oldies. I rarely mess with it and like almost every song that's played. It's even a great way to find new music or groups you didn't know you liked.

I knew that the word "pandora" was familiar, but wasn't sure why so of course I had to look it up. So here's a fun fact: In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. Each god helped create her by giving her unique gifts. Her other name, inscribed against her figure on a white-ground kylix in the British Museum, is Anesidora, "she who sends up gifts." According to the myth, pandora opened a jar in modern accounts referred to as "Pandora's Box", releasing all the evils of mankind— although the particular evils are not specified in detail — leaving only Hope inside once she had closed it again. She might have opened the jar out of simple curiosity and not as a malicious act.

So now we've all learned something.
It's nice to blog again.