It's been quite a while, hasn't it? I guess I haven't written in a bit because there hasn't really been much to talk about. School has been busy and I haven't done anything exciting except writing a paper on the period of adolescence. I suppose that was something to talk about...

Although the paper turned out well (it was the first paper I think I have ever sent to Jesse that he hasn't had to edit!!) the experience of handing it in was brutal. The seminar class I wrote the paper for is specifically on Adolescence. This was our first position paper, which basically means that you have to take a position on a question and defend it in 8 pages or so. When you hand in the paper the class listens to your positions and discusses it- that means you are put on the hotseat of a little bit and forced to debate with everyone else. Although the idea made me nervous, I figured it wouldn't be that bad because the class is only 2 hours long and other people surely wrote the paper this week (you can pick 4 weeks out of 10 to write). NO. I was so wrong. As it turns out I was only one of two people who wrote the paper AND the other person had an elaborate excuse for why he wasn't going to be at class (it had something to do with a passport, a three hour traffic jam, and his brother being in Toronto International Airport). So basically the two hour class turned into me defending against everyone else's criticism and opposing positions. Who would have thought that defining adolescence was such a controversial topic?! We even split up into groups to brainstorm things that I did wrong...and I had to be in a group! Total disaster, seriously.

Anyway, I have recovered from the academic beating and surprisingly I am pretty proud of the paper that I handed in. You would think that I would feel doubtful about my position after all that but I think the experience simply reaffirmed my original ideas on the topic. I am pretty sure that is called belief inoculation, a very cool concept if anyone is interested (yay, psych GRE Teres!).

The only other thing going on in my life is that Shannon, my roommate from last year, is coming to visit for one night on her way back to Portland. She works at a hostel there and loves being a west coast girl. Crazy how much has changed since she lived with Heidi and I last year! I am excited to see her and have the sore stomach that comes from the uncontrollable laughing that she always elicits. I guarantee that for two weeks following her visit I will talk like her...and it will be extremely annoying!

Well that's all that I have for now. I sure made a long post out of absolutely nothing. Hope everyone is well. Take care and keep on keeping those resolutions (if you haven't broken them already)...tata

School has officially begun for me and so far my classes are excellent. It's so nice to be a senior and be able to finally take only classes that matter to you. I have really good professors this term and a lot of out-of-class time. I've also gotten to re-connect with a couple friends from freshman year. It seems that things do come full circle (right Teres ;) ). Well I am going off to read for fun while I still have time. I'll check in again when I have something more interesting to say...it might be a while. take care.

...year, classes, interests, and goals. Exciting stuff if you ask me. I can't wait to start my new classes and get cranking on my thesis. This is the term when all of the floating ideas come into fruition. I can't wait to get my thesis going and work with the kiddies again. It's been two years and I wonder if I will remember any of them. I see their names when I am making up the schedule and they all seem so familiar but really the only child I can remember clearly is the one who decided he didn't want to keep doing the experiment halfway through. I'm really happy that the school district gave me permission to videotape the kids. It's going to make such a difference to be able to watch the experiment over and over. I can't wait to get started :)

Anyway, this is the last night I am going to be sleeping in my bed in the BUFF. I love my bed at home. Sometimes I think I get more sentimental leaving my bed than anything else in Buffalo. But it will be nice to get back to my apartment and be more independent. I like not having someone asking me where I am going all the time (not that I go that many places).

As usual I am a little worried about moving the turts. I worry that I am not providing a stable enough home life for my little semi-aquatic friends. If I were them I wouldn’t like someone transporting me in a neon orange party bucket every ten weeks back and forth from Buffalo to Schenectady. I mean I do put a seatbelt around the bucket when we are driving, but still they may feel unsafe. The trips have been good so far, but it only takes one bad experience.

Okay, well the next time you hear from me it will be from the Neck. I hope everyone have a healthy and happy New Year. Take care!!

I have come to the end of my graduate school applications. It's hard to believe that the whole process started just this summer...it feels like i have been working on them forever. Now the only thing left to do is call to make sure they are all complete and wait. Although I'm sure most people finding the waiting part of applying for something tedious, I think it's nice. I like putting it out of my mind and thinking that it's someone else's responsibility. yay for being done!

I really hope that I get into at least one school. I mean of course it would be freakin fantastic to have a choice, but one would be ok too. I don't feel very confident about my chances but at least I've done what I can do.

In other news, Christmas wasn't very nice this year. I'm not sure what was missing but something just didn't feel right. There was no excitement on my part, and there were too many other things (and people) to worry about. I can't tell you how much I need to shake something up. Not in a crazy way, obviously, just in a way that changes a lot of things. I need a bunch of changes all at once but they have to be positive ones. I'm not really sure if I know what needs to change...okay, well I know a couple things, but really there are some things that are just lurking. I can feel it.

My aunt told me that she spoke to a psychic who told her that this year was going to be a good one. It's really funny because my aunt doesn't even believe in psychic but there she was telling all of us not to worry because this year would be great. She said the psychic told her that last year 2004 was destined to be a bad year and every psychic knew it. I thought back to all of the things that happened in my life this year and basically I feel like i have to believe her that 2005 will be better.

On the other hand, I know this year could have been much worse. I can't imagine all of the poor people who have suffered this year, the soldiers around the world fighting who have been away from their families, all of the children who have been hungry, and the elderly people who have been alone. I am very thankful for all that i have. I hope that 2005 will be a better year for everyone. I don't think that's too much to ask.

So far today has been pretty successful. I began this day by going to the post office and sending in 6 graduate school applications that will arrive on time and completed correctly to their respective destinations. I am very pleased with myself because I sat one room all day yesterday so that I could get it done. After getting that stuff mailed out I purchased my mother's xmas present. I have been struggling for weeks trying to think of something to get her and all of a sudden last night the perfect idea hit me. I know she is going to love it because it is totally her kind of thing. Furthermore, I hate buying people "items." In my family more value has always been placed on giving people experiences rather than objects. So for my mothers gift I got her a subscription to a club for a year. I am not going to disclose what kind of club it is for fear of getting laughed at and mocked by everyone...but let me just say that she will love it :)

The other thing that has made today very nice is that I received a brochure in the mail about accomodations for the binenial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development. I am really (pathetically) excited to go to this conference and present my research, so getting all the info in the mail about it made me happy. THere is a bit of a downside to all of the conference stuff though. I found out the other day that my professor isn't going to go the conference because her research wasn't accepted. Now i have to go to Atlanta all by myself in April. I forsee many episodes of me asking random strangers for directions because I have gotten so lost. I am trying to convince my professor attend the conference even though she isn't presenting. In case she says no, anyone want to go to Atlanta in April? I hear it's beautiful that time of year.