Just catching up...

Howdy everyone!

Just checking in to let you guys know I'm still alive. Much to my dismay, and yet not unexpected, I've ended up taking a week off from my studies. My class has a one-month break right in the middle of it, and I told myself I'd keep on trudging through all the stats/research texts through the break. Well, I've been lazy. So, I'm publicly announcing that I'm getting my bu** back in gear, and I'm going to hit the books!

Woohoo.

So this past Friday, at work, I went to a mini-conference held for members of the North Texas division of the Texas Distance Learning Association. The meeting was interesting -- we were given a tour of SBC's data center and disaster recovery center in Dallas. Lots of very expensive (millions of dollars) equipment, lots of security, huge generators. Very interesting.

While at the conference, I got to see two of the people I used to work with back at UTA. Actually, the two people were my immediate manager and his supervisor. One of my really good friends from UTA, Sunny, ended up not able to attend, which is probably a good thing. Just seeing Michael and Jenny reminded me of UTA, and I was a bit ... oh ... well, I missed the place. Don't get me wrong -- I love UT Dallas. I just compare this to going to a new school, seeing some of your old teachers, and it reminds you of your friends from back then.

But it turned out ok, in the end. I get back to UTD at the end of the day, and one of my friends pulls me into her office and offered me a Nutty Buddy (one of those ice cream cones with the peanuts on the top. Mmmmm...). Completely on her own. I hadn't even mentioned the conference. Nothing like friends and ice cream to get you back in a good mood. :)

Happy (Belated) "Pops" Day!

Happy Father's Day to my Dad, the coolest Dad in the world!!


Love ya Pops!

Must ignore Coldplay

Must ignore Coldplay.
Must ignore Coldplay.
Must ignore Coldplay.

Ack! Stats!

Greetings all. Well, classes started last night, and I am reminded how while finding these classes interesting, I tend to leave with a slight headache (aka "brain drain"). Which is a good thing, I know. Summer classes are nice, though -- this class only has five students, so there will be a lot of interactivity, plus our projects will be customized to our area of interest. The class deals with research and statistics.

I have a feeling I'm really going to have to catch up when it comes to stats -- I'm the only one in our group who has never had any stats training in undergrad. I know what the general meaning of "standard deviation" is, but we're talking "effect size" and comparing comparisons and all that. All I have to say is ...

Thank goodness my hubby's a geek. I know, dear -- you have never bitten the head of a live chicken. (If you're wondering what in the word I'm referring to, check this out.)

I went straight home and Roy explained it to me. It took a couple of times, but I now understand it. So, I march on into my semester, prepared to research topics I don't understand, read in-depth journal articles, and do my own research projects. Wish me luck. Please.

But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes...
B'cause I'm Mr. Brightside.

Analysis of Research in Educational Technology

Classes begin tonight, and as usual I have my pre-semester jitters. I always take a sneak peak ahead of time and check out the course syllabus and assignments. The name of the course (as you probably figured out) is Anaylis of Research in Ed Tech, which at the same time sounds like an interesting course as well as a tough one. Wish me luck.

"Open up my eager eyes..."

Artist: The Killers
Album: Hot Fuss

Go. Buy this album. You'll thank me later.

Ok, so I'm excited about the Killers concert coming up in August, and all of yesterday, I had the song "Mr. Brighteyes" stuck in my head. (I'm driving my hubby nuts b/c I even set that song as my ringtone on my cell, and I periodically check the ringtone volume just to hear it play. How's that for cool, Lizzie!)

So, I head out yesterday and buy the album, and I've been listening to it ever since. If you're thinking about getting it, go for it. I've been burned too many times before when buying albums only to find that it has only two good songs. Not so here -- the whole album is great! It's strange, but it reminds me of the "new wave" music I loved back in high school. Love the guitar. Love the words. Plus the singer's kind of a cutie.

Funny you're-getting-old moment, though. I'm about to walk off with the cd in hand and head to the cashier, but I notice there is a kiosk where you can scan the cd barcode, and it'll show you part of a music video from the album. So, I scan the cd and "Mr. Brightside" comes on. Well, this teenage boy comes around the corner singing the song, and he stops dead in his tracks when he sees me in front of the kiosk and he gave me weird look.

Kid: "You're getting that cd?"
Me: "Mmhmm."
Kid: "Cool."

Yes, ladies and gents. You start getting old when you stop having fun. Can't wait for that concert.

Another concert to add to my schedule...

I confessed to Roy last night that I bought four tickets to the Killers concert (Aug.17) yesterday. I was thinking that since my Dad was taking that week in August off so that Lizzie could come up and see Green day on the 20th, that they'd be able to make it to the Killers a couple of days earlier. Well, Dad called last night to tell me that he doesn't have the whole week off, but they should still be able to make it to the Green Day concert.

So ... I'm going to end up selling three of those tickets, and -- by golly -- I'm going to see the Killers. I really love living so close to Dallas and being able to snag such great concert tickets. Plus, there's just so much to do ... museums, concerts, malls, it just goes on and on.

Now I have several countdowns:
- Killers - 76 days
- Green Day - 79 days
- Oasis - 112 days
- U2 Houston - 148 days
- U2 Dallas - 149 days

Woohoo!

Quick Memorial Day Weekend Update

Howdy everyone. It's been a while since I've posted, so I figured I'd better post an update.

Memorial Day weekend was nice ... and tiring. More so for Roy than for me -- he worked on a his grandmother's sprinklers, which was supposed to be a small, quick project but ended up taking much of his weekend. I spent a lot of time with my family -- Lizzie updated me on all the super-cool music videos I needed to see (i.e. Green Day, Good Charlotte, the Killers, etc.).

Roy's birthday was on Monday, so we had a small party for him at lunch (with *wonderful* German chocolate cake), then we left to drive him at around 3pm. Speaking of which...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROY!

Happy birthday to you!
You belong in the zoo!
With the lions and the tigers...
And the monkeys like you!!

So, now we're all trying to adjust to the short weekend, although it's nice thinking it's Wednesday, when it's actually Thursday. Just means that the next weekend is closer than we think!