Mega Post 2

A few posts ago, (back in August), I mentioned a few things coming up on the horizon. We did all them and more, so much so that catching up on reading blogs, let alone posting to them, has fallen by the wayside. But fear not! I try to keep up on facebook, with mixed results.

I'd also at this time like to promise pictures to go with the following post at some latter date, but while my intentions are good, I don't see that happening any time soon. Still, if I don't post something, we're likely to forget what we did this year and then our end of the year letter will be lame. So...

AUGUST:
* I finished Team-teaching Psychology of Gender. It was certainly an experience and I'm going to continue to take a break from that one for awhile.
* Nicole and I flew to Connecticut and visited with family then drove up to Toronto for APA. Southwest mislaid my one suitcase with all my clothes in it. It didn't make it to Connecticut by the time we had to leave for Canada and they don't fly to Canada, so we make a detour at the Buffalo airport and picked it up! (Luckily we had already finished doubling back to get a forgotten passport and arrived in Toronto without further incidence).
* I got assigned to teach Psych 111 (Intro to Psych) at BYU and History of Psych at UVU. Fortunately, I've taught both before and have been learning what the minimum prep time needed is. Twice (once in each class) I've prepared for the wrong lesson (i.e. a chapter that I hadn't assigned my student's to read). I was able to teach what they had prepared for, however, so I'm feeling pretty comfortable in my role and ability as a university professor.
* I did end up applying to an internship in Salt Lake. It's with the LDS Church in their research information Division. I didn't even know that we had a Research Information Division until they recruited me! All the research is pretty proprietary, so I get to pull the whole secret agent schtick about not being able to talk about my work, but sometimes I really want to.

September
* Nicole finally got her official raise (with compensation) and began transitioning to replace the assistant director at her work. She gets an office, but she'll probably end up sharing it with someone.
* Nicole also began her monthly weekend travels to Denver/Phoenix for her leadership training (As well as Friday night classrooms).
* We sat in a Leadership class in the MBA program. Nicole found it very difficult to not participate.
* I began my last officially required course for my PhD program. After this, nothin' but Dissertation! (and "fun" classes).
* I began to think about my Dissertation topic. I think I've got one, but explaining it will have to wait for a longer post.
* We went to Logan where I ran the "Top of Utah" marathon. I had a great half time, then the pain overwhelmed me (apparently you need to train on pavement more than once a week, the treadmill won't cut it). I survived, but with such a time that I resolved to run another marathon in November to make up for it.
* We went camping with friends and caught what there is of Utah's autumn in the mountains (a better show than from the valley). I had to leave right from work and thus began the trip in a suit.

October
* I turned 28 and actually started to feel really old. On my bus commute to and from SLC, I'm finding it harder to read and study without becoming nauseous and running has become even more wearying. I also didn't have a big party. Mostly because most of my friends moved away :(
* In fact, although I had registered for the Mesquite marathon in November, I contacted the coordinator and got switched to the half-marathon. Fortunately, out of all our activities, running is the only one that has really suffered, and even that is still going moderately well.
* We also found out about a new TV show, that so far seems good, clean, and funny, it's "White Collar" on USA (we've just watched the first two episodes so far).

November
* The end is in sight! I'll be doing that half marathon on Saturday and then I have a week off from teaching and taking classes. I hope to get all prepped for the end of the semester. I should mention that in addition to 20 hours a week in SLC (plus 6 hours of commuting), teaching at two universities, and taking a few classes, I'm also doing research at BYU's Faculty Center, TAing for another professor, finishing off some qualitative research on health and religious community of immigrants, working with the editor on the next edition of "Taking Sides in Psychology," doing another research project on daily theistic experience, helping organize the division 24 midwinter meeting, and writing abstracts for several presentations for the next year. And some other stuff. Anyway, as I always say (and always get wrong), next semester should be easier.