Final Stretch

The semester seems to be wrapping up nicely. I've finished one course entirely; I present in Philosophy tomorrow with my current version of that term paper (which will probably need at least another edit or two); Media Effects' presentation is Monday and then I have to spit polish that paper before the semester's out.

In the course I teach we finished up notes on two chapters yesterday and will be doing some activities to fill out the rest of the semester. I feel like I have a handle on all the assignments I need to finish up, all the work ahead of me, and have started gearing up for Christmas.

Ho, ho, ho...here we come.

One Year and Change

Your friendly neighborhood doctoral student here, friends.

I know it's been a little while since I last posted. Here's the truth of it: I realized exactly one week ago that one of my course projects was due a week earlier than I thought. Up until last Monday I believed that my end-of-term project was due NEXT Monday, but when I checked the course syllabus I found out it is actually due TODAY. My 14 days to work was instantly cut in half (including the three days planned away for Thanksgiving). 14 days became 4.

So, with that load in front of me blogging took a backseat to getting my work done. Never before have I had so much to do in such a short amount of time. The definition of 'stressful situation'. It was only yesterday afternoon I finally felt I had a handle on all three of my end-of-semester projects. I think the semester will end smoothly, I finally feel in control.

Thanksgiving was great this year. My family's and Gina's all got together in Millersburg at Gina's parents' new place on Lake Buckhorn. Good food, good company, lots of things for which to be thankful. That includes the fact that this weekend marked one year since I met Gina. So, one year on, things are still fabulous. Fun, special, novel, interesting, smart, deep, loving, complicated, worderful-all the things that make a relationship so great a thing.

Chicago, Engage!

Here are a few pictures of our most recent engagement trip to Chicago.



Saturday night we went to see "The Decemberists" in concert.



One of the Chicago skyline.



This is of my beautiful fiancee and me at Lincoln Park.

I proposed...

...and she said, "Yes". Tomorrow we are off to Chicago to celebrate, sight-see and go to a Decemberists concert. Ahhh...true love.

-M.D.S. Away (to Chicago)!

Blue State

Well, thanks in small part to yours truly, Ohio is a Blue State. We have a new Democratic Governor and Senator. In the House of Representatives, however, the incumbent Republican won. We also won an increase in the minimum wage, rejected slot machines and now can go into any restaurant, bar, or bowling alley and not reek of smoke. Triumph of the good guys. Also, I was unfortunately rejected as dog-catcher this time around. I have, however, been appointed to a lesser position by the winner, in a show of solidarity: I am now the Wood County Marmoset, Vole, and Yak catcher. Laugh all you want, but Yak's are a tricky, wily breed. -M.D.S.

Voting

Today I voted. I love voting. I think it's fun. I, however, don't think it's fun when the lame poll workers nearly don't let me vote becuase (although I'm on their register, voter roll, have ID, and am standing right there confirming that I actually DO live where I am saying I live) my driver's license is old and says I live a few counties away. Arg.

Here's what I'm going for: Lots of Democrats winning, the smoking ban going through so that I can enter a bar without immediately smelling like stale ashtray scrapings, an increase in the minimum wage (so that the servers in those bars don't flinch so much when people stiff them on tips), and the school levy passing. Also, I wrote my own name in for Dog Catcher.

Fingers crossed, everyone.

And if that doesn't work:
Masked Doctoral Dog Catcher, 2008, here we come!

-M.D.S.