Welcome to the Pity Party!

Disclaimer: This post violates all the rules for the Christmas season, especially being grateful for what you have. I really have no reason to be complaining. I have heat in my house (knock on wood), a wonderful family, amazing friends, a car (...to malfunction. Read on.), etc. But I was inspired to write this blog while playing my 532th game of Solitaire this week, which I had switched to after playing my 343th game of Tetris (Freetetris.org. Knock yourself out!). So here it is... my ranting blog about my blessed life! Ridiculous, I know. But just humor me.


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These last several days have been quite exciting. Not exciting as in the "time flies when you're having fun" exciting. Exciting as in - could this week go any slower?! After having a somewhat boring couple of weeks due to finishing most of my assignments early (who said the early bird catches the worm?! They lied!), this last weekend I was more house-bound than I would have liked. I tried to study, listened to Christmas music 24/7, tried to practice self-control with all the Christmas goodies around, and yes, did manage to get out of the house a couple of times. But I was a little restless and the time did drag.

Yesterday morning, I found out at 6:45am (just as I was getting ready to head out the door) that school was delayed two hours, so our dreaded 8am final was moved to Wednesday. Today, as I have been doing the last several mornings, I woke up way before my alarm clock. I had a leisurely breakfast, did some exercises in the living room, watched The Today Show and an episode of The Cosby Show, did a little more cleaning up on my room, stopped the mail... finally, it was time to go to school to work out, go to work, and head to my final. Yippee! Something to do! I got all bundled up and almost cheerfully went out to "preheat" my car.

All would have been well if my car would have started! My battery is dead. That is why now, instead of exercising and/or working, I am STILL sitting on my butt, waiting for AAA to come and give me a jump start. Most of you know that I cannot tolerate car-related stress. My coping strategies include crying and calling my dad. Check, and check.

That being said, I am VERY grateful my battery died when I was home and not stranded somewhere (pretty much anywhere else would have been far worse). I could have locked my keys in my car and been locked out of my house on this lovely -30 degree weather. We may not have had AAA. My dad might have been out of the office, vacationing in Peru when I desperately needed his advice and encouragement. My 12pm final could have been one that I actually had to go to (we were just having a discussion- my professor said to "try my best to make it there."). Yes, things could be far, FAR worse.

Let's just take a minute to enjoy the irony, however. Just over 24 hours ago I called my dad and exclaimed "I LOVE MY CAR!" after it made it up the hill to school. As we trudged up the hill, I literally cooed to my car (aloud) "You can do it! You are such a good, good car!"

But I guess everyone has their "off" days.

Get it?! Off. Battery is dead... car is off.

I'm loopy.

Here' s hoping the crazy WA/OR weather doesn't interfere with my flight home tomorrow night.

Snow from West to Midwest

So yesterday, before our big "blizzard" hit (this is NOT the DQ Royal Treat), I was able to do some fun stuff. Today there is a lot of blowing snow and really poor visibility, so I'm nestled inside. I could attach a picture, but that would involve getting blasted with snow as I walk out the front door. Just imagine white. Lots and lots of white (it is pretty). We'll see what tomorrow brings, weather-wise. For once, I hope school is NOT cancelled because I want to get these finals out of the way. Shoveling my car out with my collapsable snow shovel (that doesn't appear to "lock" into extension) will be interesting.

Yesterday morning my friends Kacy, Cassie, and I volunteered at the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast with Santa. We served up pancakes and sausages for about three hours.

The rest of the afternoon I hemmed and hawed over whether or not we should cancel our OT Christmas party. They were predicting a huge winter storm this weekend and were advising against travel. It was supposed to be at a students' in-laws' "barn" (Ha. More on that later), and they had gone all out decorating the place for us, so I would have felt horrible canceling it. Not to mention the fact that we've been talking this Christmas party since- literally - the first week of school! After several hours of my phone becoming "Grand Central Station," we decided to have the party anyway.

This "barn"... was not a barn at all. Well, they claim it was three years ago, but you would never have believed it. I do believe they said it was **14,000** square feet (this is not a typo) and was FIVE STORIES. There were several bedrooms, a "loft" where there son lived, two bars, a basketball court, a weight room, numerous bathrooms, a kitchen, a big dining room, a (soon-to-be) movie theater... it was absurd. Here are a couple of pictures.




A modest little gym.





















Yes, they have a revolving door. And on the far left, that's a HUGE picture of Ashley (my OT friend) and her fiance after they got engaged.










The beautiful kitchen. And they don't even live here!













The pictures don't even do it justice. It was insane! Overall, I'm really glad we ended up having it (the weather wasn't even too bad last night- just a little slick). We had delicious food (college students CAN cook!) and did a gift exchange.

I lucked out and got an adorable cookie/bowl set. Polka Dot bowls are my FAVORITE! I can't wait to use the bowls. I think I was so attached, no one had the heart to steal them.

Part of our OT class (the ones brave enough to brave the elements)

Time to grab a cup of tea and try to study for finals. I make no guarantees.

I'm bored.

Usually I would kill to have that sentiment, but right now, it's just annoying.

Can't do too much studying for finals yet (need study guides, study buddies, etc).

I have a take-home final due next Monday that I started and have no motivation to continue.

Everyone else is swamped with homework (huh?).

There is nothing good on tv.

I have a week + 2 days to twiddle my thumbs and wait to go home.

Help!!!

What's the Catch?

Well, here I am back in Duluth after a 5-day Thanksgiving break. Being with my "surrogate" famil(ies) was the next best thing to going home.

Here is my Surrogate Family/Thanksgiving dinner #1, which was Wednesday night. Yum!

My friend Kristina and I went to the Como Zoo in St. Paul on Wednesday afternoon. It was a free zoo, which was pretty great! They had several types of monkeys (including a gorilla picking his nose-- and EATING IT, too!).

I spent Wed-Sun with my friend Abbey and her family. We had (another) turkey dinner Thursday, did some (non early bird) shopping Friday, more shopping on Saturday, then went to the "Holli-Dazzle" Christmas parade downtown Minneapolis Sat night. The pictures were a bit blurry, unfortunately.

Speaking of shopping... I got a new outfit-- puffy vest (a necessity in the midwest!), sweater, and jeans from American Eagle. Tsk, tsk, tsk... what's a poor college student doing spending all this money?!

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SHE WASN'T! Abbey and I were just browsing on Friday and half-heartedly went into American Eagle. The annoyingly peppy and fashionable employees pounced on us as soon as we walked in the door to give us our scratch it tickets- "EVERYONE WINS!" Abbey and I looked at each other and relunctantly collecting our tickets. The annoyingly peppy and fashionable employee noticed our lack-of-enthusiasm and commented, "Don't look so excited!"

Abbey scratched hers: "15% off. Cheers!"

I scratched mine: "$100 Shopping Spree. Cheers!"

Yeah, whatever. I rolled my eyes and went up to the sales guy and asked "So what's the catch?!" Well, annoylingly peppy and fashionable employee guy got REALLY excited, got on his radio and announced, "Someone got the shopping spree!" Apparently there WASN'T a catch and I was the first person at that store to win the $100 shopping spree!

NOW I was excited. Being the mature 21-year-old I am, I turned bright red and giggled. And then I shopped!!!!!

In the dressing room, the people working back there asked me "ARE YOU THE ONE THAT WON THE SHOPPING SPREE?!" I was the topic of many radio conversations. At one point I heard someone say, "We've got her in here!" ---Like I was going to run off without claiming my prize?!

I had been wanting/needing a puffy vest and new jeans, and was wanting to spruce up my wardrobe with a new sweater. And thanks to some great Black Friday sales, I was able to get it all!

What does an independent, 21-year-old college student who just got a cute new outfit for free do as she leaves the store?!

Call her mom.

The Windy City

Last weekend I went to Chicago (well, Wheeling) for an OT Student conference. I successfully filled a (free) tote bag full of (free) pens, (free) chapstick, and (free) goniometers (you know you're an OT nerd when you have a comepetition to see who can collect the most gonies). I also put my name on countless info cards in hopes to win a raffle. No such luck, but I am sure I'll be getting all sorts of fun calls and e-mails from employers in Indiana, New Mexico, and Wyoming.

We left school at 5:30am and 21 of us headed out in three minivans. Riding in style! It was an 8 hour drive and boy, is the way backseat of a minivan enjoyable. One week post-journey, I think I've regained feeling in my butt.

That night four of us headed downtown on the Metra. We successfully found the depot and got on the loading platform approximately 14 seconds before the tram came. We had to buy our tickets on the train when the conductor came around, and fyi- they really do punch the little holes in the ticket like in "Polar Express." Although mine wasn't in a magical, Christmas design...




The beautiful Chicago skyscape! This was down towards the lake/Millenium Park.








We only had a few hours in Chicago so we for sure wanted to find some good food. In Rachel Ray-esque fashion, I asked two employees at Sears Tower where they'd recommend going for dinner. Unanimous choice: Giordnano's.
Apparently, this is "world famous stuffed crust pizza."

(Jessica, me, Ashley, and Ruth)

Now THIS is pizza! Deep dish, oodles of cheese and canadian bacon in the middle, topped with sauce and pineapple.

http://www.giordanos.com/

So that was my taste of Chicago!

I'll have to catch Oprah next time.

Hi, my name is Senia and I am an ISFJ.

Today we took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in one of my classes.

By a landslide, I am Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging. I feel like I can kind of go either way on the extra/introverted thing, but I came out as a clear-cut introvert. I think that's what I am at heart.

The definition for an ISFJ:

"Quiet, friendly, responsible and conscientious. Work devotedly to meet their obligations. Lend stability to any project or group. Thorough, painstaking, accurate. Their interests are usually not technical. Can be patient with necessary details. Loyal, considerate, perceptive, concerned with how other people feel."

So basically, I'm a bit boring. :-p

My favorite part is my designated prayer:

"Lord, help me to be more laid back, and help me to do it exactly right!"

Several of my OT friends are ENFPs, which always make for interesting study groups. Their (very telling!) prayer is:

"God, help me keep my mind on one th- LOOK, A BIRD! -ing at a time."

Monday and Tuesday Happiness

*I got a free (short) massage in the student union yesterday. Lovely.

*Range of motion practical on Monday = No assessment class yesterday or tomorrow. Range of motion practical complete = 98%. I'll take it!

*It was freakishly warm this morning. So warm that I decided to walk to school. Fortunately, by this evening, when it was raining and thundering, my friend graciously drove me home. Phew!

*Belated birthday dinner at Burrito Union. Yum!

*We did our Level II Fieldwork lottery today. I get 2nd choice out of 28 students (Summer fieldwork) and 9th choice out of 28 (Fall fieldwork). Lucky!

*I'm sitting in my pjs, watching the election coverage, and blogging. Wonderful.

*The Holidays are coming!!! That alone gets me excited! :-)