See, now that just sounds dirty. <snerk>
None except that I had the good sense to leave grad school as opposed to **eleanor **who’s also hearing noises AND contemplating the torture that is grad school. 
OK, I’m cynical, sorry. Just be aware that the grad school experience (at least mine and everyone else I talked to) is VERY different from undergrad. Most people are either working or doing the teaching assistant or research assistant thing in addition to classes, homework, projects, tests, your own research, etc. It’s way more of an overload than undergrad. And the whole environment tends to be different. In the undergrad years, you tend to live with your friends in dorms or apartments or sororities/frat houses. They’re taking the same classes as you are and there’s a lot of comraderie and support. Grad school you’re pretty much on your own and have to rely on whatever external support system you’ve got.
I don’t want to scare anyone. A graduate degree is a wonderful thing to have. But I didn’t know what I was getting into when I got started and wish someone had told me what it’s like. So I’m just giving this as a note of caution. Go into it with your eyes open, knowing it’s going to be different and knowing that you’re probably going to need outside friends, family, etc. to be more understanding and supportive than for an undergrad degree. If you can stay focused on the end result and if you get into an area that you love, it can be a really great experience. Good luck! And again sorry for being such a downer! Grad school can be really really good!
Rigs go for it. I put off going to grad school for several years because I just didn’t wanna go back to school full-time. I finally found a program that allowed me to work full-time and attend school part-time. It took longer but I got more out of it cause I was getting my Master’s in a field directly related to work. Hence, instant research.
I once thought about a MLS. It just sounded like it’d be interesting. I have a friend who is a research librarian and loves it.
<bitter chuckle> support system? <bitter chuckle>
I’m typing on it.
I went to undergrad fresh from HS-and really enjoyed myself (when I wasn’t in counselling dealing with all manner of family of origin shit, but that’s another thread).
I realize it will be a bit lonely–I am more concerned about my computer skills and being able to work and mostly support my family (dunno what kind of support I’ll get from the divorce as yet).
It’s just that I can no longer do what I am doing without working towards something else. This is something I’ve been interested in for a long time–but I doubt I’ll get in. It’s real competitive and there are lots smarter people out there than I am.
I just can’t be a nurse anymore. But not much else pays as well WITH full bennys for PT work. So, I need to segue into another career–one that I am actually interested in (my pay will go down).
I called re the GRE–I can take it in January. It’s 4 hours long!
4 hours!
I already have cold feet. Never mind how I’m going to pay for it all. And juggle two teens and a lil guy. AND get separated. AND redo my kitchen. AND…going to look for alcohol…
Someone smack me or something! :eek: :eek: :eek:
Well, I’m not smacking you. I think you have amazing drive and energy. I’m behind you one billion percent. I’m sure the rest of us Cool Kids are behind you as well. We can’t be there “physically” to support you, but you should know we’re all out here in cyberspace cheering you on.
Oh, and Sean, I don’t have a nickname or a sig line. You, at least, have a sig line.
Go for it, riggs. You know you’ll be kicking yourself later on if you don’t. I’m sure you can talk the two older kids to pick up some of the home load.
Your screen name is a nickname. At least it sounds like one. And “Sean” was a nickname I had years ago on the first ship I was assigned to, so I guess I already have one too.
Thank you.
I love you guys.
{group hug} (ok, maybe not that …)
It’s not four hours long. I took it in October, and despite the fact that it said 4 hours in some confirmation email or something, it was 2.5 hours.
flowers, cute doggies. I feel all gooshy inside when a lil ol rescue finds a new home.
sean, see, the whole reason for a nickname is cause your screen name is too long for certain lazy people :o to type out all the way. Yours is already short.
rigs, my sister is a nurse working full time and working on her masters. It’s a lot of work but it will keep you out of trouble.
:dubious:
there aren’t enough of these emoticons…heh.
I just hope I get in. My GPA isn’t the greatest (B- average) and it was all over 20 years ago! My brain has rusted since then!
Oh, BTW, Welcome Wallflower --sorry this is late. I’m a wee self-absorbed today!
We are having snow squalls here today–I love snow squalls. I love snow! Yippee!
Bumba, I’m glad you’re okay. Being sick sucks a lot more when you don’t have insurance. Too many heart attacks going around the MMP. We need to make a new rule that MMP-ers can’t have heart attacks.
Good luck, rigby! You can do it! The GRE isn’t so bad (but it helps a lot if you do lots of practice tests). I went back to grad school at the oh-so-old age of 30, and it’s much different when you’re on your own. At least I didn’t have teenagers to deal with.
taxi, those chocolate babycakes look very yummy. I think you need to test them before you make them for Christmas. And send me one. 
I have big plans to make a pumpkin cheesecake this weekend. I must be in a baking mood–I just made some fantastically yummy cheesy bread, but it stuck to the bottom of the pan. I’m so bummed. Maybe I’ll line it with parchment paper next time.
practice tests?
You can buy them like the SAT practice books/tests but I think you also get some from the company when you sign up to take the exam. I did mine 4 years ago now though so I may be remembering wrong.
You’ll do find and of course we’ll all be here for you! Come her to vent. We’re good at listening to rants and the like!
Practice tests for the GRE is a good idea. It’ll get you into test taking mode and jog your memory about some of that college type stuff you got all learnt up on.
I’m all stuffed up. I hate that. I also just took a sleepy pill so I hope in about half an hour I’ll be ready to snooze. It’s dreary, cloudy and cool here. Great night for sleeping away.
By the way, who’s up for Monday Morning?
Well, this was an unexpectedly adventurous evening. I dropped Bernie off at the groomer, then ran to WalMart for a few things. I was putting away my purchases when FCD got home, and when he got into comfy clothes, we took off for a Siamese cattery down the road a piece.
Holy cow, you’re not joking when you say they’re chatty cats! And these were soooooo friendly! I squatted down to pet a couple, and one jumped up on my back and sat down! Another climbed up FCD and sat on his shoulder! But the one we were there to see was very very skittish and spent most of the time hiding. We talked about it after we left, and we’re not willing to take on a cat that may have issues. Plus the breeder said Siamese can have gum disease problems - one of hers had all his teeth pulled, and another had most of her teeth removed. Anyway, bottom line - we’re probably not going to go for a Siamese after all.
We’re going to see some Abyssinians this weekend - anybody got any experience with them?
Bernie is home and clean and sweet smelling - at least for a little while. I expect tomorrow, she’ll find something disgusting to roll in when I let her out.
It’s raining like crazy - as long as the temps don’t plummet, we’re good. If it freezes, the morning commute will be interesting.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Thanks for you attention!
::waves off ferrets and sits up only noticing that she’s wearing a rather uncomfortable hat::
Weren’t you supposed to be completely stressed out by now? Or was that earlier?
By the way, I think your frozen precipitation outcome is being achieved over here. Could you come and get it please? It’s a bit slushier than you were looking for, but hey, it would be a good study break, right?
Flower, dear, 50-60 feet is plenty long enough for a driveway filled with snow. Mine’s about that long and almost never gets shoveled (it needs to be impassable to qualify for shoveling), but when it does, I wind up very tired and achy…
rigs - go for it! I agree with finding practice tests and other materials for preparing for the GRE, but don’t get too worked up about it. Are there other jobs that you could do for a while (even part-time) that involve nursing skills, but no actual nursing? (Utilization review, case management for insurance companies, etc.?) Or do you just need to get completely out of nursing ASAP? Some of my best friends are librarians…(OK, one, but I know a bunch of others through her and they’re all really neat people). And taxi is right - grad school is a lot different than undergrad. I think you’ll be fine as long as you don’t expect it to be an extension of your undergrad. Good luck and keep us posted!
Not to scare anyone, but my “noise in the furnace” problem eventually became a constant noise in the furnace that turned out to be a “need to replace the furnace” problem. It was actually just the blower, but given the cost to replace it and the age of the furnace, it made more sense to just get a whole new furnace. On the plus side, there were about two years between the time when it started making an occasional noise and when it went kaputt. It originally sounded like one of the ducts was rattling.
Hi Puggy! I was going to come in and talk about long names needing nicks to make them typable…Not that I’m lazy…or anything…::innocent whistling smiley::
Sean, I’d also take the envelope, say thank you, and open it discreetly. What did you do? And I’m really envious of your generous bonus. Don’t suppose there’s somewhere I can sign up for one?
I’ve had a really busy week and am tired (hence the rambling, free-association post) and am going off to bed…Hi to everyone I’ve missed…
GT
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Don’t the threat of gum disease scare you off. you just have to brush their teeth. If you start them out as kittens, they actually seem to like it. They even make beef flavored kitty toothpaste.
Also, if you’re looking at appleheaded Siamese, they are more polite with their chattiness. The show type, are tall skinny and simpering.
I had friends with Abyssinians. They are very even tempered, calm even. They usually aren’t scaricats. They have an exotic look. I though they were kinda boring, since Siamese are such Drama Queens. Siamese are, in my opinion, much smarter. I had to put baby latches on the kitchen cabinets because they could open all the doors. even the 'frig.
Another option might be Burmese, or Balinese they seem to be somewhere between the two others.
One breed to avoid at all cost is Persian/ Himalayan. They are dumber than dog shit.
I raised them for a short time. One would wake up in the night to go potty and get lost in my 900 Sq ft Condo. He’d stand where ever he was and howl until I came to turn the light on.
I had another that fell off the window sill…every day.
Good luck. I’m so jealous.
I’ve been busy, haven’t had time to read the thread. Hope everyone is well.
Not much to report.
Saw King Kong yesterday, I liked it but it could have been shorter and the last scenes were pure torture for me (I’m afraid of heights) I had to keep wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans and reminding myself it was just a bluescreen and they won’t really fall.
My weird kitten ate a big snow pea pod from my dinner - I guess he didn’t get the cat memo that they are supposed to be carnivores and their only vegetable intake should come from houseplants.
… so that’s my exciting life to date.