I survived...

So, I made it through the week. Both my tests seemed to go well, my presentation was a hit and my paper was read by a non-biology student and declared understandable. I just worked out my "Attack plan for Feb-Mar". The best part is highlighted in pink and it reads "SPRING BREAK". I can honestly say that this will be the most anticipated trip I have made in a very long time. I miss my girls very much. But I have become very good at scolding them on Skype.

On another note, I have posted a movie clip of my two extremely talented friends. Alli (in blue) is an English major and Mary Sue is a Music Education major. They got together one night here at "Slim Pickens" and played for a couple of us. They say they are going to learn some other pieces and play them for my kids.



Mary Sue took me into the Fine Arts Building the other day and she taught me how to play "Chopsticks" on the marimba and even coaxed me into displaying my long forgotten piano playing skills. She is much better than me and the pieces she was playing were unbelievably hard. I finished grade 8 piano but I have never attempted the caliber of pieces she was working on. I plan on attending some of her recitals. She is in so many different essembles that I can't keep track of them but I should be able to catch a few. She is a piano major, but she plays guitar, flute, clarinet, trumpet, the marimba, and sings. She has also had lessons in stringed instruments and confesses to wanting to learn more instruments. Amazing. She is one of those people who can hear a song on the radio and pick it out on the piano. AND...she composes! She played part of an original composition on the piano and I was blown away. Okay...she reads this blog and is probably extremely embarrassed right now (she turns bright red in the face, its quite cute).

Alli is my other bud. She really likes to read and write. We have all these great books that we are trying to get each other to read. Because I have 15 years on her, I think I have a larger collection, but she is a pretty voracious reader and I am sure we will have some excellent conversations in the future. She taught herself how to play the guitar and I swear, if I had more time, I would ask her to teach me.

Both the girls are fun and I am happy that they let me hang out with them. They make the days go faster and I laugh around them alot. I am like an older sister to them and I get to impart my hard earned wisdom. They make me miss my own sisters very much. I am sending out a "Hey Y'all!" to them. And yes, my WV accent is progressing just fine.

So, I think I have taken all the pictures I need to around here. I'm sure you get the gist of where I am living now. I will try to remember to bring my camera to the next basketball game and try and capture the experience for you. It can get quite exciting during a close game.

I have also started running again. My knees have decided they have given me enough grief and have relented for a bit. There was a loop that I used to run, back when I was in Glenville in the '90s. It's still there and the big hill near the end doesn't seem nearly as big and as hard as it did back then. Did I tell you that I ran on the College Cross Country team back then? I even went in the races and usually ended up somewhere in the middle. Considering how I don't like to run that much, I was pretty proud of myself for doing that. Anyways, it was nice to get outside and stretch my legs.

Being around these young kids has made me realize that with maturity (what I have), comes a certain confidence. I am happy that I am able to guide my family and friends and feel very honored when they ask me for help and guidance.

I have done quite a bit of growing up here myself in the last month. Frank and I have been together for so long and he is usually the confident partner in our relationship. He guides me in a lot of things. I usually take a back seat and let him make the first move when we have to make a decision. But, being here, away from him, although hard, has given me the confidence in myself that I should have had before. I think that will be good for our relationship. Everyone has told me that they are very proud of me for doing this. And you know what? I'm pretty proud of myself. When I stand up to receive my degree, I will have accomplished a goal that I had thought I might never have achieved. You can bet that I will have a lot of pictures of that moment!

Well, my homework won't complete itself. Talk to you soon.

Love Tanya