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Thursday, February 27, 2014

The final push....degree here I come.

When I started Mason back in the fall of 2007 it seemed as though it was going to take no time to graduate. Sure I could do it part time in four years no problem. I told myself I would not in fact be like the majority of night (and adult) students who took one class at a time and ions to finish their degrees.

Looking back I laugh at this thought. Because what I didn't know is this. Life happens. Things get in the way. Babies, surgeries. Money. Jobs. It all has an impact. And before you know it those thoughts turn from well I will get it done in no time to, just let me finish. It doesn't matter how long it takes. As long as I finish right? Sure I have been close a couple of times, but with each step closer, there seemed to be something to come up, taking me two steps back. Pulling me further. Still I was determined to do it.

Wasn't I?

But something happened last night as I sat down to look into a summer class. Something I swore I would never do mind you. But as I looked at the class schedule, and the courses still need I stared, my mouth dropping. No, this could not be right. No no no.....I turned to my husband who sat at the other end of the couch oblivious to my whole train of thought.

What is it? he finally asks.

I think I can graduate in May....of 2015..

As in a year from now?

Yes.

The goal has never been so close. I double check with him, and do the math. It would be a stretch perhaps. But there is a summer class. Its online. And it only goes from the end of May, til the end of June. I would still have a summer. And it would leave me with four. Yes. FOUR. classes to go before graduation.

If I pushed myself I could quite possibly take two classes in the fall, and two in the spring. I would graduate.

The reality of the whole thing hit me. Because that goal, which I thought would take at least another two years just may be a lot closer than I thought.

Do you think you can do it? I think about it, its going to be a lot of work. But maybe I am ready for my whole education career to be over with. Maybe the next little over a year is going to suck. I am going to probably have to work my booty off. But in a lot of way. I am ready.

'If nothing more, just getting the summer class may mean I can graduate sometime in 2015 instead of 2016, 2017.'

And doesn't that sound fabulous.

 Yes. Yes it does.

Now just as long as the classes cooperate with my schedule then I will be double happy.

Here is to pushing myself for the next year. I got this.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

February blues.






Ah February. 

It has always been a weird month. Sure its short, and we technically have a holiday. But for it being the shortest month of the year, it seems to take freaking forever. Perhaps it is the gloominess. Or the fact the days are stupidly (is this even a word) short. Its cold, its nasty and more than anything February seems to bring out this sense of blandness to the entire area.

Yes I know my son was born in February. So perhaps that is something enough to celebrate.
  
We spent a couple glorious days in the hot Florida sun where we pretended there wasn't a foot of snow heading our way and the words Polar Vortex never crossed our mind. And then there is the whole love theme going on around the world.  And OK at least this year the Olympics seemed to hold my attention long enough that for some reason the days passed relatively with ease.

But if you ask me, the month could go a little faster.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Goodbye Sochi.

It was kind of strange this morning waking up to no news about the Olympic games. What was going to air when. Or avoiding it all together so I don't find out the results. The hunt for the medals gone and done. And it is weird trying to figure out what I am going to watch this evening. Do I even care about the whole Juan Pablo thing? And realizing that no, in fact I do not. Not only that, but I haven't even really missed it.

Imagine that.

But of course this leaves me the question, what the hell am I a going to watch? I mean I enjoyed the fact I didn't have to sit through a reality show. And those staples that I lived for? Well yeah I sort of had forgotten all about them. I enjoyed watching the sports. The ones I have loved for years and the ones I was just finding out about. I enjoyed watching my son's reaction to the games as he 'skied' across the floor then pulled out an imaginary gun for his biathlon practice.  Yes, he has now decided he wants to do this. I am pretty sure its because of the whole gun thing, seeing that it isn't really something we fully allow in the house. This makes it that much cooler in a five year old's eyes.

And I enjoyed learning something new. Whether it was about the culture, or the games themselves. Or the fact that ice dancers have to have 50% of their bodies covered at all times. I mean you just would never know these things if you watched DWTS on a weekly basis.

Sure they came with controversy. There in fact didn't seem to be a day when something wasn't going on. Ice dancing, ladies singles. Even the bobsledders and ice hockey had their share of conspiracies going around. Then again, what is the Olympics without them? From what I remember it seems to be this way every year. Protests, and backlash. Things go wrong. Things go right. I will miss hearing about every one of these things in more ways than not. And thankfully, my uneasy feeling about the games did die down and go away. Thank the lord for that. I was not interested in seeing that at all. But I will miss a lot of things about the games.

I know I will find something on. Castle will be my staple. And I will inevitably get sucked into the whole Juan Pablo drama because there truly isn't anything else I am interested in at this moment. But for a moment, and for the day. I kind of miss the whole Olympic vibe that was going on.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

The blame game



Yesterday I watched-like most around the world did the same-as Finland beat Russia in a win and your playing for a medal, or go home and think about it for the next four years hockey game. For Finland it was a chance to prove they belonged. For Russia it meant everything and so much more. Perhaps even more so after the U.S. game the previous Saturday. If you watched it-and let’s be honest, how could you not have done so, you know what happened there. And it meant something especially to Alex Ovechkin who from the moment the announcement came of it being held in Sochi, had become the spokesman, the face and the name of the games.

These were just as much his games as it was Putin’s it seemed.

Finland won, eliminating Russia. There would be no gold for the home country. There in fact would be no medal for the home country at all.

The moment the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game, thousands of hearts seem to burst. Twitter seemed to have fallen silent, Facebook soon followed. Russia stood still. How could this happen, how how how???

The solution it seemed was to blame the one guy who was supposed to make it happen. The one player who was supposed to come through no matter what for team Russia. Ovechkin. I guess it makes sense. But as I sat watching from my cube in America, while he spoke to the media my heart broke. Even if I was rooting for the U.S. and OK the fact they were out of it did make me smile a little broader, my heart still ached.

Why?

Because he took the fall, despite the fact that hockey last I checked was not an individual effort. It is a team effort. No one mentioned the lack of performance from Malkin, or Semin. Varly. All of who had just as much of an equal hand in the loss as Ovechkin. But no, it was not them that they blamed.  And did we notice it was none of them who were even willing to speak to anyone? At least Ovi was willing to face the music, good or bad. He took it.

Now I am not saying he did not have faults, because when it comes down to it, no he did not perform up to anyone standards, including his own. What I am saying is this.  It takes more than just one person to win or lose a game. And blaming it solely on one player is not going to do you any good. I am sure as the days, weeks and perhaps years go by, players will come forward and admit fault, blame it on coaching on half KHL, half NHL system that they were under.  Ovi while may not be viewed as the hometown hero anymore will at least see the pressure off his shoulders a little. Perhaps they will even admit what they should have been focusing on was how to come together as a team rather than playing at 20 plus individuals with egos. That it was unfair to blame such things on one sole individual-no I do not see this happening, but we could hope.-Perhaps then the outcome would have been different.

Though at the moment, its little consolation to a game that meant so much to a country.

Monday, February 17, 2014

A long lazy weekend.

You know what's amazing? Having a long weekend. Even more so when the expected three day weekend, turns into a long five day weekend. Thank you snowstorm. Yes that is right, the snowstorm actually worked in my advantage once and the 18 inches of snow ensured we were home for two extra days.

Of course this makes the thought of going in to work tomorrow that much harder. But isn't that always the way it is.

And how did we spend the five days? Well for starters Anderson and I actually did work from home for the couple of days, because thankfully we were given permission to do so. We also spent the better part of the weekend, OK try most of the weekend in front of the TV watching the Olympics at all odd hours of the day which meant we were able to watch a good chunk of things live. Something we thought we would never be able to given Russia's 9 hours ahead time difference.

What we did not do, was think much of a lot of things. Cleaning got to, Logan was entertained. And life was quiet for the past couple of days.

Which all returns back to normal tomorrow at 4:15 am when the first chime of the alarm will start to go off....

Saturday, February 15, 2014

So who do you root for?

This is not my photo, I do not take credit for it.
This morning my son and I got up early to watch the hockey match between the U.S. and Russia. Even before the start of the games, the match had been well talked about.

Especially in our house. Where we pretty much eat sleep and breath hockey on any given day. Olympics or otherwise. But for obvious reasons, this game has been highly talked about and anticipated by the likes of myself, my husband and little man himself, who is just excited to see hockey.

Even if he doesn't fully get it.

Admittedly at five, he has no idea the significance of the game. He does not know just how important it means to the Russians. Does not get what winning the gold would mean to them. And the only thing he knows about the Miracle on Ice is that its the signed and framed picture that hangs in our hockey themed basement, a picture he isn't allowed to touch of daddy's.

What he does know is this. His favorite hockey player-and self proclaimed best friend-wears yellow skate laces, is missing a tooth and plays for his favorite hockey team in D.C. He also just happens to be Russian.

And thus begins the great debate. The who do you root for one. For Logan it is simple, Russia he yells as the puck dropped. Yet he couldn't understand why I wasn't for Ovi. I did not know how to explain to him, that while I want Ovi to do well and I wish him well. For the moment, and for the next week I just want the .U.S.A to do better than him.  I will say, while I had no problem rooting against him, and them it definitely was odd to hear his name and think of him as the 'enemy.' And it brings up a good point.

Who do you root for? Do you root for an individual player, because I will admit I want Ovi to have a fabulous Olympics. Or do you root for the team? And is there a way to do a little bit of both and still not look like a trader on either end?

Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day




From my house to yours
Happy Valentine's Day. 
May it be filled with laughter, love and hope.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Team Olympics.

Maybe you haven't heard, but I love the Olympics. And if you ask me to choose between winter or summer, I would have a hard time doing so. I love them for different reasons.

That being said, I tend to watch more of the winter as I happen to like and find most of the sports fascinating. Whereas in the summer, I can't get into track and field, sorry but I can't. Funny considering I am a summer kind of girl.

One of my favorite things about the Olympics is this. Just because I am an American, and I will root for team USA doesn't mean I don't root and cheer and am excited for other teams whether it be USA, Canada or Russia. I bring this up because my father asked me the other day what do I feel about hockey, who would I root for because as an American I should root for USA, but Ovi (Washington Capitals forward) is on Russia. So in a way you want to root for him, consequently them right? He asked what would I do.

My answer was this. I root for them all. I wish them all well. Do I want U.S to win? Absolutely but at the same time, I will root for Russia, because well I want Ovi to do well just as much as I want Backstrom representing Sweden to do well.

And I love that just because I am American doesn't mean I have to side with them, or that I can't be thrilled for other teams. I know that we are not the best at everything, I know others deserve to win their races, just as much as we do. Why shouldn't they. This is their moments just as much as it is ours.

So who will I root for? I will root for teamolympics. Because for a moment, we all are on it.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Hello I am a Disneyholic.

Hello, my name is Aleisha and I am a Disneyholic. While many are slaving away behind their desks dreaming of warm sunny beach, or snowy mountains. I am dreaming of the fab five, and of Mickey bars. And O'hanna right about the time the sun hits the water. Man I love that time of day.

It started back in elementary school. This love of mine with the most magical place and Earth. Though it did not fully come in to light until 2006, when I brought my new husband to the parks. And I am not so ashamed to admit I have gotten my husband hooked on it as well.

Ever since then, the need has gotten worse. I go through withdraws if I go to long in between trips. I plan, and replan and spend hours invisioning what we will be doing. I reserve dinners, count down days and do anything possible to ensure I get at least a daily dose.

I want nothing more than to be strolling down Main St, or jumping in line for Space Mountain no matter what they wait time says. And I love watching kids enjoy Mickey Bars even if I can't partake in them. All I need to do is close my eyes and I am there. In the middle of it all. Just one thought, and my fix may not be totally cured but at least I feel at ease again.

Yes it is bad. 

This is only enhanced when a unbelievable deal comes through my inbox with flights that would get us there in two hours for less than $400 round-trip. I nearly decide to do it, because 172 days doesn't seem quite soon enough. Even if I have just returned. I slide over and check everything out, and bite my tongue because it is possible. Maybe just a short long weekend trip with just the husband and I is what is in order.

And just as any addict, the temptation is great. What is one more hit going to hurt right? Even though you know you shouldn't and you know you want to but its not the right thing to do. It is moments like this when I have to step away from my computer and resist the temptation. Because it truly is that great of a deal.

And what is once more during the year going to hurt? I am proud to say thus far I have stayed away from the super deal, and managed to close all browsers. Reminding myself, 172 days truly isn't all that long right? Until then I will try to live through various friends and followers who are heading down to get my fix. Because its a lot better than spending money I don't have, or should spend elsewhere.

I am sure somewhere there is a group for people like me, though they all reside down in Disney by now.  Though to be honest, this isn't an addiction I am willing to let go.

And it sure beats the alternative.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Birthday Bash to the finish line.



Well we survived the final birthday bash blowout. Despite sicknesses and weather concerns. We made it. 

And it was quite the success. 9 bouncy and happy five year olds-and a couple of almost 10 year old cousins-came, ate and bowled, and left in a sugar filled comatose.  Sure maybe a kid or two that responded didn’t show up, or backed out last minute but I can’t think of a time, that doesn’t happen.  And in all honesty, 9 was a perfect number for the age. I don’t think he could have handled many more.   

I owe a big thank you to my parents, my mom for handling a lot of the up top portions, getting things together and making sure juices were poured and stuff as I was not feeling well. And my dad, for being on the lanes and helping the kids bowl.  Of course it helps my dad is a bowler. I grew up in bowling alleys and he spends a lot of his free time there on leagues.  But yes, I owe them so much for their help here.

After as we were on our way home, he mentioned how it was over until next year. A fact that made him a little sad, but he also totally understood. And maybe it is bad of me, but I kind of took a deep breath. Yes, it was. Don’t get me wrong, I love my son, he is the light of my life and my reason for doing what I do on a daily basis. But he did have quite the epic 5 year birthday. A trip to Disney, a birthday bash celebration at the happiest place on Earth. And the birthday party this weekend. The kid has definitely been in heaven lately.  It has also been exhausting, even if he doesn’t want to admit it himself; the kid has asked to go to bed at 6:30 the past several nights. Believe me this never happens anymore. 

He also made it clear- in only the way he can- that he knows this won’t happen every year.  And he is totally ok with that.  Though he wouldn’t object either. And he is already scheming for next year. Seeing that it is 51 weeks away he figures he has plenty of time to figure out what to do next. 

And after the whirlwind and the excitement of this birthday, well I better start planning. Seeing that this year is going to be pretty hard to top.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Mickeyitis.

It never fails.  EVER.

I come home from a great vacation, and end up getting sick.  It doesn't matter where. Disney, Boston, North Carolina or somewhere in between. And it doesn't matter when, it could be the middle of summer or spring. Or in this case. The middle of a long cold winter.  But within the week of my return I enevidably find myself feeling like.

Shit.

I always find names for these sicknesses. This one is Mickeyitis. And if your wondering what my symptoms are its suffering from lack of warm, and sun. Its breaking out into random song withdraw in the middle of Main Street USA. Its missing the fab five in ways no one truly can understand. Unless they are suffering from the same thing, or have in the past month. And it is glancing at the buses in your local area and thinking, it looks exactly like the transportation system around the parks except they are actually bringing you to places you want to go to.  And it is definitely disappointment in knowing that someone at the very moment is sitting at a table at Ohanna having the best dessert on property.

My head hurts even more from just thinking about it.

I try to tell myself these symptoms will slowly disappear and I will be feeling well enough to be seen in public, but that does not do much to help my snotty nose and sore throat at the moment.

I hear the only cure is another trip to Disney, which again is hard to understand unless you are suffering from Mickeyitis.

Which means, must go back.

Friday, February 7, 2014

SHE WEARS PEARLS

 
She wears pearls in the morning
Because it takes away from the pain.
And she hides behind shades of red
To avoid showing the hues of blue.

She wears pearls in the afternoon
Because its the right thing to do.
She fears the loneliness
More than the control.

She wears pearls at night
Because it makes her feel like a lady.
She sees it as class
He can not take.

 Some say she is just hiding
Afraid to face the truth
Others simply have no clue.

That she will wear pearls this morning.
And finally escape her sorrows
In the bottle of black and brown.

-ACM

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Getting back in to the swing of things.

I sit among papers, notes. Memories and stories from this past vacation, which I am not yet ready to give up if I am being honest.  I had plans of getting things together, starting to share them with everyone because it was a fabulous, -although now seemingly short-birthday bash of a vacation. Filled with laughter, smiles and tears. So much so it is hard to digest even from one who lived it.

I also have a 5 year old's birthday to finish up, errands to do and yes bills to pay-not that you needed to know any of this.

But I am also staring at a stack of things to do for work, emails to respond to, meetings to prepare for. And while I would rather be responding to the vacation posts, and my thoughts on it. I know what I should be doing, and what I need to get done. And so my vacation thoughts will have to wait for another time.

But bare with me, I have a lot of thoughts and stories I definitely want to share with everyone including the following:

  • the most amazing sweet potatoes I have had.
  • Making the most of the magic
  • MagicBands
  • Fastpass plus experiences. 
 So just hang in there while I gather my things together, while I try to get back in the swing of things. And I promise to return to normal shortly.