First Six Weeks of Summer

Currently, I am enjoying my last planned full weekend in Bloomington until mid-August. It is really hard to imagine that I will not be stationary in this location again for nearly 3 months and a brief 9 months after that I will be graduating with a master's degree.

The past 3 weeks and next 3 weeks has mostly been consumed with the summer class on Sociology of Education. I have rather enjoyed this class in particular the small size of the class and easier ability to communicate and learn from one another. I also rather enjoy the subject matter as well. It is interesting to learn about the education system in particular in America. Currently, I am taking an extended break from writing the one paper for this class. The focus of my paper is going to be on gender in higher education and students pursuance of particular degrees. The research materials have been gathered. It is just the matter of putting it all together into a paper very soon.

Besides taking class, I have made two trips to Kentucky in the past few weeks. Derby weekend was a lot of fun minus the horrific sunburn that I received on Sunday. Let's just say, my legs have never been burnt so bad in my life. If you think you don't need sunscreen on a cool day, please put it on anyway because the pain afterwards is not fun.

I returned to Kentucky last weekend as well. Yes, the main purpose was to go racing. I am really not sure why because I performed quite terribly. I am definitely rusty or something these days. The first two events this year have not been very promising though tons of fun. The next event is June 17. I don't know that I will be much more prepared for that one but hopefully, I will be getting back into the groove. I must improve or will get left out to dry by all of my fellow competitors. Besides racing, I caught up with some church friends which was a lot of fun. We played "God Golf" (what my g-town friends coined it back in college). Saturday, I caught up with an old college friend, which was a lot of fun, and actually got a bit of my book for class read.

This past week was another busy and crazy week as my parents came to visit for the first time. Mom was here when I moved but dad had never been up. They got in late Monday. We enjoyed a nice dinner at the local Greek establishment. Tuesday was spent doing some local shopping and eating at Bucceto's Smiling Teeth. It was quite delicious and rather inexpensive.

Wednesday broke me but at least I have some new clothes, which my mother approves of. We headed to Edinburgh to the outlet malls. We left Bloomington around 10:45 am and returned around 8:30 pm. It was one long day of shopping and I rather hate to shop. But hey I have some new clothes for the summer and a couple for the fall, so I suppose all is good until the bills come in and I am not getting paycheck.

The next three weeks wrap up my summer in Bloomington. A college friend is coming up to visit tomorrow, which is rather exciting. My friends never come visit me, especially when they don't happen to be around the area. Good thing my parents were in this week because the apartment is still fairly clean, minus all the research materials floating around the living room.

The rest of the week will be working at work, finishing my paper, preparing to lead class on Thursday night, and planning a trip to Louisville.

This coming weekend will be partially spent in Louisville. How much sort of depends on a couple other things: the status of the paper, the status of other things getting complete before I leave Bloomington in mid-June, and news about potential updates in end of summer plans. I will definitely be in town Saturday night to attend a wedding of past co-workers. I am looking forward to the evening and seeing a lot of people from my previous job. Plus staying with some college friends.

The weekend following, I will be headed to South Bend, IN for my first HESA wedding. The wedding should be wonderful, and I have never been to South Bend so that too should be fun. I just wish I could find a ride to South Bend so that I could reduce cost and ride back with another friend. We have plans to run over to Notre Dame to see the campus, which is exciting. I will let you know if I make it there and post a few pictures if I do.

Then the summer session ends with the last class on June 12. The paper will hopefully be complete by then as well and it will be time to finish packing and move to Louisville for a two months. More to come on the second half of the summer, once I actually know what is happening myself. I do know that I will be working and living at Bellarmine, but there are a few other things up in the air.

This is definitely long enough for now and I really should see about eating some dinner and attempting to write a paper.

Have a marvelous Memorial Day Weekend!