Team Alpha Super Awesome Cool Dynamite Wolf Squadron

Artie: If there's something you want to do, or someone you really want to be, then the only one standing in your way...

is you.

Rumplestilskin: Me?

Guards: Get him, lads!

Ha ha, it's true. Here's how my day went:

Took the NET today.

That sucked.

My difficulty...

The Reading section: 33 questions, in 30 minutes, and having to read 3 or 4 paragraphs at a time to answer the dumb questions.

My mind doesn't work that way or that quickly apparently.

Ended up guessing... a lot. Ugh.

Oh well.

It's over and I'm surprising happy about it. I will not stand in my own way :)

Don't mind me

I have my first Micro lab quiz tomorrow and I'm not feeling it.

I'm feeling down and it's hard to get up for some reason.

I'm not used to that; it's annoying.

Things are changing in a good way, but for some reason I'm responding in the opposite way.

Keeping busy helps.

I think it's the rain clouds we've been having lately.. so pretty, but yet so... depressing.

"I can't earn if I can't learn!"

So I let you go and I watch you leave and

I hold my breath so you don't hear me scream.

But the words are only in my head...

It's not what I said, it's what I didn't say...

I'm the one who loses in the end.

-Saving Jane

I apologize in advance for the long blog but this is a new day in history, particularly for Nevada. We already know what's happening with the economy and how it's effecting us; including our education system. The Governor of Nevada wants to fix that by cutting the budget for higher education by 50% or more! That's cutting UNLV's budget up to 60% (this was stated at the rally, I don't have a source on the correct percentage, but a cut will hurt education in Nevada no matter what the numbers are).

Instead of sitting back, UNLV held a rally today to protest and I was there; it was great to see so many supporters. I've been a resident of Nevada for 2 and a half years now. Not long, but long enough to care about the education system since I'm a junior and I'm on my way to entering my program and graduating. And I want my degree to matter; if the cuts go through I might as well be attending a junior college or a training school. My four year degree will cost a lot more than it'll be worth!

If the budget goes into effect these are some of the consequences:

• Potential tuition increases
• Fewer classes available
• Increased class sizes
• Additional layoffs of top-notch teachers and staff
• Elimination of entire degree programs
• Reduced student services such as Financial Aid, Advising, Tutoring and Library Access
• Diminished student activities and events, including athletics
• Thousands of Nevada students turned away due to enrollment caps

Nevada's education system is ranked one of the lowest in the country. Would cutting back help improve this? Definitely not. It doesn't make sense and education suffers enough in Nevada. Not only will this have an impact on the students, but it'll also effect jobs, Alumni, future UNLV students, and the future of Nevada itself. We all deserve the right to higher education and the right to quality. We deserve to get what we pay for.

Source: http://www.savenevadastudents.org/

Visit that website to find out more information and to find out ways you can help if you live in the Nevada area. Thank you!

"Mr. Right... Now!"

I had a fun night with friends and some awesome music. The band I came to see play is called The White Tie Affair. If you haven't heard them yet, you really should. And if you're a fan of the show "The Hills," they were featured on it. (The lead singer also told me that they're going to be on another episode in the near future!!!)

This picture didn't turn out as well as I thought. Since moving to Vegas this place has been one of my new favorite places to go. The venue is perfect and small so you can see your favorite bands from anywhere and still get an awesome view! I just wish they'd let you take pictures of it inside.

This is me with the lead singer (he's so pretty!)... and yes that is his waterbottle that he gave me (well, he technically handed it to me to hold, but let me have it in the end lol). Maybe I'll try and sell it on Ebay sometime...


Other bands that were playing were Rookie of the Year, Meg and Dia, and Secondhand Serenade (headliner).

Ha ha ha!

First week of school and I'm already sick. Bummer. So I think this is a good excuse on why I do stupid things... this morning I was off to my first class and the doors were facing away from me at an angle from the direction I was coming in so I couldn't read the room number. And since it was only my second day that means I know everything and that includes where my class was located so I didn't bother to check the room number. Silly me. This girl opens the door and I follow her and a few students inside. I sit down and the girl is up at the front of the classroom... she looked like she was going to be teaching soon... weird, my teacher is a guy. But she looked too young to teach. She then passes out some handouts. I read the top and it says "health and wellness." I'm thinking maybe my teacher was having a student come in and give a short presenation on being active and fit for whatever reason. But that didn't make sense since my class was statistics...

I look around at the students to see if there was anyone that I might be able to recognize and I realize I don't recognize anyone. Did they change rooms and I didn't get the memo?! So I debate with myself.. do I ask the teacher (at this point I realize she must be a graduate student) what class this is in front of everyone and look like a moron who can't read signs on a door or do I get up real quick and go check out the sign on the door itself? Since I was ten minutes early to class anyways, I decide to go check the sign outside. It said it was room 216.. mine is room 218! lol! I went one room one too soon apparently. So I gather my things and I just zoomed out the door without even returning my handout. I don't think anyone noticed really since it was so early. But I didn't want to chance it by returning my handout.

So yea, that just made me laugh!

First Day of School

Well, I didn't sleep well the night before so the first day started out really rough and I wanted to quit and never look back. But today was much better because I actually got my mind to shut off long enough to let myself sleep.. so the secret is to just sleep I guess.

Two things I've learned so far about having classes at 8:30 am..

1. The positive: I get great parking!
2. The negative: Everyone and their dog is driving on the road at the same time!

Another thing I've learned:

Microbiology is going to kick my trash and my teacher has a heavy accent... not fun. So now I'm off to read and hopefully be able to get all this figured out.

Thanks for the support! :)

It's Almost Here!

Hi!

Here's some fun, random news: My friend Antonia asked me to be her Maid of Honor! I'm way stoked about this! I get to plan my first bridal shower ever and I think it'll all work out the way I want it to. I wish I could share all the fun ideas I have on here, but she may read this and that would just ruin it for her. I'll post pictures of it after the event is over (late February).

Wow, I start school tomorrow, already... and my schedule is statistics (blah!), chemistry (gag me!), and microbiology (WTF?!). I'm kind of nervous, kind of excited. It is a new year and a new semester, but I'm still nervous for tests and in particular my Nurse Entrance Test at the end of this month, which is equivalent to an ACT/SAT type test. I took it once already and made the national average so I passed, but I need to get a higher score to be competitive. According to the test, reading was my weakest area! Maybe that's why I have to study so much and so freaking hard! Ugh! Oh well. I can't let one score destroy my hope and everything I've worked so hard for thus far. In my opinion I don't believe tests paint the whole picture of who you are, but they sure can make you feel that way if you let it.

So I decided that if I have to be patient on getting into the program I will. If you do everything that's required of you and pass they have to let you in someday. Just like those crazy shoppers on Black Friday... they do let you in the store eventually. But don't worry.. I won't be a crazy nurse with a syringe! lol. But do be nice because I could be your nurse one day :D

Hope everyone has a good week!

New Year's Resolution

One of my dearest friends Cierra Owens, who also just happens to be amazing and gifted, posted a blog about something called Project 365 and I fell in LOVE with the idea! I knew exactly what to ask for for Christmas, which was my very own digital camera! I am in love with it already and it's my first camera I've ever owned. Sad to say that I've been without one for so long, but it's true. Plus, it's pink which truly makes it mine!

Just to summarize, the idea behind the project is to take a photo a day for an entire year of whatever you want. It's a huge challenge and commitment, but for some reason I couldn't resist. I fell in love with it because it was a creative outlet, an opportunity to look at the world differently, a way to break from repetitiveness, and constant reminder to myself to be grateful for the little things in life.

So if you're interested in checking mine out you can go here. As you can see, I'm very new with photography so any tips would be great! And if you want to start your own, you should! It doesn't have to be at the beginning of the year as long as you do it for an entire year. If you decide to start one, let me know so I can follow along :)

If you're reading this Cierra... Thanks again for posting that blog! I really needed this! I am grateful for you in my life my dear :)

Favoritest Time of the Year!

Happy New Year to everyone! I love the beginning of a new year.. it's a fresh start for me, even though you can start fresh anytime you want. It just feels more official at the stroke of midnight.

My church (aka ward) threw a huge party/dance type thing for everyone in the valley and I actually had a lot of fun!

Friends!

This was at the stroke of midnight and the balloons sort of fell...

My first friend in Vegas, Rikki


My friend Dianna pretty much threw the party!
So if I know her, then I must be a big deal, right?.... ha ha


My bestest friend ever, Leah!

I love to make resolutions for the year as well. And they're pretty much the same every year. My main one is to take more pictures. I'm not going to expand further on this one yet. I'll explain that one later as I get more organized.

Hope everyone had a good year and looks forward to 2009!