Some updates
At this point, I would usually commend myself for writing 2 entries so close together. However, through bitter experience I have come to learn that 2 blog posts in quick succession does not mean I’m back into any sort of regular pattern. We’ll just have to see this time, I suppose.
Anyway, I just returned home from my summer adventures this past Sunday. These adventures included, but were by no means limited to:
- Attending the NFB national convention in Orlando
- Working as a counselor for the Buddy Program, a camp for children ages 9-13 put on by Blind, Inc.
Yes, there were only 2 items in that list, but believe me, they were a very eventful 2 items.
The convention was, as usual, a fun time. I made new friends, caught up with old ones, got lost in the hotel, bought and sold things to support NFB divisions … the normal stuff. I also worked on a collaborative writing project with some friends while I was there (Translation: Role-playing with characters from our respective pieces of original fiction. Yes, I really am that much of a nerd …), which meant that I was very sleep-deprived by the end of it. That was unfortunate, because I went directly from Florida to Minnesota to begin my next adventure.
Well, what can I say about Minneapolis? I love the city and the public transportation. I love the fact that a lot of my friends live close by. I therefore may end up moving there sometime in the near future for grad school. You never know. As for the buddy program … it was hard work with some difficult children. There was bullying, tantrums, injuries, and all manner of challenges. Especially since the other counselors and I were with the kids almost 24-7. Of course there was also teaching and learning and watching them grow in confidence and maturity. There’s just something about hearing a little girl who was terrified to ride a horse begging to do it again after she actually tried it, and a boy teaching the other kids how to search for videos on Youtube using skills I’d taught him, that makes it all worth it. But the main thing this adventure has made clear to me? I am not having children anytime soon, thanks.
Anyway, after visiting some relatives who lived nearby and attending my sister’s bridal shower (yeah … she’s getting married. More about that later.(, I am back in my lovely apartment, getting everything together for classes to start in October, and my upcoming trip to Spain. (Yeah, it got postponed. Again. More about that later too.)
Be on the lookout for another entry with a list of things I should have mentioned in the entries I should have been writing. For now, though, I’m gonna go see about some lunch. Hopefully I’ll write more soon! Hopefully …
KD
I am, in fact, alive
Yeah, yeah, it’s been forever. I know this. I’m aware of this. I acknowledge this. Moving on.
Why do I always do this to myself? I don’t update for ages and ages, and so much happens between updates that filling everyone in on everything would involve writing a novel. For this reason I must once again encourage people to follow me on Twitter, as that takes much less effort to update. So I naturally update it more often.
Anyway, it’s about 2:30 in the morning and I can’t sleep, so I decided to read over old entries in this blog. Back when, you know, I updated on a regular basis and people actually read my entries and commented on them. I kind of miss those days…
Anyway, here are some thoughts I had while reading over the entries. In days of old I’d have put these in a list, but I kinda sorta forgot how to do it. Remembering how to correctly make a hyperlink was enough of a challenge. So you just get a series of thoughts in paragraph form. Here goes.
I can’t believe I was able to survive without an accessible cell phone. Or an iPhone, for that matter. Yes, I completely drank the Kool-Aid that is the iPhone. It’s delicious.
Beyonce and Kelly both have albums out again! I just, er, haven’t listened to either of them enough to write reviews as I did in previous entries. I’m a terrible DC fan…
Yeah, that shiny new computer I was ranting on about? It only lasted a year. Dad got it repaired and Mom uses it now. Hey, at least she likes it…
The BrailleNote MPower? The greatest thing ever? Not so much.
Whoa, I listened to CD’s back then! Like, actual round plastic things! That does not happen nowadays. I went digital.
That Iowa job I had back then? Total child’s play (no pun intended) compared to the little monsters I worked with in Minnesota this summer…
OK, this entry is geting ridiculously long, so I’m ending it now. I may write tomorrow with actual updates on what I did this summer and what I’m doing now and what I will be doing in the near future… but we all know how that goes.
Is anyone still reading this? For serious?
If so, how about a comment for old time’s sake? Come on!
KD
Happy New Year!
Oh, am I late? My bad. Happy 2010 anyway, everybody!
So yes, it is now February, my mother’s birthday, in fact. I am nearing the end of my third week of class. This semester I’m taking Culture of Spain to prepare myself for my upcoming excursion there (Oh, I didn’t tell you about that? My bad again.), French stage 4, music theory, fiction writing, and women’s choir, in which we sing a song about a boy named Johnny who is a scumbag. Have any of you noticed that the boys in a lot of old folk songs are named Johnny, and they’re either off to war or scumbags? Just a general observation.
In other news, it’s snowing! This would fill me with great joy if anyone around here knew how to clear off crosswalks. Unfortunately, no one does, so the snow does not make me happy. Sad day.
Wanna know a secret? It’s like 3 weeks later, and I haven’t posted this entry yet. This is because I had to run off to class before I could finish it, so I saved it to my drafts folder and promptly forgot about it. Oh well.
Anyway, as I previously mentioned, I’m going to Spain next spring! I have to study abroad to graduate, and Spain looks like it will be the most accommodating and accepting for me and my little monster–er, dog.
That is the biggest news I have to share, although I did get a 96% on my latest French test! Woot!
And with that, I’ll go and post this now so I don’t get distracted again. See y’all later!
KD
Me again!
Good evening, chums! I am writing 2 days in a row. Do I get a gold star? Didn’t think so…
Anyway, I promised an update, as it’s been ages since I wrote in this thing regularly. So I shall do my best. Here is a list of stuff that has happened to me in the interim between entries!
- I have a new computer! My previous one decided to break right after the warranty expired, so we figured, instead of fighting about repair costs with Dell, it would be easier to just tell the insurance company I dropped it so they’d buy me a new one. And they did! It is small, black, and shiny. It’s about 3 pounds, which is much easier on my poor back. I have decided to name her Belle. And before anyone gets any ideas, the name has nothing whatsoever to do with Bella Swan from the Twilight series.
- I have a new, beautiful, and most of all, ACCESSIBLE cell phone! I can now surf the internet, send text messages, check my missed and received calls, and add and organize contacts, all by my very own self! I can also take pictures of things like documents and currency, and a special little program, which you can learn more about right here, identifies them for me! And know what’s even more amazing? I got all this for freeeeeeeee! Which brings me to my next item.
- After 4 years of applying, I finally won an NFB scholarship! I got to go to the national convention, meet lots of awesome people and hang out with awesome people I’d already met, and attend a scholarship banquet in a sparkly orange dress I borrowed from Amber! OK, so maybe “borrowed” isn’t the correct word, since I didn’t think to ask her if I could have it until about 45 minutes before the banquet… but hey. Who lives and dies on technicalities, anyway?
- I acquired several more new toys, which include:
- A new, tiny book player that will play anything from Audible books, to specially formatted audio textbooks, to plain old Word documents and MP3 files. So basically, an iPOD for the blind. It is called a Booksense and I adore it, only I haven’t named it yet.
- After having multiple problems with my new BrailleNote (and by new, I mean less than a year old), I finally persuaded the people at the Commission for the Blind to purchase me a more reputable one from a different company. Hence, my new baby (which I’ve had for less than a month, but am loving so far) is called a BrailleSense. His name is Tommy. (And yes, the BrailleSense and BookSense are made by the same company.)
- But what is more important to me than all of the things mentioned above is the fact that I still have a healthy puppy! She’s on medication still, and probably will be for a while, but The Seeing Eye is helping to pay for the expenses, which is completely and utterly awesome of them.
That’s all I can think of for now. I know I’m probably leaving things out, but therein lies the problem of only updating once every million years. I’ll try to write more frequently. For now, though, I need to see where my dog went, and if she happens to be hording one of my tennis shoes. Talk atcha later!
KD
Feliz Navidad!
Well, hello, anyone who’s still reading this! In other words, absolutely nobody. I haven’t updated this blog in about 9 months. I could have had a baby in the time I didn’t update this blog! (But don’t worry. I am in no way ready for a human child at this stage of my life. A canine one is enough work for me now, thanks.)
Much has happened since I last wrote, but I’m too tired to list it at the moment, because I have forgotten all my study of HTML and would have to look it up again. Maybe tomorrow, I will sit down and update my dearest darlingest nobody about my life and all my Christmas presents. (Because in case you haven’t noticed the title and the date of this post, I’m writing this entry on Christmas Day! There are only 20 minutes left of it now. So what did I do the rest of it? I spent a great day with my family, positively stuffed myself with food, rode home through blowing snow in white-out conditions, had 2 Jello shots to ease my nerves, and now I’m in bed. That was my day in a nutshell. A very small nutshell. A sunflower seed shell, maybe.
I would promise an entry tomorrow, but I’m not even going there. I will try, though, because I really, truly like to write in this blog; I just lack the time and motivation, both separately and together, depending on the day. So see you whenever, and remember, Nobody, or anybody who is reading this, whatever holiday you celebrate, be as safe and happy and full of food as I am!
KD
You know what sucks?
[Insert lyrics here]
Yeah, it’s been a while again. And I suppose you’re expecting a long and detailed entry describing my wonderful life in astonishing and captivating detail. Sorry.
At this moment, I am stuck in bed with tonsillitis, feel like a knife is lodged in my throat, and oh yeah, I have to miss all my classes today and most of them tomorrow because it will take 24 hours for the antibiotics to become effective. So henceforth, I do not have the energy to do anything but feel sorry for myself. And make tea. Lots and lots of tea.
So why, you ask, did I choose to post a blog entry today? That’s an excellent question and I have no idea. Really.
But to give this rather pointless entry a purpose, I will inform you devoted reader(s) that if you are genuinely interested in the daily life of KD, I have recently joined Twitter, which I update frequently and which is loads of fun, even on days like this. You can find my profile here.
ON that note, I need a cough drop. [Insert clever farewell here]
KD
Look! Another update!
I wanna thank you for stayin’ out late all the time
‘Cause while you were out gettin’ yours, boy, I was out gettin’ mine!
I wanna thank you for cheating on me
‘Cause I almost loved you forever
Never would have found someone better!
I wanna thank you!
I bet you can’t guess, in a million centuries, whose album those lyrics were from.
If you guessed Beyoncé… well, you’d be wrong. It was Michelle Williams. Hahahahahahaha, I very possibly bamboozled you.
But really, all joking aside, the new Michelle album is great. She’s really grown as an artist, even dipping her toes into the waters of electronic dance music. Although her solid pop numbers are best, like “Thank You,” the song from which the above lyrics were taken.
And what of the Beyoncé album? Well, it’s not out yet. That’s in 2 weeks. Though her new song is great. Check it out here!
Anyway, now that I’ve updated you on vital DC type news, I really have nothing new to report. I’m still doing spectacular amounts of homework for each class. I’m now 7 weeks from the end of the semester and already longing for Christmas break. Remind me not to take 18 credit hours next semester…
My schedule is as follows: On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I have algebra at 8 (blech, not fun), psychology at 9, and World Music at 2. On Wednesdays I have piano at 10, and on Fridays I have recitals during that hour. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have Adolescent Spanish literature and Mexican culture. Also remind me not to take 2 difficult Spanish classes in 1 semester, regardless of the fact that it’s my major. Oh, and then there’s choir at 7:30 on Thursdays as usual.
Well, on that note, I’d better go do some parabolas and functions and all that other fun, amazing, fabulous algebra stuff. See you later!
KD
The tide is high
The tide is high, but I’m holdin’ on,
I’m gonna be your number one.
I’m not the kind of girl
who gives up just like that!
Oh no!
(Note, These lyrics have no relevance whatsoever to the rest of this post. I just like the song. Deal with it.)
So it is way too early to be up. Seriously. But here I am. In algebra, of all things. But that’s OK, because I feel remarkably well-rested. That’s entirely thanks to fall break.
I’m not going to apologize for not writing sooner; I figure I’ve done it so much lately (well … lately in terms of my previous posts, not in terms of the calendar) that it will just sound insincere and trite. Isn’t that a great word? Trite. I love it.
Anyway, this semester has not been pleasant. Everyone who reads this probably already knows why, but just in case…
In a nutshell, Eldora contracted Lyme Disease sometime this summer. We don’t know how, but things were looking pretty serious for a few weeks. She went back to my hometown with my parents because we have a vet there we like. Meanwhile, I was trying to take 18 credit hours and juggle book reports and papers and tests and monster reading assignments. I also had to find time to eat and sleep. Fortunately Eldora is back to work; I just have to give her pills and monitor her behavior and all that fun stuff. Our time apart brought home to me how much I really need her. Not in the way you might think–I can get around fine with my cane. But she’s become something like my adopted daughter. I need her like a mother needs her child. That’s right, y’all, I’m a 20-year-old single mom. Good for me, haha.
So… I should really pay attention in algebra now. I’ll post my schedule along with exciting news about the new Beyoncé and Michelle Williams albums later. I really would like to take up blogging again; it kind of helps me get my thoughts in order. We’ll see.
KD
Those rainy days…
It’s just those rainy days
Spend a lifetime tryin’ to wash away
‘Til the sun comes out and shines again
Smile for me, smile for me…
I will never again take for granted what it means to be clean and dry, in the mindst of civilization.
Whose idea was it to go camping again? Oh right, we have to go during staff training so we have some idea what the crap we’re doing when the students arrive. Still, they could have done the courtesy of picking a night that DIDN’T include a flash flood warning. (No, I’m not bitter. At all.)
Our camping trip started well enough. The other staff members and I really seem to have bonded, and we did a challenge course this afternoon (well … yesterday afternoon now, I suppose) that was pretty cool. Then we went to a park, set up tents, and cooked over a fire.
I had just drifted off to sleep under the stars when the rain really started falling. Gloria, my fellow staff trainee, and I tried to tough it out when the storm was simply rain and loud thunder. Then our tent started to blow down, and we figured enough was enough for two city girls. We took shelter in our bus. Which is where I’m writing this now.
I’d tell you all about what else we’re doing in preparation for when the kids come, but Eldora and I are absolutely soaked and disgruntled right now. Get this: We were barely outside of our tent a minute, and I’m still wringing water out of the hood of my sweatshirt. I’ll write soon with more details and less whining, but right now, I wanna complain. Oh, shower! Oh, warm bed! Oh, mint cocoa! I want my mommy.
KD the Disgruntled
There was a time…
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting…
There was a time when I updated this blog once a week or so. There was a time when I did not possess the latest DVD of Beyoncé in concert. There was a time when I needed a new computer. There was a time when I was unemployed for the summer. These times, my friend, are gone.
Well, how long has it been this time? Approximately 3 months? I am ever so sorry. Lots has happened, and I knew I would have to update you eventually, but I just kept putting it offf. Why? Because procrastinating is what I do best, of course! Besides, I think like 3 of you read this regularly anyway, so no harm done, right?
So here I am in the final week of my third semester of college! I’ve completed 2 finals so far, and was already informed that I got an A on one of them. This pleases me greatly. I’ve had a pretty good semester, but I’ve never had to write so many dern papers in my life. Seriously, every one of my classes (except the music ones, obviously) required at least 1 paper. Not cool!
List of KD’s Newly-Acquired Things
- A computer! It was supposed to be my birthday present, but my poor old laptop couldn’t hold out until then. So I now have a fancy, shiny new Dell running Windows Vista, with 4gb of RAM and 320gb of storage! I’m psyched! Vista is a bit different from XP, but I think it’s an overall improvement.
- A cell phone! That was supposed to be my Christmas present, but my old one died completely right around the time I got my computer. Since my mother insisted that I have a phone while in Iowa this summer (more about that soon), we went to Alltel and got me a brand new phone! It’s nothing special, but it makes calls, which was what I was looking for, at least until I can afford an accessible one.
- A summer job! That’s right, I’m oficially employed! This offer kind of landed in my lap, but I’m taking it; the pay is YUMMY!! So what exactly will I be doing? I’ll be at the Iowa Center for the Blind, teaching high school students Braille and computers and stuff. I’ll also be living with them in their apartments. So it’s kind of like the Center I went to before I came to college, only the roles are now reversed. I can’t pretend I’m not nervous, but it should be a great learning experience. And… I get money. Money is good.
That is all for now. I need to read some stuff for my history final, which isn’t until Friday, but which is also the one I’m most worried about. But before I depart, I shall explain my new method for titling and theming my blog posts. Each one from this time on will be built around song lyrics! I think this could inspire me to write more often, since I am the Song Wizard of the Universe. (At least according to Mary and G.)
Anyway, I must go play with the little brat-er, the darling puppy now. She pouts if I don’t pay enough attention to her. See y’all in Iowa probably!
KD
