I forgot to mention that within all the chilling and packing and panicking I did during the end of April, I also passed my thesis defense with flying colors! David (my adviser and boss) said it was an unusual defense because the other committee members were so positive. My defense was amazing. I got so many new ideas and was so excited to keep working and expanding my project.
Anyway, that meant I could walk at graduation!
And it began traumatically for me. My friend, Chase, had a little medal from the Humanities College, which he said they just gave to him when he picked up his cap and gown. Well I didn't get one! And I am pregnant! And I became irrationally upset about this. So I went over the the Josten's table and kindly asked if they knew where I was supposed to pick up my little medal. The guy was super RUDE and told me he didn't have time to help me. Chase was also shocked at the Josten's guy's rudeness. So then I was even more upset. Fortunately, a few minutes later, Dr. Conte showed up and gave me a medal. I was really irrationally happy that I got my medal. Moral of the story: Give pregnant women medals. They deserve it.
And then we had to wait for a long time before the procession began because of the lazy bums who didn't pick up their caps and gowns before! So the academic procession began about 45 minutes late. And I had to pee and I was really really thirsty. This was a bad day to be pregnant.
Academic Procession
At this part, all the future Masters walked from the Fieldhouse to the Spectrum while they blasted bagpipe music from the speakers around the university. First best part of the procession was the kids at the elementary school applauding us and holding signs. They were just happy to be out of class. Second best part was seeing Andrew, my parents, and Heidi (my MIL) applauding me.
Me--looking slightly like the pope giving a blessing or a Medieval Jesus with the Holy Hand Grenade--marching.
A much more attractive photo of me marching.
The future Masters entering the Spectrum. Hi family!
The Hooding
In this part of the graduation ceremony, the future Masters walk through a tunnel of professors and you line up. The professors put the hood over your head and then you walk to the stage and give them the card with your name on it. These photos were taken by David with his phone from a distance, but since he was sitting where he could actually see the hooding, these pictures are actually pretty good.
The hood going over my head. :)
Oh my gosh! Moses (the professor in the yellow) just told me how to fix my hair over the hood!!! Moses put the hood on me! (Why is this post full of religious references?)
Heading up to the stage...
"Master of Arts in History, Sarah L. B. Fassmann."
Receiving my diploma cover--thanks!
I'm so happy and my shoes are so great.
Hi family! I got my diploma! And my cap is falling off my head.
The Happy Graduate
Master Sarah--that's right. I'm so proud.
I'm so proud of this accomplishment! I have worked really hard over the past two years and especially hard during March and April to finish my thesis in time. I still need to finish revisions, but I am done!
And because it is awesome and I've already alluded to several religious things, don't you think I look great in my black robes of a false priesthood/academic robes?
Oh Hugh Nibley, you are so good for making everyone feel smart and stupid at the same time.
I have more to report on the thesis! I am done! Tomorrow I will give copies to my committee members and then I will twiddle my thumbs and wait for April 26 when my defense is. I am very excited. I will probably post more on scheduling the defense and the ridiculous ordeal that was in a bit.
Tomorrow, Andrew and I are heading up to Washington for an apartment hunt. We are going to see ten apartments. I hope we find one that we really like. Hopefully that one that we really like will also be a less expensive one. Also, I hope that we can figure out where will be the best place for us to grow and help others.
And I am going to be an aunt either tonight or tomorrow! Melanie is at the hospital now!
Well, yesterday I realized that it was March 27, and the last day I can defend my thesis and walk at the hooding ceremony is April 27. And that was in one month from yesterday. BUT yesterday I finished writing my thesis! Yay! So now I am going over it and making revisions and will give the whole dang thing to my adviser David on Friday, March 30. Then I will get it back from him a week later, so at the latest April 6. Then I will make more revisions, arrange the defense, and get some paperwork to the Grad School. And somewhere in there, my sister will have her baby and I will be an aunt! The paperwork and so on needs to happen by April 11 because that is the day Andrew and I are leaving for Washington to go apartment hunting. And then two weeks later, April 25, 26, or 27, I will have my thesis defense and turn in the final paperwork. The moving company will come on those same days and box everything up and put it into a truck. Then I will scrub this place down and move out on April 30! I will either couch surf or live with my parents for the week. The hooding ceremony is on May 4, Andrew will walk on May 5, and then we will fly up to Washington to start our new grown-up life on May 6. Then his parents will come up and we will get ready for the wedding. Then Wesley and Maren will get married in the Seattle Temple on May 11. And then the movers will come May 14. And then life can calm down and get back to normal. And all summer I will work on thesis revisions and getting it printed and bound. Fun fun times.
I hate when people don't update their blogs for three weeks. And here I am, not updating my blog for three weeks. Sorry. I've been working hard on my thesis and Spanish. And now I am going camping. After that, I might hopefully blog. I've wanted to. Oh well. Have a great week!
I'm sure you've all heard an inspirational quote or two or three about goals and why they are important and blah blah blah.
They really are important. And it feels really good when you accomplish goals.
On Sunday, I made a few goals.
1) Prepare well for the Spanish test on Wednesday.
2) Finish writing Thesis Chapter 1.
3) Edit, have Andrew read, and edit Thesis Chapter 2.
4) Give Thesis Chapter 2 to David, my adviser.
And I am happy to say that today has been the day for goal accomplishing--and it is only Wednesday!
1) I studied hard for the test and felt pretty good about the test before I took it. I did not do as well as I wanted to, but I did my best.
2) Three minutes ago I typed the last word of my first draft of Thesis Chapter 1! YAY!!!! (Only one more, plus a conclusion, plus finishing the introduction.)
3) I edited Chapter 2 again, Andrew read it and didn't die of boredom AND gave me some good clarification comments.
4) I'm giving the thesis to David tomorrow morning and yes, I am scared out of my mind that he will kill it and I will have to completely start over.
Anyway. It is very good to make goals cuz then you know what you want to do. And now that the week is only half over, I have plenty of time to make some more goals and to achieve them.
Remember the Little Engine that could? That book? Remember that silly clown who rides on the engine?
Anyway...
I have read 3 of the 8 books, am plugging away on the paper due next Tuesday.
I think I can, I think I can.
My cousin Alison got married last Saturday, and I know you are all dying to see my maid of honor dress. I will post it soon. And it should be amazing.
You should mostly look forward to a picture of me and Alison jumping, and all my hair flipped into my face and I look like I have a beard. I guess, it fits into No Shave November.
I will survive this semester. And so will Andrew. And then: DISNEYLAND!!!!
I am quite happy today. And that is really nice. Not that I've been unhappy, but I've been quite stressed. You know, reading three academic books a week, plus trying to write a master's thesis, be healthy, and give your husband some attention can get a girl down. But today I am happy. And I have several thoughts.
So---I live in Logan, Utah. Usually it snows in September. There is a light powdering on the mountains, but it hasn't snowed here. Crazy. Not once. And it is November. It is barely getting cold. The trees are starting to drop their leaves. Some of the trees still have green leaves. The people I talk to think I'm crazy for wanting snow, but seriously? I've lived in this town for six years, and I know that the longer the weather is nice, the worse and more cold and bitter the real winter will be. If you want a mild winter, pray that Logan doesn't throw an Indian summer at you. But I am still happy. I love the way the mountains look when they just have a little snow on their tips. I also love crunching leaves. And I love walking through the trees as the leaves fall around me and hit the ground with a little ptt sound. I remain optimistic that I will live through the bitter winter and I will be prepared and everyone will complain and I will say, "I told you so."
I'm also rocking a new hair-do: The side bun. It is way cute, and it's a change from the normal lazy bun right in the back. As one who isn't much for doing my hair, and one who doesn't have much time to do my hair, this was a great way to feel somewhat stylish. Granted, feeling stylish has never been a priority for me.
Rockin' the side bun.
We had six trick-or-treaters that we know and four trick-or-treaters that we don't know come to our apartment on Halloween. Awesome. We have never had them come before. Little kids in costumes are so cute.
Andrew got a job offer from Boeing! We will move there in the spring. I will move there probably in May. We are so blessed to have a job offer, especially since so many people are looking for jobs. So, let me know if you want to visit us, cuz we would love to see your beautiful faces.
I gave blood today. I love to donate blood (what is wrong with me?). I have O+ blood, and I wish I had the problem my mom has, which is being O-, cuz then people would beg me to give blood. Anyway, I love giving blood. I went in, they poked my finger and my iron was good! This is often a problem for me, I guess I should eat more steak. Then I didn't have to wait cuz I was one of the first people there. I sit in the chair, the vampire iodines my arm, and the vampire sticks the needle in me and gets the vein right away (yay!). I go go go, as per my father's blood donation motto: "Five-minute bags." And I did so. The vampire was surprised I was so fast, and she took the needle out and put on my bandage. She made a cute little bow to match my outfit. Awesome! I'm really glad that I donate quickly and rarely get dizzy. The girl in the chair next to me started before I did and she finished way after me and then she was still sitting in the chair looking unwell when I left after eating my treats. I love donating blood. I love feeling good about helping others. I love that I don't get dizzy. I love the bow the vampire made for my bandage.
My bow on my bandage! I love it!
Did you know that adults have about ten pints of blood in their bodies? So then we donate one pint. It takes four weeks to replenish your fluids and eight weeks to replenish your iron levels. Now you know more about blood. (fact from http://www.americasblood.org/go.cfm?do=page.view&pid=12)
I am going to be an aunt! My little sister is having a baby and she is due April 15. I call my new niece or nephew Frances the Fetus. Frances is a good name cuz it could be a boy's or a girl's name. I am the best aunt already because I bought Melanie prenatal vitamins and milk to drink.
This is amazing. Watch the video. Listen to the music. Love the cello. And remember the families and soldiers who are out serving us. It's John Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nielson being awesome.
And another happy thing is that I got my dress for my cousin Alison's wedding! I love it! Here is a bad picture on my web cam of the dress. It is so beautiful and I think I am hot in it. She is getting married on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I am her maid of honor.
My dress!
So with all of these happy things, you should be happy to. If you aren't, you can just go sit out in the freezing cold until you think of something to be happy about.
Last Thursday, I defended my thesis proposal and I passed! I'm so excited about that. I've been working more on research and soon I will get to start writing my thesis. It is really nice to see the end of the project. Even though I love history and am excited about writing my thesis, it is comforting to know that I am on my way to completing it.
Andrew is enjoying his classes. This is his last semester! He is taking a few graduate classes that will (hopefully) transfer to his master's program.
Also, my garden is doing amazing. I keep meaning to post pictures but I keep forgetting. But I have been canning my pants off. We have like 20 quarts of pickles and 22 1/2 quarts of salsa. In case of a disaster, we will be living off of pickles and salsa.
Well-meaning adult: "When do you graduate?"
Me: "I hope to graduate with my master's degree in history next May."
Well-meaning adult: "That's great! ...(silence) ... Are you going to teach?"
Me: "No. I have a job editing and I really enjoy that." OR "No. I was doing that but I decided I don't like adolescents." OR "No. I'd like to get a PhD and work at a university." OR "No. I really like research."
Well-meaning adult: "Oh, how nice."
My degree is in history. I know about five unemployed history teaching majors. You can do other things with a history degree besides teach.
I can't help but feel like some of the issue is that I'm a woman and teaching is an acceptable field for those of my sex. Also--the humanities get no respect.
But mostly, I wish that people wouldn't ask me if I was going to teach. You don't ask that question of biology, math, or physics majors. It seems to be a plague for the humanities.
It's probably cuz people think that history is useless as a degree and (because there are so many amateur historians who do a poor job) they think that anyone can do it.
That conversation is almost as bad as (and always precedes) this one:
Well-meaning adult: "How is married life!?!"
Me: "Fine."
Me in my mind: "Good. I love having sex with my husband. Do you like doing that with your husband?"
Well-meaning adult: "How long have you been married?"
Me: "Two years. It is a good time."
Me in my mind: "How long have you been married? Thirty years?"
Well-meaning adult: "You know, I'm sure your mom would love to have some grandchildren."
Me: "Yes, I'm sure she would."
Me in my mind: "I am not pregnant."
Well-meaning adult: "Is that in the near future?"
Me: "No."
Me in my mind: "Why are all of your questions about my sex life?"
I need to keep these things in mind and NOT ask them when I am a well-meaning adult. Or maybe I'll just stay cynical and grumpy and not talk to young people who visit their parents.
