Graduation!

It's been over a month, but it still feels as if it just happened. I graduated. I have essentially finished my schooling, unless I go back at a later date for my doctorate. At first, I was ecstatic. No more homework! No more classes! No more annoying group work! Slowly but surely, I've felt a kind of void creep up on me. I tried to fill it with a second job, but my heart just doesn't seem to be in it.

Maybe I'll get back on track in the Fall. After being in school for so long, the fall always feels like a new beginning, full of firsts and restarts. Hopefully I'll find something to fill my time. I've been tinkering with baking, sewing, decorating our new place... I'm still of course thrilled about graduation, but it's a tad bittersweet. I'll miss you, FSU.

School Spirit.

We spent part of our extended Easter weekend in Tallahassee on the campus that several of us attended. My younger brother had never really walked around campus or visited the stadium before, so we needed to change that.









I was never the type with much school spirit, if we're being honest here. Sure, I've got a few FSU shirts and the like, but I only ever attended one football game, and not even a whole one, at that. I didn't really take advantage of the clubs or extracurriculars. Some might say that I missed out on a vital part of the college experience, but I completely disagree. I was more the observer. I was quiet. I liked to sit on "my" windowsill in the Williams building and read, finish homework, and people-watch. Maybe it was the English major in me.

Haha, I'm reminiscing as if I'm not still enrolled. I actually graduate in a little less than a month from my Master's program. Despite the fact that I'm still technically a student here, it feels different. My classes are online, and I hadn't been back on campus in over a year, easily. Walking around campus again was a lovely reminder of how much life has changed in just a short time. I'm no longer that quiet undergrad hurrying across campus to class. Instead, I'm a married (gasp) woman walking around the constantly-changing grounds with her family.











We had a great picnic lunch of Moe's (Bill's favorite!)on Landis Green, then stopped for some Starbucks from Strozier Library. We wandered around campus, finally ending up at the stadium for some shenanigans. Bill and I ran all the way up the bleachers and took some photos...until he took off and left me there--see below:



For fun, this is what happens when I try to get Paul to take a nice photo with me:















The campus really is gorgeous. I miss being there sometimes. See you on May fourth, FSU!

Palm Coast, and a Goodbye.

I'm sure that most of you know this already, but on March 14, we lost Paul's father. He was an amazing man that made me feel right at home in his family. I included the above photo because it was the most recent photo I'd taken of him, and it summed him up perfectly. He was surrounded by his family, eating good food, and acting silly! He was such a positive and funny person, and we all miss him terribly.


Paul has been here somewhat sporadically, but he's spending very valuable time with his brother and sister. I miss him, but I know they need him right now.
While he's been here, Paul and I have been exploring Palm Coast. It's a nice suburban town, with a little bit of beachy tossed in. We keep saying that it feels like we're on vacation! The ocean breeze is such a change from Tallahassee's stagnant humidity.
Shockingly, Paul got all of his hair cut off! It was even longer than mine, but his new job requires short hair, so he took the plunge and had it chopped off. I loved his long hair to pieces, but he looks very handsome in this new style.



Recently, I interviewed for a library position in the St. Johns County Library System. I'm waiting to hear back, and I'm so excited! Besides that, it's been quiet. I'm spending a lot of time with my Mama and Paul, reading, and just enjoying the time off. Oh, and finishing up my second semester of grad school. Yay!

This Week's Reads

Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis



Corduroy, Don Freeman


The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

Obviously, I'm a bit focused on children's and YA literature this week. One of my graduate classes is LIS5564: Information Needs of Children, so some of this is required reading. I'm also considering joining the School Media Specialist track, so I might as well do some background reading to help me decide!

What was your favorite book as a child? Mine was either Corduroy or Little Women.