And, I'm back

I'm a pathetic blogger, I know. I have accepted that.  With that said, I have some other things to say.

Actually, I don't have much to say, but I was tired of looking at that post from a month ago.  

I'm about to go to the gym where I will run and then go to Body Pump.  What is Body Pump you ask?  It is a one-hour weight lifting class at my gym and the only thing that will get me motivated to lift weights.  It's awesome, but my pathetic little muscles hurt for several days after.  But what's great is that I'm actually growing some muscles.  They aren't big (that would be gross anyway), but they are there (you just have to squint a  little).  

So that's what I'm doing because it is too cold outside to run.  Speaking of the cold, it is supposed to snow tomorrow!  I hope my mom doesn't have to go into work and we can stay home and my cinnamon rolls.  That is my favorite thing to do when it snows.  

In other news, my internship starts in less than 3 weeks.  Just when I thought I couldn't stand not doing anything productive day after day, I realized that the thought of waking up at 5:30 am for the next 7 months gave me this queazy feeling in my stomach.  Basically, there is nothing that will make me happy.  Ok, that's not true.  I'm actually excited (also nervous/anxious) to start.  I just can't wait until I get to put those little letters after my name- 

Krissy Smith, R.D.  

That looks nice, doesn't it?  

And with that lovely, sight I will end this post.

Mushrooming

I recently started volunteering that the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle here in Raleigh.  I really like it because 1) it gives me something worthwhile to do and 2) it allows me to interact with people and thus, improve my social skills (which always need improving).  When I got there this week everybody was going to lunch so I tagged along.  Rather than waste gas and take 2 cars, the 9 of us piled into someone's jeep and rode to the hamburger truck (like an ice cream truck, but they sell hamburgers) on NC State Campus.  But that's not what I wanted to write about.

MUSHROOMING is what I want to write about.  In the car one the girls started talking about mushrooms and how she goes mushtrooming.  What is mushrooming?  Let me tell you.

Mushrooming is the act of hunting and gathering mushrooms mainly for eating.  It is commonly done in Europe (except England), the baltic, slavic and nordic countries; Japan, Canada and Korea; and the northwestern and Appalachian regions of the United States.

There is, of course, a certain risk involved in this since many varieties of mushrooms are poisonous when consumed.  Luckily there are mushroom guides that tell you what you can and can't eat.  Not only that, but there are also Mushroom Clubs!

Apparently this is a pretty big deal for some people. There are even mushroom festivals.  Check it out.  Very interesting!

The Stigmas of a Dietitian

This is a post from a blog written by dietetic interns at the University of Maryland.  As January approaches, my life (and this blog) will revolve a lot more around my adventure to become an RD (Registered Dietitian).  So, I thought this blog would help you understand a little more about dietitians.

My comments are in RED

The Stigmas of a Dietitian

Posted by email 

The Stigmas of a Dietitian

By: Katy Meassick

I know most of you who read this are already a Registered Dietitian, on your way to be a Registered Dietitian or are already familiar with who dietitians are.  As I am in the final stretch to become a Registered Dietitian, I have come across some stigmas or grey areas about dietitians.  For those who read this, please, pass on the blog to friends who may have misinterpretations about who we are.  It is important to remember that blog is my opinion about the top 5 stigmas I have come been exposed to.

Stigma #1: We (dietitians) only eat balanced meals with the “five food groups” included every time.

Fact: We too have busy days where we can’t get in our “balanced” meal but we try our best to choose the best options from what is available at the time.

Stigma #2: We never eat “junk food”, drink soda, or indulge in a guilty pleasure.

Fact: We do, like everyone else, have birthdays, holidays, and other gatherings where we indulge – it’s all about moderation, balance, and self control.  Birthdays are not celebrated everyday for most of us – and if they were we would all be in trouble! (I would also add that we all have super emotional days where we eat our feelings.)

Stigma #3: We judge what everyone else eats. (I actually do this*)

Fact: Not true! This is probably the biggest annoyance for me.  It’s like telling people I am a lawyer – when I am out to eat with someone new and they ask me what I do for a living, I tell them and the automatically make a comment about what they are eating isn’t typical for them. If I am out to eat with you and I am just meeting you then it is not a typical day for you – I get it! Eat whatever you want!

Stigma #4: We all work in hospitals and that is the only place where I can find a job.

Fact: NO! They are so many career opportunities for RDs – sky is the limit.  In fact, I just completed a rotation at Montgomery County Public Schools and their Food Service Supervisors are mostly all RDs.  Now if you were to see that title you would not think those individuals would be RDs. We can work in community outreach; on farms; in universities; or even for the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Information Center, where tech savvy RDs write HTML codes, manage Twitter accounts, and write educational materials.

Stigma #5: We are all women.

Fact: As most of us are women there is the occasional male. And I think the need for more male dietitians is out there – most male clients or patients may feel more comfortable talking about their diet and health status with a male dietitian. (I have only known one male dietitian.  There was one guy in my class and he didn't even become an RD.  The poor guy could never get away with anything because he stuck out like a sore thumb.)

I hope I have cleared up the air for some of you.  Most of the dietitians I know, including myself, have a strong passion for helping others, healthy lifestyles, and food! What’s better than combining all three?  We all have to eat – if we create a healthy diet that we enjoy (dietitians just don’t take away favorite foods) then we can enjoy life a lot longer.

Finally, to clear the air some more, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist but it takes a determined, qualified individual to hold the R.D. credential.  All RDs obtain either a bachelor’s or master’s degree, then must be matched to a dietetic internship (which the match is no higher than 50%), successfully make it through the internship, then sit and take the RD exam AND pass.  It’s no joke! (AMEN) I have had some people make comments that they did not know dietitians have to go through all that to practice credibly. So when choosing a nutrition source where do you want your information to come from?

*Just kidding...I don't actually judge, but I sometimes count how much people eat

I think

this is amazing

Nutrition Advice for Halloween

While listening to the radio the other day, I heard a little blurb on the best and worst Halloween candy.  Now, being a future dietitian I legally can't recommend candy, but if you MUST eat candy this Halloween here are the best and worst (according to Yahoo News):

THE BEST - (All have no fat and are 'relatively' low in calories and sugar)

• Jolly Ranchers (3 pieces)
• Blow Pops (1 pop)
• Gobstoppers (9 pieces)
• Pixy Stix (7 straws)
• Candy Corn (19 pieces)

THE WORST - (All are high in calories, sugar, fat and saturated fat)

• Mr. Goodbar
• Nutrageous
• Snickers
• Baby Ruth

Bibbity Bobbity Boo

The North Carolina State Fair is a huge deal and I had the privilege of working there for the past 3 weeks.  I wish I would have taken more pictures of this amazing event, but I didn't.  Luckily my sister did and you can see them here.


To give you an idea of how popular the state fair is:


9,250,000 = approximate population of NC
409,847 = approximate population of Raleigh (where the state fair is held)
1,091,887= this years attendance at the state fair


It's almost a sin to not go.


There are so many amazing things at the state fair.  One thing that I found amazing was the first place pumpkin.

It weighs over 900 lbs!!!

That may make you reconsider ever using "Pumpkin" as a term of endearment. 

This also makes Cinderella's pumpkin-turned-carriage seem plausible.  

Major Accomplishments of the Last 2 Months

At Melissa's request I am now back to my blog.  I can't even say that I have been really busy since I have moved home, because I haven't.  So, there is no good excuse for my neglect.  I'm not sure anyone really cares anyway.....

BUT, I will still post.  Since coming home I have had to face some interesting challenges.  The main one I would say is how I can fill my days with productive things so that I don't feel like a completely useless human being at the end of the day.  To make myself feel better about what I have done with my time, I will list what I have accomplished.

1.  I learned how to take in a skirt-not as easy as it sounds.

2.  I learned how to use a leaf blower (the kind that you put on your back).

3.  I painted my parents hallway yellow.

4.  I have read 4 books.

5.  I made bread that actually tasted good.

6.  I increased my weekly running mileage to 27 miles. 

7.  I worked at the State Fair.

8.  I made dinner for my family most nights of the week.

9.  I have grown some muscles in my upper body thanks to my gym that has an awesome weight lifting class.

10.  I beat Wade in bowling.

and... that's all I can think of.

I really can't complain that this time is particularly difficult.  I mean, I can always complain about something, but it has been really nice to completely relax before my internship starts in January.

Now, my question for you is:  What would you do with your time if you didn't have to work?

People I LOVE

I am sometimes just so overwhelmed when I think of all the wonderful people in my life.  Just this week I have heard from several of them and they have made me so happy.

1.  Julia Boyce, my dear old neighbor from Presidio.  She sent me a random text message just telling me that she was thinking of me.  I miss making treats with her and talking about life and being able to run right over to her apartment to say hello any time I want.

Julia and me sledding last winter

2.  Tiffany Feller, aka Tiffy,  friend who was once my roommate.  She called me today from the grocery store to ask me the difference between pure vanilla and imitation vanilla.  Basically one is more expensive than the other, although pure probably gives a better flavor.  She's making banana bread.  She said she just wanted an excuse to call me.  We talked about Halloween and what we are going to be.  Tiffany and her husband love Halloween more than anyone I know and this year I'm going all out in honor of them.  

Tiffany and her husband, Jared

3.  Becky Tingey, aka Becky Bennett, my old friend from home.  We have been playing phone tag for weeks now and we finally caught each other.  I love talking to Becky because she is so cool and makes me feel cool.  Becky is amazing and she inspires me to be amazing.  She teaches kindergarten and was teacher of the year last year and it was only her second year teaching!  She lives all the way in California now.  :(

Nancy, Me and Becky on a hike a couple of years ago

4.  Emily Tuioti, aka Emilita, Em-dog, former roommate and friend.  Emily lives all the way in New Zealand.  Exciting, huh?  It breaks my heart that she is so far away, but at the same times makes me so happy that she is living the dream.  I finally talked to her this week-the first time since she's gotten married.  

Emily and Tinoa on their wedding day

5.  Libby, aka Sister Driebergen, Sister Dri-booger, Sister D, favorite mission companion, friend.  Four years ago on Monday, Sept 4th Libby and I met for the first time at the MTC.  She was SUPER late and I thought she might have decided to get married at the last minute instead of go on a mission.  Luckily she showed up and gave me a HUGE hug.  I was a little scared by her energy at first, but in just a short time we realized that we were a perfect match for each other.  We ended up spending almost 1/3 of our missions together.  We were pretty much MFEO.  

Libby and me on the porch of our apartment in Frankfurt having dinner

These are just a few of the many amazing people in my life that I adore.  If you didn't make the list this time, it doesn't mean I don't love you, you just didn't talk to me this week.  

Grown-up Kid

I was talking to my 4-year-old nephew, Charlie, the other day.  "Krissy," he said, "are you a mom?" "No, Charlie, I'm not a mom."  "Are you a kid?" he asked.  "No, I'm not a kid either."  "Oh, then you're a grown-up kid, right?"  "Uh, I guess so."



Later I asked Charlie if there was a difference between moms and adults, and there isn't.  So, in Charlie's mind I won't be an adult until I have children.  I'm fine with that.  In fact, after thinking about it, I feeling like a grown-up kid is the perfect description for me, and not just because I just moved home at the age of 25.

I am an adult in so many ways:  I do my own laundry, make decisions, cook, do my own taxes, make appointments, pay attention to politics, don't pass notes in church anymore, can carry on conversations with almost anyone.



I am also a kid in so many ways:  I like to play with my food, I like cartoons, I like playing outside, I like it when people do things for me (my laundry, my taxes, making my appointments, etc), I like dressing up and pretending my life is something that it isn't.

Even though in Charlie's eyes once I get married and have children I will officially be an adult, I will probably, at least I hope, always be a kid in grown-up form.  

Trip To Boise

Here are some highlights of my trip to Boise over 4th of  July weekend. 

We started out Saturday with some trail running.  This is us before the run.  Aren't we pretty?  

After breakfast Libby took me downtown to the market and then to the Idaho state capital. 

Then and now. 

 

On Sunday after church we made bread.  This is Libby with her yeast.  She was very proud.

***

The best part of making bread is waiting for it to rise.  This is me waiting for it to rise.  :)  I love making bread.

We were even more proud when the bread actually

turned out.  YUM!

Aaron eating.  Then Libby eating.  Then me eating.

 

Me wanting Libby to stop taking pictures of me shoving food in my mouth.

I couldn't have asked for a more relaxing, fun weekend.   I love Libby for many reasons and one of them is because she reminds of what is most important in life and helps me not stress out so much.  She also makes me laugh.  A lot.

***

To Libby:  I like you on the 4th of July.  And even on the 5th of July.  And even if it's the 99th of July or no where particular in January.  I like you.

Elder Scott at Shopko??

I definitely saw Elder Scott today at Shopko.  At first I wasn't sure it was him because he was really short, and I didn't know that he was short.  However, my uncertainty was diminished when I saw him sign his receipt and say "thank you".  I was so close to saying something....but I hesitated.  What was I going to say?  "Excuse me, Elder Scott, I just wanted to tell you that I love your work." Uh, no.  I really did want to talk to him, though.  I actually wanted to tell him that one of the talks he gave at conference was the one that answered my prayers about going on a mission.  That's a nice thing to talk to an apostle, right?  Well, unfortunately I couldn't think fast enough and he walked into the bathroom before I could say anything.  I was left with the cashier, who had no idea what was going on.  "Do you realize who that was?" I asked.  "No," she replied.  "That was Richard G. Scott!" I said.  "Oh?" she said.  And that was it.  I thought about waiting for him to come out of the bathroom, but I determined that was kind of weird.  So I left.

Krissy Smith: Dietetic Intern

Maybe the extra large picture of my nametag is a little overkill, but I didn't want you to miss it.  It's official.  I am a Dietetic Intern.  What do I think about this?  I think I'm pretty excited.  I think it's going to be pretty intense, but that I'm going to learn a lot.  And, I think I will be very glad I did.  That's all.

New Running Shoes!!!!!

These are my new running shoes.  I went shoe shopping this morning to look for church shoes and, of course, I bought running shoes.  The best part about them is that they were super cheap.  They just happened to only one pair in my size.  I'm giddy about them.

Now, you are probably wondering why I'm so excited about running shoes.  I don't know what it is.  Maybe you would also have to understand why I love running so much.  I run for several reasons: health, to manage stress, to stay sane, for fun, to think, to not think at all, to get through pain.

With each pair of running shoes comes a year of my life and all that entails, which includes a lot of difficult things.

My last pair of running shoes got me through a lot: a broken heart, numerous of big decisions, a couple months of unemployment, disappointments and bad days.

Running helps me cope and I couldn't run without running shoes.  So I guess that's why I love them so much.

I wonder what this next pair will bring.

The Raleigh 2nd Ward

I went to church today at my home ward.  I grew up there and every time I go back I remember me as I used to be because that's how everyone remembers me. 

Today my best friend from my growing up years just happened to be visiting to.  We have both moved away and visit occasionally so I thought it was funny that we should be there on the same Sunday.  She has a baby now and during Sunday School and Relief Society we sat on the last row munching on chocolate, chatting, and playing with her adorable little chubby baby.  Vivi is her name.

I talked to my old running partner, Sarah Snyder.  I don't know how old she is, but she has six kids.  I used to run with her when I was high school during the off-season.  She's one of my most favorite people to run so I was so excited when she asked if I wanted to go running tomorrow.  I can't wait.

I also talked to Janette Jorgensen, a girl I used to babysit when I was 12 and she was 2.  She's 14 now and has 5 younger siblings.  I think she's taller than me, too.  She's taking driver's ed this summer and is going to high school next year.  I felt a little old.  I wonder what she thinks of me.  Does she think I'm cool?  Does she wonder why I'm not married?  

I loved going back today.  I didn't have to worry about impressing anybody or looking super cute.  I loved feeling accepted and missed.  I felt comfortable and at home.

Dear Emily

This is in response to your blog post since there is no way for me to comment.  I guess I could  just tell you since you are sitting across from me at this very moment.  But, this is probably something everybody that reads my blog wouldn't mind reading. (For those of you who are not Emily, Emily is my roommate and one of my dearest friends.  Sometimes when we are feeling down we like to list 5 things from the day that made us happy.  Here is my list for today)

1.  Eating dinner with Esther, my Mexican coworker, and her friends.  We ate tostadas and a delicious cake and laughed and talked.

2.  Isaac Dickson's talk.  He informed us that if mother's got paid for all the work they do they would get paid $140,000 a year.

3.  Taking a nap in the park by the river and waking up so relaxed.

4.  Talking to my mom.

5.  Talking to Melissa and Emily about life.

8th Grade Memories

For some reason, I have been thinking about my 8th grade year of middle school.  This was a big year for me because it was the year that I went back to public school after 2 years of being home-schooled (I know what you're thinking...Krissy is way too cool to have been home-schooled...but it's really true). 

So, this was a rough year for me, you know, trying to fit and all.  I tried out for the volleyball team and didn't make it.  I tried out for the softball team and didn't make it.  I DID, however, win the county Battle of the Books competition. Yes, that's right.  My four best friends and I stayed in our English teacher's class during lunch every day to read and prepare for our competitions.  And all the hard work paid off.  We...were...soo....cool.  

Anyway, towards the end of the year my friend Courtney invited me to go to the N'Sync concert.  Oh my goodness!  N'Sync!  I finally felt like this was chance to finally do something cool plus I felt accepted by someone at school.  After months of anticipation, the week of the concert came and I got the flu and my mom wouldn't let me go.  And that was it. I didn't go and I was SO disappointed.  The end.

  I was just looking at their old music videos on YouTube and for your pleasure, I have included one of my favorites here. 

Bonfire

  This past Friday my friends and I went up the canyon to have a bonfire.  Here is a little collage of the night.   

Happy as Happy Can Be

Well, I think everyone who reads this has already heard the good news, but for the sake of keeping records I am writing this post about how I got accepted to the Utah State University dietetic internship. (YAY!!!!)  I found out on Monday after anxiously waiting all day.  When the time came my hands were shaking so badly I could hardly type my login and password to the website that posted my acceptance.  

I could hardly believe that I was accepted to my first choice, especially after the interview.  :)  I jumped up and down and might have screamed a little.  I can't remember the last time I showed so much excitement.  My roommate Emily was there and we hugged.  It was such a happy moment.  I then shared the news with all the wonderful people in my life. 

Besides feeling intense relief about the uncertainty that has been looming over me for the past year, I just felt so much love from all of the people that cared to know what happened.  Sorry if this is cheesy, but that's how I felt, ok?  :) I went to sleep that night just feeling so grateful that there are so many in my life that can share in the good things that happen in my life.  I love you all dearly.  Thanks for everything!

THE BIG DAY: My Quest to Become an RD

Well, the day is almost here. I have been anxiously awaiting April 5th for the past several months.  For those of you who do not know, this is what's going on. I want to be a dietitian. In order to be a registered dietitian (which is not the same as a nutritionist) I have to take a test.  In order to qualify to take the test, I have to complete an accredited internship.  Internships last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years and may or may not result in a masters degree. They consist of various rotations such as clinical (in a hospital), community (someplace like a WIC clinic), and food service management (usually at a school or hospital). It is like a full-time job, except instead of getting paid, interns have to pay to do the internship.  Sweet deal, huh? Last year there were 2,195 positions across the country and 4,120 applicants. So, it's really competitive (just in case you're bad with numbers). 

I applied to 3 internships.  They are the following, in order of preference: Utah State University, the University of Houston, and St. Francis-Penrose something or other (I can't remember the whole name, ha) (that one is in Colorado Springs).  Both USU and U of H would eventually result in masters degrees, which I really want to do.  There are pros and cons to each internship, but overall, after many, many, many hours of research, fasting, and prayer, these are the ones I felt good about, so I would be excited to do any of them.  I interviewed with Utah State and failed to answer correctly the most basic of dietetic questions:  Is chocolate good or bad?  Just kidding.  That wasn't the question.  It was another question that is uninteresting so I won't go into it.  The point of that story is that I don't know if I have a good chance of getting that one.  I wanted to tell them that I couldn't answer it because I studied that like 5 years ago, before I went to Germany to save the world, but I didn't feel that was a good idea. 

SO, on Monday at 5 pm, I will find out if I got placed.  I will only find out if I get accepted to one, if I get accepted to any.  I feel generally at peace about whatever is going to happen, accepted or not.  I find comfort in this scripture: " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God..." So I excitedly, yet anxiously await Monday at 5 pm. Your prayers would be appreciated....I will be surprised if you've gotten this far since this post = boring. But if you did make it, please pray for me.   Really, this is a test to see who actually cares about me.  Anyway, HAPPY EASTER!

A Blue Bowl and an Afternoon Run

I went running today.  Don't worry, this is not a post about how much I love running.  I had to return a plastic blue bowl to a friend, so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and run with the bowl to my friend's.  Efficient, not weird.  What was weird was I almost got clothes-lined by a couple...riding their bikes...on the sidewalk....holding hands. (See picture)  First of all, sidewalks are for walking.  And second, holding hands while riding bikes?  Dangerous and impractical. You might be thinking, "Krissy, you're just jealous that you can't do that. "  Well, maybe I am.  The funny thing is that they were probably wondering why I was running with a plastic blue bowl.  Ha.

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

Back in the Saddle Again

No, this is not going to be a post about my dating life.  That's none of your business. This is actually about how I GOT A JOB!!!!! 

WOOOOHOOOOO! 

After two months of feeling like a complete waste of space for contributing in no way to society, I finally found a job.  Ok, it wasn't THAT bad.  I generally enjoyed my hiatus from all things responsible and related to adulthood.  Some of the things I enjoyed most about this time were 

sleeping in/staying in bed as late as I wanted, 

cooking fun food for my dinner group,

staying up way to late talking to my roommates, 

running, 

hanging out with friends, 

 flying in airplanes, 

wasting time on the internet,  

watching movies, 

  going to the temple,

eating lunch with Emily,

cleaning my apartment, 

and thinking about life and what I want to do with it.  

I learned throughout this generally happy time, however, that work plays an essential role in leading a fulfilling life.  So, I am looking forward to continuing these things while working full-time.  This means I will be staying in Provo indefinitely.  Oh, I will be working at Cafe Zupas and will coordinate catering.  My official title is catering coordinator.

Some Cleanses are Good

Most of you that know me know that I don't believe in detoxification cleanses.  I think they are, in fact, hazardous to your health.  There is, however, one kind of clease that I do believe in, and that is the facebook cleanse.  Here is my confession: I have become addicted to facebook.  Since I haven't had a job or classes, and looking for a job drives me insane, I have turned to facebook as a means to deal with my problems.  I don't generally get sucked into reading people's profiles or stalking my roommate's blind dates, although I do a little bit of that.  What really gets me is the chatting.  It's my outlet to the outside world.  Pathetic! (I know that is EXACTLY the word that just went through your mind).  Krissy is a loser.  (and that was your next thought)  I don't think I'm a loser, but I do think I can use my time more wisely.  So, with the help of a friend, I decided to go without facebook.  I have successfully made it through one day and it was AMAZING.  I haven't been happier in a long time.  I felt free as a bird.  I hope that today is the first of many facebook-free days.  I recommend giving it a try. 

Me and My Bundt Pan

Long story short-I bought a bundt pan yesterday.  For 50 cents.  I got it at DI and the price tag said $1.  "$1!"  I thought to myself. It was quite ugly. I considered trying to negotiate for a cheaper price, but then determined that it was for a good cause and not worth the energy.  When I got to the register, the lady took a good look at it and must have thought the same thing as I did about it's ugliness and only charged me 50 cents.  50 CENTS!!!!  I was so excited and walked out of there proud as could be knowing that I not only saved 50 cents, but even more compared to a brand new pan. I love saving money!

 

The cake I made-Low-fat, whole-wheat carrot cake..YUM!  I know, you're drooling just looking at it.

Flyin' High

I went flying today!  My friend Dallen flies planes and he took me flying today over Provo.  I have to admit I was a little nervous.  Luckily, he has a good record and hasn't killed anyone yet, nor has anyone ever thrown up while he was flying.  That calmed my nerves a little bit.  But really, it wasn't any worse than a normal plane.  Actually, it was much better.  Here are some pics to prove that I actually did it.

Dallen-my trusty pilot-pumping gas into the plane (the gas tanks are in the wings!)

After we got gas since planes can't go backwards we had to push it back.  This is me pretending to push it.  Dallen really did most of the work. 

Me actually pushing it.

Above the clouds-so pretty!

Mt. Timp-I've climbed that sucker!

Timpanogas Temple

And, me!

THE END

God is the Gardener

I don't normally address very personal things on this blog, but I felt like doing so tonight.  I am in week four of post-grad life still without job.  I have had one interview for a not-even-close-to-my-dream-job job. As I think I mentioned before, I have been applying to internships, the Air Force being my first choice.  I found out today that it is unlikely that I will get accepted due to some past health issues that aren't acceptable with the Air Force (kind of ironic since I am one of the healthier people on this planet...I'm a dietitian-to-be for heaven's sake).  I was really disappointed.  Also, I broke my glasses.  It's not that big of a deal, but it's the kind of break that can't be fixed.  The only option is to buy new ones and that  = money.  Ok, there have been some very disappointing parts of today and I had to try really hard not to throw a fit because life wasn't working out how I want it to.  I can't deny that there were good parts, too. For example, I blew my dinner group away tonight with this delicious apple cranberry stuffed pork roast.  I wouldn't be surprised if a marriage proposal came of it.  It was that good. 
Alright, on to the point.  I've been thinking about my life and the huge chasm that exists between where I want my life to be and where it currently is.  Hugh B. Brown gave a talk entitled God is the Gardener.  He tells a story about how he experienced what he perceived as a huge failure and began to bitterly shake his fist at God.  As he did this, he received a message in return "I am the gardener here.  I know what I want you to be.  And someday, when you are ripened in life, you are going to shout back accross time and say 'Thank you  Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.' "  I don't mean to be overly pessimistic, but sometimes life is full of disappointments, failures, and set-backs.  It's like in my dreams when I'm trying to run with all my might yet I seem to be moving backwards.  But like Hugh B. Brown said, God is going to let us fall, not to punish us, but because he knows what is best for us and what experiences will refine us into the people that he wants us to be.  I have no idea what is going to happen with my life.  And yeah, it's hard right now dealing with so much uncertainty.  I guess it really doesn't matter and I shouldn't waste my time worrying about what I can't control.  I can be happy regardless and rest assured that Mr. Gardener knows what he's doing with my little life.

Does anyone read my blog?

So, I began this blog not for other people, but for me to practice expressing myself.  But I was just wondering if anyone ever reads it...that's all :)

Post-grad Life: Week Two

So, I GRADUATED! For real this time. I know I gave you all a little tease last April when my family flew across the country to see me walk and when I threw myself a party, but now it is official.
Here is a picture of my degree, which I have placed proudly over our kitchen table as proof.

 

I found this on a not-so-serious blog, but which, I think, contains some truth.  This is an excerpt from an entry of dating DO's and DON'T's:

"WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT GO TO MORE SCHOOL, unless you want people to start calling you Yawnette. Think about it! Serious! How often do guys whistle and yell "Nice degree!" or shake there heads and say "What adorable knowledge"? EXACTLY."

I wonder to what extent this is true.  Regardless, I am pursuing more education because it is important to me and I'm sure someone, someday will find it very adorable. 

I am currently applying to Dietetic Internships (DIs).  In order to become a Registered Dietitian (RD) and feel like my undergraduate education wasn't a complete waste of time, I have to do an accredited internship and then take a test.  Most DIs are 6-12 months, unless they include a master's program and then they are 2 years. I am opting for the latter.  My first choice is with the US Air Force.  I'm really hoping for this one, but they only accept 2 (!) interns each year.  The others I'm applying to are the University of Houston, a hospital in Colorado Springs, and maybe one in Boston.

As far as how I feel about post-grad life, sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it.  Staying in bed until 1 pm- love it! Feeling like I have no purpose in life-hate it!  And so, I'm learning to accept all aspects of life and find joy amidst the vastness of uncertainty.