I’ve been keeping busy the past few days, preparing and practicing for a certain upcoming event that I am keeping my fingers crossed very hard for.  If you could do the same, I’d sure appreciate it.  In the meantime, I’ll present this fun little meme that I stole from Fishing Around. 

1. When is your birthday? September – the day after Ms. Fishing Around.  I, however, am older.

2. Where were you born? Connecticut.

3. Where do you live now? Alabama.

4. What is your heritage? For a long time, I thought I was 100% German.  My dad never knew his father, and he was not a talked about person.  One day, however, I heard my great uncle use some not so nice terms to describe my dad’s father…including the fact that the man was Polish.  So I guess that means I’m slightly Polish too.

5. Tell us about a weakness. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.  How can you NOT have one?  Or two?  Or 5?

6. What’s a goal that you’d like to achieve? Well, since most of my current goals have been met, or are about to be met, it’s time to set some new ones.  I think I’ll set my new sights on getting tenure in a fast-tracked time line.

7. What is the most overused internet phrase? Oh Em Gee!!!!

8. What was your first thought this morning? “I thought it was supposed to rain!” (It was quite bright in the room).

9. When do you usually go to bed? I’ve gotten into the habit of going to bed late – between 1 and 2am lately.  Sometimes I think I should break this habit, but I’m never productive in the mornings, and I’m usually extremely productive at night, so why change that?  It works for now.

10. Do you smoke? If not, did you ever? No, I don’t.  I might have taken a couple of drags off someone else’s when I had been drinking, but I’ve never smoked a cigarette on my own.

11. Do you like your current relationship status? It’s tolerable.  Haha!  Just kidding!  I am VERY happy with the status quo.

12. Do you (or did you) get along with your parents? Very much.  After some rocky teenage years, we really developed a pretty awesome relationship, and I love spending time with them.

13. How often do you drink alcohol? Socially – a drink here and there.  Though my friend brought over a couple of bottles of Bailey’s last night, and I think I should start having a nightcap every night.

14. Have you ever tried drugs (that weren’t prescribed)? Never.  I never had any desire to.

15. Have you ever gone skinny dipping? If yes, do tell. Yes.  And no. 

16. If given the choice, how would you like to die? In my sleep, at a very old age.

17. What did you want to be when you grew up? Everything.  I think my ambition changed yearly.

18. Have you ever been dumped? Yes.

19. What’s on your pizza? Sausage and extra cheese.  I’m easy.

20. Have you ever shoplifted? Yes.  Once when I was about 8 just to see if I could.  Once on a dare.  And actually?  Not all that long ago.  I was shopping at a certain large retailer that rhymes with Wal-part, and I didn’t get a basket, figuring I could just juggle things in my hands.  Then I realized I needed to buy a new carry on, and decided to buy one for my boy too…and in the comparison of bags, I stuck a bottle of Advil into my purse, intending to retrieve it when I paid.  Guess who totally forgot about it until I got home and realized what I did?  Oops.  I made up for it in Karma by donating that amount plus some to the Salvation Army worker next time I had to go to the store.

I have an occasion next week in which I will need to look professional and presentable, and my roots were dictating that it was time to hit up the salon and get my hairs taken care of.  I love so much getting my hair done.   I love having my hair played with, and getting my hair washed – it’s one of my huge guilty pleasures.

We had a consultation on the color wants I had, and decided to do a full color, but leave some of my existing highlights wrapped in separate foils full of conditioner so I would still have dimension.  When all that was done, and the color set, I got all excited about the upcoming hair washing.

Seriously, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I LOVE getting my hair washed.  It might be a little abnormal.

I get led back to the basins, and my girl starts trying to warm up the water.  And trying.  And trying.  And trying.  The water wasn’t getting warm.  Hmmm.

The place I go to just moved into a new building.  Today was the day that the gas bill was supposed to be moved out of the builder’s name, and into the salon’s name.  Something got lost in communication, and the gas got turned off completely.  Which meant there was nothing to heat the water up with.  There was no hot water.

This water wasn’t just cold.  It was ice cold. It was freaking brutal. It was so cold, the top of my head felt like it was burning when she rinsed my hair off.  She finally gave up, and when she got to the conditioner, she wiped most of it off with a hot towel, and then had someone fill up her spray bottle with hot water from the coffee machine to get the rest off.   I loved her for that, but oh, I was so, so, so, so sad. And cold.

But I survived, and my hairs are cut and colored, and I love the way it turned out.  Now I want to go take another shower to warm up. 

Yesterday I officially finished the dissertation.   It was emailed out to my committee yesterday afternoon.  I promptly ran downstairs and did what may be considered the most horrific dance ever.

I’m in mini-celebration mode, because I won’t engage in a full blown celebration until it’s been defended, changes have been made, and the graduate school accepts it.  That’s when it will be official.

For now?  The heavy lifting on it is over.  It’s done.  Yay!

My next step is to contact that graduate school.  I heard a rumor that you can hire editors who are proficient in your particular publication style, and go over the manuscript with a fine tooth comb.  For any normal paper, I would not do that.  When the graduate school has to accept the final product, and I’ll be really embarrassed if I don’t graduate because I used the word “While” wrong, I’m considering hiring an editor for this a sound investment.

Yay!

I didn’t do my slightly regular Saturday meme yesterday, because I was too busy writing the final sections of the dissertation.  Then there was a birthday party, bbq, and late night margaritas.  Since today is devoted to the final formatting issues of the dissertation, I’m stealing this meme from Fishing Around…which is way more fun than formatting.  Trust me.

Opening…

Do you get regular massages? I wish.  But, if the Aveda Institute that is .8 miles away from my house would start offering them, I might consider it.  $40 for one hour?  Yes please.

Do you have an answering machine? I do.  But it is not used, thanks to the voicemail on our house phone and my cell.

What cuss word do you use the most? F**k.  No f**king question.

Are you underweight or overweight? If you ask me, I’d say slightly overweight.  If you ask anyone else, they’d say I look great.  It’s all in who you ask.  So ask other people.

Can you see your veins? In a couple places

Favorite…

Soap? Philosophy Pure Grace

Fruit? Raspberries

Kind of red meat? Steak – Filet Mignon, to be precise

Fish? Salmon

Candy bar? Snickers.  Or Butterfinger.

Have You Ever…

Eaten a whole bag of potato chips? Yes

Eaten lobster? Yes

Climbed a mountain? Yes

Been skydiving? No

Been water skiing? Yes.

Do You…

Wish you could change something about your life? I’d like to get a job with a non-student salary.

Like your nose? Not really.  I broke it one too many times for me to enjoy it much.

Like salt and vinegar chips? No.  I’m a plain potato chip kind of gal.

Eat salsa? Mmmmm.  Of course.  Relatives on my boy’s side have an incredible recipe.  They won’t share.

Own a boat? Nope.  No desire to, really.

What Is…

A small thing that people let slide but that actually has dire consequences? Deadlines.   I’m not sure when they became optional.

Your most macho trait? What is a macho trait?  I can flex my muscles.  Does that count?

The longest relationship you’ve ever had? Me and my boy.  About to celebrate 5 years of being together.

Your most embarrassing thoughts? I’m not embarrassed by my thoughts.  I’m more nervous about the thought of embarrassing things happening.  Like farting during a yoga class.  How mortifying must that be?

Your most shameful moment? It was in college.  It seemed like a really good idea at the time.

This/That…

Bath/Shower? Bath, with bubbles and a glass of wine.

Markers/Crayons? Markers.   It’s hard to write on a white board with crayons.

Pens/Pencils? Pens

Jelly/Cream Cheese? Cream cheese

Bagel/Toast? Bagel

Finish…

My greatest weakness is… ice cream.

I wish I was… able to travel more.

Three things I wouldn’t do for a million dollars are…yeah.  I’m a broke student.  There’s not much I wouldn’t do at this point.  Although I can safely say I wouldn’t jump in a pool of roaches.

The oddest thing I’ve ever put in my mouth is… a CD.  One of my parents friends has a theory that the difference between a 45 record and a CD is you can bite a 45, glue it back together, and it will still play.  We tried to test this.  I had the CD, but I couldn’t bite through it.

Firsts…

Credit card you had? A Visa

Loan you got was for? Student loan.

Paycheck was for how much? I have no idea.  Probably a couple hundred.  I got lucky in high school with a good paying p/t job.

Time you had stitches? This past October when I had surgery, but they were all internal dissolving stitches.

Time you went to the hospital for something? October for a gall bladder attack.

Lasts…

List everything you ate in the last 24 hours? English muffin with peanut butter, banana, granola bars, brisket, mashed potatoes, baked beans, sourdough pretzels.

Last thing you used a credit card for? To pay my membership  dues for one of the communication organizations I belong to.

What was your job previous to the one you have now? I worked as a TV producer.

Last thing you celebrated? Not making an ass out myself. 

Last time you were at a sports bar? Wow.  A sports bar only, and not a restaurant that played sports on lots of TV’s?  Probably 2005.  The restaurant thing would be this past football season.

I have a defense date set for my dissertation.  That’s part of the reason it’s been so quiet around here.   With this whole process, I have been re-introduced to my old friend, the imposter syndrome.  You know, where you think you are a total fraud, and don’t belong doing the thing you are doing, and are just waiting for someone to out you?  That’s how I’ve been feeling.

I have this dissertation.  I have all the data.  I have no idea what to do with it.

Ultimately, I guessed.  I guessed at what tests I was supposed to run, what stats I was supposed to use.  I’m either right (or on the right track) and just have no faith in myself – it’s stats, after all – or I have completely screwed the entire thing up.

It’s due by Friday.

And I also can’t get Word to cooperate in the formatting.  I mean, the formatting rules are stupid anyway.  No numbers on the first two pages.  Then roman numerals.  But only until Chapter 1.  Then you have to start with normal numbers.  And the margins?  2″ top margins on the Title page, dedication, copyright, table of contents, list of tables, explanation of symbols, and acknowledgments.  Then 2″ top margins on the first page of each chapter.   Every page that’s left get’s 1″ margins all around.

Have I figured out how to set the margins for one specific page without butchering the format for the whole thing?  Or the page numbers?  Nooooooooooooooooooooo.

People don’t get Ph.D.’s because they are extraordinarily smart.  They get them because they are willing to put up with a tremendous amount of bullshit.

The other reason it’s been quiet around here is that I decided to start a new research blog.  There’s a few entries now, and it’s in it’s infancy stages.  I’m open to suggestions, and I hope you might give it a try and pass it on.

I used my real name.  Oooooooo.

It takes a little longer to put those entries together.  Well, except for my rants about the Biggest Loser.  But if I’m going to present theory, I want to be right.  And while I want to talk about my research ideas, I’m paranoid of idea theft, so it takes a little while to be purposefully ambiguous.

If you’re interested, please give it a try:

http://thebodystop.wordpress.com

In the meantime, please send me good statistics vibes. 

Let me just say that first, the job hunting process sucks.  Sucks really bad.

Anyway.

I’ve been toying around with the idea of starting a new blog.  I thought about trying to bring my research over to this one, but there are SO many facets to the research that I do.  Plus, the idea of ’social media’ is such a buzzword, but I think people fail to understand how it could actually work in tandem with what I do.  If I had the blog, I could just point to it and say “See?  This is how.”  If I did the blog, I’d actually do it *gasp* under my real name.  Which is part of the motivation behind wanting to separate it out from this blog.  I’m not cool with someone Google-ing my name, and finding this blog.  Not that I’m embarrassed about what I write here, but I don’t want this to be a first professional impression.  If I’m going to write intelligent things, then I’m totally fine with that being easily accessible.

The blog would end up focusing on the intersection of research on body image and health.  I think.  I’m still playing around with what *exactly* it would be, but there’s definitely a niche there, and there’s definitely plenty of room for discussion.  I think it could be really interesting.  At least, I hope it could be really interesting.

I like new ideas.  I like toying around with new ideas.  There’s so much potential and possibility.  And it’s way more fun than cleaning out the closet.

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions.  I put enough pressure on myself that I don’t need anything extra.  Besides.  Most people I know make the same ones over and over and over and over, and at that point it’s just repetition and not resolution.  So I quit making them about the time I left college.  Sure, I’m not perfect, and there’s stuff I can improve upon, but it shouldn’t take the miraculous turn of the calendar to get me to do them.

One thing  that I’m trying to focus on right now though is getting organized and de-cluttered.  It just happens to coincide with the beginning of the year, because I actually have time right now.  I’m sure I’ll do this again in June.  I made some headway on this in the fall, and have a couple large boxes ready to go to the Salvation Army to be donated, but I’m still living in way more…stuff…than I’d like.

There’s also a selfish motivation here.  I’m on the job market.  Hopefully I’ll have job come August.  However, with the way the job market is, I might have to move solo and leave my boy behind, unless a miracle occurs.  Which means in all likelihood, I’ll be moving.  AGAIN.  In 8 months or so.  I’m hoping it’s a small move – like, 4-ish hours away – but who knows?

And I just don’t want to pack a lot.

Which means if it’s still sitting in a box, or I haven’t touched in now in over a year, it’s probably time for it to go.

But…some of it is so hard.  I mean, what do I do with video cassettes?  Toss them?  Save them?  We have no working VCR.  No plans to even buy one.  Why do I continue to hold on to these things?  Why do I feel guilty about tossing them? It’s not like they can be donated to a good cause.

I should just start to look at my stuff like this: “Do I really want to carry this through another move?  No?  Buh bye then!”

Wait.  If that was the case, I’d toss everything out the window right now.  Better rethink that plan.

This isn’t a meme, per say, but I saw this on a message board, and thought it was also a neat New Year’s type of thing.  The point was to hit the high’s of each year from the past decade.  Let’s see if I can actually remember all of this!!!

2000: Graduated from college (gulp, really?), moved to Atlanta, got my first job in television, adopted my cat Emma.

2001: Changed jobs – went from television producing to concert promotion.  Got to see a LOT of awesome concerts.  Moved to a new apartment.  Adopted my cat Allie.

2002: Moved to Birmingham for a job ‘promotion’ in September of that year.  Spent the rest of the year looking for a new job.

2003: Promptly quit my job, freaked out, calmed down, and got a new job working back in television producing.

2004: Went back to school to begin my M.A. that January, met my boy in the fall of that year.  Other than those two good things, I prefer to think of 2004 as the year that mostly didn’t exist.

2005: Started dating my boy, went through some serious soul-searching, growing up, and changing as a person.  Got nominated for an Emmy award.  Graduated with my M.A.

2006: Left my television job in B’ham for a new job in Atlanta.  Moved away from my boy for this.  Resigned (in lieu of being fired) after 4 months.  Miraculously landed a full-time teaching job at a 2 year college in Georgia.  Went to Belize with my boy and his family for a SCUBA diving trip.  Got my first passport!

2007:  Started looking at Ph.D. programs.  Got accepted into my program.  Finished the school year in GA and moved back to Alabama.  Moved in with my boy (oooh, sinner!).  Began the Ph.D. program.

2008: Started getting conference acceptances and travelling for those.  FINALLY got engaged

2009: Finished Ph.D. coursework, passed comp exams, defended the dissertation proposal, planned a wedding, got married.  Definitely the most busy year by far.

2010: Graduate, get a job, figure out the next part of our life together, and maybe try to relax a little bit more than I did last year.  Then again, this is me we’re talking about.

This ends up being more of a retrospective of the past year, but since I refuse to make resolutions, this seems like a better idea.

1.What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Went to a football game on my birthday.  I asked to go.  Fabulous birthday.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?:

Nope, because I didn’t make any.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?:

Nope

4. Did anyone close to you die?:

Yes, my grandmother (and final surviving grandparent), the week before Christmas.  That was le suck.

5. What countries did you visit?:

The US of A.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?:

A real job.  With a big girl salary, not a student salary.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?:

June 20.  My wedding day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?:

Finished doctoral coursework, took and passed comps, wrote and defended the dissertation proposal, planned the wedding, and got married.  All without losing my mind.

9. What was your biggest failure?:

Not finishing the entire dissertation by Christmas.  Which isn’t really a failure, but it was a goal of mine, and I didn’t make it.  See next answer.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?:

I had surgery in the beginning of October to have my appendix out and some past scar tissue removed.  It knocked me on my butt way more than I thought it would, and messed up my dissertation goal.  Other than that?  I was healthy.

11. What was the best thing you bought?:(was bought for you)

My wedding band.  But since that was technically purchased in 2008, I’m not sure if it counts.  So I’ll say my Kindle, that my boy totally surprised me with at Christmas.  I think I’m still in shock.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?:

Our friends.  Because we are truly lucky to have them in our lives.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?:

Oh, where to start?

14. Where did most of your money go?:

For everyday life.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?:

The wedding!

16. What songs will always remind you of 2009?:

“The Luckiest”, by Ben Folds

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i) …happier or sadder?:

Happier.

ii) thinner or fatter?:

Thinner.  Thanks, surgery.

iii) richer or poorer?:

About the same. Student poor.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?:

Taking pictures.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?:

Stressing about things I had no control over.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?:

It’s been spent!  We were at my family’s in CT.  My Uncle came.  Christmas day we played two very heated games of Trivial Pursuit, and spent the whole day laughing.  It was pretty perfect.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?:

All over again with my boy several times.

23. How many one night stands?:

Thousands! 

24. What were your favourite TV programs?:

Ok.  When I was recouping from surgery, my mom was here, and she got me hooked on TLC.  I now am a fan of “Say Yes to the Dress”, the Duggar show(s), and “The Little Couple”.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?:

Yes!  Actually, I don’t really use the word hate.  That requires too much effort.  I prefer to say that there are people I have no use for now.

26. What was the best book you read?:

Hmmm.  My Sister’s Keeper, The Time Traveller’s Wife, and The Plain Truth were all pretty high up on my likes for the year.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?:

iTunes.  I get it, it’s not a group, but I finally downloaded it, and I love the organizing functions of it.

28. What did you want and get?:

A wonderful wedding.  And a Kindle.

29. What did you want and not get?:

A job.  Not yet, that is.  I was hoping to have that settled by now.

30. What was your favourite film of this year?:

Twilight: New Moon.  Kidding!  I don’t really have a favorite from the year.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?:

I turned 32.  My boy and I went to Auburn for the Auburn/West Virginia game.  Auburn won.  Fabulous birthday.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?:

Not having to have surgery.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?:

What fashion concept?

34. What kept you sane?:

My boy.  And alcohol.

35.Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?:

Bon Jovi.  And my boy even taped the Inside the Actor’s Studio that he appeared on, unbeknownst to me, so I could lust over Bon Jovi.  I have a fabulous husband.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?:

Healthcare Reform.  And the gay marriage/civil union debate.

37. Who did you miss?:

My family.  I hate being so far away from them.

38. Who was the best new person you met?:

?  I didn’t really meet anyone new in that capacity.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:

Sometimes it’s easier to just not care than try too hard, because less is better.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

I am so bad at these. Pass.

41. What was your favorite moment of the year?

Saying “I do”.

42. What was your least favourite moment of the year?

Seeing my grandmother for the first time at her viewing.  I couldn’t even go up to the casket.

57. If you could go back in time to any moment of 2009 and change what?

I would have done more push ups before the wedding.  Seriously, there’s nothing major I would have changed.  Things happened the way they were supposed to.

58. What are your plans for 2010?

To get a job, graduate, and enjoy what life is going to bring.

It seems so long since I’ve done a Saturday meme, but thankfully I can still count on Tense Teacher to have good memes to steal.

Did anyone watch you the last time you kissed someone?
Unless one of the cats was watching or our neighbors are looking through our windows with binoculars, I don’t think so.

When you’re walking, do you stop to drink?
Nope.

Do you believe that if you want something badly enough, you’ll get it?
No.  I’ve wanted a millions dollars very badly for many, many years, but it hasn’t shown up yet.

Have you ever kissed someone in a vehicle?
Yes

Ever sneak out of your house?
Yes.  But I got about a mile away, felt too guilty, and went back home.

What did you do today?
Slept late, read in bed for a bit, took a shower, made breakfast, sat on the couch, read, watched the Army/Navy football game, watched more TV, made dinner, folded laundry, and am now sitting on the couch again.  For me, this is a day of doing nothing.

Would you ever get a tattoo?
Yes, and have.

What was the last thing you ate?
A fresh baked chocolate chip cookie…or two…or three.

Are you a morning person or a night person?
Night

Do you snore?
Yes, and apparently I can snore while I sleep on my stomach.

Do you like to spend time with people?
Yes, as long as they’re people I like. 

Are you hungry?
No

Are you a forgiving person?
Not usually.  For little things that don’t matter (you know, like if I asked you to pick up my mail and you forgot, I’d probably forgive that).  For something significant?  I probably wouldn’t.  Not very easily, at least, and not for a long time.  I’m not one that trusts people easily, so if you violate that trust, you’re not likely to be in my good graces.

When was the last time you did the dishes?
About 1/2 an hour ago.  I finished up the ones I dirtied up after my boy did the bulk of them.

Are you talking to anyone while doing this?

No

Do you want a relationship right now?
I have plenty!

What are you about to do?
Go take the sweaters out of the dryer.

Have you ever thought someone died, when they really didn’t?
No

If you could be a superhero what would you want to do?
Fly.  Then I could go home more, because it would be free.

Your name plus “ness”?
Annieness

Three feelings at the moment?
Happy, relaxed, sore

Done anything you regret so far in life?
Yes

Are you listening to anything?
Ricky Bobby: Talladega Nights

Where are you right now?
In my living room

What are you scared of?

Tornadoes, the dark, roaches.

Last movie you watched?
Legends of the Fall

Last song you sang out loud?
“Cause I’m a WOMAN…W-O-M-A-N…”

Are you thinking of someone right now?
Yes

Who is the last person you talked to on the phone?
My friend Wendy

Last thing you downloaded on your computer?
Probably some sort of update

Have you changed much this year?
No

Where was the last place you went besides where you are?
Besides my house?  To dinner last night.  Besides the town I live in?  Down to school on Thursday.  Out of the state?  To Chicago.

Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
Never

Do you speak any other language?
I am very rusty in Spanish, but I need to start learning Italian for the honeymoon.

Do you dress for style or comfort?
Both

Ever had a drunken night in Mexico?
No.  I’ve never been to Mexico.

Favorite color(s)?
Blue

What are you looking forward to this summer?
Going on the honeymoon, hopefully starting a real job!

Last time you smiled?
About 10 minutes ago

If you could have anything in the world, what would you want?
No debt ever.