YAY!

So after reading Blake and Lauryn's blog I realized I had completely forgotten about the Praxis test. I passed! I am so happy that I can check that off for graduation requirements! Thanks Lauryn for posting about it.

Colony Girl

I found this book outside of Hastings in their bargain shelves and thought.. why not. It was interesting to say the least. It is based on a fictional religious cult and one girl who is struggling with adolescent hormones and finding her own way in the world. I thought the book could go anywhere really, but it went in the way of sex. It was very sexual in its scenes, and overall theme. I was surprised by some of the "logic" that came through the characters. It always had a perverted religious tone, that was so worldly you'd assume the colony would break apart in the end. Surprise, Surprise! The religious cult is still intact and the main character goes to New York in a leased Camaro (that's all I got out of the book, besides a few days of entertainment)...

The Falls

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. Some of the images that Oates creates are a little horrific... and perversely sexual, but they somehow make the theme stronger. Its critiqued as a modern discussion of the American family and I agree to some respect. I didn't tie the constant influence of suicide to the American family. Maybe my understanding of my family and some others close to me didn't have a lot of issues with suicide. It was just such a large element of the story I couldn't keep the American family in mind. The relationship inside the family were really interesting to read about in this novel. The characters are so developed and seemingly consistent in the novel you are torn as a reader to either love or hate them. The mother (Ariah) is one such character that you respect with every fiber of your being, but detest for her emotional and psychological mind games on her children. The fact that history does repeat itself truly is an unique element in the novel that also allows for such thick foreshadowing, anyone can guess the next step in the plot. I would recommend this novel to anyone, but it wasn't my favorite Oates novel. I'd still give that prize to The Gravedigger's Daughter. Rebbecca was just such a strong female character, I constantly think... now what would Rebbecca do?

My New Favorite Phrases

So Chris and I have been in Idaho Falls for about a week now and my new favorite phrase is "Idaho Sucks." We found a great apartment the day before we moved up which was a load off and Larry was kind enough to help us move. Everything was set in motion, but I still haven't been able to transfer through Walmart or find a new job. Walmart is one call after the next. I spend probably 30 minutes everyday with a different person trying to get my transfer through. I've gone into the Ammon Walmart twice to verify that I completed the transfer request correctly. If the system isn't working the managers have this great skill of blaming the employee... Walmart standard of course. I am about ready to give up but I need a job. I've had two jobs for the past two years or so and now all I have is the empty apartment, a few hours with Chris daily, and the internet. I've been reading some great books, but I just don't get why I am not appealing for employers on paper. I've submitted my resume two at least a dozen different companies and haven't heard anything from anyone. Not one single phone call. I thought Idaho Falls would be a chance to get out of my retail slump but it seems like Walmart (if it ever goes through) will be my damning saving grace. Crazy how that works. I am a mindless blob while working for Walmart, but now I pray that I'll be able to start working soon. Life is ironic, and karma is a bitch. I just don't know what exactly I did to deserve it. However, I could take the other road and claim that humans are not pawns to fate, but rather the determiner of our fate. To be in control would be great, but I honestly don't see it happening.

I have also been emailing the English Chair of Education Dr. Gantt to find out anymore information on my last English credit, and she is useless. The best she can give me is... "at the end of May we might have some information." She denied the possibility of a directed studies course over the summer stating "professors don't agree because they don't get paid" but the douche is the instructor for an online directed studies course... She has to be getting paid for it if its a collectively organized online course that students can sign up for. It would have worked perfectly but somehow she thinks waiting for an online course would be better. I feel like perhaps if I go into her office blubbering or screaming at the top of my lungs she might have listened. But I'd end up in the hospital. It seems like a lost cause, but alas to graduate I need to pester someone into a decision and I've set my sights on Dr. Gantt.

Sitting at home day after day getting a few meaningless tasks done doesn't help my psychological state or my happiness in Idaho. Perhaps God has given me this down time to work out all my emotional contradictions, but I'm just creating more. So the next time you see me, if I have a shaved head and 50 facial piercings you'll know what I filled my down time with.

My Top Stressers

I have a great life, don't get me wrong, but I also have some stressful situations ahead of me...

1. We are moving in two days (the day I'll hopefully finish my finals) and we still don't have an apartment in Idaho Falls.

2. My summer course that I needed for graduation was canceled today... and they don't know if it'll be offered in the fall.

3. My last English credit required is only offered in the spring and the English chairman won't allow me to take a directed studies course. She is pushing for an online course that "might" be offered in the fall.

All of these lovely stressers are out of my control and its really frustrating. I wish karma, fate, or God (depending on your religious views) wasn't working against our move or my graduation, but it looks like I'll just have to live with it.

Moving

Alright, we have had some new developments to our current lifestyle... We will be moving to Idaho Falls on May 1st. Well let me give a few details. Chris will be moving up on April 22nd to start training employees at Cafe Rio. I will stay for my Praxis test on the 25th, work, and many finals before packing up the apartment and trying to transfer by crappy job. I have already put in my two weeks at Shopko... crazy exciting huh. We still don't have an apartment and we don't know what our exact plan will be for the fall semester (I have one semester before my student teaching). Maybe I'll live in Logan on the weekdays and Idaho Falls for the weekend... who knows. We are sad to leave Logan (surprisingly so) but are excited for a little change even if we are packing our stuff with no future apartment in view. Hopefully by this Wednesday we'll have something figured out.

Inkheart

So I have finished the first book in the Inkheart series and enjoyed reading it. Overall I got lost in the story of a young girl Meggie and her "gift" shall we say. Both her father Mo and Meggie can read things out of books. By that statement alone, you should be able to tell that this novel was written for the younger mind. I struggled getting into it at the beginning because I had just finished Joyce Carol Oates' The Gravedigger's Daughter, and that was not so light and breezy. I still want to finish the series, I just decided to read an old favorite... the Twilight series. (judge away, I still enjoy it) Although we did just have a major shopping spree, I would love to buy the Kindle 2 from Amazon and read all the books I want, whenever I want, and as quickly as the darn thing can download the novels. I really am interested to see if this lovely device will boost my adventurous side and read different genres and books I never imagined I would read. I would love to waste more money on my future career ;) but feel a little guilty about the saving for Texas, or possibly Idaho Falls now.