10/4/04    And it's another four months since I've updated, and I'm sorry that I kept neglecting to update.  First of all, I spent the summer working at Northbrook Park District like I have for the past three year with the preschoolers and then with after/before care for the older kids.  I miss those children dearly, but my maternal instinct is at bay for now.  I also worked out at Curves most of the time.  Love the car that I've got, but I think I mentioned that in my last update.  Over the summer I also found out that Oklahoma FINALLY got around to telling me that I wasn't admitted.  Talk about a long wait!  But, thankfully, I found out that I can go to Northern Illinois University to take a couple of classes over should I want to as well as take other classes I never had the chance to take over at Valpo.  So, now I'm over at NIU as a "post-graduate" student taking atmospheric dynamics, advanced synoptics, remote sensing, and undergrad research.  It's a little tough, but I'm doing ok so far I think.  And the professors are great, even if you can't get past some of their speaking habits.  I've also been making friends among the seniors in the met department and I've obtained a part time job over at Curves in DeKalb.  Here's a plus as well, I tried out to be part of the weather broadcasting team for Northern Television Center, or NTC, and I made it.  My first broadcast is October 12th on the government access channel.  We'll see how I do with that and if I like it or not.  I still have no clue really what I want to end up doing for the rest of my life.  However, my mom did bring up the possibility of going to Japan for a year and teaching business men how to speak english, and that idea has some merit.  Downside to that, I'd have to put my career on hold for that year.  But anywho...

I've got an apartment of my own here in DeKalb and I'm loving it.  I'm my own master.  My parents had for a while wanted me to commute every single day which is a round trip of approximately 3 hours, but I refused.  Besides, I can get more involved in the area as well as have a job here too.  So they caved.  It's been a lot of fun.  I've also got people I know that have been going to Northern for a while and they live close by too.  In fact, two of those people actually live in my apartment complex, which I find very cool.  But there are downsides to the complex as well.  The parking spaces are incredibly small, people don't know how to park well, and the parking lot is only for residents so visitors would have to park elsewhere, such as the street.  I also live close to a bar so it can get rather noisy, but I'm not complaining too much.  Besides, heating, water, and garbage are paid for, which I really like.  Other apartments in the area didn't offer the paid heating, so I nixed those quickly.  (Ok, ok, I know, bad grammar.)

One thing that is way up on my totally cool list is the concert that I went to see September 25.  Blackmore's Night was in Chicago and I got to see them.  I'm a huge fan and I had never heard of them touring in the US before since they haven't.  For those of you that do not know of Blackmore's Night, it's a group that plays medieval/Renaissance music with a bit of a twist.  It was founded by Richie Blackmore of Rainbow and Deep Purple and his wife, Candace Night is the lead singer.  The show was awesome!  I got a t-shirt and their newest cd there and Candace autographed my cd case.  I still get adrenaline rushes thinking of the concert, showing just how great it was.  Plus, they played two incredibly long encores.  Happy sigh time.

As for most currently, I'm working on stuff for classes as midterms are coming up and I'm trying not to stress out too much.  Besides, I've already had one test in dynamics and I don't think I did well.  From what I've heard, the average is rather low according to the professor.  Now I don't know what she considers low, but everyone that walked out of that test HATED it.  Tells ya something there doesn't it. 

But, as I've rambled on for a while, I feel that it is time to let you go now.  Come back next time.  Hopefully I'll have an update sooner than 4 months.