All over the place

So my head is completely all over the place.  I'm not even sure where to begin and how to organize this, but I promise to try.

School  So, as you know, I was accepted to Columbia.  I was also accepted to Tufts and am waiting to hear form George Mason.  Columbia is certainly the best school of the three, but as of yesterday, I found out the only aid I was given to attend was federal loans.  Unfortunately, I cannot justify borrowing 60-some-odd-thousand dollars to finance this education.  I was on the phone with admissions and financial aid and they have offered me nothing - no scholarship, no research or teaching assistantship.  As you can imagine, I felt pretty crushed yesterday.  I was all weepy with Juan on the phone, naturally, and felt really bummed the rest of the day.  I cannot make a final decision about whether or not I go to school at all until I have heard from Tufts and GMU, but at this point it is looking unlikely.  Oh, and for Eeshie, an MPH is a Masters in Public Health.  I want to study epidemiology, which is the study of how diseases move across populations (i.e. studying epidemic outbreaks like cholera in Haiti or the swine flu or whatever as well as trends in diseases, like HIV/AIDS, obesity, etc.) Ultimately, I want to work for an international government agency or non-profit  on HIV/AIDS and other disease prevention measures with mothers and babies in developing nations.  We'll see...

Work  I quit my job at the animal hospital!  My last day is officially the 19th because on the 20th I am leaving with the team for their training trip in South Carolina (hello sunshine and getting paid!)  I am really excited about this position and I hope it transitions into something bigger and perhaps more permanent.  The school hired me just for their season, which is until the middle of May, but they found out that I was a public speaking teacher in graduate school and they are looking for someone to help with their public speaking curriculum.  The great thing about a private school is that you honestly do not need a masters degree to teach there.  I really hope they decide to use me in other ways than just with the crew team.

Gym  On Tuesday I absolutely crushed it.  I ran two miles and then killed myself at back-to-back bursting classes.  According to my heart monitor, I burned 1238 calories, which is kind of crazy.  Yesterday, I could barely move because I was so sore, so I took a rest day.  Today, I ran a 5k before my class and managed to burn over 800 calories according to my monitor.  Tomorrow, I will just do my class in the morning.

Friends  So the lovely Cinnamon sent me a care package!  A while back I mailed her some tea and lucky me, I received the cutest package in the mail yesterday!


First of all, the envelope was covered in totally fun stamps - brightly colored fish and birds.  Inside, everything was wrapped so nicely - a postcard, some tea, a bracelet and charm, and some lovely hand knitted slippers and mitts!  Thank you my dear :)  

Weight  Thank you all so much for your encouraging comments on my photos (that I was insanely nervous to post).  I am trying to work extra hard on cutting back my calorie intake - yesterday I tried to fast but failed since I was crazy stressed out.  I am going to stick to a bit of oatmeal (with almond milk, a few raisins, and a spoonful of Better'n Peanut Butter - it's 1/2 the calories) and vegetables for dinner.  After the gym I was 132.0.  I am working hard for 129.  I can do it again, right?

Anyway, thank you to anyone who took the time to read all of that.  I left a few comments this morning and I'm off to give some more while I eat my oatmeal.  Have a lovely day my darlings...

7 comments:

Tai said...

Such a bummer about school but hopefully things will work out or better opportunities will be coming your way. I hope you enjoy your training trip.

I don't know what to say about inter-faith relationships. On the one hand you love him for who he is and respect his beliefs, On the other hand religion is an integral and important part of a person's life. Naturally, you would want him to share in it. I would say... ignore what everyone else's opinions are on the matter. If believe you would be perfectly content to marry, have children with, and spend the rest of you life with this person even if they never shared in your faith or wanted to, then I think your relationship has a good chance of working out. It's a very hard decision though. Best of luck figuring things out!

Jéanne said...

WOW!!! You really are one of the busiest people I know! I knew that your biggest problem wouldn't be if a college would accept you, but that you'd get into all of them and would have serious trouble deciding which one to attend! Well done, clever girl, they all want a piece of you! Does it hurt to be so brilliant, Sarah?!

I'm glad things are mostly going well for you. I hope the few minor creases straighten themselves out!

As for your religious woes, I know of several coulpes who had non-denominational ceremonies to get around the fact that they are from different backgrounds. The last non-denominational wedding I went to was so beautiful and very romantic!

I'm so pleased my package arrived safely. Please don't feel obliged to wear any of it, it was just a thought to say thank you for thinking of me at Christmas. Hope you enjoy the tea. If not, it makes fantastic plant food!

Have a great weekend! All my love <3. XXX.

Dani said...

yeah idk what to say about the relgion thing im not relgious at all and either is my boy so we dont have that problem and plsu we cant get married in a church neway one they freak us out and 2 i never did ccd and all that shit my dad was raised a strict cathlotic he never raised us that way
but all u can do is just make the best of it and u cant push him to change hes mind cause it will end up breaking u guys apart compromise get married outside or soemthing something different and that u can both compromise one
the pacakge u got is so nice and thoughtful yay

Ayden said...

I have advice.
I'm sorry, but I've seen so many relationships destroyed over religion. I don't want to come off as insensitive, but maybe you should just focus on the relationship.
I know this probably doesn't mean much since I'm not at all religious, but I see religion as only a big barrier... If you could just have a simple wedding in a courthouse or something like that it would be a lot easier than trying to convince everyone to agree...
I'm not trying to preach at all. Just trying to help.
You can keep your beliefs and he can keep his, the only compromise would be the fashion of marriage.
And isn't God supposed to only want you to love and appreciate each other?
If religion is causing this much guilt and stress, maybe you should just skip the messy bits. Especially since marriage in itself if mostly a religious thing, you can get them to include God in the ceremony, and since you both believe in God, you're both happy.
Win, Win.
Sorry if I'm a dick, I was just trying to look at all sides of the situation.
hope I helped

Peridot (G+P) said...

Lol, even READING what you've been up to makes me want to take a nap! you're either crazy, or a machine, or BOTH!!

OMG YES. You two MUST have at least one baby, no matter what the Parents and Pastor say about getting hitched :p

Speaking of school, I'd better go think about maybe possibly stopping procrastinating some time before the end of the semester XD

Have a good weekend, love. PLEASE schedule yourself some naptime so you don't run yourself into the ground!

xoxoxoxo!

Anonymous said...

Hey beautiful girl. Thanks for your comment :)

I have advice re religion vs relationships, as I'm religious but my partner is an ex-Anglican, and now staunch atheist. I personally believe that the purpose of religion, in any form, of any kind, should be to unite us, and never never divide us. Too often it is used as a means to separate us from one another, they believe that and we believe this, which is exactly the opposite of what any loving God would want.

I believe that even people who have no religion, will always find the divine somewhere, and approach him/her/it in their own way. If you have love, and Juan obviously loves you, then that is the greatest spirituality there is, and can ever be. As humans, I don't think we can ever really be certain that we're on the right path (spiritually speaking) but fostering peaceful, loving relationships and supporting and helping one another, is the closest way we can approach something of what I believe Jesus was on about all those years ago.

What happens next would appear to rest with you, much as your pastor and your parents will have their own opinions. It isn't their life though, and hopefully they'll come to terms with whatever you decide. It doesn't seem to be a problem for Juan that you have faith, and as long as he respects you and allows you whatever freedom with it you desire, I think you will find a common ground, because you love each other. I think you should even jump the gun a bit and discuss what you should teach your children, as having children in a multi-faith household is one sure way to impart a firm sense of tolerance and respect in their little hearts.

I've rambled long enough! Sorry to keep on and on! Remember that this is your life, and of course your parents and pastor are concerned for your welfare, but they have to know that love wins at the end of the day. Go love! Love wins.

xxx

natmtl said...

im sure with time juan and you will come to an understanding and work out the religion question....

will try and run for at least 40 minutes tonight.. your such a great inspiration!!!

hang in there! :)

 

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