Saphhous

So close ...

Well, just five more days of class left -- for some reason, the last day of class is on a Monday. I have a presentation tomorrow, a test Thursday and a test Friday. I have one cummulative final on Dec. 13, in Mass Communication Law. Since I got a 102 on the midterm and have a 100 average in that class, I'm not terribly worried.

So what's next? Three weeks of just work and writing. I have a story lined up for February that I'm working on. I'll spend some time trying to land some other pieces, too. I also plan to do a lot of sewing, once I get my new machine for birthday/Christmas.

Spring semester I have class MWF 9-11 a.m. and TR 8-11 a.m. I have Mondays off work for writing purposes and work 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the rest of the week.

Stringers

While I was in the hospital waiting room yesterday, I got a phone call. I didn't recognize the number, so I decided not to answer it, since waiting rooms aren't really the place for that. I did listen to the voicemail when it arrived, and it was so exciting that I told my family I'd be back and ran to the hallway.

The message was from Ann Gibson, the Associated Press news chief in Louisville. She wanted to know if I would be interested in covering the NCAA field hockey championship game on Sunday for the wire. I said yes.

It's just three to five paragraphs, and it only pays $35, but it could run in any paper any where, pretty much. It probably won't get picked up by many, except for in sports blurbs, and it won't have my byline. But, it's still cool. It's mostly cool because they called me and asked me to do it. So I feel honored. I'm very excited.

Now I just have to learn about field hockey!

Food

While hanging out with my family today at the hospital, we were talking about food. Sometimes I forget that our kitchen at the Lightfoot homestead may surprise/frighten other people.

In our kitchen all the time: whole-grain bread and whole-wheat bread (the kids don't like the nuts and seeds in the whole-grain stuff); yogurt; cheese; Triscuits/Wheat Thins; apples, bananas and carrots; milk, orange juice and apple juice; granola bars; healthy cereals like granola, Life and Cheerios.

Not allowed in the house for any reason: Pop Tarts, cereals with marshmallows in them, white bread, potato chips (brought in occassionally if we're having people over for something). Occassionally (maybe once a month) allowed: cokes (in Southern terminology) and ice cream.

So we eat like weirdos. What can I say?

Chronicles

What's new in Tracy-land ... I got a brand-new iMac G5 at work today and it's wicked sweet. I have Studio 8, Office and CS2 is on its way. And my new mouse. I am spoiled. We just bought two new video iPods that will be passed around between a few of us to play with, also. And I got a raise. Sweet!

School is almost over; I'm carrying three As and a B right now. Ridiculous. I have two days of class next week, then a full week, then just Monday. I have one final Dec. 13. I'm taking four classes in the spring, but I'm only in class 9-11 a.m. MWF and 8-11 a.m. TTh. Then I work 11:30-4:30 T-F. Mondays are for sewing and freelancing, at least one of which is possible.

Mallory is getting married April 28, 2007, and I get to be a bridesmaid. Sweet.

The holidays are coming up; Christmas should be interesting. If you want to buy me something, let me know and I'll give you the link to our family wishlist. The kids are gone the whole week of Thanksgiving; Dylan and I will be at the farm for the day of. Then my birthday rolls around (yes, the big 2-1). Then Christmas. And I have the whole week after Christmas off, because U of L is closed. I'm going to use that time to work on the business blogging story I have for the Lane Report for February. My story on U of L's spinal cord research is cover material for December. Sweeeeeeet. Not bad for my first gig for the mag. Now I just have to rope a few more pubs into letting me write and I can make $400/month easy doing it.

Dylan is learning to type. It's very sweet of him, because he's just doing it to appease me. The kids are well and bringing home good grades. Joab just read his first-ever real chapter book, Double Fudge. The dogs got into something smelly yesterday and they still kinda stink.

That's all for now.