Where I Wanna Be

Home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home, home.

Yep. This is my last week in Pittsburgh. Hopefully, I’ll make it through. I need to get back to my family. I’m done with this city. Soon, soon.

:(

:(

My stomach hurts. Everyone’s off having fun without me.

Just want to be home.

FAAARRR AWAY FROM THIS PLACE.

Tired But Happy

This has been a long week. The poster session at Duquesne went well. Stephane, Greg, and Sruti came over, which was really nice of them all. I also got to see some interesting presentations regarding luminescent dyes for use in both biological imaging and fingerprinting.

Jeremy sent me a huge arrangement of daisies yesterday for our anniversary. It was great because it was a surprise, and it really made my day. Our one-year anniversary is tomorrow, but we’re going to celebrate when I get home.

Chris, Katie, and I went to the Pirates/Giants game this evening–it was great. The crowd loved booing Barry Bonds. I think one guy even yelled that he hoped he got hemorrhoids or something like that. Amusing, though a bit gross. But the Pirates won with a packed house.

After the game, they had a great fireworks spectacular. As I sat there next to my awesome roommate and other friends watching this brilliant display, I realized two things all at once. First, that this has been worthwhile. I have made some wonderful friends and met some amazing people that otherwise I would have missed out on. And secondly, that I miss Jeremy beyond belief. He makes me feel the way those fireworks made me feel–alive, amazed, and in love with life. He is so good to me and I cannot wait to get home to him next Saturday. I have so many things to tell him and so many things to catch up on. But I have faith in us and that is all that really matters now–getting home to my family.

I will be there soon. One more week.

P.S. Eric is awesome. He said he’d drive me to the airport next Saturday so I won’t have to ride the bus there. He’s a great friend.

Finally Friday

So this week has been long. But I made it through. I’ve got two weeks left until I can get back to my family.

I had dinner with Katie tonight. It’s been great having her for a roommate, and I’m certainly going to miss her a lot when this is over.

I am going in to work some tomorrow, but hopefully I’ll have some time to relax, too. I am so looking forward to finishing up my part of this project and getting home.

Home.

Blahhhh. I can do this. I think I can.

P.S. Jeremy is wonderful. He always knows just what to say to me to make everything better. I miss his hugs. I miss his laugh and holding hands. I hope I can make up for lost time when I return.

Goodnight. I’m exhausted.

Frustration

I hope today goes well. I had a particularly rough evening yesterday and I am hoping that today will be better. Adrienne and Sam return, and Stephane should be back in today or sometime next week. I have so much to do before my poster presentation, but I guess that it’ll all get done.

I miss Jeremy so very much. It’s unbelievable. I cannot wait to get back home to him. And to my family. There is nothing here in Pittsburgh for me. My focus now is finishing my project and getting on that plane.

Time seems to have slowed down near the end here. I will certainly miss my roommate and some of my lab mates, but home is where I belong. Not in this city.

Just two weeks. I can make it two weeks.

Stolen From Sruti

A. FOUR JOBS YOU’VE HAD IN YOUR LIFE:

1) Librarian
2) Tutor
3) Lab Assistant
4) Copy Editor

B. FOUR MOVIES YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER:

1) Forrest Gump
2) A Christmas Story
3) Indiana Jones (all)
4) City Lights

C. FOUR CITIES/TOWNS YOU’VE LIVED IN:

1) Cumming, GA
2) Cleveland, GA
3) Demorest, GA
4) Pittsburgh, PA

D. FOUR TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH:

1) CSI
2) Saturday Night Live (old ones)
3) Mind of Mencia
4) Mythbusters

E. FOUR PLACES YOU’VE BEEN ON VACATION:

1) London, England
2) Paris, France
3) Lucerne, Switzerland (beautiful)
4) Edisto Island, SC (my personal favorite)

F. FOUR WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY:

1) gmail.com
2) myspace.com
3) livejournal.com
4) weather.com

G. FOUR OF YOUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE RESTAURANTS:

1) Biba’s (Italian, for the obvious association with Jeremy)
2) Isabelle’s (Southern)
3) Macaroni Grill (Italian)
4) MaMa G’s (Italian)

H. FOUR OF YOUR FAVORITE FOODS:

1) Good bread
2) Vegetables
3) Pasta
4) Chocolate

I. FOUR SCHOOLS YOU’VE ATTENDED:

1) Sawnee Elementary
2) White County Middle and High Schools
3) Piedmont College
4) Um…I’m not attending, really, but working at the University of Pittsburgh.

J. FOUR PLACES I’D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:

1) With Jeremy.
2) With my family(and Jeremy).
3) Northeast GA.
4) Round O, SC.

K. FOUR THINGS YOU FIND YOURSELF SAYING

1) That makes sense.
2) Riiight.
3) That’s good.
4) I’m just really frustrated.

__________________________________________________

How old do you feel?:
Old.

Where were you on September 11th, 2001?:
Biology class had just started.

What do you believe is the meaning of life?:
Living out your Purpose.

Why is the sky blue?:
Space is dark and the gases around the earth make it look blue from here.

What is your favorite thing to cook?:
Cookies.

You have only a dollar to your name…what do you buy?:
I save it for someone else.

What would your last meal be?:
Anything really, so long as it was spent with my loved ones.

What is the youngest age you have memories of?:
Probably two or three.

What is your favorite thing in the world?:
Love.

Have you ever punched someone on purpose?:
Uh…sort of.

Do you know what color chartreuse is close to?:
Yes.

Did you like garbage pail kids?:
Whatever.

Why do we have daylight savings time?:
Energy efficiency? It’s really just an excuse to weird people out and get them out of their routines.

What living person would you want to meet?:
I’m not sure. The president, I suppose, so we could have a chat.

What dead person?:
Jesus, my great-grandfathers, Joan of Arc, Einstein, Newton, etc.

Where in the world would you live if you could?:
Northeast GA.

Who is your favorite artist?:
John William Waterhouse.

Who has had the most influence on you (good or bad)?:
Jeremy. My parents.

What is your favorite dessert?:
Cheesecake or chocolate.

Do you know your personality type (the 16 type profiles)?:
INFJ

What age is your favorite so far in your life?:
The present. 18/19.

Can you make cookies from scratch?:
Yes.

Was the chicken first or the egg?:
Hahahaha.

Hershey or Nestle?:
Lindt or Perugina

Night out or night in?:
Depends on how much energy I have.

Single forever with a great family or no family and your soulmate?:
Single forever with a great family. I love my family.

What is your favorite scented candle?:
Rose. Or vanilla.

What type of underwear do you prefer?:
The kind that works. Haha.

Do you ever wear a wife beater?:
Uh…no.

If you could live in a store which one would it be?:
I wouldn’t. If I had to, Barnes & Noble.

Can you eat a dozen donuts in one sitting?:
No.

What is your favorite curse word?:
No comment.

Your favorite regular word?:
I have many favorites.

Have you ever read/tried to read the bible?:
Yes.

Have you ever heard of yahoo serious?:
Uh…

Who do you dislike most in the world?:
No comment.

What is your ideal date?:
Any date with Jeremy, really. Dinner, movie, hockey game, etc.

Would you rather marry a deaf or blind person?:
I would marry whomever I truly loved, be they blind, deaf, or both.

What is your favorite shape?:
Heart.

Can you eat just one chip?:
Yes.

Where is the farthest you’ve ever been from home?:
Germany.

What is your desktop background?:
Jeremy.

What song do you identify with most?:
Quite a few for different reasons.

Which movie do you wish was your life?:
I like my life the way it is.

Has someone ever intentionally put food on you?:
Sure.

What color is your favorite?:
White, pink.

What color do you feel represents you?:
I don’t know.

Do you believe in God?:
Yes.

Have you ever broken a bone?:
No.

Have you ever shut someone’s fingers in a door?:
On accident.

Would you rather be honest/poor or a liar/rich?:
Honest and poor.

What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten and hated?:
Probably bloodsausage.

what is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten and liked?:
“Gator tail.”

Blah

Uggghhh. My stomach is feeling all weird this evening. I haven’t gotten much done today since my grad student has not returned yet. He should be back tomorrow or Friday, thank goodness. I need to know what to do next. I also need to finish my poster before next Thursday or Friday. Everything seems to be going well, and I only have two-and-a-half weeks left, but I am so terribly homesick. I have met some nice people here, but this place will never compare to home. I miss my family so very much. I don’t ever want to be this far from them again. Or from Jeremy. I’m glad to have had this experience, but it’s SOOOOOO time for me to go. I need to be patient, but I’m getting weary. I don’t think I’ve ever missed home this much in my whole life. I’m tired of this place.

Blah. I’m just cranky because I’m tired, frustrated, and I don’t feel well. But tonight is Chris’s 21st birthday and we’re going over to the Cheesecake Factory tonight. I am tired, though, so I don’t know how much fun I’ll be.

HOMESICKNESSx10^21432904823095823.

I need hug. From Jeremy.

Books

I just finished rereading The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom, and I love being reminded of my favorite stories and how they make me feel. I want Jeremy to read it since it means so much to me. He took the time to send me The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and I really enjoyed that book, so maybe I can give back to him by giving him this book. I would recommend either of these to anyone. I really want to read Paulo Coelho’s Eleven Minutes, The Pilgrimage, and Warrior of Light.

Any suggestions for really good books? I typically enjoy emotionally moving stories about life, love, and the like.

Updated To-Do List (I’m getting more like my mother every day…)

Tests to take this year:

GRE Main Test (Fall or Spring)
GRE Subject Test for Chemistry (Fall or Spring)
MCAT (April and/or August, depending on scores)

Schools to apply to with respective programs:

Univ. of Pittsburgh (Chem. Ph.D.)
GA Tech(Chem. Ph.D.)
UGA (Chem. Ph.D.)
Clemson (Chem. Ph.D.)
UNC-Chapel Hill (Chem. Ph.D.)
Emory (Chem. Ph.D./M.D.)
Emory (M.D.)
Medical College of GA (M.D.)
Mercer (M.D.)

I’ve been working on my AMCAS, so I’m whittling it down bit by bit.

I need to keep my grades up, do well on the GRE, and the MCAT(I want to make >30), and hopefully participate in another research program next summer(closer to home, though). I think that these would make me more marketable to both grad schools and med schools.

Arrrggghhh.

My graduate student will not be back until Thursday. And I need to work on my presentation. I suppose patience is a virtue. I did get to drop by the bookstore today to get another paperback to munch my way through. I wish I had more time to read. I love it so.

I miss Jeremy like crazy. Did I mention that? He’s so good to me. I can’t wait to be back with him in Georgia. I just love him to death.

Almost There

So, I have three weeks left here in Pittsburgh. I have made many friends and I’ve worked pretty hard here. I am glad to have had such an experience, but I am really ready to be home again. It will be soon, though, so I’ll have patience. I bought myself a little something as a reminder of this trip and everything I’ve learned here. Sort of a prize for myself for coming so far from home. It’s a very nice sapphire ring in white gold. It will be waiting for me at home. Along with a very important young man that I have been pining for for months. I have missed him so very much. I will be very pleased to be back with him. And to be back with my family. This summer has not been easy, but I did not expect it to be. I will make it through, and then I can go back to my little Piedmont College in the hills. I can’t wait to be home again.