End of Semester Update

Where to start?

The semester is over, and there is much rejoicing. Classes finished up well, and again, I think I got a lot out of the semester. It's amazing how much better one learns when one isn't working full-time and taking classes.

The group of students who took my intro stats class are certainly relieved that the final is over...those who bothered to study for it. It's personally disturbing to me when I work with certain students individually and they show remarkable improvement between the first and second exam, and again between the second and third exam, and then put in some form of half-assed attempt on the final that completely invalidates the work we've done. But all in all, it was a great experience and I'm glad to have had the opportunity.

So now that the semester is over, it's time to plan the wedding...which happens in three weeks. There's something about last-minute pressure that is very...motivating. We've got the ceremony outlined and it looks great. Well, it looks great to us. :) After the wedding we will be going to the Harmony Grille in Ft. Collins to celebrate and to bring in the New Year, so anyone looking for a reason to go out should consider heading there. We'll be arriving between 10:30 and 11:00 or so. :)

Four days after the wedding I will be taking my comprehensive exams for my Master's degree. Woohoo for following a wedding with two days of three and a half hour tests covering two years worth of coursework. We like to party, we like to get down.

Oh, and in the middle of all this, there's Christmas in Julesburg. Jen, Ellie and I will be down there on Christmas Eve, staying until some time on Christmas Day. We interacted with Dad's side of the family on Thanksgiving, so now it's time to meet most of Mom's side of the family. It should be a hoot. :)

The week after comps, I start my PhD coursework in earnest. With luck, I will have the required coursework done in about a year, then it's electives and independent studies as I flesh out a dissertation. But there are a lot of unknowns out there, so I'm trying not to get ahead of myself.

Jen and I went to the KFD Christmas party last night, thanks to some very generous invitations from Joel and John. It was a great time, and I was very glad to see so many of my old comerades. One of the most amusing parts of the evening was the realization that most of the executives, who recognized me and could even remember my name, were unaware that I haven't worked for them in over a year. All in all it was a great night, and Jen and I are very thankful for the opportunity to attend.

There was a minorly discouraging story about a certain individual's reaction to the news of my pending attendance, but he couldn't even be bothered to show up to the party, so there was no need for any kind of verbal altercation...much to the dismay of the majority of the common-folk that work for the company, who would certainly have liked to have seen that particular tongue-lashing. Alas, it was not meant to be, and much fun was had by all as a result.

Alright...today is Whitley's birthday, so Jen, Ellie, and I are heading down to Berthoud. I heard something about ice-skating, and images of my elbow shattering ran through my head...so I think this is going to be a spectator outing for me. :)