Post by Tony on Aug 14, 2015 2:09:57 GMT -8
It's been far too long since I last graced you all with my presence. After a bit of reminiscing with Monty on Facebook the other day I decided that I would in fact click the link that Swede had dropped into our conversations. So here I am...again. I remember I did something similar a few years back on the other "new" forum--I think it was just a rebuilt forum from the old one after it had crashed. It's been a while either way.
So the big question is always, where have I been and what have I been up to? Well I'm still working on my Master's degree. I'm done with all my coursework so the only thing left to do is to write my thesis and get it through my committee. However, I'm still in the early stages of that process so this coming semester I'm looking to get my project proposal passed so I can get on with writing my thesis so I can get my degree. Besides that I spent the last year working on campus as a Teaching Associate. Last fall I taught History 102 (World History from 1450 until Present), last spring I taught History 131 (US History from Reconstruction until Present) and this fall I'll be teaching History 130 (US Colonial History until 1865) as well as working as a grader for another professor. Needless to say I have had a full plate. The last time I saw Tom he remarked "grad school must be tough because your hair is all gray now." I guess that's what happens when you hit your 30s.
Now while all the aforementioned scholastic items were going on I found time to work part-time job here and there. I spent a good three years working as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut and Papa Johns before moving onto Albertson's. While I was working there I managed to stop a shop lifter trying to steal some booze, but in the process the SOB bit me on my left forearm. I now have a scar on forearm in the shape of his mouth. Good times. I learned a valuable lesson that night, let the drunk guy steal booze from the multimillion dollar grocery store and go home without needing to fill out a police report and spend several hours in the ER.
The reason behind the reason for why I'm reporting back in, is because after 7 1/2 years living and working as a live-in caregiver for my Grandmother, the time has finally come for us to place her in a care facility. Her Alzheimer's has progressed to the point where she no loner knows who I am (or any of my family for that matter) and as a result she's not to keen on me being in her house. She won't listen to anything I say anymore and she will no longer take her medication if I give them to her. She tells me that she won't take the pills because they are "poison." It's an ugly disease. So that's the reason why I started coming out less and less a number of years ago, and with her being placed in a care facility I'm finding that I will more than likely have some semblance of a life again. Not really because I'm still a grad student working on his thesis. But the silver lining is that I won't have to worry about an 86 year old falling or burning the house down if I'm away for too long.
After we place my Grandmother (within the next several weeks) in her new home I'll be moving in with my girlfriend, Melanie. She's a really cool girl and she actually told me not too long ago that I shouldn't sell my gear because I'll have time to venture out to an event once I get back on my feet. She's a smart cookie.
So my plan right now is to try and stay active on the forums and I hope that once I get settled into my new place with a new job then I can come out to an event. It would be really great to see everybody again. It's been far too long.
Tony
So the big question is always, where have I been and what have I been up to? Well I'm still working on my Master's degree. I'm done with all my coursework so the only thing left to do is to write my thesis and get it through my committee. However, I'm still in the early stages of that process so this coming semester I'm looking to get my project proposal passed so I can get on with writing my thesis so I can get my degree. Besides that I spent the last year working on campus as a Teaching Associate. Last fall I taught History 102 (World History from 1450 until Present), last spring I taught History 131 (US History from Reconstruction until Present) and this fall I'll be teaching History 130 (US Colonial History until 1865) as well as working as a grader for another professor. Needless to say I have had a full plate. The last time I saw Tom he remarked "grad school must be tough because your hair is all gray now." I guess that's what happens when you hit your 30s.
Now while all the aforementioned scholastic items were going on I found time to work part-time job here and there. I spent a good three years working as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut and Papa Johns before moving onto Albertson's. While I was working there I managed to stop a shop lifter trying to steal some booze, but in the process the SOB bit me on my left forearm. I now have a scar on forearm in the shape of his mouth. Good times. I learned a valuable lesson that night, let the drunk guy steal booze from the multimillion dollar grocery store and go home without needing to fill out a police report and spend several hours in the ER.
The reason behind the reason for why I'm reporting back in, is because after 7 1/2 years living and working as a live-in caregiver for my Grandmother, the time has finally come for us to place her in a care facility. Her Alzheimer's has progressed to the point where she no loner knows who I am (or any of my family for that matter) and as a result she's not to keen on me being in her house. She won't listen to anything I say anymore and she will no longer take her medication if I give them to her. She tells me that she won't take the pills because they are "poison." It's an ugly disease. So that's the reason why I started coming out less and less a number of years ago, and with her being placed in a care facility I'm finding that I will more than likely have some semblance of a life again. Not really because I'm still a grad student working on his thesis. But the silver lining is that I won't have to worry about an 86 year old falling or burning the house down if I'm away for too long.
After we place my Grandmother (within the next several weeks) in her new home I'll be moving in with my girlfriend, Melanie. She's a really cool girl and she actually told me not too long ago that I shouldn't sell my gear because I'll have time to venture out to an event once I get back on my feet. She's a smart cookie.
So my plan right now is to try and stay active on the forums and I hope that once I get settled into my new place with a new job then I can come out to an event. It would be really great to see everybody again. It's been far too long.
Tony