enlisted

Well, I think my general lack of time and ability to concentrate beyond a 30 minute online episode of something stupid and mind-numbing (actually, that's not true, of course, I sit here concentrating of very important and world-changing matters for hours at a time)(and this right here is just an excuse to numb my mind for a little bit, beyond said episode) means it's time for another list-oriented entry of recent random happenings:

1. A classmate asked me the other day if I considered myself "cynical and/or jaded" (those were his exact words). This made me chuckle for quite some time. Because... well, I don't know, it's just interesting when others see and associate certain characteristics about you. Like, I'm the cynical one, the one that won't take any bullshit, the realist one, the one that will tell you how it is. I guess that's my role in the group. Although admitting to the label of cynicism is in itself kind of uncynical, don't you think? Because labels are in themselves already kind of bullshit. So I didn't reply to the original question.

2. My husband takes the car on Sundays to go to his program's version of practicum in another county. This leaves me having to get to my practicum by bike. It's all of 3 miles away, but I'm not quite thankful yet for this arrangement. I know it's good to get the exercise, to step out of the classroom and away from my computer, where I spend more than 12 hours per day. But I hate getting sweaty and hate tackling those dang Berkeley hills. And this kind of makes me grumpy, on Sundays nonetheless (hi, honey!)(not that you read this, so I can say whatever I want!)(I can say whatever I want anyway!).

3. However, marriage in the second year has been much better than in the first. It wasn't bad before by any means, but still, I mean, we moved cross-country, began living together, and both started graduate programs all within a couple of months of our wedding. I know this required a huge adjustment, and well, it was stressful. Luckily, we had been together for over 5 years, so we kind of had an inkling as to how to deal with each other. I think we both grew tremendously in our patience with and understanding of one another. This year though, I think it's both, our growing coping skills and our safety in each other, that are providing a little bit of haven from our very sado-masochistic grad student lives. And it's just so important to have each other to get through this together.

4. So there I go, not being cynical at all. I'm a trickster like that.