Wisconsin

Well, I've been thoroughly enjoying my time in Wisconsin these last few days!  I flew in on the 16th and have spent a lot of time with family, some time taking naps and also some time playing with Buddy!  All in all, it's been a fantastic visit!  

I'll be flying back to Wyoming on the 3rd so I'm soaking it all up in this last week here!  I was outside playing with Buddy the other day and it started to snow and it was just so pretty.  I tried to capture a picture of her coming back from chasing her ball, but this was the best I could get (I was using my cell phone).  And, unfortunately, it's of her butt toward the camera, not her face.  haha!  She got distracted just as I was taking the picture.  Oh well... :)

All for now but I wanted to let you know that I'm enjoying my vacation!!  It's been GREAT to just relax and spend time with family. :)  Have a very happy New Year's weekend and be safe out there! :)

Catching up...

So, it's been awhile...again.  Sorry about that, folks.  I'm actually quite burned out by my blog and the time it takes to update it, so I've been considering canceling it.  What do you think?  Good idea?  Bad idea?  Oh, we'll see what I decide.  If you remember, I had originally started the blog so that I could keep everyone updated with my cancer check-ups, but now that those are so few and far in-between (thank goodness!), I just find that my blog takes a back seat on the priority list!  So, if I don't update for weeks on end, now you know why.

Life has been busy.  Advising week was the last week of October/first week of November and I am still catching up from that.  It's insane!  But I've gotten to a point now where I refuse to work overtime, so the going is s-l-o-w in terms of getting all caught up again.  It'll all work out, right?

Four more days and I leave for Wisconsin!  Yahoo!!  I'm so very excited about this trip!!  It's been a big help that mom & dad have tried to come out here once or twice a year since retiring, but I'm starting to think that I need to travel up THERE more than once a year.  I get so homesick anymore.  I would love to move back up there, but the economy is so bad these days that I think it's going to be awhile before any move like that takes place.  Good thing that I love my job and where I live as much as I do! :)

Some of you have been asking about the sleep study that I had done recently and I was surprised by the inquiries because I really don't remember mentioning it on here!  haha!  Anyway, it turns out that I have sleep apnea, so now I have to sleep with a CPAP machine (a machine that forces air down into your lungs so that you don't stop breathing through the night).  How is it going?  I hate it.  But there's nothing I can do to change it at this point, so I just deal with it and I don't really talk about it.  As far as whether or not I feel more rested, I do, but that doesn't mean that I'm thankful for all of this quite yet. :)  I know, I know...the alternative is much worse, but that still doesn't make this easier to accept.  :)  Some day, I'll show you pictures of my airway and why I ended up getting put on a sleep machine.

Anyway, I have LOTS to do to get ready for this week and for my departure on Friday, so I'll let this be all for now!  I'll try to be better about updating, but no promises. :)  Ta-ta for now!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you!!!

It has been too long.

Hello!  I know it has been WAY too long since I've updated the blog and I'm sorry for that.  I have been extremely busy with work stuff (aka, LOTS of overtime) so when I do have any free time, I like to relax with a book or with a NAP! : )

I don't have much to post now, anyway, but I just thought I'd write about why I've disappeared for so long.  I just can't believe that two weeks from today is THANKSGIVING!!  WOW!!  I'm looking forward to the extra two days off of work, though.

So, for now, I will leave you with this cute cartoon that passed through my e-mail the other day and I will try to give a GOOD update before Thanksgiving.  Hope you're doing WELL! :)

So, here's a question for you...

Here's a question for you...

Last year, after the Packers/Bills game, Buffalo released quarterback Trent Edwards.


During the Packers/Eagles game, the Packers injured Philadelphia quarterback Kevin Kolb. Philadelphia then had to play backup quarterback Michael Vick.


During a playoff game against the Eagles, the Packers injured Michael Vick and another backup was needed.

After the Packers/Cowboys game, Dallas fired Wade Phillips and most of his staff.



After the Packers/Vikings game, Minnesota fired Brad Childress and most of his staff.

Four weeks after losing to the Packers, the 49er's coach Mike Singletary and most of his staff were fired and replaced.

During the Bears Playoff game, the Packers injured Jay Cutler and backup Todd Collins forcing the Bears to go with 3rd string quarterback Caleb Hanie.

So here's the question ....
Is it just me, or did the Packers create more jobs last year than Obama?  : )

Do you want to come visit?

In today's news:

October 27,2011 - A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF -16 DEGREES WAS SET AT LARAMIE, WY, AIRPORT TODAY (at 8 AM). THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 7 SET IN 1970.


And so it begins. *sigh*

Mikhail Gorbachev came to town!

On Friday, I had the privilege of going to listen to a guest speaker in town.  He was here as part of the University's push toward internationalization.  Yes, on Friday I listened to a one-hour speech given by Mikhail Gorbachev...past president of the USSR, now known as Russia.

It was quite an experience and I'm so glad that I made the decision to go to his talk. He had a lot of good things to say!  Some of the things that I enjoyed the most from his speech were the following:

• When asked about who influenced him the most throughout his experiences, Gorbachev didn't name any person, but he said it was literature.  He said, “Even now when everyone has television, when you have this multitude of channels, don’t forget what will enrich you — reading a book. Think about it.”
• He said, "Things cannot stay the same forever.  You have to embrace change."
• About Russia (but could apply to anyone):  “Today, there is a lot of discontent. Many people are unhappy,” he said. “And some are saying about those elections [that] no one will take our individual opinion into account. And I say to the Russian people: Go and vote.”

The above photo was the one taken at our particular event.  The other two photos in the blog were taken from other speaking events in which Gorbechav had a part.


Other thoughts from his speech:

• "Either we will have peace for all or there will be no peace at all," Gorbachev said. "Today, I think we fully understand the importance."
• Gorbachev said his advice to future leaders is to never panic. "There will be failure," he said, "But the most important thing is to persevere." Persevere, be creative and don't fear life.

So, it was quite a fantastic experience and I'm so glad for the opportunity!!  It's kind of amazing to think that in this little 'ol town I live in, I have been able to listen to such famous people.  I listened to Barack Obama in 2008 while he was in town for his campaign (for this current presidency) and now Mikhail Gorbachev.  I may not agree with them or believe in their ideas, but it's pretty awesome to be able to say that I listened to them speak at a public event!  Not many people have opportunities like that and I'm so glad that I have been able to take advantage of such amazing opportunities! :)