Ok, I read an article in the New York Post a few weeks ago: “Trashy Halloween costumes for kids worry parents”. The article says :
Trashy Halloween kiddie costumes — from a slutty thigh- and chest- baring “French maid” number to a skin- tight, mid- thigh “Major Trouble” skirt-and- shirt fatigues set — have parents fuming.
WTF?
This is my first year at the new home for Halloween. We’re having my parents over and just plan to spend the day giving out candy and cooking. I didn’t go all out on decorations this year; just a few .. but next year .. look out. I plan to be the fellow with the most creative decorations on the block next year. Not just for Halloween, but for all the holidays.
Rosie and I stumbled on New Bern North Carolina back in 2007. This years ghost walk was based on the roaring 20’s. We had a blast, as we did back in 2007. We are definetly going back for the 2010 Ghost Walk. Once again, we ate and drank our way through the city. We plan on staying a few days longer next year so we can enjoy a bit more of North Carolina; perhaps taking in some of the area vinyards.
A student posted a message on our dean’s blog:
Anonymous said… What are ways that you can benefit most from the time you are in Graduate school if you also work full time?
I thought about this for a while since I’m in the very same boat.
Graduate school for most involves working full time while attending classes. What do you learn from this? Perseverance. It’s difficult to go to classes after working all day. It’s difficult to complete school assignments on time, especially when there are work assignments and the dealings of every day life (dropping off the dry cleaning, spending time with children, food shopping, etc). While there is no doubt that the courses are beneficial in terms of learning information and expanding your horizons; just as important is learning how to manage your time, and developing the grit to just put your head down and “get it done”.
I approach life in graduate school as “Basic Training”. Once it’s completed, nothing my regular workplace can throw at me will seem difficult. Why? Because assuming you know how to do your job, 90% of being successful at work requires the ability to manage your time and completing projects. Graduate students who work full time simply become experts in this because we have to.
For me, there are only three courses left to finish after this semester. I’ll try to finish before the end of summer. I have to think long and hard about the committment required before continuing for the Ph.D.
At work, our Chinese UNIX support crew are off this week because of a national holiday in China called National Day. As a result, I get to work from home on the night shift. Many of you know that I’ve worked a lot of nights in the past, when I was working my way through school, and even my first systems administration jobs were on the night shift. I loved it. I still love it. I am such a night person. I never want to go back to the day shift. Unfortunately, the folks that work nights never get promoted. So .. its back to the day shift for me next week. If it were possible to keep getting promoted and getting raises while working nights, I’d never work days again,
It really seems like I just get more done during the shift, and I have more time for myself during my off hours. Getting to the gym or taking classes, there’s just more time to do those things.
oh well. in my next career, when promotions don’t matter .. I’ll make the switch.
