Weekend Plans?

OK, it's the dead of winter, and sometimes January can suck donkey giblets.  Let's see what we can do about it. I'm curious to see what folks have planned for the weekend.  Something fun?  Obnoxious chores?  Fine dining?  Inquiring minds need to know! My sibling and I are going to the National Western Stock Show on Saturday, which is a big deal in Denver.  I don't know how to describe it other than to say it's like a national fair for stockmen.  They have a bunch of different programs, exhibits, etc. over a two week period that culminates in a junior livestock auction where the 4-H youngsters auction their prize winning livestock.  Some of the livestock bring in as much as 100K. We are going to see the Mexican Rodeo, which I understand is quite a pageant and one of the most popular events at the Stock Show.  I'm excited because I have wanted to see the Mexican Rodeo since I came to Denver, but was unable to do so until now.  Woohoo!  I'd also like to see some of the other programs over the two week period, such as the agility dog competition, but the admission fee is $7/day, so it could add up really fast. I'm a state fair junkie, and one of my favorite things about state fairs are the livestock exhibits, so I'm pretty sure I'll have a great time at the Stock Show.  My granddad was a poultry expert (in fact, had he made a different decision when he came to America, I'd have grown up in New Jersey.  He had a choice of teaching at Rutgers or managing a farm in CA), so there must be something deep in my DNA even though I was raised in an urban corridor. Kix

mmm donkey giblets... I have boring plans this weekend.  I was supposed to go to the doc today to get 6 month blood drawn (at 5 months b/c I'm afraid we might be without insurance if Ryan changes jobs - which he's now decided he won't, but we'll see). Since he decided he won't, I canceled my appointment so I can get blood drawn closer to 6 months out like I am supposed to.  This afternoon and tomorrow will be spent in the lab.  I have my dissertation committee meeting in two weeks (or so, still not totally scheduled - getting 5 PhDs to agree on a time when they are available is the bane of my existence).  Classes start next week and we have a "required party" to attend on Monday with all of the faculty.  It'll be interesting as many of my fellow students and faculty haven't seen me since Sept - I worked from home mostly this past fall and didn't really have any classes.  I, the eternal optimist, do not expect to enjoy this party, the orientation that follows it, the next 2-3 weeks of preparation, or my committee meeting.  Basically I'd like to bury my head in the sand right now.  I have to get an hour presentation ready on what I've accomplished since last summer.  Not very much unfortunately.  I'm trying to get a lot done last minute.  Sunday, probably clean and cook and hopefully work some more - I've been wanting to make chicken marsala but I haven't been able to find marsala.  We need to go to a wine store or world market this weekend.

Orals?  EEK! Back in the stone age when I earned my BA, my senior thesis was "Mechanization of Harvesting and the Effect on Migrant Farm Labor."  I was interested in the political and social implications that mechanized harvesting had on migrant farm laborers, and in the process learned way more than I ever wanted to know about developing and growing produce.  One of the reasons store tomatoes taste like tennis balls is that they were genetically restructured to be able to withstand being harvested by machine. Anyway, after I wrote my senior thesis, I had to defend it much like a graduate level thesis.  Scared the bejeebus out of me and to this day, I don't know how I got through it because I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing and my heart stopped beating during the entire process.  I passed, though. I hate "required" parties.  Why they call them parties, I don't know.  I'm confident you will WOW them and be the belle of the ball. Kix (edited because I used to be able to spell big words like "mechanization."  Oy.)

Its not exactly orals - I had written exams I had to pass all during my first  year (they were evil) and then an oral exam with my examination committee at the end of my second year after I wrote my dissertation proposal.  Its all very formal.  The oral exam is like a thesis defense except you are talking about what you will be doing rather than what you've done.  After you speak you are locked in a room with your committee and they can ask you anything about anything, and they do.  It was not too bad in my case - the presentation was horrible, but the oral exam afterwards I did quite well with.  If you pass you become a doctoral candidate and you get a dissertation committee (which is usually the same people with a new title unless you hate one of them and want to switch it out).  Then through the rest of your years as a student you meet with that committee twice a year and discuss your progress, re-shape your plans if needed, etc.  They will give you ideas based on their experience and sort of help you through the process, and ask a lot of questions too.  They then make a report on whether you are making satisfactory progress or not.  Two bad reports and you are out, but that is fairly unheard of.  Its all sort of a formality, but it still scares me every time I have to speak in front of them.  Normally I'm a fine speaker, but they just scare me... I think because they are actively and critically listening to everything I say, and writing things down, usually questions to ask me afterwards.  I leave every one of these meetings feeling faint, vaguely ill, and doomed.  I always feel like they went bad, especially when they make you leave the room so they can talk about you.  UGH *dread*

No big plans this weekend. Errands tomorrow and lunch at a local place to help support the high school band - they get 10% of the proceeds. Our friends kids play in the band.   We might go looking for a new dining room table, not sure yet. Sunday - hubby and his brothers are getting up early and going off to the huge Car Swap meet to look for VW parts for the car hubby is rebuilding. My best friend is coming out and we're going to a lunch in honor of a friend who's marking her 30th year as a youth minister. Have a great weekend everyone!

Maybe your hubby can look for parts for PJ's VW at the Car Swap!!! Kellie

Let's see, I'll do the usual weekend stuff - laundry, sort mail, pay bills, balance checkbook, etc.  Not much fun there, but necessary, you know?   I'm going to a friend's tomorrow afternoon and she's going to give me my first lesson on how to crochet.  I'm looking for something I can do with my hands while watching television other than using them to shovel snacks into my mouth.  And I figure if my hands are busy with a crochet hook and yarn, I can't have my fingers in the cheese curls.  Well, unless I want orange cheese dust all over my finished product.  I'm not particularly crafty by nature, so we'll see how this goes.  I figured crocheting was safer than knitting - less likely to gouge my eye out with a crochet hook than a knitting needle.   I may also check out the Bally's that's close to my house.  If my legs are doing okay, I'll do a full strength training session on Sunday.  If the legs are sore from today's workout, I'll do upper body stuff and cardio instead.  I don't like Bally's as much as my regular gym, but it's 5 minutes from my house, so I'll go on the weekends while it's free.   I want to go out to breakfast at a local joint owned by some friends of ours.  They serve something called Eggs Mando, which is basically eggs benedict with avocado slices added to it.  It's delightful and I only have it one or two times a year, but I've been thinking about it for a while so may indulge this weekend.  Will gauge that by what the scale says in the morning -  Also think I'll finally make it to see a movie or two.  Will probably see Juno first, not sure what's my second choice - will gauge by time and location.   The Stock Show sounds great.  I never made it when I lived in Denver -- no money and no one to go with -- but it sounds like a blast.  I love state fairs too, and going through the livestock barns with my Dad was always the highlight.  I particularly loved the sows with piglets - they are so cute.  And they make such tasty bacon when they grow up.  Sorry, I'm a happy omnivore :-) Kellie

Hey Kix, I grew up in the middle of no where usa so the fairs were always a favorite of mine too, We all watched the "best of" livestock shows so I hope you have fun! Plus the view is probably going to be GREAT ! lol This sunday is our Cubscout Pinewood Derby , I am a den leader and the treasurer of our pack. So we have 56 kids coming to race their little cars.  its about a 5 hour process and very loud. Saturday my friends son becomes an Eagle Scout so we need to go watch him get that.  I have to work for a few hours in the AM and I hope I feel well enough to hit the GYM.  Estelle