Quick Quip

Sorry I have been so absent in my blogging.  I have been very busy with two jobs, graduate school applications, roller derby, and arranging volunteer experience that I haven’t had a lot of time to blog!
I’ll give you a quick update:
Physical therapy schools have the most frustrating application system.  They are trying to move towards a universal application system, called PTCAS (Physical Therapy Centralized Application System).  The frustrating part is that even the schools that use this online system also require a secondary and even tertiary applications to the physical therapy department directly and the graduate school directly.  It makes me think, “What is the point of having a centralized application system that allows each school to add their own questions and information gathering devices?”  If I ever help run a PT school, that will be eliminated.  Redundancy is frustrating for everyone.
My job at the coffee shop rocks.  I work with some really amazing and fun people.  I get to make art in drinks all day.  I also get way more hugs per day that I was getting previously.  I happened to point out one day that research has suggested that a person participate in at least one hug per hour of work per day to improve mental health and stress levels significantly.  After that, I work at hug-central.  I love my co-workers.
Joe has been gone on a business trip since Saturday morning.  It has been both lonely and beneficial.  It’s allowed me some more free time to do what I want without compromise.  It’s also made me appreciate all the things I’ve come to love having him around for, like hugs, jokes, bug removal, dinner assistance, back rubs, foot rubs, water our (poor, recently neglected) plants, and everything else.  He’s a pretty awesome roommate and boyfriend.
I’ve been watching a lot of Star Trek, the original series, and it is truly an amazing show.  Despite Shatner’s deteriorating ability to act throughout the series, I am fascinated by how progressive the show was for it’s time.  I also really love the special effects, make-up, and costumes for how wonderfully hokey they are.  I have also relatively recently become much more of a fan of Patrick Stewart for recent recognition for supporting women’s rights and speaking out against domestic violence against women.  If you haven’t seen some of the PSAs and speeches he’s give, you should look them up on YouTube when you get a chance.
I went to the Kona Farmers’ Fair recently, which is a lot like the Indiana State fair, but with slightly better rides, and a LOT less vendors and activities.  It’s pretty much all rides, games, and a few vendors.  There is really no 4-H or competitions there to speak of.  It was about the size of the county fair in Tipton, plus about 500 more people there and a roller coaster ride that involved one loop.
That’s about all the break I have for now.  I’m going to get back to work on my PT applications.  Any support and encouragement at random intervals by text or phone calls are greatly supported.  I miss my family at times like these for how supportive they’ve always been.

As featured on one of Discovery Channels “Top 10 Deadliest Animals” shows, this snail is unfortunately not commonly heard of and causes several tourists to go to the hospital because they want to pick up the pretty shell. They’re not uncommon here, but they’re also not overly abundant.

Hawaiian Cultural Note: Instead of saying “No, Thank you,” people in Hawaii commonly say “No need.”  Often times it’s said and immediately followed by the noun or verb being referred to, such as “No need receipt” or “No need wash.”