Oscar Night 2009

Here are a couple of pictures from Oscar Night before we left for the big event. Teresa has more pictures on her cell phone from when we were on the red carpet that I will try to get from her and post. Overall we had a great time and Kate Winslet won an oscar! The only downside was there was a heckler who sat behind us saying very nasty things. Who goes to an Oscar party to heckle is my question?

Our New Phones

Matthew and I were fed up with the crappy Razor cell phones we purchased over three years ago. The batteries died after a five minute phone call and hung up on whoever you were talking to. In addition the minutes we had were not sufficient for the amount of talking my sister and I do. So...after weeks of searching and trying to find the best plan, we went to T-Mobile last night and signed up. We each got a Dash, seen below:



We each have 5 people which we can talk unlimited too. In addition we have 700 minutes to split amongst everyone else. We also have text messaging! The phones are quite impressive and I see why my sister loves her Blackberry so much.

It's amazing how much it changes your life when you get a phone that works and has features you can use!

It's Back!!!

There are only a select few of you (Curtis and Tom) who will care about this news, but Matthew and I are ecstatic!

SCI FI Wire confirmed today that a contract has been signed with CBS/Paramount to reopen the Star Trek The Experience exhibit in Las Vegas on May 8 —starting with at least a new restaurant and retail shop—to coincide with the opening of J.J. Abram's Star Trek movie.

"It is a bit premature to talk about it, but I can confirm that a contract has been signed," Liz Kalodner, executive vice president and general manager of CBS consumer products in New York, told SCI FI Wire exclusively. "I do not have any further comment."

Las Vegas city public information officer Jace Radke confirmed to SCI FI Wire that Star Trek The Experience, which closed at its home at the Las Vegas Hilton, will move downtown to the Neonopolis Center. "This is going to be a major part of the downtown redevelopment we have been working on, and the city department of business development has been trying to encourage attractions like this to the area," he said.

The costumes, the historic timeline, models of the ships and other items at the Star Trek The Experience exhibit will be moved to a museum that is planned for the new location, but much of the exhibit probably won't be opened until the end of 2010.

"I wouldn't expect the cool stuff for about a year," Hansel said. "A lot of it also depends on the popularity of the movie and how well it does, but the trailer looks like it's going to be pretty great." He added: "The price is going to be cheaper, maybe $20 or $25, and there may be package deals or year-long memberships, that kind of thing."

http://scifiwire.com/2009/02/confirmed-new-contract-to-keep-star-trek-the-experience-alive-in-vegas.php#more

We will finally be able to return to Las Vegas for our summer vacation!

It's Time to Come Clean...

I honestly had no idea that almost a month had gone by since my last post. How time flies when you aren't having fun.

So...my sister dropped by yesterday to show me the new dress that she purchased for our Oscar Night Extravaganza and she confessed that she accidentally told someone something that she didn't realize was a secret (or at least something that I hadn't openly shared with anyone). She felt really bad, but I assured her that it is about time I just come out with it. So here it is...

I lost my scholarship after just one semester.

Hmmm...that didn't feel as good as I expected it to.

In my defense I didn't realize that I lost it until about three weeks ago. Due to some miscommunications between myself and the U of A, I was under the impression that everything was fine, but apparently it was not. I now have student debt just like 90% of the rest of the people who go there, but I'll be honest, it has been a most uncomfortable and disgruntling three weeks.

Obviously I lost my scholarship due to poor grades. Those grades were:

Organic Chemistry Lab A
Biology 181 Lab A
Organic Chemistry Lecture C
Biology 181 Lecture/Honors C (Not much of an honors student, am I?)

This added up to a GPA of 2.44 (the lowest I have ever had). This is not the 3.25 GPA I needed to maintain my scholarship. I do have the option of reapplying for the scholarship when my GPA goes up but that is unlikely as I just found out I failed my first organic chemistry test of this semester.

Needless to say when it comes to school I lack the ability to achieve at the university level and seriously doubt that graduation will be anything other than a distant dream. But I chug along each day, wishing for it to be over, and praying that summer gets here soon.

Teresa and I's Bathrooms have Become the Halfway House for Lost and Wounded Animals

Teresa called me bright and early this morning and told me that Tim had found a wounded puppy during his work route. She asked me if I would take it, if just temporarily, until we figured out what to do with it. I agreed and picked up from Tim's work a bleeding 10-12 week old female black lab. I brought her home, gave her a bath, and she is now sleeping in my bathroom. Her wounds are fairly bad so Teresa scheduled an appointment with a vet who has agreed to look at the puppy free of charge. The appointment is today between 4-4:30.

The puppy is very skinny but is drinking and eating normally. I was lucky enough to convince a vet's office up the road from my house to give me a free bag of puppy food, and she seems to like it.

Between Teresa, Matt, Tim, Patty, and myself, we will find a home for this little girl. It warms my heart that so many people are willing to help one very adorable, homeless little puppy!

More updates later!!

My Thoughts (thus far) about Spring 2009

I thought it might be fun to make some general comments about this semester (so far) and how I think it will go early on in the semester and see how these ideas pan out at the end. It might be interesting to see how differently or how similar I feel when all is said and done. I reserve the right to change my opinion at any time, especially after the first round of tests.

ANTH 235 - PRINCIPLES IN ARCHAEOLOGY

• The teacher is hilarious and very well educated in his field. The tests are not cumulative which gives the students the advantage but there is a 12 page paper due by April 30th. I anticipate that I will enjoy this class tremendously.
  

MCB 182R - INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II

• Again, the teacher is hilarious and loves plants (a little too much if you ask me, plants just aren't that interesting). I have heard his tests are tricky but all the material comes from his Powerpoint presentations. This class focuses on biology at the macro scale rather than the micro scale like last semester. Thus, I anticipate that I will enjoy this class about 50% of the time (unlike last semester which I enjoyed the class 0% of the time).

MCB 182L - INTRO BIOLOGY II LAB

• I have formed no opinion at this point as the class begins tomorrow and I haven't yet met my TA (teaching assistant).

ANTH 395D - SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

• Oh dear God, I think I might die. This class is all about Charles Darwin's life and legacy. We are currently reading his first book, "The Voyage of the Beagle" of which I have read over 200 pages in the first week. The remainder of the book will be completed next week (supposedly). The three other books of Darwin will be completed by the end of the semester. In addition a 20 page paper is due at the end of the semester as well as an oral report. This class is crazy but the teacher knows Dr. Dobyns, so it can't be all bad. I anticipate this class kicking my butt!
  

CHEM 241B - LECTURE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

• Would it be bad to say "oh dear God, I think I might die" again? The professor is witty and is always out to make fun of people, which pleases me. On the other hand, he is TOUGH to the extreme. I have been told his tests are ridiculous and the averages are very low. On the other hand, I have learned more in the first two days in his class than I did in O Chem all last semester. He claims we will learn over 300 reactions and the class will be all-consuming. I anticipate getting a 'C' in this class and that will be by the grace of God.

CHEM 243B - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB

• This class is taught by a TA who has dreadlocks and piercings in his face. I must admit, in my old age, that I was slightly taken-aback. However, once the initial shock wore off, he seems to be a nice guy. He stayed after class today to help a few of us with some questions and he likes to play music during the labs to break up the monotony. I anticipate this class will be difficult but laid back.

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On a completely different subject, I finally got a call from Melanie a few days ago and she is doing fine. She called me from the airport in Salt Lake City on her way home to Pueblo. She stayed in Tucson after the funeral but stayed at an old friends house (someone who didn't know Joe). She turned her phone off and just spent a number of days alone with her kids and enjoyed the beautiful outdoor temperatures. She appreciated everyone being worried about her (it appears I wasn't the only one checking on her), but needed some time to decompress and be alone. She is now safely in Pueblo, Savanna has returned to school, and life has resumed. Matthew and I hope to visit her over Spring Break.

Despite all the junk that happens in my life, I try to put aside all of it and think of Mel and the kids everyday. I also think of Joe and hope that wherever he is it is peaceful. I also think about how lost and alone I would be without my Matthew. It is all so very heartbreaking!

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On another completely different note, Trudy is doing well and has her followup visit with the vet on Friday. She is enjoying the wet food and the new dog that moved in next door.

Moving day is approaching and for once Matthew and I are on schedule with our packing.

Matthew is crazy-busy at work right now and is working long hours. This, obviously, is a double edged sword as we like the extra cash revenue with the move coming up and the job security, but I certainly do miss his sweet face when he isn't home!

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I have just been informed that the UA vs. ASU game is on, so I must run. Take care everyone!

New, Revamped Class Schedule

I have been stressing for the last couple of days about revamping my school schedule for this semester which starts on Wednesday. I finally was able to add, drop, and move some classes around and my (hopefully) final schedule is:

ANTH 235 - PRINCIPLES IN ARCHAEOLOGY
MCB 182R - INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II
MCB 182L - INTRO BIOLOGY II LAB
ANTH 395D - SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
CHEM 241B - LECTURE ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
CHEM 243B - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LAB

My UA advisor and I opted to drop Calculus II this semester and replace it with a couple of Anthropology courses. This decision was made for a couple of different reasons: it was recommended by my good friend, Susan, who also is my previous Pima professor. She thinks that using the other side of my brain for Anthropology wouldn't be a bad idea. There is only so much chemistry, biology, and math one person can take. Secondly, I need a couple of classes to boost my GPA. My first semester at UA was dismal and I need all the help I can get at this point. Calculus II will be taken this summer at Pima instead of Physics which will be pushed to next summer.

Overall, I like the classes (except OCHEM) but I am not entirely fond of the schedule. Almost all of these classes fall on a Tuesday/Thursday. That means that I will be at school from 8am until 8 pm on these days. I will have one class on Wednesday and have Monday and Friday off. There isn't much I can do about it now, but one does have to wonder if this is just too many classes on too few days.

Our New House (Again)

It is official, we are moving! We turned in our notice today to the current landlords and moving day will be the week of February 1st- 7th. The house is located at Sabino Canyon and Tanque Verde, across the street from Udall Park. The house is about 1350 square feet, two car garage, in a gated community, with a doggie door. Needless to say we are not looking forward to the move, but are looking forward to getting some sleep without the noisy neighbors.

An interesting footnote: when we talked to our current landlords today, they wanted to know why we were moving. We told them that we couldn't stand living next door to the frat boys anymore and that we felt we had been more than patient. They agreed and said they would talk to the landlords of the frat boys and notify them of the problem, which apparently has been ongoing for some time. We got a call later in the day from our landlords that the next door landlords said they wished they had known about the problem because these guys are on strike 3 and they would have evicted them. Since we are moving anyway, that is a moot point, but the frat boys' landlords said regardless of the situation, if they get one more complaint they are evicting them. Now the question is...do we leave well enough alone and move on with our lives OR do we made their lives miserable and get them evicted?

Our Poor Schnauzer is Home From Surgery

Little Trudy came home today at 5:00 pm from her big day at the vet and eventful surgery.

I will spare you the boring and somewhat uncomfortable details and simply say that in addition to the three teeth that Matthew and I were aware needed to be pulled, the vet opted to pull 7 additional teeth. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, our dog had 10 teeth pulled and literally has but 5 teeth left in her little mouth. She has been placed on wet food for the time being until we can gauge how she will react to dry or semi-dry food. From here on out it will be trial and error just trying to figure out what she will tolerate and what she won't.

Currently she is doing well. She is up and around, coherent and amazingly hungry.

We were all excited to have her home (except for Piper) and it was very obvious that she was happy to be home. I am very glad this experience is behind us but Dr. L warned that the remainder of her teeth will probably need to be pulled within her lifetime.

Tucson Obituary

Joe Titone died suddenly in his home in Pueblo, Colorado. He was 34 years old. He is survived by his wife Melanie, daughter Savanna and son Cade; mother, Pam of Tucson, AZ; father, Pete and step-mother, Robbin of Eugene, OR; sisters, Tracey of Tucson, AZ, and Bre of Eugene, OR and brother, Chris of Albuquerque, NM; Aunt Cathy and her husband Steve, Uncle Phil and his wife Palma of Tucson, AZ; grandparents, Betty and Frank Fleming of Colorado Springs, CO; and numerous nieces and nephews. Joe was born on April 22, 1974 and raised in Tucson, AZ. He enjoyed playing all sports but fell in love with baseball a sport he played until he graduated from Churchill High School in Eugene, OR. Joe became a successful businessman by swiftly moving up the ranks of State Farm Insurance Company. This success took him to Las Vegas, NV and Pueblo, Colorado. He touched the lives of all the people he met in AZ, OR, NV and CO. He will be greatly missed. There will be a viewing at EAST LAWN PALMS MORTUARY, 5801 E. Grant Rd., on January 1, 2009, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a Rosary following at 5:30 p.m. Mass to be held at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1800 Camino Pio Decimo, at 10:00 a.m. on January 2, 2009 with burial following at East Lawn Palms Cemetery.

Additional Funeral Information

Here is the information regarding the Tucson services:

The local obituary will be posted in the Tuesday edition of the Tucson Citizen.

1/1/09 -- Visitation from 8am - 5pm at East Lawn Palms Mortuary

1/2/09 -- Funeral at 10:00 am at Saint Pius Catholic Church

1/2/09 -- Graveside Burial at 11:30 am at East Lawn Palms

1/2/09 -- Reception at 12:30 pm at Saint Pius Catholic Church

The Worst Kind of News

Many of you throughout the years have had the pleasure in meeting my good friend, Melanie. For those of you who know her I wanted to pass this information on. I received a phone call yesterday from a friend that Melanie's husband passed away. He suffered a sudden and unexpected heart attack in the arms of his wife. When I know more about the Tucson services I will pass that information on.

Below is the obituary posted in the Pueblo, Colorado newspaper:

Joe F. Titone, 34, passed away suddenly on Dec. 26, 2008. He had a wonderful Christmas with his family, mother, sister and nieces. Survived by wife, Melanie, 31; daughter, Savanna, 5; son, Cade, 3; mother, Pam; and sister, Tracey of Arizona; father, Pete; stepmother, Robbin; and sister, Bre of Oregon; and brother, Chris of New Mexico. He leaves behind many friends and family members throughout Arizona, Oregon, Nevada and Colorado. His seven-year career with State Farm brought him to Pueblo for one day short of a year. He loved Pueblo and the people who came into his life in that short time. He touched so many lives so deeply in his short time on earth. He was loved always and will be loved forever. Memorial service, 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29, 2008, St. Therese Catholic Church, 300 Goodnight, reception to follow. Funeral service will be held in his hometown, Tucson, Ariz., over the new year. We will celebrate his life. Arrangements pending. Arrangements through Imperial Funeral Home.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Wishing all of you out there a very special, safe, and enjoyable Christmas.