It's Early

Why do all universities offer course registration early in the morning?  Bleary eyed I woke to my alarm this morning and immediately had to enter full-speed-ahead mode.  I signed on to the the struggling AU website, weighed down by the crush of graduate students registerring, it puttered along as if I were on a dial up connection.  I finally arrived at the page where you enter the course numbers, quickly typed them in, then watched over my coffee cup while the wheel spun, determining whether or not I would take US Foreign Policy Toward the Middle East or Analysis of US Foreign Policy in Pakistan.... Peanut observed all this more concerned over the fact she hadn't had breakfast yet, than the potential derailing of my future career in the event I didn't make it into any courses... but nonetheless mirroring my stress in this look she gave my camera -- "we are up early, and something important is delaying my breakfast...."

A Survivor

Meet Clancy, a therapy dog.  I found Clancy on Stubbydog.org a website dedicated to promoting a positive image of pit bulls.  Peanut won't mind sharing the limelight a little bit.  

Clancy spent a lot of his life fighting for survival in dog fighting rings, now he is a survivor.  The scars on his face tell the story. 

You can check out Clancy here.

On Vacation

Today I dropped Peanut off at Bella's house.  Bella, the pomeranian, has agreed to keep Peanut company while I visit friends in Boston this weekend.  When we arrived, Peanut promptly stole Bella's chew bone and finished of her breakfast.  I'm pretty sure Bella was re-thinking her decision to host.  This is the picture I received from Bella's person, Sezan.  Clearly Peanut is still making herself right at home.... I'm sure Bella is thinking "Oh sure.... stretch out, relax, stay awhile.... I'm going to pee on the rug and blame it on you."

Pit Bulls Like Girl Scout Cookie Season Too...

In one of her less than helpful moments, I caught Peanut eyeing my Girl Scout Cookies right after being scolded for casually snatching one.  I had been distracted, chatting with my roommate, and set the last bite of a cookie down on a book.  When I looked there was nothing but a wet smudge left in its place.

On a side note:  RIP Hedgehog (pictured above) a toy that we had for over a year, Hedgehog had survived multiple re-stuffings and had one of the most resilient squeakers I've ever come across.  He will be missed.

You Aren't Making This Easy

We survived midterms and it seems that we have been vaulted into finals.  Right as it's getting warm outside and the cherry blossoms are blooming Peanut and I have been inundated with decisions like "What courses should I take next semester?" and "Should I write my final paper on NSC-68 or Paul Nitze?"  As I'm caught up in the hurricane of decisions and deadlines Peanut peers from behind my computer screen.... "I thought it was over, you said after midterms we would get to relax."

A World of Post-Its

Peanut and I have just barely survived this semester's first midterm:  40+ hours, over 1,000 pages of sources, 3 packages of color coded sticky notes, 2 emotional melt downs on public transportation, an entire box of Girl Scout Cookies, and all for 12 pages of final product.  Through this process, Peanut and I can only spend so much time in one position so I move from desk to floor, and she from dog bed to carpet.  Here were were laying on our bellies reading about the rise of the Soviet Union.  When I stuck my sticky note on her paw so that I could see the page numbers I had written on it while I flipped through the book, she patiently held it for me -- We're a team, and we'll get through this together.

Midterms Are Upon Us

If you asked Peanut, she would say that midterms are the worst time of year.  They are right up there with January in Vermont when it is negative 15 degrees an ice forms on her whiskers so we rarely go outside.  Midterms mean that we spend all day just as we are pictured above.  Occasionally we will emerge from this pile of knowledge to refill my coffee cup and to step outside for a potty break.  Once outside we stand in the sun blinking back the jumble of letters which had formed words in textbooks but are now imprinted on our eyes forming shadows across our vision.  Peanut makes the most of these brief outings, chasing the squirrels in the back yard, but unfortunately I have to call her back in after just a few blissful moments and she drags her heels all the way back to my bedroom where we settle back into our nest of books.