last day at TRIAD :(

Today is my last day at TRIAD. I cannot say how valuable this experience has been.

I am also currently over-caffienated; after having two cups of tea with breakfast, my coworkers threw me a 10:30am party with a giant pot of Bongo Java coffee and a very yummy, sugary cake. And a card that almost made me cry.

So I'm emotional and chatty. Bad combination.

I just got out of a meeting with the researcher I have been working under all summer. We talked about my plans for graduate school, my strengths as an applicant... we talked about a lot of things. The most incredible part was that she was honest. Truly honest. And she actually said, "I look forward to having you as a colleague in this field."

As far as grad school goes, she advised against school psychology if I don't want to work in the schools forever and ever amen. While I could get certified as a psychologist, I would not be as competitive an applicant for non-school settings (hospitals, clinics, etc.). I asked if I should use school psychology as a "back up plan."

Why do you need a back-up plan?

Right, so no back up plan.

She gave me GRE scores to aim for, schools to contact, and the warning that my lack of research experience (even after this summer) may hold me back. If so, I won't get in first round. I will have to go work in a lab for a year wherever I want to go, then apply again. After that year, she said, I should have little trouble getting in. As long as my GRE scores are high enough.

In my caffienated mania, I have full intention of studying for the GRE like a madwoman.

The best part was -- she said they were impressed with me. I show the passion and the insight necessary to make it in this field. And she is probably one of the top researchers in this field -- her opinion matters a lot. Up until this point, I hadn't known what they thought about me. I have been doing as much as I can, but I wasn't sure if it would be enough. I am so overjoyed to know that I actually contributed to this team. I actually helped make this crazy thing happen. I stood out (at least a little bit) from the undergrad RAs they've had in the past.

The conversation was a GREAT way to end this summer experience.

This week has been crazy, too. I'm caffienated, tired, and happy. It's been very work hard, play hard. I like it like that :)

Tuesday was Al's birthday. Party trolley. Pink. Festive and fabulous... I never realized a party trolley could be so fun, but with good company, champagne, and a rather fun playlist, it was increidble. We danced as we drove through downtown and along the interstate, then went to yummy dinner at Rumba (a rum bar.. quite delicious) before driving back (and making a few stops along the way). Everyone needs to go on a party trolley at some point in life.

Wednesday was the Will Hoge concert outside at the Bellcourt. So fun. Although people in Nashville don't dance at concerts like people in Greenville.. and Will is definitely a dancey-band. He was so good, too... so good. And we had popsicles before the show, which was even BETTER. Afterwards, we stopped at Harris Teeter to get applejuice. Yep.

I had lunch yesterday with Molly, too, which was WONDERFUL... I have missed her a LOT, and it's been wonderful having her here this summer. We just relate really well.. we always have. It's nice to have a friendly face from the past back in my life.

Thursday was girls-night-out with the roomies :). I am going to miss them more than I can put into words -- Jessie is classy and goofy and hilarous, Gillian is spunky and sweet and spontaneous... we have a ball together. We went to Sunset Grille and split a bottle of wine (and I got these YUMMY smoked trout spring rolls with this vinegar mushroom thing.. it was so good), then went out with Gill's friend Amy to Broadway for one last trip to the Stage. My favorite. On Thursdays.

We made bets on whether the guitarist was in love with the sound woman and averted eyes as the lead singer kept coming over to us and making creepy eyebrow-lifting faces. OH, and we ran into some hard core frat boys from USC. They had their "GO COCKS!" hats on, so I asked them if they were in a frat and told them my boyfriend went there, etc. etc. They were loving Nasvhille. And letting everyone know. Pretty entertaining... I felt like I was at Five Points for a brief, shining moment.. and then I saw a handlebar mustache and came back to reality. Oh, Nashville.

The band was so good, though... and we danced and twirled and had a ball and .. ::sigh:: I'm going to miss the girls. A lot.

Tonight is Frist Friday -- this swanky band/appetizer/cocktail party every other Friday at the art museum. My roommate helps run it, so I'm excited to see where she works. Post-Frist, I will spend the rest of my evening doing laundry, cleaning, and packing before Kyle gets here in the morning. Not a glamourous last Friday in Nashville, but I have a LOT of work to do. And I don't want to subject Kyle to watching me pack.

Saturday will be Kyle time -- I'm so excited to catch up with him... AAH! I'm not sure what we'll do.. probably eat popsicles and cook a lot (I need to use up my groceries!). Sunday and Monday are nun-festivities, then I get in the car and drive through the night to get to camp in time to start volunteering Tuesday. I'm so ready!

Oh, I'm going to miss Nashville though. A lot. I would love to live here for a few years.. gosh, if I could get into Vanderbilt... I can't even put into words. I just really, really love it here.

This summer has been so different from last -- but it's been a good different. I've missed Cory, but I think it was good for us to have 8 weeks of independent adventures. We have a lot of catching up to do, which I'm looking forward to. I'm looking forward to enjoying his company again. I think its so healthy that we can both have fun on our own, but I still do have even more fun when I'm with him. He's wonderful.

Gosh, I'm caffienated. Aah.

Okay, time to finish up a project and clean out my office and say my goodbyes... which is SO hard to do.

:(

On to the next adventure..