Archive for August, 2009
First Week of School
Sunday, August 30th, 2009Well, the first week of school is now over. It was a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. Sharon and I both finalized our schedules this week, and got things taken care of. I am taking 18 credits this semester, and am trying to test out of two of the classes. I already tested out of one of my classes, and am going to try to test out of the other one this week.
I am working on getting a Bachelor’s Degree with an emphasis on Visual Technologies. I am taking Visual Technologies 1300, which is mostly about design principles and strategies. It is pretty fun and I am learning a lot about why Ads are set up the way that they are. I tested out of Visual Technologies 1400, which dealt with XHTML/CSS Web Development, something that I have been doing professionally for the past couple of years. I am trying to test out of Information Technology 1100, which deals with the hardware and operating systems of computers. I am going to have to study a lot this week to be able to test out of it. Another class I am taking is Information Technology 2400, Introduction to Networking, which deals with the hardware and software of computer networking. It is interesting. I am also taking Computer Science 1410, which is a follow up to Computer Science 1400, a class I took 5 years ago at Dixie. The problem is that when I took it, I learned C++, and they have since switched the language to Python. So I’ve had to do a lot of catch-up to get to where the rest of the class is. But now that I’ve caught up, I think the class will be pretty easy from here on out. Last but not least, I am taking History 1700, which deals with American History. It is a 2.5 hour class every Monday night, so it is quite a grind. In addition, since there are so few classes, we have to read a TON between classes. I had to read 115 pages this week in the history book. Each class deals with 2 chapters in the book, including the first one. Tests usually cover 4-10 chapters each. We have to do 30 chapters this semester, with only about 12 classes. But I suppose it is better to take at least one hard class this semester.
I am also trying to work as much as I can during the week. I have Tuesdays and Thursdays off (all of my classes are MWF), so I try and do my work on those days.
Sharon and I are also trying to finish things with the USCIS Adjustment of Status we are working on. There are more and more difficulties, and they keep wanting more evidence of my ability to financially support Sharon, which is difficult to prove since I am self-employed. Any prayers would be much appreciated^^
Sharon and I are both happy that school is here and we are busy again (well, I was busy before too, but she wasn’t so busy). I will be sure to keep everyone updated on our lives, working on my Sunday blog posting goal.
School is Starting!
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009Wow, I really can’t believe how fast the summer went by! We did a lot of things, but it still seemed to go by so fast. Now the time has come for me to start school. Sharon is also returning to school with me to get a Certificate for Visual Technologies. I am going to be working on my Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science: Visual Technologies Emphasis. This is basically right up my alley, since most of the classes are dealing with Web Design and Development, along with Marketing, Programming, and Computer Design. I am really excited for this new degree that is offered at Dixie.
Sharon and I will have two classes together, so we are both really excited about that. We can help each other study and do the homework. Sharon can make sure that I don’t procrastinate my schoolwork too much as well. I will still be working as much as I can while going to school, so I put all of my classes in the mornings and early afternoons of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This leaves Tuesdays and Thursdays open for me to work, as well as evenings of the rest of the weekdays. It will definitely be busy, but I think we are both ready for a change of pace from the lazy summer days.
It rained last night, which was a pleasant change from the usual dry heat we’ve been seeing. Summer is still here, but Fall is just around the corner. We are both excited about the changing weather.
This week we went to Chris and Jieun’s new house to hang out with them and check out their new house. It was very nice! It has a nice pool and jacuzzi in the center of the complex, and the apartment is spacious and nice. We swam, ate and played games with them and Paul & Nikki.
Another random thing that happened this week was my tire blew out on the way to St George on the highway. We were going to Sharon’s first Ballet lesson, but we had to turn around and go home when it blew. Luckily, only the surface of the tire came off, and the metal mesh underneath was still intact. The tire still held air, so I was able to drive the car home slowly. The next day, I took it to Tire Pros and bought two new tires for the front (the other one was starting to fray as well). Then I went down to St George to get the Alignment done (it was out of alignment). All in all, it only cost about $240 for everything. It is good we got it done now though because we will be driving a lot more to and from school. And after the alignment and new tires, the shaking that would happen at higher speeds has stopped.
Yesterday, Sharon and I decided to head up to Springdale to see the various shops there. We looked at a few gift shops and some art galleries. There is some really amazing arts and crafts up there! Sharon and I really had a blast looking at all the cool things there. We ate lunch at Sol Foods by the entrance to Zion National Park before heading back. It was really nice to take an afternoon and just stroll down the street and enjoy nature a bit as well. We felt like tourists even though it was only about 30 minutes away.
Well, that was pretty much our week in a nutshell. I am excited about tomorrow, although I’m not excited to wake up so early (our first class starts at 8, and the school is a 30 minute drive away). I’ll be sure to post next week with all the details of our first week of school!
Finally, an Update!
Sunday, August 16th, 2009Well, it has been a long time, and I have been really busy, but I really don’t have any excuse for not posting for so long. My apologies to friends and family who have been visiting. Here is an update on my life.
School starts on the 24th for Sharon and I. We are both really excited. Sharon is going to be getting a Certificate in Visual Technologies or something, and I am going to be working on my Bachelors for Computer Science. Sharon wants to get her Masters Degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), so we are planning on heading up to Provo to attend Brigham Young University next Fall 2010. We are excited about that.
The days are getting shorter and (slightly) cooler, and Sharon is excited for Fall’s approach, so that she won’t have to be so hot. I keep telling her that once she sees how cold it is, she will be wishing for Summer again, but she doesn’t believe me (yet). We will see what happens.
We are still waiting to hear back from the USCIS on the status of our Adjustment of Status application, so any prayers you could offer in our behalf would be much appreciated. We had to go down to Las Vegas twice already for Finger Prints (the first set weren’t legible).
This last Friday, we were invited to St George to eat lunch with Uncle Toby and Aunt Carrie, who were driving through town. It was really nice getting to see them again and hear about their lives and stuff. They treated us to IHOP, which was delicious.
We are planning on a few trips this year, but still have to better plan them. Among them are:
- Bryce Canyon
- Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Balloon show in October
- Salt Lake City for a Mission Reunion in September
- Boerne, Texas for a Family Reunion during Thanksgiving
We’ve had an eventful summer, taken a lot of trips, and done a lot of things, as you can see if you go read Sharon’s blog (while you’re there, check out the new butterfly in her signature, done by yours truly^^). I have been staying busy with work, doing a number of projects, including launching a new personal project site, MoneyScripts.net, which is a place where I can sell my Drupal Modules. It has been fun, and I’ve been working on it on the side for the past couple of months. I hope to keep adding more modules to it as time goes on this year.
Well, that’s our lives in a nutshell! I am making a goal to start making weekly entries again (on Sundays), so stay tuned for the next edition!