Back To School

So this week I went back to school, and I have a full schedule-Math 120, Spanish 113, Child Behavior Disorders, Film Noir and Literature, and Philosophy 102. So needless to say I'm going to be working my butt of until May. I'm really excited about my child disorders class; it is so interesting and I've only read the first chapter. Math and Spanish are going to be rough but that's expected and I really just want to get them over with. Along with school I am still working 3 days a week with the Beckers. So my 5 weeks of winter break bliss have come to an end and its back to reality.

Over the last 3 days I have gone back and forth to the bookstores on and near campus trying to find the best deal on my books. I have to say that the prices for college books is a serious crime. I still am shocked every single semester when I go to purchase my books. This semester my most expensive book was $160, overall I spent about $350; that's my car payment and insurance payment! No matter what the textbook industry or whoever is in charge of raping college students of their money, finds a way to screw the students. Like for instance, I bought most of my books used because its obviously cheaper, so I got my math book used and I just had to purchase the code for the online labs; the code alone is $65! It blows my mind that scams like this go on year after year! As I was standing in line the buy my books I was noticing other people's hefty book totals; one girl's was $650! I almost fell over and I didn't even have to pay it. No wonder college students are in so much debt! After being in all the bookstores this week I never saw one person pay with cash; everyone used credit cards. What other choice do most college kids have?

Here's the good news: On Monday after my first day of classes, I get home and my Dad hands me the USA Today and tells me to read an article. The article was about a man who started up a website that is basically a Netflix for college text books at discounted prices! Yes, I know, what a genius idea right?! Here's how it works: you search the book you are looking for, you can either rent it for the semester or buy it at a cheaper price. The website gives a date in which the book has to be mailed back or you get a late fee, kinda like the library. So I of course ordered my $160 book and got it for $98 tax and shipping included. Amazing huh?! This is the closest thing to a good deal that any college student is going to come across, here's the website, check it out, it saved me money.

http://www.chegg.com/

Puppy School Graduate

Tonight Tootsy Girl graduated from Puppy school! The class was a great idea, that taught Tootsy basic commands, how to socialize with other dogs, and best of all taught us the proper way to train her. The class was once a week for eight weeks. Tootsy can now sit, lay down, stay, come, walk properly on a leash, and leave objects that we don't want her to have. She's one smart pup!

New Years and a Sad Start

I have had quite an interesting start to my new year. It really hasn't been everything I was hoping for but maybe I can get all the bad over with now before I go back to school on Monday. Palmer and I had a great New Year's Eve, which included dinner at Bonefish Grill (an amazing seafood restaurant,) then we went to the Sunset Station to play some air hockey before the movie started, we saw TWILIGHT, and finally we ended 2008 at a party at David and Caitlin's apartment. We left soon after the fireworks because Palmer had to work at 6:30am New Year's Day.

I started my New Year's Day by writing down all of my New Year's resolutions, (I have 10 of em'!) Some of them are simple things like being on time and other are a little more tough to commit to like making school my #1 priority and working out at least 3 times a week. I thought I was totally on track and excited to start a new year but then I heard the terrible news...

On Saturday I got a terrible phone call about my friend and neighbor, Cade Cripps, getting into a car accident while him and his girlfriend were traveling to Boise. I was basically in denial or shock and had to call my mom to make sure the news was true. Sadly it was true; Cade and his girlfriend were killed in the accident. I think I am still in total shock. I haven't really let myself believe that the whole thing is true. I'm still waiting for Cade or someone to call him and tell me it was all just some confused information. I called my mom again Sunday just to ask her again if it was for sure the truth. As the days pass and I hear from more and more people, I am being forced to realize that this tragedy did truly happen. Isn't it so strange that when anyone gets terrible news like this they instantly try to remember the last time they saw or spoke to the person? As I was racking my brain trying to remember when I last spoke to Cade I was flooded with memories of Cade throughout the last 4 years. I remembered getting up at the crack of dawn to go jogging with him before our first period class. Our morning jogs consisted of me actually sprinting to keep up with Cade's log strides, (Cade was 6'5 I believe.) I remembered Cade letting me constantly borrow his big old gray truck during basketball season. I remembered Cade growing out his curly hair until he had this ridiculous afro puff hairdo. I have a bunch of great memories to remember Cade; I just wish what I think every person wishes when there hear terrible news like this, that I could have seen him one last time.

This weekend I am driving to Elko to attend Cade's funeral service and then rushing back to start my spring semester. I hoping that my year will turn around after all that.