School, Buhiking, and the Snow

Let's see...life of grad student equals reading, reading, and some more reading. I really haven't had to many assignments, but there has been lots of reading. I had my first test last week. It was a take home and we could use anything we wanted. So, we all went over to Stacey's house and had appetizers and booze while we took our test together. Well, some of us just had water on the rocks. I asked a Doc student if his classes were academically challenging and he laughed. So, my courses are not real intense but I am enjoying what I am learning. I am also enjoying attending the guest lecturers on campus.

Well, in August I had a huge blessing. I got a Graduate Assistantship working with Disability Support Services on campus. This means that my tuition is paid for and I get a monthly stipend. I wasn't planning on working this year but this job has been a great experience. I am required to work 18 hours and I have a case load of students with disability that need accommodations in the classroom. I really like my boss; she has given me a ton of opportunities to learn about different programs on campus.

Well, I knew the snow was coming so Owen and I got one more bike ride in the last weekend in September. We went to a place in Colorado called Bobcat Ridge and I think this is the hardest ride we have done yet. The uphill was pretty steep and rocky. Owen said we were "buhiking" because we had to hike our bikes uphill so much. At one point Owen was walking his bike down some rocks and he said, "I choose to live." It was hard uphill and it was hard downhill.

When we finally made it to the top, we weren't sure we would, the view was amazing.

Can you tell Owen is breathing hard?

A special picture taken for my special siblings.

Well, the snow came. On Saturday I ran the CSU Homecoming 5k. When I woke up Saturday morning to go to the race there were 8 inches of snow on top of my car. I wondered if the race had been canceled but I decided to go to CSU and see. Sure enough there were 2000 people ready to run in the freezing cold. I had two long sleeve shirts, a fleece, a hat, and my snowboard mittens to keep me warm. Even though it was cold I still had a good time.