It Has Been Too Long

I really do not have much to report or talk about in my blog, so that is why I have been away from it for so long. I hope everyone out in Blogland is doing well and enjoying the summer. I am trying to do so as much as possible.

As you should already know, I graduated from Xavier on May 16th and headed back home the next day. So far it seems like all I have done is work work work, but as my grandfather says: "if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life." Of course, this is not the case with my current job, but I still do enjoy what I do. Plus, I am so thankful to even have a job right now and to be making a fair bit more than the minimum wage (even when it goes up).

So many of you have asked me about future plans, such as if I intend to continue with my formal education or what field of occupation I intend to join. The simple answer to those questions right now is: "I don't know." I now have a B.S. degree in Biology, and I would love to continue in a scientific field. The original plan was to apply to Medical School after my undergraduate years, and I am still interested in pursuing that, only that is on the back burner for now. I have also considered the possibility of earning my Master's degree before applying to Medical School, since that looks much better on an application, and of course helps one to better prepare for professional school and careers in science.

But for now....

I am just living day-to-day. I do not have the luxury of trust fund children to sit around on the beach all summer and think about my life, but I am doing the latter in my free time. I am working about 35 hours a week as a bookkeeper at the grocery store (Ingles) that I have worked at since age 16. I am saving up as much money as possible and spending much of my free time going to the YMCA to get in better shape (I'm sure my grandfather will delight in that comment). I intend to take a year off from all academic affairs, during which time I will save up enough money to afford to go back to school and pay off debts that I have from Xavier. Also that will give me the chance to figure out what I want to do, and maybe even relax a little (God forbid I should be allowed to do that.)

As for enjoying my summer, we will be traveling to Atlanta on the first of August and staying there 9 days. As I understand it, there will be a family reunion of sorts in which most of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be there to visit. I'm hoping there will be plenty of time for fun outings, good meals, and of course the obligatory games! (By that, of course, I mean Foine, Catch Phrase, and nickel dice.) Not to mention that there will be lots of catching-up since some of these people I haven't seen in quite a while. I am really looking forward to that, and getting a nice week off from work.

So, as you can see, there have been a lot of things on my mind this summer. I do want to ask one favor of my readers: your support. I know better than anyone else that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion and that my readers do not hesitate to throw theirs around. While I am appreciative of your concerns, I know what I am doing, and I know what is best for me and my life. Opinions, suggestions, and comments will be taken seriously, but ultimately it is my own decision, and my wish is that everyone will respect that. Believe it or not, I have raised every objection in the book and every possibility to the choices I make; I am not that naive. I take things into consideration before I make decisions, and I am confident that I am doing what is right.

Thank you again for reading my blog and putting up with me all these years. I intend to go back to my weekly blogging, no matter what! I will try to find something each week to write about, and, hopefully, to entertain you or at least interest you. I hope all is well with you all, and I will surely hear from you soon.