Comprehensive Exams

A couple weeks ago (before all the health issues...so probably more like a month ago) I began meeting with the members of my doctoral committee to determine what it is I should be doing to prepare for my comprehensive exams.

First I met with Dr. Harben, the newest member to the TAM department at Mizzou and the youngest professor on my committee. I like talking with her first because she is fresh from graduate school and remembers what it is like to be a student. We have normal conversations that are more relaxed and at ease. I am able to ask her questions that I'm uncomfortable asking some of the more senior professors. Anyway, she came up with this cool idea about creating a class for her portion of my comprehensive exam. She gave me a book to look over and asked me to come up with some articles to read that discuss designing a class. I'm super excited about having something I may actually use in my career result from these exams! But I need to make a list of articles to read that will help me create the class.

Next I met with Dr. Norum who is quite possibly the professor that intimidates me most. I'm not sure why. I suppose I don't know her as well as my other committee members, and she has this ability to ask me the most obvious questions and I find myself absolutely, 100% lost for words and unable to answer a basic question. I'm not sure if it is the simple question that catches me off guard or the way she delivers it, but I often leave her office feeling really disappointed in myself! Anyway, I met with Dr. Norum on Wednesday. Her focus will be on article and research critique, reading tables, and some research methods. She may give me actual articles to critique or hypothetical scenarios to address. I'm most nervous about Dr. Norum's comprehensive exam at this point. She also informed me that her comprehensive exam will be locking me in a room with a computer without internet access and spending three hours answering the questions she comes up with. Yikes!

I regularly talk to Dr. Wilson, my advisor, about comprehensive exams. She will probably have me design a class and answer a few questions about costume history. I still need to meet with her specifically about my exams to get a better idea of what I'll be doing. A meeting for the future, when I'm feeling better.

Today's Guest Blogger!

I am posting today for Ashley.  She's still recovering from her two week hospital stay.  It is amazing how long it takes one's body to fully recuperate.

This summer the Steffes family will be heading to Orlando.  This is a Steffes Family Vacation!  The first one was to New England, the second to the Smoky Mountains and now this third one is to Orlando to go to Disney World.

I don't want to take Ashley's future thunder... so I will just say I remember this photo like it was yesterday...

Love,

Mom

Garden Progress

Mom spent the day with me on Monday after returning home from the hospital. The doctors told me to try to be more active at home, but to not wear myself out. Mom thought walking around Wal-Mart would be a good way to leisurely get me off of the sofa without any pressure to push myself physically.

Of course while we were there we had to make a few purchases. The first item we picked up was the shepherd's hook and moss basket. My dad had purchased a great egg basket along with the two ice cream parlor chairs and I never got around to buying the shepherd's hook to hang it. Mom brought the hanging plant with her when she came to visit to spruce up my garden without realizing I had the perfect place to hang it!

Here is a close up of the egg basket with the new moss basket and beautiful plant hanging from the shepherd's hook.

Mom also found this great summery pillow at Wal-Mart and insisted it would look great on my porch. And it does!! I got the gerber daisies while I was in the hospital, I still need to get a pot for it, but I think they are such cheerful and happy flowers...perfect for the bistro table.

Bachelorette Party Fun

The Saturday before I ended up in the ER, a group of my closest friends got together to celebrate Beth Davis' bachelorette! Andrea organized the whole thing and I must say she did a FABULOUS job! It was probably one of the most fun bachelorette parties I've been to. Andrea hired a couple of women who own a fitness company who also teach pole dancing. They came to Andrea's house, set up their pole, and taught us each a pole dancing routine. They brought music, a feather boa for the bride, and "stripper" shoes. No stripping was involved, we are classy pole dancers! They also took photos and videos of our routines and gave us each a photo of ourselves before the end of the evening. They were really professional and a ton of fun. I was really impressed with everything! Not only is pole dancing a fabulous work out, it is SO MUCH FUN! We all forgot that we were working out!

Happy Birthday, Renee!

I'm back to blogging! After a couple of weeks in the hospital and a week of recovering at home, I thought it was time to return to the blogging world. There is so much I need to catch you up on!

The Friday before I went to the Emergency Room was my mother-in-law's birthday! My dad's band was also playing that day so Eric and I arranged a birthday celebration for Renee at the Summit Lake Winery where my dad's band was playing. We invited Renee's sister, Rita, and her husband, Paul. My father-in-law, Bob, was also able to come for a little while before he had to go to work. He left before we thought of taking a picture, though! We also invited Renee's mom, Ethel, but she wasn't feeling well and decided to stay home. We had a wonderful evening listening to music, conversing, and enjoying each others company.