Today has been a long one...I've spent most of my day reading and writing my (detailed!) outline for my research project....I finally have a title wich is "Attenuated Neurological and Cognitive Development among physically abused children related to duration of trauma"...The outline is 5 pages long--and that was difficult to shorten to that!  We had to outline the intro, a lit review, and our methods for how we would design the study....we don't actually have to do it but we have to design it like we would....So hopefully everything is ok......I guess many a person in my class has called/written/whined to her so she posted a semi-cranky (less cranky then I would be!) note on blackboard that it is disappointing to her that she has to again push the deadline back but that if people have to turn it in next week she will deduct points and grade more critically....I get VERY irritated sometimes with how some of my classmates whine and complain so much until they get things changed! Maybe it's because I'm not always the most flexible person when it comes to plans and also because usually what they are asking is not ridiculously hard AND usually when it's planned originally makes sense!! GRRR...our midterm tomorrow WAS supposed to be right before spring break like every other midterm but due to endless quandries (ya like that word!) it already got pushed back to tomorrow SO not only do we have this paper but we also have the midterm (with an additional week of notes/lecture) on the same day! So how this made it easier I dunno..but I won't add to the complaining....
I've been pretty depressed all day and distracted by the Terri Schiavo news...I've written alot about it on the forum under JOIN KARA'S TEAM...Please go there and tell me what YOU think! 
Well that's all for tonight...Gnight! 
Kara

Today was filled with some cool opportunities that I am looking forward to..First, I got a call from NYLN..they are the National Youth Leadership Network..I've been involved with them since I was around 18 and got chosen to attend a conference to develop my leadership skills as a person with a disability....Now that I'm too old (by a year!) to be involved in the activities for youth...I was selected to be part of a couple committees (mentorship and public information) where we now work to plan programs and the conferences for younger people to help give them what they need to be stronger leaders.....SOOO one of the side parts of this is if you like speaking you can apply to be a resource consultant and should anyone in your area be looking for a young leader with a disability to speak on issues like advocacy, independence, disabled rights, etc...they contact NYLN who finds a match among the resource consultants and then we are hired....WELL there's an activity going on in West Palm Beach in a few weeks for 90 9th and 10th graders with disabilities called STARS (not sure on that acronym yet!) but they asked if I would speak 4 50 minute sessions on the topic of self-advocacy--how do get parents and teachers to listen to what you want and need as a young person with a disability..not only is this right up my ally of what I enjoy doing and want to do more of but it's also a great job at a good time sooo I'm happy about this! 

I also talked to Andy from Blaze Sports in Tampa today and it looks like I'm going to help him run a swim clinich for kids with disabilities in April...I can't wait for this either..yeah!!! I love talking about my experiences but I love seeing kids get the chance to start in adapted sports earlier even more...this will be awesome.  I'll find out more about this next week.

Besides that excitment today I did some major spring cleaning....we've been washing EVERYTHING and the dogs are none too pleased--even their toys, beds, and kennel blankets have gotten washed!  They are disturbed but everything smells fresh so we're happy (they will be by tomorrow too!)..Course all this fun has been pretty darn distracting to my looming research outline..eekk!! ONE MORE DAY...I'll be ON THAT tomorrow (famous last words!)

That's all for now...I'm very proud I remembered to post tonight..OHHH I also posted some writings I've done on the life of Terri Schiavo in the FORUM SECTION...to lighten the mood I posted a cool game too that anyone can participate in...as it stands I am the LONE member which it can be saddening to talk to myself sooooo you should JOIN! Post a little or post a lot...I know there are people that visit my site from across the world...the ones I keep in contact with are really interesting and I know lots of my friends family come here too so it would be neat to get everyone together in one place so you can resopnd/interact....it's really easy and kinda relaxing...give it a whirl! 

Kara  

I spent most of tonight updating my site so hopefully you've checked that out....I'm involved in several groups learning more about Paint Shop and I've found some really cool resources and sites online that I've incooperated.  The Join Kara's Team page should be fun-I've added a forum where you can share your thoughts on current events or just fun topics....you can post your own too.  It'll be a place for polls..we'll see what comes of it!  I've seen some cool ones so I figured I'd give it a whirl.  Nick and Jenna just left yesterday from their visit.  We had an awesome time.  We went to the zoo, South Beach's pier, Monkey Jungle, Sunset Place, and lots of great places to eat...Ohh we went to the Keys one day too..we were signed up to volunteer to help beached dolphins but it started storming and lightening so after waiting 8 hours we called it a night, returned our stylish wetsuits, and headed home.  It was disappointing but the night was still fun because we had so much time to just hang out with each other...we played poker with Adam's change in his Jeep throughout most of the rain and found a good restaurant down there too!  On our last night, we went out to eat at Dan Marino's and played games at Game Works..I am currently the champ at the balloon drop game!  Course Sunday morning was sad-Bailey was especially dramatic..she got shots the day before so that combined with her sadness when people she likes pack..she was CRYING! No need to fear though she has fully recovered after I gave her the good news I got this afternoon (which means I'll be able to come visit KY this summer).....Are ya ready for it.........I GOT ACCEPTED INTO NOVA SOUTHEASTERN'S PHD PROGRAM!  This was my #1 choice-even when I applied two years ago straight from WSU.  I didn't get in then (obviously!) but I did this time! It's an hour north of here and they have an awesome children with a children/adolescent track AND a health concentration so I can specialize in exactly what I want to do..It's a fully accredited program that has an excellent record placing people in accredited internships across the country...I'm really looking forward to it! I start in the fall and since I'll be transferring, I won't need to take any more classes at Miami.  So-looks like I'm looking for a job this summer..I'm looking forward to that too....Sooo now I can finally get to work planning my summer.  Well--I'm off to bed for now but don't forget to look around the site! I'll post again soon!

Kara

not too much excitement in my world today! I once again had to make it to school early to visit financial aid...This time along came Bunk.  She comes with me to Thursday classes.  She did really well today/tonight.  She even hit the door opener for me (repeatedly!)....Class was very tiring on my brain.  We are fine tuning our research questions making them more and more specific and planning our literature reviews.  We have to fine a minimum of 15 related articles.  So-I should probably start on that this weekend.  After that I've had a relaxed night! I did find out the unfortunate news that Angel has pneumonia very sad AND Tiffany is also very ill! Poor girls! I hope they get well soon!  Perhaps they should move to Miami--it seems I get sick less down here! Something to consider for you all!  Tomorrow my weekend begins!  We are just going to get ready for Adam's mom and dad, Bob and Donna! They are coming down on Tuesday.  Other than that depending on the weather who knows what we'll do! I honestly have no idea right now...BUT we have "Little Black Book" and "Ray" out right now so we'll watch those.  I've been catching up on all the movies I didn't see during the whole swimming/out of the country extravaganza.  Oh speaking of which--hopefully it'll be warm enough to get in some swimmin this weekend!  Well-until tomorrow (or an otherwise exciting event)..Goodnight

Kara

P.S. Post me a comment-that'll give me something to respond to!  Oh..I tried to activate the forum on the site under Join Kara's Team but for some reason it doesn't recognize me as the administrator..guess it doesn't deem me worthy of such a role!  So I might delete that lil rascal or start again...not sure yet!  I did however update my site tonight! Added new pictures and a whole new page...the What's hot? What's not!  I think it's amusing...with all my "phases"....Go to my homepage to see a picture of Angel and I at the South Beach party "rooftop"!

 

My week has been going well...Angel came down on Friday and we had a short but AWESOME time.  Friday night we just went to a lil local Kendall spot called the Ale House....simple yet fun!  Then along came Saturday and we had QUITE the time...we went shopping!! YEAHHH! To Sunset Place---they have such lil cute kids boutiques down there..lil kids shoe stores, specialty shops, and a really cool mall that is outside but has a roof so ya feel like you are outside but not like it's a strip mall..if that makes sense! Anyways..it's a cool place--with a fountain and lil street vendors..it's cool.  We only attracted ONE oddball...when we were trying to cross the street this guy jumped up (his table filled with empty beer bottles and it's like 2 in the afternoon!) then he KARATE CHOPS a car that HAD stopped at the light and said..if they move I'll kill em! So..we shuffled right across the street rapidly...anyways..we got some cute stuff!  My favorite find were these really cool jeans that have a lil rip in the knee!  Then I FINALLY found a plain brown T-shirt that fit me..I NEEDED one to match these pants I've had for like two years...so it was a good afternoon.  Then we got home and got ready as fast as possible and met my friends from class on South Beach.  We went to OPA-it's a Greek restaurant and it was SOO cool.  At first when I walked in I was like woah..I thought it was a lil frenzied and was going to be chaos...but it was so much fun!  They throw napkins in large quantities..now I know it sounds crazy but it's actually great fun AND really pretty!  Then they randomly break plates and yell "opa"..Adam even broke a plate..then yelled OPA of course.  The waiters had shirts from the Olympics and I met a girl in the bathroom that went back to Athens (She's Greek) for the Games too.  My friend Helen from school is Greek so she told us about this place! Mad props heehee..oh and there were belly dancers and they get your average joe joe-ettes up on the table to dance.  Oh and the food was soo good.  I was risky and got something I hadn't had before (or seent it)..it was really good! Soo after this feast we heard there was a party a few blocks away being held by a PHD student in our program.  It was on the rooftop!! of "The Hotel" and it was beautiful..a narrow pool, cabannas, a lil bar, and it all overlooked South Beach and the ocean..it was SO pretty! A pretty quiet part because we got there so late but the environment alone was worth the walk! We had a GREAT night..didn't get home till late and we were all exhausted.  Angel had a really hard time sleeping all night because she was having chest painsSo her doctor was worried it could be the onset of something worse so she thought it was best Angel go home a couple days early...so she flew out on Sunday night Sad-but we had alot of fun while she was here!  Super Bowl was kinda sad for me...I was sad Angel was sick AND I saw a cat get hit on my way home so I was a bit of a basket case..after much comforting from Adam "Cats go to heaven too" and my mom (after she got over the panic that nothing was wrong with ME-she called during my basketcase phase).....and then MORE comforting from my brother "it's ok you couldn't get out to get it because it's owner should know what happened to it"...I felt better finally.  My lil group that I am learning Paint Shop in even made a lil cat with angel wings this week so I'm slowly but surely feeling better...it was terrible though...the poor lil cat! And the evil woman didn't even stop!  I am proud I didn't swerve though..it ran out in front of me first!  I'm thankful I didn't hit it though!  Sooo Super Bowl was not too happy the first half at least....BUT I was VERY happy to see Deion Branch win MVP! Nick knows him and played with him at U of L his first year.  So taht was exciting!  Since then it's been me and the books. I've been catching up on all my reading....assessments I'm ahead of our class (although that's not saying much as we are moving the pace of a freakin SNAIL learning addition) Research I finalized my research question..still waiting for my teacher's response to whether it's ok or not.  This weekend I think the coral gables art show is going on!! Which I am super happppy about cuz I LOVED it last year..it's outside on the Bay and there are TONS of vendors for you to look at their art...they even have really cool nursery places come..I got a lil window bud vase last year and a topiary that I had for months UNTIL I left it to Adam's care..when I returned it looked as though it had been set ablaze..Adam claims the sun "burnt" it...perhaps=lack of water! Anyways....we'll see! I hope it's this weekend.

Well..I'm off to bed..part of my Lent is waking up earlier to be more morning productive (with the rest of society)...I'll tell you the rest of my Lenten plans soon...

Love,

Kara

P.S. Here's a lil of what I've been learning through PaintShop...this is a gif I've made..it looks simple but involves a few things...I was pretty darn happy to get it done successfully so here it is! Soon I'll be able to do more of what I want.  I've got some ideas!

Then..here's a lil signature that one of my new found group friends teaching me PSP (Paint Shop Pro) made me...It's cute..and it's almost VALENTINES DAY! One of my favorite holidays of the year!

Hey all! Well today wasn't too eventful.I was a scholar for most of the morning-working on my research question.  If it gets approved by my professor-I'll be researching the neurobiological changes in the brains of children who have experienced maltreatment compared to those that have not.  Research shows that if a child is abused, you can actually see structures and physiological changes in the brain---so there are visual changes.  It also shows that some interventions or treatments to help a child recover from abuse (psychologically) also reverse these changes to the brain.  But-I'll be looking at what the changes are physically and what those changes might mean to the function of the brain.  SOO that's my research question.  I worked on that for most of the morning.  It was a big toss up between risk factors of teen pregnancy and interventions proven most effective with female juvenile offenders.  But, I'm really interested in psychobiology and neuropsych especially so this is a good fit.  AND there is research on it (unlike most things I choose!)

We've also been getting the house ready for ANGEL!  Tonight I worked out a crafty deal with Adam..in exchange for me helping him study he mopped all the floors which is VERY exciting for me because as I have stated---it is my most dreaded household task. So that was nice!  So tonight I've mostly been scholarly cuz it'll be all fun this weekend I'm sure!  I'll write all about it! 

Have a great weekend!  Happy Super Bowl!

Kara

P.S. YET another fish death! I am TRAGIC excuse for a fish guardian....this AFTER passing the rigorous tests of the aquarium guy....I'm in deep depression and at a loss as to what I did!  He croaked after a lil over 24 hours!  AND his name was Jung..which is even more sad as I'm a big fan of Jungian psychology.  Now only Freud lives--a sad state of affair for our world view if his was the only perspective!

It is I and I have returned to the land f web journaling!  It's been a productive week...after the death of the fish last week (yes BOTH died!)  We finally figured out what was wrong with the water and my water tested good at the aquarium yesterday (no easy task as they are very fish conscious!)  SO I got two new fish and I must say they are alot bigger and look a lil more lively and healthy.  But I'm knocking on wood as we speak.  They have only survived here for a lil more than two hours.  One is a larger clown fish with THREE stripes and he's bright orange and the other is a Village Damsel...he's really pretty! Purple and yellow.  We named them Freud and Jung!  In honor of my love o Jungian psychology and Adam is in a psych class of his own learning all about the oddities of Freud so there they sit...the lil thinkers themselves swimming in our bowl on our Christmas table.  Other than expanding the Four Quarters HABITAT-I've been preparing for the ARRIVAL OF ANGEL!  She'll be here in a lil less than fourty eight hours! I can't wait.  So...I've been cleaning up the place. I had to take care of an other death (not the theme around here of the less thriving around here..it's survival of the fittest and the bulldogs and us are clearly at the top of the pyramid)...yeah--it turns out our garden out front...I posted pictures a couple months ago when I planted them..well they didn't do too well during our extended absense over Christmas break! Apparently it was pretty dry and they never recovered.  I tried to rehabilitate them but to no avail.  I pronounced them dead yesterday and took them out...now we are in the crop rotation phase (aka the soil is wating till I can afford another couple flowers!)...We've also been cleaning inside...and Bailey and Obie got a bath today! What a job!  They were a mess..Bailey and her lil angel self sat still despite her hatred of water and especially when it's spraying her!  So she wasn't bad although she makes you feel guilty cuz her lil wrinkled face looks as though you are kiling her.  Obie easily distracts from you guilt though because he's like bathing a muddy piglet! He waited till he get all suds up to make a run for it..he got by me THEN Adam and was running madly about our bathroom flinging dirt, suds, slobber, everywhere! After a few rounds of this--he finally was clean...he did his usual spitting up in the bathtub which is always pleasant but finally he was clean! And we dried them off (then I cleaned the bathroom!) So now everything is sparkling! I just have to mop tomorrow My most dreaded household chore!  Oh and I have to go to research..but first I have to come up with the research question that I am going to work on for the rest of the semester..I always get overwhelmed by these big time commitment questions because I want it to be something that I am both REALLY interested in and also something that I'll be able to find a good deal of information on..we'll be developing a study on our question but most of our actual project will be a literature review and then detailing our methods of the study (all of which requires research of what already has been done!) Due to my own oddness (or uniqueness according to how you wanna look at it!) I sometimes choose areas that have virtually nothing on them yet! Which is a good thing for when I actually become a researcher and a therapist!  BUT not such a good thing as a student......I have become very skilled at the part of the lit review where you go on and on about how there is a lack of research in this area and blah blah the direction it is taking is blah blah.....SO that's why I'm a lil stressed about what I will pick as my question.  I'm stumped between THREE populations....It's between siblings of children with disabilities, children of divorce (and a few issues I have in mind), or female juvenile offenders! So...quite the variety although a kid could be all three of course!  So...I'll be nailing down what I want to study exactly tomorrow then going to research tomorrow night.  Tonight I had assessments..it was torture!  Statistics are never very entertaining...especially when you are learning HOW to do them not WHAT they are yet....It was a good review but I've pretty much had it all at Wright State (several times!)  At least it looks like the midterm won't be too hard for me so far!  I guess next week we "get out of numbers" much to the relief of most in my class....I don't mind the stats part of psych but my undergrad was in psychology..lots in my program came from a counseling background in undergrad where I guess it is common to have this horrible FEAR of numbers of any kind.......I don't really get it because if you just don't freak out about it it's not really THAT hard of stuff..I think they get overwhelmed with the IDEA of statistics instead of breaking it down...(As you can see, I had two hours and fourty minutes to analyze the psychology of our class because the rest was PRETTY boring!).......Hmmm...among the other highlights of this week..I'm learning another trade! not that I have thrown in the towel on my knitting (my newest trade before this one I am about to announce)...In fact..the girl beside me was knitting in class today!  She's making a sweater..so she's an advanced one (compared to me!) but she said she just started this spring! So there's hope (note: I am STILL making the same coaster which for somer reason is now like a mini scarf for a ?guinea pig? some small short stout animal)...So in ADDITION to my knitting.....I am learning how to do web graphics using paint shop pro.  I got it for Christmas for myself off ebay on the low!  AND I have joined a couple yahoo groups and they are the nicest groups of ladies!! They've been so helpful...SO I'm learning to make incredimail templates (called stats--see! I know the lingo!)--it's like an artistic background for your emails that you can customize however you want (animation, sound, signatures, graphics) It's all up to you!...There are SO many things you can do with that program....I have alot of ideas but not alot of skills yet! SO I'm working on it-slowly but surely! We'll see I'll try and post it on my site if/when I make anything share-worthy.  Beyond mangling pictures in amusing ways for my own entertainment! If any of yall like the artsy emails or are keen on colors/graphics you should try incredimail! I think it makes the everyday sifting of emails fun!  <---not really a plug! My honest opinion!  OH! the only other happening this week (that I can remember) I got my amazon package! I got a critical review of the Harry Potter books with a few PhD dissertations on different analyses of the bookes! I'm very excited about this one AND I got a brand new book (just out!) called Reflections on the Journey-about what Adults with Disabilities wish their Parents Knew..it is edited by a well known (to me!) psychologist that studies people with disabilities and it's supposed to be really positive.  I'll give you my reviwe asap..well after I catch up on class reading!   

 and  .  I don't think you can "search inside" unless you go to amazon..which there you can.  It had good reviews too..This is part of what I was thinking of with my new page I'll be adding on the www.karaswims.com site----more of what I'm reading/writing/doing at the moment then the interactive part where others could comment and share what is HOT in their world!  Still working on it though! 

Tag my board or send me an email if you have a second!  Talk to yall again soon!

Love,

Kara

Well I hope everyone had a nice weekend! I did..not too much excitement..I've had alot of reading to start up both my classes..boring stuff mostly---statistics is the worst! BUT I've had to drag myself through it so that took a good portion of the weekend. Friday it rained so I was  literally prisoner of the house.  When it's pouring---it's not only torture to get in, out, then load, unload my car--the ramp out front is pretty hard (aka life threatening) to get down and a slipperly slope to get back UP sooo I didn't go out on Friday.  I was supposed to have dinner with Natasha but we opted for a drier day!  Then along came Saturday--more reading---factor anaysis and Z-scores YUCK! In my research class though we are choosing a research question to work on for the rest of the semester so that is pretty interesting! (to me at least!)  I also went to Bally's and lifted for over an hour...We watched Envy last night too (the movie)..it was ok! Kinda dumb..I give it 2 stars Netflix!  So--today I got up and did my ab workout at the JCC and then swam IN THE RAIN! for about an hour..it actually wasn't too bad once I got in..a lil chilly in the air when my arms come out but not torture!  Just didn't do much backstroke.  We've been cleaning up too and planning for our big event next weekend.  ANGEL IS COMING! I'm so excited!  She's going to swim with me too so I'll have a lane partner again!  Perhaps we will have a renenactment of our "Duel in the Pool" that we did this summer...Sadly she beat me in our last duel..I remember it well! A 100m back!  So...I need revenge! Well-she comes Friday and stays till Monday! I'm sure we'll take lots of pictures! It'll be fun! 

Well I'm off to bed!  I'm going to update my site again this week and add some fun new things..like a current events section of what I'm interested in at the moment--I think I'll get that going on the discussion board.  Maybe it'll be a discussion with myself but maybe not! We'll see.  Then I'm going to add a current "What's Hot What's Not" (corny yet catchy name!) about what I'm up to at the moment..like movies, books I'm reading, interesting sites I've found, groups I'm participating in..thought it would be interesting. We'll see!

Oh..for now! Here's an article I'm in for the Wright State's alumni news..they interviewed me so here it is if you wanna take a look

http://www.wright.edu/students/union/scenario/wherenow.html

I'll add it on my page too!

I do so love WSU and miss it too!

Kara

Bailey is PET OF THE WEEK!

Click the link above and you'll see Bailey's puppy picture..CLICK on that! and you'll see what she won when she was selected as this week's Florida Pet of the Week!  She has her VERY own website! It is ever so cute and as is she so you gotta check it out!

 

It's been a pretty good week! Following my birthday kick off--Sunday was beautiful-80 and not a cloud in the sky. So we took the dogs to the tennis courts and played with balloons!  Adam cooked me my favorite breakfasts and dinner!  AND of course we got to watch lots of footballs...one of my two picks made it! Patriots made it through..I like Deion Branch and he had a good game! Sadly-my lil Falcons didn't do as well..but oh well! The Super Bowl should be fun! Other than that I've been cleaning up for my February visitors which I'm EVER so excited about--Angel comes next Friday.  I cleaned up the back yard (AKA mulch pit with odd tropical leaves piled up!) and took all our big comforters to the laundrymat! Also an experience..the lady was so nice she was trying to teach me Spanish (while explaining the intricate nature of these public machines!) a lil confusing but she was nice! Tonight I had class--assessments..a lil boring because I know my stats stuff but hopefully it'll pick up! Then I got to talk to my mernie and paw (they called me!) so it was a good night!  Tomorrow is swimmin, research in counseling class, AND my classmate friends are going out to eat for my b-day and my friend Cat's..we might go to a Greece place on South Beach called Opa! They break plates and dance on the tables--that's all I know! But it sounds fun..word on the street is do NOT say it is your b-day cuz they will spray you with champagne! That could be upsetting!  We'll see how it goes!

Love,

Kara

P.S. Don't forget to look at BadaBunk's site!

Gryffindor..Our beloved Chromis fish...purple and yellow...has PERISHED! 

Just discovered (ON my birthday)...his cause of death is unknown..However-there are some options..It is quite possible that Dumbledore (the clown fish) is involved in a conspiracy by luring me to feed them more then the advised 3! pellets because the late Gryffindor would speed about and eat all three..So I-feeling sorry for Dumbledore-would put in a COUPLE more pellets-hoping the clown fish would get one....All the while-Dumbledore was plotting the death of Gryffindor...this is perhaps an option--BUT the lil guy didn't look bloated or anything so I dunno ..We did fish him out though-well Adam did-and then we each said a few words-Bailey was a lil emotional as she was quite attached to this lil guy and she had no hand in his death (some recall she accidentally ate a Beta last year-I think she meant to put it back in its tank after I knocked it over but it was slippery and as she doesn't have dexterity in her hands..well..that was tragic too)..so anyways..we all said a few words and down the fish went..to the Keys hopefully.  All pipes lead to the ocean-least that's what they say in Finding Nemo.

So...tomorrow we might take a sample of the water to the ole aquarium shop to see if there's something wrong with the water. They do that (test it)...So I'll post any updates  Till then I'll just remember the good ole days--last week.  I picked the lil fella cuz he was a fast swimmer and had amazing streamlining capabilities...was hoping a lil observation would help my swimmin game BUT let's just hope this isn't a sign of this season's swimming

I thought this was a nice memorial art piece..it's called moonlit reids..by Joy Wade. He liked the plastic reids in our tank.

P.S. I should have named him Sirius Black