mini update

I've taken the easier way out and chosen to do the exit exam for my history capstone, rather than a thesis. It's actually a little disappointing for me, because I'm really into my thesis topic, but doing a thesis (70-150 pages of writing) in the next 3 months, while also moving and writing a 20 page literature review is more than just tough: it's probably impossible. So, I'm doing the exit exam because having the thesis on my list of to-do's was making me worried that I wouldn't actually graduate on time to get the job I'm hoping to get in the fall. No more on that. Don't want to jinx it.

And: we got the house we were hoping for. YAY! We're moving in on the first. More YAY!

And my first guest lecture is coming up. I'm nervous about that. It's been a few years since I've stood in front of a class with a lesson plan. I need thoughts & prayers here, y'all. 

the mustangs

Bucephalus (left) and Xenophon (right).

These two are truly sweet. They're nervous but respectful. I did a little hand feeding with them the other day. Boo is the stockier one with just a small star; Zen is the one with a large star and stripe. I think they're from the same herd, given what little the owner knows about their history, so they're probably half brothers. I'm hoping to find out more when I can get a good look at their tattoos. I can see Zen's (sorta - it's a little blurred by his winter shag), but Boo's is covered by his mane. It's likely that Zen will be the first one to let me get that close though, because he's bolder than Boo and will already come closer during hand feeding. Of course, Boo is the one still sporting his tag from the holding pens, so it's more important to get close enough to get that off of him than it is to cuddle up to Zen. Eh, what will be, will be. I think Boo will come around soon enough, especially once Zen - the dominant one - becomes more at ease with people. 

another new beginning

I don't know why we always act like a "new beginning" is such a big deal. I mean, they can be, but not all of them are. I've lost track of how many changes and new beginnings have happened since I last wrote here. This one feels big, but the next one - when I go back to having a full time job - will feel bigger.

Working at the ranch has been amazing. I love it. The owner lets me work with his two horses whenever I want.
One of my awesome friends is letting me work with her horses and has even agreed to let me compete with one of them. We're going to learn competitive trail riding - yay!
One of the workers at the ranch has two mustangs that she doesn't know how to work with - so she asked me to.
I have all the horsey time I want, with none of the expense (although I do expect to pay competition-related expenses with my friend's horse, when we get to that point). It's basically heaven.
Pictures coming later.

I'm also almost done with my Master's degree. This semester, I'm not taking any classes, but I am writing a literature review for my psychology capstone project, a thesis for my history capstone project, and I'm doing guest lecturing at our local college because I have an amazing friend/mentor who - for whatever reason - seems to believe in me.

We (my little family and I) also have to move into a new house next month, which sucks, but it looks like we're going to get a house we will love. I have a really good feeling about it. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Most of this new stuff has happened because I've finally found a medication combo that works for me and OMG I feel Normal (tm). It's f*ing fabulous. It's welbutrin + cymbalta. The other day I got sad about something (I don't remember what) and I was only sad. Not hopeless, not bottomed-out, not despairing - just sad. When I realized I was feeling normal sadness, I got all excited and that's why I can't even remember why I was sad in the first place. Do you know how long it's been since I've felt simple sadness? Years. I'm getting all happy just thinking about it again.
Oh the weird things mental illness makes you say...

You'll see some new pages coming to this blog here soon. I'll be using it to keep track of the work I'm doing with each horse. It's mostly for my own use, and for the horses' owners, so you can take it or leave them, but they'll be there if you're curious. I might do one to keep track of my own workouts, too. We'll see. I've had that on tumblr for a while, but it'd be handy to have it all here together.

Anyway, I have thesis writing to do. Laters!