karinkellerman.com

Hum, I leave for Nashville in less than a month; maybe I should start to update my blog more often!? Though, I see myself having even LESS time once I move.

-k

“Organized religion doesn’t seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings and it’s not really compassionate.”

so very, very true… I just love the phrase hateful lemmings!!! There is no point for organized religion any more. Its not like we still think that thunder is from angry gods!!

It’s weird. I had two rapid phone calls in succession this morning (both of which I missed for some reason). The first was my dad asking me to call, and the second was my mom. The minute I heard her voice I knew what had happened. Not because she was in tears, or anything like that, but I just could tell.
My last remaining grandparent passed away yesterday. It was a shock to all, as it was quick and unexpected (at 90+ is it really ever unexpected?). I am glad that it was quick, and not some horrid drawn out illness. Though I am sorry for my dad, and his two brothers because I am sure that loosing a parent is never easy. I also wasn’t as close to Irene as my cousins who still live in England.. but I was fortunate to get to see her this summer. I made a conscious decision that I needed to go visit this summer. I hadn’t seen Irene in almost 5 years and knew I had prescious little time (increasing TIA frequency, progressing age, etc).

Honestly, till very recently I had not had to deal with any really immediate family deaths, and now in less than one year, both grandmothers have passed on and I have lost a good friend. It really does come in waves, odd.
I hope this wave is over, I don’t really like water that much!

I learned yesterday that my friend Chris OD’ed this past weekend, probably on heroin. I wasn’t the best of friends with Chris, but meet him climbing 10 years ago at the Philly Rock Gym and have known him since. He has been struggling over the years with addiction issues and has really been trying to get his life together in the past year or so. Even going so far as to move to AZ and get away from the negative influences of his drug friends.

He came back last week to pick up his truck and I ended up climbing with him for about 3 hours on Sunday night. A great motivation for both of us as neither of us really wanted to be at the PRG. Its ironic, looking back, because we spent a lot of that evening talking about ‘old times’ and old aquaintances, and now he’s gone.

I can honestly say I think he never said anything bad about someone in the entire time I knew him - and you can’t say that about many people. He might have had his drug problems, but he was a good heart and tried his hardest to be a good human. A better man that many by far; I will miss Roth.

I left my glasses in the computer lab on Wednesday, and thought for sure they would be gone when I got back to the lab.

When I got to the lab, there was a super little note that said if you left your glasses here –>, they are down at the Student Information Desk…

HOW SUPER!!

THANK YOU!!! Whoever you are.

Today is the first day of class. So far, all good professors. The only one I am at all worried about is my MicroBio prof. He is a total unknown (and may actually be a she…. I can’t tell by the name!)

Here is a copy of the note they sent me in response to all my photos disappearing, and the one I wrote back! I will never use Snapfish again, and am encouraging everyone I know to switch to Flickr (it’s free, and they don’t just delete stuff).
Note: To keep an account active, you have to place actual ORDER’s, not just login!! Snapfish does send out notices, but doesn’t take into consideration inactive emails or ones that just get so much spam they have been abandoned. Crazy!!

My reply…

I will also encourage all my friends to switch to someone else. Nothing like a pissed off former customer to spread the BAD WORD.End of reply…

Haven’t been posting much (ok, at all), because I have been focusing on school. I took two classes this summer. Philosophy and Sports Nutrition. I could have done without the Phil, but it was required. The SN class I took because I wanted to. It was really interesting and I feel like I learned a lot that I can apply to my own exercise program (now, if I was only actually working out… totally slacking as of late!)

Getting back to a routine with school will really help me work out on a more consistent basis. I don’t do well with no routine!

I think that I have finally decided where to apply to school as well, and for me that’s excited. I am going to apply to Vanderbilt, Emory, Virginia Commonwealth, UW, and possibly Hopkins. Vanderbilt is definitely my first choice, but I have no idea if its a reasonable school to apply to (i.e. if I will get in even!). I think I will have a better idea after I tak the GRE’s and know my scores (the 22nd).

Between now and then I will also be heading to Englad for the first time in almost 10 years!!! Going to see my father’s side of the family. Should be fun!

I am going to hit the Gunks this weekend to actually do some trad climbing… I had originally planned to go to the NRG for three days, but I can NOT find anyone that is going to be there (except one friend who is planning on climbing at the lake for both days - something I do NOT want to do). So, Gunks it is… kind of disappointing, but I am sure it will be fun (and HOT). The weather is going to be in the low 90’s… lots of sweating!!

for the semester!!!!

Now two weeks off to play and climb, and then back to the grind!!