Life Update

Good day everyone :) I will not speak on how long it's been since I last posted
-__- ...instead I will bring you all up to speed with my life (I'll attempt to keep this short).

Last semester, December 2012, I was able to walk across Georgia Tech's stage and receive my Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering (non-thesis)!!! My sister and I actually graduated a week apart, and she received her Associate's in Business Administration. When I came home over the break we took graduation pictures together to pass out to our friends and family. I am currently in the process of conducting more research so that I can get this PhD in the near future. Here at GT, the politics are simple and can be summed up with the following equation:

n*P = phd, 

where n >= 3 and P = publication

Basically this says that I need at least 3 publications to get this PhD degree!!! With that said, I am currently going through the process of getting all the work that I have been slaving in the lab conducting published. I'm feeling good about my submissions thus far, but I will do my best in keeping you all posted with the outcome :) 

I've recently started my annual Spring health kick! I've decided that I want to complete a TRIATHLON for my 25th birthday (June 23rd)!!!! Running alone has become so monotonous for me, and it's such a struggle to workout because of this. My solution is to switch it up and challenge myself beyond belief with a race comprised of swimming, biking, and running. I say "challenge" because prior to March, the only reason why I would get in the pool is because it's relaxing to chill in the water...of course in the shallow end where I can stand up :) Swimming is definitely not a strength of mine, although, I've always wanted to learn because I hear that swimming is the ultimate full body workout.  "Swimming wasn't invented for my body type; I'm too short, and I have too much muscle weight" -- that's what I always told myself, and I never really learned because of that mindset. Yes I attempted and even took a beginner swimming class for adults, but that mindset kept holding me back. I've been going to the pool 2-3 times a week and I can definitely see the progress I've made in this past month (shoutout to all my friends who volunteered their services to assist me). I also have a 5K this weekend on campus (pi mile), so I'm pumped about running that. In a nutshell, I run, bike and swim at least twice a week (not at the same time). My tasks for now are to keep practicing in the pool to better my swimming, and overall build up my endurance for this triathlon. Oh and I have officially transformed my 2nd bedroom into a gym.

I also just started "food prep." This is actually a very popular thing that people partake in, and it saves time, saves money, and sheds pounds! Basically you set aside time Sunday evening/night to prep your food for the entire week. Prior to this, I had problems finding time to pack a lunch and/or cook dinner during the week. Because of this, I found myself spending so much money on food, oftentimes unhealthy, processed food. It's just so easy and convenient to pick up some food from a fast-food restaurant (yes subway is fast-food) and go back to the lab to do work. I was spending at least $25 a day during the school week for lunch and dinner, which is about $500 a month (and this does not include the groceries that I actually do buy for my place). Eating out is clearly not financially feasible nor healthy! But I digress -- yes, so set aside time to cook on Sunday, store meals separately in tupperware, and freeze all meals that are not for the next day. I usually take out meals from the freezer the morning before the day I eat them (Thursdays meals I will take out of the freezer Wednesday morning before I head out). This is my 1st week so I do not have any tips, but with time I will share what I learn. As you can see below for my first meals, I kept it pretty simple: grilled tilapia, grilled chicken, steamed shrimp, and steamed broccoli. If I had to sum this up in 3 words I would say delicious, convenient, and healthy!

In other news, my 1 year loc-versary was March 22nd!!! It has definitely been a long journey for us, but I'm happy with the results thus far. I actually spent this week in Chicago on top of the city with Jasmine!! Definitely good times, and it was a nice little vacation from all my schoolwork.

I need to get back to work, but I wish I talk to you more about the other activities that I have been participating in -- horseback riding, gun range shooting, pole dancing classes, etc. Oh, I found out that I'm going to be an auntie a few weeks ago!! Definitely exciting, and this will slow down my maternal clock for the time being lol. 

Well thats all for now, so until next time...TOODLES!! :) 

Vonda B.