and so it begins..

     I have always meant to do a blog, but for various reasons never got around to it. So with the upcoming new year, I am going to try a few new things I have wanted to do but never made the time- this being one of them. The other is geocashing. I've had an app for that on my iphone for almost 2 years now that I have yet to use. I also have a few adventures I want to do starting in the spring- such as getting a few different rock samples from various areas that I would like to have. I guess this probably requires a bit of background information for those of you who have found this page. So here goes...
     I am married to a great guy, Matthew, who is in the Army.  We have 4 children. I decided to return to school after my youngest was old enough for pre-school, and began my pursuit of a Geology degree in 2004. Because of the Army, we have moved every year since then, so I am constantly starting new programs and should have graduated about a year ago, but shoulda woulda coulda- no sense dwelling on it so I just keep plugging on and when they make me repeat a class I got an A on at another university I try to just think of it as another opportunity for a field trip. (most geology classes have field trips- yea!:)
     Geology is my passion. I have met the best people I know through the geology pipeline- esp. through Geology Field Camp (nothing like 6 weeks away from home in snake-infested rough terrain for peer bonding). In addition, I have traveled to more places since starting my Geology degree! I've been to the Bahamas for a field methods course, Jordan for a undergraduate study on the Dead Sea (and assisted in excavating a roman fort), the Badlands (for some fossil excavation), and... numerous field trips --way too many to recall offhand. So I suppose I cannot complain too much about having to transfer so much, as I have been afforded a lot of opportunities. Biggest downfall though, has been losing my student loans after reaching 120 sem. credit hours- so it hurt quite a bit when schools required me to repeat classes just due to that aspect. I wish they would take that into consideration for military wives- as it isn't our fault the army moves us. I don't mind repeating geology classes, or fulfilling residency credits, I just don't like being penalized by losing student loans because of it.
     Moving on... I have IH and ADHD. The ADHD pretty much speaks for itself and most of you know what it is-if not, just google it. I take adderol for it and can focus more like a normal person, but you can never really eliminate those "squirrel!" moments entirely. No big deal. The IH on the other hand is a whole other beast. IH is intracranial hypertension. Long story short, my body has excess spinal fluid which adds pressure on my brain causing headaches, disequilibrium, etc. It initially manifested (well, so I thought anyway) when I was in Jordan (Jul 07) and I had trouble keeping my eyes open to the bright sun, causing me to keep sunglasses on even indoors. I had assumed I burnt my retinas the day before because I had gone to the dig without sunglasses. After the 4th week and by the time we were returning home I could barely see at all to the point my colleagues had to assist me through the airport. Got back to the states and saw a ophthalmologist who scheduled me to be tested for a brain tumor and the IH via cat scan and LP, but before I could make that appointment I had to go to the ER due to an extreme headache and had the CT done and then LP. My pressure was at 36 (normal is mid-upper teens). So she drained me and sent me home with pain meds...The opt. doc prescribed diamox to help relieve pressure.It took me 3 months before I was finally able to get up and even do a grocery store run with hubby. But I returned back to school in January and the medication prevents excess fluid from building up.(Unless I've been stupid and forget to take them- as sometimes happens and I regret later.)

     Now about this blog. I am not sure where I am going to go with it, but most of it will probably have to do with rocks. Speaking of, those of you who don't get the title- you probably aren't geologically inclined. It's common practice for geologists to lick a rock in order to clean it up a bit to reveal what it looks like sans dirt. You probably won't get through even the most basic geology course without the professor making you lick a rock! ;) 
    


Update: I've edited this blog in order to reformat it a bit.