Headed to Brazil

Oh man, I ain't lookin' forward to the 12 hour flight from dallas to sao paulo.

BUT it will be great to meet a bunch of friendly, gregarious people (and I cannot help but be happy about being the bosses wife).

I've about packed. I put several songs on K's Rio, an MP3 player. It is full now and there aren't really that many. Time for an IPOD already and I've only had this for a couple of days.

Found out my tetanus shot is still good for another year! Woo Hoo! I hate that shot---ouch. The yellow fever one was fine. Quick and as painless as a shot can be with no soreness later. But we might get sick next week. I won't know if its the shot or just me. (seems like I already wrote this.....was it on the blog or in someone's email?)

I have been so bad about email to my friends! I'm praying for Cindy's neck.

Two baby showers this weekend and I can't go to them. My friend Juanita read the study. She didn't like the part where I said something about learning disabilities with one of her children. I had to put them under the microscope, but they were great. They did a great job and it was so fun. I loved writing up the paper---for once! I sweat through them, but it was easier than most. My professor said I did a stellar job (I'm sure I've written that on here already) and she is the one who is so hard to please. The other one (easier to please) said I did excellent work, as usual. That feels SO GOOD!

And I have been getting a lot of respect for my PhD story. Several people know about it now and will ask me, with oohs and ahhs. (I love the part about PAYING me to go there!). People start out asking me, "Masters?" and I say, "PhD." (always very casually, like it is nothing) and their eyes light up as they take that in. Gee, no wonder people get addicted to power or prestige or something. I admit I LIKE that sort of thing.

But the fact remains that I LOVE what I am going to be doing and I am so excited. Another fun thing is that when people find out that I am doing psychology, they want to tell me their whole life or their whole philosophy (like the Elizabeth Arden make-up counter woman today). And I just want to tell them MY story! And then I remember....."Oh yeah, I LIKE to hear about other people's lives.....that's why I do this." So I sit and smile and affirm them and they love it.

OH, Mr. is rubbing the ole shoulder, hooray