Final Missouri Musings before Columbia and I break up for the summer
One year of grad school done. Check! Can y’all believe it? I feel like I left D.C. 2.5 seconds ago. Time sure flies…
Final Missouri Musing #1: Missourians take their baseball very, very seriously.
I might be getting a masters in journalism, but my roommates have legit PhD’s in Cardinal baseball. They make our media seminar discussions seem like small potatoes compared to the intense, philosophical discussions they get into about the Cardinals. Entering our house during a Cardinals series is kind of like the movie Groundhog’s Day. Both guys are in the same positions on the couches. Same glazed-over look on their faces. Sometimes the score is even the same as the night before. Every…single…night… Entertaining for a non-baseball fan. I might not share their Cardinal obsession, but I certainly admire their passion 
Final Missouri Musing: #2 My spring allergies are WORSE in Missouri
It doesn’t matter which part of the country I’ve lived in thus far in my life: Pennsylvania, Virginia and now Missouri. With each different living situation, it seems that my allergies have progressively gotten worse. :p It got so bad in the last couple of weeks that I’ve had some pretty serious nose bleeds as a result of sneezing so much! People who witness my allergenic episodes always apologize, which I appreciate but it makes me chuckle. It isn’t their fault. I kind of want to tell people who are around me when I start in on a sneezing series that I give them permission to just send a blanket “God Bless You” my way because I’m going to be there for a while. All I know is that wherever I go next, I am definitely nipping this in the bud (oh, pun, definitely intended) and getting allergy shots.
Final Missouri Musing #3: Abundantly published does not equate to good teaching
Eleven of my classmates and I experienced a serious injustice from an extremely well-published, tenured professor. What does that mean? We can’t do a darn thing about it. Oh sure, we’ve met with the proper administrators to air our grievances, and they have all agreed that what we have experienced is unfair. It is not the first time this professor has done this. I’m not usually one to stir the pot, but nothing gets my panties in a twist quicker than unfair teaching. Especially at this level. Our grades might suffer, but one thing is definitely for sure: the 12 of us are bonded for life.
Final Missouri Musing #4: Small town living is not for me
Oh how I miss city life. Don’t get me wrong, there is definitely something to be said for life in a small college town. But at this stage of the game, I’m glad my stay in Columbia is temporary. A couple of weekends ago, my buds and I ventured to Kansas City for a day in the city and a Royals game (fun, but not as intense as the Cardinals 
), and it was great wondering the city for a bit. I miss having choices in terms of culture, entertainment and, of course, restaurants. Don’t get me wrong, I love Columbia for many many reasons, but I can see how people get stir crazy here. Oh, and is it weird that I miss traffic? I went to the mall the other weekend, and I overheard a conversation between two employees of the store I was patronizing. It went something like this:
Employee #1: “Tiffany just called and said she is going to be a little late.”
Employee #2: “What?!?”
Employee #1: “Yeah, she said she is stuck in traffic.”
I walked away and chuckled to myself. Traffic in CoMo takes about 5 mins to get through. Oh sweet, naive, little Columbia, Mo. They don’t know the first thing about traffic. Moments like that make me want to pat Columbia on its little head and pinch its cheeks. Uber cute.
Final Missouri Musing #5: It seems I react to all new experiences exactly how I reacted to my first ride on a roller coaster when I was eight.
Roller coaster context: I was at Kennywood in Pittsburgh with my entire family. Moms, Pops, brother, aunts, uncles and cousins. The only person I would go on the Jack Rabbit with (great, old-fashioned wooden roller coaster that jumped off the tracks in the back, probably not safe, but nonetheless legendary) was my Dad. So my Dad and I get on (in the middle, not in the back for my first time. gulp!). So I’m about ready to pee my pants when we start heading up the first hill. I’m not crying, but I’m definitely getting a little anxious. Anxious enough to start chanting:” Oh God, Oh God, Oh God” as we are reaching the top of the hill. Then I scream my head off the entire way down. I do this for every hill. Now, this roller coaster isn’t that long of a ride, but for my poor Pops, I’m sure it seemed like an eternity. So the ride is over, and I shakily get out and run for my Mom (I’m dry!). After a moment of calming down, I turn to my Dad and say:
“Daddy, that was fun. Can we do it again?”
he he he. Wasn’t I a stinker?
Grad school context: I’ve had plenty of “Oh God” moments this year, but once I got over some of those hills I started to have some fun. Enough fun to do it all over again in August
I wish everyone a fun, fab and safe summer. I’ll try to keep you up to speed with my Florida goings on
Well, it wouldn’t be a Kathleen-inspired blog post without a quote, quotey, quote:
1. the path is not straight.
2. mistakes need not be fatal.
3. people are more important than achievements or possessions.
4. be gentle with your parents.
5. never stop doing what you care most about.
6. learn to use a semicolon.
7. you will find love.
- marion winik
Much love from CoMo and beyond,
Kathleen
p.s. I’ve been working hard this year. Here is the result of my independent study:
http://www.rjionline.org/fellows-program/mclellan/majorsky.php
This kid got an A
