My Current Job

I've had several people ask me about the job that I have at WIU, so I thought I'd share a bit about it with everyone. I am a tutor at the University Writing Center. I love it! I get to help people work on everything from resumes to research papers to crossword puzzles, lol. I'm even listed in the directory! (Although they haven't put up my bio yet.)

And apparently once upon a time (or last year) they made a video about it... check it out!!!

Dear State of Illinois

I have two words that are heaven-send. They evoke wonderment, hope and promise for a brighter tomorrow: FOUR LANE!

As a person who commutes from a small town in Iowa to Macomb, Illinois as a student/worker at Western Illinois University, I find myself traveling HWY 136 most days of the week. Road rage is such a small potatoes term to the feelings that I get driving on this meager two lane stretch to Carthage where I (thank you, Jesus) get on a 4 lane expressway that takes me all the way to Macomb.

Upon my travels, I find myself getting stuck on said two lane behind people going about 10 miles under the speed limit. Of course I would love to pass them, but being that it is only a two lane, and oncoming cars and semis are constantly approaching, I find myself gripping the steering wheel and wondering, "why oh why, state of Illinois, do you not make this road a four lane?!"

Not only that, but have you just tucked Western Illinois University off in a corner and forgotten about it? The nearest airport to Macomb is in Peoria, but since it is only two lane most of the way, people generally choose to drive farther to Moline in order to enjoy the four lane. And apparently WIU finds many an invitee lost or uninterested in visiting our lovely university due to the randomness of its location and the dreadful two lanes that surround it.

So, please, get on the ball, Illinois! Don't you realize that a four lane is an investment? Just driving to Monmouth makes me want to stab my own eyeballs out! With more four lanes, perhaps people will want to spend more time at these Universities, shopping places and perhaps even just drive around and enjoy the corn and cows!

Sincerely,
hamsterkitten

My First Week

So Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week I had orientation at Western Illinois University. I am enrolled in the English Grad program there and was offered and graduate assistant spot. Our job is to tutor students in the writing center. So the three days this week were orientation for the writing center.

I am super excited about getting my masters! And this job sounds like it will be fun and interesting, plus I've already met several people who I like, some who work with me and/or have classes with me.

Monday will be my first class and this semester I have a night class Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. So, since WIU is about an hour drive for me, I'll be away from home from 11am to 9pm three days a week. It will be a challenge, but I love being busy and I look at it as a well deserved break from my kids.

I will try to keep up on blogging so no one goes through withdrawal!

It is also nice being in a grad program where I don't have to listen to trampy freshmen girls talk about how drunk they got the night before. I experience way too much of that the first time I went to WIU. I've burned all my clothes from back then because I was sure they were covered in herpes, lol.

Anyway, just wanted to catch you guys up on what's going on with me and I'll keep you posted on how school is going!

And I hope all you moms with school age children did not cry too much seeing your little ones off this week. I still have a couple years before my oldest is ready for kindergarten, but I'm sure she'll love school like I did!