Day 1

After nervous tension for all of last week, the weekend, and most of this morning, I can honestly say that I am one day closer to graduation people!  YUP!  That's right, the countdown has started!  Ok, not really, but I did just complete my first graduate class as a Masters student!  And BOY OH BOY is it a relief!

So far, the professor seems to be approachable, and the students in the class are generally nice. I believe that is the point of going to school and moving and trying something new, to meet people that you wouldn't normally meet walking along the street or working in your job.  Which proves, that although this might be a tough journey, it is one that will bring on new friends (I just made a few - 2 people from WA ironically) and a lot of new experiences.

Today's class proved this point.  We had a "hi my name is.." session where we talked a little about ourselves, and unlike what I thought, not all the people in this masters program were communication majors as undergraduates, and I was not the oldest person in the group, and the group of students (now fondly knows as first years) all have very different paths that they have taken (or reasons for being here) to get to this point in their lives.  There were several people that said that because of the economy, this was the best time for a fresh start...which also made me think about the economy not being a bad thing, but an opportunity...but I doubt everyone thinks that, especially if it made them get laid off, still it is something to ponder.  So the conclusion of my 2 hour and 40 min class is that people, despite the program, and the location, and probably the demographic, all go back to school for various reasons - some right after and others after a while of finding themselves and then wanting (like a marriage vow renewal) a new lease on life and their relationship with it.  I also noted that not everyone, myself included, could put into scholarly terms what they were here for, and believe it or not, like my undergraduate time, the idea of limbo wasn't discouraged....and even more so encouraged, because, as I mentioned before this is a time for self-reflection and self-drive (not that I think that there is such a word).

So overall, I am making friends, and am doing things that I encouraged my students that I worked with to do, aka join join join (EVERYTHING) - I am now a newly dubbed COMGSO (communication graduate student organization) member and have a shirt to prove it!  I am also coming to grips with the fact that, even though I don't have a GTA for this semester, for me, that might be a good thing.  This will give me the opportunity to focus on school first and foremost and essentially "ease" me into what will be my life for the next few years....I guess in reality and in vision, what is meant to be really is MEANT to be, and fate might have a little hand in it.  You just have to trust in yourself and the system....no matter how hard that is.

I have my other class tomorrow and then yet another one on Thursday and then its just a lot of writing and reading, all of which, at the moment I don't mind - YET.  I just keep telling myself, almost as if it was a mantra, that if I put my best out there in the universe then thats all I can do, and I have to be satisfied with that...I just have to believe that if they admitted me (and they did - this being the most competitive year and all for this #1 program in the country...yeah yeah save your applause) that I can and more likely WILL be successful.  the end.

big ups to the bf for putting up with the constant freak-out sessions and the need for him to reassure me that "everything will be ok"...and that people, is why a support system in your life is SO essential!  I wouldn't be here without mine!

The heat and getting ready for tomorrow!

..a little on this blog

first and foremost, thanks for taking the time to read...it makes my heart warm just thinking about it :)

while I understand the title is DAILY/DALEY tomato, I don't plan on updating daily...more semi-daily.  So for those of you that are all..."you have time for this", or "good luck", or "really?!?" - I am going to try to be honest with myself and do what I can when I can...this is supposed to be fun and I intend to make it like that for me (and for you if you choose to read along)!

Its HOT, like really hot in this biznatch - so hot that on the local weather station they actually recommended to use the AC, keep pets and small children out of cars, and not go outside unless necessary because too much heat can be fatal...and there are ALERTS, yeah like a "BTW - its freaking hot outside" alert...so, today I accomplished working out inside my apartment complex and watching tv via netflix (btw - the wire and lie to me are addicting).  I also got what I needed to start assignment #1 for GRAD SCHOOL!

LAME right!  I ordered the book Communication Theory via Amazon and had to stay home so that I could sign for it, and now that it came at 4:30pm in the afternoon, I get to do homework, aka reading chapter 1.  I forgot how fun work before you actually attend classes can be (sense the sarcasm?).  Tomorrow is a big day though - day 1 orientation where I get to meet my fellow cohort and the profs that will teach us the way!  Then, on Friday we get to probably slightly awkwardly have a beginning of the year potluck where the grads "can bring something on a grad student budget" (can I get a chips and soda over here!!!!) and the profs bring the real food...sig figs are welcome - meaning that Perry is going to come with me like it or not - and hopefully I will make all my friends that I will need tomorrow and Friday.

Am I nervous?  YES!  Which is why I am planning on getting to campus early (plus if I do that I can use free AC) so I can calm the nerves and act like the cool cucumber that I can be if in the right element.   A silver lining you ask?!?  Even though I am borrowing my life away to do this, I now understand why my students love financial aid :) - got the first installment today!  Just in time to pay for my slightly pricey but Iloveitbecauseitmakesmefeelsafe apartment! 

The Beginning

Anyone ever read the book (now critically acclaimed movie) Eat, Pray Love?  Well, if you haven't you should!  I read it while I was going through some rough stuff in my personal life (I won't bore you with the gory details of ex-boyfriend issues) and believe it or not, it was one of the many things that helped me get through all the tears and stop hiding in my one bedroom apartment and want to actually go out and live again...well I saw the movie and was inspired to write about my experiences, what I learned, how I would grow, and what it all ends up to be...BUT who writes books now days?  Lets blog!

This would be my first blog...ever...like in life, so please forgive me if the format of this is not the usual (aka apparently you needed an origin blog post) and if I don't meet standards, but I thought that this might if anything give you (my readers - all 2 of you...haha) the insight/inspiration to get out of your shell and try something that literally puts you into an element that you are not comfortable with or makes you expand beyond what you thought possible!  Because...as some wise person once told me, that is the ONLY way to live!

For some background = Daley Tomato is somewhat of an inside joke - but simplified, my boyfriend and I agreed that no matter how poor we got (both being in grad school and all) we would always have enough money for a DAILY tomato (one of my fav veggies)...so there....the daily tomato was a taken url so, DALEY Tomato (its my name!!!! - get it????) became the blog name...thanks honey for the stroke of genius!