Blog has moved!

http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/agskinner86

From now on I will be posting at this new website...its another Tumblr just like my travel blog was.  Its easier to post everything from quick quotes to pictures to daily stories! (even from my phone/iPad!)

So goodbye to Blogger...its been fun while it lasted but its time to move on!

All done!!!

I have officially and successfully completed my 2nd term here at the University of St. Augustine!!! Hooray!!!

Now I am getting ready to depart for my big adventure to Morocco and I just wanted to say thank you again to all of you who have supported me through this process and who continue to support me through everything that I do! Your thoughts and prayers mean so much to me that I can't even express in words!

Also, I wanted to let you all know that I have created a separate online journal/blog to keep up with all of my trip details.  That way I have it all in one place, etc.  I can't guarantee many updates throughout the next two weeks but I was told we will have internet at least part of the time and I hope to keep everyone as up-to-date as possible! If you would like to follow it just go to:

http://agskinner.tumblr.com 

Love to you all!

The Help

I took a study break yesterday to go to the movies with a friend of mine and wen went to see The Help...it was wonderful! I read the book last summer and they did a great job with the movie adaptation, which doesn't always happen! The acting was good, the story thought provoking, and the costumes...fabulous! Makes me want to vintage shop for dresses from the 60s! Anyways...back to studying! Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

up and coming

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up about my life for the next 11 days or so:

-Thursday I have a test at 8, practical at 10 and then another practical at 1...which means that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be spent studying furiously! 

-Next week is finals week and I have 3...Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday...so again, more studying all weekend!

-Then I officially leave for Morocco (by way of Madrid) on Thursday, the 18th...so somewhere in all that studying will be some major packing as well!

Wish me luck everyone! Here's hoping I can keep my composure and sanity long enough to at least make it on the plane! Happy Monday!

I'm a nerd!

This is my temporary tattoo of the intrinsic muscles and extensor mechanism in your hand/fingers...this is what we did in class Thursday afternoon! Gotta love OT!!!

the beginning of the end

Today, August 1st, officially kicks off the beginning of the end of this 2nd semester!  Hooray!!!  I don't know if it has been the course work or the fact that it was during the summer or what but I feel like it has been a whirlwind of stress and school work.  And I will be happy for it to be over!  Also, this is just a heads up in case I don't post anything for a while...this week doesn't look too bad but soon it will be the time when we have to finish up all our assignments, give presentations, final practicals and another round of exams.  

Luckily, I had a wonderful weekend to keep me going strong through the next few weeks! I have such a wonderful family and though I will miss them dearly (as well as my puppy dog) I know that they will be cheering me on the whole way!  Hope everyone is looking forward to a great week.

SURPRISE!!!

So I am at home in Florence! Hooray!! and it was a complete surprise to Rebecca, who is really hard to keep secrets from so double success!  She was supposed to come with the parents to Florida before I leave for Morocco to celebrate her birthday on the 17th as well as to send me off and for them to bring Layla back to Florence for a stay at camp Skinner.  However, because she starts her brand new big-girl job on the 15th, she cant come down to see me anymore before I leave or party hardy for her birthday...So I decided to surprise her and come home instead.  To be honest I never thought I would pull it off because I'm a bad secret keeper about stuff like this anyway and because she's really good at knowing when I'm hiding something.  :)  But we did it!  Also, papa was surprised because he didn't think I was coming until tomorrow morning!  It is so nice to be home...you forget sometimes that you can get homesick, even when you know that you're old enough to be out on your own!  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and fully appreciates their families as I plan to this weekend!

Travel tips???

Hi readers! So today I just thought I'd throw a question out there and see if anyone has any advice...I'm starting to prepare for my trip to Morocco in August and I was wondering if anyone has any good trips for overseas travel??  I will have long plane rides, lots of different hotels, and even a night in the desert so I have to be prepared for anything! 

Thanks in advance and I hope everyone is having a great week!

Weekend!

So it's getting harder and harder to see the weekends end...I'm not sure why because I'm getting closer and closer to the end of the semester I suppose I should want them to be over more quickly so that they can just be done.  Oh well, at least this weekend I got to do something completely fun and not school related at all! HARRY POTTER!!! :) I have been a Harry Potter fan since I was in the 7th grade when I read the very first book.  For the last 10 years or so there has always been another book or movie to look forward to about some of my favorite characters and this weekend ended the era.  Isn't it amazing how someone can write a story that is so involved and memorizing that you think of the characters as real people? It is such a gift and I hope that in the future there will continue to be authors (who don't write textbooks) that can catch my attention so fully and take me to a whole new world for entertainment and escape!  Thank you JK Rowling and I hope all of you have a story that you love and that makes you as happy as the tales of Harry and his friends have made me! Happy Monday!

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth...

Hello readers! I'm so sorry I have fallen behind on updating here but the last couple of weeks have been really busy.  I think last I wrote, I had just gotten back from visiting Salkehatchie and was of course preparing for a test...which is all I feel like I've done since then.  In case y'all didn't know this grad school thing is hard! However, I think  I've turned a corner.  We are now over halfway through the semester and through our first year! And although I think I took one of the hardest tests I've ever taken to date this morning, I'm feeling pretty good about all that I have learned over the last 7 months.  

I'm also now done with my fieldwork component for this term.  I spent the last 4 Fridays traveling to Gainesville, Fl to shadow an occupational therapist at an outpatient clinic called Shands for Kids.  It was awesome!!!  I loved every minute of it (even if I did have to get up at 4:30 am to get there on time)  I learned so much and got good feedback about my interactions with the kids and about my interest in the population.  It's so reassuring to know that there is a field out there that I so enjoy and that I'm hoping I have the right tools and personality to excel in.  Plus, in what other job could you ever finger paint, scooter board, play wii, swing, and have a dodgeball war all in the same day?!

Also, just a quick update on Morocco...the trip is getting so close that I'm starting to get all my ducks in a row (and starting to stress about my declaration to make it there with only one bag!) I have been so awed by all the love and support I have received from my family and friends in regards to this trip.  Although traveling abroad always comes with some level of anxiety, I am so at peace with this decision and so excited to go learn and grow as a therapist and as a person, and a lot of that is due to those that I have here at home that support me through anything!

Ok, I think this is long enough for now! Love to you all!

Bittersweet weekend

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." Jeremiah 29:11-12

Yesterday was the first day of the 2011 Penn Center Salkehatchie camp on St. Helena's Island, SC. Although I cannot be there for the work and service during this upcoming week, I did go for the weekend to see my family and my friends that will be working hard all week. This would have been my 10 summer working at Penn Center camp and it was quite a sad and strange feeling leaving today knowing there is so much to be done and I can't be there to help. (ok, I cried like a baby!) However, I have faith in the wonderful group assembled in the low country this week that they will do God's will and serve those in need and grow in their relationships with others and with God. Since I can't be there physically with them I have decided to take on the challenge of improving my "purposeful prayer moments". A time to actually devote to talking with God and especially this week focusing on the Salkehatchie group. I hope y'all can take a minute this to week to also send up a prayer for safe work and strong faith for all those serving both on St. Helena's and across the state of SC. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

DOMS

DOMS: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

So I may have learned about this in multiple classes but we all know experience is the best teacher and let me tell you, I have had some up close and personal experiences with DOMS over the last 2 weeks.  I started a training program 2 weeks ago called Crossfit.  If you haven't heard of it, it's a high intensity program with its primary focus on weight training at rapid speed to incorporate cardio workouts as well. And it is tough! I'm just in the introductory class right now which is 3 days a week for 4 weeks, and its basically to teach you all the motions so that when you start going on your own you can complete the workout of the day without having to ask a million questions.  We have two trainers that yell at us so we don't stop! And also so that we are doing it right so we don't hurt ourselves. All that said though, I really am enjoying it. It's tough and I'm usually still sore from the previous workout when I start the next one but I like that its structured. You know exactly what you'll be doing that day because they program the workout.  And I have someone there watching, pushing and encouraging me.  And hopefully one day soon I will climb the 3 flights to my apartment without my quads bursting into flames at the top! :) Happy Sunday everyone!

Help the needy children of Morocco!

Just wanted to make a shameless personal fundraising plug...I have added a button to the left-hand sidebar of my blog that will take you to my donations page for my upcoming service trip to Morocco.  I have truly felt called to go and serve during my break in August and your support of any kind would me so much to me! Even if you want to use that as a link to explore the cross cultural solutions website and all the good work they do around the world each day! Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! God bless you and keep you all!

 This is from our fundraiser the other night!

Morocco update!

So I just wanted to fill everyone in on the latest with our Morocco trip coming up in August.  Last night the group of us organized and hosted a fundraiser at a local bar called Panama Hatties that lots of students go to regularly.  We have been selling t-shirts for the event for the last two weeks and if you bought a t-shirt you got in for free and got your first drink free.  Also, we collected donations at the door and even had some girls selling drink specials that helped us earn money as well! All in all we made about $1000 in cash last night and the t-shirt money will be added up sometime this week.  Another thing was that on the back of the t-shirts will be logo's of local businesses that agreed to sponsor us by giving a donation.  Basically we all worked really hard and the students as well as the community have been really supportive! Please keep us all in your thoughts and prayers as we work hard to prepare to go and serve the children in need over in Morocco! Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!

Just a quick post to gloat about not having school tomorrow! :) Its a beautiful sunny Sunday here in St. Augustine so I think I will celebrate by taking my float to the pool for a while and then heading to Reggae Sunday! 

-every Sunday all summer there's a restaurant/bar at the marina that brings in a reggae band and people can either drive or bring their boat to hang out and get some sunshine and spend the afternoon jamming, haha! and if you are a people watcher, as I am, it brings the most interesting and eclectic crowd that is always entertaining!!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!!!

Wishing I was here...

One would think that living in Florida would be a divers dream! However, for a diver in grad school...not so much!  I guess I will just have to look back over the pictures that I've taken and remember the crazy/beautiful underwater world that I have gotten to experience so far until I can get my fins back in the water!

Enjoy the pictures!  They were taken over the course of multiple dive trips over the last 3 years or so. OH! and the diver that is coming up out of the boat with all the bubbles is Papa!

Happy Tuesday!

Life Update!

So it has been a while since I posted just to update everyone on what's going on down here in sunny (HOT) Florida with me!  We have just started our 3rd full week of school but luckily I'm not too stressed out yet.  Although we do have our first pathology test tomorrow so I probably should be more frantic than I am.  :/ This semester my classes are split between being half general ed type classes with everyone that started with me in January, and half strictly OT classes, which is a much smaller group.  However, that means that my course load this semester as far as studying and tests go is significantly less than last term which is a wonderful and certainly welcome break! On the flip side, there is a lot more in the way of weekly assignments, reports, projects, and papers that come along with the OT curriculum.  I am happy to be on the OT track though and I still have one day of shadowing a week, similar to last term, that my PT friends aren't getting this term.  Our shadowing is actually split up into 3 sessions over the course of the semester and you go out 2 out of those 3 sessions.  You spend one day a week for 4 weeks at the same site so you get to see a little more in depth patient treatment from last semester and you also get to see patient progression which is really cool.  My first session is being spent with a private practice hand therapist in Jacksonville.  I went for the first time last Friday and had a great experience.  Its amazing how much we overlook the importance of our hands until they are injured! Also, she is associated with a hand surgeon in the same building so I will get to see lots of post-op treatment which I find really interesting! Ok, off to study now, wah wah... Hope everyone is looking forward to a great week!

PS-- Yes we did spend a 4th day at Disney for those who are curious, however I didn't take any pictures :(

PPS-- I have officially bought my plane tickets for my Morocco trip in August!!! Super excited!!

EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival!

So day three from our trip was spent at EPCOT for the Flower and Garden festival.  This is an event that happens every year where the wonderful behinds the scene people of Disney get to show off their skills.  There is beautiful landscaping, some amazing topiarys, and a festival center full of all kinds of all kinds of community people who could answer any garden question you may ever have.  Also, this even is co-sponsored by HGTV so we got to see a presentation by John Giddings who is the star of the tv show "Curb Appeal".  Sorry I don't have more time to explain the pictures but I have to get back to class.  Hope y'all enjoy these though!

Another Disney Day!

So clearly I'm bad at this whole blogging thing...at least in a timely fashion however, here's another post with pictures from our Disney trip! Just think of it as me trying to make the magic last as long as possible! :)

These pictures are from our safari in Animal Kingdom.  Day two was the first time we've ever (that I can remember) taken the advice of all of those guidebooks out there and gone through the park relatively slowly and then went back to the hotel to relax by the pool.  Also, this was the night of our marvelous dinner at California Grill.  It is the restaurant at the top of the Contemporary Resort with beautiful, panoramic views of the Magic Kingdom as well as the lake and the surrounding resorts, Grand Floridian and the Polynesian.  Sadly, I don't have any pictures because I didn't take my camera to dinner but take my word for it...both the food and the views were amazing!!!

Here are my safari pics:

The Happiest Place on Earth!

We are back from Walt Disney World and I am getting ready to start school back tomorrow but I wanted to fill everyone in on our fun trip and put some of the pictures I took to good use by sharing them! Here is a quick report from day 1 with the rest of the trip to follow! Enjoy!

Our first day was last Wednesday and we got to Disney, checked in early but since our room wasn't ready we headed straight to Magic Kingdom.  One of the best perks about staying at either the Contemporary or at Bay Lake Towers next door is the walking path to MK.  It was a 10 minute or less walk and we rarely even saw anyone else using it so it certainly was never crowded! (which in Disney is amazing!!) The above picture is from the 3:00 parade, and you may not be able to tell but all of the performers in the parade were drenched in sweat because it was HOTT!

 

This is the entry-way to our resort.  Because Bay Lake Towers is actually a vacation club resort, all of the doors are locked all the time and you have to have an active key card to get in.  This is different from the other, non-vacation club resorts that you can visit and wander through at any time. 

 

 The above two pictures were taken from our balcony.  Certainly not a castle view but it was a nice, quiet room with a pretty view of the lake.  And you can roast marshmellows by the fire pit on the beach every night!

 This is while I was just hanging around downstairs.  That is the express monorail from the TTC to the Magic Kingdom.  It goes straight through the Contemporary resort but doesn't stop, unlike the monorail that runs on the far track in this picture that stops at all of the Magic Kingdom resorts.

 This is the view from the breeze-way between the Contemporary and the Towers.  Obviously, I used all the zoom I could get out of my camera but still a pretty awesome thing to see as you walk between the buildings! :)

And there's the guy everyone loves to see -- Mickey Mouse! And his lovely lady Minnie!  One of my favorite parts about going to Disney, especially after having been a cast member, is just listening and talking to the other people around me.  While waiting for this parade to start a mom and her two kids walked up behind us and I offered to let the kids stand in front of me because I could clearly see over their heads.  After the action had passed mom asked the kids what land they should head to next.  As they debated the mom leaned over to Mama and I and said "how about chardonnay-land?!" This became a quote repeated throughout our trip every time Mama was hot, bored or thirsty!