I'm done!

I now have a Masters of Science degree. Unbelievable. If we were to back-track to the year 2000, when I just started working in finance - having just graduated from undergrad with a non-science degree, and if you were a crystal ball telling me that I'd go back to school for graduate studies - I would have been like... bullsh*t. I had ZERO interest in going back to school. But if you also told me I was going back for Environmental Health Science - I would have been like, what's that?

I never thought I would finish my master's thesis dissertation. Actually, at one point or another - everyone around me didn't think I would finish either, including Chuperman, my own brother, and my friends. No hard feelings. None taken. haha. I'll spare ya the gruesome details, but it really felt like all odds were against me in finishing my thesis. Especially during the last month of merry-go-around revisions between my 3 advisors, many sleep-less nights, and having to defend my thesis in an oral presentaton. Well, I proved everyone wrong including myself. I'm not going to lie, it's a big relief to be done. But, I think I'm still traumatized from the whole experience. Friday night I got a full nights sleep for the first time in a looong time. I thought I was going to finally get some peaceful sleep, but instead I had nightmares that I was still revising various graphs - tweaking the standard error bars, and jamming away at 5am to meet the deadline.

I hold a newfound respect for those who endure the thesis process where you conduct a scientific study from start to finish. It's much harder than taking classes, writing a literature review, or working in groups on case-studies. Now I have to work on getting this study published.

But first, I'm going to take the next week to catch-up on sleep and return back to laid-back tiramesu=D .... not to mention that I'm 6 months pregnant - even more reason to take it easy. Chuperman can agree that having care-free tiramesu back would be a good thing for all of us. :P There were a few tense moments last week, especially during the few hours right before my oral defense. Needless to say, emotions were running high.

Anyway, looking forward... onto prepping for mommy-hood...

Outlook for the week: finally begin shopping around for baby crib, stroller, etc, shopping for myself..hee, mini-facial at Fresh, foot massage, eating at my fave restaurants, going to work, hiking at Crystal Cove, begin working on publishing study, chuperman's bday on Friday=D

Graduation: At this point in time, I've decided not to walk in June 2008. Walking 10 months later is kind of weak. Talk about delayed reaction right? So forget it - not walking. I'll wear a cap and gown and pose for pictures at my baby shower. =P

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!