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Tuesday, October 10th, 2006
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5:47 pm - I'm still alive...
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Fall break is upon us, and I haven't posted in many months. I was going to post at the beginning of summer, but better late than never, right?
Important facts:
- super busy and stressed
- single and enjoying it
- going to Cincy for a few days over fall break
- starting a new church in Terre Haute, contact me for directions, first service is Sunday
I am excited for the 5 day weekend :-D, but my to do list is not getting any shorter... Next week will be jam-packed from Monday to Thursday with tests, homework, projects, lab reports, interviews, and career fair, then I'm flying to Texas Thursday night for a Mary Kay retreat. MMM...time away from Rose, away from homework, away from all this...I can't wait. And yes, I am taking a weekend off the weekend after fall break, but I'm a senior, I can do that.
current mood:  bouncy
current music: the sounds of studying...
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| Sunday, March 19th, 2006
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7:07 pm - A Great Woman!
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I called home on Thursday to find out that I woman I highly admire was in the hospital with congestive heart failure. Well, good news! She's home recovering! This woman is named Rena Tarbet. Rena is perhaps the most fabulous woman I have ever met. She was first diagnosed with cancer in the early 1970s. At a public speaking engagement she quoted Montaigne, "The value of lifelies not in the length of days but in the use we make of them. A man may live long yet get little from life. Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years but on your will." Rena is still fighting cancer. Her heart is now operating at 27%. This is a side effect of a the chemo. Her doctor is going to reformulate her chemo, so hopefully it won't destroy her heart. But no matter how much her heart is damaged, her will is not. Her next speaking engagement is April 1st. Rena has been a Mary Kay saleswoman since 1967. She has since raised three children, fought cancer, and survived other dangerous situations. In the mean time she has become a multi-million dollar Senior National Sales Director. Rena doesn't use hard situations to keep her from her goals, rather she uses them as stepping stones to achieve them. Rena is a wonderful motivator and constantly positive. She is an achiever and a strong leader. She is an eagle.
current mood:  impressed
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(comment on this)
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| Saturday, March 11th, 2006
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5:56 pm
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So, I just came across another huge German word:
laserstrahlauftraggeschweissten
Which means something along the lines of:
laser beam application welding
Crazy, eh?
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, March 8th, 2006
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12:36 pm
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Ich vermisse Deutschland und alle meine Deutsche Freunden. Ihr fällt mir!! Ich bin wieder an der Uni. Es ist ganz komisch. Ich bin ganz froh wieder mit meinen Freunden zu sein, aber die Vorlesungen habe ich nicht vermisst. So weit habe ich nicht so viele Hausaufgaben. Normalerweise gibt es manche Stunde pro Tag! Ab und zu sage ich etwas auf Deutsch statt auf Englisch. Es ist komisch fast kein Deutsch zu reden. Ich habe Übersetzung Arbeit gekriegt. Ist nicht so viel, vielleicht 10 Seiten, aber nur Zeugnisse. Ich suche immer noch nach einem Praktikum. Ich habe gestern ein Vorstellungsgespräch gehabt. Es ist ganz gut gelaufen. Heute hat eine Frau aus New Jersey angerufen. Frau Dr. Grund von Degussa und eine Frau aus Personal in New Jersey. arbeiten zusammen, eine Platz für mich zu machen. Im moment sieht es gut aus, aber ich werde im April Bescheid wissen.
Wie geht es bei euch? Bitte schick mir Mails! Ich kann nicht immer zurückschreiben, aber ich möchte von euch hören. OK, ich muss zur Buchhandlung und danach zur Labor. Ich habe euch Lieb!
current mood:  ich vermisse Deutschland
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, March 6th, 2006
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9:36 am - School
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Well, I'm back. It is soooo weird to be back here. I feel rather out of place at the moment. All of my friends are scattered over campus and off-campus, and we all have different classes and schedules. Books are expensive! I miss Germany. I miss speaking German. I miss all my friends there. I miss working every day. I miss riding my bike every day. I think I need more sleep. I get sad when I'm really tired.
current mood: overwhelmed
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Friday, February 10th, 2006
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10:05 pm - Mary Kay
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OK...it's official. I am once again a Mary Kay Consultant. Check out my new website www.marykay.com/kathrynwalter
You can do virtual makeovers, take a quiz, and even shop!! Enjoy!!
current mood: excited
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, February 4th, 2006
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12:25 pm - Sometimes I'm just plain stupid
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So, I had a little adventure yesterday. A bit of advice. Always check the time of your flight before you decide you only need one hour at the airport. All week I had been thinking that my flight was at 5 pm, so I should be at the airport at 4. I checked the S-bahn schedule and decided to take the 3:20 from Schwabstrasse, so that I would be at the airport at about 3:42. Well, at about 3:19, on the platform of the station, I suddenly had a thought, "When does my flight leave, 4 o'clock or 5 o'clock." I checked, and to my utter horror, my flight was scheduled to leave at 4 o'clock. Check-in closes a half hour before the flight. I called German Wings, "Sorry, I can't do anything for you." I called the airport, "I'm sorry, German Wings doesn't wait, and there is no telephone at the check-in counter. It would be best if you just came here (I was already on the train), and ask them then see what to do next." At the airport, Bettina carried my suitcase, while I ran on ahead to the check-in. She stood in line, while I went to the information center. Thankfully, the woman was nice. She called someone and asked if they had room for one more. They did, so I got to skip to the head of the line, checked in, ran through security, then hurried to my gate. I have never made it through an airport so fast before. I got to the check-in at 3:45, got through security and to the gate by 3:50. I was so late that I had to give my bag to the attendent at the plane, instead of at check-in. I couldn't believe that it was so easy then in the end. God is good!
p.s. I had spent most of the S-Bahn ride to the airport crying and praying and worrying and calculating how much money I had and how much another flight might cost.
current mood: relieved
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Friday, February 3rd, 2006
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10:13 am - Hmmm....
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"According to the National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. citizens who make it to 65 can expect, on average, to see 83 years of age. Make it to 75 and odds are you'll be blowing out candles on your 86th birthday cake."
I read this today and did a double take. How can someone expect to get from 65 to 83 without stopping at 75 on the way? If you make it to 65, you should live to be 83, but if you make it to 75, which is on the way to 83, you should live to be 86...hmmm...
Anyway, life here in Stuttgart is very pleasant, but almost over. I got all the paperwork out of the way on Wednesday before 12:30. The rest of the trip has been shopping (very dangerous), sight seeing, and eating...lots and lots. I love Korean food!! Heidi, you and I need to get together and cook!! I fly back to Marl today. Tomorrow the plan is ICE SKATING!!!! I can't wait! We are going with at least 3 people who never have been before and another 2 or 3 who have only gone once. Es wird bestimmt lustig. Ok, time to go wander around the downtown and try not to buy anything! Bis bald!
current mood: chipper
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| Tuesday, January 31st, 2006
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2:22 pm - Goodbyes
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So, I have to say Goodbye yet again. I will be leaving work in a few minutes...as soon as I finish this entry. I am rather sad, even though I'm happy too. I still remember my first day...kissing Rob Goodbye and walking off to the unknown without looking back. Now, today is my last day. I have to give back my work clothes and my locker lock, say my goodbyes and walk home. I've been here for 6 months. I've worked hard and played hard. I've had really good experiences and really bad ones. I've had work related accidents and I've discovered that I can get free massages at work. I've made friends from all over the world. I've become very nearly fluent in German. I've laughed, I've cried, I've rejoiced, and I've hurt. So many experiences... Now it's time to say goodbye and go home. I'd dreamed of coming to Germany for 8 years, and now it's time to leave. I have changed so much, and yet I am still the same. I've touched people's lives and they have touched mine. I have learned so much and I have so much more to learn. OK...time to gather my courage and say goodbye to all these wonderful coworkers. Then I get to go finish packing a year and a half's worth of memories into two suitcases and a carry-on. I will see you all soon.
current mood:  contemplative
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| Thursday, January 26th, 2006
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3:10 pm - I have a NEPHEW!
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My sister gave birth to a baby boy late last night, 11:10 PM. His name is Ian Seth Owens. He apparently looks just like his mom, but with lots of dark hair, just like his dad. I will give more details and hopefully even a picture soon!
[edit]: He was 7 lb. 9 1/2 oz. (3,5 kilo) and 19 in. (47 cm).
current mood: excited
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(6 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, January 13th, 2006
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4:42 pm - humanities...
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Anybody have any humanities recommendations for Spring Quarter? Is there a prof I should avoid or search for? Any course that sounded great but turned out to be miserable?
Thanks
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(6 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, January 2nd, 2006
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2:55 am - New Year's Kiss and a Trip to the ER
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So, Today was quite the day. It was started off with a great toast to the new year and a kiss from that wonderful boyfriend of mine. We had great fun until about 3 am at a friend of his, then slept until 9, drove home with a stop at McDonald's drive thru, then slept until 1 pm or so. I got to my house at about 5:45 this evening to find it filled with family. After some pork and sauerkraut, a round of dominoes, and a movie, the grandparents headed home. After about a half hour, the phone rang...my grandmother had fallen and broken her wrist. Since I was the one to answer the phone, and my mom had already taken her contacts out, I got to drive. She was treated pretty quickly for an ER, but we were still there nearly 3 hours. We are finally home, and despite my drink of liquid sugar from Dunkin Donuts, I am fading fast. I really shouldn't stay up until 3 am on consecutive nights. Goodnight!
current mood:  exhausted
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| Monday, December 12th, 2005
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5:27 pm - Polymers and more
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So, I went to see American football played by Germans this weekend. It was...umm...interesting. They aren't very good, but they try hard. The weird thing was they had the tournament on a basketball court. It is very hard to play football on a basketball court. The only way they could make a first down was by foul or by crossing the half court line. It was crazy. They also could even attempt field goals. There were no uprights. But all in all, it was nice to see the sport again. I miss football...
Today has been a long day. I am going home in a few minutes, thankfully. I've spent nearly all day in the lab, and most of it cleaning glassware. We had formed polyacrylic acid that was so solid, we had to throw the glassware away, but since it was polyacrylic acid, we broke it and put it in the *what is the word in English?* chemical waste that you don't put down the drain. To do that we had to cut through the polymer with scissors. So, all told, I threw away three round bottom flasks today, two from polymers, one that i dropped. I also found out today that I most likely won't get an internship with Degussa stateside next summer, unless I want to go to Mobile, AL (which I don't).
Well, that's the excitement in my life. Ich mache jetzt Feierabend!!
current mood: hungry
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, December 7th, 2005
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2:54 pm
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Is there something wrong with the Rose servers or something? I can't get on to check my e-mail or even onto the Rose webpage.
current mood:  confused
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, December 5th, 2005
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9:28 am - Boredom + Katie = Falling asleep at work
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So, today I am trying to put together a powerpoint presentation, which I had started on Thursday or Friday. That means, staring at a whole bunch of temperatures (measured every ten seconds for 24 hours). I have to figure out what caused heat loss in something, and I have no idea. Everything that we thought it could be, doesn't seem to be it. I just want to take a nap!
current mood: bored
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Friday, December 2nd, 2005
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12:43 pm - This is me being a bad intern...
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| Wednesday, November 30th, 2005
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11:43 am - Interesting and yet concerning...
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news on the job front. Looks like Degussa is going to be sold or at least a part of it is. I'm very confused about the whole thing, so more details later.
current mood: confused
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(comment on this)
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| Monday, November 28th, 2005
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9:29 am - Overdue update
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So, I don't know how much time I have to write. The bosses are in a meeting, so I have to wait until they are done to actually be able to do work. This weekend was fun. Friday night was a pirate themed birthday party with a whole bunch of 18 or 19 year olds. It was an adventure and I got to speak some English. Saturday morning I got up at around 8, showered, walked through the snow to the grocery store, walked back home, made the stuffing, found that the turkey was still frozen, and waited for a few hours. The turkey finally went in the over at 2 (the original plan had been to eat at 2). By 5 pm, the turkey was nearly done, the pineapple bake and baked corn were ready to go in the oven, the potatoes were peeled and cubed ready for cooking, and all 8 guests were underway. In the end everything turned out great. I can handle a slightly dry (although by no means unedible) turkey as my only shortcoming for my very first completely self made thanksgiving dinner. After dinner four guests went home and I took a very crowded taxi ride with the other 4 over to the other side of town for a fun evening in the Irish pub. I had a very fun conversation with a theoretical physicist about the Big Bang theory, after our first beers. I am such a nerd. After that, when we started to mingle with the other members of our party, an Irish guy and a French guy came over to hit on me and found out I was an American. The Irish guy was very happy about that. A little while later, the owner came over and said, "So I hear you are American." He and I talked for a little while about where he's from in Ireland, etc., etc. Then he went over to a German woman and she came over and said, "So, I hear you are American." That seemed to be the theme of the night. We left the pub at about 2:30 and the designated drivers were already asleep, so I slept in my friend Raquel's room in her extra bed. I haven't slept that good in years. I honestly felt refreshed all day, and that never happens to me. Then yesterday I spent a wonderful afternoon being lazy. I figured, after a party, cooking all day, another party, I deserved a day of rest. Now, this week is work, work, work. Speaking of which, I think the meeting may be over. Ciao!
p.s. It snowed from Friday morning until sometime Saturday night. Some of the snow here in Marl has melted already but we had at least a foot at some point. Things are absolutely crazy just north of here. Not only were the wooden telephone poles knocked over, broken, etc., the metal ones were also bent in half and twisted, etc. Lots of people are still without electricity, but thankfully everything is fine here in Marl. I saw on the news that they haven't had this much snow in over a century!
current mood: happy
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(1 comment | comment on this)
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| Friday, November 18th, 2005
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11:13 am - ALLY CAN HEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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My niece had her cochlear implant turned on on Wednesday with good results. I'm so excited. Can you imagine suddenly learning that there is such a thing as sound? We will still all have to learn sign language, because she can turn it off if she wants. YAY for cochlear implants!!
current mood: excited
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| Thursday, November 17th, 2005
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8:55 am - Sunrise
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There is nothing quit like seeing the morning sun shining in the windows of the lab. It's a very pretty sight. The nice gentle background lab sounds, the clean glass reflecting the rays....I'm a nerd.
current mood:  nerdy
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walterka's journal
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