HO-LEE CRAP!!!! (Grad School Update)

March 20, 2009

Dear Mr. Zumbado:

I hope this message finds you well.

The Admissions Committee for the Security Studies Program (SSP) has completed its review of your application. The committee has recommended your admission to the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. You will soon receive a letter pending a final review of general admissions requirements. This is a routine step preceding full or conditional admission to the SSP.

Decisions on SSP merit-based aid will be communicated in the next two weeks. In the meantime, information on student loans, grants, and other Georgetown funding opportunities is available from the Office of Student Financial Services:

http://finaid.georgetown.edu/grmenu.htm

The SSP website is also an excellent tool for more information on our events, faculty, students, and careers. The site is located here:

http://ssp.georgetown.edu/

Finally, I would like to invite you to attend the SSP’s Visiting Day on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. You will have the opportunity to learn more about the program by meeting faculty and students, taking a campus tour, and attending an SSP class. Additional information will be emailed as the event approaches.

While I cannot offer my congratulations until Dean Barbari formally approves your admission, I am pleased you are considering the SSP for your graduate degree. The SSP is a dynamic and exciting environment for students from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. I look forward to welcoming you to this exceptional community in the fall.

Best regards.

Daniel L. Byman

Director, Security Studies Program

Director, Center for Peace and Security Studies

Good Ol' Utah...(Grad School Update)

You know, there is something to be said about being loyal to your students.

Man, I love the U.

March 4, 2007

Thomas C. Zumbado
Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Dear Thomas:

The faculty of the Department of Geography is pleased to recommend your admission to the Graduate School as a student in our Master’s program commencing fall semester 2009. The Graduate School will review our recommendation and inform you of the final decision. You should receive this information shortly.

We are unable to make an offer of financial aid at this time. However, the graduate committee has named you as an alternate for financial aid. We will notify you if aid becomes available.

Please keep in mind that all graduate students should have acceptable courses or proficiencies in Geographical Analysis (GEOG 3020), Principles of Cartography (GEOG 3040) and basic introductory-level calculus. It is in your best interest to either take these courses before you arrive or study the appropriate material on your own. Completing our undergraduate courses to acquire these proficiencies is optional and do not count toward graduate credit. If you are planning on taking the GIS series of courses you must have an acceptable course or proficiency in Principles of GIS (GEOG 3140).

Please notify me in writing by mail or fax by April 15, 2009, if you intend to accept or reject our offer of admission. If you do accept, you will receive additional information on the program and registration for fall semester.

We hope that you will find your academic experience next year a rewarding one. Please let us know if we can assist you in any way.

Sincerely,

Thomas M. Kontuly

Director of Graduate Studies

OK, so no funding for now.
But at least I've got a safety net set up in case none of my other prospects pan out.
Thanks to all the faculty and friends who believe in me.
It merits being said again.
Man, I love the U.

Grad School Update...

...Just not the one I wanted. :-(

February 20, 2009

Mr. Thomas Zumbado

Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Dear Mr. Zumbado:

Thank you for applying to our Graduate School for the 2009-2010 academic year. While I assure you that the materials you submitted were carefully reviewed by the faculty in the Department of Politics and by the Graduate School, I regret to inform you that the department did not recommend your admission for the coming year.

The number of places available at Princeton for entering graduate students is extremely limited and we cannot offer admission to all who are well-qualified. Indeed, many departments consistently have applicants who would be admitted without hesitation if the resources were available. Our decisions take into account not only the applicants’ merits, but also the suitability of the department’s programs to the candidates’ expressed interests. Our goal is to achieve a sound match between the strengths of our programs and the interests of the relatively small number of outstanding students that can be accommodated.

We chose to advise you of our decision via email on the assumption that a timely response would outweigh the informality of this means of communication. I would be happy to provide a formal letter upon request.

I wish you success in your plans for graduate study and thank you for considering Princeton University.

Sincerely,

William B. Russel

Dean of the Graduate School

Pancreawhatis?

Prancreatitis...or an inflammation of the pancreas.

Lisa's surgery has come and gone. And as predicted, her real trial has started.
She was laid out after the procedure, in horrible pain and unable to move.
It didn't matter to her though, because she was certain that she would be coming home on Tuesday...today.

Sadly, her release has been postponed due to an onset of pancreatitis.
I never quite caught the how's and why's, but I imagine it had something to do with her gall stones and the Docs roto-rootering her guts to remove the gall bladder. Yep...good stuff.
As of now, she's resting "comfortably" and preparing herself for her eventual discharge.

As for the kids, I guess they're doing as well as can be expected.
Some of Vince's anxious ticks have returned. (Collar-chewing and Nail-biting.)
As for Amy, I think she's finally getting used to me. Her nighttime cries aren't as harrowing as before and she's finally getting used to me at night.
...In fact, she woke up last night to make sure I was still nearby before drifting back to sleep.
Eureka, I've been accepted into her culture!

In regards to classes and other school responsibilities, I've been in touch with all my bosses and professors. And so far, everyone has been cool with my family's predicament.
It pays to be a good student!


Nonetheless, I'm worried about falling behind. And the fact that I can't work is a bit of a burden, too. I guess my report to you, dear readers, is that we're holding steady....for now.

The only unknown is Lisa's recovery time.
I'm not too sure we can keep this routine going for long.


CRAP! What the heck am I going to do about scouts?!?

Gall Bladder Blues...

Man, what a bummer.

Lisa's GB has launched its most brutal attack so far. So brutal in fact, that it's laid my muse out in the hospital for about three days. Yeah, the pain was pretty rough when she went to the ER. But now she's safely tucked away, undergoing her medical tests / procedures and living pain-free thanks to St. Morphinius.

(Yeah, Lisa's Gall Bladder saga will probably start after her surgery....my poor sweetie.)


As for me however, my GB epic is in full swing.
You see, I've got the pleasure of looking after a nursing infant without the support of nursing implements. Oh sure, I've got plenty of bottles and sippy cups; not to mention enough milk, formula and pediasure to put a Babies R' Us to shame.

But is that good enough for baby-girl? Oh, nononononooo.
She can spot a fake blindfolded in a pitch black night....which is usually o'dark-thirty here in SLC when she wakes up lookin' for liquid goodness.
Needless to say, when dumb ol' pops tries to feed her with a bottle, she starts kicking harder than Chun-li. Good times.

Thankfully, Vince's been a champ throughout this whole ordeal. (Actually, "Ordeal" is more my label. Vince thinks of this more as "That-Time-Daddy-Was-Trippin'-'Cause-Mommy-Was-In-The Hospital" or "Saturday.")
In all seriousness, Vince has been incredibly cooperative, helpfuland even supportive. Nine years old and he still finds ways to surprise me. I'm getting that boy a Sundae when this blows over.

What's really lifted my spirit though is how much folks have been looking out for the Kids and I. We've gotten tons of phone calls and favors from all my friends and neighbors. Heck, we even had one of my Cub Moms grab us a pizza and agree to watch Amy on Monday for the first day of Spring semester classes. (What a peach! She gets a gold star in my Cool Book.)
I've got to admit, it's nice to feel the love. Thanks to everyone for thinking about us.

In the end, I imagine this is one of those adventures in fatherhood that I'm going to laugh about when I'm old and grey. (Well, old-er and grey-er.)
Nonetheless, this whole experience has given me a newfound respect for my wife and what she endures. Amy's perfectly content with Daddy when its daytime. But when it's dark, no one but Mommy will do.

"Mother" really is the word for "God" in the mouths of infants.

Gotta go. Amy's waking up.

Winter Break 7

Some images from the ride home from Denver, CO.


The trip through mountainous Colorado was a snowy mess.
Thankfully, the highway was pretty clear.
Three cheers for Snow Plow Drivers!






Once off the highways however, road maintenance fell to the local municipalities....who apparently couldn't kick down some of that fat skiing revenue to buy a decent plow.







Ski towns do have some great g'nosh, though.
This place had some dynamite burgers.

(Backcountry Brewery, Frisco CO)






On the way to Grand Junction, we stopped in a place called Rifle, CO. Whew. Talk about your one-horse towns.








Yep. It's all about priorities in good ol' Rifle.
This shot was too good to let go.

I don't think I've ever seen anything like this in UT. What a boring state!





In GJ, I treated the kids to a nice warm bath.
As much as they may fight like cats n' dogs, they absolutely love to bathe together. It was a trip highlight....and perfect fodder for when they get older! ;-)





On to the videos!

Winter Break 5: Merry Christmas!!!!

Christmas morning was a mad rush to get ready and head over to Ron's place. Mom had planned on taking some actual "portraits."

Sorry, this is as good as it gets with an Autie and a cranky toddler.






As usual, the presents were the biggest highlight for the kids!

A puzzle for my sweetie...







An interactive electronic game for Squirt...









A Little People dump truck for Amy...









And some Mr. Potatohead goodness for Boobaloo...
(a sure-fire win)








Amy's "big gift" was a Radio Flyer Inchworm that she absolutely loved!








No. Really. She...um...loved it!!!









Well. At least Vince got a kick out of it.







After spending the morning with the Watsons, we all loaded up the car and motored off to spend time with the Porches.


We were greeted at the door by Anne's big ol' Golden Lab.









Until finally all the Porches started showing up.
There's crazy Uncle Vince, my Vince's godfather.








Grandma Bea was a firecracker as usual.









Here was the full Porch presence for Christmas '08.
Where's Kevin and Chris?








Even with all the loot he got for Christmas, Vince was still entertained by the smallest things. In this case, Anne's "Dancing Santa" got the MVP. Thanks, Kringle.







Ho-HO! This spot was saved for a picture of Vince and Amy with all their Porch cousins!
But you know what? They IGNORED my kids the whole damned time we were there. Not even a "Hi" or a "Thanks" or a "Koochie-koo" or nothing. I don't think they spoke one damned word to us that I didn't pry out of their mouths. Way to show some love to the family, guys.
Don't mind my little retard.

Fuckers.



But, I refuse to end this post on a low note......

Peek-a-boo, Grandma!!!










Lots of lessons learned on this trip.
Lots of little nuggets of knowledge that I've locked away in my mind for next time.
Man, do I miss my family in CA.