Pizza Bagels

I am thankful for Pizza Bagels. So thankful that I have given them proper noun status. I had Pizza Bagels for dinner tonight, and as I gloried in the awesomeness of the Pizza Bagels I began to think about the other things I am thankful for: diet coke, beer, video games, cable, werepigs, sports, running, and facebook. But what I am most thankful for are the other two members of the TR Mafia.

Grad school is hard, really, really, stupid hard. There are days when you can hardly stand under the pressure that has been heaped on your shoulders. And what gets you through is not the power of your dream, or your conviction, or your passion, or your brilliance... it's your friends. It's the people sitting next to you, laughing with you (okay, at you), learning with you, but mostly encouraging you.

In grad school you are exactly as strong as those around you. It's that simple. And I happen to to be among giants. I'm thankful for that, and for them, and for the time I'm getting to spend learning from them. I just wanted y'all to know that I am thankful. Also, to know that 2/3 of the minds behind this blog are the greatest minds in field.

Oh, and I want you to never underestimate the power of the Pizza Bagel --- it makes people grateful that they are in grad school... it's magic, freaking magic.

When life reminds us, why we do what we do

So, while the majority of this blog is dedicated to the humorous side of the doc program and the day-to-day struggles/successes/guffaws/and generally laughable moments that go along with pursuing a Ph.D. in Leisure Behavior, there are times that remind us of the reason we do what we do.

So I will take this out of the plural (and out of the humor realm) for a few moments to discuss one of the many reasons I went in to this field...

I recently found out that a friend of mine passed away. Now I'm relatively young, and admit to the occasional perception of invincibility (honestly, who doesn't??). So when a friend your age looses a battle with cancer, you stop and think. I don't intend to use this blog to memorialize this individual, just leave it to say, he was great and always smiling. What I do want to do is point to one of the reasons recreation, leisure, and this field are so important (at least to me).

Needless to say, this event took me by surprise. I took the day off. Now, I'll admit, I tried to keep working, but it wasn't going to happen. The friends I have here were an initial (and immediate support). With looming deadlines, the wonderful ladies that co-author this blog offered to spend time with me (though I couldn't in good faith take them up on it). Mutual friends of both me and the individual who passed came together to offer each other support via e-mail, phone calls, and instant messaging. The key here is, these friendships never would have been made without the leisure experiences in which the social interaction occurred. I spent my evening with a run, a few drinks, building coaster pyramids, and going to a local concert. The activities in themselves don't hold much meaning. However, the run allowed me to get inside my head and process what I was feeling without overwhelming myself. I am grateful for the friend who went for drinks with me; it was definitely the diversion I needed. And finally, for me, music often holds the ability comfort when my rational side gets in the way.

So while our field certainly extends beyond the coping mechanisms encompassed within this event, I am reminded of the greater importance of what it is we do.