Whitney Luke, M.A.

I officially finished my master's degree last Wednesday! I successfully passed my oral exam, and can now officially say I am a PhD student. Who ever thought I'd be in school this long? Not I, for sure.

It's not a hickey!

So, funny story. I have a bug bite on my neck. I am slightly allergic to bug bites, they always swell up fairly large, even if I don't scratch them. Sometimes I'm better than others at avoiding the temptation to scratch...

After sacrament meeting yesterday my bishop asked me to chat with him quickly. I thought he was going to extend a new calling to me, since he had just released me from one that morning. Nope. He pulls me into the library at the institute building and says, "I just wanted to tell you to be careful." I had no clue what he was talking about!! Then, he made an elusive reference to my "bite," and counseled me again to be careful and watch myself. I just stared at him. As I slowly began to understand I started laughing (a little bit nervously, and slightly embarassed). I told him it was a bug bite, but he told me his counsel still stands: I need to be careful.

Needless to say, besides this being totally funny, I was slightly offended that he thought I was the hickey type. That is not my style! I would have at least tried to hide a hickey! I would also like to know who he thinks gave me the hickey! I was sitting by a guy at church...oh how the rumors might start flying!

Only my Oral to go!!

Well, it's been a rough beginning to the semester. Yesterday I finished my last written exam for my Master's Exams. I have had about one a week for the last 3 weeks, and my brain is fried! My oral exam is scheduled for this coming Wednesday, Sept. 17. Once I pass my oral exam I am officially master Whitney, and can start my PhD work! Yippee!

In an effort to reduce stress during this exam period I have had a lot of fun, too. Logan (my youngest brother) is now my roommate, and that has proved to be really hilarious! Not only does he keep me laughing, but he makes dinner and even goes along with my weird weekend plans. Like last Saturday, when we went to Karaoke! All I have to say is I highly recommend finding Asian-style Karaoke (you rent out a small room, not in front of everyone) and singing Britney Spears, Journey and John Denver at the top of your lungs!

I miss my sisters

So, I would really love it if my sisters lived closed to me. I call one or two of them every day. It's probably getting annoying, but I think they're so much fun to talk to and hang out with. Unfortunately we are spread out all over the country. I vote we initiate a sister's weekend in Chicago...who's in? Chicago is lots of fun! We could always go to Utah and visit Ashley and Shelby, but Chicago would be so much cooler!

Anders is dead

My betta fish died last week. I had his funeral this morning (I flushed him down the toilet). I'm starting to lose track, but I think he was my 5th fish. Muteki was my first, followed by Lubomere, and then Blue-bomere. I feel like thre was another one in the middle, but can't remember. I used to give them all names in foreign languages that meant invincible. I didn't do that with Anders, I got his name from the host of a Swedish sing-a-long show, Allsong. Maybe I should have named him invincible in Swedish: oövervinnlig. The question now is whether I get another fish. I really want a dog for some reason, mom says I should get a cat. That means that dad could never visit, he's allergic.

Half Marathon or Bust!

Caitlin and I have decided to run a half marathon in October, October 18th to be exact. Indianapolis had a great marathon/half marathon every year. That means we have 10 weeks to train, and today is the first day of training. Caitlin has me on a rigorous schedule of running, strength training, stretching, cardio and resting (my favorite part). What I want to know, is whether my Wii Fit counts as strength training and cardio...there are yoga and strength training activities on the Wii!

When I say Caitlin has me on a rigorous schedule, I mean she made the work out schedule on her fun computer programs that she knows. I would have just made something by hand. I'll let you know how the training is going. Maybe I'll have to figure out how to put some kind of ticker on my blog. Heck, if Marisa can have one for her pregnancy, I can have one for a half marathon!

Quilt Top, anyone?

It seems that all I do lately is work and quilt. My roommate Tiffany makes fun of me because I come home from work everyday and work on my quilts! With mom in town we found lots of quilt stores in the area, and I am super-motivated to make more and more. The trick will be acutally finishing one. I am really good at making quilt tops, but I never actually finish them. So, if anyone is in the market for a quilt top, I am your girl. If you want a finished quilt, I am not your girl.