Good Writer

"Good Work. You're a Good Writer." This is the most recent feedback from my Teaching Assistant for my online Self-Management class on an article review. For the longest time, I have always catalogued one of my weaknesses as an inability to write well. Basically, going through High School and College, I recognized the fact that I was not the best writer. Maybe it's because I always scored higher in my Math classes than English, and I assumed that if I was good at Math I would have to be bad at English. Additionally, I never enjoyed English, writing composition and the like. However, somewhere in the midst of "learning" I think I learned to become a better writer. Although it might not be evident in my blog rants, I have been getting increasing feedback from my graduate school professors about my writing skills and it has just started to sink into my consious confidence. The only reason this is even notable to me is that this is an area in which I recognized a weakness and actively worked at strengthening it and can now see results. Honestly, I can credit it to my English 101 teacher my first semester at the UofA, and one of my team mates in my Marketing capstone senior year. Both people helped me become a better writer, which my grad grades are now thankful for. It makes me want to start actively working on my other weaknesses now that I know I can make an effort to change and see results.

Nothing to Blog

So I've been getting harassed about updated my blog. I must admit, I am not the best blogger. First, I don't really have anything to blog about. Second, I am not creative enough to come up with any cool, readable blogs. Third, I'm not good about updated it when I can think of something to blog about.

Whenever I sit down and peruse through my list of favorite blogs, I can't seem to think of anything to blog about. I work and go to school. Lately, that's all I feel like I do. I've been getting stir crazy by not doing anything...well...anything with my life lately. So instead of waiting for something cool to blog about, I guess I can just blog about just that. These are top three things on my mind right now.

1) Summer graduate classes suck! Although it is nice getting the class over with in 4 week...that's right only 4 weeks...it's very tiring for me to have to go to class 2 nights a week for 5 hours. And because the classes are accelerated that means that we typically only have a week at most to complete our homework. All I know is I'm glad that this is the only summer I will have to take graduate classes (at least for a long while).

2) Balancing life while in school is very difficult for me. I am the type of person who has to get things done immediately after it is assigned. So when I have homework due, it looms over me like a dark cloud until it is complete. Trying to devote adequate time to my studies seems to take precedence over most things in my life, which I need to work on. It's difficult for me to balance this with my personal life...of which I do not have right now. Right now I'm trying to juggle a new work out routine, a new marriage, a new dog training program, 2 classes and family life.

3) There is a silver lining to this dark cloud. Soon I will be finished with school (May 2009!!!) and then I can redirect some of my energy to other things I want to do. I really want to have the time to devote to my working out and getting in better shape. Scrapbooking. Dog training. Decorating my house. The list goes on.

Ohio Vacation

I recently got back from a vacation back home; the good old O-H-I-O. Which by the way, Ohio has some of the most state spirit I have ever seen and noticed it more since I've moved away. It felt like everyone I saw was wearing either Ohio State, Indians, Reds, Browns, or Bengals attire and am constantly bombarded on Facebook with pictures of people making the statue "OHIO" pose wherever they can fit. To progress....




I returned home after a 3 year stint for my best friend's wedding; she was my maid of honor and I was her matron of honor. It was a beautiful wedding equipped with a beautiful bride. They had a live band play, which I had never been to wedding with one before, that made for an incredible night.

The Soon2Be Newlyweds with the Matron of Honor and Best Man.

The Bridesmaids minus 1

The gorgeous Bride

A quick photo before walking down the isle

Friends from High School, some of whom I haven't seen in 7 years

And a major perk was the church they got married in in small Ada, OH was directly across the street from the Wilson Football manufacturing plant.

After the wedding, we spent time with my dad and catching up with my neighbors, grandparents and family. The weather, for the most part, was a cool 70-75 degrees with the sun out and a light breeze. Except for the day we planned to go to Cedar Point, which was 50 degrees, overcast and light rain. Especially since it is located in Sandusky which is on the Lake Erie Peninsula.. It was cold to say the least. I hadn't been to Cedar Point since High School, so it was a real treat for me. Deo has never been and was super excited to go. The amusement park as some of the best roller coasters in the world. There were lots of new rides since I had been there last, including my new favorite Top Thrill Dragster.





"Reaching a stratospheric 420 feet tall and topping out at an unheard of speed of 120 mph, this new steel screamer helped Cedar Point reclaim the title of owning the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the universe." (http://www.cedarpoint.com/)

Lastly, to round out our vacation, we headed back to Arizona but up to Phoenix for my cousin Joey's High School graduation party. He will be attending the UofA in the Fall as a geo-sciences major. It was a good end to a fun time away from work (and probably last vacation of the summer).

Cousin Amy and Niece Ella

Us with the Graduate!

All the cousins

My mom and Amy

And I just thought this was just too cute not to post

So Proud

Technically, my husband earned his degree in December, but he was actually able to walk in his graduation ceremony this past Saturday. I'm super proud of him for completing his Bachelor's as it was a long work in process! Most people don't experience working full-time while trying to complete an undergraduate degree (I don't don't even know), but I definitely think it is harder do than a graduate program. At least with my program, I feel like I'm in the same boat as everyone else and professors are more understanding that you are working, which is not always the case at the undergrad level. It is a HUGE accomplishment and I am SUPER proud of him sticking with it and completing it! The only sour part to the story is that they said his name wrong going across stage. First it was saying the wrong name at our wedding, now mispronouncing Diaz (with a long I) on his graduation day. Oh well, like we said for our wedding...if that's the worst thing that happened then that's OK. Yay for DEO!!!! Love you!

The Name Game

So I'm completely unoriginal. I'm stealing this idea from Marisa who was inspired by Pam (Congrats again) who is having a baby and thinking of baby names. Phew...glad I got all that out! I wanted to know what my name meant and found this really cool website. http://www.paulsadowski.com/Numbers.asp. I've always known my name means "princess" because that's what my dad always used to call me and I LOVED it! But I wanted to learn more. Also, having a husband with a very unique name, I wanted to see what I could find out about him. Then, of course, there's my babies from another mama...by pups. The website I found actually looks at your full name and uses numerology as well. Since I have only been Sarah Diaz for .02% of my life so far, I thought I'd look at both my maiden and married names.

Sarah Marie Thompson

What your first name means:
Muslim: Female: Variant of Sara: Pure. Happy.
Hebrew: Female: Princess. In the Bible, Sarah was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. Her name was originally Sarai (quarrelsome), but God commanded that her name be changed to Sarah before the birth of her son.
Biblical: Female: Lady; princess; princess of the multitude

Sarah is the #23 most common female first name
0.508% of females in the US are named sarah.
Around 622300 US females are named sarah!

Number: 6: The characteristics of #6 are: Responsibility, protection, nurturing, community, balance, sympathy.

Inner Dream Number: 4: An Inner Dream number of 4 means: You dream of being a very solid citizen that people can depend upon. You strive for organization and predictable order. You want to be recognized as a person with a plan and the discipline to make that plan work like clockwork.

Sarah Marie Diaz

Number: 7: The characteristics of #7 are: Analysis, understanding, knowledge, awareness, studious, meditating.

Inner Dream Number: 7: An Inner Dream number of 7 means: You dream of having the opportunity to read, study, and shut yourself off from worldly distractions. You can see yourself as a teacher, mystic, or ecclesiastic, spending your life in the pursuit of knowledge and learning.

Deo Daniel Diaz, Junior

The meaning of the name Deo is Godlike
The origin of the name Deo is Greek

Deo is a very rare male first name
Very few male first names in the US are deo.
Be proud of your unique first name!

Number: 7: The characteristics of #7 are: Analysis, understanding, knowledge, awareness, studious, meditating.

Inner Dream Number: 7: An Inner Dream number of 7 means: You dream of having the opportunity to read, study, and shut yourself off from worldly distractions. You can see yourself as a teacher, mystic, or ecclesiastic, spending your life in the pursuit of knowledge and learning.

Hannah Thompson (she had my last name before Deo and I were married)

What your first name means:
Hebrew: Female: Favour or grace. God has favoured me. Mother of the prophet Samuel in the Old Testament.
English: Female: Favor; grace. Biblical mother of the prophet Samuel.
Biblical: Female: Gracious; merciful; one who gives.

Hannah is the #367 most common female first name.
0.045% of females in the US are named hannah.
Around 55125 US females are named hannah!

Number: 4: The characteristics of #4 are: A foundation, order, service, struggle against limits, steady growth.

Inner Dream Number: 8: An Inner Dream number of 8 means: You dream of success in the business or political world, of power and control of large material endeavors. You crave authority and recognition of executive skills. Your secret self may have very strong desire to become an entrepreneur.

Toby Diaz

Shakespearean: Male: 'Twelfth Night', also called 'What You Will' Sir Toby Belch, uncle of Olivia.
Hebrew: Male: Diminutive of Tobias: The Lord is good.
English: Male: Abbreviation of the Hebrew name Tobiah meaning 'Jah is good.'.

Toby is the #483 most common male first name.
0.019% of males in the US are named toby.
Around 23275 US males are named toby!

Number: 3: The characteristics of #3 are: Expression, verbalization, socialization, the arts, the joy of living.

Inner Dream Number: 5: An Inner Dream number of 5 means: You dream of being totally free and unrestrained by responsibility. You see yourself conversing and mingling with the natives in many nations, living for adventure and life experiences. You imagine what you might accomplished.