A Room with a View

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Random Bullets Of What On Earth Has Pink Cupcake Been Doing These Past Six Months!

Oooh, it's exciting to be back! I sort of feel as though my first post after six months should be a blogging magnum opus. There's so much I want to share with you all and I'd love to do so eloquently, but if I fret too much about what to write and how I want to write it, I'll probably end up on hiatus for another month. So, in time-honoured tradition, I will revert to the wonderful RBOC format (we have so much to thank Ianqui for!). Here goes...

  • I guess the biggest thing should come first...I decided to leave my PhD programme.
  • It was one of the hardest decisions that I've ever made, because I never give up at anything.
  • It took me months to actually even admit to myself that I wanted to leave, even though I'd decided a year or two ago that I absolutely didn't want to work in law (either in academia or in practice) after I finished my PhD.
  • I figured that I'd finish my dissertation anyway, but after taking so much time off through being unwell, I just couldn't face it anymore. The whole thing just had too much baggage associated with it.
  • The final straw came when I began to wake up with stomach ache every single morning, dreading the thought of sitting at my desk.
  • So, I eventually plucked up the courage to tell my supervisor 3 weeks ago. He was awesome, understanding and so complimentary of my talents.
  • That actually made me feel more guilty, but in a nice way.
  • As soon as I'd made and communicated my decision, I instantly felt calmer and began looking forward to the future for the first time in years. I didn't expect that.
  • It's very weird though to not be studying law for the first time in 7 and a half years.
  • Surprisingly, I haven't doubted my decision at all, which is very rare for me.
  • I also haven't told very many people yet. Of course, some of the very first people I shared my news with were a bunch of wonderful bloggers (you know who you are!) and I valued their support and friendship enormously.
  • So, umm, I'm not an academic who blogs anymore, but I hope you'll all still let me hang out in this little corner of the blogosphere?! :)
  • Actually, that's not quite true...Within three days of leaving grad school, I'd already decided that I wanted to go back to grad school to study something else!
  • I'm not going to be doing a PhD though. I'm going to follow a professional postgrad training and Masters programme to qualify as a psychotherapist/counsellor.
  • I've wanted to do this for years. Not sure quite why I didn't admit this to myself long ago.
  • I'm also pleased that one of the best programmes in the country is based at a university in the city I live in.
  • Of course, it's not as prestigious an institution as my previous grad school, but I really don't care. I don't want to travel hours to get to my university anymore. Ten minutes on a bus is good with me!
  • Also, the programme is part-time, so I can do some other work alongside...I'm in the process of deciding what I want to do.
  • Lucy was right when she said the other day that random bullets usually end up not-so-random. Have I mentioned anything other than grad school yet? Am I just using this format to avoid having to write in paragraphs? I'd better change topics!
  • My Mystery Illness has all but disappeared! I still get occasional twinges of pain, but they are very, very infrequent and are improving all the time.
  • This has allowed me to get active again. It's scary to think that this time last year I couldn't even sit up straight in a chair for more than an hour and couldn't walk for more than ten minutes.
  • Now I work out 5-6 times a week and I've actually become one of those people that really likes exercise. ;)
  • The upside of being really active and no longer stuffing myself full of medication is that I've lost 70 pounds. I hated that I put on so much weight over the past two or three years when I was depressed and then when I had the Mystery Illness. Now I feel wonderful!
  • Of course, the downside is that I have absolutely nothing to wear!
  • I lost all the weight simply through healthy eating and exercise and by going to a diet and fitness class each week.
  • I'm now the official class motivator!!!
  • I'm also going to train to be an aerobics instructor.
  • I've haven't run in any kind of event since school, but I've entered for a whole bunch of 5K and 10K races this year.
  • In less active news, I took a course in meditation and mindfulness. I was quite uncertain and a little sceptical about how useful I'd find it, but it was amazing. It's really influenced the way I think and the way I react to different situations.
  • I definitely want to write longer posts about a lot of the things I'm mentioning here.
  • What else has been going on? Mr Cupcake and I have been to tons of concerts (classical, rock, pop) and I've decided that I would gladly give up everything to join the Scissor Sisters.
  • We've also made quite a few new friends. Actually, I've found it a little odd that we've made more friends since we moved to this city than we ever did living in a small (supposedly community-oriented) village.
  • People in this city are very eccentric. I like that!
  • I had some bright red streaks put in my blonde hair just before Christmas. Not very wild, I realize, but pretty wild for me. All my gym going and consequent hair washing meant that they faded pretty soon, but it was fun while it lasted.
  • I've become very involved in a lot of civic and community groups and projects. When I'm old and wrinkly I hope to be made Dame Pink Cupcake for my services to the city! ;)
  • Well, I would, except for the fact that I disagree with the whole honours system in the UK, but that's another story...
  • When I decided to start blogging again, I considered making some changes to the blog name, template, my pseudonym...but I just couldn't bring myself to ditch Pink Cupcake!
  • I'd never really been a pink, girly girl, but somehow my pseudonym must have really affected me. It's frightening to see how many pink things I've bought over the past year or so. I have really embraced pink! Not least in my lovely! shiny! new! pink! ipod! nano!
  • I may or may not stop with the pink obsession before I become the new Elle Woods. :)
  • I'm also about to make a pilgrimage to my blog title...Yes, I'm going to Florence in 11 days!
  • The purpose of the visit isn't solely to retrace the footsteps of Lucy, Miss Bartlett et al. but to celebrate a very auspicious occasion...
  • My 30th Birthday on 17th February.
  • I don't actually mind reaching 30. I'm happier and healthier than I've been in years, and as Mr Cupcake's three years older than me, I've had time to mentally prepare myself.
  • Plus, did I mention that I get to spend my birthday and Valentine's Day in Florence!!??! Soooo excited!
  • I've got a bit of bloggy housekeeping to catch up with. My blogroll is woefully out of date (I've been updating bloglines but not here), so please bear with me while I sort it out.
  • I'm also debating whether to take the Blogger beta (or whatever it's now called) plunge! I'll have to consult with my Wonderful Template Advisor.
  • It's so lovely to be back. I've loved reading all your blogs, but it just wasn't quite the same when I wasn't posting myself and didn't feel like commenting. I'll definitely stick around this time...

19 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome back! It was great to see your name pop up at Wednesday whining.

I'm so impressed with all the big decisions and changes you've made. You are such an inspiration!

12:07 pm  
Blogger Rhonda said...

I am so glad you're back--and wow, so much has happened!

Congratulations on making the big important decisions and the big important changes. And most of all, it's great to hear you're feeling so much better.

3:59 pm  
Blogger Queen of West Procrastination said...

Hooray! Huzzah! The return of the Pink Cupcake! I'm wiggling with glee.

4:29 pm  
Blogger Phantom Scribbler said...

Oh, Pink Cupcake! What wonderful news on all fronts! I'm soooooo happy for you.

(And I can testify that the academic blog crowd is generally quite nice about doctorate-less hangers-on.)

4:32 pm  
Blogger Seeking Solace said...

PINKY, YOU SO ROCK!!! I am so glad you are back and doing well!

I am so proud of you for making the decision to leave law behind and finding your true place in the world. And the fact that your mystery illness has all but disappeared is truly amzaing. The weight loss and fitness goals are amazing!

You are truly inspiring!

4:39 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Pink Cupcake. I'm a new blogger since you took a break, but I saw your post over at the Whiner's Ball so I thought I'd stop by! I'm glad you're doing so well. Welcome back!

4:45 pm  
Blogger BrightStar (B*) said...

Hi, Pinky C! Congratulations on all of the big life decisions and the health improvement. It's great to see you again.

5:06 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I too am glad you are back. Yay! Yay! Yay!

Congratulations on deciding to leave the PhD programme. You are way smart to do that!!! Having just left academia myself, I know how hard it is. I also know that sense of freedom.

I don't mean to get all new-agey and crap, but I don't think it's an accident that the mystery illness went away at a similar time to when you decided to leave law PhD. In any case- I'm so glad that you are feeling better and being active as well as contemplative and all that!

As seeking solace said, YOU ROCK!

5:42 pm  
Blogger JM said...

welcome back! i think of you every day since your postcard is on my fridge, and I've wondered when you'd be back. glad you are! everything sounds awesome!

5:42 pm  
Blogger Yankee, Transferred said...

So you can now update my URL on your blogroll-yankeetransferred.blogspot.com

Glad to see you back-was so happy with the news at Phantom's.

You sound so happy and healthy! It's terrific!

6:41 pm  
Blogger Lucy said...

Welcome back! I'm jealous of your birthday plans :)

6:44 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome back! It sounds like you've made all kinds of healthy decisions.

6:58 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

PINKY!!!!!

9:56 pm  
Blogger Loralee Choate said...

It was lovely to see your blog bold on my bloglines! YAY!

I think all the changes you've made are heartening and amazing. Welcome back, cupcake.

12:22 am  
Blogger Liz Miller said...

Welcome back!!!!!! Good for you for recognizing when it was time to end one path and start a new, more Pink Cupcake-friendly one.

I'm on the same path as your new one (just need to finish college first, then I'm going into a MSW program.)

Hugs and many many welcomes!

2:53 am  
Blogger ~profgrrrrl~ said...

yay for pink!
yay for weight loss!
yay for positive life decisions!
yay!!!!

4:06 am  
Blogger comebacknikki said...

You're back!!!!!!!!!

9:18 pm  
Blogger Jane Dark said...

Oh, my, what a lot of wonderful news!

And I'm so excited for your trip to Firenze -- it should be a fantastic experience.

And of course, like everyone else, I'm delighted that you're back on the radar again.

10:48 pm  
Blogger halloweenlover said...

Welcome back! I missed you!

4:12 am  

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