Best. New Year. Ever.

So the Peace Corps gods have been good to me! I've been officially nominated!! Checked my e-mail this morning to the wonderful news that my application has been updated and immediately rushed to find out how. After doing some fist pumps (I promise you these were the complete opposite of those stupid fist pumps the Jersey Shore people do) and doing a happy dance I went to work.

I was not planning on reporting any of this until I learned where I am going (which should be early next week), but well I couldn't contain myself. I especially did not plan on writing this while I have company over celebrating NYE. But they are engrossed in the movie.

So now a whole new set of emotions have over taken me. Before it was anxiety and RAS about whether I would be invited (no matter how many people told me not to worry that I was very qualified, I always thought the worst). Now it is fear and complete scared shitless feeling. What have I gotten myself into? Can I really do this? Am I really qualified? What if I fail? Now the rational part of me says "This is what you have been wanting for awhile now. Cory, you have plenty of experience, much of which will help you greatly no matter what you do. You will not fail because then your sister will win (to those who do not know my sister was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali) and you will be inferior to her. Plus you are stubborn as hell and always find ways to survive." It's just the fear of the unknown which causes the irrational part of me to mentally scream.

So while I have these scared shitless feelings, I am elated beyond belief. I'm going to get to live in a new country, a new culture and learn tons of new things and hopefully teach a ton of new things. I'm anxious to find others that are serving in my country. I'm anxious to try new things, to travel, to eat different things. In other words, I am not focusing on the present anymore (this will no doubt make my boss really happy. I'll just have to work on focusing on work). I don't think my brain has fully wrapped around the idea yet.

So next update will be my new country!

Also, I know I promised a "Best of" blog. I later realized, I've only seen 3 movies this year (127 hours, Harry Potter and True Grit) so I guess those are my top 3 movies of the year. (oh, I did see a great documentary on Netflix called Up Syndrome which is very, very awesome). I bought one new album this year, Kings of Leon Come Around Sundown, so that wins best album of the year (now if only we could get The Strokes to release an album).

Side note: I have found an awesome use of the radiator in my bathroom. The radiator is a long pole extending from floor to ceiling. I have found when it is hot it makes a really great massage beam. By rubbing my back and shoulders on it I am able to relax more. So far no real uses for the radiators in other parts of my apartment, other than making my apartment really hot.

Hope everyone has a very Happy New Year, may it bring peace, prosperity and happiness! Take care all. (my guests are getting suspicious so I must return to hosting duties)

A good Christmas

So went home for the holidays. Nothing really special to report. Had some good times with the family, ate alot and bummed around. But I got the a really good present, not a tangible one, but a good one nonetheless (please note: all the presents I got were awesome). As my mom was driving me to the airport I checked my e-mail on her phone. A change in my application status!! So I went and checked and I do not have any placement holds on my account. I can only assume I am really close to invitation! Whoop!

So you know what would be a great gift for New Years? An invitation.

Back to New York news. In case you have been hiding under a rock, it snowed here. A LOT. Which was a bit of a pain in my travel plans, but nothing I can really complain about. The one thing I want to complain about is the grocery store during snow storms. I will never understand it. Everyone rushes to stock up on food and such. Like they don't live 2 blocks away. I just wanted to buy some tortilla chips, but they are all sold out. Also, Chuck Taylors are not the best snow shoes.

Stay tuned, Cory will unveil her best of next blog (and will hopefully have a Peace Corps update. Yes, I am anxious)

Just one more step before I am out!

So my boss calls me to tell me she texted me. Now some might ask "doesn't your boss know how texting works?" or "Isn't that counterproductive?" Well I would say yes to both questions, but only if you don't know my aversion to cell phones. I don't like them. I didn't get one until I moved up here and my mother wanted some way to get in touch with me. I don't like my phone and it has proven it does not like me. Case in point, not only have some keys fallen off of it, the screen guard popped off, parts of it have chipped away and the back falls off all the time but it now randomly turns off on its own. We have a deal, I won't replace it if it continues to make and receive calls.

But due to my dislike/apathy/not wanting people to be able to get in touch with me at all times, I tend to keep it on vibrate and try not to keep it on me (MOM note: I have it on me whenever I leave the apartment. Just if I'm stationary do I ignore and forget it).

So back to my original story. So I go to check the on call cell phone (where my boss had texted me) and decide to pull out my cell phone too. Less the 3 minutes later I get a call on my phone. It is a 202 number. Now last week I had spoken with Beth, my lovely OMS contact, who had requested some follow-up information regarding a surgery I had 8 years ago and requesting I get a new pap smear (the one I entered with the med review was nearly a year old). So I was not sure why I was getting another call, I had already made an appointment with my dr and had requested my surgery records.

I answer "Hello?"
"Is this Cory?"
"Yes."
"This is Beth from PC OMS. We talked last week. I just wanted you to know that I am going to medically clear you today."
"YAY!:
Cory does happy dance, well I just ran around in a circle in my office which is not very big.
"Are you still there?"
"Oh, um, sorry. My office got a little hectic and I had to get out to hear you." (I was the one being hectic)
"So I'm still going to request that you get a new pap smear, though they might be changing those rules in the future."
"Okay, doing that next week. Thank you so much."
"Thank you have a great day."

I run back to the office high five everyone in sight, which was one person.

I'm MEDICALLY CLEARED!!!! Now just waiting. Well more waiting.

Well I finally reached medical.

This is my second attempt at writing this. Hey, I gave up coffee awhile ago and it was a long night for me.

So after receiving a message from my (most likely) nurse assistant (apologizes if it is the nurse) last week stating she would start my medical packet this week, I gave her a call yesterday.

It was exactly what I thought would happen, while not major and not really time consuming still a pain. I have to get an updated pap smear (the last one was barely under a year when I sent it in), I have to attempt to locate records of a surgery I had on my finger 8 years ago and MH has to look at my seeing a therapist that one time to determine if further steps are necessary. So while I'm running around trying to get a hold of people, it's not due to any medical issues with me. Just getting verification from different doctors.

So my cousin Anna and friend Heidi are in town, which means I will spend the rest of the week eating. I can't wait!