Yin and Yang

I have some good news, and some bad news.  Let's get the bad news out of the way first:

1)  My maternal grandfather, aka Grandpa, was just diagnosed with multiple myloma.  If you are like I was 3 days ago, you don't know what that is.  Well, it is a relatively rare form of bone cancer.  Actually it's cancer of the plasma cells that support your bones and bone marrow.  He is stage 3, which means it is pretty advanced, but hasn't metastasized to other parts of his body.  It is mostly in his spinal cord, ribs and hip on one side.  He is taking it pretty well; he has to wear this awful back brace now to support his weakened bones.  It's basically two big pieces of hard plastic, one over his chest and stomach, the other over his back, that strap together on the sides.  He calls it his Ninja Turtle outfit...

2)  My dad is probably moving out.  I don't really have anything to add to that yet.  It's still a little fresh.

OK!!  Enough of that.  Now the GOOD NEWS!  I have four to balance out the bad :)

1)  I have now officially started school (I have gone to all my classes).  And it is going to be an amazing semester: independent research, abnormal child psychology, yoga, family economic issues, and social development.

2)  The new trax line...is awesome.  There is now a station 8 minutes from my house (if all the lights stay green), and I no longer have to transfer trains.  Whoop Whoop! 

3)  I got UROP funding for my research.  I get paid $10 an hour to work on my project.  How sweet is that?

4)  Dr. Recchia and I FINALLY got reliable on the coding for my project.  It is a huge relief to have that finished.  Now I can just get going with the coding. 

So, all things tallied up, things are ok.  There are some scary, sad things, but there are also some exciting, happy things.  I have my moments of feeling down, but doesn't every one?  It takes opposition in all things to make us stronger, right?