Visualizing ValueFebruary

February 01, 2014. Main Building, UTSA. This my study space for today. Although the mess of papers and textbooks to the right of my laptop is hidden from view. Atleast I have chocolate to keep me awake.

February 02, 2014. The Sombrilla, UTSA. It’s such a beautiful day here in San Antonio. My mom is back home in New York and always reminds me of the inches of snow on the ground. It’s the one thing I don’t miss about NY.

February 03, 2014. Cosi, The Rim. Enjoying a classic cheesecake at Cosi with Ray. We met for lunch today and I always adore his company. Cosi is a small restaurant which offers delicious vegetarian options. Although, it’s not Vegeria, I do enjoy their portobella rice bowls.

February 04, 2014. The comprehensive exam has completely stressed me out so early within the semester and one way I love to wind down is by jogging. It really helps me get my mind off things. I usually try to do so at least 2-3 times a week although, I wish I could do it more often. I love that my neighborhood has a pathway which allows me to take that early morning or late evening jog.

February 05, 2014. Vegeria. Vegeria is my favorite place to eat in San Antonio. Ray and I are convinced that the chefs are a group of magical creatures who spend their free time brainstorming amazing cuisine that continues to draw its consumers in. This is their famous portobello burger which is absolutely delicious.

February 06, 2014. Snow. Apparently it snows here in San Antonio. Although it was freezing out, I couldn’t have asked for better weather. It reminds me of New York, which I miss terribly. I can’t wait to visit for Spring Break! Thank you San Antonio, for giving me a little piece of NY.

February 07, 2014. Plaza Norte Building. Starbucks has saved me the walk and money by carrying these mugs and caffe mocha packs on their campus location. Winter has been quite chilly here, so its great that I don’t have to leave my office and still get a hot cup.

February 08, 2014. It’s such a wonderful day here in my neighborhood. I stopped to breathe the air and appreciate the beautiful sky as it beckons to me. I wished that I could have a picnic at this moment, but being able to stop and adore the sight is just as wonderful.

February 09, 2014. Bombay Salsa. Bombay salsa is a family-owned Indian/Latin fusion food truck primarily located across from UTSA. The food is delicious and the owners are always so friendly when I do stop by for their tofu tandoori tacos which are amazing https://www.facebook.com/BombaySalsaCo

February, 10, 2014. Humans of New York (HONY) is a New York based photographer's photographic census of the humans of New York City. HONY captures the most interesting people in the streets of New York. With every image, he includes a quote from the human. Every quote is always the most heartbreaking, heartwarming, and imaginative disclosures that just completely inspire me. With each post and caption, he makes me miss New York City a little more. View his work for yourself. https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork

February 11, 2014. Main Building. This is my study food while I draft my study guide for the comprehensive examination. I try to snack on something that isn’t too sugary or fattening. I love hummus!

February 12, 2014. Starbucks, UTSA. If you haven’t noticed by now, I love coffee. Although today the barista got my order wrong and gave me a grande americano instead of a mocha, but I was definitely able to stay focused all day long.

February 13, 2014. Plaza Norte Building. Post its keep me organized. I managed to claim this post it pack from the UTSA bookstore. One of the things I like to attribute to my identity is my organization skills. Having notes highlight my To do list keeps me focused on tasks.

February 14, 2014. If you haven't noticed, Google celebrates Valentine's Day, the Google way. Each candy heart shares a story of love. It is beautiful and honest.

February 14, 2014. Valentine’s Day. I woke up to find this surprise on my dresser. It was a sweet Valentine’s Day surprise which made my day. I realized that he pays more attention to things than he is willing to admit.

February 15. Bakery Lorraine. I have to say that this is one of the best bakeries I’ve ever visited. Today, Ray and I shared a raspberry rose japonaise, which is a huge French macaroon with raspberries on the inside. Ray and I drove downtown today after I completed the first portion of my comprehensive examination. This definitely took my mind off things. Muy delicioso!

February 16, 2014. Home. I completed the first portion of my comprehensive exam yesterday and felt such a relief afterwards. I couldn’t believe how stressful the experience was. I’m only two steps closer to finalizing my academic career here at UTSA and although I will miss the beautiful campus, I am thrilled to be closing this chapter in my life.

January 17, 2014. Alamo Drafthouse. The Lego Movie (2014). I always prefer horror film, but today I gave this movie a chance. Although, I did have some issues with the movie regarding gender, it was humorous and some scenes made me cry a little. I should also note that some of the content targeted adults. I’m sure it’s probably nothing new.

February 18, 2014. I am an aspiring public relations practitioner and I my goal in life is to eventually build my own firm. My current position with Research helps me garner the experience that I need in order to begin my path. During the process I’ve learned so much and I continue to teach myself every step of the way.

February 19, 2014. I’m getting close to finalizing my comprehensive examination proposal and I enjoy it! I loved doing the research and exploring such an intriguing topic. What’s even more beautiful about it is that it’s just such a sexy and romantic topic for communication scholars such as myself.

February 20, 2014. My day planner. I can be very forgetful at times and in order to avoid this, I keep a planner to keep me on track with my tasks and assignments. It is quite convenient and has been tremendously useful throughout my academic career.

February 21, 2014. Hulu Plus offers a collection of classic film in their Criterion Collection. Although my friends tend to avoid black and white movies, I am drawn to them. I love the theatrical acting and the costumes from their time. I watched Diabolique (1955) which is a French psychological thriller feature film.

February 22, 2014. Bar 1919. I meet these fascinating women in an art course I took last semester. We worked on a project together called Muted Group Theory for an art show and since then, we’ve gotten so much closer. We share the same views on a lot of things and tonight we went out for drinks and wonderful conversations that we might not remember the following day.

February 23, 2014. JPL. This area in the JPL is a brilliant idea! I’m glad students do adhere to the expectation and maintain a quiet work or study area. It is my one and only study preference on the weekend. Thank you JPL.

February 24, 2014. My weekend was all about getting my comprehensive examination proposal finalized. I did and it feels great! I felt this rush of relief when I hit the submit button. It is my best work by far and the most interesting that I’ve explored. The concept of Queer Dating hasn’t been discussed much in research and I believed I may have come across a new term that critical scholars should continue to explore.

February 25, 2014. I always carry my pepper spray with me and I am glad that I purchased it. I don’t necessarily feel safer when I do have it with me, but knowing that I have some way to defend myself helps. In addition, being alert at all times is also critical. Take a few minutes to view this infographic on rape. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/01/07/the-saddest-graph-youll-see-today/

February 26, 2014. Lately I have been utilizing my college book bag. For some reason I stopped using it when I got to grad school and began using bags with one handle, which is crazy considering the pain it inflicts especially when carrying my laptop. This is so much more convenient and is less painful for me at the end of the day.

February 27, 2014. I thought I lost my flash drive and later found it in another bag. It was such a relief because I keep important files on it. The beautiful key ring is from one of my brothers who visited Dubai a few years ago.

February 28, 2014. JPL. I’m literally wired as you can see. While uploading images for my screen structure assignment, I realized how convenient it was for me to just plug in my camera and immediately edit the images that I just took. Technology has made our lives so comfortable and convenient. I couldn’t imagine a world where I wasn’t wired 24/7.