My name is Andrea Kennicutt. I am likely older than many of you all in
class. I am 43 years old. I have 4 kids of my own, a step-daughter, and 5
grand-kids. Two of my grand-kids live with me and one come to visit
every other weekend. My kids are boys ages 9 and 16 (17 on the 21st of
this month), and twin girls age 10. My grand-kids are girls age 16, 13,
3, and 1 ½ and one boy age 8. The boy lives with his father in Alaska.
The 3 year old was given up for adoption and last I heard lives in
California. The 16 year old and the 1 ½ year old currently live with me
and the 13 year old lives with her father, but she visits us. My
stepdaughter has a drug problem, which is why none of her kids live with
her. I have been married for 18 years and we live in Del City.
This is my first semester at OU. I finished my Associates in Science at
Rose State in December. I am majoring in Meteorology. I have always been
fascinated by the weather. I absolutely love thunderstorms. Love
listening to the thunder roar and I love to watch the lightning light up
the sky. If any of you have ever watched the movie Thor, there is this
scene where it’s about to rain and Thor hears the thunder and gets this
big grin on his face. That’s exactly how I feel when I hear thunder. It
makes me smile every time. To me, it is peaceful. I don’t know what I
plan to do with my degree at this point, but hopefully I will figure it
out sometime before I graduate. If all goes as planned, I will have my
Bachelor’s degree in Meteorology in May 2018.
Beautiful Lightning
I have 6 pets. I have a Beagle named Eddie. He is fat and lazy. I also
have 5 cats. Three of them came from the animal shelter (as did the
dog). We have Bones; he is named for my favorite Star Trek character. He
is a tan tabby and is very fluffy. Not at all what you would think a
cat names Bones would look like. Ninja is my husband’s cat. He is a
black and white tuxedo. He likes to lie on my son’s black blankets, like
he can’t be seen there. But his white gives him away. Bats came to us
as part of a duo, Bats and Robin; sadly Robin got hit by a car. Bats is
all grey and kind of shy. Natasha, aka Black Widow, practically forced
her way into our home. She just showed up at our door one day and we let
her in. She was pregnant and we kept one of her kittens we named
Coulson. Natasha is all black. She hates all the other cats, including
her own son now that he’s older, but loves the dog. Coulson is all black
as well, but he has longer fur. He is very active, but then he’s only 9
months old.
Ninja and Bones doing what they do best. Photo taken by me.
Natasha. Photo taken by me.
Bats. Photo taken by me.
Coulson. My kids put a pedometer on his collar. Photo taken by me.
Eddie and Loki. I no longer have Loki. He disappeared a couple years ago.
I miss him terribly. He was my baby. Photo taken by me.I have fairly recently picked up my old childhood pastime of reading comics. I read them occasionally as a kid and I loved watching Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk back when they were on tv. Yes, I’m that old. Ha ha ha. I have been buying random $1 comics trying to find a series I really like. I like a lot of them. The series I am focusing on the most right now is Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme. I love all the comic book movies that have been released in recent years. I have been watching many of the recent comic book tv shows as well. The Flash is a family favorite of ours. Everyone in the family will actually sit together to watch it. As far as the movies go, my current favorite is Captain America: Winter Soldier. I say current favorite because my favorites change often. I am looking forward to watching Batman vs Superman when it comes out late this year, mainly because Wonder Woman is going to be in it. She was my favorite as a child, and I look forward to seeing her on the big screen.
Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in Batman vs Superman
As you might have guessed, I’m a bit of a nerd/geek. I love comics, especially Marvel and DC, and both Star Wars and Star Trek. I have never understood why some people think you have to pick one over the other. When I was younger I was embarrassed that none of my friends liked the nerdy/geeky things I liked, and so I hid that part of myself for a long time. Now that I’m older, I don’t care as much what others think. It’s a plus that now it is not considered such a bad thing like it was when I was younger. Don’t be embarrassed to express what you love, whatever that may be.
I am officially jealous of your cats, as you can probably guess already, Andrea: we have two cats, and they are both so spoiled that just the two of them keep us busy, ha ha. And I think it is great that you are coming back to school to study something you love. You are not alone as a non-traditional student in this class; one of the many things I like about teaching online classes is that there are all kinds of students who enroll, often people who have lots of other things going on in life who are using the online option to squeeze school into the busy picture. And it sounds like you might be destined to do a Thor Storybook for this class, or something about the thunder and lightning gods of the world, like Thor and Zeus and Indra, etc. Or maybe a project on the legends of Loki, in honor of your lovely cat; I know what it's like to miss a cat who's longer a part of your life; my special cat from the past was named Ralphie, and I think about him every day. Anyway, I am sure this class will connect with your interests, and I hope you will have a good time with it! ... and about Star Trek: I have been watching Star Trek since I was in third grade back in the early 1970s. And I still love it! When I retire, I want to write a collection of Aesop's fables, with the fables adapted to all the different cultures of the Star Trek universe. Just one of my many retirement project plans...! :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Laura, your cats are absolutely adorable! Cats are not my favorite animal, but they are a close second! I bet it can get a little crazy with all 6 animals! I love your passion for Meteorology! The weather is such an interesting part of everyday life. I am one of the people that love every season and find beauty in each one. I love when it rains and thunders. I find a lot of peace and quiet in the middle of the storm. I also love watching it from a window! I wish you the best of luck in all your classes and in Meteorology! :)
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm Cassie and you came to the right school for a meteorology major! I am in a sorority and my little is actually a Meteorology major too! Her name is Caroline Brown and she's so passionate about the weather. I bet y'all would have a lot to talk about! I love animals so much, but i bet its a handful having all those pets! I know its worth it though looking at all those pics! They're adorable! I hope your first week at OU was great and the rest of your semester goes well!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea! Sounds like you have a huge family and there is never a dull moment in your house! I bet that keeps everyday interesting. I really enjoyed seeing all the pictures of your pets. Animals are so important to me. If I could I would have at least five dogs at all times. The pictures of your cats were really cute. I have one cat, but I don’t get along with her as well as it seems you do with your cats. Thanks so much for sharing so much about your life!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, nice to meet you! I love that your family is able to find something to share and enjoy together like the Flash television series, those memories made together are so important. I can tell you have a huge heart for children and for animals, that is inspiring. You're animals are adorable. My grandmother also has a cat named Ninja, and he behaves in the same stealthy way that yours does. Good luck as you carry on with your degree and I look forward to reading more of your stories!
ReplyDeleteHey Andrea! You sound like a really cool person! :) You kind-of remind me of one of my professors, Mel. He's big into comicy/superhero type things, and he wears superhero shirts Every.Single.Day. Like they're his cape. And I'm sorry that you felt like you had to hide that part of yourself! It's stupid that certain things are considered "nerdy" and others aren't, because really, where do we draw the line? Who's making up these rules? No one in my family (Mom, Dad, brother, me) is really into sports. In fact, I'm probably the sportiest one, because I ran track for a while, rode horses for most of my life, and like to workout. But I'm a total reader and I love Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, and for a while, those things were considered "dorky," but luckily I had two best friends to share the passion with, and I think it made us all closer.
ReplyDeleteI love thunderstorms, too! And so does my dad. I think meteorology would probably be something he'd enjoy, though it's never been something he pursued professionally. Have you ever thought about being a storm-chaser?? I know it's a risky job, but... do what you love, right?
I'm sorry about Loki. :( Losing pets is always terrifying (if they go missing) and devastating when you know they're gone for good. I had to give away my lab Bella when I came to college (she stayed at my mom's and my mom traveled a lot for her job), and even though I know she's in a good home (with a veterinarian!), it breaks my heart to know I don't have my baby anymore.
Also, I love your rebel kitty, Natasha. Break the mold--hate the other cats, love the dog. (Actually, she sounds like me. haha) Nice to meet you!
Andrea, I loved getting to read your introduction! That is so awesome that you are chasing your dreams and studying meteorology. I have always been fascinated by thunderstorms (and the weather in general) as well! Unfortunately, I am allergic to cats so I am not the biggest fan of them. I also think it is really cool that you like Star Wars! I need to go see the newest movie that just came out. I hope you are having a great semester at OU!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed getting to read about your family and your pets! I like how, even though we do not actually attend class, we still get to know each other so well during this course. Maybe even better, since we get to share so much of ourselves through writing.
I love cats so I really enjoyed getting to know yours. I actually have had three cats in my life. One was a tortoiseshell named Wobbles that only had three legs. We got her from my uncle, who is a vet, after he performed surgery and the owners never came back :(. She passed away in 2013 because she was very sick and we had to put her down. We also had a black and white tuxedo cat as well! His name was Rilow and we got him as a rescue from my uncle, just like Wobbles. He unfortunately passed away about two years ago as well. He just disappeared and we never saw him again. Since he wasn't sick, we're thinking a bobcat in our neighborhood might have gotten him which makes me so sad. Now, I have one more cat named Chubby Princess and, as you can read in my intro, the name fits her perfectly.
I think it's really cool you're studying meteorology and made the decision to get the degree! I wish you all the best in the upcoming semester!
Hi, Andrea! I love that the theme of your blog matches your love for thunderstorms!
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you came to OU for your Bachelor's degree! I absolutely love this university and appreciate all of the opportunities it provides for its students.
Wow, you have so many pets! They are all so cute; thanks for sharing pictures!
Good luck with your first semester at OU!
Hi Andrea.
ReplyDeleteI actually have a very good friend names Andrea who is also into Meteorology, what a coincidence! My dad is a Meteorology professor at the university, so it's actually very likely that you've had his class.
I am a big nerd to. I like both Star Wars and Star Trek and don't know why I have to pick a side. I've only seen the original series when it comes to Star Trek, but I've been told I need to watch some others.
Wow, Andrea, you seem like quite an incredible person. I think it is really fantastic that you are chasing your meteorological dreams all with a house full of kids and pets! I also love that you own your nerdiness! I love what I have seen of Star Trek and I cannot wait to see it all! So far I have seen all of Next Generation and I am halfway through Voyager. I think Voyager's doctor may be my favorite character, but there are so many to choose from. I really look forward to getting to know you and reading your works this semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea! Nice to meet you! It seems like you have a full house with all your kids and grand kids! It's wonderful that you're pursuing a career in meteorology. It explains your blog background very well. Lightning storms are a beautiful natural phenomenon. Do you mind telling me how it occurs? I like the last line in your post "Don’t be embarrassed to express what you love, whatever that may be." It reminds me to be myself!
ReplyDeleteI’m not a fan of comic books. I had to read a few for a class I took a few years back and I was never really a fan of the style of writing. I do love the comic book movies though! They’re fantastic—I mean Marvel not DC. I’m a huge plan of The Flash though. I recommend DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, It’s a pretty good show as well. Not as good as The Flash but I do enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteAll of your pets are so cute! I'm definitely a cat person, so it was great to get so many pictures! With so many kids and pets around, I bet your house is a fun place to be! I sometimes like peace and quiet, but in my opinion there's nothing more fun than being in a house with lots of friends and family and just getting to spend some (loud) time together!
ReplyDeleteAndrea,
ReplyDeleteVery nice to meet you! I like how inspired and determined you are to pursue meteorology! That subject has always been on my top 10 list of interests. I too absolutely love the rain, thunder, and lightening. My favorite thing about the rain is the smell. I can never get enough of the fresh smell of rain! I also love all your cute pets! I have one cat myself and she is precious. When I finally settle into a home, I plan to at least get one dog and maybe one other cat. Pets are always nice company to have around. Cant wait to read more from you!
Alex
Hi Andrea! I really loved getting to read a little bit about you! It's really cool that you are pursuing what you love! I feel the same way as you do about the rain and thunder. I find it really calming, and one of my favorite things is falling asleep during a thunderstorm. I never really got into the actual comic book thing, but one of my favorite shows is arrow! You should definitely check it out if you haven't already!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, nice to meet you! After reading your introduction I can say we for sure have one thing in common, and that is the love of thunderstorms! I love learning about the weather and luckily my major requires a few meteorology classes and becoming very knowledgable about the weather. There's something about a spring thunderstorm that relaxes me and feels like home. I can also say I recently started to realize that you can't help who you are, and that you should be yourself, no matter what. If people truly like you, they'll appreciate all of your nerdy/geeky traits! lol. Good luck on the rest of your semester!
ReplyDeleteGreat to meet you! Wow, you must be busy all the time! I'm so happy to learn about all of your children/family and even about all of your pets. I like to think of pets as family members too, so you have one very large family! I'm like you as well and I get excited when thunderstorms come around. I love the sound of thunder and love it even more when it shakes the house! It's relaxing to watch a storm sometimes. Great to meet you and so happy I got to learn more of who you are!
ReplyDeleteHey Andrea! It’s great that you’re pursuing a degree in Meteorology! I really don’t know much about storms and scientifically what happens during them, but I feel like it would be interesting to learn more about them. I can’t imagine taking care of that many animals that’s impressive! It seems like they all have their own personalities, which is what I love about animals the most. All of your pets are so cute!
ReplyDeleteHey Andrea! It was great getting to read your introduction and learn a little bit about yourself. I think that is awesome you decided to go back to school and pursue something you a really passionate about. What a perfect school to study meteorology at too, Oklahoma has some of the craziest storms I have ever seen. I am originally from Michigan so we don't get storms like you guys here in Oklahoma. I applaud you for taking care of so many children while going to school. You must be one awesome lady! Goodluck in school I hope you get to do something cool in meteorology someday!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you Andrea! I hope you are liking your first semester at OU! I have always been interesting in Meteorology but never ended up looking further into it to major in it. Your pets are precious the pictures are adorable! I am also a Star Wars fan and was super excited to see the latest Star Wars movie this past Christmas break. Good luck with the rest of the semester!
ReplyDeleteHey Andrea,
ReplyDeleteIt was great to get to read your Introduction and get to know you. I really hope you are enjoying your first semester at OU, this is my second semester here. It is very interesting that you are a Meteorology Major. Comics are awesome! I don't really read them, but thoroughly invested in the Marvel Universe through the movies and Star Wars will always be amazing.
Hi Andrea! That's awesome that you're a meteorology major. I actually have a lot of friends who are meteorology majors and it's super fun to watch them forecast! It's so cool that you have five cats. I'm currently at two, but I always want more kitties! I think I'll just stick with my two for now, though. I hope you have a great rest of your semester and good luck with completing your degree!
ReplyDeleteHey Andrea! I thought I would check back in with you because of the "huge" tornado that just happened I bet you were hyped! I was talking to my friend who is also a meteorology major yesterday and she was talking about the tornado and all the weather terminology that I completely didn't understand, but Im sure you would have such a lively conversation! I hope your semester went well and you are ready for it to be over! Nice catching up!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea!
ReplyDeleteI don't believe we have actually met yet, so it's nice to finally meet you on the last week of class! I hope you have enjoyed this class as much as I have. I also looked your Storybook and I thought it was great! It was really fun to read through. Good luck in your future endeavors!