WichiTalk

When I was a full-time college student, I don’t think I ever truly considered what it must be like for adults to return to school to earn a degree. I saw them in my classes, and they were pretty quiet, except for the moments when they would share personal experiences related to working or raising a family.

I January, I made the decision to go back to school to pursue a nursing career. It’s something I’ve always considered, but was too scared to do. For the past four or five months, I’ve been working in the morning and going to class in the afternoon and evening, finishing up a few prerequisites before entering the nursing program (how can I possibly have any prereqs left after 5 years of college?). Let’s just say this experience has really opened my eyes.

Switching gears from work to school can sometimes be difficult, and there have been numerous times where I’d rather have spent the evening in front of the TV instead of studying for tests. But there’s a part of me that rejoices in the fact that I’ve taken the leap of being a non-traditional student…it’s challenging, and I’m learning sooo much.

So kudos to all of you out there who are juggling a job, going to school and in many cases, raising a family too. How do you manage to stay organized? Do you find enough
time to study, keep up at work and spend time with your family? Share your stories here.

Posted by Missy Good

I can usually find shoes, purses and clothing that I love at bigger stores (such as Wal-Mart and Target), and I’m thrilled that I scored such a cute ensemble. But then I see my great find on about two or three other women in the weeks following my purchase, and it leaves me feeling a little bummed.

That’s when I love to head to one of Wichita’s boutiques, where I’m sure to find something one-of-a-kind. They’ve got fantastic clothes, awesome jewelry and purses, and another one of my obsessions: trinkets. Picture frames, notepads, little boxes, coasters, pens…just about any little item you never knew you needed.

What are your favorite Wichita boutiques? If you don’t have any, be sure to check out today’s WichiTalk section for just a few of the fabulous shops Wichita has to offer.

Posted by Missy Good

Every spring, I head to the nursery to buy several flats of beautiful flowers. I bring them home and put them in dozens of terra-cotta containers that I strategically place on my front steps, back deck, etc. Every year I vow to keep them watered and thriving. I still have a couple of last year’s dead plants in those containers. (Whoops!) My name is Lori, and I am a plantaholic.

Earlier this week, several of us here in the newsroom were comparing our spring plant shopping habits. Many of us found common ground. We set the bar high in April. We have dead plants in early July. Check out our 10 signs of a plantaholic in today’s WichiTalk. Tell us whether the signs describe your spring gardening tendencies. Or share another way to describe your passion for plants.

And in the meantime, happy planting (or at least plant shopping)!

Posted by Lori O’Toole Buselt

You’ve probably heard by now that Nick Lachey will be appearing at next month’s River Festival. And that means you can place yourself in one of the following groups:

Group 1: You love Nick Lachey, even beyond the days of 98 Degrees and Jessica Simpson and can’t wait to see him in Wichita.

Group 2: You were into Nick when he was playing his wife’s down-to-earth counterpart on the MTV reality show, "Newlyweds." But you’d rather spend your time at the food court than smashed in a crowd trying to catch a glimpse of him.

Group 3: You find yourself asking, "Who’s Nick Lachey?" (And you pronounce his last name "Latch-ee.")

Which kind of fan are you?

Posted by Lori O’Toole Buselt