fyi

First of all, since I'm pretty sure this is what everyone cares about (it's definitely what I would care about), new apartment pictures are coming soon. PROMISE.

Second, I just thought I'd share a piece of good news I received at a conference (specifically, the meeting of the BABEL Working Group) in Boston this weekend. I won a writing award! The BABEL Working Group is composed of some of my favorite scholars and people, and so it was truly amazing to be recognized by them. As part of my award my essay will be published in a real-life literary journal so, you know. That's pretty cool. Details and the announcement here.

In all seriousness, I'm really overwhelmed and gratified and humbled by the award, as well as how wonderful it was to have so many of my friends there at the conference to celebrate with me (two professors and five other GW grad students). They really went out of their way to make me feel special, and I'm super grateful for that.

I'm also really grateful for Ross, who whipped our house into amazing shape while I was gone and who just generally always works extraordinarily hard. PICTURES SOON!

Actor Announcement*

As some of you know, it’s been a nail-biting few weeks, but I am thrilled to announce that I have officially been accepted to The George Washington University’s PhD program. Starting this fall, I will begin pursuing my (fully funded!) doctorate in Medieval and Early Modern (think Shakespeare) literature with a focus in critical animal studies.

Two things: 1) One of the kind of sobering things this application process has taught me is that getting accepted to these programs is a privilege. There are tons of wicked smaht, talented potential scholars out there, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue doing what I love in such a supportive atmosphere.

2) I’m about to get schmaltzy;** be advised. I am also really grateful for all the encouragement and congratulations I’ve received since posting my announcement on Facebook. Graduate school is hard, but knowing I have the support of the people I love makes it a little easier. Special props, of course, to Ross, without whom this—and a million other things—could not be possible. Schmaltz concluded.  

In summation: I feel very lucky and very loved. See you in 4-5 years. 

*Please award yourself 10 bonus points if you get this reference.

 **Bizarrely, Microsoft Word recognizes “schmaltzy” as a word.

it's a new day

Well, it will be by the time I post this, anyway. It's nearly midnight. I just finished and posted my four-page essay prospectus to Blackboard, and it feels pretty good. I still have 60 pages of essay to write in about two and-a-half weeks and the bulk of Christmas to construct, and I'm still working a job that gets progressively more stressful, but I'm significantly less panicky. Granted, that might be because Ross is sleeping next to me, and nothing says "it's all going to be okay" better than a person (or pet... I'm not particular) that you love sleeping next to you. Also, some super friendly notes from Colleen and Kathayoon helped, too. Anyway, here's a thoughtful rabbit (I beg your pardon... thoughtful hare) from the National Gallery Sculpture Garden for your week. Hope it's a good one.

lost and found

The best part of my day was when I found two bags of the best tea ever hiding in my backpack.

A not-best (although not worst, sadly) part of my day was when I discovered that all my pens and highlighters have disappeared. Pilfering niece and nephew or a grown-up protecting them from the former? Only time (as in, the time between now and tomorrow, when I get a chance to ask) will tell.

new day's resolutions

Lovely Photo found here

Tomorrow I will:

*Leave the house before 3pm

*Clean the kitty's litter box

*Edit my C.V. and Personal Statement

*Go for a walk while it's still light outside

*Write and send yet another begging email to my professors

*Play more proactively with the cat

*Read scriptures

*Drink water

Tomorrow I will not:

*Spend more than half an hour watching "The Daily Show"

*Spend more than fifteen minutes reading blogs

*Read any movie reviews. Not a one

*Nap for longer than I intend

*Sigh*

"New Day's Resolutions: Because Sometimes We All Suck at Life"

married face

Photo by the excessively talented Rachel Thurston

Dear Husband,

Today being November 10th, we have been married for one whole calendar month, and I thought I would let you know that so far your job performance has been exemplary. I look forward to future evaluations.

Sincerely,

Wife

P.S. Love you.

sometimes the small things...

...can be the most life-altering.

Case in point: I have spent my entire life waging an epic battle with Venetian Blinds. I hate them. I have always hated them. I don't understand how anyone could not hate them. Never in my life have I been able to make them work for me. If I want them to stay up, I usually have to tie the cord to/around/through something. If I want them to come down, I have to spend sometimes up to ten minutes engaging in a precise--indeed, almost surgical--operation whereby I pull first one string, then the other. Lately I've been pulling the string with my right hand while my left tugs ever-so-gently on the actual blinds themselves.

Last night I was using the dual-handed trick and trying to close the blinds in our bedroom. I was becoming visibly and increasingly frustrated when my dear, sweet husband said the following, oh-so-casually: "You know that you pull the string to the left to lower the blinds, right?"

No. I did not know that.

Other things I learned in the course of last night's conversation:

• To raise the blinds you simply pull the string, of course (I did know that)
• But to get the blinds to actually stay that way you pull the string sharply to the right
  

I have since practiced this many times. Each time the blinds have operated perfectly. I can scarcely describe this feeling; it's as though I've gone my whole life with blurry vision and someone has suddenly given me glasses. It's like I'm Helen Keller in that scene from The Miracle Worker where she finally figures out how to say "water." In that one small moment my entire life changed for the better. The war is over.