"Fat and Lazy" looks good on me

Ahhhhh.....I'm so glad to be home. I needed this mini-vacation thing. I'm more relaxed then I have been in weeks. Emergency TA meeting? Cat up a tree? House on fire? Sorry, I just don't care; and it's nice.

Plus, I sent out the final materials for the first 4 Ph.D. programs. That's all done and in fate's hands now. Though one of my recommenders hasn't turned in their stuff yet, but I'm not gonna stress-- it'll get done. So, I've turned my attention to the next three schools, which seem significantly less picky and bitchy than the first group.

In happier news, I have been sleeping until noon, watching lots of Mexican soap-operas and eating seconds of everything my mother makes. If I'm lucky I'll gain a token pound to remember the week by. All in all, I'm good. Their new dog, well puppy, is driving me nuts. She's still in the "play with me forever!!!" stage. You can't walk in the door or, God forbid, take off a shoe without the dog going into crazy mode. I know it wears off and it's pretty typical of Goldens but, not having pets has made me gradually less tolerant. Cats are still awesome but dogs are rapidly going on my shit list.

I'm excited for Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday, by far. None of the stress of Christmas with all of the same side-dishes. No drama, just good old-fashioned gluttony. As a person inclined to view the world through creative writing-colored glasses, holidays are the perfect opportunity to beef up on some story ideas. Holiday get-togethers are like little soundbites of huge fights, personal tragedies, long-standing feuds and new dramas. The whole thing never comes out but, if you know what to look for, the flags are there. I will be ready and waiting when the bell chimes for round one; kinda like Harriet the Spy, except not hidden, with my little notebook, pencil and half a smile stained by cranberry sauce.

Sometimes, I wish I smoked pot...

What a week from hell...geez. Is the semester over yet? Times like these make me almost wish I smoked pot or something. I could definitely use some chill out time.

I know, I know everyone is tired of hearing about how stressful my Ph.D. application process has been but, hey, tough bananas. I'm losing my mind with this stuff!! Can't a girl whine a little sometimes? It just feels like a never-ending ordeal. Just when I think I've got it all together and ready to go, I check the webpage and *poof* another magical requirement seems to pop up from nowhere. arg. I feel like I have NOTHING left to say. Why do I have to project what my dissertation (of at least 2 years down the road) will be?? How the hell should I know? I thought the whole idea of a doctoral education was to figure out exactly that-- what I will do with the rest of my life. It's so nerve-racking. I worry that it's all going to be a gigantic waste of time and money; every one of these places will just say, "Sorry, you're not what we're really looking for right now." Then what? I haven't even had time to imagine what Plan B would be. I literally have all my little eggs packed into the Ph.D. basket.

I guess I'll do that over Christmas break. Thanksgiving is already taken-- two term papers and more thesis research/writing. Not that I'll get any of that done-- I never do when I go home. All I want to do is let my mother cook and fuss over me, go shopping with her, watch too many movies and sleep late every day. Just be a total bum, in other words, since I never get to do that during the year.

I'm gonna have a girls' potluck with my roomie and some friends Friday night. They don't know it yet, but we're gonna have a major "Apples to Apples" match. I can't get enough of that game. Way too much fun-- and so wacky it always makes me laugh, which I need right now.

Saw "Cars" last night and ate too much. It was just what I needed. What a funny movie. I loved it so much, I would consider buying it. I sometimes just get overloaded with the "adult" world and a good kids flick is exactly what I need; a little thoughtless fantasy and humor never hurt anyone.

Wild West...Yeehaaw!

This is usually WAY too early for me to be doing anything...well, except teaching impressionable young minds. However, I'm pretty nervous about the committee meeting today.

I just don't know what to expect and I am a person that really likes to know what to expect. I have to rush back after class this morning to fix up my bibliography and pay ridiculous amounts of money to print off 4 hard copies of the sucker. I did find out that some of my profs have already submitted their recommendations; phew, one less thing to worry about.

Anyway, enough about work. Let's talk about play! Tonight my Spanish girls are throwing a Wild West party. How awesome is that? Not the most common theme, granted, but interesting nonetheless. I'm going to be an indian (how un-p.c. of me) and my boy will be a cowboy. I drove them around last night to get the groceries, which was fun. I think I learned about 5 new ways to say "shit" in Spanish. God bless hands-on education.

Saturday is hockey!!! I'm dragging two friends and my boy along to see the WVU Hockey team play...someone, I forget. In any case, it will be fun. Worse comes to worse, I huddle and absorb myself in my hot chocolate. I've never seen a hockey game before and I'm all about doing things "I've never done before". My brother thinks I'm a weirdo sometimes, but I like to think of myself as eclectic and, slightly, eccentric.

Viva Las Vegas!

I'm goin' to Vegas, baby!! Not for the usual stuff: gambling, prostitutes, crack, quickie marriages, etc. I have a conference there---how ironic is that? Academia meets the Sodom and Gomorrah of the West, perfect! I have been accepted to present a paper at the Far-West Popular Culture Conference (given by the English Dept. at the University of NV-LV). My presentation is about an aspect of techno-pop culture in Brazil that I was savvy to when I was there this summer. I'm pretty jazzed about it, actually. Even though I've never even remotely wanted to go to Las Vegas. I don't gamble so, I'll mostly just be rubber-necking the whole time. Only problem is I have to apply for all kinds of grants from WVU because my lovely department only gives $250 per person for conferences. Needless to say, that won't cover 3 days with hotel, food, registration fees and airfare. I'll have to make sure and buy a fanny pack and something gold with rhinestones so I don't stick out too much.

In other news, I have been making satisfactory progress on my thesis. I think so, at least. I have a committee meeting Friday evening so, hopefully, their opinion will jive with mine. I need to polish what I have pronto so I can send it off as my writing sample. I swear, these Ph.D. apps are going to kill me. It seems like every waking moment is consumed by them. I'll be deliriously happy when it's all said and done; and I fully intend to get completely and utterly drunk in celebration (something I never do). I'm updating my blog right now to avoid: a) my thesis b) my applications and c) my assignments due tomorrow for creative writing. I can't think creatively right now-- reality is way too strong. I guess I can't put off the unavoidable for too long. Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work I go...