"First rule of singin': get the rafters ringin'"
So, it's been a little crazy recently. I guess you might have expected that from my extended absence, but maybe not, since these absences aren't uncommon.
Anyhow, I spent most of last week in Nashville for the American Folklore Society conference, which was ridiculously overwhelming, but also awesome for a zillion reasons - the papers were really interesting, the scope was astonishing, and the people were all completely sweet and supportive. I learned a lot and am feeling way more confident about being able to make a place for myself among these people.
After driving 7 hours to get down there and the 4 days of hectic conference, driving 14 hours from Nashville to Austin was not really an exciting prospect. However, drive it we did (I dragged my mom along for all this), in order to drop off my dad's old car at my parents' new Texan digs (by the way, should anyone I know require lodgings while in the Austin area, my parents have instructed me to make known that the house is available for reasonable use :D ). We spent a day driving around Austin and eating at local institutions (sadly not Hey Cupcake because they were closed on Mondays :C ), then we flew back to the great midwest and here I am.
Since then, I've spent my time emailing a zillion people, asking for information, advice, recommendations, etc. Today I wrote my personal statement for applications and tailored 2 copies of it for 2 of my 4 schools. I'm still caught up in some drama about transcripts (this is the time when I am not happy about having attended 3 colleges in 4 years), but hopefully it'll all get worked out quickly.
In other news, I'm exhausted and wish the whole process was over, but I'm also going to hate the months of waiting for a response. Plus I'm being reintroduced to the anxiety of what if I don't get in anywhere, and what will I do, and on and on. I'm so glad there won't be much of that after this go-round. Anyway, I thought there'd better be an update sometime.
Oh also by the way, I'm in Valpo, I got here two weeks ago, and I go back to Sheffield in two more weeks. It's been a great trip so far, PhD woes aside, and I'm glad to be here, but I'll also be glad to be back - minus the English weather. MAN I don't know how you folks put up with that climate all the time - kudos to you. Three years and it's killing me.
Anyhow, I spent most of last week in Nashville for the American Folklore Society conference, which was ridiculously overwhelming, but also awesome for a zillion reasons - the papers were really interesting, the scope was astonishing, and the people were all completely sweet and supportive. I learned a lot and am feeling way more confident about being able to make a place for myself among these people.
After driving 7 hours to get down there and the 4 days of hectic conference, driving 14 hours from Nashville to Austin was not really an exciting prospect. However, drive it we did (I dragged my mom along for all this), in order to drop off my dad's old car at my parents' new Texan digs (by the way, should anyone I know require lodgings while in the Austin area, my parents have instructed me to make known that the house is available for reasonable use :D ). We spent a day driving around Austin and eating at local institutions (sadly not Hey Cupcake because they were closed on Mondays :C ), then we flew back to the great midwest and here I am.
Since then, I've spent my time emailing a zillion people, asking for information, advice, recommendations, etc. Today I wrote my personal statement for applications and tailored 2 copies of it for 2 of my 4 schools. I'm still caught up in some drama about transcripts (this is the time when I am not happy about having attended 3 colleges in 4 years), but hopefully it'll all get worked out quickly.
In other news, I'm exhausted and wish the whole process was over, but I'm also going to hate the months of waiting for a response. Plus I'm being reintroduced to the anxiety of what if I don't get in anywhere, and what will I do, and on and on. I'm so glad there won't be much of that after this go-round. Anyway, I thought there'd better be an update sometime.
Oh also by the way, I'm in Valpo, I got here two weeks ago, and I go back to Sheffield in two more weeks. It's been a great trip so far, PhD woes aside, and I'm glad to be here, but I'll also be glad to be back - minus the English weather. MAN I don't know how you folks put up with that climate all the time - kudos to you. Three years and it's killing me.