The end of an ordeal; or, a new beginning
I'm officially in the PhD program at RICE! I decided during my visit, almost after the first meeting I had when I got there, it just felt really right and the program itself perfectly matches what I wanted: small, supportive, congenial, great placement rate, great professors (in fact my favourite critic in the entire world is a professor there!) and a great campus. The classes are designed to instruct and help you publish and professionalize before you leave grad school, which I think is fantastic. They are affiliated with the Dickens Project and Studies in English Literature (SEL). The program is designed to get you through in 5 years, which sounds pretty daunting, but I think they make it possible with their requirements. And they don't have a foreign language requirement! PERFECT. The only real downside for me is the location: really far away from home, family, friends and everything I know and love. But I am also excited about being in a new place, being in a big city and having my own apartment! And after such a long and cold winter (it's still going down to 30 in Charlottesville, WTF?) I will be happy to have some sun and heat... I might not enjoy the hot summers but I will love the warm winters.
It's hard thinking about leaving Charlottesville. I just really love this town. I'm getting jealous of the people I know who are going to UVA or getting a job here. But in typical Maggie-style, I would also hate to have to find a job here and living at home for another year would just NOT be cool. But how am I going to live so far away from my dog? Every time I look at her her big brown eyes say "Don't leave me!" Oh well. I have some time to figure all that out and spoil my dog even more than I already do. For right now my excitement about living near an Ikea outweighs my trepidation about moving to Texas.
Sense and Sensibility opens this weekend. I feel ambivalent about it. We could definitely use another week of practice. Spring was so busy for the kids and for me that I think we've only had a few rehearsals where everyone was in attendance :(. If people learn their lines then I think we can pull it off. The set looks good, the costumes look great and the play itself is good, if I do say so myself as the writer. I don't think it's going to be a box office smash, but after The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe's success I think that will be okay. One box office success under my belt is enough for me, I think. I just hope the attendance for S&S is respectable.
Part of me can't focus on the present because I am so damn excited about the future. I'm going to RICE!!!! And I'm so happy about that I can't even deal with it :) :) :) :)
It's hard thinking about leaving Charlottesville. I just really love this town. I'm getting jealous of the people I know who are going to UVA or getting a job here. But in typical Maggie-style, I would also hate to have to find a job here and living at home for another year would just NOT be cool. But how am I going to live so far away from my dog? Every time I look at her her big brown eyes say "Don't leave me!" Oh well. I have some time to figure all that out and spoil my dog even more than I already do. For right now my excitement about living near an Ikea outweighs my trepidation about moving to Texas.
Sense and Sensibility opens this weekend. I feel ambivalent about it. We could definitely use another week of practice. Spring was so busy for the kids and for me that I think we've only had a few rehearsals where everyone was in attendance :(. If people learn their lines then I think we can pull it off. The set looks good, the costumes look great and the play itself is good, if I do say so myself as the writer. I don't think it's going to be a box office smash, but after The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe's success I think that will be okay. One box office success under my belt is enough for me, I think. I just hope the attendance for S&S is respectable.
Part of me can't focus on the present because I am so damn excited about the future. I'm going to RICE!!!! And I'm so happy about that I can't even deal with it :) :) :) :)