The Update

My decision to attend Visitation U. coincided with my trip to Big Conference, so I forgot to tell y'all. I would have liked to go to Great White North U. Did you know that Canadian TA's only work 10 hours a week? Union rules, ya'know. 10 hours a week and short semesters, I would recommend it to other grad students.

If it wasn't for Beorn I would have jumped on the chance. Beorn will have to find his way, either way, since he didn't get in where he applied last fall. I think he didn't put his best effort into his applications last time, so I'm hopeful that, if he really wants to do grad school, he will put in a stronger effort next time. Leaving the country under uncertain conditions just didn't seem reasonable. To get residency we would have to prove something like $12,000 in savings, which isn't going to happen anytime soon. Too bad.

I'm excited to be going someplace new though. Visitation U. will now be called Crunchy U. Hopefully there are enough "crunchy" places for that to be less than obvious.

Did I mention that Beorn will be graduating soon and then attending a "field school" over the summer? He will have to live away from me for the summer and spend a ton of time being active in the sunshine. Hopefully he won't need to yell, "The sun, it burns!!!" Or collapse from heat prostration. Computer geeks aren't known for their enjoyment of hiking. I'm crossing my fingers for him.

I will be continuing my current job on campus over the summer. I have a ton of work to catch up on in that vein. Don't tell the administration that I'm actually leaving.

I don't feel that excited about starting over at a new place, but I'm hoping the excitement will build. Getting away from my current entanglements would be nice though. My father has called twice (once while I was in Boston) in the last two weeks for help with Grandma. I don't mind helping, but it's always last minute and an emergency with him. If I have to say no, I feel anxious and stressed. It probably sounds horrible, but I don't think Grandma will be negatively affected by my absence, but being a little further away from family will help me get my degree finished.