Finds Traction

And I have effectively turned my life upside-down. I have put in notice at the bank, registered for a full load, told Sarah I'm moving out, and have made a bedroom plan at Mom and Dad's. I will move my PC availability date to August. I'll officially graduate in August but will walk in April with Delaina in case I'm gone by then. Okay then.

I'm even thinking of ditching my fancy car in favor of a piece of hud for getting from the sewing room to the Coug. It's on.

Spinning Wheel

Would it be so terrible if I left my job right this very second so I really could graduate in August and leave for the Peace Corps on time? I just saw online that the classes I'll need this spring and summer are neither offered in spring nor in summer. What? That's right, kids. That would mean I couldn't get those classes until fall 2008, effectively pushing my graduation date back to December instead of August (after the restructuring of the soc major pushed it to August from April).

So I was thinking about how 3/4-time is the most expensive way to go to school and how I cringe at the idea of my graduation date being pushed back. Me and my graduation are like magnets trying to connect at the wrong ends. North and north repel each other. It makes me want to scream. It's always just out of reach.

Even if those two classes were offered at night this winter, there's no way on this earth I could handle 15 credits and keep enough hours at the bank to keep my position. Oy.

Okay, leaving the bank right now would mean I really would graduate in August and could actually be available for Peace Corps service in the fall. I'd want to leave earlier because I wouldn't be making any money by sticking around. I also wouldn't go into my student loan grace period and could have that time when I return. The downside to leaving earlier includes missing the holidays an extra time (unless I leave before Labor Day), no time for that grad school prereq independent study class, not visiting Bridget in France before I go, and so on.

On second thought, I could take that prereq over the summer with my last two BS classes.

If I did leave the bank right now, I'd want to move closer to school or into Mom and Dad's house (not that there's any room there, but the price is right). If I moved to Provo ... I'm not moving to Provo. Either way, I'd want an on-campus crap job that wouldn't take much time but would allow me some study time and get me some groceries.

I haven't even been back at the bank for a year, and this year I'd get a normal number of vacation days. There's the winter party, bonus time, the people I love -- there are definitely reasons to stay. Are they worth moving my graduation date back for the millionth time?

I need to talk to an advisor down at the Coug to be sure about those classes and their availability. Even if I could get them in the summer, that means a full load, so it's either full-time now or during spring and summer. I'd prefer taking a full load over spring and summer instead of now, but that brings me back to class availability. I'm a spinning wheel.

I guess it comes down to what is important to me. Clearly, it's not my job since I'm seriously considering ditching it. It's school -- as a means to doing something meaningful (not only the Peace Corps, but the rest of my life).

More to come.

Of Course I Care

Finals are done, and I think I kicked a little booty. Hooah. Grades will come out after Christmas, and I'll hold my breath until then.

Screw Finals (Kinda)

So, really, it's clear what's important to me by what gets my time. I have one final down, two to go, plus a research paper. But my Peace Corps application is sure done and submitted as of the wee hours today. My health status review is also complete and submitted, so now I just have to wait for the recruiter in Denver to call me in 3 to 4 weeks.

I'll think about finals tomorrow. I'll do my Christmas shopping someday. I'll sleep when I'm dead. And I'm not baking cookies.

But I will join the Peace Corps.

Hold for Finals, Please

It's finals week at the Cougar, so Peace Corps stuff is on hold for a moment. The crunch of finals is smashing my psyche. The Bishops were just here for the non-wedding, and I have been sick with sinusitis. It's awesome. One of my drugs is called Phlemex (which doesn't cease to amuse me), and I still have sexy-voice although I've felt better for two days. Well, one day, at least. Okay, I almost feel better, but not really.

Hopefully I can get some good Christmas shopping done before next Tuesday. Oy.

The Widow's Mite

All I've got left to do on the application is to update my resume and submit that sucker. Also, there is one more letter of recommendation pending.

I'm not in a hurry, though. She's wicked busy at work and with a new and rather scary medical diagnosis. She agreed to write the letter over lunch last week and THEN she told me the scary news. I hesitate to be more specific until she has a second opinion and tells her family.

Still, it's pretty scary, and she still didn't hesitate to say she'd write my recommendation. I don't even know how to respond to that. I'm kind of amazed and thankful to be the recipient of what feels like the widow's mite. I know writing a recommendation may not sound like a big deal, but I know what her life is like these days and the medical dimension it's about to take on. I have no words.

More to come.

Thanks, Steve

I think I don't know what I'm getting myself into, but I'm kind of okay with that.

Facing the upcoming portion of the semester (uh, finals) has made everything seem kind of impossible of late, but I got some good advice from my brother-in-law Steve last week. I was starting to feel like joining the Peace Corps is crazy and ridiculous and not that wise. People who aren't American eat bugs, right? Right.

Anyway, in an effort to assuage the fears of people who will worry about me while I'm gone, I had been focusing on how innocuous and safe it will be, but when Steve said I should go to the scariest place possible, I immediately remembered all the reasons I want to go.

Thanks, Steve.

Still, I am pretty sure that I have no idea what really lies ahead. As is true with many things, you can never know what it will be like until you do it. Grrrrrrr. Let's do it!

The Beginning

This is the road to the Peace Corps. I plan to leave next winter/spring. That's early 2009, which at the moment sounds kind of far off, but really, it isn't. I have started my application process and as of this date, I have two essays and two letters of recommendation to go.

Plus, I have to finish college.

More to come.