making decisions

Graduate school, here I come! I've started studying for the GRE. For the program I want to enter, I have to have a score of 1000. I took a practice test the other day and did pretty well, but I think I can do much, much better. Writing is my ultimate dream, but I want to get this Master's degree so I can teach. I can just see myself teaching public relations and public speaking, writing for the media, and other similar classes. Oh! Argumentation! That would be fun too. I'm still looking for another job and I'm hoping it will be in another type of public relations. All experience I'm getting now will be valuable when I start teaching. I can really convey to the students what it's like to work in the field. I had a teacher who had worked in corporate, nonprofit and government PR, and she had such a wealth of information to share with us! It was great learning from her. I had hoped to get a government job, but it didn't work out. I'm thinking now that doing PR for an educational institution would be great, and I have three resumes out for that.

I gave myself a little break from writing yesterday. I got something in the mail that deflated me a bit and I needed to regroup. Rejection letters are no fun at all, are they? And this one was from the publisher that does not accept simultaneous submissions. Oh well, it's with another publisher now and I will keep writing. I've heard that you shouldn't be a writer unless you absolutely cannot imagine yourself doing anything else. It's that kind of passion that will keep you going in the face of so much rejection. I agree with this, and can't imagine not writing, so I keep writing. It does make me wonder (again) if I'm really a good writer or if people have just been nice all these years.

writing update

Did some work on Magnolia Tree. It's going very well, I like the direction it's taking and I like what's happening with the characters. The story is interesting and I think people might actually want to read it when it is finished and (heavily) edited.

The two main characters from Draha have names now. I'm happy with the names, but I don't feel comfortable revealing them yet. I want to get to know the kids better before I start telling people their names. The story is coming along in my head. I have a special notebook that I'm using to write notes for the books and I carry it around with me everywhere I go. I'm always reaching for it to write some little detail or plot point. It's an awesome notebook for this project, too. It's the one I got in the journal swap and it has Celtic symbols and really nice colors.

Tomorrow is rehearsal. The cast is supposed to be off book for the first time. It should be interesting!

Adventures in Law Part 2: A Job Offer from the Grave?

Most law professors, like regular professors (and cops) are pompous jackasses. I don't know what that thing is called, which academics have, that makes them jackasses, but whatever it is, Joe Griffin had the antidote. If anyone had a right to be pompous, it was Joe Griffin who, literally, wrote the book on international antitrust law. But luckily, Joe was as down to earth as he was smart. His

Crazy weekend

I spent almost all day yesterday buying things for Noah. School starts in a few days. My parents bought him some uniform pants and I bought most of his school supplies. Of course, my sister has two kids in school this year, so my parents bought Hannah's school supplies. Except for the bright pink Bratz lunchbox. She really wanted it, so I got it for her. She's going to be so cute in her little uniform, carrying her pink backpack and pink lunchbox. It's her first year of school and she couldn't be more excited!

Anyway, school supply shopping is really different now than it was when I was a kid. I clearly recall that when I was in sixth grade, they didn't ask for specific types of highlighter markers, pencils and pens. They didn't have requirements about the types of folders and the colors of the composition books. When I was in sixth grade, I bought a binder, some notebook paper, some great folders, pencils and pens. That was pretty much it. No kleenex, no dry erase markers, no chisel tip blue highlighter marker... they require twelve folders with pockets and prongs, assorted colors. They require two packages of graph paper (50 sheets) but I couldn't find two packages of 50 sheets so I had to buy one package with 100 sheets. I hope he doesn't get into trouble. It's crazy! I have no idea why they are getting so specific, but I suspect it has something to do with the fact that they want to stamp every bit of individuality from these kids and turn them into mindless, identical drones. Well, they're not getting Noah, or Hannah for that matter. They are strong, creative kids with their own identities. I strongly encourage that in them, and I will continue to do that as long as I'm in their lives.

Anyway, it was an interesting experience to buy all the school supplies. It was actually sort of funny to listen to the complaints of the moms in Target, talking about how expensive it is to shop for school supplies.

Today, I didn't do anything at all. Nothing. It was nice. I did a lot of thinking about things, a lot of soul-searching and considering things in my life. Sometimes everyone needs to stop and think about life. I did that today, and I'm glad I did. I feel better about some things now.

Photo Hunters Theme: Funky

Play that funky music, white boy! This photo is of some of my friends at a show. They were getting funky on the dance floor! It was a fun night, which I'm sure you can tell!

C'mon Gentrification

Well, DC's first Target store continues to tease me like a stripper between the first and second song of her set. The outside looks like it's done, so I don't know when it will be finished, but I am avoiding trips to the Virginia Target on principle (and also because I'm lazy and Alexandria, VA might as well be Cincinatti Ohio, as far as I'm concerned. Do they even have indoor plumbing in

ouch

Migraine tonight. Three meetings today. I was going to write this evening, but the meeting lasted longer than I expected and I got home late. I'm exhausted and my head feels like it's about to explode. Going to bed now. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.