Day 14 - Post Graduate Coursework?

I talked to the director of the PhD program at Dominican University for about an hour today. She was telling me about some factors to consider before entering into this commitment. She explained ways for me to tailor the program to address my interest in Archives. She also suggested that I look at the University of Pittsburgh for a similar set up, perhaps with more opportunities for fellowships. I was pretty inspired, and I began to get some balls rolling for my application, ordering test scores and asking for letter of recommendation, etc. Ideally, I would like to find a job that allowed me to practice my archival skills while I am working on my PhD. I like the fact that the faculty at Dominican are flexible and trying to help students find the right fit instead of just focusing on their enrollment numbers. I also have the option to defer admission if I find that the timing isn't right at this point. I wish that I could put in a life order the same way I order Chinese takeout. Mine would include a part time job as an archivist, admission to the PhD program, a diverse group of hip Chicago friends, a nice scholarly boyfriend, and enough discretionary money to visit friends and family around the nation. Aaah, the search for fulfillment continues....

Day 13 - Lovely Day

I started the day with  a bowl of Rice Krispies and plans to meet Rachna at the Hyde Park Street Fair. The fair took up about 5 blocks from 53rd to Lake Park. There was a variety of music and food, along with all kinds of artisans. I saw alot of jewelry that I would have bought, but I fought the impulse. Now is not the time to buy more things that will clutter up my space. The artwork was amazing, my mom would have had a field day. They had LaShun Beal prints, LaShun Beal pictures were all over my Aunt Dorothy, Cleo and Vera's, as well as Grandma Flanagan's homes. Another painting depicted people but they were all different shades of blue, with a random red hat or red scarf scattered within it, was my favorite. Rachna bought 3 wooden wall hangings of a Hindu goddess. Another highlight was a light conversation from a police officer, working as a security guard at the event, his name was Allen. Allen was tearing up some Caribbean food when I sat next to him under the shade. Relax, no romantic sparks..he told me more than I ever I wanted to know about the Chicago Police Department, and which local restaurants to avoid because of health code violations. Apparently, there are places that have been shut down multiple times, but because of who they know, the closure never sticks. Suffice to say, there is no Dirty Dining segment on the news here, to let the public make our own decisions. It was super hot, but hanging out with Rachna and seeing the clever ways that people have found to make a dollar were very entertaining.

Later this afternoon, Lauren and I decided to bike to Northerly Island to check out the Anthony Hamilton and Jill Scott concert. We packed our backpacks with all kinds of snacks and a bottle of moscoto and headed over there around 7:30. The concert venue was outside, so we could hear all of the music from the park on the other side of the venue, for free. A lot of people had this idea and we enjoyed watching people clapping and dancing to their favorite songs, miles away from the source of the music. Biking to the city center at dusk was absolutely breathtaking, the skyline is amazing, I don't think that I will ever get tired of it. We left the concert around 9:30, knowing that we would have to bike back in the dark was not a pleasurable thought. There are areas of the path that are not lit, I didn't like having the water to my left and a dense migratory bird habitat on my right and no clue if there was a rock in my path. Not to mention, Lauren is swift like the wind on her bike, I spent the majority of the ride 50 feet behind her. I had every twisted vision of psychopaths abducting me and throwing me into Lake Michigan, leaving no evidence. I biked my butt off, and returned to Hyde Park without a hitch. Today made me feel like I am achieving the life that I have been dreaming of, it's not beyond my reach.