Day 28 - Bright and Early

This was my first early day at work, 7:45 to 2:15 and the morning flew by. I had terrible lunch, when the Lean Cuisine box says 9 minutes on 50% power, they are not kidding. If you can't change the power, it would be better to cook for a few minutes and then assess, then you might not end up with a burnt up mess like I did. After work I gathered all of my materials to take to Dominican University in River Forest. I made a quick stop at the post office, and then I made my way (in my car) over the 14 miles of freeway to the school. I wanted to check out the downtown Oak Park area, but there was nowhere to park and my drive down the street didn't reveal any store that I wanted to visit. The neighborhood is famous because Frank Lloyd Wright designed a few buildings and his studio is  located here. I've taken the tour before.

Lauren had a GroupOn for our local Mediterranean restaurant, Cedar's. I met her for dinner, the food was good. I had spare ribs with a pomegranate sauce, tika chicken, rice and vegetables, all for only seven dollars. Unfortunately, conversation took a turn for the worse, as we circled back to the well worn subject of her love life. Between her, my co-worker and several of my friends, they are determined to figure out what men think. As if men were babies whose signs we have to interpret....its killing me. Excuse my language, but I couldn't give a rat's ass about a man who can't communicate what he wants, or if his actions demonstrate something that I don't want. We probably could have a cure for cancer if we put these "man hours" toward something constructive. I'm stepping down from my soap box, its just that my patience is running thin.

Thank God for my friend, Lauren Smith (from Phoenix) who I talked to today, who also feels this way and has assured me that I'm not crazy. Let's all send positive vibes to Lauren Smith because she is planning a move to New York City to pursue her dreams, it's our time, 80's babies, prepare those rocket launch pads!

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....