Yet Another New Beginning
Part of me truly regrets the fact that most of these posts end up beginning with an apology of sorts for not posting more frequently. I'm beginning to think it's a reflection of my own guilt, that here I have this nifty blog thing that I was once so adamant about updating frequently and it often languishes untouched like a long-forgotten toy on Christmas morning. I swear my intentions are still good, it's just that sometimes life gets in the way.
That having been said, summer is often the best time to take hiatuses because so few things that are planned ever reach perfect fruition. Consider not only my plan to blog about graduation (which I didn't do, despite the very pleasant surprise of a cum laude distinction) but also the summer reading list I'd penned at the start of the summer. No sooner did I get home from school than did work and other grad school-related nonsense start occupying my time. A few of the intended reads -- such as Galápagos by Kurt Vonnegut and the inescapable Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling -- were easy enough to strike from the list, while others (like You Shall Know Our Velocity! by Dave Eggers) have proven to be more formidable foes. I think the built-in languor of the summer is to blame: good intentions turn into half-realized accomplishments as easily as one would be inclined to jump into a pool on a hot afternoon.
Summer then is a fine time to take a breather, so I make no excuses for my absence. But now, as I emerge from my summerly cocoon, I find a whole new world waiting to take the place of the old, and lots to update as my life takes a new and drastic turn from what I once knew.
The first thing to note is that, with Princeton (sadly, mournfully, regretfully) come and gone, I am no longer a college student but a college graduate. The next obvious step if one is not inclined to enter the working world or wishes to enter said working world at a position which requires further qualification than can be provided by a paltry bachelor's degree is to enter the ranks of the few, the proud, the sketchy -- the graduate student.
For now, I have no clue what this new experience will bring because I've yet to take any classes or attend any meetings thus far. At the moment, all I know for sure is that they're going to pay me -- not handsomely, mind you, but hell, I'm still getting paid to go to school, right? -- and that almost all of my classes are seminars. I'll also have a whole class of freshmen to torture when I begin teaching freshman rhetoric (cue maniacal cackle) instead of working my ass off for the minimal satisfaction I received from teaching in the New Jersey public school system.
Unrelated Digression -- Hey, State of New Jersey, I've got a bone to pick with you. Is there any reason I have to call you in order to make sure you received my PRAXIS scores. Because, last time I checked, this was the kind of thing that was done, oh, automatically, because ETS sent them directly to you. And, silly me, thinking that even though I added your code to the list of organizations to whom my scores should be sent -- you know, just to be safe, because I know how Trenton is -- you wouldn't need me to call you and tell you to make my scores available to the Department of Education for them to be, you know, made available to the Department of Education. Please kindly remove your heads from your collective assholes as soon as possible, kthxbye.
Whew. Much better.
What does make the whole college-to-grad school transition much easier, of course, is having someone out here to join me. And while the decision may not have been approved of completely by certain relevant parties throughout the process, now that I have moved into the new apartment with Danielle, I'm pleased that things are already looking like they're going well. Move-in is always hectic (there's really no way around that) but things went about as smoothly as expected, and so far, the whole cohabitation thing -- though a mere 24 hours old -- has been relaxing and minimally stressful.
Factor all that smoothness in with an evening spent watching Food Network on our futon whilst she and I sipped port wine and scotch, respectively -- thank you, Messrs. Lange and Pence, for showing me the sophistication and distinction that could be realized through appreciating the smooth sherry textures and rich aftertaste of a glass of well-opened Macallan, aged 12 years, served neat -- and I believe this is something I could get used to.
And as I adjust to this new endeavor, be confident in the fact that I will once more find myself at the keyboard (of my new MacBook, it should be noted) to record the ever-evolving adventure as it develops. That, and a few more surprises, are likely to be in store for me, and I'm looking very much forward to them all.
That having been said, summer is often the best time to take hiatuses because so few things that are planned ever reach perfect fruition. Consider not only my plan to blog about graduation (which I didn't do, despite the very pleasant surprise of a cum laude distinction) but also the summer reading list I'd penned at the start of the summer. No sooner did I get home from school than did work and other grad school-related nonsense start occupying my time. A few of the intended reads -- such as Galápagos by Kurt Vonnegut and the inescapable Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling -- were easy enough to strike from the list, while others (like You Shall Know Our Velocity! by Dave Eggers) have proven to be more formidable foes. I think the built-in languor of the summer is to blame: good intentions turn into half-realized accomplishments as easily as one would be inclined to jump into a pool on a hot afternoon.
Summer then is a fine time to take a breather, so I make no excuses for my absence. But now, as I emerge from my summerly cocoon, I find a whole new world waiting to take the place of the old, and lots to update as my life takes a new and drastic turn from what I once knew.
The first thing to note is that, with Princeton (sadly, mournfully, regretfully) come and gone, I am no longer a college student but a college graduate. The next obvious step if one is not inclined to enter the working world or wishes to enter said working world at a position which requires further qualification than can be provided by a paltry bachelor's degree is to enter the ranks of the few, the proud, the sketchy -- the graduate student.
For now, I have no clue what this new experience will bring because I've yet to take any classes or attend any meetings thus far. At the moment, all I know for sure is that they're going to pay me -- not handsomely, mind you, but hell, I'm still getting paid to go to school, right? -- and that almost all of my classes are seminars. I'll also have a whole class of freshmen to torture when I begin teaching freshman rhetoric (cue maniacal cackle) instead of working my ass off for the minimal satisfaction I received from teaching in the New Jersey public school system.
Unrelated Digression -- Hey, State of New Jersey, I've got a bone to pick with you. Is there any reason I have to call you in order to make sure you received my PRAXIS scores. Because, last time I checked, this was the kind of thing that was done, oh, automatically, because ETS sent them directly to you. And, silly me, thinking that even though I added your code to the list of organizations to whom my scores should be sent -- you know, just to be safe, because I know how Trenton is -- you wouldn't need me to call you and tell you to make my scores available to the Department of Education for them to be, you know, made available to the Department of Education. Please kindly remove your heads from your collective assholes as soon as possible, kthxbye.
Whew. Much better.
What does make the whole college-to-grad school transition much easier, of course, is having someone out here to join me. And while the decision may not have been approved of completely by certain relevant parties throughout the process, now that I have moved into the new apartment with Danielle, I'm pleased that things are already looking like they're going well. Move-in is always hectic (there's really no way around that) but things went about as smoothly as expected, and so far, the whole cohabitation thing -- though a mere 24 hours old -- has been relaxing and minimally stressful.
Factor all that smoothness in with an evening spent watching Food Network on our futon whilst she and I sipped port wine and scotch, respectively -- thank you, Messrs. Lange and Pence, for showing me the sophistication and distinction that could be realized through appreciating the smooth sherry textures and rich aftertaste of a glass of well-opened Macallan, aged 12 years, served neat -- and I believe this is something I could get used to.
And as I adjust to this new endeavor, be confident in the fact that I will once more find myself at the keyboard (of my new MacBook, it should be noted) to record the ever-evolving adventure as it develops. That, and a few more surprises, are likely to be in store for me, and I'm looking very much forward to them all.
posted by Dave at 8/19/2007 04:38:00 PM
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