My Master's Degree

My schedule may be a bit crazy this fall, but there is a redeeming quality I'd like to point out today: one scheduled event per week. That's right, I only have to go to campus on Wednesday mornings for my 7:00 am class. That also means that when I have a major stomach ache I can work from home (as long as I actually work). So today, I'm just hanging out in my living room, blogging before I really begin my daily routine. And I'm grateful.

I'm grateful for a comfortable place to live, a loving husband who leaves at six in the morning to teach high school students, the opportunity to be in graduate school and expand my horizons with new ideas, and especially for the support of God. He always helps me when life just seems to much to handle. You see, about a week ago my husband and I came up with this deal. By came up with, I mean my mother suggested it to me and Neal and I agreed it was a good idea. Because I am the world's most talented procrastinator, I had a hard deadline set. I had precisely two weeks to write my final project for school, a thirty page paper. Did I know what the heck I was writing about? No. Did I even know which texts I was going to use? No. But since every single paper for my education has been written within a two week span, I was given two weeks. At the end, I'm to send the paper to my chair and Neal and I will look over it and figure out how the heck to make it better.

That's the plan.

It's been a week now and I have a much better idea what I'm writing about and a pretty good idea of the texts. You have no idea how much effort was spent getting there (unless you've written a major project, then you know exactly how dumb challenging it is). Now I have one week to write thirty pages. Maybe that's why I've got a stomachache. The funny thing is, my committee chair hasn't even emailed me back to set up a first meeting this semester, so this whole thing is just on my own. That means it could all backfire horribly. But I've got to make significant effort because December 6th (the last day of class) is worth it. And so is every day following that day that I'd be done with graduate school for a while.

For everyone who has ever graduated from graduate school, I want to send you my personal congratulations. I had no idea how difficult it was. You deserve to makes lots of money and have trumpets hail your arrival at big events.

Although the last week (and the next) will be full of lots and lots and lots of writing I just wanted to take a moment and reflect on why I'm doing all of this. You see, I love school. I always have. Learning holds this joy for me that I don't find elsewhere in my life. When I finished high school and told my English teacher I was going to study English, she was surprised. She assumed I would study music. While I love music, I really do, I love learning even more. I saw an English degree as an opportunity to learn continuously. Really, I'm sure any major would have sufficed in that goal. My undergraduate was a bit hectic (thanks previous roommates and Mom!) to say the least. Lots of all night homework parties, doughnut runs, Dr. Thunder to keep me awake, and 4 am walks back from the computer labs after writing. Mixed in there was what one of my professors called "a chance for introspection" aka a mission (time to think on a mission, oh that makes me laugh). Somewhere in there I graduated. I don't really remember it to be honest. At the time I still had a thesis defense looming.

Two years later I am in school still. This graduation will mean more to me, not because it will make me more money (I wish) or because it means I know 'enough' now, but because there will finally be a break in school. For the first time in my adult life, I will have a different kind of learning ahead of me, one without grades and tuition. I decided to go to graduate school for a few reasons initially: 1) the Lord kindly suggested it, 2) I felt there was more USU could offer me, 3) it was a necessary step toward the PhD I someday want, and 4) it's not like there was anything else I was doing!

Here are some of the reasons I want to graduate: 1) the Lord kindly suggests it, 2) I feel like there are other aspects of life I'd like to learn about, 3) it is a necessary step toward the PhD I someday want, and 4) I have better things to do with my time now.

Additionally:
-practicing piano and voice again
-picking up my Spanish study
-having time with Neal when he is home from work
-time to work out (I know, I know, keep dreaming)
-time to spend with family and friends
-the title "Master Whitlock" :)

Also, since I've got you here. Here are some photo updates from the last week or so. Apparently, I don't just write all the time (even if I should).

A lovely bowl of beets, all earthy and fresh

Some beet juice, the pinkest thing I ever saw

Ready for pickling! Oh yah, we pickled beets. That is what this picture set is leading up to.

We got me a new bike! Woot! Now my bike a) doesn't lose its chain and brakes simultaneously, b) fits a rack that doesn't fall off, c) doesn't sound like it's going to fall apart all the time and d) makes biking to campus a dream.

This is tiny French toast from the tiny loaf pans I told you about. Isn't it cute?

Zuppa Toscana: my way. Okay, so I used a recipe, sort of, but quite enjoyed the product. Kale can be delicious!

These are cucumbers.

Now they are in bottles, ready to be pickled!

What our kitchen table looks like right now. New bike, leftover peaches, our CSA squash, green beans, peach jam, raspberry jam, peach raspberry jam, raspberry jalepeno jam, peach habanero jam, regular pickles, and mixed pickled things. Yay for the weekend!