Acceptance

Deadlines are totally NOT my thing. No matter what the deadline is, I have a pretty hard time sticking to it. I prefer to work at my own, leisurely pace. Don't we all? Maybe it is because I was raised more or less as an only child and I am used to doing things the way I want. Maybe it is because I consider myself an artist (with words at least since I can't draw a straight line to save my life) and I simply can't be done until the inspiration in my head tells the work is finished. Maybe I am just lazy. Yep, probably that last one.

Well, West Chester University didn't seem to mind me missing their application deadline and I have been officially accepted into the English Masters program for fall 2011! Woo! Higher learning! Time to party! Oh, wait. That was my undergrad studies. Graduate school I actually have to study and learn and not spend the whole time trying to find a good kegger to spend my Friday (or Tuesday) night. Hmm, I guess I'll go anyway.

I am excited to get back into school. I feel like I could have done so much more with years in the Bachelor program. I got so swept up in the whole college thing, making friends, going to parties, carving out my own little life in West Chester, that I kind of forget to put my whole self into school. Now I won't be living in West Chester and grad school is bit too important (and expensive) to screw around with. I'm paying my way through grad school, hopefully without the use of student loans, and I intend on making it worth my while. The job market blows and I need some good credentials if I am going to live up to my dreams of falling into the perfect career that pays me what I am worth to do something I love. Ok, I know that is almost certainly NOT going to happen, but hey, if I aim high, maybe I can end up somewhere in the middle? I could be OK with that.

I don't have SUPER high expectations for my life, but I do have some standards I would like to keep. First, I need to be intelligent and well read. I know school and learning is not for everyone, but it is for me. When I used to do poorly in school my dad would yell at me and tell me I am not lucky enough to have the excuse of being stupid to explain my bad grades. He was right. I am not stupid. I am actually pretty smart. Just, as I mentioned earlier, lazy. Well, that is a habit I am trying to break. In the past I would slack on my homework to hang out with my friends. I was always afraid if I didn't see my friends as frequently as I could they would forget about me and find someone better to hang out with. I am now a bit older and understand that usually doesn't happen. And if it does, good riddance to those lousy friends. I know my real friends will understand that I am busy with school and when I finish my homework early or am on holiday break we can party it up. I am sure I will need it.

Another thing I need to do with my life is travel. I love hanging out around my house and around town. I can be a real homebody most of the time and be fine with that. Tom likes to garden and do yard work and I like to clean and keep a nice place. BUT, not all the time. Neither of us want a big house. We want a small, easy to care for, affordable house that does not run us dry because we need to travel. Maybe not every year, but I need to go back to Thailand to visit some friends sometime. Oh yeah, we have spent some months in South East Asia. That is a story for another time, though. The point is, it is awesome over there and I would move in a heart beat if I didn't love my family and friends so much. You guys really suck, you know?

I want to be able to give my kid(s) a good life, too. Now, one child sounds like enough to me, but I leave room open for a second one to be, hopefully, adopted. I am a woman and of course I have that silly maternal feeling that just bugs me to have a child of my own. And one of those would be plenty. If I decided that I wanted a second child, they would definitely have to be adopted. It is a real shame how many kids are born into this world and left with nothing before they even get started. I can't save the world, but helping out one kid by bringing them into our family would feel pretty good I think. And I don't want more than one or two children because I want to provide everything I can for them and I just don't feel like I could provide enough attention and/ or money to more than that. Like I said, I can be kind of lazy. And while I hope that I am not a lazy mother, I still need some down time. More than one or two kids and I can't imagine you get much of that. Even with just one kid I am sure you don't get much down time at all. I hear they are a pretty full time job.

In summary, a halfway decent career, a modest house, a chance to leave the country once in a while and 1-2 children. That is what I would like to aim for in life. I don't think that is too much, right? Well, step one: get into grad school. Check.

"Where your talents and the needs of the world cross lies your calling." ~ Aristotle

Let's hope so, bra.