My backpack

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I have, however, grossly underestimated the amount of time and energy necessary to be a productive graduate student in a school full of insanely smart people. I looked back yesterday on the past week and calculated that I probably spent at least 35 hours studying/writing/pulling my hair out over spss code. I had three papers due and about 400 pages of reading.

Today I bought a backpack. This purchase was long overdue. When I got here I was convinced a purse would do (I have a tendency to carry very large purses). Again, I was mistaken in thinking that graduate school was cute and fun. I mean, it is FUN, but cute? Oh god, very far from it. So today I bought a real backpack. A real backpack that would actually allow me to transport multiple 2" binders, books, lunch, sanity, etc. So if you think I'm overreacting here, I invite you to take a look inside. These are the supplies for my Saturday study session. And this only covers two classes.

Things I Have Accomplished In the Last 48 Hours; Or, Get Me Off This Crazy Train Called Moving Across the Country

The following things happened between yesterday morning and right this second, giving me official cause to tell this move to "bring it, sucka" because I am knocking shit out of the proverbial park.

1. I have a place to live in New York City. Repeat: I have a place to live in New York City. I had to somewhat let go of my ideal Upper West Side quaint studio scenario in a move that is, in the end, totally, mind-blowingly convenient. I'll be four blocks from school, a ten minute walk from the Fairway, and a few blocks from the 1 line which runs from the top to the bottom of Manhattan. Fully furnished. Sigh. And Olive will have a playmate! Deposit sent. Lease in the mail.

2. I have initiated email introductions with two of my new roommates. A teacher, a poly sci grad student and me. Quite the serendipitous combo?

3. Student loans are finalized. Repeat: student loans are finalized!!! Yes!!! And in an odd turn of events, I think I'll actually be acquiring less debt than I would had I stayed in Seattle and done the full-time MPA program at UW. I mean, there are many reasons why that would have been a disastrous choice regardless, but whatever, conscience cleared.

4. "Cat Business" ... I'm lumping this into one because holy hell moving across the country with a cat is an ordeal. But, Olive officially has a vet visit in which I will pay a doctor $80 to look at my cat for five minutes and give me some sort of State-approved certificate that says she's healthy and can travel on a plane. I also managed to track down the Jet Blue-approved pet carrier at Mud Bay and am picking it up after work today. Also, there will be cat valium. Which hopefully doubles as people valium.

5. Discovering that my Columbia ID gets me into most every museum in the city for free. While one R. Matthews pointed out that the museums are all mostly "by donation" anyway, what jerk actually has ever demanded a ticket without paying? I don't have the balls. And now, I don't have to!

6. I have a plane ticket. I have a plane ticket. I have a plane ticket. On August 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. I will leave the Pacific Northwest from whence* I entered: Portland, Oregon. What? Your mind is blown in the fluidity of that Circle of Life connection I just made there? I think I just gagged.

7. Lost most, if not all, humility. I'M GOING TO NEW YORK CITY IN 23 DAYS! YEAAAAAAAYYYYYYY! Humility be damned!

Siiiigh.

*I know this is technically redundant, but "I will leave the Pacific Northwest whence I entered it" just doesn't sound right so bite me.

wtf indeed!

i had low hopes for the morning until i stumbled across wonkette and found my east coast partner in sass. it's like thesuperficial for things that actually matter. and this video: no need to pay attention to anything but cheney. you don't even need to have the sound turned on. "We are going to have nightmares about this for a week. The Vice President is from a goddamn David Lynch dream sequence." i can't stop laughing.

emotional support animals

a very odd conversation about donkey shoes at linda's last night somehow brought adam here this morning: pony reeboks which in itself is amazing. reebok pumps and "casual shoes" for miniature horses? case closed. i think if we focus on that though, we miss the true gem here: service ponies. service ponies! i want to see this in action! i want to see a horse open a door! i want to see a horse alert its owner that the phone is ringing! yes! i'm pretty determined right now to have the world's first emotional support polar bear. watch out.

conversation overheard on the bus today: girl: "i drove to work yesterday. i saw you walking to the bus stop on my way home." guy: "yeah, it was nasty outside last night" girl: "i thought about asking you if you wanted a ride. but my car is really dirty." guy: "yeah" girl: "...and i don't have automatic locks. so i would have had to like reach across and open the door to let you in." *silence for the rest of the bus ride* okay, so even if that happened to be the case, and this girl was feeling a little lazy, why on earth would you say that outloud? make up any other reason: brake failure, need to pee, dying grandmother, etc. not "eh, didn't really feel like stretching my arm out at that moment, so i left you to stand in the freezing rain." what would i do without public transportation?