Set in motion.

Aah! It really is happening. Application, check. GRE scores, check. Transcript sent, check. Now time for letters of recommendation, writing sample, & 500-word statement of purpose...

This film from Lomography makes me think twice about selling my film Canon EOS. They sell it at Camera Doctor, so this kid might have to be making a little trip post-Christmas.

Chronic back pain rules. Except not.

I attempted to take a picture of Drake since I am sending holiday cards for the first time.

This was the result.

Urban Outfitters.

Let me just say I have a love/hate relationship with this store. On one hand, they symbolize trendy, hipster, overpriced douche-yness to me. On the other, I love their apartment section, with all of its cute little nouveau-vintage (oxymoron, much?) items. I think I'm turning into a wannabe housewife.

Look how awesome!









The only item of clothing I will (openly) admit to lusting after at the current moment is these bad boys. Ah, I want!

December.

I hate leaving my house, much less venturing out into Atlanta, this time of year. People obsessing over what they are going to give (but really what they are going to get) for Christmas, driving like they should never have been giving a license, cramped parking lots, packed stores. I can't even go into WalMart to get freakin' contact solution and razors without having to wait behind someone with their carts filled to the brim with toys their kids won't play with in a year. Oh, American consumerism, you never fail me.

That said, I am glad my family isn't "doing" Christmas this year. The tree is still up & decorated at my parents' house, and I still will go home to visit & eat that day, but it's nice to not have to stress over the whole gift situation. The things I want this year aren't tangible (an acceptance letter and an assistantship paying my tuition, much?), and I have hardly any extra money to spend on gifts. Luckily for me, my parents (and boyfriend) aren't big on material things lately. I guess that comes with getting older, although I could argue against it for some 50-somethings I see...

Financial situation is stressful as ever. Hours have been majorly cut at work yet again, and literally 60% of my monthly income is going to rent when it should be something like 30%. I desperately need to pay off my credit card & save for grad school, and I'm not seeing it happening right now. I have a couple of options (really, just one - but it's a doozy) for moving, and I'm trying to weigh them out. Still have seven months before I move to Mississippi, so wherever I go until then has to be permanent.

I think my little brother is joining the Coast Guard. At first, I kind of freaked because it was out of the blue & it obviously still is considered themilitary, but after reading about it, it sounds like something he'd be really good at. He has to go to two months of basic training in NJ where our only contact with him is letters, which will be hard - we have never gone two months without talking. After he graduates from boot camp, he has five days of leave then gets stationed somewhere. I think he wants to be in Miami ("chasing drug lords & modern day pirates on the high seas" - his words, not mine). Dad knows, but Mom doesn't...yet. That's the Leonard children for you...always throwing Mom for a loop.

January brings the big guns out - AHC internship interview, grad school application being completed, the start of what will be the most stressful & exciting year of my life - and I can't wait.

Ok, and maybe I lied. There is something I would like for Christmas:

March 14th, 2009.
Me & my dad, just like March 3rd, 2007, except plus Elton.
Life is good.

Almost 2009.

So much has been going on lately that I haven't had much time to write in here. I'll just give a quick rundown of what's been up:

• Took the GRE, did well enough to be eligible for an Honors Fellowship at Ole Miss. $1,000 a semester for Master's students - awesome!
• Have an interview with the Atlanta History Center in December for the internship. Crossing fingers I can work in the archival program.
• Biked 12 miles on the Silver Comet Trail up near Rockmart with BT this past Sunday. Froze to death & couldn't walk for a couple of hours afterwards, but it felt great.
• Read Twilight just to see what it was all about and by page 250, found myself thoroughly underwhelmed. I still want to see the movie simply because I find Robert Pattison beautiful.
• Money is tight, as the economy is affecting my place of employment, resulting in hours being cut, on top of a somewhat disappointing annual raise. Applied at a couple bookstores for a part-time seasonal position, so we will see how that plays out.
• I am full-blown, head over heels in love with one of the best men I have ever met. This is what an adult relationship should be. Giving and taking equally, all with respect and love and caring. Finally. Thank you.
  

Even though it is still eight months away, I'm getting really excited for grad school. According to the graduate catalog, a sampling of courses I could take in one semester would be Great American Writers: Cormac McCarthy, Readings in US History: Civil War to Present, and a basic Studies in Southern Literature course. To some, this is torture, but to me...paradise. On top of just getting back to school, I can't wait to move to Oxford. While I will miss Atlanta a whole helluva lot, I think a new environment will be exciting & a nice change of scenery. Plus, nice apartments rent for a fraction of the cost of living in the Atl.

After doing some research, I think I am going to qualify for more financial aid than I thought. According to the Ole Miss grad school website, "Graduate students who receive a minimum of $1800 per semester as either an assistantship or fellowship are eligible for a partial tuition scholarship (75 percent of tuition for the minimum, ¼ time stipend, increasing to a 100 percent tuition scholarship for a ½ time stipend)." I don't intend on working outside of being on campus my first year there, so if I can do a 1/2 time assistantship, I can get a 100% tuition scholarship AND a somewhat generous stipend, significantly reducing how much I would need to take out in loans. I would absolutely love it if I was lucky enough to not put myself into thousands of dollars.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! I will be in Panama City with my family from Tuesday through Friday, relaxing and enjoying somewhat warmer weather (even if the tattoos will all have to be hidden).

United we stand.

Tuesday: what a great day to be an American. Spent all day at work, refreshing CNN.com every five minutes with Cheri. Got home at 8 & watched as much of CNN's updates as possible before falling asleep early on the couch. BT woke me up right as "BARACK OBAMA - PRESIDENT-ELECT" was being splayed across the screen. If I hadn't been so groggy, I probably would have cried. Finally came to, called my parents who were miraculously still awake & celebrating (probably the only ones in Cobb County), then managed to keep my eyes open long enough to watch his speech in Chicago.

So glad change is coming to America, so glad everyone united as one to elect this man as president. I thought McCain's concession speech was very graceful; the first time in the past couple of months I really enjoyed hearing him speak. Overall, I went to bed so proud of my country and optimistic about the next four (hopefully eight) years. I can't wait to tell my children where I was when history was made (on the futon, in my pajamas, half-asleep).

The GRE is exactly a week from today. I've been studying a bit everyday. I took a practice test the other day and actually scored a little bit higher on my math than my verbal which, needless to say, left me pretty perplexed. The next seven days are really going to be crunch time. I know it isn't the only deciding factor when it comes to getting into grad school, but it will be much-needed peace of mind if I do well.

Brian & I hiked to the top of Stone Mountain this past Sunday; what a work out. The weather was awesome (sunny, mid-70s), and the view from the top is amazing. After hiking the mountain, we went and checked out the covered bridge then headed home. I want to go bike the 4 mile trail around the base of the mountain sometime soon. Hopefully, the weather stays nice. I want to do the Silver Comet Trail soon too.

Halloween was loads of fun. We carved pumpkins before heading out to Graveyard in EAV. Drank & danced the night away with my closet friends...don't think I could ask for much more. Great night. Plus, I think BT & I made a really cute pair of sailors.




Currently into:
-Grape soda
-Walgreen's Apothecary Lavendar Soak epsom salts (ahh, so good)
-Aveda Clove Shampoo & Shampure Conditioner
-Coffeemate's Pumpkin Spice coffee creamer
-Rock of Love: Charm School (guilty pleasure!)
-Atlanta on the Cheap
-HGTV - lots of it
-Bertolli's Oven Bake Meals