One down, seven to go

I just finished up my first PhD application. This is such a tedious process, but at least now I can stop fretting over my personal statement, which I think turned out pretty well.

I really need to get some ink for my printer. I bought the wrong kind. Hey, do you have a Lexmark 3-in-1 printer? I have some ink (32 black and 33 color). I'll mail it to you. (I already opened it, so I can't return it.) It'll be like a little, super functional Christmas present.

Today, I grade portfolios. My poor students this semester...I'm always behind on grading. Next semester, I'll be better.

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Now that I'm not a student (so weird!) I need to start making assignments for myself so I keep up with all this academic stuff. I'm thinking about revising and sending out some of my critical papers, starting work (brainstorming mostly) on that single girl anthology I talked about a while back, researching my mafia project, sending out my ms, and maybe a chapbook, trying to get some more conference presentations... I'm crossing my fingers that I get into a good PhD program, but if I don't, I need to get myself in the habit of being an independent academic, if there is such a thing.

Another thing, which I've talked about here before, is a reading list. I've started one on good reads, but I think what I'm going to do next is reorganize my bookshelves into read and not read, and then just plow through it. I'm such a slow reader. Maybe I'll sign up for one of those speed reading courses. But really, I know what they're going to tell me--the problem is when I skim or just read first and last sentences or any other speed reading tricks I've heard over the years, I don't retain anything. And isn't the point of reading to learn and remember?

And theory! I think, and maybe this will sound backwards, I finally know enough to start reading theory. When I first started grad school, everything I read theory-wise sounded like greek to me. I was so confused. But I think that all those buzz words and mini-lectures (this is a chair! Why is it a chair? Because we call it a chair! It's sign and signifier, baby!) have snuck into my consciousness and now I'm ready for the heavy stuff. We'll see. I'll never be a fan of Foucault, but maybe it won't make me cry this time around. (Seriously, I cried when I read Power/Knowledge for a class presentation. I thought I'd get laughed out of the room.)

Alas, I don't have time for all of this right now, because a sweet little meagle is waiting for her walk.