in search of a cunning plan
Well, I didn't get the Fulbright. Bollocks.
I came close -- made it from the first round -- ten to one chance, to the second round, two to one chance. So, nothing to sniff at, especially for a proposal to Western Europe (much more competitive than the rest of the world) -- and I'm not despondent, but it is pretty crap. I was soooo looking forward to having the US govt foot the bill for pints in Whelan's (or Neactain's, Em!) next year, in exchange for some interesting (and might I add) relevant research on immigrants in Dublin.
So what shall I do? Shall I brood and brood, and spend my days nursing spiked cups of coffee, wringing my hands as I watch daytime television (Dawsons Creek reruns are my favorite, but the Cosby Show will suffice in a pinch)? Shall I sit in a corner and cry heigh-ho, for a husband? Shall I become a fitness-crazed robowoman, join a gym and Stairmaster my woes away? Shall I chainsmoke and write horrifically bad haiku? Or how about just a nice little cry on the sofa with a ciggie and some chocs (too Bridget Jones, but v v tempting)? All of the above? None of the above?
No! Non! Nyet! And further, nish-nish! There are books to be read, tea to be made and drunk, Merseyside derbies to be won (HA!), letters and emails to write, songs to be sung, revolutions to be planned, roots to be dyed (see attached), warmongering Republican administrations to be protested, Etc. Etc. I am stage-managing one of the most boring plays on Earth -- and yes, they ARE paying me, but not enough, and directing a fabulous play at my old high school (for which they ARE paying me enough, and the kids crack me up, bless them), but that's all over by May first. Also working my usual three-to-five part-time jobs, but that's a given.
In all seriousness, I am applying to Kings College for the MA in Cities, Culture, and Social Change (sounds a bit grand but I'm reasonably sure it's not) -- but I won't really know about that until late May or June, particularly concerning the financial side of things. If I get in (cross your fingers) I will defer a year and start in September of 2007. Why defer a year, you are asking, Dan? I think that, although the program sounds fabulous and right up my alley, I don't want to get the degree and then come back to the States and get stuck again -- so I want to do a little more wandering before starting the degree, with the intention that after the MA I could (cross your fingers on the other hand) get a job in the UK.
This is where you all come in, all you preposterously smart and tremendously dear people: What should I do between now and September of 2007?
Here are the parameters of the conundrum, should you choose to engage in this exercise:
- I want to save at least $5K (defray London expenses for the MA year);
- I need to be in DC July 15 2006, in NYC August 12 2006, and back in DC sometime in the spring of 2007 (weddings, dammit);
- I would like to spend at least two months living and hopefully working in either one or some combination of:
A) New Zealand (pro: I can get a work permit, con: it's hella costly to get there);
B) Slovenia (pro: cheap as chips, con: harder to get under the table work, esp as I cannot stand the idea of teaching English, yuck) (pro: but if I went soon I could be in England and/or Germany for the World Cup!) (con: but I am broke);
C) DR or some other Spanish-speaking country (pro: possibly very cheap, and I can regain Spanish fluency, con: could relearn Spanish right now if I commit to it) (also, more dengue fever and fewer adorably badly dressed men than Eastern Europe);
D) I'm open to suggestions: I can read Cyrillic (can't speak anything using that alphabet though) and my French is mort but revivable -- although I don't really fancy China or sub-Saharan Africa, to be honest, or anywhere extremely sandy, as it bothers my lenses;
- I need to pay off my credit card, $2-3K. I have student loan debt but the interest rate is low, so I won't count that;
- I need to go to the West Coast at least once before heading to London (projected cost around $1K);
- errr, that's it. Those are my parameters.
So come on, dream a little dream for me. That's right: give me some advice. How lovely to actually be asked for advice, for once, rather than just wondering whether or not one should give it! I'm open to any suggestions (other than prostitution and teaching English, yuck) and I know all of you sitting at desks, or nursing your first born sons, or supervising the raising of leaking derelict boats, or plotting revenge on your evil and/or incompetent superiors, you know, however you spend your day -- all of you have an idea for something you've always thought I should do, or something you've always thought YOU should do but you want me to try it first and tell you how it went before you decide. Or maybe you don't have that idea now, but you might in the next few weeks. Or maybe you have tons of ideas. Email me, now & forever. I will consider it all. However you want to play it -- come all up in my Kool-Aid, I told you the flavor.
Or you could come visit me in DC. Singly or in pairs or in groups. I even have a spare room with a futon in it. DC's nice in the summer when it's not sweltering hot mosquitolicious 9but the spare room has AC, never you fear!) We could go to NYC for a couple of days or just kick it around here, drinking lemonade and talking shit on the back porch. It's a gorgeous town if you stay a good distance away from the gub-mint people and the herds of tourists. I'm just sayin is all. Think it over.
I came close -- made it from the first round -- ten to one chance, to the second round, two to one chance. So, nothing to sniff at, especially for a proposal to Western Europe (much more competitive than the rest of the world) -- and I'm not despondent, but it is pretty crap. I was soooo looking forward to having the US govt foot the bill for pints in Whelan's (or Neactain's, Em!) next year, in exchange for some interesting (and might I add) relevant research on immigrants in Dublin.
So what shall I do? Shall I brood and brood, and spend my days nursing spiked cups of coffee, wringing my hands as I watch daytime television (Dawsons Creek reruns are my favorite, but the Cosby Show will suffice in a pinch)? Shall I sit in a corner and cry heigh-ho, for a husband? Shall I become a fitness-crazed robowoman, join a gym and Stairmaster my woes away? Shall I chainsmoke and write horrifically bad haiku? Or how about just a nice little cry on the sofa with a ciggie and some chocs (too Bridget Jones, but v v tempting)? All of the above? None of the above?
No! Non! Nyet! And further, nish-nish! There are books to be read, tea to be made and drunk, Merseyside derbies to be won (HA!), letters and emails to write, songs to be sung, revolutions to be planned, roots to be dyed (see attached), warmongering Republican administrations to be protested, Etc. Etc. I am stage-managing one of the most boring plays on Earth -- and yes, they ARE paying me, but not enough, and directing a fabulous play at my old high school (for which they ARE paying me enough, and the kids crack me up, bless them), but that's all over by May first. Also working my usual three-to-five part-time jobs, but that's a given.
In all seriousness, I am applying to Kings College for the MA in Cities, Culture, and Social Change (sounds a bit grand but I'm reasonably sure it's not) -- but I won't really know about that until late May or June, particularly concerning the financial side of things. If I get in (cross your fingers) I will defer a year and start in September of 2007. Why defer a year, you are asking, Dan? I think that, although the program sounds fabulous and right up my alley, I don't want to get the degree and then come back to the States and get stuck again -- so I want to do a little more wandering before starting the degree, with the intention that after the MA I could (cross your fingers on the other hand) get a job in the UK.
This is where you all come in, all you preposterously smart and tremendously dear people: What should I do between now and September of 2007?
Here are the parameters of the conundrum, should you choose to engage in this exercise:
- I want to save at least $5K (defray London expenses for the MA year);
- I need to be in DC July 15 2006, in NYC August 12 2006, and back in DC sometime in the spring of 2007 (weddings, dammit);
- I would like to spend at least two months living and hopefully working in either one or some combination of:
A) New Zealand (pro: I can get a work permit, con: it's hella costly to get there);
B) Slovenia (pro: cheap as chips, con: harder to get under the table work, esp as I cannot stand the idea of teaching English, yuck) (pro: but if I went soon I could be in England and/or Germany for the World Cup!) (con: but I am broke);
C) DR or some other Spanish-speaking country (pro: possibly very cheap, and I can regain Spanish fluency, con: could relearn Spanish right now if I commit to it) (also, more dengue fever and fewer adorably badly dressed men than Eastern Europe);
D) I'm open to suggestions: I can read Cyrillic (can't speak anything using that alphabet though) and my French is mort but revivable -- although I don't really fancy China or sub-Saharan Africa, to be honest, or anywhere extremely sandy, as it bothers my lenses;
- I need to pay off my credit card, $2-3K. I have student loan debt but the interest rate is low, so I won't count that;
- I need to go to the West Coast at least once before heading to London (projected cost around $1K);
- errr, that's it. Those are my parameters.
So come on, dream a little dream for me. That's right: give me some advice. How lovely to actually be asked for advice, for once, rather than just wondering whether or not one should give it! I'm open to any suggestions (other than prostitution and teaching English, yuck) and I know all of you sitting at desks, or nursing your first born sons, or supervising the raising of leaking derelict boats, or plotting revenge on your evil and/or incompetent superiors, you know, however you spend your day -- all of you have an idea for something you've always thought I should do, or something you've always thought YOU should do but you want me to try it first and tell you how it went before you decide. Or maybe you don't have that idea now, but you might in the next few weeks. Or maybe you have tons of ideas. Email me, now & forever. I will consider it all. However you want to play it -- come all up in my Kool-Aid, I told you the flavor.
Or you could come visit me in DC. Singly or in pairs or in groups. I even have a spare room with a futon in it. DC's nice in the summer when it's not sweltering hot mosquitolicious 9but the spare room has AC, never you fear!) We could go to NYC for a couple of days or just kick it around here, drinking lemonade and talking shit on the back porch. It's a gorgeous town if you stay a good distance away from the gub-mint people and the herds of tourists. I'm just sayin is all. Think it over.
posted by Hannah at 1:46 AM
3 comments
