Big news!

Hey guys! I've got big news! Can anybody guess what it is? I bet you can! Anybody? Anybody?

I SURVIVED MY FIRST SEMESTER OF GRAD SCHOOL! *cue dance party and confetti cannons!*

You knew that was coming, right? :P

Yesterday (or this morning from my perspective) I turned in my very last paper, a 14 page doozy on the character of Moriarty in BBC's Sherlock. It was so much fun, but also SO HARD, because I basically had to write my own theory/methodology to deal with the second season of the show. Which is cool, cause that's the kind of stuff REAL scholars do, but frustrating because the concepts lend themselves very well to presentation, but not so well to a paper. Ah well, it's done, and it is, according to my professor after my presentation, "conference material," so we'll see where that goes!

These past two weeks haven't been nearly as stressful as they could have been. I had 4 papers, 4 presentations (3 of which were on a paper that I'd written so they almost don't count) and my piano proficiency, and they all just sort of happened. I mean, obviously I've had to work at it, but I was way more stressed early in the semester before I got used to how much work this was gonna be!

The end of the year also means holiday parties. I had one on Sunday and it was interesting. You know how in every subject there's that one textbook that every school that has an even remotely decent program uses? Well, the guy that wrote that textbook for music history teaches here. He even goes to my church. Anyway, he was hosting the departmental holiday party this year, so I have a) been to his house, b) met his cats and his husband, c) had more than passing conversations with him, and d) had a personal tour of his library. Talk about starstruck! It helps that he is pretty much the nicest man ever, so he doesn't make you feel like he's this big high muckity-muck up on his throne of awesome-ness. But it's still kind of startling to think about - Oh hey, yeah, I know that guy! :P

I also have a dinner tonight (Wednesday) at the house of my 551 professor. You've heard me complain - you can imagine how much I'm looking forward to that. But I will survive, and then, and THEN! I get to go home! In fact, as you read this I am probably in the car somewhere along I-69, belting out Christmas carols at the top of my lungs. Imagine me with the biggest smile on my face, because I will be the happiest person in the world right then!

I will then be spending about 48 hours banned from any sort of device (hence typing this up early) because between typing four papers and my piano proficiency, my tendonitis is killing me. I plan on reading my way through the stack of 25 novels and 3 non-fictional film music books as best I can in those blissful 48 hours. I may even bribe Mom into making a fire so I can be warm for the first time in a month (my apartment is almost always freezing because I'm cheap and I have blankets).

Then it's back to the grindstone - I have one entrance exam left to pass, on early music history (400ish-1750 A.D.). YUCK! Then I need to do my instrumental proficiency, and I'm hoping to get it done early in the semester (in case I fail and need to retake it before the end of my 2nd semester, after which I'm not allowed) so I'll be practicing for that. There's also some kind of "styles" exam in February that I should probably start studying for. Doesn't Christmas studying sound fun?! NOT!

One other thing I'll be doing over break - I'll be looking at internships/fellowships for the summer! I'm actually quite excited about those! Of the ones I have picked out to apply to so far, 3 put me nearer to some of you - 2 in D. C. (Library of Congress and Smithsonian) and one in Cleveland (Rock 'n' Roll HoF)! I may be looking for a couch in one of those areas for a month or so over the summer *hinthint* :)

Alright girlies, that's my news. Hope you all have a fabulous holiday! <3