Plans for the future.

It's been a long time coming, but I will be graduating from the University of Kansas on May 17th, 2009. I. Can't. Wait.

As far as my next step... well, it's not exactly what I expected. I had a few grad school acceptances, a few rejections, and a short-list acceptance to the JET Program. But, there were a lot of factors in play (many unforeseen) that made deciding what do do rather difficult. The economy is bad. Funding is bad. Loans are bad. Programs are tightening their belts. Admitting fewer people and paying for even less. And playwriting, as much as I love it, is not high on the list of priorities for theater OR creative writing.

When I got all my results and saw that I'd have to go approximately 50k in debt to pursue my MFA this year, I knew I couldn't do it. And teaching jobs are scarce. So, I couldn't in good conscience sign on for that, not with the economy as it is and with questionable income post-graduation. No way.

I wanted to do JET, very badly. I still want to. But, I think maybe (after 7 or so years of college) I need some time to just write. I'm just tired. Much more than I'd thought I'd be. And thanks to my super-intense last year at KU, I haven't written a play in nearly a year. Sad! I know JET would be a great experience, but I think I need some time to recoup and recover. If I went to Japan as I am right now, I would easily be burnt out. I can feel it. That's not good for me or my employers!

So, the plan (as it stands right now) is this:

1.) Pass on schools this year.
2.) Pass on JET this year (Sad, but I remind myself that I'm making an alternate very, very happy).
3.) Move out of Kansas (a big task, if anyone knows the house we're moving out of).
4.) Have an awesome vacation in Florida for a month or so, where I plan to write and read whatever book I want. And get a freckle-tan. And maybe chase around a lizard or two.
5.) Move to Minneapolis, where there's the Playwright's Center (for me), the MN Opera (for Dan), and lots of arts, culture, and food.
6.) Write. Write. Work. Write. We've committed to both of us working only part-time, so that we can use this time to hone our crafts. We're actually pretty thrifty and we know we can make ends meet, provided we can find work. But... I've done a little of everything, and I'm not scared of a crappy job.
7.) Apply for schools with a new portfolio, a new perspective, and (hopefully) a new economy.
8.) Apply for JET again, once I have my next degree.
9.) Be happy. Actually, this is an ongoing thing. And so far, so good. :-)

I know that I was initially dissappointed with how things turned out, but the more I look ahead... the happier I get. This will be good for me, and for Dan. I promise to post more and, as I get back to writing, I'll put up some exerpts.

Thanks to everyone who has been so wonderful and supportive throughout this long process. It'll be quite an adventure these next few months, but I am ready! Wish us luck!

Blast from the past!

I know, I know. I've been a terrible blogger. :-/ But I have had VERY little time for leisure writing! The only thing I write anymore are checks to grad schools and boring ole' papers. I could post my essays up here, but trust me... that would be painful for us both. Please accept my long e-silence as a gift, a sort of reprieve from a more verbose and academic linguistic lashing. (Case in point)

Anyway! I write this post with a purpose. A friend of mine from high school (Kara) is in need of a video clip that I happen to have. Literally. On VIDEO. If you can remember that beast of a technology. She is doing some choreography for a fund-raiser, I believe (something about human trafficking) and is going to gather inspiration from a routine that we did, back in our dancing day. Yes, I was a dancer. It's TRUE! Kara and I, in fact, were the captains. We and the other officers choreographed this award-winning routine all by ourselves. Impressive, no?

Well, before I could email the thing on to Kara, I had to overcome the little problem of format. I couldn't switch the video format into anything even remotely useful. So, I played the thing on my craptacular tube TV and just taped the screen with my digital camera. It's not perfect quality, naturally. But Kara should be able to see what she needs to, and you all can look back at my skinny, dancing high school days and laugh. Heartily, I'm sure.

Just for your viewing information, Kara is the tall, sexy blond and I am (one of the) short, curvy brunettes. I play the "little kid," who holds the stuffed animal, at the start and end of the routine. You can try to follow me from there. It's like three-card Monty!

Enjoy!

Quick Update!

It's been busy as of late, and I've not kept up with my blogging. Naughty me! Here's a brief update on what's new in the Whitney World! It will be random, but that is accurate in so many ways:

I've started my last semester of school as an undergrad!!!! I got decent teachers, although they are all of the "I want to be the hardest teacher you have, and make you do more / read more than ALL your other classes" type. So, that will be... interesting. I'm a little overwhelmed right now with the workload. But, I'll make it work. Or, I won't graduate. And I'll ruin everything I've been slaving for. That's quite a motivator, huh?

Speaking of those things I have been slaving for... I have only one grad school application left! Actually, the application is all done. I have only to mail off the transcripts and supporting materials. Whooooooooo!! So exciting! Now... the waiting. Less exciting.

Another exciting thing! I got an interview with the JET Program! :-D It's on Feb. 27th, so I'll be studying up on all sorts of things to get ready. There will surely be a post once I'm all done. But it might be a drunk post, depending on how the interview goes. Woot for spellcheck!

Hmmm, what else? I got medical insurance for the first time in years. So, if I want to crash my car into a tree... I am now free to do so. That's very liberating, considering how stressed out I'm going to be in the near future. I do like to keep my options open.

Other than that, things are good! :-) Dan and I are well, working hard, and waiting to see where we end up in 6 months. Oh, the possibilities!