Unemployed In Greenland

Well, I did it. I've never been so nervous in my life, but I walked into that examination room on Friday afternoon, stumbled my way through two hours of questions and challenges, and now it's done. I passed my comprehensive qualifying examination, and I, the glamorous, sexy, and sophisticated Amazing Cheastypants, am a PhD candidate. Thank you, thank you, oh, you're too kind.

Actually, it all seems kind of ridiculous when I think of it like that. I just went through academic hell in order to be permitted to write a dissertation. As one of my older classmates told me on Friday night, I just got to Nepal; now I've got to climb Mt. Everest. But whatever. I refuse to get bogged down in the future. Today, I am DONE. Done, done, done donedonedonedone DONE! Hoooraaaaaayyyyy!! For now I'm just focusing on the simple joy of having no looming deadlines, no real work to do for the next week or two, and nothing on my immediate schedule but having fun. I am unemployed in Greenland, and it's just as wonderful as I always thought it might be.

The past few days have been wonderful. On Friday night my friends threw a potluck party for me. I wore my favorite beautiful dress, popped open the bottle of Veuve Clicquot I've had in my fridge since January (I'm big on incentive programs), and gulped champagne, ate fruit tarts, laughed and flitted about feeling free as a bird all night. I don't have photographic evidence of this, but I believe my fingers and toes were actually sparkling. Saturday I went to McKinney Falls State Park with my friend the Samurai Warrior and we roasted in the sun and floated about the swimming hole under the watchful gaze of enormous cyprus trees. Little fishies nibbling our toes, we listened to kids laughing and parents talking, and all the while a guy on the banks played the ukelele. On the way home we stopped at a friend's house and had a spontaneous lunch party; then I went home and napped in the afternoon sun like it was my job. Today I went out for breakfast with Umulu. God I love French Toast and bacon. This afternoon we went shopping, swam at Barton Springs, made a lovely dinner, and watched a movie. Tomorrow I'm going on a long bike ride with my riding buddy, and then to Barton Springs with Mutt and Nan. Later that night we're going to make pesto and watch The Princess Bride. Life could be better, I'm sure, but I can't imagine how.

In other news, I must scold you roundly for a poor showing with the popularity contest. Right now it's a dead heat between Sauerkraut and Peach (3 votes) and Texas Potpourri (3 votes), and while I suppose I COULD declare a tie, the very idea offends my competitive spirit. We need some tie breakers, folks, so if you didn't cast a vote earlier, now's your chance. I have it on good authority from my site meter that around 200 people a day log in to read this blog, so pony up, my friends! We need a clear victory!