Administration Woes

I really do like Grad University (that's what I'll call my school now), but there is a major flaw there: the administration.  As you can imagine, that is an important area.

Here's how it went down: last spring, I sent in my qualifying exam proposal.  I was told that the Graduate Committee was not going to meet for the remainder of that school year and to send the proposal again in the fall.  Alright, kind of annoyed, but it is my fault that I sent it in the spring and not earlier that year.  I sit on it and send it again in the fall.  I get a response back from the Director saying, "Thanks, got it!"  Then I wait.  I wait, and wait, and wait some more.  The leaves change color, fall to the ground, and I'm still waiting patiently.

Something else comes up and I have to email the Director and I mention, as politely as I can, that I'm still waiting to hear about the QE proposal.  If this happened face to face, there would be that uncomfortable pause.  I get an email back saying, "Did you send it?"  Yes.  "Please send it again." 

Then I screamed internally.  I'm supposed to be taking my QEs very soon but without the approval of the committee nothing can be definite, including my book list.  The approval affects my book list, which affects my time, which affects when I can take the text, which affects what I should register for, which affects my funding, which affects my ETA (arrival being done with school).  As you can imagine, I am annoyed.

Luckily, my advisor is pretty awesome and responded with a "Whatever you need, I'll do," which is great.  Of course, their is nothing that can really be done on that end, but it is nice to have that support. 

Hopefully, all of this gets sorted out before Thanksgiving break, but I'm not holding my breath. 

You Were In My Dreams. Don't Be Scared.

I had one of those really long dreams last night where nothing makes sense and the most random people are there playing the biggest parts.

Case in point: in part of the dream, I was checking blogs.  I know that sounds super exciting, but it goes on.  So I was on either GEW's blog or Inktopia's blog, but I can't remember which.  Anyways, one of them announced on her blog that she was pregnant with a baby girl and that if readers wanted to know what the girl's name would be, they could put in their email address in this box on the blog and be emailed the name.  So I did.  I got the name back in my email and it was Delidalah Begun. 

Delidalah Begun.  

I have no idea what kind of wacky things my dream mind was trying to tell me, but I am very impressed that I remember the name.  Anyways, are you ladies happy with your new baby's name? 

Busy. Here's an Update.

Whew, I last updated two weeks ago?!  I have been a bad blogger and I blame it on school.  I've been too busy to really think of any solid blog posts and have had to spend my days away from the blog world.  Sad, I know.  I'm still busy, but here's a list of what has been going on.

1.  I went to my first social outing that mixed both grad students and professors.  Nothing amazing, but I did realize that some professors just look funny to me in casual dress with a Corona in their hand.  Not their best look.
2.  The main (aka biggest in building size) library on campus is the most ruckus place I've ever been to.  How it can call itself a library when I don't even see any books is beyond me.  A few weeks ago someone set off firecrackers in the library while I was there.  Some people thought the sounds were gunshots and hit the floor and I think my heart stopped for a minute.  It is a crazy place.
3. We have a new graduate teaching assistant that replaced the one who dropped out.  The new T.A. obviously had no idea that this was going to happen so is currently adjuncting three classes while taking two graduate classes.  Well, now that he/she has this assistantship, he/she had to add one more graduate class to their load plus 12 hours of the job that we have this semester.  And he/she has three kids under the age of six.  And he/she is in the process of moving.  I can never complain in the presence of this person.
4.  Our 13 year old niece is coming to stay with my husband and I this weekend.  It will be interesting.  I'm picking her up from school today and then counting down the hours until Husband gets home from work.  Husband asked her what she wanted to do this weekend and she said, "I don't know.  It's like you get to a certain age and there is just nothing to do anymore."  We have a trip to the cider mill planned if the weather holds up.  We'll also be going to the book store because she is really obsessed with manga and graphic novels right now.  She might even just read all weekend, which would be great because that is what I need to do too.

That's it.  Hopefully I can find some time for some better updates next week, but in the meantime I hope you are all doing well out there!