Master’s Degree = Done.

I just have to send in my portfolios to my reader, Ann, but other than that, I’m all done! There are a few pages that keep getting cut off on my typeset version, so I have to wait for the little sister to get back from partyin’ hardy in Duluth (she’s at a wedding) this weekend to get them fixed, but other than that, it’s all set. Everything has been printed and assembled. I just have to put in the cover for the project and the porfolio and about 5 pages worth of project, and I’m set! Yay!

It felt weird this morning, when I started to plan my day, and it didn’t involve sitting at my computer to write. I’ve been MIA from everything else for a while, and that’s because every spare minute at work and at home was spent writing and revising–over and over again. It was worth it, though. I’m really proud of how it turned out.

Both grades (my independent study class and my master’s project) were submitted well before the deadline of May 29th, so now it’s just a matter of a couple of months, and I’ll have my diploma in hand!

Now I can get back to “normal” life–whatever that is. I’m getting caught up on my freelance editing (a big thank you to all of you who have been so patient while I finished this up), and I can start sewing and crafting again. I have lots of blankets, quilts, toys, etc., to make for a couple friends’ babies and for my own little girl.

I even got a chance to bake this afternoon–Blueberry-Yogurt Muffins.

Blueberry-Yogurt Muffins

They’re delicious. And so is having time to be.

Master of the First Draft

Holy crap. I just sent the first draft of my master’s project to my reader, Ann. I’m so excited. It took me four whole days to write it (after months and months of research, interviews, etc., and a few lunch breaks in which I started the writing). I took two days off from work to get it done, and I think forcing myself to sit and work helped. And a deadline. That’s always good for me. Oh, and a shiny new computer on which to write it. That was a great motivator, too.

I really like how it turned out. I hope Ann does, too. And I hope she gives me the great feedback she always has on my class papers. I know she will. If we can get this taken care of in a month, I will be graduating at the end of May. Wow. This is finally happening. How exciting!

Apply: Check. Nervous: Check.

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve finished my application for a position on our city’s Arts and Cultural Commission. I’m told I will hear sometime in January, so I’m going to try to put it out of my mind and focus on the tasks at hand: Christmas dinner with the hubby (not that that’s ever a big ordeal), finishing some old class projects that should have been done a long time ago, getting a good chunk of my master’s project completed, continually editing how-to articles for my freelance work, and the third (and final!) wedding of our “wedding season” in January. Those are my plans for my “winter break” from work.

Oh, yeah, and having a day job. Yeah. That comes into play once-in-a-while.

So, I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something from the city council. Wow. That makes it sound so serious. Here come the butterflies again. But I think it’s time to start getting involved again. I’ve lived too long in this state without getting attached, being a commitment-phobe. It’s time to take the plunge.

Unavailable

So, I plan on being unavailable tomorrow. I really have to buckle down and get this reading completed for my MA project. I’ve been collecting resources and evaluating them, but only just a little. I went to my local library and the university library, and I’m totally stocked up for a day full of reading and research.

I am also going to finish all my work for my two independent study classes. Though my prof won’t let me get out of writing the screenplay, he said I can have all the time I need to finish it. I’m not going to worry about completing it before the end of the summer. I’ll have it done by December, but the beautiful thing is is I don’t need those credits to graduate, so I can get my degree this summer (if I decide to push it and complete my project by August; it might be waiting until December, too) and not have the class technically finished until December. Sweetness, eh?

And I don’t really need the credits from those independent study classes, either, but I just want to get them out of my hair. They’ve been hanging over my head for nearly a year, and it’s about time the damn things are out of the way. It’ll also help put the focus back on my MA project.

The interviews are coming along really well for my project; almost all of the children’s nonfiction writers agreed to be interviewed, and I have two responses from editors, with another one (from the EIC!!) coming in early next week. I also have another one in the works, but that’s all dependent upon the editor. I hope to have all these completed by the end of next week. Woohoo! One step closer….

I know I’ve been massively boring lately, but I’m really pleased with the direction all my work is going in. It’s funny how everything starts to fall into place once I finally get my tail in gear and get down to work. I like being organized; I generally am very organized. But I get distracted easily. And with my little sister’s wedding fast approaching (August 8th) and the hubby’s best friend’s shortly thereafter (September 20th), it’s imperative that I get my work finished before the wedding craziness starts.

So, if you are in need of contacting me tomorrow, you’re going to have to either call or e-mail me today, or call or e-mail me on Monday. Or try contacting me tomorrow, and just waiting until Monday to hear back. I will, of course, check my messages (phone) periodically, just in case something important occurs. Not that I think it will. I just don’t need to be missing something. Because I’m just too damn nosy to miss out.

I’m working on my master’s project–I’m collecting names of people to contact for the interview portion of my project.

Aren’t you proud of me for getting my butt in gear?

It’s not totally my fault. I just now got the OK from the human subjects review committee. I can finally move forward with my project. Waiting put me behind about two months, but I’ll get on it. You know I will. Woohoo!

Backing Down

I am forbidden from directly working on my project proposal until after the holidays are up. Ann told me that I’m going to burn out soon, and we don’t need me throwing my laptop over the ledge here in my living area. Not good. So I’m backing off of it, but it’s going to get done soon after the New Year. I swear it.