Mostly for Erin

Hey all,
So a while ago Erin was all, "What are your plans [for the near future]?" and I was all, "Tons of stuff! I'm excited! I am about to type it on the quad blog and I don't want to type twice, so I can just direct you there in like, 20 minutes?" Erin was all, "yeah, I gotcha, you're lazy and you hate me." Except that last part didn't happen. Anyway, I got distracted, and despite my best efforts something else chose to occupy the time set aside for quad-blogging.
It's November 28th. My lease ends in 18 days. I'm packing to move. I'm also studying to re-take the GRE. That's in 5 days. But mostly I'm working full time and trying to get some exercise when it's not cloudy and blustery and 34 degrees out. Oh, and working on grad school applications. This time I've convinced myself that I want to be a school counselor. Haven't figured out what grade levels would be ideal, but um, having a summer vacation would be pretty wicked cool. I'm applying to, in order of application due dates: Wake Forest, U of Hawaii at Hilo, New Mexico St. U., George Fox (in Portland), U. of Miss., and Appalachian State (near where Erin's mom lives!). Wake Forest's program looks the best, but I kinda want to live in Hawaii. :)
So GRE on Dec. 4th, working til the 7th, and then just over a week to finish packing and moving things to storage before heading down to begin the holiday merriment! I'll be taking care of my Grandma from Dec 18th-23rd (so my Uncle Paul can go on a vacation), spending Christmas Eve and Christmas with my family, then driving with Jack to Bethany Beach to hang out in Paul's condo and work on my applications and work out at the condo complex's gym and have torrid love affairs. I'll be back for New Year's, then another week at the beach (PLEASE COME VISIT--YOU ARE ALL WELCOME!!) before driving south for the rest of the Winter. Basil just moved to North Carolina to live with his lady love. They are in Boone (again, shout out to Lori!) and are going to host me for a couple of days while I check out the school and the town. Then driving through Mississippi, hopefully staying in Oxford for a night and scoping out Ole Miss. Then Alabama for a night-a former coworker is moving and invited me to come visit and try to convince the locals that they should start recycling. Apparently they don't even have FACILITIES. Not that they are just too ignorant and/or lazy/. They don't even have the frickin infrastructure necessary. Boo!
After Alabama I'll drive to the Dallas suburbs, stay with my Uncle Lee for a week and get spoiled by good alcohol and constant guitar and piano playing (and work on grad school apps...). Then a week with Alana (26, MBA, home owner, big smart corporate job lady, dog lover), and then Galveston. Galveston is an island in the Gulf of Mexico where my aunt and uncle have a crazy beautiful beach house with no permanent residents. I explained to them my interest in grad school and my need for a "writer's retreat" to be able to focus exclusively on producing great applications. You guys can probably visit me there, too. :)
I'll be in Galveston for most of February. Towards the end of the month I'm going to head back North, and intend to land back in Ithaca on March 1st. A really awesome friend of mine has an extra room that she isn't currently renting out but said she'd be happy for me to come live in. She just bought her first home this year and is painting and redoing things and just making it the coziest little place. I'll be living with Barb probably March 1st-August 1st, during which time I'll pray daily for acceptance letters. By the beginning of Summer I'll hopefully know where the next stop will be!
Phew. How about that update?
Oh! And my psoriasis is getting better!!!! I currently have health insurance and have been going to a dermatologist for professional treatment. Yay!
Looking forward to seeing many of you Dec. 18th-23rd, the 31st-2nd, and perhaps again the 8th or 9th of January!
And now, to bed! In my starry Delia's pajamas from high school. Found them in the basement while packing to move. Score.