I've never been into New Years resolutions

... but apparently, this is the year that I start ;)

Written surreptitiously at work so apologies for typos and complete lack of sense, grammar rules, and editing.

dearest quadlings,

it has been a while since i've written, so i thought i would give you all a little update on erin. most importantly, i want to share with you a conversation i had recently, about which erica said i must blog ;) it concerns a plan that kelly and i have to start an inn in new zealand:

me: hmm
well, i'll start looking into plan: new zealand

kelly.m.bradley: I think so, look at the bright side, I am making an assload of money tax free
yay for charity waste!

me: :) yeah. so you can be the primary investor.
i will manage things.
and erek can work for us.
kate can cook.
nick can...
be the storyteller.
:)
kelly.m.bradley: nick could be a host
me: oh! the jovial innkeeper
perfect!so really, we're all agreed as to nick's future profession. we just have to convince him of this :)

in other news, i've been trying really hard to do something else. i'm going to get fired from my job. the only thing i've done in about a month is check my work email. the rest of the time, i've been looking at other jobs. i recently interviewed for one in eugene, or. i googled the town when i was applying and thought it would be a really cool place to live. but then i bombed the interview, so i was really disappointed and started looking for other opportunities in that area. turns out, the university of oregon is there ;)

simultaneously, nick started talking about wanting to go back to school for teaching, then my mom told me she was disappointed in me for not being back in school yet at Christmas, and i started thinking that teaching would be cool to do and a really good way to travel. so nick and i started looking into the teaching program at UO. turns out, it's really good.

while looking at the degrees they offered, i noticed one for classical studies (i.e. latin and greek languages). it kind of stuck in my head because, every few months or so for the past 6 years i've been pulling up this website http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~celtic/ and thinking about how much this is what i want to do but also thinking about how there's no way i can get in and also pay for it - and that i really don't feel competent enough in any of their required languages to apply and if i did apply and get in and decided to go, that i'd end up paying $30,000 a year to take undergraduate language classes for the first four years of the phd program, which is stupid.

so anyway, it turns out that we missed the deadline to apply for the teachers program, but i was still really interested in the classics studies. so i researched it a little more and decided that it would be a great way to make me more qualified for harvard without spending a lot of money, plus i've always wanted to study latin, and also, i'm bored to tears daily here, so doing anything academic related would be a plus.

so basically, on like monday (yes. this week) i decided to apply. i also found out that i made it to the next round in the interview i applied for (practical skills test - which i don't think i sucked at too bad) woohoo. but i felt like i was going into this really spontaneously, with little thought or research. so i looked into other colleges with similar programs in areas i want to live (pac nw, new orleans), so that's mainly what i've been doing this week. after researching other available programs and schools, i still think that UO is the best choice (language-focused curriculum, small but competent faculty, cheap). i made a spreadsheet. it rocks. i would post it here, but it's in googledocs. i'll share it with others upon request ;)

i also decided to train for a triathlon this summer. i think my mom and bit are going to do it with me - and i'm not sure yet if we'll do one here, nc, or fl, but if anyone is also interested in training slash racing with me, i could maybe be talked into another in the dc area -- assuming i'm here this summer. my training program will start in feb, i think.

oh and yes. nick and i decided that we would be together, for whatever comes next. so moving together. whenever and wherever that happens. scary. but good. i think. :)

so yeah. i guess i rarely write because my life has seemed uneventful this past year, but hopefully, there will be changes soon (please!), and i wanted to keep you guys updated. i feel a little bit like this is all really half-planned. but st. mary's was really half-planned. so was peace corps. and whatever the hell i'm doing now. so really, i just don't plan very well. and i'm hoping it semi makes sense.

i'll keep you guys posted if anything comes of the things mentioned in this post. but do let me know if you hear of any jobs. and please someone tell me how financial aid works. i can't believe i'm considering going back for another undergrad degree.... (sigh) i make no sense. but it does make sense. for me, and what i want to do. i think?

argh. well, sorry to ramble at you folks. i hope life is going well for everyone else. it was really great seeing everyone (we missed you becca!) at new years. i had a great time - and liz, thank molly again for hosting ;) and congrats again to erica tilley!

love,
erin