i heart scrums

I had heard of scrumming naked (Maggotfest, does any more need be said?) but never contemplated scrumming barefoot. There was a paid-for spot left open in the women's division of the scrum sled push which we were convinced to try despite having removed our boots for the day. So three Beavers plus two friends (whose names I have forgotten, sorry!) scrummed down in our barefeet and won free money.

diploma

My diploma came in the mail yesterday! Now I have proof that I actually did it! There were some issues with trusting that I had, in fact, managed to cover all of the bases.

inclusion

Home from back home... For the first time in a long time I was not seriously considering how to get out of coming back to Austin. Presumably because now I only have good things to come back to. The week was a bit crazy, but I love my mother's family. It becomes more apparent each time I'm around them where certain previously unexplained parts of my personality stem from.

As much as I love and appreciate them, however, it becomes overwhelming after a while. At one point during Saturday's party I took refuge in the for-the-moment uncrowded house where my mom's brother, Steve, and his wife, Debra, were also hiding out. This elicted a "You're anti-social, too?" from Debra. Upon responding that it sometimes is just too much Steve piped in with a cheery "Don't worry, you've got plenty of time to get worse." It's nice to be included in the club.

not recommended

Yeah, it was pretty much like that. Needless to say I'm much happier now. Even if I am making peanuts working part-time as a hostess at a bar, a job which will turn me into a misanthrope if I stay there too long.

So I'm job hunting.

moved

So I'm moved in. Or at least, all of my stuff is here. Most of it's still packed up and quite a bit will remain so because my storage situation needs some serious work. Moving from a one bedroom apartment into one bedroom requires some creativity. Particularly because I don't yet own a dresser. But, I'm here and it's quiet and there is internet access and cable as well as three cats I'm constantly trying keep out of my bedroom. Let's just hope I manage to keep from setting off the alarm.

reclaiming my life

Dusk is gathering, as are what look like rain clouds. It's humid enough at the moment, but still I'm sitting outside on campus for use of the free internet. Might as well use it while I still can. I'm back on campus for the first time in a week to clean out my desk. It's an odd feeling, but freeing. I never have to walk in that lab with the bad fluorescent lighting and horrible boss ever again. There may be a visit or two over the summer when I know my ex-PI is out of town, but there is nothing requiring me to go back.

I have decided I am reclaiming my life. Doing the things I want to do and really live. Two weekends ago I went camping at Enchanted Rock. Every time I spend time in the great outdoors I'm reminded that living in the city is not for me. Saturday morning I was up early with a couple of other people from the group while most everyone else slept in. We went for a hike around part of loop; the Hill Country almost looks like the Appalachians in the early sunlight with fog in the low areas.

My graduation weekend was technically this past weekend. I didn't walk, it seemed, not pointless, but certainly not appealing. So I hung out with the Huns and the boys from the Mariners RFC, who were on tour from Bermuda. The annual Huns boat party on Lake Travis was much more satisfying than sitting through a commencement ceremony. The pub crawl the night before was something of a psychology experiment, but one I enjoyed immensely. There really is nothing in the world quite like a group of ruggers. Particularly ruggers on tour.

Right now I'm in this spot in my life with all the loose ends tied up and nothing new quite in the works yet. Technically, I am totally free. I could pick up and go anywhere in the world, which may be the most intoxicating thought ever. Leaving Austin, or more specifically my support network here, makes the chances that I'll actually do it without a very good reason rather slim. Between the Gateway crew and my Valkyries Austin has become the best place I have ever lived, but maybe I will run away to that island in the tropics after all. I think I've been land locked for far too long.

promise I'll post something soon

I'll have regular internet access again soon. Until then...

now it's really finished

Picked up my signatures. Did a last minute fidgeting both on the document itself and in the chair of the nice degree evalulator as he clicked through the pdf of my thesis. Until finally he looked up, told me "everything looks good" and I handed over the required paperwork. All signed. By my readers. Who approved. my. thesis! Walking out of the office I had to refrain from turning around and asking "so there isn't anything else?" about a dozen times. I'd already asked about six times already.

It didn't feel real until I got outside the building, but then I floated from Main back to ESB. Floated, because the weight of the world has been lifted of my shoulders.

I'm thinking I may buy myself one of these as a "Yay, Me" present.

Aussie Rules

• From BBC: "Rapper Snoop Dogg has been banned from entering Australia after failing a character test, according to officials. The star - real name Calvin Broadus - was due to co-host the MTV Australian Video Music Awards on Sunday. The 35-year-old had his visa cancelled after recently pleading no contest to gun and drug charges in the US. 'He doesn't seem the sort of bloke we want in this country,' Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews told Sydney's Macquarie Radio."

Now, forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Australia orginally settled as a prison colony?

my thesis is finished

My thesis is finished.

98 pages total, which includes a fair amount of graduate school-required formatting. The table of contents is pretty, though.

I took the day off yesterday, got a few things done, but mostly watched Battlestar Galactica. I'm hooked. (I blame you all, you know who you are, for this.)

Yeah, that's all I've got right now.