I'm proud of the fact that when people ask me what my major is, I can say "english" with a good deal of pride and conviction. I remember after high school graduation being asked by family friends that question, and I would always answer meekly, "english" and qualify it with, "but I'm sure I'll change my mind a few times," or "but I'm keeping my options open," or some other stupid statement that would relieve the awkward silence that follows that kind of declaration. Hell, I didn't really even believe myself that I wanted to study english. But now when I say "english" I believe it and I say it loud and proud, because now I know why I'm studying it and what I want to get out of it, and I can fill that awkward silence with an explanation of why I think it's a subject worth studying. Sometimes its hard to chart personal progress, but my relation to my chosen field of study is a sector I can plainly see has improved. It's a good feeling. Conviction, that is.

There's an article in the Maroon today about students getting the urge to transfer during winter quarter. They cited a wild statistic that reported, in the mid-90s, that 35% of the student body at some point had sought some step towards transferring at one point in their 4 years. That's an intense number, but I'm not really surprised. Hell, you know how many gushing UChicago-love posts all of you have suffered through (or skipped) in recent months, and even I'd entertained thoughts of transferring. There might even be an old blog post hanging around in the archives here describing my inclination to transfer last February. The winter gets to you, man. I don't know why it should be worse here than the Northeast, either. But there should be an O-week session on winter survival. Even now, when this month is going great, I'm still distrustful of February. Waiting for the other shoe to drop. So very NOT the shortest 28 days of the year.

Summer job? I've decided that I don't want to make any money this summer. Seriously, I make enough during the year that I can sacrifice a few months pay for a decent non-paid internship. If only such an internship existed. Right now I'm looking for administrative jobs at mid-size Atlanta theater companies, not because that's altogether relevant for my future plans, but because it's more relevant than a law firm or a marketing agency. I'm really pulling for the position at Dad's Garage. But I need to start searching out alternatives which don't involve steaming milk.

Wow, this blog sounded more like inventory than... blog. Sorry about that. Maybe I should criticize liberalism some more? Outtahere.