Countdown is in full swiiiiiiing

Last day of April: entering going-to-DC Month!

12 days till I drive there to drop of my stuff
23 days till Mom takes me out there for the summer
26 days till I start work at the Times!

In other news, still getting over the flu and studying for exams. My first exam starts in less than 14 hours, and my last exam will be over in 7 days or so. Then turn in Kerouac paper, pack for the summer/DC, move winter stuff, etc. into Kappa, parties and seeing people, graduation, and FINALLY moving out of Mac. Then home sweet home, seeing Broms, and Mother's Day celebration before driving to DC Monday morning. It does not seem so far away, but my to-do list suggests otherwise.

The song that is getting me through studying is "Bubbly Toes" by Jack Johnson. I'm currently thinking about an article I'd like to write on a modern-day Republic of Letters, which is good and bad, because it means that Dr. Birzer and this class (as well as Dawson and company) has penetrated my thoughts and make me think about an aspect of humanity still not widely discussed, but I should be worrying and thinking more about the actual essays I am outlining and NOT possible article ideas since my American Order and Disorder final is, in fact, tomorrow.

Mom gave her presentation at the ONS Congress in San Antonio, TX today and apparently it went very well. Not that I'm surprised--Mom's brilliant, and an excellent speaker. She called me and asked me if I wanted a Texas license plate that said "JULIE" for my bike. I told her it was tempting, but I would pass. Wouldn't want to get in trouble for not registering in the right state! haha then she told me about calling home and discussing dinner options with John and Muffy. John said there was no food except for a little spaghetti and was preparing to be a martyr, when Mom told him she bought them french fries and chicken patties for Muffy to make (Dad being at work--I don't know why Jackie wouldn't be making dinner...). John was apparently all for a dinner of french fries, but Muffy apparently nixed that. Oh, the hilarities of home.

Back to essay outlines!

One of my favorite quotes from an essay by T.S. Eliot:

“We mean all sorts of things, I know, by Beauty. But the essential advantage of a poet is not to have a beautiful world with which to deal: it is being able to see beneath both beauty and ugliness; to see the boredom, and the horror, and the glory.”