I Haven't Updated In Awhile

Now that I've devoted my last two entries to people who have called me out for never mentioning them in my blog, I hope that stage in my life has passed and I can move on and only mention people I care about. Kidding. Or AM I?!?!?

I am morphing into potentially the lamest person I know. I just don't want to go out anymore. For awhile I thought, "Maybe it's because it's cold," and then I remembered I used to live in South Bend, Indiana, and even 15-foot high snow drifts weren't stopping me during that period of my life. I once went to an outdoor keg race in a blizzard. That's a true story. Although I don't fully remember why it was outdoors, especially considering it was November in northern Indiana. And then the opposing team completely cheated and as a result, my team lost. I'm still not completely over that. And then I thought, "Maybe it's because I'm a grad student." But that doesn't really seem to be the problem, either. This is pretty comparable to the amount of work I did in undergrad and that never stopped me then, either. "20-page paper due tomorrow? House party? OKAY!" I think I'm just getting old, which is really depressing, but also saves me a lot of money because I don't have to do things like spend money on beer all the time anymore. Like now, for instance, I'm updating my blog at quarter to 11 on a Saturday night, trying realllyyyyy hard not to be ashamed of that fact (and failing) but at least I'm not spending 40 euros painting Galway red. That saved money will really come in handy when I go to AUSTRALIA!!!!

By the way, I'm going to Australia.

My cousin/best friend Beth, who is basically the coolest person I know (I mean that very seriously) has decided to move to Australia. Why is she doing this? Because she's really awesome, more awesome than I will ever be. I forget when exactly she's going - various months have been batted around - but she's going there, and she is going to live in Melbourne, and she will be awesome at it. I have always wanted to go to Australia, and when she told me she was going, I was like, "Perfect! This is the perfect time to go. And here are the reasons. 1) I will not have to pay for hotel rooms. 2) I won't have to find someone to go with me. 3) Flights to Australia from London are soooo much more reasonable than flights from Chicago to Australia, and I can fly to London for something like 30 euro. 4) I want to go to Australia." And then she told me our friend from high school/who she also went to college with (Christina) is ALSO moving to Australia, and I wept with joy.

So that is that. I am going! I am going to go after my second semester classes have ended. I'm spending my summer writing my dissertation, so I figure this will be a good little interlude between classes and dissertationing. I thought about waiting til August when I will have officially mastered the arts, but then I realized I could very well actually be broke by then, and if I blow a lot of money on Australia in May at least I can eat noodles all summer as penance. I also made her promise me that she'll take me to New Zealand, and she better make good on that, because that is one flight I'm not taking twice. I looked up flights already. I probably have to stop in Kuala Lumpur! KUALA LUMPUR! WHAT IS THAT? What in the world? MALAYSIA?? That just makes me think of Zoolander. I don't fully remember the plot of that movie, to be honest, but it had something to do with Malaysia. I think.

But Beth is going to Australia and I am going to invade her life for a really long time (2 weeks+, probably... like I said, one flight I'm not taking again) and it will be awesome. Anyone who's been, recommendations are welcome.

Other than that, not too much to report. Classes are going well - waiting to get back an essay I'm mildly stressed about, mostly because it's not on literature and let's face it, the only thing I can really speak with any kind of authority on is literature. And 30 Rock. But sadly, no academic classes are yet offered on 30 Rock. But if they were, I would teach them.

Oh, and this might seem really cavalier, but it's not meant to be. I just haven't updated with any kind of substance since this happened. I think on October 27, but I might have that date wrong, a Notre Dame junior named Declan Sullivan was tragically killed in an accident involving a hydraulic lift. This is really old by this point, and I'm sure most members of the Notre Dame community have read it, but seriously, if you want to be moved to tears by your alma mater, or if you're not an alum and you don't understand why all alums (myself included) are so obsessed with Notre Dame, this might help: http://amyunsettled.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/declan/. Also, Father Jenkins (ND president) recently released a statement taking responsibility for Declan's death, and honestly, after reading it, I wanted him to run for president. I'd link to that as well, but it was sent to me as an email and I can't find it online. Seriously, Father Jenkins. You do EVERYTHING right, or at least it really seems that way. That guy really makes me proud I went to ND. But really, so do a lot of things.

And then that's really it.