Hello, what's this?
(blows dust off blog, coughs)

Ah, the old blog. It's been, what, a year or so now? Cor blimus, but that's no fun. Well, a lot has happened since then:
1) I've been to England.
Yes, it's true: unlike certain minor dramatic characters believe, England does exist. I've seen it with me own four eyes. Cambridge was especially lovely and I'd like to live there and/or be reincarnated there about 1889 or so, let's say. Lots of fun.
2) I've completed my thesis.
And boy was it ever worth it. Dam-ned thing. Horror! Horror!
3) I's gradumidadted!
They let me walk onto the stage and everything. There are pictures. You may not see them.
4) I am going to Grad School.
After three tries at various institutions (Berkeley? More like Jerk-ley! Ann Arbor weren't that bad, actually -- it sounded like they'd read my packet and thoroughly hoped I'd get in) for Classics, I'm now going to... stay here, and do the English thing, moving on to Grad School in something literature-based and possibly Medieval.
5) ... but they're not going to pay me for it.
Yes, that's right, the assistanceship hasn't, if you take my meaning. So I get to either a) duke it out with other Grad Students for "unexpected openings" at the Orientation Session in August, b) find some fellowships (hobbits and wizards notwithstanding) and/or wealthy dowagers who believe in the power of education, or c) beg on my knees at the loans department. Sadly, c) looks to be the option I take, which sucks SO HARD. Of course, now is the time to mention that donations to your public Grad Student's Educationary Fund are accepted.

So, "What are you doing right now, you dirty layabout?", I hear you ask. Well, I'll answer that in just a second. (walks off) (sound of flushing) There, that's better. For starters, I'm doing a lot of writing, by which I mean not that much. I've an essay to rework for publication, with which I hope to be done by, oh, Friday. There's also a lot of photocopied handouts that I want forma digitalis, so there's a couple more weeks' worth of work. Plus I'd like to actually complete a Telax Moral story one of these days, so there you go. Plenty to do. There's also plenty to read, most of which I am likewise ignoring because it's tiresome (e.g. Ulysseys, The Art of Courtly Love, etc.) Instead, I've taken up playing the Final Fantasy games, and am in the middle of FF3 (FF6 in Japan).

Other News-related limericks:

Justice: Sharing Data Would Crash System
We have secrets. You may not see them. Go away.
Voting official seeks process for canceling Election Day over terrorism.
Great! Iraq got democracy, all right: OUR democracy. Wondered where it'd gone.

Remember, if nothing else, get out and vote. Vote for, vote against, vote lesser of two evils, I don't care. Just do it!

You might want to check out Grizz's blog, over at http://grizzsgrowls.blogspot.com/. It's more rant-y, but he's having major back surgery, so hopefully that will taper off. Hopefully.