Miscellaneous Saturday News

I'm starting this post off with a picture of today's snowfall, as is my habit.

Today's snowfall

After much thought, dialogue, and input, I've finally made a firm decision on the blog name and address. Seeing how it snows here  through the month of March, I can no longer in good conscience call this blog Mediterranean Meditations. It just isn't right. However, Midwest Meditations (which several people suggested) is already taken as a blog name. So, this is now Michelle's Blog--plain and simple, with my whole name as the web address. And I'm not changing it again. Phew.

Probably everyone who reads this is up to date on the big band news, but just in case you missed it, Justin's band, Abandoned, has a paying gig this summer at a Christian day camp here in town. The band will play every morning for two to three hundred kids. The boys are super excited and have their work cut out for them.

They got the job at their audition last Friday and were immediately whisked out to do publicity photos for a mailing that will go out about the day camp. 

I was soooo not this cool when I was fourteen. 

They look cool and calm, but there was a lot of boisterous whooping and  hollering as soon as we were all in the parking lot.

Oh, and is Justin rocking the peach shirt, or what?

And other news that was hard to miss on the Harris feed this week..

Anna and I took a road trip two weekends ago to Ashland, Ohio, where we visited with our friends Edith and Peter. 

We last saw Edith in Europe at our last debriefing conference where she was figuring out her next steps. Since then, she has begun seminary and gotten married--big changes. Edith is Spanish; Peter is British, so  it was fun to answer some of their questions about Midwest American behavior.

Anna looking very grown up

Playing Boggle

I went to the MFA (Master's of Fine Arts) Open House on Saturday, while Anna visited the campus and took pictures of their mascot, a purple eagle.

There's Anna's kitty on the eagle's head.

I was thinking that I would apply for the program in a year, but it was clear that you didn't have to be a published, experienced writer to enter the program. So, I ordered up my college transcripts, tidied up my twenty-five page writing sample, wrote a five hundred word description of my development as a writer, and asked two friends for references. Then I waited and compulsively checking my inbox. Fortunately, they process applications very quickly and let me know this week that I've been accepted.

This is a low residency program in Ashland, Ohio, where I'll spend two weeks on campus in the summer and do semesters online. It's a great opportunity to learn from quality faculty, speed up my learning curve, and get to know other writers. I've very, very happy about this next step. Now I'm on to applying for financial aid.

So, that's the news this Saturday. Snow appears to be melting. About time for a nap.

Waiting

Sunday was a cold, cloudy day. I was alone for a few hours and thought about walking the dog, but I was so irritated with the weather that I holed up on my bed and watched Law and Order episodes.

This is from November 11. Back in the olden days when snow was fun and new.

Yesterday, the weather was capricious.

It snowed fat, fluffy flakes, the kind that are so exciting in December, but not so much at the end of March. Later it cleared up, then kicked in again with a heavy dose of wind--sideways snow this time. The snow stopped, and we had a little sun. Then more clouds blew in and the day ended grey, cold, and windy.

Coming home from work, I stopped at the store and bought our dinner from the freezer section. I felt guilty as I did this--I usually make real food. But I was tired, and the wind was blowing.

I drove past kids playing on top of the seven-foot grey snow drifts at the edge of a school parking lot. I napped through my group 2.5 mile run. We had breaded fish and fries for dinner.

I'm waiting these days. For real Spring, for sure. But also on other things, big things. I've applied for a MFA program in writing, and I'll find out if I got in soon (and start my college fund--thinking garage sale). I've had some health issues (nothing dangerous), and will find out if surgery is recommended. My job is up in the air. We're waiting to see what happens funding-wise for my program.

The funny thing is that I'm not feeling much angst about any of these issues (though I am somewhat compulsively checking e-mail to see if I have MFA news).  I don't mind the waiting. The only thing that's truly bugging me is this delay in Spring.

It may be here. The highs for the next week are all above freezing, so I'm cautiously optimistic. The radio announcer keeps cheerfully proclaiming today a "Beautiful sunny day--with a high of 36." I may even walk the dog.