I have never known such glorious freedom.

Yesterday, I filled out forms for every graduate fellowship available to me.  (There are three of them.) I mailed letters.  I practiced my presentation for the Office of Residence Life which was subsequently canceled. 

The house is clean, despite the fact that Peter insists on eating food (on dishes!), changing his clothes both night and day, sitting on the furniture, and using the stuff in our apartment.  I hate that he does this.  I view everything in the refrigerator as “display” food and hate when it is disturbed.  Especially when it is consumed in conjunction with the pretty “display dishes” we got for our wedding.  However, I had the time to clean my display dishes and procure more display food.  So it is okay.

But then . . today . . . I read a book for fun.  Guilt free.

Why all of this liberation, you ask?  I realized today that for the first time since 1996, I do not have anything I am supposed to be studying.  Nothing.  Sure, maybe I failed my Spirituality exam.  But I haven’t heard about that yet.  And if I failed, it’s not from a lack of knowledge.  It’s from the ability to form cohesive sentences in the light of an oppressive three hour deadline. So, I have only to frolic in the fields of pleasure books.  And thanks to Book Mooch, I have 90 of them.  During my study time, I would stare wistfully at them, while they quietly accrued in a pile atop one of our copious bookshelves.  Occasionally I’d sneak out of bed at night and furiously flip pages, thinking that any minute my advisors would show up with a flashlight and an academic enforcement agency and hall me off to doctoral prison.  (It’s like regular prison only more pretentious and passive aggressive.) But now, I can read whatever I want without any worry. 

The best part?  My dissertation (in the event that I ever get to it) is about children’s literature.  So I get to read FOR FUN and it still sort of counts as work.  HA!  Take that!  Hoo Ha!  I am sticking it to the man!  (What man?  I have no idea.  But you know what I mean.)

Also, another episode of my podcast, “Love Widgets” is in the works.  It’s coming soon to a Theology Girl near you. 

Excuse me now.  I have to go luxuriate in not having to study.