Thanksgiving Ends

I'm thankful for Thanksgiving. This is a fact, a truism, a truth, a point of concurrence, and one that I'm very aware of as I return to my thesis project and prepare for my thesis proposal which is happening in a few days. I genuinely like grad school, but it's nice to remember that even if my department laughs in my face, reclaims all my library books, rips the nametag off my mailbox and apologizes to my students upon hearing my proposal there are people who will still like me.




My committee wouldn't push me out in the Oregon rain would they? As I desperately grasp my Chicago Manual of Style...





So thanks for all the Thanksgiving love, family. Mom, Dad, Laura, Michael, Becky, John, Jen, Seth, Morgan, Chloe, Brynn, and Ellie: you're the best.


I also would also like to share a student email:

Hey!
I haven't come to class lately I've been soooooo super busy. would you mind xeroxing your notes and emailing them to me.
Thnx!

I wish I were lying about that one. I responded nicely, but I was tempted to just reply with "Nope."

Thanksgiving Begins

I spent this weekend with Michael's family in Portland. It was so much fun. I think the highlight was when his nephew, Morgan, insisted that everyone participate in a pillow fight (with constantly changing rules). I've decided that my graduate program should do this--I think it could really help us relieve some of that academic aggression. I think the Modernists would win, obviously.

Here's some pictures of Michael and Morgan playing Star Wars. His niece, Chloe, revived the fallen heroes with kisses:

 I had some lighting issues, but this storytime picture is really sweet. I should figure out my camera...or just buy a new one with more buttons. 

In Michael's words, "Ellie, you are so cute, and so disgusting." Check out that drool!

 

I'm so excited to go back for Thanksgiving, and this time my family is coming too. My parents and sister are driving up to Oregon and Michael's sister and brother-in-law are hosting everyone for Thanksgiving. Can't wait to have so many people that I love all together! I'm just going to walk around hugging people.

I told a few people that my family and Michael's family are eating together for Thanksgiving. The universal response was, "That's so weird. Are you nervous about it?" I'm not nervous, I'm excited! Our families are so awesome, that it's not "weird." Plus, I think my dad and Chloe are really going to get along.  

Rethinking Leia

In a moment of spontaneity, with the encouragement of my fellow classmates, in the bliss of summer I chose to submit a picture of myself dressed as Princess Leia as my graduate student bio.  Check it out.

Funny? Perhaps. Lighthearted? Definitely.

But a few moments ago I did a google search for "Ibram Lassaw" (because I was going to blog about my project) and discovered myself. In a Princess Leia costume. On page 5 of the image results.

Try googling University of Oregon sculpture. Here I am. Page 6.

Sarah Taylor sculpture. Sarah Taylor art history. Sarah Taylor art. Sarah Taylor thesis. Sarah Taylor graduate. Thaaaat's me.

Well, I'm googl-able. And perhaps more noticeable than other art historians (since I'm not wearing a black turtleneck and a scarf). Do people on Ph.D. committees google their prospective candidates? If so, I better be prepared to answer the question, "What led to your decision to submit an unprofessional, informal, cheeky photo? Do you sniff glue, or something." They are going to ask me that for sure. I know! I'll just say I'm interested in the philosophy of performance art on digital platforms. Or, deny everything.

Hmmmm. Maybe I will change my name when I get married.

I suppose I should have submitted one of these:

 

Long Distance

It's terrible. Michael and I are coming up on three weeks without seeing each other and might have to go five. I blame my students, my thesis, his students, his thesis and the government. Alright, not so much the government.

Isn't it about time that we lived in the same place? Our anniversary is this month: four years. Four years! And that whole time we've never lived in the same city. I did have one semester off between my undergrad and graduate school, but I was staying with my parents. I love my parents, but it always feels transitional when I'm staying there--a temporary stay where I don't unpack my winter clothes. We've gotten to see each other a lot. I think we've both been pretty good about making an effort to see one another. When we were just from Salt Lake to Logan, we saw each other almost every weekend. And even now, we do our best to make it every three weeks or so.

But all that "seeing each other" requires planning, forethought, early completion of homework and hours of driving. Especially now--it's a seven or eight hour drive. And you can't speed in Oregon. And I don't have cruise control. It just never feels like enough time. I've left Spokane at 4:30 AM multiple times to get home for class on Monday, because I wasn't willing to leave on Sunday afternoon and miss eating dinner with Michael.

We usually plan fun things to do. We go out to eat and justify dessert, take long walks (I'm always happy that I can walk around after dark when Michael's here) and attend whatever festival or market that's going on around town. But, I'm sick of planning. I don't want to make lists of all the things I'd have to do to be able to see Michael this weekend--in fact making the list just makes me depressed and unable to accomplish anything. And then, of course, I feel like I'm wasting time when I could be getting ahead so that I can visit Michael. Which makes me depressed...

Sometimes I feel like we're on the home stretch, I'm almost one third of the way through this school year. Come June, this separate zipcode thing will end. But I hate that attitude, the "I'm be happy when..." I actually think the worst part is not being able to share when I'm happy. Somehow, it's much easier to be in the same mood when you're together. I like my program and the people here and walking around this green, green place. I have some really good days, but that enthusiasm just doesn't quite come through on the phone. Sometimes our conversations run like book reports, because it's so hard to convey emotions (especially when you talk with your hands, eh Michael?). "And then I read an article, and then I went to the library, and then I made dinner..." or "And then I tried to write something, and then Moose did this, and then Moose did that, and then I tried to write something..."

I don't usually get this "schmoozy" on my blog. I'm better at the hilarious commentary on pop culture and fashion advice, like my usual posts. This writing did make me feel a little better though. I'll just try to not become like the people featured here (this is a blog about bloggers who apologize for not blogging and then explain why; it's amazing). I also have a rule against blogs without pictures. So, here's a picture of Michael and I on our 3rd(?) date. For some reason we thought it would be hilarious to get really dressed up and have my mom take a picture. Somebody should tell mushroom head and doofus elf that their relationship is going to be really, very good! and they're never going to see one another.