Saturday, June 2, 2012
It's time, It's time, for a new rhyme
I have neglected this blog because I'm now in grad school! What a wonderful and challenging place to be!
Now that I have reached one of these goals, I feel it's time to close this blog and start on a new one. I did work, now I do work (thanks Rob and Big reference).
To all you who followed me here, I will be starting a new blog. I will let you know the title soon! There are so many professional topics to write about. I'm ready to get started.
Thanks for following,
Ellen
Friday, May 6, 2011
The handle started to jiggle, and the door, closed for so long, began to open
So, remember how I mentioned I applied to Texas Tech?
Well, I am proud to say I will be a member of their graduate class in the Fall of 2011. I finally got into a grad school for a subject I am so ready to study and build upon.
I had a good vibe about this school once the ball start rolling on the application process. They sent me a huge package with tons of information on Lubbock, the Museum, Apartments, and local landmarks. They were great in emails, keeping up with me and replying to me quickly as possible, when other times it took days to hear from schools. That was especially shown tonight when I got the official word I got in.
So, I'm ecstatic. I found the letter online before work today and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. I called my fiance and best friend to tell them the possible news, as I wasn't sure if it was a "definite" decision. After work, I decided to email the coordinator to find out if it the decision was true. I got her email quickly which confirmed that, yes, I was indeed accepted. I told my mother I could give her an early mother's day gift. Let's just say I told her and then went screaming through the house in sheer joy.
Now you can follow the dreamer on the path to the greater dream, through grad school. Through every paper and reading to graduation. Stay with me!!
=)
Ellen
Well, I am proud to say I will be a member of their graduate class in the Fall of 2011. I finally got into a grad school for a subject I am so ready to study and build upon.
I had a good vibe about this school once the ball start rolling on the application process. They sent me a huge package with tons of information on Lubbock, the Museum, Apartments, and local landmarks. They were great in emails, keeping up with me and replying to me quickly as possible, when other times it took days to hear from schools. That was especially shown tonight when I got the official word I got in.
So, I'm ecstatic. I found the letter online before work today and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. I called my fiance and best friend to tell them the possible news, as I wasn't sure if it was a "definite" decision. After work, I decided to email the coordinator to find out if it the decision was true. I got her email quickly which confirmed that, yes, I was indeed accepted. I told my mother I could give her an early mother's day gift. Let's just say I told her and then went screaming through the house in sheer joy.
Now you can follow the dreamer on the path to the greater dream, through grad school. Through every paper and reading to graduation. Stay with me!!
=)
Ellen
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Back to your regularly broadcasted program
Yes, I haven't posted in a little bit. I've fallen into that passive "it will get done" mood I get between working and figuring out what adult things I need to do on my days off. Sorry!.
Anyways, I will update you on my situation thus far. First of all, the first three schools I applied to (UNC Greensboro, Univ of Florida, and UC Boulder, my dream school) all rejected my applications, citing the "we couldn't take you because of x reasons and the fact we have SOOO many qualified applicants". Upset at first, but what can I do? Keep on trucking, or as Dory said, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming".
I have currently applied to Appalachian State University and plan to apply to two more schools, Texas Tech and University of Oklahoma Online. The reason why I waited so long on Texas Tech is because I could not figure out their application process and was waiting to hear from someone. Currently, I have heard from both program advisors and they have been extremely nice. I don't know if they do not have a ton of people in their program or it is the Texas Spirit (yes, people in and from Texas could be extremely nice), but they have been very helpful and excited towards my application forthcoming. I just hope that means something good.I hope it means acceptance, although my preference is to be in North Carolina.
Currently, good news for my fiance, Joe, has finally arrived. He is studying for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Training Certification Exam to become a personal trainer. I think this is a great decision since he loves everything about physical fitness and working out. He applied for a job at the local City Recreation Center for a front desk attendant, but was told it was a closed position. However, a week ago he received a phone call asking him to come interview for a Fitness Floor Attendant position. The next day, he interviewed and got the job! This is very exciting and will be something to give him the experience he needs for future Personal Training jobs.
Both of us feel very relieved and are happy! We have always enjoyed each other, but enjoy each other even more now that we both are employed. Thank you God for answering prayers.
Other than that, I am coasting along and working on finances in order to begin paying off interest on my student loans. Bleeeehhhhh. The job is okay and it pays. I am looking forward to my trip with Amy to Islands of Adventure soon. Going to rock it!!
Later,
Ellen Mirai
Anyways, I will update you on my situation thus far. First of all, the first three schools I applied to (UNC Greensboro, Univ of Florida, and UC Boulder, my dream school) all rejected my applications, citing the "we couldn't take you because of x reasons and the fact we have SOOO many qualified applicants". Upset at first, but what can I do? Keep on trucking, or as Dory said, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming".
I have currently applied to Appalachian State University and plan to apply to two more schools, Texas Tech and University of Oklahoma Online. The reason why I waited so long on Texas Tech is because I could not figure out their application process and was waiting to hear from someone. Currently, I have heard from both program advisors and they have been extremely nice. I don't know if they do not have a ton of people in their program or it is the Texas Spirit (yes, people in and from Texas could be extremely nice), but they have been very helpful and excited towards my application forthcoming. I just hope that means something good.I hope it means acceptance, although my preference is to be in North Carolina.
Currently, good news for my fiance, Joe, has finally arrived. He is studying for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Training Certification Exam to become a personal trainer. I think this is a great decision since he loves everything about physical fitness and working out. He applied for a job at the local City Recreation Center for a front desk attendant, but was told it was a closed position. However, a week ago he received a phone call asking him to come interview for a Fitness Floor Attendant position. The next day, he interviewed and got the job! This is very exciting and will be something to give him the experience he needs for future Personal Training jobs.
Both of us feel very relieved and are happy! We have always enjoyed each other, but enjoy each other even more now that we both are employed. Thank you God for answering prayers.
Other than that, I am coasting along and working on finances in order to begin paying off interest on my student loans. Bleeeehhhhh. The job is okay and it pays. I am looking forward to my trip with Amy to Islands of Adventure soon. Going to rock it!!
Later,
Ellen Mirai
Friday, March 11, 2011
Waiting to dream
Ugh, I got rejected by UNC Greensboro.
Not much to say. Generic letter, generic sayings. Basically, it told me that they have so many applicants that, when they choose, they are going to be uber-picky about who they choose. A girl with a 990 GRE score out of a possible 1600 will not make it in.
Yes, it was a history program with a museum studies. But, it was still a program and they still rejected me. No, I'm not giving up. Still, The all-too-familiar fear of being rejected by all schools again hangs over my head once more. It's like a gray cloud that just sits there whispering "what if they don't accept you? what will you do?"
I don't know. Plan B has such a bitter taste to it when said. I don't want Plan B, I want Plan A is what I want and will continue to want.
Take more history classes? Look for museum jobs? I don't know. History is probably more logical since I could apply for Public History much more easily, but I shouldn't have to. I feel like I'm stuck in a glass box on display. Stand still, sit pretty, and complete limited options.
Limited options is the right choice of words. Yes, I will apply to museum jobs, including the one Emily sent me. Most require that elusive master's degree, though. I feel like I'm on a hunt for a mythical creature. You see glimpses of it and hear tales from people who have attained it, but it is nowhere to be seen.
I have a few more to apply to, but right now, it's hard to stand still, look pretty, and convince myself everything's all right. Because honestly, rejection sucks big time.
--Ellen
Not much to say. Generic letter, generic sayings. Basically, it told me that they have so many applicants that, when they choose, they are going to be uber-picky about who they choose. A girl with a 990 GRE score out of a possible 1600 will not make it in.
Yes, it was a history program with a museum studies. But, it was still a program and they still rejected me. No, I'm not giving up. Still, The all-too-familiar fear of being rejected by all schools again hangs over my head once more. It's like a gray cloud that just sits there whispering "what if they don't accept you? what will you do?"
I don't know. Plan B has such a bitter taste to it when said. I don't want Plan B, I want Plan A is what I want and will continue to want.
Take more history classes? Look for museum jobs? I don't know. History is probably more logical since I could apply for Public History much more easily, but I shouldn't have to. I feel like I'm stuck in a glass box on display. Stand still, sit pretty, and complete limited options.
Limited options is the right choice of words. Yes, I will apply to museum jobs, including the one Emily sent me. Most require that elusive master's degree, though. I feel like I'm on a hunt for a mythical creature. You see glimpses of it and hear tales from people who have attained it, but it is nowhere to be seen.
I have a few more to apply to, but right now, it's hard to stand still, look pretty, and convince myself everything's all right. Because honestly, rejection sucks big time.
--Ellen
Sunday, March 6, 2011
That thing you do
I am picking up my stride of posting on this blog of mine. Yay for me! I am glad I can cover my journey to my dream of working in museums, along with all the intermediary chapters on the way. This blog is a way to update my friends and family with my progress, but I am happy to share my experience with those who are on similar journeys. Reaching your dream takes hard work and persistence. If I can give hope to my fellow compatriots, then I am happy to do so.
Why do I keep this blog? Why do I even care to share these entries with you?
It's because I am, and have always been, a writer. Creating and telling stories has been one of my passions for as long as I could remember. However, this love could not trump my penchant for anthropology and cultural studies, so I was resigned to an English Minor in college.
For a long time, I was a fiction writer. I loved creating a universe of characters who had their own struggles and defining moments. Fantasy was my topic of choice since I could make things happen that didn't exist in the real world. I've also dabbled in poetry and play writing, but fiction was always my home.
That all changed, however, when my father died. As my friend Jeremy attests, when you are a writer and someone close to you dies, all you want to do is write about the one you lost. Writing becomes more a coping mechanism and all you want to do is preserve memories. You forget about what you did before. That's what I did. I forgot fantasy fiction and wrote about my father in anyway that I could. What fiction I could write ended up as coping mechanisms disguised as stories. Every shred of my grief was poured into them and hence made me much more sensitive to criticism of the particular pieces.
Since then, I have transformed how I write. Fiction has become somewhat foreign to me. I enjoy writing about my thoughts and the effects of the world around me. Blogging helps me tell stories while I try to find my way back to the world of fiction. Blogging is my new storytelling, at least for now.
So keep enjoying the posts I bring.
--Ellen
Why do I keep this blog? Why do I even care to share these entries with you?
It's because I am, and have always been, a writer. Creating and telling stories has been one of my passions for as long as I could remember. However, this love could not trump my penchant for anthropology and cultural studies, so I was resigned to an English Minor in college.
For a long time, I was a fiction writer. I loved creating a universe of characters who had their own struggles and defining moments. Fantasy was my topic of choice since I could make things happen that didn't exist in the real world. I've also dabbled in poetry and play writing, but fiction was always my home.
That all changed, however, when my father died. As my friend Jeremy attests, when you are a writer and someone close to you dies, all you want to do is write about the one you lost. Writing becomes more a coping mechanism and all you want to do is preserve memories. You forget about what you did before. That's what I did. I forgot fantasy fiction and wrote about my father in anyway that I could. What fiction I could write ended up as coping mechanisms disguised as stories. Every shred of my grief was poured into them and hence made me much more sensitive to criticism of the particular pieces.
Since then, I have transformed how I write. Fiction has become somewhat foreign to me. I enjoy writing about my thoughts and the effects of the world around me. Blogging helps me tell stories while I try to find my way back to the world of fiction. Blogging is my new storytelling, at least for now.
So keep enjoying the posts I bring.
--Ellen
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Ticking off the checkmarks
It was about this time last year that I was a sitting hopeful, waiting for the good news from a grad school stating that they would absolutely love to have me in their program. It was during this waiting period that I fell to a folly that I wish I hadn't. I spent so much time waiting on a positive reply that would never come that I came up with short with a back up plan.
Now, I am not saying my adventure to San Antonio and time at Villa Finale was ill-spent. I loved my time at Walter's dream house, preparing all the objects for the grand opening, and seeing how he lived. Yet, I must say that I was lucky to come upon Villa Finale's need for interns and getting a job so soon after moving to San Antonio.
So, I have decided, in order to avoid this pitfall once more, I will start looking for paid internship opportunities as of now in order to create a much more solid back up plan. Mainly because if it's the experience path I have to go, I am willing to swallow my pride and take the lesser path.
I knew someone in San Antonio named Sam who worked with me at the pet store. During my station there, she was an intern at SA Zoo who achieved a dream Zoo Keeper position in the Reptile House. I remarked to a friend/coworker, Patrick, how I wish I could do something of the like; how I wished I could leave one job for my dream Museum Collections position. Patrick remarked he wished he could do that too, but how Sam had been volunteering and interning at the Zoo for years. It was just now that her patience and hardwork had paid off.
I wish and hope and pray I get into grad school. I want to go so bad. However, if that is not my destiny, I will be looking for the experience of internships to carry me through to my dream job.
Now, I am not saying my adventure to San Antonio and time at Villa Finale was ill-spent. I loved my time at Walter's dream house, preparing all the objects for the grand opening, and seeing how he lived. Yet, I must say that I was lucky to come upon Villa Finale's need for interns and getting a job so soon after moving to San Antonio.
So, I have decided, in order to avoid this pitfall once more, I will start looking for paid internship opportunities as of now in order to create a much more solid back up plan. Mainly because if it's the experience path I have to go, I am willing to swallow my pride and take the lesser path.
I knew someone in San Antonio named Sam who worked with me at the pet store. During my station there, she was an intern at SA Zoo who achieved a dream Zoo Keeper position in the Reptile House. I remarked to a friend/coworker, Patrick, how I wish I could do something of the like; how I wished I could leave one job for my dream Museum Collections position. Patrick remarked he wished he could do that too, but how Sam had been volunteering and interning at the Zoo for years. It was just now that her patience and hardwork had paid off.
I wish and hope and pray I get into grad school. I want to go so bad. However, if that is not my destiny, I will be looking for the experience of internships to carry me through to my dream job.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river
I really couldn't think of a title off the top of my head for this post and The Turners' Proud Mary is stuck in my head for some reason, sooo there you go.
I got a job. I don't think I can quite say where it is for legal reasons, but I'll just say it's a department store. I can pretty much confirm that it seems a 100 times better than the pet store job I had before. I am glad to have it, although it is not in the museum world, because right now I need money like no one's business.
Trying to tackle the financial aid essay for Appalachian State so if I got in, they'd give me money. I need to edit my statement of purpose for them as well. Texas Tech's application process for Museum Science is all over the place. Ugggghh. Have your info in one place please and have it detailed. I really don't like searching everywhere for admissions information and unclear application deadline dates. CU Boulder had it together for sure on their site.
Speaking of them, I should be hearing decisions from the first 3 soon as Tuesday will be the beginning of March, or as I like to call it, "The Month of Reckoning". I pray, pray, pray this year will be different than the last because it's honestly what I need to truly succeed in the museum world. I can work hard all I want....but people want experience PLUS a degree. I don't plan to work in retail all my life. No No NO.
I saw a shooting star tonight. I think it's the second legitimate one I've seen in my life (or at least remember). I wished for good things. Hopefully they will come true.
I got a job. I don't think I can quite say where it is for legal reasons, but I'll just say it's a department store. I can pretty much confirm that it seems a 100 times better than the pet store job I had before. I am glad to have it, although it is not in the museum world, because right now I need money like no one's business.
Trying to tackle the financial aid essay for Appalachian State so if I got in, they'd give me money. I need to edit my statement of purpose for them as well. Texas Tech's application process for Museum Science is all over the place. Ugggghh. Have your info in one place please and have it detailed. I really don't like searching everywhere for admissions information and unclear application deadline dates. CU Boulder had it together for sure on their site.
Speaking of them, I should be hearing decisions from the first 3 soon as Tuesday will be the beginning of March, or as I like to call it, "The Month of Reckoning". I pray, pray, pray this year will be different than the last because it's honestly what I need to truly succeed in the museum world. I can work hard all I want....but people want experience PLUS a degree. I don't plan to work in retail all my life. No No NO.
I saw a shooting star tonight. I think it's the second legitimate one I've seen in my life (or at least remember). I wished for good things. Hopefully they will come true.
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