Hoah!

This week has been a difficult week, but, it turns out, a good week.

First of all, my editor - the Associate Editor of the paper - loved my column this week (read it here). Like any other writer, when my editor is happy, I am blissful. When my editor is unhappy - well, you can imagine ;)

Last night was my laaaate night with the copy staff, and I got to work with the Assistant Managing Editor and learn a new skill (cutting pages! Whee!). I am still quite useless at headline-writing, but I don't feel nervous going into work anymore. The copy editors who slot for me (check my work) are both very kind, patient people.

Southeast Ohio magazine fact-checking is still a bit of a bear. Grr.

But in other good news, I got an "A" on a massive magazine class presentation on The Atlantic (formerly The Atlantic Monthly). My professor wrote that I delivered my speech "with a voice of gentle authority." HA! Now I have a new line for whenever my friends complain that I speak too softly... ;)

The only bad part about the week is that I've only gotten to daily Mass once... There wasn't any Mass at all on Monday, and today's I had to miss because, as I said, it was my late night and I got home at 1:30 in the morning. It stinks to miss; I can't remember how I got through life before daily Mass was a part of it. Tomorrow, tomorrow.

Let the rain come down

I promised myself I wouldn't title this post with lyrics from a bad pop song. It looks like I lied to myself, oops!

Athens, Ohio received a direct hit from a nasty storm last night, the night on which I had my late night with The Post's copy staff. Today's was a twelve page paper, too - only the second time so far this year that we've been that big, I believe. However, my fervent praying (which, to be honest, was more like whining) obtained for me the miracle of being sent home at 12:30, instead of ye olde 2:00 in the morning.

In other journalism news, I was appointed to lead one of three teams of copy editors at Southeast Ohio Magazine. This will mean slightly more work, but hopefully double the resume umph.

I am going to come right out and ask for prayers from my little readership. As you know, I'm going to be graduating at Thanksgiving time, and will no longer have my reliable "student" status to get me discounts, the forbearance of adults, and an identity. I will, however, have a magnum cum laude bachelor's degree from the Scripps School, and about $6,000 in debt.

I am considering going to grad school, but only if I can get it all paid for by the university; I am thinking about applying for some editing jobs, and for a government position; I am worrying about my vocation and wondering if by doing any of the above I would just be putting off what God wants from me. All in all, preparing to leave the undergraduate world is just as confusing as I thought it would be. I wanna be a freshman again :(

All whining aside, I would appreciate it if you would pray that I am able to figure out my life, preferably in the next five to six weeks. Bit of a tight schedule, I know :)

What am I forgetting? Oh, that's right, my latest for The Post, on Our Lady of Guadalupe. It's very inoffensive and non-controversial, and I wrote it two hours before my deadline. Tisk, tisk.

J'accuse

Myself, for not updating more often. But I have excuses!

This quarter is shaping up to be the mind-melter I suspected it would be. A fun mind-melter, mind you. Eh, that's quite a mouthful.

So far I have had one column printed in The Post, and today they printed a positive letter from a reader; they don't have the column online yet, or I would link to it. Alas, you will just have to wait.

I have had one night of copy editing, but they only let me read one story. It was a somewhat amusing piece about the new mascot - the old Bobcat was a friendly-looking fellow, while the costume of the new Bobcat makes him look very intimidating and... Hungry. It was a late night, 2 o'clock in the morning, and there was a lot of downtime - but I'm told that probably won't happen again (the downtime, not the late night!).

I have yet to find out what my staff assignment is on Southeast Ohio Magazine, but I'd really rather copy edit than write. I had an interview with the Managing Editor and the Editor-in-Chief yesterday, and I got the distinct impression that they wish I would write - gulp! Since generally people are assigned to two staffs, I would be willing to do both the copy staff and the writing staff, if I was assigned smallish articles.

I am trying to get a hold of the naturalist with the Hocking Hills State Park in my quest to find out some dates for the regional calander we publish in the magazine, but we have thus far elevated phone-tagging to an art form.

And today at daily Mass, a nice young girl named Kate came up to me and informed me that she is starting a little Catholic group on campus, and would I like to come to the ice cream social? Indeed, I would.

As you can see, I am already busy, busy, busy, and it's just the start of the quarter. This is not an apologia for a lack of updates, just an explanation. I will probably not be able to udpate daily again until after I graduate at Thanskgiving time, but I'll be sure to post some things at least a few times a week. After all, with all this stuff going on, I'm sure I'll find I need a way to vent... ;)