On heat in the apartment, aaand grad school

yep. you can read
our apartment is 55degrees.
55. degrees.

*shrugs* we don't want to pay more for our electric bill (maria and I split it).
august: $30ish
sept: $35ish
oct, nov: $30ish...
dec: $55!!
Jan: $55!!!!
apparently there's a "winter rate"
so even with us hardly Ever using our heat......hmph.
....so we're going and getting muchos plastic for windows
and...continuing the routine of...pushups and sit ups every half hour.
But really, ....
we've got multiple blankets, a foot budy, and...
who needs feeling in fingers, anyway?? Really!?

....my nose is cold.

Have I ever told you about how the water out of our faucet...
if used to 'defrost' a chicken/meat of any kind...
it is SO hot that it literally starts COOKING the meat...
yeah, browning it.
not even kidding.



-------------------------

in other news:

I think I'm 99% in to grad school
which I technically have Until may to apply to

but if I want an assistantship and any financial help...
FEB. 1ST!!!!
yeah...like....one week from now.
I believe whole heartedly,
especially with a not-so-busy weekend
that I can get it done.
The reality of it is ...a bit daunting, though.
When I have to reflect on Why i'm Really doing this?

Do you know what I came up with?
-Lisa suggested i should

(and lisa, mind you...is the one helping me enter in the SEGD student competition, she won this one in 2003: "Wayfinding Design Course Prototype Society of Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD), 2003; $5000.00 awarded for the development of course curriculum in wayfinding (Roger Baer, co-investigator).)
aaand THIS is where she featured my FemBash project
-I'm terrified of the real world, so school seems like a safe bet
-its comfortable
-my Folds Family is leaning in the direction of also staying in Iowa

However this is an opportunity that has been
literally placed in my hands.
My values and beliefs lie in the idea that most everything has a purpose
or can be given a purpose (this is how I'm such an optimist)
and that it is often best to roll with what you're given
and not take it for granted.
So, even though this isn't something I would have ever imagined
me doing at this point in my life,
I feel that passing it up would be an ungrateful act.
I am interested...
talented...
and motivated
in this area of study
so here I go...???
and I can only hope that it is a key step in someday
....designing a corporate bike storefront or
outdoorsy store identity
...or... or something.
Or...in living in my shanty/airstream down by the river...
with some cool signage out in front of 'er.

ALSO
as a side note
the whole
"get back in the car kids!" story
came from this lady:

hi paula.