Bit of Ivory

I’m in! I’m in! I’m in!

*Emily jumps up and down and does the Happy Snoopy Dance*

YAAAAAAAAY!

*Emily calms down and starts breathing again*

Anyway, yeah, I’ve got my signed add card in my hand. I haven’t even turned it in yet; I had to tell you all first. Someone dropped, and there was one other girl besides me who still wanted to add. The teacher wanted to be all equitable and had us pick a number between 1 and 2, and I got it! The other girl might still be able to add, there was an empty desk. I hope she can. Everyone should be able to take this class.

*Emily breaks out the sparkling apple juice*

It’s time to celebrate!

From RJA’s Live Journal and modified for myself:

For each of your fandoms, and without reusing anyone if possible, who was the character you most:

Identified with?
Star Trek: Data
Harry Potter: Ginny Weasley
Jane Austen: Mary Bennet (I know, I know)
Robin McKinley: Beauty (Honour)
Perry Mason: Della Street

Found attractive?
Star Trek: Wesley Crusher
Harry Potter: Remus Lupin
Jane Austen: Mr. Knightley
Robin McKinley: Tor
Perry Mason: Perry, of course.

Hated or were thoroughly annoyed by?
Star Trek: Lt. Commander Shelby (from The Best of Both Worlds)
Harry Potter: Colin Creevy
Jane Austen: Mrs. Elton
Robin McKinley: Hmm. . .I can’t think of one
Perry Mason: Sargent Holcomb

Adored in a platonic sense?
Star Trek: Q
Harry Potter: Dumbledore
Jane Austen: Mr. Bingley
Robin McKinley: Jack Dedham
Perry Mason: Paul Drake

I’m not in the Austen class. There were several people ahead of me on the adding priority list. The teacher was able to add 3 people, and there was the possibility of a couple more being added. I’m still slightly hopeful, and I’m definitely prayerful. It turns out I need this class more than I thought– I forgot that I’m re-taking my Pearl of Great Price class, so it won’t count toward my final hours– and I need 9 credits to graduate, and am currently only registered for 9. So I need to add at least 2 more hours, or I won’t be able to graduate in April as originally planned. And I really want this class.

We all introduced ourselves, and our teacher asked us to mention what Austen books we’ve read, which of the movie adaptations we’ve seen, what introduced us to Austen, etc. When I did my spiel several people laughed. I don’t think they’ve seen anyone quite as obsessed as me. I’m definitely one of the Janeitiest Janeites I’ve seen. I didn’t tell them that my obsession with Austen is exceeded only by my obsession with Harry Potter. I think that would have scared them off.

In any case, my World Dance class is going to be a blast. We already learned two dances, and the other ones that are listed look really fun. Floral Design is also going to be wonderful. Whenever our teacher does a demonstration, she’s going to do a drawing for the arrangement, and we get to keep our own arrangements from the labs as well. We even get to learn how to do buttoniers and corsages, which will be wonderful when I have teenage daughters and sons going to dances.

Oh, and Elizabeth– the book is by our teacher, and there will be tests on the specific chapters, so I can’t really get away without having one available. But I really am only paying $53.50 for the book, ’cause my roomie and I are sharing it. So that’s not so bad. But I’d still love all your notes and stuff.

I don’t have to work until 4:00, so I figure now is as good a time as any to report on my first day back at school.

My first class was at 10:00, but since I had no idea when I was working today (the schedule wasn’t finished until Friday, and I didn’t work at all this week, and the desk was closed on Saturday, so I couldn’t call to find out), I figured I’d better come in at 9:00 just in case I was working. I wasn’t, but I read the newspaper and checked e-mail, etc., then met my roomie Jen to go to our first class– Intermediate Social Dance. It’s going to be fun, although our teacher is really big on technique, which is not something I’m really strong on. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. It’s either going to help me improve my technique, or I’m going to be awful at it and get bad grades. Oh well. It’s a dance class.

My 11:00 class is a religion class, Pearl of Great Price taught by Joseph Fielding McConkie (with a name like that, you’ve GOT to be Mormon), specifically. It’s going to be awesome. My brother’s in it, which is a new experience for me. We’ve never been in a college class together– other than University Chorale, with 300 other people. This class has about 40 in it, I would guess. So that’ll be interesting.

I work from 12:00 to 1:00, then head off to my Novel of Empire class, my Senior Course. I find this class to be extremely ironic. After having spent all my waking hours (and some of my not-waking hours) of the last four years in the JKHB (Jesse Knight Humanities Building), my culminating course is in the TNRB (Tanner Building, which houses the Marriot School of Management). Funny, huh? But the girl who sat next to me is a big Harry Potter fan, and one of her favorite books is Pride and Prejudice, so I know I’ll find friends, and the class will be very interesting with not too bad of a workload. Hooray!

I’ll be working again from 4 to 6, then it’s off to home. Tomorrow I have World Dance with Jen again at 9:00. I hope I like that class, although I think I will. It’ll be different, anyway. Then Jen and I march off together to Floral Design, which should be a blast. The book’s expensive, though– $107. Jen and I are going to share one. Devotional will be at 11:00, then I’m going to the Jane Austen in Context class with an Add Card in hand, hoping and praying. I’m going to make sure to mention that I’m a paid member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, that I’ve read Pride and Prejudice 200 times and the others at least 5 each (although it’s probably closer to 20 for Persuasion), that my domain name is taken from an Austen quote, that I frequent the Republic of Permberley, and that my future husband will not only be willing to watch the 5 hour P&P with me, he will probably already own a copy. Hopefully that will convince the professor that I’m serious about the class.

Wish me luck.

But right now, I just have to say:

Thank goodness for high-speed internet.

I just downloaded 318 e-mails from over Christmas break.

It took about 2 minutes.

It would have taken 20 on my home connection.

Dad, you’re serious about getting broadband, right?

Before I go to bed, I just have to tell you guys what my family did for New Year’s Eve. We built Booth Modules (finishing up my dad’s project, for those of you who missed that entry). Then, when we were all finished, we broke out the bottles of Apple Beer, complained about how stupid the Times’ Square Ball is as we watched it fall, and then watched the last episode of Dick Van Dyke.

We are party animals, let me tell you.

Here’s to 2003!

I’m at work currently, but today’s the only day this week that I have to work– Hurrah! I actually get a real vacation! I’ll finally have time to set Harry back up (he’s been sitting in a crate in our sewing room since I moved home), and maybe even write some fanfic. I’ll definitely have time to beta chapters 4 & 5 of Retrospection for Jen, and to write my proposal for the Nimbus convention. I’m also going to see The Two Towers tomorrow (finally!), and Chamber of Secrets (again!) on New Year’s (at least, that’s the current plan– I’ll have to chex it out with Nicole, who is the main reason I’m going to CoS again anyway– well, at least ostensibly. )

My dad has made a major step in accepting the Nimbus thing– he offered to look up his frequent flyer miles, to see if there were enough for a ticket to Orlando. After he offered, I said “Does that mean I can go?” “I didn’t say that,” he replied.

Although I think that’s more just reluctance to admit anything than any real opposition to the scheme. I think they’re mostly worried about me being able to afford it than anything else. But I really think I will be able to. Hooray!

Emily’s going to Orlando!

Oh, and I’ve learned a new rule– Emily’s First Rule of Colds:

When all else fails, use nose spray.

I woke up this morning at 5:30–an hour before I was planning on getting up for my drive to Provo–with a raging sore throat in addition to my cough, stuffy nose and headache. I called in sick to the library. Went to see a doctor this afternoon. It’s not Strep. Which is good news and bad news. While Strep is contagious, which would be bad, it’s also treatable by antibiotics, which would mean a quicker recovery. Unfortunately, my doctor thinks it’s a particularly violent cold virus strain, and will probably be around for another week or so. So I’ve been lying around all day.

However, this does give me the time to FINALLY gush and flow about the lovely surprise that I found when I came home on Friday. I knew Elizabeth was planning on sending me something, but I certainly never expected this!

Let me give you a list of what’s in the basket:

• A Harry Potter tin (that’s the big thing in the middle)
• 3 boxes of cookies
• 4 boxes of tea light candles for my
• 2 tea light candle holders
• 3 vintage postcards
• 2 pinecones
• An Albus Dumbledore Famous Wizard card
• 2 BIG mugs
• A can of hot chocolate
• Harry, Ron, and Hermione sculptures/snowglobes,
• A metal phoenix, which Elizabeth informs me is a candle jewel– you stick it in a tall candle, and it makes a cool shadow on the wall!
• A bottle of shower gel, massage oil and body lotion, all in a very familar fragrance– Cedarwood Sage!
• A jar of blue lavender palmarosa bath salts (pictured with the other body stuff)
• And last but definitely not least, a hand-painted greeting card of Imbolic, or the Festival of the Maiden in Celtic mythology.

Needless to say, I was flabbergasted. I certainly didn’t deserve even half so much. Its arrival has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise very stressful Christmas. I’ve already used the shower gel and body lotion often, and plan on using the bath salts in the very near future.

Elizabeth, I’m very lucky to have you as a friend.

Between the library and Deseret Book, I’m scheduled for 42 hours this week. The only day I have off is Christmas itself.

And I have a cold.

Merry Christmas to me.

Finis, finished, completed, DONE DONE DONE!!!

Can you tell I’m excited?

I took my last final. Got an 85 on it. Normally, I’d be upset at that kind of a performance, but I could care less. I got good scores on all my other tests, and all my assignments, so if my grade goes down slightly, who cares?!? I think the senioritis is talking a little bit, as well.

It’s snowing.

As soon as I finish blogging and checking all my favorite sites, I’m taking Harry apart and heading home. I’ll be on dial-up for the next couple of weeks, so I’ll probably only be able to check in once a day. But I’ll keep you updated, no worries.

Tonight my friend Antoinette is throwing her annual Christmas party. It’s the one time in the year that I get to see all my old high school friends, so I’m excited.

And NO HOMEWORK all break means I’ll be able to do some sirius work on my Sirius story as well as get my proposal written for the Nimbus convention. Now, it’s all about convincing my parents. They’re worried.

I’m SO glad it’s the holidays.