I Have an MFA!!!

My latest fun update is that I passed my thesis defense yesterday! The Friday before that, after two insane days staying up crazy hours to FINISH the thesis (and slightly less insane days leading up to that), I turned in 138 pages to my committee members and hoped for the best. Yesterday at noon I gave a twenty minute presentation, fielded around twenty more minutes of questions from my committee members and guests, then spoke privately with my committee. They recommended a teensy amount of revisions (woohoo!) and then signed off! Finally, Joan and I opened the lecture room door so she could introduce me as the department's newest MFA! This moment was commemorated with special guests: my parents, Matt, Marielle and Gary, Sarah and Leon, Yael, Shiraz, and Meital, Terry, David, Roz and Don, Craig, and Dr. Ovando.

Celebrations were indeed in order! I lunched at Eastside Cafe then relaxed at my place and chatted on the phone with Christa. My voice was gone from the presentation and I was exhausted and in shock that I actually was an MFA. Then Matt took me out to Clay Pit (yum) and we sat at the lower level which was this cave-like, candle-lit romantic room. Fun! Then we played some Spades at Cru and tasted wine flights.

Today, I slept late, caught up on the latest episode of The Office, attended Eyore's Birthday Party with Matt (Austin has some crazy, silly, random events), watched some Labyrinth, and Sarah took me out to Z Tejas. Now, more relaxation time until I cheer like a maniac for Matt in the Maestro improv show later tonight. I have an MFA, I have every right to play the fool all weekend. :)

I hadn't been able to think about what comes next beyond THESIS insanity. Now, I look in my planner and I like what I see--a whole lot of not much for a good chunk of time!! All I need to do is get a job and I'm all set...but I'll figure it out.

I am busy the next two weekends so thank goodness I don't have major thesis revisions! Next weekend, I am in Florida to be a bridesmaid in Linnea's wedding and the following weekend I am in Chattanooga, TN to present at an arts integration conference.

I feel light and carefree, so relieved and un-stressed, and HAPPY. Yay. :)

All smiles with my thesis advisor Joan after my defense