Hiatus

I am sorry to have to report (finally) that this blog will be taking a temporary hiatus. Amidst the chaos of my life right now, the Greekgeek is sadly feeling more like homework than the fun it usually is. There are 3 constants in my life right now: my thesis (and the dire desire to finish it), my job (I just moved up in position and hours, and I love it!), and running (5 weeks to the half-marathon!). There are other subsidiary thoughts as well -- 3 different articles in play for which I should be researching, job prospects and hopes, friendships to keep on life-support, etc, but basically I'm all in right now. SO, all that to say, this blog is going on a temporary hiatus. I will post here if I hear any more news from job searches and I will definitely post after (and maybe even before) the half-marathon on October 18, and when I submit, that news will definitely be here -- and will kick off the resumption of random and unrelated blog posts. =) But until then, feel free to check maybe once a week to see if anything's changed, otherwise, catch you all on the flip side of my thesis!

And just for fun, here's a picture from Bolton Abbey, crossing the stepping stones of doom. It seems an apt picture for my life right now -- in the middle of it all, water swirling around, and yet knowing there is an end that is actually in sight...

Wedding 2 of the Year!

So I do still want to catch up and actually narrate some of the fun and craziness that was Yorkshire, but if you're curious why I'm in the States right now, it was for Emily's wedding (and you can follow that link to the photos, even if you're not on facebook!). Emily has been one of my friends since freshman year of undergrad, so I was very honored when I was asked to be in her wedding some 13 years on from when we met! During my weekend in Jacksonville, I was repeatedly asked if I was the bride's twin sister, bringing back memories of undergrad when that used to happen all the time (thankfully, this weekend, I never was mistaken for the bride herself!). I also by chance managed to be mistaken for another of the bridesmaids (Janice), and then at the wedding someone approached me with all confidence and said: "You have curly hair, you must be Darisse" (another bridesmaid who, due to poor-health, couldn't attend). I am one generic person! =D

Here are a few photos from the few that I even took:

The official college flatmates -- Emily lived next door when we all lived together our senior year: Claire, me, Susan, Janice.

All the Davidson grads: Laura, Andrew, me, Emily, Andrew, Edwina, Susan, Janice, Claire.

Finally, the happy couple, Matt and Emily. Could he look any more possessive?! =D

And now I'm home for a week, just trying to keep my feet under me and even get some work done... Or maybe catch up on some sleep? (speaking of... goodnight!)

some photo links

So, I do plan to do a fuller blog post of the entire week away, including photos from others' cameras, but for the moment if you're curious, I'll give you some links for my photos.

For the week's events around the wedding, click here.

For the wedding itself, click here.

And do check back for events I failed to bring my camera to and a running narrative. =)

hi again

So, I'm back again. . . . for a whole 5 nights. . . . before I take off for Jacksonville for wedding number 2 for this month. I am looking forward to seeing my friends from undergrad again, though!

Ross and Nina's wedding was beautiful, the entire week was lovely and fun and wonderful, and this weekend I plan to get a post up here to tell you (and show you!) all about it. Fountains Abbey is as beautiful as I could have imagined, and we also got to wander over to several other Abbeys in the area. Lovely week!! And I am exhausted with a TON of work to get through the next few days. I've now made friends with Red Bull and I think that will play a fair part in getting me off to Florida! Oh well, sleep is for some other time. . . . Don't know when, but not now! But anyway, photos and stories will come, but now I need to do some work and hit my bed quite early.

I want to go back to Fountains. NOW.

And again

I'm off today for nina's wedding. I'll be back next Thursday evening after dropping the car off -- I don't really anticipate having internet access between now and then. For the millions I want to email and who have thoughtfully emailed me, I apologize - I'm still in survival mode. But at least this time I'm staying in the country so I'm taking some work with me. . . . No question, work needs must happen on this trip. So anyway, before I take off, some photos of the last few weeks!

The other week there was a goodbye picnic for all the families that are leaving this summer. Due to coming late from work (picnic was on a Friday) and the immediate arrival of a rainstorm, I didn't catch everyone -- but here are some of my close friends from here who have abandoned me!

Aidan Stone, showing off how high he could climb.

The Gabrielsons, a family I adore. Jeremy is a master chef as well as an NT scholar, which doesn't hurt! And the kids? well... I'll take them any time (except that I don't because I've started to feel responsible to finish my PhD, but otherwise....). Thankfully they're not leaving imminently.

The Stones. Tim leaving has opened a gaping hole in my office for me.

The Egans. Patrick has gone through the switch from Richard to Grant alongside me, and his humor and encouragement never fails.

If you see any of these people Stateside, just know they're amazing and give them a hug for me. =D

On Sunday, we had Amber and Paul and Ruby over for another grill-out in our carpark.

Watching for seagulls, who did eventually drive us indoors with their brashness.

Verena with Ruby

And then I was off to Vancouver (while Amber and Paul headed off to Paris, yes, it's a rough life over here). Friday, being my birthday, one of the members of the committee who could also easily become a friend took me hiking in Deep Cove -- followed by honey donuts for a birthday cake. =D

At the top of our hike, overlooking Deep Cove.

The next morning I met up with a friend who I last saw in the beginning of July in Cambridge. He teaches in Southern California, so neither of these meetings have been "logical", but he was in Vancouver for a wedding and just overlapped with my time there. Good times.

With Allen on Granville Island.

We met up at the Blue Parrot Cafe in the Market. This market is amazing. Want it. Now.

I spent Saturday night and Sunday with Geddo, which was simply lovely. Then took my first class flight back here! And now I'm off again.

Sleepless

I'm back in St Andrews -- over 10,000 miles clocked in a week. Oof! Speaking of planes, I was eligible for upgrade on the two flights from Newark to Vancouver, so I kept crossing my fingers hoping that maybe I'd get my first experience of first class! but I didn't. Last night I left my grandfather's house in plenty of time, checked in at Newark and went through security, only then to discover my flight was 3 hours delayed. =( I was annoyed, to say the least. I picked up a book and curled in a corner until they finally started doing boarding-type stuff for the flight. At that point I went up to do the final passport check, proceeded to get an evil look from the airline lady for somehow missing exactly how the line was (not) forming (and it really wasn't, to my defense - I checked!) while being pushed from behind to either get to the counter or be bypassed -- so I was all stressed and flustered while the airline lady ignored me and did something else. Eventually she went off and summoned a Ms. Camel and a Mr. So-and-so to come speak to her, so I stepped up and said, "well, that's convenient!" She replied: "I needed to use your seat, (Me, panics) so I've assigned you a new seat (Me, pictures uncomfortable centre seat with dread), you'll be sitting up front for this flight! Have a good flight and happy belated birthday!"

I had no idea what to do with myself for the next half-hour until we boarded, and when I got on, I couldn't help myself -- I had to push buttons, open packages, and generally make an obvious "newbie" scene -- but REALLY! They came by and checked "Ms Camel, will you be needing anything when you arrive in Edinburgh? Lounge access, anything?" Also: "Here's your menu, what would you like for your main course for dinner tonight?" (I chose a steak which was actually quite good!) I had every intention of getting on the plane, taking a valerian and sleeping through the entire flight, dinner and all, but this was an opportunity not to be missed! So while my neighbor tucked himself in and went to sleep, I stayed up for the full service experience as first I was served warm cashews with a glass of wine, followed by a trio of appetizers (a spinach/feta filo-wrapped thing, a mushroom soup, and a crab cake), followed by a fancy salad, followed by my steak with mashed potatoes and broccoli (together) and a side of white and green asparagus. By this point I was getting a bit full (!), so I opted out of the cheese plate, but when the guy offered to make me his strawberry-caramel-cheesecake extravaganza for dessert, I went for it (this, instead of an ice-cream sundae made at your seat). It was a very, very surreal flying experience, I have to admit. I had a little footrest, and my seat reclined quite far back so when I dozed for an hour or two, I actually rested quite well before they brought out our fancy breakfasts.

Good times. I'm just as glad to be retaining my lowest-of-the-elite status for another year on the small chance this sort of thing could happen again! Of course, today I paid for not sleeping and have been useless!

Now, as per what you're all actually interested in. . . . The interview went well, in my opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed the people there and felt we got on well. I am content -- if I don't make it farther, then I am very pleased to have made it this far and can be confident that whoever they hire just fits the school better at this point in time - not that I somehow failed the process. So that's encouraging! Now the pressure is on, in a serious way though, to get my thesis in (so a day spent in bed today probably isn't the way forward. . . !). Prayers for endurance and clarity would be appreciated! But thank you all so much for joining with me in prayer this past week!

absent again...

Sorry I haven't been writing much on here lately - between a suicidal travel schedule and just trying to wrap up my thesis, writing happens elsewhere.

But I thought I'd just throw this out there, although it may be a bit late for most people to catch this in advance! Still, seemed worth it...

I'm out in Vancouver right now interviewing for a position I would dearly love to get. I am a bit the young, less-qualified wild-card person still in the interview mix. Anyone else probably has PhD in hand at the least, and also most likely several years (at least) of teaching behind them. I do not feel insecure of my qualifications for the level I am at, I just am aware that I do not have everything that other candidates will be bringing more to the table in some areas, and also that I just won't have answers to all the questions posed to me. It's just the reality. . .

Still, Vancouver is a lovely city, the school is so welcoming and wonderfully theologically driven, and if I was God I would move me here next. =D I do, however, trust God fully and I know that both I and the entire search committee want the best for the school and are praying quite intensely over the process, so I trust God to work for the best of both the school and for me. So I am just praying for God's will to be done. But as one person prayed over me -- I'm also praying that I represent myself well in the interview and have no regrets after this, regardless of the outcome. So I'd appreciate your prayers for this afternoon (Thursday), and through the rest of my time here (I leave Saturday morning).

Thanks!