Funny: Now that I'm giving myself time to do music, I'm getting greedy.
I want even more time.
Piano's improved drastically over the course of a semester. New ideas abound, and I'm getting the chops to play them.
Sang with the ensemble on one tune Tuesday night. Feels great to be back in a larger context. I'm going to try to write some lines for bass clarinet that I can play around for some sort of interlude on "You'd Be So Nice..." - think Bach's inventions.
These oxygen deprivation exercises are driving me batty. I don't know how I'm going to tolerate this for a whole semester. But hey, I spent the greater part of my life running lines and doing countless windsprints, so I should suck it up. Not breathing for extended periods of time, in this circumstance, will not kill me. Right?
Behind in Russian Politics reading. Put off my Development paper until the last possible minute. When did I get so irresponsible?
Oh, yeah: when I finally decided to shut up and do what I wanted.  ¶ 23:33

  So then Vicky of Career Resources fame calls me to let me know that I snagged an interview spot for the GAO internship? Meaning I'm a finalist of sorts? Meaning I now have one Explo contract sitting signed, sealed, but yet undelivered, on my bed, and a big decision to make? If I did get the GAO internship, would I be able to refuse Explo, despite the fact that I'm already in over my neck? Can I trump my integrity with internship greed? Either way, I'm doing something prestigious.

I tried to make this timing work out. It didn't. I had given the GAO up for naught. It's not in-the-bag, by any means. But the fact that I have a decent shot at it is killing me.

I think I may faint.  ¶ 15:56

  Stoked! My course catalog description for Exploration 2004 just came in the mail:

It Ain't East Being Green: Public Policy and Environmental Law 242

"The future health of our planet depends on the effectiveness of environmental laws. We'll investigate the debates and legislative jurisprudence that accompanied passage of landmark environmental laws, such as the 1970s Clean Air Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, and will follow the effects these bills have had on the environment. We will explore both liberal and conservative philosophy regarding government's role in environmental policy. We'll also brainstorm solutions to international environmental problems while we role-play the ratification process of an international emissions treaty. Come learn the importance and difficulty of developing sound environmental policy."

Glow.  ¶ 14:13

  The schedule:

Statistics
Russian Politics
East Asian and Latin American Development
Private Voice Lessons (opera!)
Jazz Orchestra
Taylor's small ensemble
Total: 5 credits (can't enroll Taylor's ensemble as separate from jazz orch. even though it's a heavy committment, but I count it as a 6th in my mind), so I still had to get my credit limit raised. Mom asked me if I was still taking care of my major when I called her with the good news about the voice lessons. That's the first time she's expressed skepticism about what I'm doing... although I'm sure it's much easier to be supportive when everything is hypothetical. "Follow your heart" is easy advice to give, much harder to take.

The extracurriculars:

CT River Watershed Council Internship
Literacy Volunteers
Recording projects with Jay
Exploration curriculum planning
Assorted do-gooder activities, i.e. clinic escorting
Total: No sleep, unlimited stress, and lots of coffee. Doesn't help that clinic escorting is a 4:45 am thing.

In other news:

Wayne and I are talking again. Always a good thing.

The Lipton herbal tea collection is god-awful.

I have to pick a country this week for my development project.

I'm learning SPSS.

I'm super-excited about the voice lessons.

My brother is learning guitar. He's super-excited about his lessons, too.

Jenny Toomey is still fantastic. Thanks Dave.

I might go to New York next weekend with the gang. If that doesn't happen, we'll probably go bowling. Yawp.  ¶ 16:26