Pickle Chips, Meiko and Grad School

What do those three things have in common? Nothing, except being a huge part of my thoughts over the past 24 hours.

First of all, pickle chips are amazing. I first discovered them about a month ago in the downstairs vending machine at Inverness, and bought them on a whim. Good call. GOOD CALL. I'm eating some as I type, and their deliciousness never ceases.

I recommend Snyder's (but that's only because that's the only kind I've ever had)

Now, on to other (seemingly) more important things. Lucy called me up yesterday afternoon to spread the good word that Meiko was playing a free acoustic set at the Wine Loft downtown last night around 6ish. Meiko sings my theme song (Boys with Girlfriends) so naturally I wanted to see this person who spoke volumes of the truth in the flesh.

I feel like Meiko and I would be really good friends. She's funny, and her songs reflect a lot of the same ideas I have about relationships. It was a really good show. She only played for about 30 minutes or so, which was enough to have a glass of wine and decide that I'm buying her cd today. Let me tell you a little something about the Wine Loft downtown...the atmosphere is much like workplay. Dim lighting, alcohol, trendy dressed people all sitting around. Which means, I have found yet another place that I would most definitely fall in love at if I had a date there. I've talked about this before, as it is both awesome and terrible. Awesome, because for one night I'm in a perfect place, listening to some awesome artist, with someone that appreciates it, and me. Terrible, because the next day is a whole new light. It's like workplay and the wine loft are my "drunk goggles." Sometimes things are good, but for the most part, I just need to remember that no matter how I feel that evening, things are going to look a lot more different outside of a cozy atmosphere.

Now on to the grad school. Lucy got in, which has inspired me to quit talking about it, and actually pursue getting my master's in seconday education. So I've taken step one, which is to figure out the best way to achieve this. I've been advised (thank you, Michael Stevens, 'grad school guru') to get an alternative master's in seconday ed with an emphasis in English. This will earn me my degree as well as my teaching certificate. I've also now taken step two, which is to officially register to take the MAT test on January 17th. If I can get a good score (and I better, because it's really expensive to take it) then I can go ahead and apply for grad school to get in by the summer of 09. Cool, huh? It's going to be really great if I get in, with the exception that I will have no life whatsoever for a while, trying to take 3 classes a semester as well as work full time and continue my drumming. (you didn't think I'd give that up, did you?)

And now, obligatory pics. Please enjoy these pictures from my undergrad graduation.

and this is Meiko:

and these are pickle chips: