…to all who posted comments or sent me e-mails after my big news on Tuesday. I’ve been very excited about this turn of events, so have had some trouble focusing on the things that get me through the day like reading, writing, and eating. I’m starting to feel normal again, though. Of course, when I order my shiny, new <a href=”http://www.apple.com/powerbook/”>PowerBook</a> that I feel is necessary for success as graduate student, I’ll probably start freaking out again until the FedEx truck pulls up in a couple days. (Why order on-line when I’ve got an Apple Store five minutes away? Well, I can avoid the sales push to add the AppleCare plan or any other peripherals to my purchase. Although I am going into the Store today to play around with a Book a little more and who knows what can happen while I’m in there.)

A few comments on your comments:

I’m struggling with mascot loyalty. Technically, I will be a Hoosier. Then again, I’ll be taking classes at IUPUI which is the Jaguars. But my degree will say Indiana University. And, of course, unless you went to a small school for undergrad, you really shouldn’t have any mascot loyalty to your graduate school. I know a few people who spend four years in Lawrence, KS followed by three years in Columbia, MO and they for sure are not Tiger fans. I guess I’m secretly hoping the stars align and <a href=”http://www.kusports.com/news/mens_basketball/story/114938″>Brandon Rush</a> decides to go to UMKC for a year so I can interview him and ask inappropriate questions about his oldest brother when they come to play IUPUI.

And it is Indiana University, not the University of Indiana. I guess many state schools used to be named in this manner, KU notably and the Lawrence paper has never adjusted, and IU has never decided to switch letters around. Native Hoosiers get quite defensive when you refer to their school by the wrong name. See also: Ohio State alums.

I believe the commute to Marquette would be a killer, but knowing a fine journalist like Chris Farley was an alum is tempting.

I do start classes in two weeks, but I was already enrolled under the non-degree program umbrella. I’m supposed to talk to the associate dean at IU next week to get everything squared away. I’m not sure how it works exactly with balancing contact between the faculty in Bloomington vs. Indy.

It’s very gratifying to have other people review what you’ve done in your career and find value in it. That’s really what I thought would get me into graduate school, the fact I did a very good job for 6 1/2 years doing things that in no way matched my strongest abilities. Still, I was nervous they would overlook those accomplishments and focus on the fact I rarely went to class some semesters as an undergrad and have one of the most horrible transcripts ever as a result. If I ever make it famous and get interviewed on national TV (Even C-SPAN’s Book TV would be fine), I can look in the camera and say, “Kids, this is what you can accomplish with a GPA somewhere in the barrio of the <a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendoza_Line”>Mendoza Line</a>.

I’ve got lots of projects in some state of readiness. I’ll try to get you caught up over the next couple days.