Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Where in the World Is Elissa SanDeGator

Work got really busy. And then it got really unbusy. So technically no great excuses for not blogging. But I made a goal at FHE to blog once a week.

So this is my life plan (and in life plan I mean my plan for this next year. Who really plans out their whole life?):
1. Stay in Alaska for the winter
    Yeah, this one is a little bit on the crazier side. I was trying to figure out where I should go after the bus driving thing ends (it ends next week fyi). I had multiple people pushing for me to move to Utah, but I felt like I would be settling if I just moved to Utah. I didn't want to move back home, because I was pretty sure I'd get back in a rut and maybe never move out. Then I started thinking about living abroad; but that was just an escape from reality, although I still would like to live abroad. And then my branch president said "You should stay here," and I thought "well if that's not the stupidest idea I've ever heard..."
    But I kept ruminating on the prospect and then one day I decided to ask the Lord where I was the most needed and Fairbanks, Alaska was the answer. Not only did I feel good about the decision, I felt delirious joy. I knew it had to be the right decision because people don't feel deliriously joyful about the prospect of living in Fairbanks for the winter.
    I don't know what I'll be doing for work, but I'm looking into it. I already have a place to stay -- the first counselor in the branch presidency and his wife offered for me to stay with them. I also have to purchase a car.

2. Do some sort of work up until August 2013 and then

3. Be cool like Madison and become a graduate student for a Creative Writing degree.

A couple of hiccups that are still stuck in my throat -- taking the GRE and compiling a writing portfolio that will fool the admissions board into admitting me.

I did buy a "study for the GRE" book, and have read the stuff that pertains to writing and vocab. I have yet had the muscle to read the stuff that pertains to math. I should drink more protein shakes.

If any of you have great writing prompts/stuff I should write about, I will take them into consideration. No prize money will be given out at this time.

Speaking of the greater white North, businesses have already started putting out Christmas decorations. Because apparently it's much easier to do it now while the weather is still warm enough. Hanging wreaths at -30 has caused too many worker comp suits. That's what they tell me, anyway.

The other hard part about all of this is that grad school seems so far away. It's almost a whole year before it starts! I fear that something will happen, like I'll marry an eskimo man and have to make ice cold love to him in his igloo, and I won't get to go to grad school. I know, I know, the Lord knows what is best and everything will work out.

This has been another "well that post was boring and all over the place" post from Elissa. Stay tuned to see if she stays on top of her goal.

3 comments:

caitlin said...

Elissa! I am really sad you aren't coming back! I saw Mitch at church and he shared some stories off your adventures and said you'd be coming back at the end of September....but I guess the Lord has bigger things planned for you! Have fun and stay warm. Watch out for those killer squirrels!

Adrian said...

You should blog weekly. Makes my day to read your posts :)

Alyson Samantha said...

I just wanted to share my favorite line from this post, "I knew it had to be the right decision because people don't feel deliriously joyful about the prospect of living in Fairbanks for the winter." So true.