Saturday, December 7, 2013

A love letter, to you all.

The only thing standing between me and my well-deserved Christmas break is my history final.  Classes are done, assignments are turned in, papers are graded, reading is complete.  I'm allowed to take my history final next week any time I please, so long as it's done by the end of the day on Friday.  My week is crazy-scheduled, so I'm planning to take it on Thursday morning.  Easy as pie.

This afternoon we're having a small study-session for the exam at my place, then tonight I'm going to a show at Blackfriars with Marshall and Kendra and Jordan, and after that we're all going out to celebrate Meredith's and Patrick's birthdays, and after that we'll hit the ASC holiday party.  Sunday is much laughter and cocoa drinking and Bard-game playing with some truly excellent folks as we huddle and shelter from the snow/sleet/awful freezing rain.  Monday is MFA show at the Blackfriars followed by gelato and cocoa with most of the first-years.  Tuesday is ASC workshops all afternoon, a lecture in the evening, A Christmas Carol at Blackfriars after that, then drinks with friends.  Wednesday is brunch with the first-years at our professor's gorgeous home, Thursday is history final, ASC workshop planning meeting, and the program Christmas party with my husband!  Friday is more ASC workshopping, then Santaland Diaries in the evening at Blackfriars.  Jam packed, but sure to be full of excellent people and excellent times.  (Also, every time I refer to us as first-years, it makes me think of Harry Potter, which does not suck.)

I am so happy with my life.  I'm 25% done with my first master's degree.  In two weeks I'll be back home in Oregon to see my darling friends and wonderful family.  I'm just a happy girl.

I'm ever so grateful for my amazing husband, Timothy.  He is the kindest, gentlest, sweetest, most decent man I know, and he's incredibly supportive and self-sacrificing.  (Auxesis!)  I'm ever so lucky that he chose me and that he moved here with me.  He's the best part of my day, every day, always.  (Diacope!)

I'm thankful for my darling friend Ellen, who has always believed in me more than I believed in myself, has always pushed me and encouraged me and loved me, and who is one of the smartest, funniest, most delightful people I've ever known.  (Polysyndeton! Isocolon! Epistrophe! Auxesis!) If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be here in this program right now, I wouldn't be married, and my life would be much sadder and less joyous.  She's incredible and amazing and delightful.

I'm so proud to know my sweet friend Sara, who is an incredible bad-ass, whip smart, crazy talented, and so open and loving.  (Auxesis!)  She made a cross-country move exciting rather than terrifying, and I feel so lucky to have her just down the road.  When things get silly and I need a rational presence in my life, she's right there.  She is wonderful, and ever so loved.

I'm beyond blessed to be part of such a wonderful class of talented, creative, innovative, smart, funny, kind, sweet people (auxesis!).  Adrienne is so sweet and kind, a master of organization, and terrifically funny.  Aubrey never fails to make me laugh and is always available to reminisce with me about OSF.  Dani always lights up the room.  Deirdra's made it her mission to make sure we all know how great Antony & Cleopatra is.  Fred is incredibly intelligent, highly perceptive, and awfully funny.  Ian is one of the most chipper, energetic, enthusiastic people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing (auxesis!).  Jamie is joyful and charismatic, and works hard to make sure we're all being the best that we can be.  Jordan is sassy and sweet, and sassy again.  Kendra is exceptionally kind-hearted and incredibly smart and has one of the best laughs of all time (polysyndeton!).  Lia is passionate and silly.  Marshall is delightful and hilarious and talented and sassy (polysyndeton!).  Megan is kind and caring and thoughtful (isocolon!).  Meredith is sassy and adorable, and makes amazing squirrel cookies.  Merlyn is witty, wise, and an incredibly talented actress.  Molly is enthusiastic and open-hearted.  Patrick is sassy, full of feelings, has absolutely the BEST laugh in the world, and is delightfully witty.  Susan is absolutely darling and so, so, so kind (epizuexis!).  Ziegs is a veritable font of Shakespeare news, trivia, and knowledge.

There's a lot of sass in our class, a lot of love, a lot of laughter, a lot of intelligence, and a lot of talent.  (Iscolon, anaphora!)  I just can't find the words to express how happy I am to be here and how lucky I am to be surrounded by these amazing people.

Happy merry, y'all.  Happy merry.