the deed is done

    For better or worse, I made major changes in my current life today. I dropped all my classes except for the one hour for my honors thesis. I had to jump through a couple of hoops to make it happen, but (at this point) it is all settled.     About a week ago I discovered I would need to do about five substitutions/corrections to meet the degree requirements for the second major. I discussed it briefly with my 'mentor' and advisor at the university on Tuesday. While talking with him, he returned my sandalwood Buddhist rosary, which he had carried with him to Tibet where it was blessed in the Jokang Temple in Lhasa. When I took hold of it from him--I know this is going to sound so hokey--I got this odd feeling. A feeling of change, of needing to re-evalute, and I remember thinking this, but not really knowing to what the feeling to change would apply. It was a very calming feeling though.     Over the next couple days, several things happened... I don't remember exactly what happened on what day. I pulled out all the paperwork to apply for the changes to meet the new degree plan. I realized it would be weeks before I would know if the substitutions were accepted, and by then, it could be too late to drop the classes. Even more important, I realized on Friday that academic penalty for dropping was NOT the most important consideration at the moment: financial penalty WAS. According to the catalog, the deadline was 10 days following the beginning of the semester. That is tomorrow!     I began to question myself seriously as to how I was going to manage to accomplish all I would need to do over the next few months, and I also forced myself to ask why I wanted the second major. And other than the love I have for the subject matter, and how compelling I find the study of it, there really is NO reason for me to pursue the second major. It would benefit me little if any, and if I failed to make an A in each class, it could be actually cost me GPA points, and my latin designation at graduation.     I emailed two of my most trusted friends for advice. After detailing everything, I basically asked them whether they could find a reason for me NOT to drop, if they could discover something in my reasoning that I had overlooked. Neither did. By the time I heard from them both, I felt my decision was made and I felt very calm and confident it was the right thing to do... and today I did it.     The only really bad/sad part is that because I am no longer a full-time student, I can not work at the library. It was difficult to tell my supervisors, but they were both very understanding and supportive.     So, I'm sort of a home-body again. I will most likely have to go to campus once a week for a meeting with my thesis advisor, but otherwise, I'm cut loose until December. I expect to have some "post-partum" effects, and have already warned family to be patient... I feel a little lost over holidays from class as it is. (Or rather, has been.) Oh! One set of letters of recommendation for gradschool, sealed and delivered to me today... three more to go. And I will be taking the GRE in early October.
Just cause I wanted to post a picture.     In other news, I tried again this afternoon, unsuccessfully, to find Theresa's new shop. I will just have to email her for specific directions. I picked up the blue #5 pearl cotton (and a fresh skein of the same shade of cotton floss) for my seminar piece at Hobby Lobby. They didn't have #8 in DMC415 and I don't know if what I have will be enough. I'll look for it in Jackson. Or maybe email the teacher to see if a full ball is required.     I think I'll knit a bit tonight, and maybe start on the outlining for the seminar piece. Gosh, I haven't really worked on canvas for years!     Supper for me tonight will probably be tuna, cheese, and crackers. Hubby had a "big sandwich" late in the day because he thought he was going to have to work late. That's something else that will be changing: being home, I will feel like I should prepare supper. Oh joy. But then, "feel like" doesn't mean "will." Lordy, I am SO lazy! Cyn [who seems to be stuck for the present at 154 lbs, for those who might be curious]