a man a plan a canal panama

Since my last posting, I've still been on the "nothing is working out" path, both failing my most recent attempt at the Spanish interpreting test and not being able to get a new job. In light of this, I decided that I needed a new plan, since I am obviously not going to pass this stupid test anytime soon. Without further ado, new plan:

Reapply for grad school for next fall
Teach English in Egypt for about 6 months starting in january
Get accepted to grad school (one hopes)
profit.

Or something along those lines. I was reluctant to consider another try at grad school mostly because I feel like I haven't done anything to distinguish myself in the intervening time so why both again until I do something? Except that I can't seem to do anything, so I was in a bit of a failure loop. I am seriously regretting not applying to more graduate programs last year because I probably would have at least gotten into the UW arabic MA, had I applied. At the time though, I had ruled it would be stupid to stay at UW, but I have since reevaluated this position. This time I am going to apply to Berkeley (again), U of Washington and the Monterry Institute (For MA translation and interpreting). I am hoping that with some more international experience under my belt, I'll have better luck. And even if I don't get in again, by next spring I'll be able to retake the contract linguist test for the FBI, which I suppose I will pass with studying and being in Egypt, and I will probably try for medical interpreting in Arabic as well, but we'll see.

I am excited to go to Egypt. This is going to get me out of my pessimistic rut of the moment. I'll be taking a TEFL (teaching english as a foreign language) course this month and then looking for a job. I've been having fun planning out the trip and things I need to do to get ready; I like making lists and planning. I intend to be better prepared then last time I went. For one, I already have a nice camera. Also, I'm really hoping I can get something in Alexandria rather than Cairo. Cairo is cool, but I think it would be pretty sweet to be on the coast. I'm also hoping to do a little extra traveling about while I'm in that area of the world, since last time I didn't really go anywhere (no money, you see). My current, tentative plan is to fly to Spain after my teaching term is up. I was looking at some 5 day Mediterranean cruises that go out of Barcelona and that seemed like it could be pretty awesome. I was also contemplating taking the train up from Barcelona to Paris and then flying back from Paris, but the Eurorail is a little more expensive than I thought it might be. So, we'll see.

In other topics, I am really getting interested in sewing. I've made three skirts so far and they have been well received. I have fabric and such for two more projects and soon I will have a sweet skirt-based wardrobe.

In any case, I just hope some things can start working out for me now.

Sewing Day

Today I managed to finish two sewing projects. Pictures ensue

This is a tote bag.


And these are pillows

Impulse Day

Today I bought a sewing machine. I'd been turning the idea around in my mind for some time now in only the most cursory of ways, but today I decided to look into it. This morning I consulted the internets and then decided to actually go to a store and see what was what, as I lack experience in this area. It was actually quite helpful. The whole time the sales clerk was helping me I was thinking "Is this how I sound at work?" because if so, I sound like a stammering idiot with an agenda. But then, you can't kidd a kidder, and I know how the mind of a sales person turns. I also learned that sales people make good customers, probably because we know that the base item is not the whole thing that you need. I also bought an assortment of pins, needles, threads and the like. Unfortunately, the neighboring fabric store was closed due to some plumbing mishap so any real project must wait. I am anticipating making some seriously boss threads at the first oppurtinity though. I tried to mend the inseam of some pants, but I think they were too worn to really fix, so good practice. I'm mostly just glad that I didn't get frustrated and give up before I even got started. The initial needle-threading process was difficult.

I've also been doing a lot of cooking and baking lately. I've been trying out a variety of foods and mostly just seeing what I can do. Eating can become tedious. For the most part, the stuff I've been making has been very successful. Last week I made some very delicious zuccinni bread and I also made some good straganoff recently.

Up til recently, I've had little interest in such feats of domesticity; however I think I've decided that such feats are 1) practical 2) entertaining and that I like to be able to do things myself. If children in vietnam and ecuador can make shirts and they can be resold to me for $40 each, I'm sure I can do it too. I'm really on a "do it myself" kick lately. I also think that I was initially reluctant to cook, sew, etc because it seemed extremely required when growing up mormon. Of course, there's also the matter of taste and creativity. When the adult ladies around you are going to monthly meetings and making stuff like this (thanks random people found via google) , there's little motivation, in my mind, to pursue it. But then again, I always have found greater enjoyment in doing something because I like it, rather than acting in accordance with the hive mind.

Persian Test looms large in the future. I am taking it on september third. I'm on chapter 21 of 25, so the plan is to finish out the book within the week. At such time I'll have all the vocabulary down and then a wholesale review of grammar will commence. I've been giving grammar the short end of the stick because I know it takes less time. Vocabulary is easy but time consuming. Why can't I do both at once? None can say. My main motivation at the moment is that if I don't pass, next year will be very fucking boring becuase I'll still be in first year persian after studying it so much. Easy A's and such, but still...boring.

And that's the state of things! Just have to get through August now and then it will be school again in no time.