Well my friends…I did not get the fellowship. But I am fully funded (with health, dental, and visual insurance of my very own) so I’m a happy camper. In fact, I think it’s better this way to be honest (and I’m not just saying that to make myself feel better). I really do believe that I need to break out of my comfort zone. Thus far in my ever-lengthening graduate career I have been on fellowships many a time. I’m comfortable there. But truthfully, it can also be an isolating experience: while the rest of my cohort would talk about their classes and students, I had nothing to add. Moreover, in my past departments, being one of the select few on a fellowship meant that many people were rather pissy with me when the issue of funding arose. It’s not fair, because I worked my arse off to get that money, but there you have it. So in many respects, I’m rather looking forward to being right on par with everyone else. I’ll get great teaching experience, my tuition is paid for, I’ll get to know my fellow students a lot better, and….I have an excuse to leave my current position (huzzah!).
So all in all, I think I have been incredibly lucky and the best is yet to come. Thankfully, the “best” includes spring break next week. Although I still have to show up to work every day, I have a whole week to dedicate to my research projects (one of which is floundering a bit) and to catch my breath. Hah! I say that now, but I can guarantee you, in a couple of weeks I’ll be shaking my head in a bewildered fashion, wondering where all my time went. For now, I’m getting ready to dive into the second half of George Meredith’s The Egoist (I have to finish it by Thursday); Edward Bellamy’s rather trippy novel Looking Backward, 2000-1887 (pub. 1888); and Pope’s Rape of the Lock. The fun never ends chez Loose Baggy Monster!
Posted by Eva on March 3, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Congrats on being fully funded! Glad everything worked out in the end.
And I like the re-model. 
Posted by Sarah on March 3, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Eva: Double thanks! I quite like the layout, even if it’s a bit dark. I really like that I was able to make use of one of my dad’s photographs in the header…
Posted by Clair on March 3, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Dental insurance? Wow! Congratulations! Can you let your readers know how the fellowship scandal resolved? I can’t take the suspense.
Posted by Eva on March 4, 2008 at 1:33 am
Wow-your dad took the picture? That’s pretty awesome!
Posted by Sarah on March 4, 2008 at 11:09 am
Clair: It’s pretty sweet, I have to say. I’ve been on Apparent Dip’s insurance this past year (which is the same) and we both finally went to the dentist after 7 years! But it’s nice to have my own next year… As far as the fellowhip snafu: I don’t really know what happened. But I’m guessing, based on hints that have been dropped, that the other applications went straight to the director of JS who is on sabbatical in Jerusalem. My application went to the interim director, who sat on it for three weeks, thinking that he was going to be the first hoop. Thus, the director had made his decision before he ever got my application, and even though my dept. chair, the dean, and two other profs recommended me, it wasn’t enough (as I’m just an MA student) to override his offer to someone else (which is completely understandable). Whew! So the long and the short of it: I’m teaching next year instead (still totally groovy in my book).
Eva: My dad used to be a professional photographer, and every once in a while he goes out and takes pictures again and then sends them to me. It’s pretty fantastic because I get to have original art on my blog and in my home!
Posted by Andi on March 6, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Well then, congrats on not getting the fellowship! Your logic makes perfect sense to me. Enjoy your funding!
Posted by Sarah on March 7, 2008 at 9:51 am
Andi: Thanks! Although I hate the fact that grad school is set up in such a way that I’m excited to be paid so little for so much work…