Updates and Get Ready For May

Random mishmash of things that happened while I was away/things I care about:

1) I decided to stay in my college town for the summer. I'm going home for about a month after finals to do some intensive boot camp training in the last weeks before the LSAT, but after the test is over, I'm heading back to my beloved apartment to work at the newspaper for the summer. I get to be managing editor, which is pretty neat with the opportunity to learn some new skills.

2) I set a finish-by date for THE FOREVER CITY. August 5. That's the end of summer term at the newspaper and when I must have a completed draft of this novel. I'm really excited to finally get back to it, after my exam/school obligations are over. I'm going to resume my original schedule of writing 4-5 days a week. Sounds tough to hit the ground running, but I've no time to ease myself back in. Better rip off the band-aid as quickly as I can. Also, time to read! I planned on reading at least 35 books this year, so I definitely need to start catching up. Lots and lots of library time planned.

3) I got TWO scholarships! One is a merit scholarship based on GPA with $$$ (yay!). And the other, which I am infinitely more excited about, is a history department specific scholarship for one student per year (me!!) that provides the funds to send me to Stanford University this summer to peruse primary sources for my senior honors thesis. Plus, I get a cool title. That's nice too. My thesis is on the political influence of Chinese immigrants on the Shandong problem in the Paris Peace Conference 1919 - 1922. I feel unbelievably lucky and only hope my luck can carry through June 6 (lolbutseriously).

4) This is Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Month, so as I said way back in February, I will be doing a series of posts on APA issues in society and literature throughout the month. (So come visit from time to time!) The first will either be at the end of this week or beginning of the next. I'll try my best, but this is the week before finals, so I'm trying desperately not to fail at the moment.

5) Osama Bin Laden has been killed. I am going to leave you with a video that I remember at my darkest episodes and the best of times. It's a testament to the power and relevancy of literature and film to our every day lives and real situations. I don't mean to use it in a corny way or cheapen the gravity and importance of this moment in history with a blasé movie reference. Truly, I think these are incredible words taken alone, respectfully, and in seriousness. I'm sure you know them, but I hope you enjoy them as I always do. God bless America.

Youtube video (embedding disabled)