And there you have it folks...

...a whirling dervish with no purpose and/or direction...or does it?

Whirling Dervish (wurl-ing dur-vish) n. 1. A mystical
dancer who stands between the material and cosmic
worlds. His dance is part of a sacred ceremony
in which the dervish rotates in a precise rhythm.
He represents the earth revolving on its axis while
orbiting the sun. The purpose of the ritual whirling
is for the dervish to empty himself of all distracting
thoughts, placing him in trance; released from
his body he conquers dizziness.

I'm homeless. That's how I'd love to start this entry, but it's not true. I have a family that loves me (and luckily a number of sisters that tolerate me) and a general direction, but nothing clear-cut. Right now I'm working on moving out of Becca's house and then spending some time with Susan (and the new baby) for a few weeks. Will I be a help or a hindrance to her? Time will tell.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm putting off being an adult and indulging in a "Peter Pan" syndrome. Okay, so I worked 8 years for a police department and then decided to go back to school, but am I hiding from the decisions adults make? Hmmm...that may be a deep topic for another time.

What I do know is that I will be getting my M.A. in English at the University of Idaho (Moscow, ID) in the fall. Additionally, I'll have the pleasure of warping young freshman minds as I teach a few courses of Composition/Literature. He. He. He.

I have to admit, while I initially considered U of I as my fallback school, everything has come together to make it the right place for me. I'll be closer to my family, back near friends I miss, scenery I love (whitewater rafting anyone?), and being one step closer to my goal of teaching college English.

Because of scheduling conflicts, I won't be able to return to Alaska this summer. I'm holding out hope for next summer. I was looking forward to some more sea kayaking, trying some ice climbing (am I weird to like the thought of climbing with a pick and crampons on my feet?), and also getting some nice whitewater kayaking in. Wow! I sound a little bit like an adventurer. At least I won't be dodging grizzlies this summer!

Oh, yeah. I graduate tomorrow from BYU-I. Yeah! No more taking classes I am not interested in (anything to do with advertising, math, or science). I am looking forward to meeting my newest niece, as soon as Susan has her. Will that be number 20 or 21? Maybe it's #23. I've lost count!!!