Thursday, November 9, 2006

"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to My Class"

Three odd things happened in my class last night.

1.  My new (and first) fellow Grad Student friend asked if I would mind to meet her parents.  I had been waving "Hi!" to them as I left class and they arrived to make sure their daughter Nicole made it safely to her car - and didn't get attacked - which - I think - is WONDERFUL!  Nicole said, "Well, I want them to meet you since - well - I've been a Grad Student for years now - And I've never met anyone like you!"  She blinked her purple eyelids at me.  I didn't know what to say.  I was pretty sure she meant it in a good way, and not in a "Hey- you're weirder than the tiny-handed Prof that teaches this class!" So I smiled and said "sure!" 

"You're just so different! I mean, most other Grad Students try to outsmart each other - and you're not like that at all!  You're so bubbly and down to earth!"  And that, my dear readers, is like gold to a chick who feels like a very round, very pronounced peg in a tiny little square hole. 

2.  I finally had an in-group discussion with the other Grad Student in my class. She talked over everyone and was so opinionated and overbearing that, in a moment of weekness I found myself trying to mentally make her choke on her piece of minty gum that she was smacking while we were discussing "House of Mirth."

3.  I walked out of class with two very attractive, very much thinner than me and very smart girls.  They then both took turns telling me how pretty I was.  Smiling graciously and thanking them profusely I got into my Denali and pondered this:  "Is it better to have a pretty girl tell you you're pretty - or an ugly one to tell you of your beauty?   And if a pretty girl proclaims your attractiveness - is it a farce? Do they mean it? Or are they inwardly saying either "NOT!" or "...but I'm prettier..."   I decided to, instead, launch  a crooked smile into my rearview and take the compliment as it was given. 

School has been going very well - other than the occassional mental break-downs and nail-bitingly close deadlines. 

But I'm almost done - and then- well - that's still open.

I think I had to go to Grad School to realize a few things:  it's not for me; I'm not that old; and I'm still smart.  

Yay me - and stuff.

:)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aww... that's an expensive way to learn some things!  lol   Yeah, I don't think I would have the patience to be in college again.  I would have to kill all my fellow students under the age of 30 I think!  lol

be well,
Dawn

Anonymous said...

Hey, I don't think its for me either. But... I think Im going to give it another go next semester (Which coincidentally begins the week after I deliver this increasingly large parasite that seems to take great joy in ramming his feet into my ribcage on a nightly basis).  And, I AM that old, but WAY smarter for it! Give Stacey a big congrats for me. Im sure she'll look beautiful! Beth

Anonymous said...

HOLLYYYYYYYY YOU ARE BEEEEEEAUTIFULLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!! One of the young girls at work asked me to go with her to choose her Dad a birthday present. 'Yeah sure, why me though?' 'Oh, hes about your age' It cut like a rusty knife lolololol
Gaz x

Anonymous said...

Pretty girls are usually not too over top. Its the average gals that do that..lol...If they had said,,,your cute...your attractive then they are trying to make you feel good...If they say your pretty its BECAUSE you ARE...not that you need to be affirmed...you have that face like ....every guy wants to take you home and something in the eyes that says...I may surprise you...nothing typical Holly...exceptional.....AND...and....AND....all of your amazingness...humor...brains...kindness....being a real person whose real about life and people...and finally.........Your husband would get the stupid award if he didnt realize how absolutley fricking original you are...and so would anyone else...
~Raven
http://journals.aol.com/rebuketheworld/RandomThoughtsConnected/