#17 - Apply to a PhD program

I did it.

Not just one, but I applied to 3. And I plan to apply to 2 more next month.

I applied to the University of San Diego, University of Michigan, and Loyola University of Chicago. Next month I plan to apply to University of Texas - Austin, Vanderbilt University (Nashville), and Oakland University (Detroit).

If I get into any of the schools, I'll visit them and then decide. Well, I've visiting UM. That one was easy. Loyola would be a quick visit too. But the rest... if you live there, expect a weekend housing request!

Thanks to Rebecca Low and Nader Elmasri for this one. Rebecca has actually gone through all of this... including the whole dissertation and all of the stuff I can't even imagine right now! Impressive, girl! Nader is applying to his own program, so we did some chatting and I didn't write his essay.

#81 Go to 3 Museums I Have Not Yet Been to

Museum #1: MOMA

The Museum of Modern Art, New York City, NY

Al, Aaron, Melissa, & I spent only an hour and a half or so of a Saturday afternoon at MOMA as Al & I had to get to the Meadowlands. I spent most of my time in with the impressionists, mostly Picasso, my favorite.

Here I am admiring one of his more famous works: Three Musicians. Good thing Al was there to catch me pondering on film. What a great list assistant.

And here we have one of

Picasso's bronze goat statues. He sure loved sculpting goats.

Here we have an early depiction of a Lyger. Obviously. Gosh.

And here, in the architecture room, Al said,

"Let's be serious."

Here is some really cool photography. It goes frame by frame, some guy catching stuff.

There was a lot of pretty cool photography.

All & all, I loved MoMA. Delightful. I can't wait to go back and not be rushed to get to Jersey.

Museum #2: New Orleans Voodoo Museum, New Orleans, LA

It was a small and creepy museum, but very New Orleans. It was amusing to see all of the gifts people have left the spirits, gifts that consisted of whatever people carry with them in New Orleans. I left a pen and Beth Spitelli left an Australian coin.

Here I am with a Ju-Ju, who sticks out his tongue at evil spirits. Seemed appropriate.

Our stay in the 3 rooms and a hallway was short and sweet. Museum #2, so that's pretty much all I have to say.

Museum #3: National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, IL

This was the most unexpected of my museum trips. I thought I was going to be at the NASPA regional conference in Evanston all day, but apparently it only went through

noon. I got a last-minute message from Nader Elmasri saying he was heading down to the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen - always keeping his head up looking to keep that lead

.

This was actually a cool little museum in a neighborhood that I've been to but only for an occasional softball game. They had a Dia de Muertos exhibit that reminded me a lot of the Voodoo Museum except the colors were much brighter and all of the religious imagery was pretty Catholic instead of a weird mix. There were still lots of candles and pictures of people I didn't know. And skulls. But happy skulls.

Then we had some tacos.

I'm pretty happy I hit at least 1 Chicago museum I hadn't been to yet because that was my original goal with this list item. But gotta jump at an interesting museum every chance I get!