Cloud Eight Million and Twelve

The French have a saying: La vie est trés bien faite.
(Pronounced, la-vee-es-tray-bee-on-fay.)
It means, life is really well designed.

I don't think life is designed in the sense of predetermined
destiny. Rather, I think things have a way of working out when
they are supposed to, and what you put into the universe comes
back to you. Today, I'm seeing some of the benefits of that.
I have chosen a path, worked on making it happen, and things
are finally starting to click. I'm altogether, 100% high on life
right now.

I've officially been accepted into the professional program at
ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. There was a little
confusion because starting with my class, they are beginning to
switch from the old to the new curriculum. Because they want
students to sign up for the new one, they have relaxed the
requirements for getting in considerably. Students desiring to
take the old curriculum have to apply for it. For me and at
this point, the difference is substantial! I would only need
24 credits under the old one but 50 credits for the new
curriculum. I was so relieved to get into the older one as it
translates into a much earlier graduation date. As long as we
don't run into any major roadblocks, I will be graduating
in December of '08. Finally, I can see the light at the end
of the tunnel!


Jim took this picture when he and Sandy were here in March.

I get to register for the spring semester on November 9th.
So, I'll have to sneak away from our adventures in Hawaii
for a few minutes to do that. It shouldn't take long if I look
into my options before hand. I am so excited to get into my
major. Finally!

Having multiple internships on your resume come graduation
day is pretty standard in this field. It's time for me to get on
the ball and find one. I went to an interview day through ASU
on Monday (the 29th). I was so nervous going in -- very afraid
they wouldn't choose me, that my experience wouldn't mean
anything to them or that a 29 year old still working on her
undergraduate degree would be unappealing. Those fears
seem to have been unfounded. I got so much positive
feedback, which felt nothing short of amazing.

All the companies there were local news organizations (TV
and radio), looking for spring '08 interns. I could choose up
to seven companies to interview with. I took full advantage
of the opportunity. It was fun! I had to bring my resume,
dress up, do research on them in advance. I was there from
1 PM until after 5 PM. So, it was kind of a crazy day.

Time to toot my own horn a bit -- Three of the seven companies
told me they were very interested in me and that they were
putting me at or near the top of their lists! A forth, which
I thought I interviewed poorly with, went up to Mike Wong who
heads up the J-School internship program and told him I was
her first choice. He kindly delivered that message to me.
It left me on cloud eight million and twelve.

They should let us know what internship we will be getting
in about two weeks. (What a difference a day makes. The week
before the interviews I was saying they would be letting me
know IF I got one. Now, I'm confident I will.) I'm eager to
find out! It'll start in January, and it will last throughout the
semester. They require 12-15 hours a week. Some want you
there really early for a morning show, others later in the
evening. I think there were two that want midday help.
All are happy to work with school schedules, which is nice.


This is the new Cronkite School building. It's going to be
amazing -- state of the art everything. David's company is
building it! How cool is that? The guys said they would write
my name on a beam as they're building the wall. I believe I
will be attending classes there during my last semester. It's
located in downtown Phoenix, close to all the local news
outlets. They are currently building a light rail that will
make it easy to get there from ASU's main campus.

I am so happy to know that I will finally be graduating
with a journalism degree from the Walter Cronkite School.
I am ecstatic to know that people in the industry are
impressed with my previous work experience and that I
can hang with the 20 year olds around me in an interview!

None of this, of course, would be possible without David's
support. I don't even have the words to describe how
much that has meant to me. It's been a huge financial
sacrifice for us to agree to let me focus all my efforts
on school. We subtracted a pretty decent income from
our household and added the expenses of tuition, books
and parking. He was happy to do it, without even blinking
an eye, because it was important to me. I'll never forget
that. It's the sweetest gift he could have ever given me.

I have no idea how I got so lucky, but I did! I just hit
the jackpot -- with David, with the timing of our move to
Arizona, to land here where there just happens to be such
a good journalism program. I know it's just by chance that
you're born where you are, when you are, as you are. So,
I am not taking more credit than is my due, for sure.
It just feels exciting to be me at the moment. My former
team of therapists would be proud!