Assignment #10

This week I was supposed to be on a mission. While, that wasn't quite achieved, there were some major breakthroughs for me while I wasn't in class.

Last blog, I mentioned that I had an interview the day after class. That happened. I waited for an hour for her to return from a meeting and almost left. Waiting for people is one of my pet peeves. Anyways, I am glad that I did wait. The interview was weird because I was expecting things to fall out of the sky. They did not. We had general conversation. I did find out some interesting things.
1. We both decided that being an Urban Planner was the way to go after losing a parent to cancer.
2. I pretty much know what I want to do and the way to do it.
3. Discovered 3 things* that really hold me back from being the best person that I can be.
4. Deadline for applying for Graduate School (MUPP). It was 3/15/2009. The other program: I have not contacted the person in charge of admissions. He emailed me the info about 2 weeks ago but never told me the deadline. My interviewee (Professor Janet L. Smith) tried to go online with no success. Suggested that I call. It was a pretty damn good idea. I will do it Thursday when I suspect that he will be there.

*There are 3 things that hold me back. I probably already knew them but saying them to other people is a bit of a breakthrough. The real breakthrough comes a little later. Anyways the 3 things that hold me back:
- I am a procrastinator
- I don't like to ask for help
- I shut down at some of the most inopportune times.
The last one was the biggest breakthrough of all. When my mother was alive, I had someone to kick me in the ass to get moving if not move for me. This is getting to the core of why losing her was such a crippling loss for me. Might have discovered that sooner had I stuck to therapy. This is not therapy so I will stop here. It is good to know the information. I can process it and make changes. In the words of a famous cartoon, "And knowing is half the battle".

As for the things that I promised to do before next class:
1. Contact Hazel Brown. Not done but the information that I would have gotten from her was given to me.
2. Email Andrew Greenlee. Not done but I saw him when I was waiting for my interview the day after class.
3. Set up at least on more interview besides the one on Thursday. I am actually waiting on Andrew to email me with a list of UIC professors that have real world experience and receptive to a meeting with me.
4. Half of personal statement. Writing it as we speak.