On the Up and Up

Good news moment! Brought to you with pictures of my favorite cherry blossom neighborhood in Chevy Chase from a couple of weeks ago...

drum roll...

I have funding! My department has offered me one more year of funding. This news came the day after I did NOT receive funding from another significant source (which was a good thing because I didn't necessarily want to move back to Utah, although it would have been ridiculous to turn it down if I DID get it). Ahem. Anyway. The PhD director swore up and down that he would most definitely NOT give me funding ever again after this year, which means I either need to finish my dissertation this year (wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles!) or find another fellowship (I'm trying! I'm trying!). So one more year of pittance upon which to thrive and write and write and thrive. Just you wait!
AND... just found out today that I received a Charles Redd Center for Western Studies fellowship--a very small award but money! Hooray! More pittance!

AND... (the list goes on!)... as I went online today to find a new laptop battery, I discovered that I'm still under warranty for 49 more days! Hooray! New battery for free!