and snap! the job's a game

So on Monday I decided I would be accepting Princeton's offer, but today was the first day that I really felt it was the right decision.

Today I called the Program Assistant, Vicky Glosson, and within 15 minutes she had arranged for me to take summer language classes at Princeton, and also have a spot in the dorms potentially as early as May 30! It was so simple. Just one call, and no more worries, even though I've already missed both of the registration deadlines!

It is so great to be taken care of this well!

tax time

The other thing I forgot that I wanted to mention was that I finished my taxes this morning! It is such a relief to have all that paperwork off my desk. Plus, this year I got a refund. And I even filed my FAFSA, while I was at it.

I had tea and dessert (a really good creme brulee with shortbread-like cookies, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and mango slices) this afternoon at Finale with Elahe, and talked about my grad school choices. She was making a strong case for Harvard, in particular. It was really nice of her to take the time to give me her opinion, when she has work, research, and two children to be looking after.

In any case, I am getting to the point where I really do want to decide and have it over with, because I'm tired of always talking about the same thing, and not having the decision get any easier...

typesetting 101

Today my class on the History of the Book took a field trip to the Bow and Arrow Press, in the basement of Adams Hall. We set our names in type and printed up a little poster for our class.


First you "compose" what it is you want out of "type" into a smaller holder, one letter at a time.


This is my professor composing the last line of type for the poster.


Then you wedge all the individual lines of type into a frame called the "chase".


Finally you set the chase onto the press, ink the rollers, and roll a sheet of paper over the chase.


Ta-da! (Actually these are the first posters we printed, when they had pre-made a chase for us to practice with.)


Then you copy-edit the piece you have printed (there were several mistakes), using tweezers to change the letters in the chase as necessary.


In the end we had some nice posters from our press run.

Only at Harvard do you get to play with neat toys like this!

tulips from David

David sent me flowers!