Deep in the Heart of Texas [cowboys]

.... it is 70 degrees. Yep. 70. I realize that it was 50 in NYC over the weekend but who cares? Because it was 70 here bitches! And I wore a t-shirt. It was glorious.

I like that I've been here enough to know where I want to go to dinner, what bar I want to meet people at, etc. It makes me feel like I can be apart of life down here even though I'm far away. This is important because I found out on Thursday evening that I was accepted to the Columbia University Master's in Social Work program for this coming year. I mean, not to put a wrench in things or anything.

I had recently decided to write, for real. I've applied to summer programs at Iowa, UCI, and the Tin House Writer's Workshop. I decided that I wanted to get my MFA, move to California when my lease is up in May, and start my life as a literary siren. I'd mostly forgotten about my Columbia application and decided that it wasn't really what I wanted anyway. I guess I never really thought that I would get in and with the recent Public upset (I clearly didn't get the job) I've been reevaluating a lot of things. Like who I want to be. And what I really want to do. And where I want to be.

Now that I've been accepted, I've been thinking some different things. The reason that I love the Public so deeply is because of its founding ethos of bringing exciting theater to people that cannot afford it. Now I've realized that an MSW with a concentration in community organizing I could start my own theater company, bringing professional theater in schools and districts that would not otherwise be exposed to it. Today I applied for the Artistic Director internship for either the summer 2010, fall 2010, or winter 2010 seasons. I think that I thoroughly explained my motives and goals in my essay. Here is an excerpt:

I am applying for the Artistic Director internship for both the summer and fall seasons of 2010. As an avid reader and Public Theater enthusiast I was inspired by various Joe Papp biographies to have my impending theater company perform their productions on a traveling flat-bed truck. In this way it is my hope to maximize exposure to people, particularly adolescents, of the equally beautiful and shattering world as it has been penned. As a member of the house staff during the 2008 Shakespeare in the Park season I was very moved by the borough distribution experience. Being new to the job, it was such a delight for me to see so many people who were so excited about getting their ticket voucher. I suppose that I had wrongly assumed that people that did not attend the park productions were simply uninterested. During distributions I learned that instead it was because their hectic lives did not allow them to have the time to wait in line at the Delacorte. That was the moment that I realized that it is not people’s dismissive attitude toward theater, but instead mitigating circumstances, that force them to not be able to explore theater for themselves. I want to change this. It is my intent to use my experience at The Public as the Artistic Intern to further both the theater’s revolutionary trek and gain the ability to carry out the power and grace behind the pieces that comment on what it means to be alive in the Western hemisphere, Eastern hemisphere, Spanish Harlem or Flower Mound, Texas.

I do not expect to get this internship, or even be seriously considered but for the first time I was able to write down in essay what it is that I want to do and form a tangible career outline. As someone that has been so desperately floundering over the past year this is a huge achievement in itself. Whether or not I am even rewarded with an interview, I love the idea of having a traveling company that performs on a flat-bed so that it can reach the maximum amount of people.

As for writing, I think that I can still do it. I like submitting things and applying to programs. I think that I would very much like to do both, but I suppose that that is going to be further determined by whether or not I am admitted to these summer programs. We will see. At the very least I'm excited to say "Why yes! I DO have direction!" I can also hear my parent's audible sigh of relief. Thanks for the patience, guys. So as of right now I have applied to two writing workshops, two literary magazines for internships, and four theater companies for internships. Let us see how this goes... I have an interview set up with one [for Tin House] already next Monday so fingers crossed! Also, a personal plea for the stars to align and grace me with whatever the hell the "right" answer is.