Le Studio Est Fait!

I have no idea if that is the correct French for "Studio is finished/done", but Babelfish says it is. And everything on the internets is true, right?

It's an enormous relief that my days in studio are kaput, for the time being. In fact, they sort of ended last week, on the Monday, to be exact, at 5 pm. My jury - where we have guest critics show up and rip our projects to shreds - wasn't too helpful, seeing as it turned into little more than an intellectual pissing match between two of the jurors.

C'est la vie.

So now, I'm trying to decide what to do with my summer. I applied for an internship with a sizable firm here in Houston, but I think that fell through, seeing as I have yet to hear from them in any way, shape, or form. Hmph. So I thought, for a bit, that maybe I'd just take classes, but the old parents could use a bit of a financial break from helping their poor almost-30-years-old daughter pay her way through grad school.

I thought about applying to work at one of the cool design shops here in Houston, but on further reflection - and following an allergic reaction to the scented candles that seem to be everywhere these days - I decided that might not be the best option.

I perused the listings on the AIA job-posting board, highly doubtful that a firm would post a job for a summer intern. And yet, there was one! Working on high-end custom homes! And I'm a shoo-in! And they want someone for part-time work 20-30 hours/week), not full-time work, so I could conceivably get a couple of classes out of the way, this summer, too.

I think I have found the solution to my problems. Now, I just have to apply for that position. Here goes nothing!

Fish or Cut Bait

So, date #3 is always the crucial one, in my book... if a fella can make it that far (Hint: most don't). A friend used to refer to the guys I was dating - if they made it past date #3 - as "a fourth date man" (as in, "you're looking for your 'fourth date man').

She had a point. And, as one of my friends once pointed out, you can usually tell if you want to continue to see someone by the 3rd date. Before that, it could all just be up to nerves, or, um, nerves, if you're not compatible. By Date Numero Tres, you should be able to figure out if they're worth any more of your time.

I think I've found a Fourth Date Man.

And, yes, he's The Man of My Dreams.

For example: we went to a NICE restaurant, this evening, (because he wanted a good steak, and to initiate me into the world of raw oysters) and had a good time. I didn't feel particularly nervous (partly because I looked amazing, to the point where two fellows in the bar tried to stop me, en route to my table, at which point the hostess informed them that I was "spoken for"), and partly because I just feel calm with TMoMD.

And then, while we were discussing our similar views of politics, he mentioned that Condoleeza Rice is coming to give a lecture in Houston. Regardless of my political beliefs, I think she's an amazing person, and so when he hinted that we should go hear her talk, I just about had a nerdsplosion.

See, on eHarmony, there's a list of potential dates you could have that lists activities, and one of them is "attend a lecture on a topic we both find interesting." Most of the men on eHarm pick "go to a sporting event" or "go see a musical" (which leaves me wondering just how many semi-closeted straight male musical-lovers are out there).

I dislike the vast majority of musicals (The Sound of Music and Funny Face are given a free ride, as are any of the Disney animated movies from my childhood), and sporting events... meh. They're not as much fun now that beer and hotdogs are verboten. I always pick "attend a lecture on a topic we both find interesting" and I damn well mean it, too. I would LOVE to go see David Sedaris read aloud from one of his books, or see Condoleeza Rice lecture on what it's like to be Secretary of State.

And TMoMD apparently enjoys the same things, too. Either that or he's just trying to impress me because I read The Economist (which is possible, but not probable, seeing as he reads the same magazine and can discuss the articles with me. Oh, happy day!).

So now that my wine-addled brain has finished nerdsploding all over the webpage, I'm going to do my nightly piriformis-relaxing exercises and go to sleep.

Sigh. After I decide what classes to take next semester...