Nordicllama

That is an awesome way to decide. You will need to put that in your acknowledgments for your first book some day: "And I would also like to thank NCAA Men's Basketball for helping me to choose my Alma mater during the 2012 basketball tourney. Wisconsin, you were a free throw from receiving one of the greatest scholars of history in history."

Bracket- Definition: Torture device for people who believe they have some knowledge of college basketball that serves to humiliate them in the presence of colleagues and coworkers. Example: Man, I picked Duke to go to the final four and now Lehigh has destroyed my bracket. And now I find out Kendall Marshall has broken his wrist. Whoa is me! What dark days have come to pass for the Tar Heel nation!

Re: If you'd asked I say go check it out, STF. If they're saying it's likely and it's the school I think you're talking about then you don't want to pass that up without consideration. Not that my vote counts for much, but I say do what you have to do to make an informed decision. It's the next 6-7 years of your life as well as your career at stake.

Oseirus I'm sure you were more than fine. Side convos occur from time to time and they're little more than mildly irritating to those around. If what you said was brilliant, then you probably scored more points than you would have if you'd remained silent. On another, more recreational note: agh my bracket took a beating last night and today.

1. Coach Cal will screw it up- I just think it will be in the form of a recruiting violation and retroactive striking of record. 4. Izzo is good, but Michigan State as a team? Pass. 5. Harrison Barnes is overrated, but he's still deadly as seen in the tournament last year (aka 30+ points in a game), plus Kendall Marshall has come to life a scoring threat in past couple of weeks, PJ Hairston seems to be finding his shooting rhythm, and Zeller/Henson combo inside is the most talented front court in the country.

Wow you sure favor the 2 seeds. They're safe picks though, I must admit. And I went with two one seeds, a three, and a seven. I've got no reason to pick Florida, I just feel like it's Billy Donovan's time to shine again. If FSU plays with the passion that destroyed Duke and UNC, they're frightening. Kentucky is just solid and Davis is a beast. UNC is of course always the best team to ever take the court, consistently, year in and year out. As for your picks I think Baylor doesn't play consistently enough to get all the way. MSU is good but I think they're going to get overwhelmed by the offense power of many of the other teams. Kansas and OSU? I would be really tempted to take them as well.

Game- blouses. Say, Oseirus, who might you have Marching madly to the final four? I have Kentucky, FSU, UNC, and Florida.

CHARLAY MURPHAY!!!

Sir, I demand satisfaction! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfnu0nb4PUI

I may live with the Yankees now, but I was born and raised southern, sir. I understand southern time, but southern manners would dictate they send a thank you note for my application fee, and then keep me apprised of my application status.

I know money is tight and they're trying to not reject or waitlist until they have to, but it might be nice to send out an email or something saying, "Hey, we did receive your application, you're a strong enough candidate to the point that we don't want to reject you out of hand. To be honest, there are a lot of people ahead of you so we probably won't be accepting you, but we expect to be able to give you more definitive information by X DATE X." I feel like that would just be the considerate thing to do.

Wow. That's unacceptable. I'm just going to load up the car, drive there, and demand a decision right now. If only gasoline didn't make that utterly unaffordable.

Gotta be honest, I have the Noles in the Final 4. I just don't see them getting to the finals. I really think Cheat-apari might finally get his undeserved reward this year. My bracket still has the Heels cutting down the nets.

It just occurred to me, I have not yet given my weekly call of: "Oh UNC oh UNC, whither dost thou be? Will you not reveal yourself? Send thy decision unto me!" And a Pitt and Georgia can consider themselves beseeched as well.

Hm. Wunderbar. Danke, TMP. Yo puedo hablar en espanol, pero no hablo en Frances o Aleman. Solo puedo leer Frances y un poco Aleman. Guess I know what I'm doing this summer!

Re: Others will sit you down in their office and proceed to have a conversation with you about your field of study in the language under review. And that will be just for starters. Whoa whoa whoa... I can read French, but if you asked me to speak a bit of it I wouldn't be able to say more than "Je ne parle pas Francais." I do a pretty good French guffaw and "oui oui," but I don't think that counts for much. But seriously, are we actually going to be accountable for speaking in our research languages conversationally? Because I'm only 1 for 2 in that department...

GO TARHEELS!!! Oseirus, it appears we have become mortal enemies. After this weekend my beloved Heels are going to come back and trounce your Noles! If we (I say we because ma Pops went their and I've been bleeding blue since before I could walk- sadly, I fear that I was not one of the blessed 6 selected to their program) had Henson back this weekend we would have destroyed you inside and out! Heels in 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Serious Oseirus? Or should I say, Oserious? But point well taken. I shall refrain from letting my neurotic behavior get the best of me until 9:00am on Monday April 2. I shouldn't be obsessing anyway. I have a great program in hand and I probably wouldn't choose any of the remaining 4 over it anyway- probably...

I dunno about CUNY, but I've yet to hear from 4 of my programs. I'm thinking that anonymous phone calls are in order if I haven't heard by this Friday. Call me paranoid, but I don't want to seem needy or impatient (which I guess I am) and have them know that I am. Is March 16th an okay time to call programs? Particularly ones that promise mid-March notification? Thoughts?

Ooooh. Hm. I don't think I want that job. Maybe I'll just go be a park ranger

Same... I heard 100 for one position. I might have even heard several hundred for one position. 900? Good thing motor companies hire history PhDs to design engines... don't they?

Sigaba was referring to a post I made earlier. I did not mean to be offensive so I took the liberty of removing my post.

Have you not heard a word the mighty Oseirus has said!? We are not farmers! I would expect full eighteenth-century evening regalia and nothing less! I jest. But I echo this sincere thanks. Dress code has been a concern of mine of late.

I like I like. Well you know with the incredible seven-figure stipend I'll be getting next year I'm planning on hitting Florence and picking up the latest fashion in shoes. Then it's off to Paris for 365 brand new 3 piece suits. I won't be repeating any outfit on any day. Oh and 24k gold, ruby encrusted cuff-links and a $25,000 Gucci snakeskin laptop bag. I'm only going to eat in the finest of restaurants and have filet mignon for every meal. And in my abundant spare time I shall race motor cars and golf at the finest country clubs. Ah, yes, I can't wait to be a graduate student.

grlu- I've done a little bit of German on my own out of my own interest, but my POI encouraged my Spanish and French over German because those are more pertinent to my field. That said, French for English speakers is really not bad at all. It could be 5 semesters of Spanish bolstering my learning of French, but I think it is far easier to learn to read than German. The German syntax is difficult for my poor brain to comprehend. My point being, you can probably easily pick up French on your own. Syntax is similar enough to English and there are many, many cognates.