Yeah, Yeah, I Know...

Yes, I realize that I have not posted in a week, but I think I have two good reasons and one not-so-good reason.

The first good reason - I was, until yesterday, in the midst of defending my master's thesis so that I can graduate from De Paul University. A three year process is finally at an end and I have taken another step in my education. Actually, it represents a "comeback" of sorts. When I graduated from undergrad in 1999, I was seduced into the corporate world with a good paycheck and dreams of capitalist glory. I worked as a floor clerk and trader at one of the exchanges here in Chicago from May of 1999 until my unexpected release in November of 2001. I then proceeded to descend into unemployment from November of 2001 until August of 2002. I turned into, for a time, the stereotypical unemployed guy: in a bathrobe, drinking beer at 9:00 in the morning, waiting for The Price is Right to come on and wondering "why me?" It was in March of 2002 that I realized that a change was necessary. I started to look into graduate programs in the Chicago area, and discovered a wonderful masters in history program at De Paul. I applied and was accepted for admission for the 2002-2003 academic year. I also then got a job at a Value City Department Store. The pay sucked, but I have never worked with better people in my life and retail is always an adventure. I worked and went to school and started to fight my way back from despair. I left Value City in August of 2003 upon my selection as Graduate Assistant in the De Paul History Department. My credentials rebuilt and my path forward clearer, I applied for doctoral programs in the fall of 2004. I applied to several schools that I will only describe in vague terms: an Ivy League school, two large well-know Catholic universities and a Big Ten school. I was only accepted by the Big Ten school, but that was good because it was my "first choice" school. That school is the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I will do my doctoral degree and I couldn't be happier. So, I figure that this culmination was a good reason not to post.

The second good reason - I am working up a few big pieces for y'all. One involves eminent domain, one dosen't and one has nothing to do with the news (even I need a break). I figured that in the wake of this paucity of posting, I few really meaty pieces were in order. So, I think that is a valid reason.

The not-so-good reason - In the wake of my successful defense yesterday, I bought some new music, ate a gyro platter and set about a half-gallon of bourbon. I woke up at quarter to four this afternoon. Not a good reason, but certainly part of the problem.

So, as the state motto of Wisconsin instructs us, "Forward!"