Three cheers!

Well, it's official: I've submitted my applications to the University of Minnesota and the University of Iowa. Now, I wait.

It's funny, when I first arrived home I was dead set against applying to the University of Iowa and staying here any longer than I absolutely had to. But now, well, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I stayed in Iowa City, I guess. I mean.....I don't know, as soon as I say that this alarm goes off in my head. It screams, "DON'T DO IT! GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! YOU CAN ONLY BUILD A SOLID CAREER OUTSIDE OF IOWA! YOUNG PEOPLE YOUR AGE ARE FLEEING IOWA BECAUSE THERE ARE SO FEW OPPORTUNITIES!"

And yet, it would be so so easy to stay here. I know my fear of resettling in Iowa is completely irrational, and, moreover, is directly related to my fear of ending up trapped here with a family. Don't ask me how staying here for graduate school will somehow magically evolve into me being miserable and strapped down with a family. It's an irrational fear: that's why it makes no sense. Unfortunately, I rarely make any sense.

Wednesday night I had a few beers with this guy in Iowa City who I met (you guessed it) on-line. He's a PhD candidate in a health related field at the University of Iowa (from here on out I'll call him the Scientist). I had a really great time: we drank beer at the Deadwood and talked and talked. He's funny and super smart, and, apparently not into playing head games because he e-mailed me the next day telling me how much he liked hanging out with me and wanted to go out again. Isn't that cool? Three cheers for smart, fun, straight forward men!