An event filled week

Hello All,
This week has once again been filled with some excitement. As some of you know, (though I am pretty sure not all) I have been in a bit of a funk specifically with regards to future studies and work in philosophy. I have been reading a fair bit about philosophy grad school (Phd programs) and a fair amount of the information out there is...less than encouraging. Additionally, some of the information out there says that "taking a year off", which previously had been my plan, is not a great idea, unless the interceding year is spent doing something relevant to philosophy, which of course is difficult given the huge dearth of jobs in the field outside of academia. So I had a couple meetings this week with professors (and one next week) and talked to them about applying, they thought that I should be applying this year, but they thought my chances weren't as bad as I had initially thought, and further, if I don't get in this year they said I could transfer to the Masters of Philosophy (a title not a subject matter, at the end of that program I would have an M Phil in Philosophy) program, which is a year longer, assuming I had performed well up until that point in my current MSc program, and then I would have a reason to be taking an extra year, a higher degree, and still could apply to grad school next year with the additional bonus of likely being able to spend the year in the states and just having regular video conferences and 1-2 meetings in Scotland throughout the year (this is unconfirmed, but seemed like a good backup plan to me.) Further, when I talked to one of my professors he asked me why I wasn't currently applying here to work with him as a phd student, which I was pretty excited about, I should have mentioned that this is the professor that I am planning on asking to write recommendation letters for me. Apparently my research interests are similar to his and he has 2 Phd students currently pursuing degrees with research in this area. Like I said, this is all exciting to me, and making me feel like my chances of getting into grad school this year are much better than they were last year.

In other news, I tried out for a choir yesterday (boy was that weird). I did some sight-singing (it has been awhile) and did some range tests, sang a little bit of a solo and talked to them about the calendar of their group. They are called Cadenza, and are a local choir that performs every year during the Fringe Festival and a couple other concerts throughout the year. Anyway, I got an email today inviting me to join them. Exciting! This choir is 50 voices, and does a mix of music pretty similar to the choir of which I was a member in high school (symphonic mixed for those from Lakewood). It isn't a capella, but I am not convinced that Scotland really knows what that is and it is good to have some singing to do.

Lastly, for those people that don't know, yesterday was Emily and my anniversary, we met/started dating 2 years ago (thanks Abi). Admittedly, talking on skype wasn't the ideal anniversary date, but I am so glad that she has been willing to put up with my year abroad and also excited that I (and anyone else around the Hilty house for christmas time) will see her in December! She is well and working hard on her own grad program in New Orleans at Tulane, in Latin American Studies. Currently she is trying to decide through a complex chain of later affecting decisions (something like writing a grant proposal, for summer research, which should inform her project, so she should know what that final project is? Hope I didn't screw that up) what her topic of her dissertation will be. So happy anniversary to her/you and I hope your weekend was good, and I promise I am doing my best to be in the same continent as you next year, and if things go well maybe even the same city!

Well, I think that is about all the news I have for the week-ish. Hope everyone else is well. I hear the weather back home is actually worse than it is here, and that Minnesota already has know, Scotland for the win. Love you all, will write again soon.