Carpetbagger

Well, looks like I'll be going to the city of York in the fall. A part of me is actually disappointed that the school was founded in 1963, and won't have the medieval edifice, but as my mom says, "edifice is artifice."

They told me that they were offering "unconditional admittance," which they explained meant I wouldn't have to maintain a minimum GPA. I got a little defensive at first, saying that even though I would be an international student (and paying tuition), I would still be taking the program very seriously, and that I hope they would offer me the same guidance they would a British student. They responded by telling me that they would expect me to pass all my classes, and that they meant that they were offering me admittance DESPITE my low GPA from undergrad. Oops. At least they said my recs were good.



Oh yeah, I'll probably be headed to Nashville for a conference in May. If you know of anyone that would let me crash at their place (yup, I'll pay), let me know.

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Senegalese food

Inspired from a conversation at work last night, I decided to go eat at a West African restaurant. Why West African? Because I've been to Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants--yes, yes, they're completely different countries, I know--and I have to say I'm not crazy about it. East African cuisine is not for me.

So on my day off, I went to Yassa, a Senegalese restaurant on 79th and Cottage Grove. They're open 11 am - 11 pm, but they obviously don't get a huge lunch crowd. The dining room was empty, and someone asked me if I really wanted to eat my meal in the restaurant! I resolutely took a seat and read from the menu they have under the clear plastic tablecloth. The waitress casually sauntered over (carrying a three- or four-year-old girl along with her), and I ordered the Yassa fish, with a side order of plantains, and a drink called bissap juice, which is apparently made from the sorrel plant.

I had to wait a while for my food--it's obvious the kitchen wasn't humming along at full momentum--and the little girl ran over and grabbed my shopping bag off the table at one point, but the strangeness was worth it. My "side order" of plantains was a huge heaping platter, and my Yassa fish came grilled whole, on a bed of rice, and covered with spicy vegetables. The bissap juice tasted like cherry juice. It was the tastiest meal I'd had in a long time, and I had enough food left over for another meal later that day.

If you're interested in tasty food and you're sick of taking a train to the North Side, I recommend Yassa. Sure, there are some eccentricities: during my meal, a man in what I can only assume is a traditional Senegalese garment, a purple floor-length robe, came in exultantly carrying a plaque that said, "Channel 11 WTTW 'Check, Please!' Recommended!" and the kitchen and waitstaff started buzzing with activity. Boss was back. Also, when the waitress added up my bill by hand, she carried the "1" too many times and tried to overcharge me by ten dollars. I had to explain the mistake to her several times, so I think it was an honest error. Anyway, the food was good enough for me to say, if you have any curiosity about Senegalese cuisine, I'd be happy to take you to Yassa.

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Insert University Name Here

Dear Amanda,

Thank you very much for your application. We regret to inform you that you were not admitted to our program.

There were a lot of qualified applicants, and you were one of them, but we had a limited number of positions to fill, and many applicants were not accepted. Like you, for instance, you were not accepted. Na na-na na na-na.
We could, of course, tell you what the weaknesses were in your application, so that you can have a stronger presentation for next year, but we won't do that. For one, we don't feel like actually doing anything, even though you paid us $55-$105 to read your application. Sucka!

And really, it doesn't do us any good for you to submit a stronger application. See, to get higher on the rankings, we have to look selective. We have to reject lots of people. Rejection is our business, and that business is a lot more difficult if you all submit proper credentials, so instead, we'll just let you twist in the wind as you vainly try to accomplish something. Good luck!

Just remember, we don't like you. We don't want you to be successful. Even though you are fully qualified, we are going to say no anyway, just to be cruel and arbitrary. We hate you, and we want you to hate yourself.

Best of luck in your future endeavors!


Sincerely,


The four schools that have rejected you outright, so far

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