we’ll just call it performance art. Or something.

I’m working on grad audits. I’ve spent all morning trying to figure out an Art major who has applied to graduate for the past three semesters.  Every semester she’s lacking the same things to graduate, so every semester she doesn’t graduate and so she applies again the next semester. Paying $15 a shot. And every semester she is still short all these major things. The most major thing is that she has a concentration in art history, yet she has failed every single art history class she’s taken. Her other concentration is studio art, which requires 15 credit hours.  She has had one three hour class so far, which she failed.  She is also not enrolled in anything at all this semester.

I called her to find out why exactly she was applying to graduate when she’s failed just about every class she needs and she’s not even enrolled this semester, and she told me she’s not graduating (no kidding!) because she couldn’t get financial aid. Then she wanted to tell me her sob story tale about why she couldn’t get financial aid, but I managed to head her off with a "That’s all I needed to know! Thanks! BYE!!!" I’m sure her inability to get financial aid has nothing to do with the 17,973 classes she’s failed.

But why would she keep applying every single semester?? I’m starting to think she’s really doing some sort of  loony independent study kind of  art major, in which you must fail all your classes spectacularly and then they let you graduate. With honors. It’s performance art! Especially since right after that I got ANOTHER art major who says she is minoring in English, yet  has had one English class. Which means she has fifteen more hours of English to go, and as she’s graduating this semester and isn’t taking any English classes, I’m not too sure how that’s supposed to work. She is a double major so maybe she doesn’t have a minor at all – it may be waived, we’re not sure – but why would she put English on her graduation application?? Performance Art!!

Those wacky art majors.

Oh, well – it’s very quiet, it’s very peaceful, we leave at 5:00 and it’s not the College of Ed! And I rarely have to call anyone. Just these truly bizarre cases.

And in happy news, as of right this minute we are going to Virginia Friday. I called Daddy last night, as planned, and suddenly Mama is just fine with the SIL checking on the cats. Just like she did last year, and just like she’s said she’ll do all along. But all of a sudden it’s fine. Well, whatever! I’m sure we’ll hear about it on the trip. Although I can’t say too much, since I’ll be calling Stella and leaving her messages. In fact, I may suggest we call Simon and Maddy. I’m sure they’d be very pleased. Baker B had the excellent idea of putting little Kitty Cams on their heads so we could check in on them periodically and see how they’re doing. "Oh, look, Maddy is asleep on the TV! Oh, look, Simon is asleep on the couch! Oh, look, Maddy is asleep on the bed!" One of my cousins also suggested we get them little cellphones so they can call if they need us.

So as long as my uncle continues to feel up to company, we’re going. I’m very pleased, since not only am I looking forward to it (at least once we’re there), it could well be the last time they can all get together like this if it’s getting so impossible for them to travel. I don’t know how long my mother is going to be able to travel – I think she’s on the brink of not being able to handle it now. So we really need to do this while we can. 

**edit** — just got a call from my dad practically as soon as I hit save – and the trip is off. My aunt just called him and my uncle is feeling very bad from the chemo today. I’m so sorry for them, and disappointed for me too. Maybe we can go in early spring. It’s very disappointing, and I feel bad for my parents and aunt and uncle. Both for sickness and the difficulty of travel. Well, guess the cats will all be happy at least.

Okay, I’m going to try and see if the YouTube videos work – apparently all you do is click the source button, paste the code for the video there, and close the source box. I just did that and don’t see anything here, but maybe when I save this it will work. Who knows! The first one is going through Dorothy’s house, the second is going through the cellar during the TORNADO!!! and the third is Dorothy’s house post-tornado. It starts out dark because we haven’t gotten to the doorway yet.  I’ll spare you the short one I took of Baker B where I was holding the camera sideways. Like I’d hold it to take a picture. I’m not a good video taker – I’m used to photos and don’t have the attention span for good videos. Let’s see if this works –