Danger Will Robinson!

I was unprepared.  I planned breakfast and lunch but did not plan dinner.  The time came and I was rather hungry.  Being rather hungry means I don't want to stand and fiddle with a new recipe and wait whilst it cooks because I am rather impatient.  So I needed something fast.  I checked in with the sister down south to see what she might recommend and she had a good idea (boiling chicken, shredding and adding BBQ.  We DO happen to have some Wango Tango) but it didn't sound yummy.  I wanted something yummy.  I also don't have a lot in the house as I will be heading to the zoo (grocery store) after this.  My first step was to play a few rounds of spider solitaire.  (I lost both times.  That 2-suit is HARD but for some reason I keep on playing.)  Then I made my kitchen rounds, checking the cabinet (yup, still full of pasta), checking the freezer (yup, meat is still frozen and I don't know what I'd do with it), and checking the fridge (yup, still have those leftovers that have a lot of salt and a lot of points.  Diz really needs to eat those.).  Then I saw the eggs and a delicious, low-point, filling, light bulb went off.  5 minutes later, I have an egg, broccoli and cheese omelet with wheat toast.  Yum. 

crisis-averted.

So now I attempt the ever-daunting task of groc shopping.  I'm just not good at picking up fresh foods and using them before they go bad.  I have all these great ideas, then life gets in the way and food goes bad.  So my goal for this trip is to stock up with a few essentials I notice pop up in lots of recipes, and not try and buy things to cook every night for two weeks.  Homey don't play that.  I really should know that by now. 

Oh I'm just so proud of resisting the urge of picking up food while I'm out.  I could have used my 15 points at Wendy's and stayed within or gone over a bit into my extra points, but then I'd be all water-logged (btw I totally met my water goal for today!  Booya!) from the salty foods and I'd feel guilty.  Remember, NO REWARDS UNTIL A STINKING GOAL IS MET!  A big goal.  Not my "don't eat like crap on the weekend" or "be smart at the store" goals.  On top of resisting that temptress Wendy, my meal consisted of some power foods.  Foods designed to keep you fuller longer. 

I'm kind of boring myself right now.  Sorry for this one, I wanted to share my anxiety-turned-success and just started roaming. 

**scene change**

a young lady is missing from Indiana U.  This is frightening for so many reasons.  Jenny-Lyn Watson (apologies for miss spelling) was all too recent and that didn't end well.  On a personal note, Indiana is on my list of schools to research.  I suppose crime rates weren't on my original list of things to check when doing research but I suppose it can't hurt.  My hopes are that this young woman is ok and that the worst is over for her. 

That brings me to my current state of DMA (pronounced d-mah) research.  How does one compare schools when searching for a good fit?  I've gotten as far as checking out the faculty, and the graduation requirements of a few schools.  (Dissertation vs lecture recital vs some combination)  So I research faculty and I find some places have professors who only have a BM because once they were done at school they went right off to the Met and performed for 25 years.  Other schools have more than one faculty member who graduated from the very same school.  Other schools have a mix of what appear to be performers and teachers.  My question is, where do I go from here?  What should I be looking for?  I had this idea that a school that hires their own graduates may not have as many differing teaching styles as I may look for.  But whenever I say that out loud it sounds like a silly reason.  The fact is, I need to start having reasons to audition at specific schools and not others. 

I don't trust the internet.  This is my other problem.  I don't know how to believe half of what I read in people's bios or on school websites.  I'm looking to spend the next 3 years of my life (the years in which I leave my 20's and enter my 30's, I'll have you know) somewhere brand new and I need to make sure it's a good fit.  I'm flexible.  I will adjust to many situations as necessary, but I think for the DMA it should be a mutual fit.  So here's my next question: how can I know what my research is showing me? 

Let me lay it out.  I want to teach at the collegiate level.  I want to find a position that offers health benefits, an office, and maybe even tenure!  (The first two are clearly more important.)  I have many of the skills I see listed in job postings already but preference goes to candidates with a DMA.  This leads me to believe my next logical step is obtaining a DMA.  I can't see myself just frolicking off to any old well-known school just so I can get the degree and start the job hunt.  I want it to be worthwhile.  I want the experience to be as amazing and fulfilling and surprising as my first two degrees were. 

Which brings me to my final question, how do I find a school that can offer me that?