Well, actually, we all need a vacation.  SLS will be closed beginning on Friday, July 2 at 5 pm and will reopen for business on Monday, July 12.  Everyone is taking a week-long holiday.  Yay!  Please know that phone calls will go unanswered, voicemail messages will go unheard and emails will go unread from the end of the day today until the morning of July 12.

Don’t worry, transfer applicants, as I will continue to read your materials during this shut-down if your file is complete.  Otherwise, we’ll get caught up immediately upon our return.  This shut-down has happened in the past and we’ve worked our transfer process around this.  Take a deep breath – we’re in good shape and things are on schedule.

Continue to be patient, waitlisted candidates. The class is not yet completely firm.  I am hoping that things will shape up by the end of the month. When I fill a vacancy here at SLS, a vacancy is created elsewhere and round and round we go.  Believe me, I’d like to clear up all the uncertainty and have things settled.  Bear with us.

Applicants for next year, start putting together a calendar outlining your timeframe for applying.  Our applications will become available in late August/early September so start mapping out your application process.  When do you want to get the application in?  Mark that date down on your calendar and work backwards.  Mark down when you want to approach your recommenders to ask for their help.  Mark down when you hope to be done with your personal statement.  Mark down some time to review your materials prior to hitting that submit button.  Plan ahead.

I think I’ll write an essay titled “What I Did on My Summer Vacation” when I get back so stay tuned.  What summer is complete without this kind of writing exercise?  But, what will I do on my vacation? I have nothing extravagant planned at the moment – remember that I need to read those transfer applications.  I suspect my week will involve some amount of gardening as things are looking pretty sad around my house and I have to do something about bringing my bonsai plant back into shape.  I confess I paid it no attention this past winter and spring so it’s kind of pathetic at the moment. I’ve been watering it faithfully, recently, in hopes of bringing it back after months of neglect, but my husband keeps telling me it’s a lost cause.  I think I’ll just go find a similar bonsai pine – although a much healthier one – and transplant it into the old ceramic dish just to drive him crazy.  “Look,” I’ll say, “It worked.  I brought the plant back to life.  I do have a green thumb after all.”  He’ll be bewildered and stunned and that alone is worth the effort.  He’ll not know what happened – he doesn’t read this blog.  It’s our secret.

Back in touch in mid-July…