Sigh.

"Dear Ms. Sarte:

This is in regard to your application to the Department of Music in the Graduate School of Arts and Science for the fall, 2011 semester.

Your application has been received and carefully reviewed. We regret to inform you that we are not able to extend an offer of admission. Please be aware that the applications for admission this year are particularly strong, and we have been unable to welcome all of our promising candidates for admission.

We thank you for your interest in New York University and wish you the greatest success in your future endeavors."

Blergh.

"Dear Every Single PhD in Musicology Program In The Universe,

This is in regard to your countless rejections. Just because my background and training is as a performer, it does not disqualify me as an academic or an educator. It just means that I am also capable of actually playing the music that you want to spend the rest of your lives writing obscure journal articles about. Just so you know, I can wear an elbow-patched tweed jacket along with the best of them."

The end.

In better news, today is my sister's birthday and Schmooblins and I attempted to leave her a birthday voicemail while singing the birthday song in Medieval parallel organum. It didn't go well.

Also, Schmoobs and I wanted to take full advantage of our last full Spring Break day together (he leaves tomorrow morning for Nerd Camp) and actually ventured into the city of Dallas to check out the Dallas World Aquarium. We had heard great things about it and were excited. Unfortunately, the reviews seem to be accurate, as after spending about twenty minutes driving aimlessly around the West End district looking for the actual aquarium, we arrived to find a line of families going around the entire block waiting to enter. So we went for Plan B, which was to get lunch (if all else fails, eat) and then re-evaluate the situation. And that ended up with us deciding to just walk around the area instead, which happened to be right by Dealey Plaza - the location of President Kennedy's assassination. So, rather than battle the hordes of screaming childrens, we spent the afternoon at the Sixth Floor Museum looking at and listening to exhibits all about the Kennedy assassination located on the sixth and seventh floors of the book depository where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly shot President Kennedy as the lone gunman. 

We were not allowed to take photographs inside the actual book depository/museum. I was surprised that the whole area, particularly the short stretch of Elm Street just off of Houston Street where the president was shot, was still functional and not cordoned off as a national historical monument. Even Schmoobs mentioned that he had driven down that very stretch of road before and even noticed the white "X"s, not realizing their historical significance. Strange. It was really fascinating and a very interesting, albeit somber, way to spend a vacation afternoon. 

 I took this photo from the actual "grassy knoll" directly next to where President Kennedy was shot. If you'll notice, there is a white "X" on the middle lane near the right edge of the photo...

...which is where they have marked the exact spots where President Kennedy was hit. Quite a sobering view.

A view at the top of the street. I don't understand why you can't see them in the photo, but there are actually two white "X"s on this road, marking the presidential limo's location during the multiple gunshots. The book depository is directly behind to the right and grassy knoll is ahead and to the right.

 The book depository. The far right window, second floor from the top is where Oswald was.

 A view across the street from Dealey Plaza. The road and the grassy knoll is directly to the right.  The book depository is directly behind me as I took this photo. The buildings on the left are the Dallas County Records and County Criminal Courts. Those gray warehouse doors on the left are where Oswald was being transferred to the county jail after being arrested and where he was shot at point blank by Jack Ruby.

 Plaque on the book depository building. The left turn from Houston onto Elm is the final turn the presidential limo took before the assassination.

Schmoobs bought me a pair of JFK commemorative coffee mugs at the gift shop. One red and one blue. We came to the conclusion that we would both be battling over who gets to drink out of the blue mug every morning. Also, I quickly inaugurated the blue mug upon receiving my NYU rejection letter. That is a traditional Irish margarita in the photo. Cheers to my penultimate grad school rejection! *CLINK*