Prerequisite Scooby Doo Shirt Required!

Since Bill is obviously making progress I have the green light to fly out Sunday for a week-long teacher institute in Boston on Sunday. You might want to sit down, better yet lay down when I tell you it's at Harvard.

The real one with really smart people. And yes out of a nation of HS Social Studies teachers I was picked to attend. Quit laughing at the image of the person who used to play "Will it burn and can I steal this Bunsen burner from Chemistry class", sitting among real teachers for a week researching the origin of the Women's Rights Movement.

It's a toss up as to if at registration on Sunday they will force me into wearing a Scooby Doo shirt for the duration of the week to identify me as a product of the South Carolina educational system. Or maybe everyone will be encouraged to throw quarters at my feet while I talk in my redneck hick voice and repeat such beauties as, "git me sum porkrinds and a tall RC cola to goes with this there moonpie and chewing 'bacca"

I seriously think I am going to be out of my league and need to keep my mouth shut until I test the waters. I noticed that someone from our cohort of 30 is from Kentucky so either they will become my BFF for the week or I will compete for title of "no, really was someone smokin' crack when they got to your application"

For the past 6 years I applied to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History that runs teacher-porn on such fun topics as "the Global Lincoln" and "America's Moral Crisis- Slavery in the 1850s". And every year I was rejected. I waited until the day before the deadline before deciding to apply AGAIN this year. I was hot off of being home from the inauguration so I figured write about that as well as my awesome semester with AP Government.

When I got the syllabus I literally think I wet myself in glee reading the guest lecturers and topics to research. I have WANTED to do the preseminar all the readings and annotations. But then I have a little secret, I love being a student and given the chance would get a second masters degree anyday given the chance.

My dream grad school that I have NO chance of ever getting into, the Kennedy School of Government is literally next door to the Schlesinger Library we are working out of for the week. I am at least going over to walk the halls and check out their library and try not to scream, TAKE ME, I promise you can have your pick of the Octuplets"

We are staying in Harvard Square in a hotel for the week and from researching the area it looks awesome. I've only been to Boston area once, on a mission trip to Wooster building houses in like 1990. Within walking distance of our hotel are 90 restaurants and 8 bookstores! Tons of nightlife to enjoy as a child-free adult!. Plus the program has been great to work with me to set up being seen in a local hospital for IVF related appointments while there.

Bill has predicted who will be drawn to a program like this and to that I say a Woman's place is in the House and also the Senate. I am mighty thankful for those before me who paved the way to give me opportunities not imaged even the year I was born.

Being given the chance to study a topic that is near and dear to me and frankly made IVF possible as a viable option in the area of reproductive rights, it's so worth wearing that Scooby Doo t-shirt all week need be.