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2021-05-22
The Surprise Degree
When I first began my MA program in Fall 2019, I thought it would be really, really funny to not tell anyone I was pursuing a second Master’s. I figured at some point, I would slip and end up mentioning it. But instead, all our lives changed with the pandemic, and since I didn’t see a person besides the four people I live with for almost 13 months, anyone discovering my graduate program was no longer even a consideration. The MA program actually helped me keep my sanity. In those first couple of months, when everything was up in the air, my courses were a constant. And then in the mundane of quarantine, they challenged my mind, distracted me, giving me something to do. Who knew the random genealogy class I took last summer would lead me to discover 1. that my biological great great grandfather died when my great grampa was only 9 2. that no one in our family knew this and assumed his step dad was his dad 3. that this mysterious biological great great grandfather was not a poor wheel maker from Germany, but was a salesman involved in some suspicious activities that involved a sister being sold (national news! In all the papers of the 1890s), a robbery and attack on him (with the ominous newspaper title “will it be murder” because he was presumed to not survive... he did), and ended with his dramatic suicide when the police were attempting to arrest him for embezzlement ... in front of my nine year old great grampa?!? How strange to think that without quarantine I would never have taken the time to research this (this investigation took over three months!) and my family would still think our ancestry on that side were German wheel makers who fled the Kaiser! When I finished my MA last month, we thought it would be funny to do a photo shoot (never did that for my other degrees) and post it on Instagram. I cannot believe the amount of comments. People were over the moon excited. I think seeing any positive surprise coming out the pandemic gives people hope. And my weird idea that it would be really funny to not tell anyone? Yeah, it was. No regrets. -
2020-09-10
Covid Bridal Party Gets Creative
A friend of mine had to postpone her wedding after almost a year of hard work and planning. The couple had announced that they would wait to have the wedding of their dreams until it was safe to do so. This week her sister uploaded a surprise bridal shower she hosted in her tiny bedroom for her sister and bridal party. I wanted to show how people are still living during Covid, people are still celebrating, and love is still winning. I thought it important to shed some light amidst all the negativity and darkness that Covid has brought. I thought it was the sweetest gesture to let this bride feel important and acknowledging this big event in her life. A few days after this bridal shower, this bride went down to the courthouse and married her best friend. They are still planning to have a big celebration next year.