So part of my petition for residency is a statement of intent. The prompt asked me why I came to Colorado, proof that I intend to make a permanent life here and have done so, what my academic plans are, and what my future is in Colorado.
Here’s my first draft….so all sorts of errors I’m sure. If the online homesteading, blogging, horseback riding, chicken loving community wants to help me edit the hell out of this thing, that’d be great. I’ve read your blogs. I know you’re good writers…
Here goes…
*Bolded words are obviously changed to protect the innocent…
I graduated from the University of Southern California on May 16, 2008. The next day I left California for good. I drove to Colorado and haven’t looked back. I came to Colorado to pursue my dream job and dream life of working and living on a ranch in the mountains and realized that dream at The Ranch in G-Town, Co. For the past year and a half I’ve lived here, worked here, paid taxes here, and established community ties here. I’ve attended high school football games and baby showers here. I have a City Market card here. Furthermore, I’ve severed legal ties with the state of California. I now have a Colorado driver’s license and am registered to vote in Colorado. Initially, I was going to wait until my driver’s license expired in 2011 before I renewed it in Colorado but my feeling of allegiance toward Colorado and my pride for being a Coloradan was so great that I wanted my name and picture next to “Colorado”;I wanted people to know I was a Colorado resident whenever I showed my ID. Living in Colorado has exceeded all my expectations and though I was always certain about the move the last year and a half have left me without any doubt that Colorado is my true home and where I belong.
I did not come to Colorado to go to school. I came here to follow my dream of living and working on a ranch, which I’ve done for a year and half. Although initially I though I’d be happy to work on the ranch forever I started to miss academia and yearned to go back to school to pursue a graduate degree in Literature. My research revealed that Colorado State University was the best choice for pursuing my academic goals. I want to write a thesis dealing with a very specialized subject matter. I spoke with Mary Leory in the Literature Department and she was very enthusiastic about my academic project and explained that the Lit. Department had a unique program that would support my goals.
However, my undergraduate work in Communication and Art, not Literature. I’ve spoken with Mary Leory and Alice Kants in the Literature Department about the best way to overcome this handicap in order to successfully apply to the graduate program and it was recommended that I first take some upper division undergraduate Literature courses. It was determined that the best way for me to take these courses was through the GUEST program. Since I thought I’d be classified as a resident the cost of taking two additional courses wasn’t really an issue. I’m 23, I make barely above minimum wage, I don’t receive support from my parents, and my understanding is that no financial aid is offered to GUEST students. I just can’t spend $6,000 to take two classes. Since it was strongly recommended that I take these courses, my career at CSU is largely contingent on my ability to pay for them, which I will not be able to do if I don’t receive an in-state status.
I’ve taken all the other necessary steps to successfully apply for the Literature grad program. I’ve been accepted into the GUEST program, I’ve asked professors to save seats for me, I’ve found housing in Ft. Collins, I’ve contacted prior professors for letters of recommendation, and I’ve set a date to take the GRE.
My immediate academic plan is to take Theories of Literary Criticism and Masculinities in Literature through the GUEST program during the Spring ’10 semester. Upon successful application I will begin my graduate course work in Fall ’10 and continue that course work until I earn my Master’s Degree. I intend to fully utilize the Literature program and support system in order to fulfill my ultimate goal of publishing my thesis.
After I graduate, I will either continue my education to get a PhD in order to teach at the University level or I will find a career and home in Colorado. Living in G-Town has convinced me that small town life is what I ultimately want and I’ve researched the rural areas around Ft. Collins as well as Pagosa Springs, Montrose, and Woodland Park as potential home sites. If I don’t end up teaching I’d like to combine my Communication and Literature degrees and pursue a career in the fields of advertising, publishing, public relations, or media. Hopefully I’ll be able to incorporate my love of the rural lifestyle into a career. I’ve looked into career opportunities at Rodeo News in Ft. Collins, BLM, National Outdoor Leadership School, the Colorado Dude Ranch Association, Country music stations, the institute of sustainable living, etc. etc. (obviously wont say etc. etc….still need to flesh this paragraph out)
My ultimate goal is to live on a five acre homestead in Pagosa Springs, Co with a couple of horses and some chickens. I’ll be a professor, and a writer, and a rancher. Insert some sort of snazzy closing sentence
So this is he first draft. Obviously it isn’t polished. Is it too emotional? Not emotional enough? Do I hit my most persuasive points? Is it appropriate to add my sob story about being a poor student and NEEDING in state tuition? Too long? Should I focus more on how I’ve already proven I’m a Colorado resident? Unclear as to why some parts are there? Writing style- more consice and focused or more emotionally appealing…is it a confusing mixture of both right now? Would you let me in?
…and I just like this picture of me.
Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is basically how I feel about this whole grad school admissions process. I was so certain that it was going to be a for sure thing, but now it might be in jeapordy.
Why?
Because of a stupid driver’s license.
I have live in Colorado for a year and a half. I have worked here a year and a half. I have paid taxes here a year and a half. Mind, body, and soul are dedicated to living in Colorado. I mean, I have a freakn BLOG dedicated to living in Colorado.
But the admissions people say I don’t really live here yet because my CO drivers license isn’t a year old.
They want to deny me in state tuition. I can’t afford out of state. I can’t attend school unless I get in state tuition.
And despite my living here, working here, loving here, and demonstrating beyond doubt that I want to make a permanent life here, they’re saying “no” because I got a plastic card in August instead of January.
I get to talk to the head honcho later to plead my case. Crossing my fingers.
Bah, I don’t like being frustrated. I don’t like climbing uphill. I don’t like it when people don’t support my goals.
But such is life, eh?
And then I look outside and the issues seem less important. There are the mountains, there is the snow, there’s that crazy beautiful Colorado sky. And despite what status is written on my application, I know this is home.
I’ll make it work. It’ll all shake itself out.
Days like today aren’t making it any easier to leave the ranch. Every once in a while I get to go on ranch field trips.
I love ranch field trips.
Today I helped move horses from one winter pasture to the other. The inner redneck in my revels in layering carhartt over camo over carhartt, Add to that the gorgeous windswept plains of northern Colorado, a 360 * view of mountains, visibility all the way to Wyoming, tons of furry horses happy to see you, and gas station coffee. I love it. I’m entering the first stages of horse withdrawal, so being able to pet some of my furry friends and bop them on the noses with the fingers of my gloves was a real treat. I didn’t even mind shoveling snow when the truck got stuck or chasing after horses that had pushed down the gate. I love it. Good friends, beautiful scenery, and a full day of honest work. I love it. We pulled in just a few minutes ago and on my way trudging back to the cabin I had to stop to appreciate the stars. I don’t care where you’re from, how old you are, what your profession is, or whether you like your coffee black or with cream….on a night like tonight, the stars here will make EVERYONE stop and stare. Your breath WILL catch in your throat and you WILL choke up a little bit because you will never have seen anything quite so beautiful. It really is like diamond dust on velvet.
Most of the time I’m content with my decision to leave the ranch. I’m ready to further my education. I’m ready to pursue a more permanent career. I’m ready to fulfill my own dream to have my own little homestead rather than latching onto someone else’s.
But other times…other times it feels like my heart and gut are being wrenched from my body. I know that seems dramatic. After all, there are tons of people that have loved this ranch as I have and left it as I will. But still, these are the people that express a yearning to return and regret for ever having left. The ranch is like ‘the one that got away’. If I break up with the ranch, I want it to be one of those endings that ultimately ends up with me moving onto something bigger and better, but we’re still comfortable enough to be friends and reminisce about the good times. I don’t want to leave the ranch only to live a lifetime of “woulda, shoulda, coulda, but didn’t”. And days like today don’t make leaving any easier. Outside is beautiful and still and white and silent. The snow is coming down in little gust and further up the mountains you can see that it’s denser. The mountains deep in the valley look dark and wild. There is such a strong feeling of place here, and it’s a place I don’t want to leave.
Today, that is.
I hope I’m excited about the change tomorrow.
So big things are happening.
Winter is making it’s official presence known. After a few freak snowstorms, most of the white stuff had melted away, but the new forecast is showing snow. Constant, consistent white stuff. The nights are dipping below zero, the pines on The Pass are crowned in white and the cows are getting snot icicles again. Winter, in all its blue and blustery and beautiful glory is back for another season.
This time however, my winter posts won’t be about the joys of drinking hot cocoa by the fire while the snow flurries outside. It won’t be about how numb your fingers get as you try to lift grain buckets for the horses.
This winter my posts will be about papers and finals and classes and figuring out a new town.
It’s official. I’m moving to FT. Collins. This is a bittersweet move. I’m sad to leave the ranch. It’s been my home for the last year and a half and I credit it with my desire to lead a simple, self sufficient life. I’ll miss the 2 mile dirt driveway. I’ll miss my cozy cabin and woodstove. I’ll miss the horses and cows and border collies and cats and ducks. I’ll miss the open hayfields and knowing everyone at the supermarket.
But I’ll be back. This leg of my FT. Collins stay will only be four months.
And I’m excited for FT. Collins. I’m excited to go to school(any school that stocks more than two books on canning in their bookstore has to be quality). I’m excited to have a bookstore within five minutes (an not an hour and a half) driving distance. I’m excited to make new friends. I’m excited to ride English again. And the place I ended up with is a pretty sweet compromise. I’ll be living in a lovely townhome on a county road on the outskirts of town. I’m right across from the Equestrian Center and will live on a street comprised primarily of small acre ranchettes. I’m not sacrificing my daily view of horses and cows here. So while it’s not my little cabin in the mountains, it will still be more than suitable for four months. And its a prime location to scout out future properties for when I make my official move to The Fort.
Overall, I’m excited. I’ll still knit and bake and cook and have an herb garden. And I’ll still be able to kiss horses on the nose.
Even I’m starting to get sick of my “I’m so happy to be in Colorado” posts, but not sick enough to quit them yet.
I’m so happy to be in Colorado.
Currently in Denver staying with a good friend from a neighboring ranch for a few days. All manner of aimless drifters, cowboys, and gun toters were over the night and it was fantastic. Over pizza we talked about trail rides, shoeing, tack, and the virtues of whiskey and tequila.
I’m so lucky to have met the people I’ve met here.
Tonight we head to the Grizzly Rose to dance to some live country music and have an excuse to break out the buttondowns again.
So after 7 hours on an airplane and 17 hours (yes 17 hours) in various airports, I’m finally back in Colorado. And very happy to be home. Costa Rica was wonderful. It was beautiful and educational and full of wonderful inspiring people and good tropical fruit. I enjoyed white sand and turquoise water, watching monkeys in the trees, and wearing a bikini all day instead of five layers.
And still…
I’d rather have my sage covered mountains, snow, and cow smell. I was surrounded by paradise and what I wanted was my little remote cabin in Colorado. I’m pretty sure I’m crazy. It felt so good to come back. The Denver airport was full of old cowboys in boots and hats and I felt home again. It’s good to be back.
Thanksgiving went wonderfully. I didn’t celebrate with my family this year, but was surrounded by friends and good food and a ton of dogs and it was just as enjoyable. I contributed a pecan pie, butter cookies, and bacon cheddar biscuits to the feast. Happy to say they were all well received. I really feel like I’m coming into my own as a cook. I have about a month and a half left of living here before I move up to Ft. Collins for school. Although I’m sad to leave, I’m excited about picking up my studies again. Especially in a town that embraces the rural lifestyle as much as Ft. Collins does. I might not have cows in my front yard anymore, but I’ll still able to find horses and chickens and gardens and the people who love them. I’m even doing big girl things like looking into buying property. Eek! But more on that later. I just plan on enjoying the rest of my time here by cooking, taking winter hikes, and enjoying my fireplace.
So happy to be home.
As if my updating hadn’t been sporadic enough…I’m now in Costa Rica, with limited internet service.
IM IN COSTA RICA!!!!!!!!
I have to give myself a pat on the back. I’m damn proud of myself and my self actualization. Years ago I wanted to live on a dude ranch. Now I do. Years ago I wanted to travel through Costa Rica. Now I am.
I’m totally on a “I can do anything I set my mind to” high right now.
I’m going to be a millionare.
I’m going to be a millionare.
I’m going to be a millionare.
About to sit down to a breakfast of banana panckaes and tropical fruits.
Life is good.
This is Pup. Her owners left her here for a week while they went on vacation. They don’t know that I’m going to steal her.
This is Kinetic. He's my 14 yo TB and a constant teacher of humility. He trots like a dream and canters like a cow. He doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to try to rope of him this summer.
This is Cowboy the hamster. I bought him in Missouri on a road trip. He's a cheap friend and kept me company through twelve states. He's currently the extent of my fiber stock.
This is Uno Mas. Uno is the lone survivor of a bear attack. If she were a human she'd be a pissed off ninja that never slept and instead plotted revenge all night. I respect her more than I do some people.
