For the last two months, I've been putting together PhD applications for next year. Transcripts, reference letters, and GRE Scores (mercifully I didn't have to do the test again and refresh my memory with words like prodigal and turgid), plus online forms, CV's and statements of purpose that are generally similar across applications but nonetheless different in many respects. If I had spent all this time studying "Advanced Econometrics" by Davidson and MacKinnon instead of trying to create some more opportunities for myself next year, let's just say that I would sure know a lot about Econometrics.

The highlight of this process was when I sent one set of my transcripts with the TNT Express Service of the Dutch Post Office, only to find out that they had incorrectly sorted my mail and sent it with the regular batch of mail. Not exactly what you'd expect for 53 euros, especially with deadlines coming fast. Everything seems to be settled now, but I did have a spirited conversation in Dutch with a woman at the post office who assured me that I must have misunderstood and this type of thing simply cannot happen. She then made a phone call and finally told me that I was right. No great satisfaction there...

Bottom line, I just sent off my last application five minutes ago. Time will tell how succesful they may be, but for now I'm breathing a sigh of relief.