G-mail chatting it up

Hi!

My project has been quite the process! I didn't expect it so time-consuming, but nor so fulfilling. I'm reaching over 100 pages on my novella, which is in gmail-chat format. I still have to add more stuff, but I'm hoping to minimize it so it won't be such a challenge to bind...

But overall, my project is tracking two Asian American high school seniors in Southern California (2008-09) through their college application process and their navigation of senior year--you know, that year with the drama, activities, and anticipation of where one would be going to school next year.

To get more perspectives on the college application process, particularly with a emphasis on Asian Americans, I send Facebook/ e-mail/ and one-on-one interviews with Asian American high school seniors or those recently graduated (college freshman/ sophomores). There was an impressive response and interest in the subject. I noticed that there was a significant disparity between perspectives of the college application among different backgrounds, but a unifying connection was--stress!

I hope I do the stories justice! Here's a small excerpt (formatting changed from the copy and paste...)

from:
Amy Nguyen xXaznprinxessXx@gmail.com to Gabrielle Chen gwchaing@gmail.com
date:
Wed, Nov 5, 2008 at 7:42 PM
subject:
Chat with Gabrielle
mailed-by:
gmail.com


7:26 PM Gabrielle: :I
me: oh math crap.
7:27 PM Gabrielle: ?
me: i suck at calc
Garbrielle: i just cracked open the book. The tutor is like blah blah blah. Don’t understand shit.
________________________________________ 5 minutes
7:33 PM me: ughh
7:37 PM Gabrielle: garble garble
me: mumble mumble
natasha bedingfield - the one that got away <3
me: youtubingngnggg
7:38 PM me: :) the chorus
7:40 PM my dad is being a dickhead.
he blocked youtube on my computer
Gabrielle: ....
why? College app season? x)
me: 'cause he's an ass ?
he thinks he's a god by controlling what i can and can't see
7:41 PM or whether or not i can even use the net
7:42 PM Gabrielle: D:
7:43 PM me: i'm actually trying to do the online quiz for calc like a good little kid. XD
Gabrielle: ah!
i should do that
okay, i'm going to let us all go
hm
me: you reminded me by doing im-ing me
Gabrielle: the mix is better, i think, than the original?
me: yeah dancy one right ? cya later….at math.