I got a very nice (and completely unsolicited) compliment today. A professor (the one for whom I do lots and lots of work) told me that (a) I am "very highly regarded within the department," (b) I am "very clearly doctoral material," and (c) I should "definitely" reapply to the PhD program. (He also said that he's not really sure why I didn't get in the first time around.). Apparently, hard work doesn't go unnoticed forever. Huh.