I'm hopping in the TARDIS again today, to take me back to August 2010. Want to come along? Keep reading, then...
I ended July with a party, and started August with a party. Well, sort of a party. Aleithia had discovered that a Youth theatre group was doing 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown' at the Lemon Tree as part of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival. A group of us decided to go, including Lynch, who had never seen the show before. It was a big hit with all of us. What's not to love about it, honestly? I even dressed the part as Lucy, because my sister always told me growing up that I was just like her. I can see *some* similarities, if I'm honest, and not all of them always flattering... but I still see myself more as a Charlie Brown, though I do have both some Linus and Lucy tendencies. I'll just leave it at that.
The next day, 2 August, was a momentus one for me. Lynch agreed to be my offical photographer, and I'm so glad! Otherwise I wouldn't have the awesome evidence of the day I submitted my thesis! You can see those photos, as well as others from the month, here. I started out by going to her office, the attic one, and using Joe's computer to use the university's printer to make the two copies I needed for my readers. I took them to the library to be soft-bound, and then had about half an hour to wait before I could turn them in. Lynch was ready for a break from her own thesis work, and the weather was nice, so we went for a wee ramble around the area-- through Cruickshank Gardens, around Seaton Park and St Machar drive, and back up to the uni. By that time, it was time! I went back to the library and the copy centre to pick up my now-bound theses, and Lynch accompanied me to Registry. Now, usually anything that required a visit to Registry was sure to be an absolute nightmare. I was expecting a nightmare, and instead got a delight! After waiting in the queue, the lady in the window was not only helpful (and seemed to know what she was doing, which was a surprise, given other experiences there), but she was friendly! That just never happens. She congratulated me, and wished me luck on my viva. I couldn't quite figure out where they'd found this person, but she must not have been a regular. Still, it was nice... and I was done with the big part! Lynch took pictures for me, and sang me a thesis-submitting song (to the tune of 'Happiness', from 'Charlie Brown'), and we went back to her office for coffee and chocolate and celebrations! Jay even stopped by, bearing gifts in the form of a tube of Smarties for me (who was the smartie of the day, obviously). It was great! After Lynch finished her work for the day, I went with her back to her hoose, where we ate fish 'n chips (I think) and drank wine (I'm sure). It was great to spend the day with her, celebrating finally being so close to being done. Thanks, Lynch, for making it a fantastic day!
The rest of the month was full of fare-thee-wells and waiting. Both RitaB and Aleithia were leaving soon, and we had some get togethers to send them off. I helped Aleithia move flats just a few weeks before she left, which was wonderful for her, I'm sure. Not me helping, the need to move. Anyway. RitaB also threw a big party, where we all ate food and sat around talking, trying not to be sad about the impending goodbyes. I also spent the last evening she was in town, trying to help her pack all she could into the allotted one checked bag, and taking home with me all the stuff she couldn't, in order to redistribute it to people who might want or need it. Except for her beloved sleeping bag, which I ended up bringing home to reunite with her. But that's another story. RitaB had wanted to go to Slains Castle before she left, and we finally found a day that had nice enough weather to make the trek from the Bullers of Buchan down to Slains and into Cruden Bay. I had done that hike with Barb a few years ago, and it is seriously one of my favourite places in all of Scotland. I love it, and so I was quite happy to go with RitaB. We hiked around the cliffs, took lots of pictures, and enjoyed all that the northeast of Scotland has to offer. We didn't even get rained on that day! It was glorious, and the photos are here. It was good to have some fun things going on, because I still didn't know what the heck was going on with my visa, so I was still hopeful that I'd be staying in Scotland-- and I'm never happy with saying good-bye-for-now to friends. It was hard, but I'd rather have known them and let them go than to not have known them.
Other than that, I spent my time trying to relax and catch up on stuff (like going to the cinema) that I'd not had time for in a while. When the weather was nice (and sometimes when it wasn't), I got outside as much as I could. I always enjoy taking photos, and the flowers were just amazing. The photos of those, from the summer on campus and in Seaton Park, specifically, are here. Now that the concentrated thesis work was done, it was both fun and strange to have all my time to myself. I have never been very good at waiting, though, so I was anxious to just get my viva done already, and be ready to graduate in November.
Thank goodness Lynch was around to keep me busy, with food and drink and cinema and chats and... oh, just being my friend. Especially with everyone else leaving...
Showing posts with label academic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label academic. Show all posts
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Monday, 13 February 2012
The Big Finish 2010
Another trip down memory lane, continuing with the summer of 2010.
After seeing Macca with Paige, I just hung around her wee Alva flat after she left for America for a bit. It was, again, a good place to do some focussed work and not be distracted by much of anything. Except the Famous Alva Highland Games, which I already posted about ages ago. You can read that again here, if you forgot. The World Cup (football) was going on at the same time, and whereas in January I didn't turn on the tv except to see the New Year's Doctor Who episode (*sob*), this time I had a the matches on (even though I didn't pay that much attention to many of them). I can't help myself-- I just love national sports. Club sports, not so much. Maybe that's why I'm not such a fan of the NFL? Go figure.
Anyway. I was quite lucky to get to be in Alva to work, and I worked hard to get ready to submit by the end of the month. After being robbed (which you can read about here, if you've want to hear the story again), I wasn't sure what I was going to do about finishing-- I had lost my computer, Lynch's loaned computer, and my thumb drive. Even worse, I'd lost the past three weeks' work, a lot of which was fixing footnotes and other busy work. Luckily, however, I managed to get a laptop on loan from the university for a couple of weeks. Generally they hadn't been very helpful with things like offices and information, but this time I lucked out-- they had a laptop that had been returned by a faculty and had not yet been reassigned. They didn't need it for another three weeks, and I was only going to be gone for just over two. Yay! It was a university miracle. It was an older model and not all that great, but it had wireless internet and Microsoft Office, which were really all I needed. I gratefully borrowed it, and gratefully returned it.
I got home to Aberdeen and Kenny told me there was good news and bad news, regarding the break-in. I asked for the bad news first, and found out that the insurance folks weren't going to cover any of my stuff, because they said I was a lodger and should have had my own renter's insurance (even though they had ages before said I wasn't considered a lodger because I wasn't on an official contract...). That meant I would have to buy a new computer, for which I did not have the funds. Yikes. I was not happy. Luckily, the good news was that Kenny is awesome (which I already knew) and that because the insurance company made him angry by that, he just claimed for his stolen laptop and then gave me the new one. He had recently bought himself a new one, and the stolen one was the old one, anyway. So it arrived just a few days after, and I got to finish my thesis on my shiny new Samsung! Have I mentioned that Kenny is the best? Because he totally is, and not just for this. This is only one small example of why he is awesome.
I had intended to submit before Harry Potter's birthday, but due to the loss of work and having to redo so much annoyingly time-consuming stuff, I ended up finishing in time to submit the first of August. Or rather, the second, because the first was a Sunday. But since I was, for all intents and purposes, done, and because I just wanted to, dang it, I had a Harry Potter party! It was 31 July, his birthday, and in celebration of me being done-- because it was the whole HP controversy that got me started down this thesis road to begin with. Lynch, RitaB and Aleithia came, and we had fun. It was a small celebration, but a much-needed one with some of my closest friends. We had custard cremes (and everyone managed to avoid the canary cremes!), cockroach clusters, chocolate frogs, Gryffindor-coloured cupcakes and rice krispy treats and deviled eggs, and Butterbeer! Plus some general party food, like cheeses and other goodies. Basically, we just sat around and ate, but that makes for quite a good party in my book. And that celebration meant that I was officially done with the major part of the thesis. Woot.
You can see all the photos from the month's activities here.
After seeing Macca with Paige, I just hung around her wee Alva flat after she left for America for a bit. It was, again, a good place to do some focussed work and not be distracted by much of anything. Except the Famous Alva Highland Games, which I already posted about ages ago. You can read that again here, if you forgot. The World Cup (football) was going on at the same time, and whereas in January I didn't turn on the tv except to see the New Year's Doctor Who episode (*sob*), this time I had a the matches on (even though I didn't pay that much attention to many of them). I can't help myself-- I just love national sports. Club sports, not so much. Maybe that's why I'm not such a fan of the NFL? Go figure.
Anyway. I was quite lucky to get to be in Alva to work, and I worked hard to get ready to submit by the end of the month. After being robbed (which you can read about here, if you've want to hear the story again), I wasn't sure what I was going to do about finishing-- I had lost my computer, Lynch's loaned computer, and my thumb drive. Even worse, I'd lost the past three weeks' work, a lot of which was fixing footnotes and other busy work. Luckily, however, I managed to get a laptop on loan from the university for a couple of weeks. Generally they hadn't been very helpful with things like offices and information, but this time I lucked out-- they had a laptop that had been returned by a faculty and had not yet been reassigned. They didn't need it for another three weeks, and I was only going to be gone for just over two. Yay! It was a university miracle. It was an older model and not all that great, but it had wireless internet and Microsoft Office, which were really all I needed. I gratefully borrowed it, and gratefully returned it.
I got home to Aberdeen and Kenny told me there was good news and bad news, regarding the break-in. I asked for the bad news first, and found out that the insurance folks weren't going to cover any of my stuff, because they said I was a lodger and should have had my own renter's insurance (even though they had ages before said I wasn't considered a lodger because I wasn't on an official contract...). That meant I would have to buy a new computer, for which I did not have the funds. Yikes. I was not happy. Luckily, the good news was that Kenny is awesome (which I already knew) and that because the insurance company made him angry by that, he just claimed for his stolen laptop and then gave me the new one. He had recently bought himself a new one, and the stolen one was the old one, anyway. So it arrived just a few days after, and I got to finish my thesis on my shiny new Samsung! Have I mentioned that Kenny is the best? Because he totally is, and not just for this. This is only one small example of why he is awesome.
I had intended to submit before Harry Potter's birthday, but due to the loss of work and having to redo so much annoyingly time-consuming stuff, I ended up finishing in time to submit the first of August. Or rather, the second, because the first was a Sunday. But since I was, for all intents and purposes, done, and because I just wanted to, dang it, I had a Harry Potter party! It was 31 July, his birthday, and in celebration of me being done-- because it was the whole HP controversy that got me started down this thesis road to begin with. Lynch, RitaB and Aleithia came, and we had fun. It was a small celebration, but a much-needed one with some of my closest friends. We had custard cremes (and everyone managed to avoid the canary cremes!), cockroach clusters, chocolate frogs, Gryffindor-coloured cupcakes and rice krispy treats and deviled eggs, and Butterbeer! Plus some general party food, like cheeses and other goodies. Basically, we just sat around and ate, but that makes for quite a good party in my book. And that celebration meant that I was officially done with the major part of the thesis. Woot.
You can see all the photos from the month's activities here.
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Alva Thesis Retreat, Take Two
Study, study, study. In Alva. Thank you, Paige, for the loan of your flat while you were away!
It worked well for me in January to be away for a few weeks, and to just work somewhere different. I hoped it would work that way again, especially after being so frustrated with the whole robbery and losing my work fiasco. I debated about not going, but I'd already bought my train tickets before the theft, and I couldn't see wasting the money (they were, of course, non-refundable cheap tickets). So off I poddled to Alva for two weeks.
I didn't get completely done, but I did get a lot accomplished. It's funny how just a change of scene can work wonders on motivation and focus, sometimes. The weather wasn't great, as it was rainy and cloudy most of the time... but there is a great park just a couple of blocks down that I took my books and notebooks to when the sun came out. The university even loaned me a netbook to use for two weeks. Granted, I made them feel bad enough about having kicked me out of my office right at the end of my time when I needed a place to work the most, and laid it on thick about then having my laptop stolen in the break-in... they couldn't really do anything but loan me one that was sitting around unused, could they?
Anyway. I worked a lot. I drank coffee and ate snacks and sat in the window and watched the World Cup and read in the times when I wasn't working. It was productive, and it was refreshing to be somewhere other than the 'Deen for a bit. Thanks, Paige! I owe ya. =)
Where are the photos? They're here.
It worked well for me in January to be away for a few weeks, and to just work somewhere different. I hoped it would work that way again, especially after being so frustrated with the whole robbery and losing my work fiasco. I debated about not going, but I'd already bought my train tickets before the theft, and I couldn't see wasting the money (they were, of course, non-refundable cheap tickets). So off I poddled to Alva for two weeks.
I didn't get completely done, but I did get a lot accomplished. It's funny how just a change of scene can work wonders on motivation and focus, sometimes. The weather wasn't great, as it was rainy and cloudy most of the time... but there is a great park just a couple of blocks down that I took my books and notebooks to when the sun came out. The university even loaned me a netbook to use for two weeks. Granted, I made them feel bad enough about having kicked me out of my office right at the end of my time when I needed a place to work the most, and laid it on thick about then having my laptop stolen in the break-in... they couldn't really do anything but loan me one that was sitting around unused, could they?
Anyway. I worked a lot. I drank coffee and ate snacks and sat in the window and watched the World Cup and read in the times when I wasn't working. It was productive, and it was refreshing to be somewhere other than the 'Deen for a bit. Thanks, Paige! I owe ya. =)
Where are the photos? They're here.
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Thesis-Writing Picnic
We haven't had as great a summer as last year, but we've had some wonderful days. This was one of them.
I honestly can't remember what else was going on, or why I was dressed up. Maybe it was just because it was so gorgeous... either way, I wound up meeting Liz at her office in the afternoon. I loaded up some goodies-- coffee, kool-aid, chocolate, snacks-- and took two blankets down so we could sit in her office back garden to study. It was way too nice to be inside. So we sat and lounged around in the secret garden, soaking up the sun and the coffee, and even getting some work done. It was so warm, we actually had to move to the shade after a while. I've been jealous enough of Liz's office, but this was the final straw. Luckily she's nice enough to have let me work in her attic office as well as in her back garden office. Not to mention Khyber Pass nights in the common room....
I honestly can't remember what else was going on, or why I was dressed up. Maybe it was just because it was so gorgeous... either way, I wound up meeting Liz at her office in the afternoon. I loaded up some goodies-- coffee, kool-aid, chocolate, snacks-- and took two blankets down so we could sit in her office back garden to study. It was way too nice to be inside. So we sat and lounged around in the secret garden, soaking up the sun and the coffee, and even getting some work done. It was so warm, we actually had to move to the shade after a while. I've been jealous enough of Liz's office, but this was the final straw. Luckily she's nice enough to have let me work in her attic office as well as in her back garden office. Not to mention Khyber Pass nights in the common room....
Friday, 10 September 2010
Dear Faithful Readers
Hello? Anyone out there? *crickets*
C'mon, y'all. I can see the three of you. Hello! Echo...echo...echo...echo.
Ha. I'm such a joker.
No really.
Faithful friends and readers, thank you for not giving up on my entirely. If you are reading this now, you've at least not deleted me from your blogroll. Thank you for that. I have had loads of things I've done that I wanted to write about, and loads more things that I *should* write about... but I just haven't had the energy or presence of mind to actually sit down and write. Maybe it's just a by-product of being done with the thesis-- I have writer's block now. Better now than then, anyway!
Anyway. I just sent out this letter to all my email contacts, so if you're already read it, please feel free to skim or ignore or whatever. But I just wanted to update everyone on what's going on and what's going off and what's coming up and all that jazz. So here's the short version of my life right now:
Hi y'all,
I realise that I haven't written an update in years now. I also realise that I've been very, very remiss in emailing pretty much at all. For that, I do apologise. It's not that I don't miss you or think about you or pray for you... it's just that I've been very bad at letting you know that. Partly I blame writing a PhD thesis. Partly I blame Facebook (which is where I mostly keep up with people, so if you're on there and want to keep up with me, please find me!). Partly I blame the time going by faster and faster as I get older so that I hardly notice it's past. Mostly, though, it's just that I've gotten really bad at taking the time. I am sorry.
This note, however, is to let you know that I'm actually finally nearly done with my PhD! I know, it's been six years. You can hardly believe it. Me, neither. I submitted the monster of 100,000 words (give or take a few) on 2 August, and my viva (defence) is in ten days. TEN DAYS!! That's 20 September. Thank goodness it's not the 19th, as that's 'speak like a pirate day'. I'm betting that would be a little awkward. ;) So yup. A week from Monday at half ten in the morning my time (so the middle of the night for most of y'all), I will meet with two readers-- one from my university and one from another university-- to find out my fate. I'm nervous, of course. Who wouldn't be? But it'll be fine. I keep telling myself that, anyway. It'll be fine.
What happens after that, however, God only knows. I have hoped to stay in the UK and work for a year or two, and then figure out where I want to go next-- that plan seems to be in some trouble, thanks to the UK bordery agency still not having dealt with my visa extension that I applied for back in April. Technically now I'm illegal-- but they've had all my documents and application (and my passport, of course....yikes) since then. I'm not sure if they'll count that against me since it's not my fault or not, so I'm trying to find out whether it will be a total waste of my money to apply for the post-study work visa once the university cuts me loose. If I haven't heard back from the original visa application by then, that is. I really want to stay here a while longer... it's home now, after so many years, and I love it. I have been more myself here than probably any other time or place in my whole life. I have friends here who are more like family. I have an unlimited cinema card, and I don't have to have a car. It fits me, and I'm not ready to leave. However, I do realise that I might have no choice. I might get my April visa denied, in which case I won't be able to apply for the other from here. They might not accept my new application because of the delay in the other, but still would keep the huge application fee. Financially, it seems safer to just come back to the States... but that's not where my heart is.
Friends and family, would you please pray with me? About my viva, that it goes well and I'm not so stressed out that I burst into tears? Because that isn't unknown. I know, you're shocked. I never cry at anything. =D And about what happens next, mostly-- not for any specific outcome, but just that I would have a peace about whatever it is that I should do next. Because right now, I don't have peace about any of my options, for different reasons. I have no idea what to do next, and I don't feel like I really have 'choices', since so much of what will or won't happen is constrained by things completely out of my control. I know that God is in control, and that things will work out-- I just don't know how. And I've been in the dark on this for a loooong time. I'm really struggling with that now.
Thank you all so much for your support, love, and prayers over these past few years in Aberdeen. It has been hard and not always pleasant, but it has also been wonderful and challenging and surprising. I have learned a lot, about my research, of course, but also about myself. I can't believe this road is almost over. I seriously doubted over much of the past two years that this day would ever come. It felt impossible-- yet here I am. Thank you for walking it with me, even when you haven't heard from me. I would love to hear how things are in your world, though, and if there are ways I can be praying for you, please do let me know.
I'll let you know what happens in ten days. =D
love,
amie
C'mon, y'all. I can see the three of you. Hello! Echo...echo...echo...echo.
Ha. I'm such a joker.
No really.
Faithful friends and readers, thank you for not giving up on my entirely. If you are reading this now, you've at least not deleted me from your blogroll. Thank you for that. I have had loads of things I've done that I wanted to write about, and loads more things that I *should* write about... but I just haven't had the energy or presence of mind to actually sit down and write. Maybe it's just a by-product of being done with the thesis-- I have writer's block now. Better now than then, anyway!
Anyway. I just sent out this letter to all my email contacts, so if you're already read it, please feel free to skim or ignore or whatever. But I just wanted to update everyone on what's going on and what's going off and what's coming up and all that jazz. So here's the short version of my life right now:
Hi y'all,
I realise that I haven't written an update in years now. I also realise that I've been very, very remiss in emailing pretty much at all. For that, I do apologise. It's not that I don't miss you or think about you or pray for you... it's just that I've been very bad at letting you know that. Partly I blame writing a PhD thesis. Partly I blame Facebook (which is where I mostly keep up with people, so if you're on there and want to keep up with me, please find me!). Partly I blame the time going by faster and faster as I get older so that I hardly notice it's past. Mostly, though, it's just that I've gotten really bad at taking the time. I am sorry.
This note, however, is to let you know that I'm actually finally nearly done with my PhD! I know, it's been six years. You can hardly believe it. Me, neither. I submitted the monster of 100,000 words (give or take a few) on 2 August, and my viva (defence) is in ten days. TEN DAYS!! That's 20 September. Thank goodness it's not the 19th, as that's 'speak like a pirate day'. I'm betting that would be a little awkward. ;) So yup. A week from Monday at half ten in the morning my time (so the middle of the night for most of y'all), I will meet with two readers-- one from my university and one from another university-- to find out my fate. I'm nervous, of course. Who wouldn't be? But it'll be fine. I keep telling myself that, anyway. It'll be fine.
What happens after that, however, God only knows. I have hoped to stay in the UK and work for a year or two, and then figure out where I want to go next-- that plan seems to be in some trouble, thanks to the UK bordery agency still not having dealt with my visa extension that I applied for back in April. Technically now I'm illegal-- but they've had all my documents and application (and my passport, of course....yikes) since then. I'm not sure if they'll count that against me since it's not my fault or not, so I'm trying to find out whether it will be a total waste of my money to apply for the post-study work visa once the university cuts me loose. If I haven't heard back from the original visa application by then, that is. I really want to stay here a while longer... it's home now, after so many years, and I love it. I have been more myself here than probably any other time or place in my whole life. I have friends here who are more like family. I have an unlimited cinema card, and I don't have to have a car. It fits me, and I'm not ready to leave. However, I do realise that I might have no choice. I might get my April visa denied, in which case I won't be able to apply for the other from here. They might not accept my new application because of the delay in the other, but still would keep the huge application fee. Financially, it seems safer to just come back to the States... but that's not where my heart is.
Friends and family, would you please pray with me? About my viva, that it goes well and I'm not so stressed out that I burst into tears? Because that isn't unknown. I know, you're shocked. I never cry at anything. =D And about what happens next, mostly-- not for any specific outcome, but just that I would have a peace about whatever it is that I should do next. Because right now, I don't have peace about any of my options, for different reasons. I have no idea what to do next, and I don't feel like I really have 'choices', since so much of what will or won't happen is constrained by things completely out of my control. I know that God is in control, and that things will work out-- I just don't know how. And I've been in the dark on this for a loooong time. I'm really struggling with that now.
Thank you all so much for your support, love, and prayers over these past few years in Aberdeen. It has been hard and not always pleasant, but it has also been wonderful and challenging and surprising. I have learned a lot, about my research, of course, but also about myself. I can't believe this road is almost over. I seriously doubted over much of the past two years that this day would ever come. It felt impossible-- yet here I am. Thank you for walking it with me, even when you haven't heard from me. I would love to hear how things are in your world, though, and if there are ways I can be praying for you, please do let me know.
I'll let you know what happens in ten days. =D
love,
amie
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
(not) my office
Liz is very good to me. She invites me to work with her in her office... at Joe's desk. He's not there, so he can't complain. =D
Being somewhere different is often quite helpful. I think it's just psychological, but a change of scene brings me a change of focus, or confidence, or something. I work well in a routine, but I work even better when I occasionally get out of my routine. The attic office serves that purpose very well. Plus, it's good to work with a friend who is doing the same thing. That friend would be Liz, although Harriet is also great for morale:
And Stephen is just so cool:
I know that I couldn't be doing what I'm doing without God-- so having purple sparkly Jesus there is another bonus for keeping me focused:
We are the madwomen in the attic, Liz and me, when we work in the office together. Good times, I tell ya.
Bwah ha ha ha! Cackle cackle! Heh.
Bwah ha ha ha! Cackle cackle! Heh.
Monday, 5 April 2010
How I Spent My Lenten 40 Days
I meant to write this ages ago, and just never got around to it. The story of my life right now. Anyway. Here's what I did for Lent.
I gave up tv.
NO, not completely. That would be akin to emotional suicide, as I need my tv to distract me occasionally and keep me sane. I did give it up largely, though. I allowed myself one show a day, unless I had gotten a huge amount done on my thesis that day. And whatever day each week was my 'day off' (usually Saturdays so I could watch the rugby), I allowed myself whatever tv I wanted to watch. But largely, I gave up watching tv so that I could focus more on my thesis. Take away my main distraction, and viola! Or so I thought.
It did work pretty well, actually. It's just there's always something to distract me. If it's not tv, it's stressing over my visa situation. Or staring off into space. Or doing housework. Whatever. I had hoped that I would have my draft ready-steady-go by Easter... but not quite. It didn't go to plan that way, but I'm close. I just get stressed about other things, on top of already being stressed about my thesis, and my focus disappears. And my motivation disappears. And my moods drop through the floor. And my sleeping isn't restful. And on and on and on.
And yet, I am making progress. And I've cut down the number of shows I follow. ;)
The other thing I did during Lent was to read a Psalm every morning before I even got out of bed. I already read my Bible at night as part of my bedtime routine, but adding it in the morning as well has been something new for me. It's been a good change, though, and I'm going to keep it up. Just read one a morning, and when I've read all of them, start over. More time in the Word can't be a bad thing.
So really, for Lent, instead of giving up things... I added things. More work on my thesis. More time reading Scripture. Other years, I've written a letter a day to friends or families. Why do I give myself more to do, rather than the traditional 'giving up stuff' for Lent? Because they way I see it, the purpose of Lent is to prepare my heart for Easter. To re-evaluate my life, to repent and seek reconciliation, to draw closer to God and others. So. If that's the goal, then just giving up chocolate or coffee or whatever isn't necessarily getting me any closer to those goals. If I do give something up, like fasting during the day, then I should be using the time I would have been eating to pray or read Scripture or something else towards the ultimate goal of preparing for Easter. When I take something up, like reading Scripture, then I don't feel the need to trade that out for something else.
This year, because I feel like my thesis is God-inspired and my calling right now, working on it and getting it done is part of my spiritual journey, one way I am yearning to draw closer to God. Largely because it won't get done if God doesn't work in me, I decided that focusing on it even more specifically than I might normally was the best way I could honour God and prepare myself for Easter. Did it work? Yes, I think so. Even though I didn't quite get finished. God knows I'm trying. =)
I gave up tv.
NO, not completely. That would be akin to emotional suicide, as I need my tv to distract me occasionally and keep me sane. I did give it up largely, though. I allowed myself one show a day, unless I had gotten a huge amount done on my thesis that day. And whatever day each week was my 'day off' (usually Saturdays so I could watch the rugby), I allowed myself whatever tv I wanted to watch. But largely, I gave up watching tv so that I could focus more on my thesis. Take away my main distraction, and viola! Or so I thought.
It did work pretty well, actually. It's just there's always something to distract me. If it's not tv, it's stressing over my visa situation. Or staring off into space. Or doing housework. Whatever. I had hoped that I would have my draft ready-steady-go by Easter... but not quite. It didn't go to plan that way, but I'm close. I just get stressed about other things, on top of already being stressed about my thesis, and my focus disappears. And my motivation disappears. And my moods drop through the floor. And my sleeping isn't restful. And on and on and on.
And yet, I am making progress. And I've cut down the number of shows I follow. ;)
The other thing I did during Lent was to read a Psalm every morning before I even got out of bed. I already read my Bible at night as part of my bedtime routine, but adding it in the morning as well has been something new for me. It's been a good change, though, and I'm going to keep it up. Just read one a morning, and when I've read all of them, start over. More time in the Word can't be a bad thing.
So really, for Lent, instead of giving up things... I added things. More work on my thesis. More time reading Scripture. Other years, I've written a letter a day to friends or families. Why do I give myself more to do, rather than the traditional 'giving up stuff' for Lent? Because they way I see it, the purpose of Lent is to prepare my heart for Easter. To re-evaluate my life, to repent and seek reconciliation, to draw closer to God and others. So. If that's the goal, then just giving up chocolate or coffee or whatever isn't necessarily getting me any closer to those goals. If I do give something up, like fasting during the day, then I should be using the time I would have been eating to pray or read Scripture or something else towards the ultimate goal of preparing for Easter. When I take something up, like reading Scripture, then I don't feel the need to trade that out for something else.
This year, because I feel like my thesis is God-inspired and my calling right now, working on it and getting it done is part of my spiritual journey, one way I am yearning to draw closer to God. Largely because it won't get done if God doesn't work in me, I decided that focusing on it even more specifically than I might normally was the best way I could honour God and prepare myself for Easter. Did it work? Yes, I think so. Even though I didn't quite get finished. God knows I'm trying. =)
Monday, 8 February 2010
january hermit
Paige was kind enough to let me use her flat as my writing hermitage for pretty much all of January. She's been home in the States, so I've been keeping the wee flat cozy. I had hoped to have a full draft done by the time I left here; I'm close, but not quite. I got a lot of work done, though, and it was good to have some time and space completely on my own. I needed that. (Sorry, Dillon and Thomas.) Here are just some shots of what my time here has looked like, and felt like. A couple of times sick, several times very productive, you've already heard about the fun with Liz... that's it, in a nutshell. My Januaray.
January. It was a good month.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
News Flash!
Before I dive back into ancient history events (ha ha), I thought you might like to know how my thesis-writing reatreat with my friend Liz went. Here it is, by the numbers (thanks to Liz's amazing lyrical skillz--sing along, now, to the obvious tune):
On the 12th day in Alva, guess what I did see?
12 flavours of ice cream,
11 kinds of pizza,
10 battered Mars bars,
9 deep-fried mushrooms,
8 pans for scrubbing,
7 birds-a-sitting,
6 dogs-a-walking,
5 deeeaaaaaad cops,
4 hours of sleep,
3 bottles of wine,
2 sore backs
and a portion of fish 'n chips!
Now for my, much less lyrical, list:
9000: words written, each.
3: bottles of wine, between us.
3: full days of writing.
1: visit to the milk shak ebar
2: pans of lasagna consumed
1573: cups of coffee consumed. probably each.
4: flavours of ice cream consumed, each.
1 1/2: dvds watched (poor PS I Love You... too scratched.)
2: bizarre graffit spottings
1: theological debate finally settled (it was the egg).
2: awesome songs composed, including the one above.
1: books read, each (mine--fiction; liz's-- thesis-related)
4: workspaces organised and used
and for the unknowns:
unknown: belly laughs.
unknown: distance walked the length of Alva.
unknown: pounds gained from eating fish 'n chips, no-bake cookies, and other goodies
unknown: birds watching me... (thanks a lot, hitchcock.)
unknown: dishes washed (because Liz did most of them. Thanks.)
unknown: how in the world I would have been as productive AND had as much fun if Liz hadn't come.
On the 12th day in Alva, guess what I did see?
12 flavours of ice cream,
11 kinds of pizza,
10 battered Mars bars,
9 deep-fried mushrooms,
8 pans for scrubbing,
7 birds-a-sitting,
6 dogs-a-walking,
5 deeeaaaaaad cops,
4 hours of sleep,
3 bottles of wine,
2 sore backs
and a portion of fish 'n chips!
Now for my, much less lyrical, list:
9000: words written, each.
3: bottles of wine, between us.
3: full days of writing.
1: visit to the milk shak ebar
2: pans of lasagna consumed
1573: cups of coffee consumed. probably each.
4: flavours of ice cream consumed, each.
1 1/2: dvds watched (poor PS I Love You... too scratched.)
2: bizarre graffit spottings
1: theological debate finally settled (it was the egg).
2: awesome songs composed, including the one above.
1: books read, each (mine--fiction; liz's-- thesis-related)
4: workspaces organised and used
and for the unknowns:
unknown: belly laughs.
unknown: distance walked the length of Alva.
unknown: pounds gained from eating fish 'n chips, no-bake cookies, and other goodies
unknown: birds watching me... (thanks a lot, hitchcock.)
unknown: dishes washed (because Liz did most of them. Thanks.)
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Are We There Yet?!
As you may know, if you've been paying attention, I'm spending this month in Alva, thanks to my awesome friend Paige who loaned me her flat while she's away, so that I can (hopefully) get a complete full entire first draft done. Of the thesis. All of it.
At least, that's the plan.
So what does that mean for me in the big picture? Here's a little update from the past few months.
As most of you probably remember, my supervisor was in the States on sabbatical last year. He and his family got back in July (which is doubly great, because Steph is also one of my book club friends. And their kids are great fun!). It is good having them back, both academically and personally. I missed them.
Anyway. Since Brian's been back, we've met a few times. I have a pretty accurate outline/layout for my thesis, including the bits that hadn't actually been written yet (although I have all the research done). I wasn't sure about it, but Brian told me it made sense and flowed well and all that good stuff, so I'm going with it. I know it'll probably be tweaked here and there, but I felt much better having A Plan.
So now, I am working on writing the last little bit (which has been all researched and organised and thought through and been floating around in my head for ages, and which I just haven't been able to muster up the motivation and focus to get it done. Bad year.) and doing some editing of the rest to make it flow. I am such a perfectionist that it's hard for me to think of a very rough draft, but that's really what I need at this point: just get everything down, and then work on it in the coming months to get it perfectly edited and revised and all that jazz.
The hope is that I'll have this draft done by the end of January. Then I'll spend a couple of months on the editing and cleaning up bit, and then submit! Yay! My current student extension from the uni runs out the end of May, but my visa runs out the end of April. So if I want to be able to apply for an educated worker's visa (or whatever they call it now), I'd have to at least submit before the end of April. So that's my goal, my hope, and my prayer.
Mostly my prayer, because I know there is absolutely no way I am able to do this except with God's help.
At least, that's the plan.
So what does that mean for me in the big picture? Here's a little update from the past few months.
As most of you probably remember, my supervisor was in the States on sabbatical last year. He and his family got back in July (which is doubly great, because Steph is also one of my book club friends. And their kids are great fun!). It is good having them back, both academically and personally. I missed them.
Anyway. Since Brian's been back, we've met a few times. I have a pretty accurate outline/layout for my thesis, including the bits that hadn't actually been written yet (although I have all the research done). I wasn't sure about it, but Brian told me it made sense and flowed well and all that good stuff, so I'm going with it. I know it'll probably be tweaked here and there, but I felt much better having A Plan.
So now, I am working on writing the last little bit (which has been all researched and organised and thought through and been floating around in my head for ages, and which I just haven't been able to muster up the motivation and focus to get it done. Bad year.) and doing some editing of the rest to make it flow. I am such a perfectionist that it's hard for me to think of a very rough draft, but that's really what I need at this point: just get everything down, and then work on it in the coming months to get it perfectly edited and revised and all that jazz.
The hope is that I'll have this draft done by the end of January. Then I'll spend a couple of months on the editing and cleaning up bit, and then submit! Yay! My current student extension from the uni runs out the end of May, but my visa runs out the end of April. So if I want to be able to apply for an educated worker's visa (or whatever they call it now), I'd have to at least submit before the end of April. So that's my goal, my hope, and my prayer.
Mostly my prayer, because I know there is absolutely no way I am able to do this except with God's help.
Friday, 11 July 2008
My Little World
When I am writing, my world becomes very, very small. I thought I'd give you a little tour of it, while I'm taking a few days off.
Since my room is pretty small, I have to make the most of the space... my shelves are on top of my wardrobe, with some boxes stored behind.
And more boxes piled up between the end of the bed and the wall... since there isn't much room there for anything else, really.
Thank goodness for loft beds, so I can have some drawers, and a desk. And no, I never make my bed these days, as it's too big of a hassle to climb up there and make it. Oh well. =)
I have some books close at hand, as well as some photos to keep me company....
My printer currently doesn't work (boo!), but I have plenty of room for other goodies to keep me going.
This is the view of my desktop, which is what I stare at for hours on end....
And since I do most of my initial work longhand, it's good to have the space.
I spend a good bit of time staring at the underside of my bed....
Or out the window...
watching the traffic.
This is what keeps me going. Coffee = Life.
Must. Have. Music!
Incentives, to motivate myself....
Again, the view for when I need some distraction.
Oh, and just to be honest... I play a lot of minesweeper. ;)
Well. That's it. The extent of my world when I am writing, and especially when I'm on a deadline. Which is pretty much where I spent the past month... well, up til Monday. I've been on a much-needed break since then. But I'll be back in my little cave soon enough. Now you know where to find me!
Since my room is pretty small, I have to make the most of the space... my shelves are on top of my wardrobe, with some boxes stored behind.
And more boxes piled up between the end of the bed and the wall... since there isn't much room there for anything else, really.
Thank goodness for loft beds, so I can have some drawers, and a desk. And no, I never make my bed these days, as it's too big of a hassle to climb up there and make it. Oh well. =)
I have some books close at hand, as well as some photos to keep me company....
My printer currently doesn't work (boo!), but I have plenty of room for other goodies to keep me going.
This is the view of my desktop, which is what I stare at for hours on end....
And since I do most of my initial work longhand, it's good to have the space.
I spend a good bit of time staring at the underside of my bed....
Or out the window...
watching the traffic.
This is what keeps me going. Coffee = Life.
Must. Have. Music!
Incentives, to motivate myself....
Again, the view for when I need some distraction.
Oh, and just to be honest... I play a lot of minesweeper. ;)
Well. That's it. The extent of my world when I am writing, and especially when I'm on a deadline. Which is pretty much where I spent the past month... well, up til Monday. I've been on a much-needed break since then. But I'll be back in my little cave soon enough. Now you know where to find me!
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