Beyond Memorial Day

Long Weekend=Short Week

It's Tuesday and I'm at work for the first time this week. Thank you federal holidays. That being said, it's going to be one heck of a week. I have a LOT of work in front of me in these next four days.

I, of course, have both my SPSS class with it's daily homework. I have my Free Speech course which has a final topic one-page summary due Thursday. Also, next Tuesday Victor and I present on a book I haven't cracked the cover of, yet (ok, that may be a slight exaggeration). I have a number of meetings, too, with Dr. Dixon, Victor and I end the week with one of the biggest meetings of my career.

I have my preliminary exam oral defense this Friday. It is the first of three such oral defenses on my way to "Dr." After this (if things go well), I get permission to start working on my dissertation proposal/prospectus. Looking ahead, I hope to have draft versions of that done in September or early October. That proposal/prospectus is the second document I will orally defend. Successful defense of that will allow me to start the data collection/research phase of my dissertation (the subject of my third oral defense).

It all started a long time ago...this road that is leading me closer and closer to that PhD. Friday is another milestone. Those of you who pray, I'll take prayers. Those of you who wish well, I'll take well-wishes. Those of you who sacrifice small animals to appease some sort of serpent-god, I like chicken.

-M.D.S. Away!

...and the beat goes on...

...as does the sumer session. Although that's not all that's going on in my life. For one thing, Gina and I have been spring cleaning, working on our yard, and putting a few new pictures up on the walls.

In school-related news, I meet with Dr. Dixon this week (my dissertation adviser) to discuss my 'doctoral progress report' which I think will go very well. My 'progress' in this dissertation/doctoral program is moving right along. I'm poised to begin dissertation research and writing this academic year. For that to get off the ground, however, I'll need to stop getting the run around from the good folks at the Ohio Office of Victim's Services (OVS). Clearly, I don't rank too highly on their list of "Things To Do". I've sent three emails to Karen, with whom I had a face-to-face meeting over a month ago, with no follow-up. I called the office and was told that I would now be working with "Roxanne" who would call me once she got into the office. That was Monday. This is Wednesday. Guess who hasn't called. I think I'm going to give OVS another day or two and then give Roxanne a call. If OVS doesn't pan out as a venue for research...I'm not sure exactly what I'll do. It seems likely that I'll try and do some work with either BG or Heidelberg's student conduct code/program/policy. all very up in the air, right now...but I suppose that's ok.

And on that note, a diligent student of mine, Chris, sent me this link to PhD comic. It's a comic strip about the "life (or lack thereof) in Academia. I wouldn't say it's 100% spot on...but it's a hell of a lot more like my life than Dilbert, Mary Worth, or (God-forbid) Family Circus (shudder).

-M.D.S. AWAY!

Summer School

For the first time, I am taking summer classes. I'm one week into the first session and have five weeks left of this session. Of course, this will be followed in short order with a second session, in which I have one class. One week down and things are going swimmingly. I need to meet with the graduate coordinator of our department soon to discuss my assistantship appointment for next year. I'm looking forward to teaching a new 200-level IPC course, and we'll see what comes for the other portion of my workload for the fall. For now it's time to work my little tail off at the TV station. -M.D.S. AWAY!

Summer Work

I've started my new, "old" position at the TV station, WBGU, for the summer. I should be doing the same sort of work, for the same hours, for the same people at a drastically reduced pay scale. Not to mention that as a summer employee, my student fees remain gloriously intact. Summer employment is the best! Ok, nose to the grindstone.

-M.D.S.

Blogging in the saddle again

Three months...Three Months! I know, I know it's been too long for gentle readers like you to go without an update...if there are even any of you left out there.

Summer sessions have started. I'm taking three classes and working for WBGU-TV this summer. I also defend my prelims in a couple of weeks. If all goes well, by the end of August I'll not only be ABD, but have some draft dissertation chapters finished, and a wife.

Phew, life comes at you pretty fast, huh?

-M.D.S.